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Solutions of 3D thermal analysis in inhomogeneous media with variable thermal source are divided into homogeneous and particular solutions by a novel boundary-type element-free method, namely virtual boundary element-free Galerkin method (VBEFGM). The homogeneous solution can be obtained by the virtual boundary element-free method (VBEFM). The virtual source function of the homogeneous solution and the unknown coefficient of the particular solution are constructed by the radial basis function interpolation (RBFI). And VBEFGM for 3D thermal analysis in inhomogeneous media with variable thermal source is real meshfree and does not require the background integral element. Its equation is obtained the Galerkin method of the weighted residual methods. The demonstration of ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL) can greatly facilitate the programming for the extraction of the coordinate information and the outer normal cosines on nodes. The calculation scheme and the specific weighted coefficients are deducted in detail for 3D thermal analysis in inhomogeneous media with variable thermal source by VBEFGM. The numerical calculational steps and flow chart are given. Three numerical examples are computed. The results are compared with other numerical methods and the exact solutions. The stability and the accuracy of the proposed method is proved by VBEFGM for 3D thermal analysis in inhomogeneous media with variable thermal source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross talk among different tissues and organs is a hotspot in metabolic research. Recent studies have revealed the regulatory roles of a number of myokines in metabolism. Here, we report that female mice lacking muscle-specific histone methylase G9a (Ehmt2Ckmm knockout [KO] or Ehmt2HSA KO) are resistant to high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis. Furthermore, we identified a significantly upregulated circulating level of musclin, a myokine, in HFD-fed Ehmt2Ckmm KO or Ehmt2HSA KO female mice. Similarly, upregulated musclin was observed in mice injected with two structurally different inhibitors for G9a methylase activity: BIX01294 and A366. Moreover, injection of recombinant full-length musclin or its functional core domain inhibited the HFD-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis in wild-type female and male mice. Mechanistically, G9a methylase activity-dependently regulated muscular musclin level by binding to its promoter, also by regulating phosphorylated-FOXO1/FOXO1 levels in vivo and in vitro. Collectively, these data suggest a critical role for G9a in the muscle-liver-fat metabolic axis, at least for female mice. Musclin may serve as a potential therapeutic candidate for obesity and associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross talk among different tissues and organs is a hotspot in metabolic research. Recent studies have revealed the regulatory roles of a number of myokines in metabolism. Here, we report that female mice lacking muscle-specific histone methylase G9a (Ehmt2Ckmm knockout [KO] or Ehmt2HSA KO) are resistant to high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis. Furthermore, we identified a significantly upregulated circulating level of musclin, a myokine, in HFD-fed Ehmt2Ckmm KO or Ehmt2HSA KO female mice. Similarly, upregulated musclin was observed in mice injected with two structurally different inhibitors for G9a methylase activity: BIX01294 and A366. Moreover, injection of recombinant full-length musclin or its functional core domain inhibited the HFD-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis in wild-type female and male mice. Mechanistically, G9a methylase activity-dependently regulated muscular musclin level by binding to its promoter, also by regulating phosphorylated-FOXO1/FOXO1 levels in vivo and in vitro. Collectively, these data suggest a critical role for G9a in the muscle-liver-fat metabolic axis, at least for female mice. Musclin may serve as a potential therapeutic candidate for obesity and associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Poverty is characterized by a scarcity of resources and a threat of certain stereotypes. However, the effects of stereotype threat are largely dependent on various factors, both negative and positive. Few psychophysiological studies have studied the effects of poverty stereotype threats on inhibition ability in wealth and impoverished individuals. Methods: To fill this gap in the literature, this study used the event‐related potential (ERP) technique to explore the brain mechanisms associated with stereotype threat in 135 participants. Results: Behavioral results showed that the rich group (participants from higher‐income families) had better inhibition ability than the impoverished group (participants from lower‐income families), with significantly shorter reaction time and significantly greater accuracy for poverty‐related stimuli when in the nonthreat condition. Additionally, poverty stereotype threat could improve performance of the impoverished group for poverty‐related stimuli. The electrophysiological results showed significantly larger P3 mean amplitude and significantly longer P3 latency in the rich group than the impoverished group in the nonthreat condition. Although no significant between‐group differences were found in the threat condition, the results show that the effect of poverty stereotype threat varies with different income‐level persons, for both behavioral and P3 data. Conclusion: These findings suggest that impoverished people have worse inhibition abilities. Further, poverty stereotype threat has different effects on people according to their income level and could help to explain irrational consumption behaviors in people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The terminal voltage is easily affected by the characteristics of loads and variations in wind speed, loads and system parameters in a stand-alone wind energy conversion system. This paper presents a terminal voltage control scheme that combines the equivalent-input-disturbance (EID) and model predictive control (MPC). The total disturbance is observed and compensated in real time by the EID. A battery energy storage system based on MPC is employed to smooth the fluctuation and imbalance in power caused by the variation in wind speed and loads, thereby solving the problem of terminal voltage flicker and instability. The appropriate terminal voltage can be obtained using the proposed scheme, which is a simple design and offers good prospects for actual applications. The simulation results demonstrate the validity of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the major infectious diseases that seriously endanger people's health. In Shandong province, the relationship between the level of economic development and TB incidence has not been studied. This study aims to provide more research basis for the government to prevent and control TB by exploring the impact of different economic factors on TB incidence.Methods: By constructing threshold regression model (TRM), we described the extent to which different economic factors contribute to TB registered incidence and differences in TB registered incidence among seventeen cities with different levels of economic development in Shandong province, China, during 2006-2017. Data were retrieved from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention.Results: Per capita medical expenditure (regression coefficient, -0.0314462; SD, 0.0079305; P > |t|, 0.000) and per capita savings (regression coefficient, 0.0001924; SD, 0.0000566; P > |t|, 0.001) passed the significance test at the level of 1%.They are the two economic indicators that have the greatest impact on TB registered incidence. Through the threshold test, we selected the per capita savings as the threshold variable. In the three stages of per capita savings (<9772.8086 China Yuan(CNY); 9772.8086-33,835.5391 CNY; >33,835.5391 CNY), rural per capita income always has a significant negative impact on the TB registered incidence (The regression coefficients are - 0.0015682, - 0.0028132 and - 0.0022253 respectively. P is 0.007,0.000 and 0.000 respectively.).In cities with good economies, TB registered incidence was 38.30% in 2006 and dropped to 25.10% by 2017. In cities with moderate economies, TB registered incidence peaked in 2008 at 43.10% and dropped to 27.1% by 2017.In poorer cities, TB registered incidence peaked in 2008 at 56.30% and dropped to 28.9% in 2017.Conclusion: We found that per capita savings and per capita medical expenditure are most closely related to the TB incidence. Therefore, relevant departments should formulate a more complete medical system and medical insurance policy to effectively solve the problem of "difficult and expensive medical treatment". In order to further reduce the TB incidence, in addition to timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment, it is more important for governments to increase investment in medicine and health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer exhibits poor prognosis and high relapse rates following chemotherapy therapeutics. Thus, this study aims to develop effective novel agents regulating the core molecular pathway of breast cancer such as Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Methods: The present study screened a novel inhibitor, called "C188", using MTT assay. The molecular formula of C188 is C21H15FN4O3 and the molecular weight is 390. Flow cytometry and Western blotting were employed to assess cell cycle arrest after treatment with C188. Wound-healing and transwell assays were applied to measure the cell migration and invasion viability. The regulatory effects of C188 on Wnt/β‑catenin signaling and localization of β‑catenin in the nucleus were investigated by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Results: We found that C188 significantly suppressed proliferation and growth in a dose- and time-dependent manner in breast cancer cells, but not in normal breast cells. The inhibitory effect was caused by cell cycle arrest at the G1-phase which is induced by C188 treatment. Additionally, C188 dramatically inhibited cell migration of breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. The migration inhibition was attributed to the suppression of Wnt/β‑catenin signaling and localization of β‑catenin in the nucleus mediated by regulating phosphorylation of β‑catenin and its subsequent stability. Furthermore, the target genes, including Axin 2, c-JUN, and c-Myc, were downregulated due to the decrease of β‑catenin in the nucleus after exposure to C188. Conclusion: C188 treatment resulted in the downregulation of cyclin D which led to cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase, and the inhibition of cell migration, indicating that C188 may be an effective novel therapeutic candidate as a potential treatment for human breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seepage of gas-liquid two-phase flow in fracture is a commonly found phenomenon in nature. To reveal the underlying mechanism and the critical condition of the chaos occurrence, a stochastic gas-liquid two-phase flow seepage model is established, and then investigated through a numerical simulation and a horizontal Hele-Shaw experiment. The numerical simulation and laboratory experiment results show that the seepage chaos of gas-liquid two-phase flow takes place when the relative saturation is in the range of gas relative saturation 44%-70%, and the occurrence probability can be expressed in polynomials. The chaos probability exceeds 80% when the relative saturation of gas is 47%-65%, and the chaos probability is 100% when the relative gas saturation is 57%-60%. It is found that the stochastic variation of gas connection cluster and the compressibility of gas lead to a remarkable change of pressure gradient of the gas-liquid flow both in magnitude and direction. Therefore, the turbulent flow is formed, the kinetic energy of fluid transport decreases gradually, and the flow is stopped at last. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a high mortality disease, the fifth most general cancer worldwide, and the second leading to cancer-related deaths, with more than 500,000 new patients diagnosed each year. First, the high expression of centromere M (CENPM) in mammary gland tissue of b-catenin transformed mice was identified. Materials and methods: In our study, we evaluated the expression of CENPM in hepatocellular carcinoma based on data obtained from an online database. Multivariate analysis showed that the expression of CENPM and M classification was an independent prognostic factor for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Results: Survival analysis showed that patients with high CENPM had a worse prognosis than patients with low CENPM (P < 0.01). A multivariate Cox regression hazard model showed that B cells, CD8+ T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells infiltrated by immune cells were statistically significant in liver cancer (P < 0.05). Using the network, the 50 most frequently changed neighbor genes of CENPM were shown, and the most common change was RAD21 (18.3%). Conclusion: Our study found that the expression of CENPM was significantly increased in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and it was related to a variety of clinical characteristics, its correlation with the level of immune infiltration and poor prognosis, so CENPM can be used as a useful prognosis for patients’ markers and HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To identify the most effective laxative for bowel preparation in unsedated colonoscopy. Methods. Between April 2019 and April 2020, a total of 586 outpatients scheduled for unsedated colonoscopy at the First Hospital of Jilin University (Changchun, China) were randomized into one of two groups, namely, the polyethylene glycol (PEG) group or the oral sodium phosphate solution (OSP) group. The cleaning efficiency and other relevant clinical parameters were compared between the two groups. Results. Each group consisted of 293 patients. There were no significant differences in gender, body mass index, and history of abdominal surgery between the two groups. There were more cases of laxative intolerance in the PEG group than in the OSP group (7.5% vs. 0.7%, P < 0.05). After tube insertion, we found that the cleaning efficiency of OSP was better than that of PEG (P < 0.05). After cleaning, there was no significant difference in bowel cleanliness between the two groups (P > 0.05). The colonoscopic insertion time of the PEG group was significantly shorter than that of the OSP group (10.0 vs. 12.0 min, P = 0.002), and colonoscopic insertion was more difficult in the OSP group than in the PEG group (P = 0.036). The VAS score of the PEG group patients was significantly lower than that of OSP group patients (4.0 ± 1.3 vs. 5.2 ± 1.7 , P ≤ 0.001). There were no significant differences in the cecal intubation rate and the detection rate of polyps and ulcers/erosion between the two groups. Conclusion. The cleaning efficiency and tolerability of OSP were preferable to those of PEG, but there was no significant difference in bowel cleanliness after washing the colon and suctioning the fluid. Compared with patients of the OSP group, those of the PEG group required a shorter colonoscopic insertion time and reported a more comfortable experience. Therefore, for cases that are tolerant of PEG, PEG is a better choice for unsedated colonoscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is the fifth most common cancer in the world and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths. Over 500,000 new HCC cases are diagnosed each year. Combining advanced genomic analysis with proteomic characterization not only has great potential in the discovery of useful biomarkers but also drives the development of new diagnostic methods.Methods: This study obtained proteomic data from Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) and validated in The Cancer Proteome Atlas (TCPA) and TCGA dataset to identify HCC biomarkers and the dysfunctional of proteogenomics.Results: The CPTAC database contained data for 159 patients diagnosed with Hepatitis-B related HCC and 422 differentially expressed proteins (112 upregulated and 310 downregulated proteins). Restricting our analysis to the intersection in survival-related proteins between CPTAC and TCPA database revealed four coverage survival-related proteins including PCNA, MSH6, CDK1, and ASNS.Conclusion: This study established a novel protein signature for HCC prognosis prediction using data retrieved from online databases. However, the signatures need to be verified using independent cohorts and functional experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six two‐dimensional (2D) coordination polymers (CPs), namely, poly[{μ5‐3,3‐[(5‐carboxylato‐1,3‐phenylene)bis(oxy)]dibenzoato‐κ6O1:O1′:O3,O3′:O5:O5′}bis(N,N‐dimethylformamide‐κO)lanthanide(III)], [Ln(C21H11O8)(C3H7NO)2]n, with lanthanide/Ln = cerium/Ce for CP1, praseodymium/Pr for CP2, neodymium/Nd for CP3, samarium/Sm for CP4, europium/Eu for CP5 and gadolinium/Gd for CP6, have been prepared by solvothermal methods using the ligand 3,3′‐[(5‐carboxy‐1,3‐phenylene)bis(oxy)]dibenzoic acid (H3cpboda) in the presence of Ln(NO3)3. The complexes were characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray and powder diffraction, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All the structures of this family of lanthanide CPs are isomorphous with the triclinic space group P and reveal that they have the same 2D network based on binuclear LnIII units, which are further extended via interlayer C—H...π interactions into a three‐dimensional supramolecular structure. The carboxylate groups of the cpboda3− ligands link adjacent LnIII ions and form binuclear [Ln2(RCOO)4] secondary building units (SBUs), in which each binuclear LnIII SBU contains four carboxylate groups from different cpboda3− ligands. Moreover, with the increase of the rare‐earth Ln atomic radius, the dihedral angles between the aromatic rings gradually increase. Magnetically, CP6 shows weak antiferromagnetic coupling between the GdIII ions. The solid‐state luminescence properties of CP2, CP5 and CP6 were examined at ambient temperature and CP5 exhibits characteristic red emission bands derived from the Eu3+ ion (CIE 0.53, 0.31), with luminescence quantum yields of 22%. Therefore, CP5 should be regarded as a potential optical material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Diabetes is one of the most distinct comorbidities of COVID-19. Here, we describe the clinical characteristics of and outcomes in patients with diabetes in whom COVID-19 was confirmed or clinically diagnosed (with typical features on lung imaging and symptoms) and their association with glucose-lowering or blood pressure-lowering medications.Research Design and Methods: In this retrospective study involving 904 patients with COVID-19 (136 with diabetes, mostly type 2 diabetes), clinical and laboratory characteristics were collected and compared between the group with diabetes and the group without diabetes, and between groups taking different medications. Logistic regression was used to explore risk factors associated with mortality or poor prognosis.Results: The proportion of comorbid diabetes is similar between cases of confirmed and of clinically diagnosed COVID-19. Risk factors for higher mortality of patients with diabetes and COVID-19 were older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.09 [95% CI 1.04, 1.15] per year increase; P = 0.001) and elevated C-reactive protein (aOR 1.12 [95% CI 1.00, 1.24]; P = 0.043). Insulin usage (aOR 3.58 [95% CI 1.37, 9.35]; P = 0.009) was associated with poor prognosis. Clinical outcomes of those who use an ACE inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II type-I receptor blocker (ARB) were comparable with those of patients who do not use ACEI/ARB among COVID-19 patients with diabetes and hypertension.Conclusions: C-reactive protein may help to identify patients with diabetes who are at greater risk of dying during hospitalization. Older patients with diabetes were prone to death related to COVID-19. Attention needs to be paid to patients with diabetes and COVID-19 who use insulin. ACEI/ARB use showed no significant impact on patients with diabetes and hypertension who have COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the continued improvement in the surgical techniques during primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA), literatures indicate that up to 10 to 20% patients are not satisfied with their outcomes. Psychological factors in this dissatisfaction are yet to be clearly identified. The aim of this study is to develop a method to assess whether the patient's current mental state is suitable enough to accept a TKA surgery. Methods: Preoperative demographic and clinical data of 532 patients who underwent TKA were prospectively obtained from January 2012 until December 2016. We recorded the scores evaluated by SF-36 questionnaire and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. Preoperative Life Satisfaction Rating (LSR) is emphatically evaluated. Results: Poor preoperative score of LSR was a significant predictor of dissatisfaction after TKA. Patients with low LSR reported significant pain and stiffness, although there was no remarkable effect on functionality of the replaced joint. The results also showed that age and BMI were not strong predictors of satisfaction in TKA. Conclusion: Our outcomes can help clinicians evaluate whether a patient's current mental status is favorable for TKA. If patients have extreme low scores of LSR (less than 10), a psychological intervention should be recommended for better satisfaction following a TKA surgery. This would also allow surgeons to individually assess the risks and benefits of surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a parameter-dependent multiple discontinuous Lyapunov function (PMDLF) approach is proposed to study the $H_\infty$ refined antidisturbance control problem of switched linear parameter-varying systems. The $H_\infty$ refined antidisturbance means the disturbance appearing in the control channel can be accurately compensated by means of the estimation of the disturbance and the energy bounded external disturbance can be restrained. A key point is to set up a PMDLF framework that provides an effective tool for attenuating the energy bounded disturbances and rejecting the disturbances generated by the exosystem accurately. A parameter-driven and dwell time-dependent switching law is designed, and a solvability condition ensuring the $H_\infty$ refined antidisturbance performance is developed. Then, the $H_\infty$ refined antidisturbance switched parameter-dependent disturbance observers and the disturbance observer-based refined controllers are established to achieve required disturbance attenuation and rejection. Finally, an example of an aero-engine control system is given to verify the availability of the acquired approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Clusters that are well approximated as tetrairidium were synthesized from Ir(C 2 H 4) 2 complexes anchored to the Zr 6 O 8 nodes of the metal organic framework UiO-67. • The supported clusters catalyze ethylene conversion at 298 K and atmospheric pressure, with the turnover frequency (per Ir atom) characterizing the clusters being twice that of the mononuclear iridium complexes. • The clusters are active exclusively for hydrogenation whereas the mononuclear iridium complexes are active for both dimerization and hydrogenation. • DFT calculations of the reaction energetics are in good accord with experiment, showing that the rate-determining step for the hydrogenation on the isolated iridium complexes is the H 2 activation on iridium, whereas the hydrogenation of an iridium-bound ethyl ligand is rate determining for the cluster. Clusters that are well approximated as tetrairidium were synthesized from Ir(C 2 H 4) 2 complexes anchored to the Zr 6 O 8 nodes of the metal organic framework (MOF) UiO-67 by treatment in H 2 at 353 K. The conversion taking place within the porous MOF structure was monitored by infrared and X-ray absorption spectroscopies, which provide evidence of tetrairidium clusters formed from the mononuclear precursors. The supported clusters were tested in a flow reactor as catalysts for ethylene conversion at 298 K and atmospheric pressure with a 1:1 M feed ratio of H 2 to ethylene. The results show that the turnover frequency (per Ir atom) characterizing the clusters is twice that of the mononuclear iridium complexes, with both catalysts being active for hydrogenation and dimerization and the clusters being less selective than the complexes for dimerization. Density functional theory calculations of the reaction energetics are in good accord with experiment, showing that the rate-determining step for the hydrogenation on the isolated iridium complexes is the H 2 activation on iridium, whereas the hydrogenation of an iridium-bound ethyl ligand is rate determining for the cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates dissipativity and related properties for switched linear parameter-varying (LPV) systems by using parameter and dwell time-dependent multiple storage functions, which are different from traditional multiple storage functions because of the introduction of the external parameters into the storage functions construction. First, a novel concept relating to external parameters is proposed to describe the overall dissipativity property of switched parameter-varying systems in the absence of the conventional dissipativity property of the subsystems. Second, a state and parameter-triggered and time-driven switching laws is proposed, which avoids Zeno behavior by guaranteeing a dwell time among the adjacent switching. Third, several classic forms of dissipativity are addressed. For passivity and $ {L_{2}}$ -gain, under certain negative output feedback asymptotic stability is guaranteed with the aid of asymptotic zero state detectability. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed result is illustrated by its application to a speed adjustment problem of an aero-engine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotating shaft is the key part of rotating machinery, which directly affects the performance of the whole machine. Field test is an easy and quick way to obtain the load data in engineering practice. However, because of various reasons, the load data are often mixed with many noise components. Based on the autocorrelation function, the CEEMD (complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition) denoising method is proposed in this paper. The AGA (adaptive genetic algorithm) is adopted to solve parameter optimization problems in CEEMD. A new similarity function is proposed as the fitness function. Lastly, the proposed denoising method is applied to a feed mixer's load which is obtained by field test. The result shows that the CEEMD-AGA method has good robustness, noise components of small stress amplitude and large stress mean are removed, and there is a high correlation between the original data and the reconstructed data, which demonstrate that the CEEMD-AGA method can reduce the influence of noise components effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel fatigue crack monitoring method for steel specimens based on the smoothness priors method (SPM) and Tsallis entropy (TE) of strain measurements. The aim of the study is to detect initiation of a crack in steel specimens and subsequently to monitor its propagation under the fatigue load, based on real-time strain measurements. The nonlinear dynamic response of the structure was exploited since it degrades due to the initiation and subsequent propagation of the crack under the external dynamic excitation. The proposed method was experimentally validated. Here, the SPM is applied to decomposing the structural strain response into a nearly-stationary (NS) component and a low frequency aperiodic trend (LFAT) component. Features associated with crack initiation can be extracted from the NS component. The LFAT component, on the other hand, can be used to identify crack propagation. To tackle the singularity of the structural responses associated with a crack, the TE of the NS component was used in detection and monitoring of the crack in the steel specimen. Two other techniques, namely, acoustic emission (AE) sensor and crack opening displacement (COD) gauge were used for the purpose of calibration and comparison. The results show remarkable resemblance in terms of crack initiation and propagation identification exhibited by all three types of sensors, highlighting the potential of the proposed method for real-time detection and subsequent monitoring of crack propagation in steel structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phthiocerol dimycocerosates and phenolic glycolipids (PGL) are considered as major virulence elements of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in particular because of their involvement in cell wall impermeability and drug resistance. The biosynthesis of these waxy lipids involves multiple enzymes, including thioesterase A (TesA). We observed that purified recombinant M. tuberculosis TesA is able to dimerize in the presence of palmitoyl‐CoA and our 3D structure model of TesA with this acyl‐CoA suggests hydrophobic interaction requirement for dimerization. Furthermore, we identified that methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphonate, which inhibits TesA by covalently modifying the catalytic serine, also displays a synergistic antimicrobial activity with vancomycin further warranting the development of TesA inhibitors as valuable antituberculous drug candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel coordination polymers (CPs), namely poly[[di‐μ‐aqua‐bis{μ4‐3,3′‐[(5‐carboxylato‐1,3‐phenylene)bis(oxy)]dibenzoato‐κ5O1:O1′,O3:O5:O5′}bis(1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ2N,N′)trinickel(II)] dimethylformamide 1.5‐solvate trihydrate], {[Ni3(C21H11O8)2(C12H8N2)2(H2O)2]·1.5C3H7NO·3H2O}n, (I), poly[[di‐μ‐aqua‐bis{μ4‐3,3′‐[(5‐carboxylato‐1,3‐phenylene)bis(oxy)]dibenzoato‐κ5O1:O1′,O3:O5:O5′}bis(1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ2N,N′)tricobalt(II)] diethylamine disolvate tetrahydrate], {[Co3(C21H11O8)2(C12H8N2)2(H2O)2]·2C2H7N·4H2O}n, (II), and catena‐poly[[aqua(1,10‐phenanthroline‐κ2N,N′)zinc(II)]‐μ‐5‐(3‐carboxyphenoxy)‐3,3′‐oxydibenzoato‐κ2O1:O3], [Zn(C21H12O8)(C12H8N2)(H2O)]n, (III), have been synthesized by the reaction of different metal ions (Ni2+, Co2+ and Zn2+), 3,3′‐[(5‐carboxy‐1,3‐phenylbis(oxy)]dibenzoic acid (H3cpboda) and 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen) under solvothermal conditions. All the CPs were characterized by elemental analysis, single‐crystal and powder X‐ray diffraction, FT–IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Complexes (I) and (II) have isomorphous structures, featuring similar linear trinuclear structural units, in which the central NiII/CoII atom is located on an inversion centre with a slightly distorted octahedral [NiO6]/[CoO6] geometry. This comprises four carboxylate O‐atom donors from two cpboda3− ligands and two O‐atom donors from bridging water molecules. The terminal NiII/CoII groups are each connected to the central NiII/CoII cation through two μ1,3‐carboxylate groups from two cpboda3− ligands and one water bridge, giving rise to linear trinuclear [M3(μ2‐H2O)2(RCOO)4] (M = Ni2+/Co2+) secondary building units (SBUs) and the SBUs develop two‐dimensional‐networks parallel to the (100) plane via cpboda3− ligands with new (32·4)2(32·83·9)2(34·42.82·94·103) topological structures. Zinc complex (III) displays one‐dimensional coordination chains and the five‐coordinated Zn atom forms a distorted square‐pyramidal [ZnO3N2] geometry, which is completed by two carboxylate O‐atom donors from two distinct Hcpboda2− ligands, one O atom from H2O and two N atoms from a chelating phen ligand. Magnetically, CP (I) shows weak ferromagnetic interactions involving the carboxylate groups, and bridging water molecules between the nickel(II) ions, and CP (II) shows antiferromagnetic interactions between the Co2+ ions. The solid‐state luminescence properties of CP (III) were examined at ambient temperature and the luminescence sensing of Cr2O72−/CrO42− anions in aqueous solution for (III) has also been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

InGaN/GaN micro-crystals (μ-crystals) are self-contained and individually-addressable light emitting crystals that have unique potential in the development of ultra-small and ultra-high resolution pixels for next-generation displays. In this study, we explore the electrically-driven light emission behavior of vertically standing InGaN/GaN micro-crystals (μ-crystals) with well-defined crystal facets and tunable size. InGaN/GaN μ-crystals have hollow pedestals weakly bound to the substrate surface, thus enabling individual manipulation and/or collective transfer to other target surfaces. Cyclic bending tests and finite element analysis (FEA) of the strain distribution further highlight the excellent mechanical deformability of a device layout consisting of μ-crystal pixels embedded in a polymeric matrix. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with individual InGaN/GaN μ-crystals exhibit strong electroluminescence (EL) with unique features such as variations in emission spectra with respect to crystal diameter and driving voltage bias. Comparative analyses of photoluminescence, cathodoluminescence, and electric potential simulation indicate a strong correlation between the EL wavelengths and dominant emitting regions of InGaN/GaN polyhedral crystal planes. This is further supported by scanning transmission electron microscopy of quantum well structures, which strongly depend on both size and the crystal facets. • Self-contained InGaN/GaN MQW micro-crystal arrays are employed as light emitting pixels on a deformable substrate. • The μ-crystal LEDs exhibit a variation of emission spectra with respect to the crystal diameter and driving voltage bias. • Optoelectrical and structural analysis of InGaN/GaN μ-crystal LEDs reveals the multicolor emission mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the laser plasma instabilities (LPIs) in the context of some novel six-side laser-driven indirect designs like the six-cylinder-port hohlraum and the three-axis cylindrical hohlraum, where the laser beams inject in hohlraum with a large angle. LPI experiments in cylindrical hohlraum with only outer beams were designed and performed based on the current laser arrangement condition of SGIII laser facility for the first time. Stimulated Brillouin backscatter (SBS) was found to be the dominant instability with high instantaneous reflectivity in experiments. A typical feature was obtained in the time-resolved spectra of SBS, which maintained similar for different laser intensities of the interaction beam. The experimental data are analyzed by the hydrodynamic simulations combined with HLIP code, which is based on the ray-tracing model. By analysis of experimental data, it is argued that the mixture of gas and Au in the region of their interface is important to SBS, which indicates the need for the mixture model between the filled gas and the high Z plasma from hohlraum wall in the hydrodynamic simulations. Nonlinear saturation of SBS as well as the smoothed beam are also discussed here. Our effective considerations of the ions pervasion effect and the smoothed beam provide utilitarian ways for improvement of the current ray-tracing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machining-induced residual stress is a leading cause of machining distortion. Many previous studies have been performed to model the relationship between various impact factors and machined residual stress, such as cutting parameters, lubrication, and cooling conditions etc. While few analytic studies examining the size effect of tool edge radius on residual stress have been performed. In order to better understanding the size effect of tool edge radius on machining-induced residual stress, thermomechanical coupling loading and unloading operations are applied to obtain the machining-induced residual stress on the basis of modeling mechanical loads and thermal loads for cutting with edge radiused cutters. Verification experimental results indicate that the proposed model is effective in judging and analyzing the characteristics of the residual stress profile beneath the machined surface in consideration of the tool edge radius effect. By case studies of Ti-6Al-4V turning those based on the proposed model, it was found that the value of surface residual stress increased with the tool edge radius changed from 0.01 mm to 0.03 mm, and the increased percentage of stresses in cutting and cutting width directions could be 132.6% and 191.1%, respectively. While the peak value of the compressive stress and the depth of the peak value decreased gradually, and the decreased percentages of the peak value of the compressive stress in cutting and cutting width directions are 77.8% and 88.6%. The decreased percentages of the depth of the peak value in cutting and cutting width directions are 47.6% and 63.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An NDI-based compound (2-NDI) with 2-butyric acid attached at imide N atoms was intelligently constructed. 2-NDI exhibits 2-NDI − monomer (low concentration) and 2-NDI − excimer (high concentration) emission state in different solvents after 365 nm illumination, forming multi-color radical fluorescence. It shows dynamic free radical emission in DMF solvent with rare white light emission. Theoretical calculations show that the fluorescence is derived from the D n -D 0 vertical emission of 2-NDI − monomer and 2-NDI − excimer. Finally, 2-NDI is made into PMMA film, which is successfully applied to information anti-counterfeiting and dynamic information encryption systems. [Display omitted] • 2-NDI was synthesized and showed different free radical emission colors in different solvents. • The dynamic fluorescence of 2-NDI in DMF solution changed with the irradiation time. • 2-NDI shows different free radical fluorescence emission types at different concentrations. • DFT shows that the free radical fluorescence is the vertical emission of D n -D 0. • 2-NDI PMMA film can be used for dynamic information encryption and anti-counterfeiting. Developing innovative materials with environmentally stable 1,4,5,8-Naphthalene diimide radicals (NDI −) emissions is significant. In this work, we have successfully constructed an NDI-based material 2-NDI (N, N′-bis(2-butyric acid)-1,4,5,8-naphthalene diimide) that emits strong fluorescence in solvents and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) upon irradiation. The radical 2-NDI − exhibits multi-color emission in different solvent systems, and the fluorescence emission is concentration-dependent. It is worth noting that it exhibits a rare dynamic fluorescence in DMF solvent, with the fluorescence color changing from yellow-green to orange and finally to white. Theoretical calculations show that the fluorescence is derived from the D n -D 0 vertical emission of 2-NDI − monomer and excimer. Owing to the outstanding free radical fluorescence emission properties, various films (PMMA systems) based on 2-NDI in different solvents have been successfully made to be applied in multiple dynamic information anti-counterfeiting and encryption. This work achieved simple and stable fluorescence emission based on NDI −, making it a potential candidate for practical applications and providing a new platform for the future design of NDI-based photochromic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The theoretical relationship between the vehicle load and vehicle-induced cable force sums (VICFS) is derived through mechanical analysis and the specific expression is given for the first time. • An anomaly-sensitive warning index that directly reflects the service performance of stay cables is established based on the derived theoretical relationship and the detailed calculation procedures are given in this paper. • A new anomaly diagnosis method for stay cables is proposed by combining the established warning index with the X-bar control chart to solve the complex analysis problems caused by the transverse position of the vehicle on the bridge deck. • A new cable force decoupling method based on local generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution is presented to eliminate temperature trends from the raw data and obtain VICFS dataset. • The numerical simulations and an engineering application to an in-service cable-stayed bridge are carried out to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. Stay cables are one of the most critical load-carrying components for cable-stayed bridges. Cable damage or performance degradation can affect the normal operation of bridges. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the service performance of cables in real time to ensure bridge safety. In this paper, an anomaly diagnosis method for stay cables based on vehicle-induced cable force sums (VICFS) of cable pairs (defined as two symmetric cables upstream and downstream) is proposed. First, the theoretical relationship between the vehicle load and VICFS was derived through mechanical analysis. Second, a new anomaly-sensitive warning index was established based on the above derivation, and the anomaly diagnosis for stay cables was achieved by combining it with the X-bar control chart. Then, according to finite element simulation, the variations in VICFS in different cases were analyzed to verify the rationality of the theoretical derivation and the established warning index. Finally, an engineering application to an in-service cable-stayed bridge was carried out to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the anomaly diagnosis method. The results show that the proposed method can accurately detect and locate damaged cables, which can be successfully applied to monitor the long-term performance of stay cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase mixing and equilibrium process plays a crucial role in the energy cycle and fuel process of supercritical fluids. This study focuses on the dynamic phase mixing during equilibrium process. The transient high-precision measurement of the density field during the phase mixing and equilibrium process is realized by the phase-shifting interferometer based on the pixelated-array masked method. The slow density equilibrium between four typical phase transition routes is captured and quantified with the visualization images and local parameters. The interface spreading rate during the equilibrium between liquid and supercritical is at a rather high level as 0.82 mm/s on average. This phenomenon is controlled by mixing and diffusion, which are faster process than evaporation. Nevertheless, equilibrium can be retarded even in a supercritical environment during the phase mixing between liquid-like and gas-like crossing the pseudo-critical line (average value of interface spreading rate as 0.45 mm/s), where there is a significant density gradient that generates a "solid wall" (buffer layer) effect. • Transient high-precision measurement of the density field phase mixing and equilibrium process realized. • Density equilibrium between four typical routes is captured and analyzed quantatively with local parameters. • The interface spreading rate during the equilibrium between liquid and supercritical is at a rather high level. • Equilibrium can be retarded in supercritical environment between liquid-like and gas-like crossing the pseudo-critical line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bridge influence lines (BILs) and bridge influence surfaces (BISs) are inherent static parameters of bridges which can be extracted from moving vehicle-induced bridge responses. Compared with dynamic parameters, these parameters are directly related to the stiffness and internal forces in each cross-section of a bridge therefore can be considered as an effective bridge metamodel. To accelerate the engineering practice of BIL- and BIS-based bridge evaluation, this paper first briefly reviews the current BIL and BIS field test and identification methods. Then, the bridge evaluation guidelines of China and the United States are introduced as the basis of the evaluation methods. Engineering application scenarios for bridge evaluation, including permit load verification, performance degradation checking, and load carrying capacity evaluation, are summarized, and a multiple-scenario bridge evaluation method is established. At the end of this paper, an evaluation example of a four-span continuous bridge is presented to illustrate the application procedure and verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The outcomes of this paper provide a promising application method of field test BILs and BISs, which may help bridge engineers more effectively use these parameters in engineering practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray absorption spectroscopy at Mn K - and L -edges, and at O K -edge, combined with the x-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements are performed to study the electron structure of La 0.7 Ca 0.3 Mn 1-x Sc x O 3 (x = 0.0; 0.03, and 0.05) perovskites. Substitution of manganese by scandium decreases Curie temperature, T c, and increases lattice parameters because of the different electron configuration and radii of trivalent manganese and scandium ions. The T c decrease is explained by the change of level of hybridization of O 2 p and Mn 3 d states. This is manifested by the parallel shift of O K -edge, change of intensity of 2 p 3/2 and 2 p 1/2 spectrum lines and T C with x increase. Fourier transform of the EXAFS spectra shows a change of local crystal structure caused by the larger Sc3+ than the Mn3+ ions. • Electron structure of La 0.7 Ca 0.3 Mn 1-x Sc x O 3 manganites is studied. • Change of electron hybridization of Mn 3 d and O 2 p states is observed. • Change of Mn L -edge spectra intensity and T C is parallel with x. • Shift of O K -edge and T C is parallel with x. • Fourier transform of EXAFS spectra shows a change of local crystal structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • An improved ordinary state-based peridynamic (OSBPD) model for cohesive crack growth in quasi-brittle materials. • A new damage model proposed to describe cohesive effect in fracture process zone. • A re-loading approach for obtaining the whole structural response under load-controlled loading procedure. • Capable of quantitative simulation of the whole fracture process of quasi-brittle materials. • Accuracy of the modified OSBPD is validated by several representative fracture tests. Abstract Ordinary state-based peridynamics (OSBPD) is a well-established peridynamic (PD) model, but its applications are restricted in brittle fracture because the failure models proposed in OSBPD are mainly to describe brittle fracture rather than quasi-brittle fracture. This work attempts to propose a damage model to overcome this limitation for the investigation of damage and crack propagation in quasi-brittle materials. To this aim, a PD version of the cohesive zone model (CZM) is established in OSBPD for the fracture analysis of quasi-brittle materials. A degradation curve is proposed in the damage model to represent the cohesive effect in fracture process zone (FPZ), which is similar to the tension softening curve in CZM. The damage model can be uniquely determined once the tensile strength, the elastic modulus, the specific fracture energy, and tension softening constitutive law are given. Moreover, several representative examples of mode-I and mixed mode concrete fractures are simulated using OSBPD to validate the proposed damage model. The predicted load-displacement curves and crack paths in all the cases are in good agreement with the experimental results or other numerical results. In addition, a re-loading approach is proposed to obtain the descending part of load-displacement curve when the load-controlled loading procedure is adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The endovascular treatment strategy for acute tandem occlusion stroke is challenging, and controversy exists regarding which lesion should be treated first. This study addresses the uncertainty regarding the priority choice for thrombectomy in acute anterior circulation tandem occlusion stroke. Methods We analysed the clinical and angiographic data of tandem stroke patients who underwent interventional therapy from the endovAsCular Treatment of acUte Anterior circuLation ischaemic stroke (ACTUAL) registry. Recanalisation was assessed according to the modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score. Clinical outcome was evaluated at 90 days using the modified Rankin scale score. Results Sixty tandem occlusion stroke patients were enrolled. Thirty-one (51.7%) patients received anterograde therapy, while 29 (48.3%) patients underwent the retrograde approach. Successful recanalisation (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score 2b–3) occurred in 78.3% (47/60) of patients, and 50.0% (30/60) of patients achieved a modified Rankin scale score of 0–2 at 90 days. Patients undergoing the retrograde approach spent less time in distal occlusion recanalisation (125 (86–167) vs. 95 (74–122) minutes; P = 0.04) and achieved better functional outcomes at 90 days (69.0% (20/29) vs. 32.3% (10/31); P = 0.004) than patients who received anterograde therapy. The retrograde approach was associated with favourable clinical outcomes (odds ratio 0.21; 95% confidence interval 0.07–0.64; P = 0.006). Conclusion For acute tandem occlusion stroke, favourable outcomes were better in patients undergoing retrograde therapy than in patients who received the anterograde approach. Future randomised trials are warranted to determine the optimal treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A new DNB-type CHF prediction model of flow boiling in rifled tube at low qualities was established. • A new α b correlation was proposed based on a large number of CHF experimental data. • The present model was verified by the CHF look-up values and CHF experimental values. • Three classic CHF prediction models and the present CHF model were evaluated. • With the increase of vapor quality, the influence of pressure and mass flux on CHF weakened. Abstract Based on the near-wall bubble coalescence model and the structural characteristics of the rifled tube, improvements and optimization of the model for rifled tube were conducted. DNB-type CHF phenomenon in the rifled tube under subcritical and near-critical pressures was investigated by numerical calculation. A new CHF prediction model of flow boiling in rifled tube with low qualities was established and compiled by FORTRAN language. The model used the Staub model which considering the influence of the bubble contact angle to calculate the bubble detachment diameter. The surface friction coefficient of the rifled tube was calculated by the classical Kohler and Kastner formula. And a new critical void fraction of the wall bubbly layer α b correlation was proposed based on a large number of CHF experimental data. The present model was verified by the CHF look-up values and CHF experimental values. Based on the CHF experimental data of the rifled tube, three classic CHF prediction models and the present CHF model were evaluated, and it was found that the present modified CHF model has the highest prediction accuracy for the rifled tube, which is the best agreement with the experimental values, indicating that the present model is appropriate for DNB-type CHF prediction of the rifled tube. In this paper, the effects of pressure, mass flux and inlet fluid subcooled enthalpy on CHF were studied. It was found that, the effect of pressure and mass flux on CHF is obvious in the low quality region, with the increase of vapor quality, the influence of pressure and mass flux on CHF weakens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The understanding of heat and mass transfer phenomena and underlying flow and thermal mechanisms in a tunnel fire is critical for smoke control and human evacuation. Critical velocity has been acknowledged as the most critical parameter to guarantee the effectiveness of smoke control using longitudinal ventilation in tunnels. However, in slopping tunnels, even under the conditions where the expected smoke flow route and the corresponding critical velocity can be achieved, another flow pattern which has an opposite smoke flow direction and higher gas temperatures is also likely to be generated. This phenomenon has not attracted enough attention. In this paper, multiple patterns of heat and mass flow in a slopping tunnel induced by the competition of buoyancy and forced ventilation were examined using laboratory experiments, Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations and theoretical analysis. Both dynamic and steady state analyses were performed to explain the transient evolution behaviors and final steady solutions for these flow patterns. The constraints and the prerequisite conditions for the existence of multiple flow patterns or only a certain pattern were expressed in terms of three main influencing parameters including fire heat release rate, pressure rise induced by mechanical ventilation system and the fire source location. For the regime where both fan-dominated and buoyancy-dominated patterns can occur, the initial flow state and the flow evolution process determines the steady state solutions, indicating the activation time of the mechanical ventilation plays an important role in the final flow pattern. This study has particular relevance to understanding the complex heat and mass flow behaviors in a sloping tunnel fire and it provides new implications for smoke control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Introduction: Children who are exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in utero are at high risk of developing related illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus in young adulthood, but the underlying mechanism and related predictive biomarkers are not known. Materials and Methods: The present study identified the related biomarkers of hyperglycemia in young adults from the relationship between fetal blood glucose and placental lipid transporters at messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein expression levels. We recruited patients from a prospective cohort, and determined the mRNA and protein levels of placental fatty acid transporters. Diet‐induced mouse models of GDM were established, and the mRNA and protein levels of the same transporters in placentas were validated. Results: Only the mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma correlated with the levels of neonatal blood glucose in GDM patients using linear regression and Spearman's correlation analyses (r = 0.774, P = 0.001). The mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma, matrix metalloproteinase‐2 and fatty acid transport protein‐6 correlated with blood glucose levels in mouse offspring (r = 0.82, P = 0.001, r = 0.737, P = 0.006 and r = −0.891, P = 0.001, respectively) at young adulthood using the same analyses. Notably, we observed significantly higher blood glucose levels in GDM offspring at 12 weeks‐of‐age compared with the control and rosiglitazone‐supplemented groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The downregulation of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma in the placenta might predict hyperglycemia in offspring at young adulthood. We found that down‐regulation of Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor gamma (PPARγ) in placenta correlated to hyperglycemia of the offspring at young adulthood exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus. Down‐regulation of PPARγ in placenta may predict the high risk of hyperglycemia of the offspring at young adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract For next generation Li-ion batteries, advanced electrode materials with high energy densities are mightily important issue. Since the partial oxidation of Sn with Li 2 O to form SnO x was demonstrated upon delithiation in SnO 2 anode, the additional conversion reaction has contributed that the theoretical capacity of SnO 2 can be extended from 783 to 1494 mAh g−1. Herein, with the design of additional conversion reaction, we discuss key factors for high electrochemical performances of the SnO 2 anodes through comparative analysis between nano-structured mesoporous SnO 2 and conventional bulk SnO 2 , based on synchrotron radiation-based techniques, quantitative analysis of extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra, and bond strength calculation. In this way, we demonstrate that the mesoporous SnO 2 has a nano-engineered structure with the weakened Sn-O bond strength for inducing the enhanced reversible conversion reaction as well as the facilitated electrochemical reaction, and a void structure for relieving the severe volume changes during lithiation/delithiation. Consequently, excellent electrochemical performance through the additional reversible conversion reaction is obtained in the mesoporous SnO 2. Insight from this research enables important advance in the development of metal oxide-based anode materials by making irreversible reaction reversible, providing a realizable strategy for the design and creation of high-energy storage devices. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Comparison of electrochemical reactions between mesoporous and bulk SnO 2. • Validating the key factors for high electrochemical performances of the SnO 2 anode. • Nano-engineering and weaker Sn-O bond strength can enable the additional reaction. • A stable void structure for alleviating the large volume variations is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Environmental issues and cleaner production are getting increasing attentions currently, making the clean production and sustainable consumption with low emissions significant. Traditional energy vehicles are increasingly unsuitable for the development of current society. It's a trend in the current vehicle market to accelerate the substitution of new energy vehicles for traditional energy vehicles. This paper makes a theoretical study on the development of new energy vehicle market supported by the government. First, this paper establishes a Cournot duopoly model which includes domestic and imported new energy vehicle manufacturers. Through the analysis of this model, this paper argues that government support policies such as subsidies and tariffs can effectively expand the market share of domestic new energy vehicles with less technology. Yet this approach is unsustainable, because domestic new energy vehicles with less technology can only survive in the market by shortening the gap with imported brands. Secondly, this paper establishes a Stackelberg model with product price as the decision variable and find that when there is a technical gap, the first mover advantage in the market will no longer exist. Finally, this paper compares two kinds of subsidies for domestic new energy vehicles and shows that the two subsidies are not different from subsidizing consumers or enterprises in expanding market share, and the consumer can obtain higher social welfare level as the subsidy object. Highlights • New energy vehicles boom with obvious substitution effect on traditional ones. • Both subsidies and tariffs can expand the production of domestic new-energy cars. • First move of domestic brands into the market can narrow the price difference. • First mover advantage no longer exists in the Stackelberg game. • Consumer subsidy is superior to enterprise subsidy in new energy auto industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Searching conductive host materials to suppress the shuttle effect is a long-term goal in the development of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. In this work, first principles calculations were carried out to systematically investigate O-functionalized Ti 2 N (Ti 2 NO 2) and F-functionalized Ti 2 N (Ti 2 NF 2) monolayers as host materials to anchor the soluble Li 2 S x species. Our results demonstrate that both Ti 2 NO 2 and Ti 2 NF 2 not only possess moderate adsorption energies towards Li 2 S x species, but also achieve a good balance between adsorption energies and intactness of Li 2 S x species, which could avoid the dissolution of Li 2 S x species into electrolyte solvents and improve the utilization of active materials. In addition, after adsorption of S 8 and Li 2 S x species, the metallic character of Ti 2 NO 2 and Ti 2 NF 2 is still preserved, which benefits the redox reaction of Li 2 S x species. Given these exceptional properties, it is expected that Ti 2 NO 2 and Ti 2 NF 2 could be promising host materials for Li-S batteries with good cycling performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The MoP/CN samples exhibit superior activity in CO 2 reduction and H 2 evolution. • The CO 2 adsorption and conversion progress is well revealed in the photoreaction. • The efficient co-catalyst MoP facilitates the separation and transfer of charges. Abstract Photoreduction CO 2 to hydrocarbons and photosplitting water for H 2 production are the most promising, sustainable approaches for environmental pollution alleviation and solar-to-chemical energy conversion. However, developing low-cost, high efficient and stable photocatalysts remains a great challenge. Herein, we reported a novel visible-light activated MoP co-catalyst loaded g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst for CO 2 reduction and water splitting under simulated irradiation firstly. Experimental results demonstrated that the composites were highly active and exhibited superior stability. The maximum CO and H 2 evolution rates of 0.92 μmol h−1 and 40.38 μmol h−1 were achieved on MoP/CN-15% catalyst, which were 4.5-fold and 74.5-fold higher than the pure g-C 3 N 4 , and the corresponding apparent quantum efficiencies (AQE) were 3.5% and 18.3% at 420 nm, respectively. In situ FTIR analysis disclosed the CO 2 adsorption and conversion progress, in which the COO− acted as a major intermediate. Furthermore, comprehensive characterization analysis revealed the introduction of MoP facilitated the separation and transfer of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, and the theoretical calculation by density functional theory (DFT) also confirmed that MoP could effectively separate the photoexcited charges from g-C 3 N 4. Combining with experimental and DFT calculations results, a new way to design cost-effective photocatalysts has been enlightened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract It is crucial to develop a high-efficiency visible-light responsive photocatalyst for settling the increasing contamination stemmed from toxic heavy metal ions in wastewater. In this study, Cr-doped SrTiO 3 (CrSTO) nanoplates were synthesized by a facile one-pot solvothermal method with ethylene glycol as both the solvent and morphology controller. The resultant CrSTO nanoplates are about 100 nm in size and 20 nm in thickness, which are composed of SrTiO 3 nanocrystals about 19 nm in diameter. Furthermore, they possess the mesopore 3.0 nm in size, endowing their much higher specific surface area than the commercial SrTiO 3 particles. The Cr element is doped into the crystal lattice of SrTiO 3 by the substitution of Cr3+ for Sr2+, which enables the absorption edge redshift to the visible light region, thus elevating the visible-light absorption capability. In addition, the CrSTO-0.9 nanoplate with 0.9% Cr element content exhibits the highest photocatalytic performance for the Cr(VI) reduction under visible light irradiation, which can reduce nearly all Cr(VI) within 3.5 h and preserve the excellent stability after six recycles. This kind of CrSTO nanoplates may serve as a potential and promising photocatalyst for efficient Cr(VI) removal in wastewater. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Cr-doped SrTiO 3 nanoplates were fabricated by a facile one-pot solvothermal method. • Doped Cr3+ ions substitutes the Sr2+ sites in the SrTiO 3 crystal structure. • Cr doping narrows SrTiO 3 bandgap, thus facilitating the visible-light absorption. • Nanoplate structure increases specific surface area and inhibits electron-hole recombination. • Cr-doped SrTiO 3 nanoplates exhibit high reduction performance of Cr(VI) in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulberry is known to have pharmacological effects against cholesterol, obesity, and dyslipidemia. Many studies have revealed that mulberry leaf possesses hepatoprotective properties against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, mulberry fruit is less studied in this context. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the preventive effects of mulberry fruit against high fat diet- (HFD-) induced NAFLD. To evaluate the effects of mulberry fruit on NAFLD, two doses of mulberry fruit ethanol extracts [MB, 100, and 200 mg/kg BW (body weight)] were given to HFD-fed rats for 10 weeks. MB dramatically prevented liver damage as shown by biochemical analysis of the liver injury markers, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase. MB treatment significantly inhibited the increased levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol but restored the level of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in HFD-fed rats. Notably, histological analysis of liver tissues demonstrated that MB substantially ameliorated lipid accumulation. Expression of cholesterol-regulating genes was also suppressed by MB treatment. For its underlying mechanisms, MB suppressed hepatic reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and mitochondrial oxidative stress in HFD-fed rats. MB potentially protects liver tissue against NAFLD by inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative stress, suggesting its possible use as a therapeutic agent for treatment of NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Specific heat ratio, buoyancy and acceleration show weak independence on HTC. • The integral of specific heat in the boundary layer is the important factor of HTE. • The buoyancy effect in the boundary layer is the important factor of HTD. • The wall temperature deviation is minimum near the pseudo critical temperature. • The non-uniform heating can effectively delay the occurrence of HTD. Abstract Heat transfer of ultra-supercritical water in vertical upward tube under uniform heating was investigated experimentally and numerically. For comparison, similar studies under non-uniform heating were also simulated. The effects of specific heat ratio, buoyancy and acceleration on the heat transfer of ultra-supercritical water were discussed according to the experimental data. Results show that these dimensionless parameters have no single relationship of independence with the heat transfer coefficient which indicates that using them directly to predict heat transfer is inaccurate. The shear stress transport k-ω model was used in the numerical simulation. Results concur with the experimental data to a high degree, which proves that the model has strong applicability in predicting heat transfer. The mechanisms of heat transfer enhancement and deterioration were analyzed through simulation results, and the integral of specific heat in the boundary layer and the buoyancy effect were confirmed to be their main factors, respectively. Furthermore, the differences between the uniform and non-uniform heating were also revealed. The wall temperature of smooth tube under non-uniform heating shows a parabola distribution, and the peak value occurs at the midpoint of the heated side. Moreover, the peak value of the wall temperature is higher under non-uniform heating than that under uniform heating; however, the heat flux is higher when heat transfer deterioration occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: SNRPA is a protein component of U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (U1 snRNP) complex, which takes part in the splicing of pre‐mRNAs. Its expression and function in tumour remain unknown. Herein, we elucidated the functional contribution of SNRPA to the progression of gastric cancer (GC). Materials and methods: SNRPA expression was investigated in a GC tissue microarray by immunohistochemical staining. Cell proliferation was evaluated by CCK‐8, colony formation and EdU incorporation assays. A mouse xenograft model was used to detect the tumourigenicity. Gene expression profiling was performed and then the potential target genes were verified by quantitative real‐time PCR and western blot analyses. The functional relevance between SNRPA and its target gene was examined by cell growth assays. Results: SNRPA expression was higher in tumour tissues than in matched normal gastric mucosa tissues, and it was positively correlated with the tumour size and progression. High SNRPA expression indicated poor prognosis of GC patients. Silencing SNRPA in GC cells markedly inhibited cell proliferation in vitro and tumour growth in a xenograft model, while overexpressing SNRPA exhibited opposite results. Moreover, we identified NGF (Nerve growth factor) as a downstream effector of SNRPA and further proved that NGF was crucial for SNRPA‐mediated GC cell growth. Conclusions: These findings suggested that SNRPA may contribute to GC progression via NGF and could be a prognostic biomarker for GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have been synthesized reproducibly by chemical oxidation (CO) of carbon nano-onions (nCNOs) and a one-step pulsed laser ablation (LA) of nCNOs in deionized water. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra show that the LA-GQDs have blue shifted emission relative to the CO-GQDs which is attributed to the effects of both particle sizes and surface functional groups. The CO-GQDs have an average diameter of 4.1(8) nm and a thickness corresponding to two or three graphene layers, while the LA-GQDs have an average diameter of 1.8(6) nm and a thickness comparable to a single layer of graphene. The CO-GQDs favor the presence of carboxylic groups and have a higher fraction of sp 2 carbons, while the LA-GQDs prefer the presence of hydroxyl groups and have a higher fraction of sp 3 carbons. PL lifetime data suggests that surface functional groups are the main source of radiative deactivation and the sp 2 carbon domains are mainly responsible for non-radiative decay. PL lifetimes are measured to be 7.9(6) ns for the emission from the carboxylic groups and 3.18(10) ns from the hydroxyl groups. Compared to CO, liquid-phase LA is a faster and cleaner one-step method for producing GQDs with fewer starting chemicals and byproducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let A be a graded algebra. It is shown that the derived category of dg modules over A (viewed as a dg algebra with trivial differential) is a triangulated hull of a certain orbit category of the derived category of graded A -modules. This is applied to study derived categories of graded gentle one-cycle algebras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High expression and role of tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) in cancer progression and prognosis has been reported in several types of tumors. However, its role in esophageal carcinoma (EC) remains unknown. In the present study, TNFR2 expression in middle and lower thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) was detected using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Chi‑square test revealed that TNFR2 was positively correlated with invasion depth, advanced clinical stage and low differentiation degree. Furthermore, survival analysis revealed that TNFR2 was positively correlated with poor overall survival (OS). Moreover, univariate COX regression analysis revealed that clinical stage, lymph node involvement, and invasion depth can affect the OS of ESCC patients, while multivariate COX regression analysis revealed that lymph node involvement and invasion depth can affect the OS of ESCC patients. In middle thoracic ESCC patients, TNFR2 was positively correlated with invasion depth, advanced clinical stage and poor OS. Furthermore, univariate and multivariate COX regression analysis both revealed that clinical stage, lymph node involvement, and invasion depth can affect OS. In lower thoracic ESCC patients, TNFR2 was positively correlated with low differentiation degree. Furthermore, the positive correlation of TNFR2 with poor OS did not reach statistical significance. In addition, univariate COX regression analysis revealed that only lymph node involvement could affect OS. All the results suggest that TNFR2 can play an important role in the progression and poor prognosis of ESCC patients. Moreover, the role of TNFR2 in the prognosis of middle thoracic ESCC patients was earlier and stronger than in lower thoracic ESCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents new information on the petrogenesis and tectonic setting of a hornblende gabbro in the northern Great Xing'an Range of northeastern China using new whole‐rock geochemical, mineral geochemical, and in situ zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic data obtained for samples taken from near the town of Tayuan. Zircon U–Pb dating indicates that the hornblende gabbro was emplaced during the late Carboniferous (~311 Ma). The hornblende gabbros are alkaline with high K2O + Na2O (4.25–6.42 wt.%), low SiO2 (41.69–50.22 wt.%), and variable MgO (4.49–7.16 wt.%) and TiO2 (1.23–2.77 wt.%) contents. The pressure and temperature conditions of gabbro crystallization were determined using amphibole–plagioclase and amphibole thermobarometry, which indicate that the Tayuan hornblende gabbro formed at pressures of 4.1–6.9 kbar and temperatures of 686–762 °C, respectively. The hornblende gabbros are enriched in light rare earth elements and large ion lithophile elements, are depleted in the heavy rare earth elements and high field strength elements, and have positive zircon εHf(t) values (+3.9 to +9.9), all of which are indicative of formation from magmas generated by the partial melting of a depleted region of the lithospheric mantle that was previously metasomatized by subducted slab‐derived fluids and/or melts just before the generation of the hornblende gabbro magmas. The field observational, geochronological, geochemical, mineral geochemical, and zircon Hf isotopic data presented here are indicative of a complex petrogenetic history that involved crystal fractionation and magma mixing. These hornblende gabbros were emplaced in an extensional setting associated with the collision of the Xing'an and Songnen massifs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the progression of cardiac diseases, including ischemia/reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Growing evidence indicates that cabbage has various pharmacological properties against a wide range of diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, hepatic diseases, and cancer. However, little is known about its effects on oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes or the underlying mechanisms. Therefore, the present study examined the effects of cabbage extract on oxidative stress in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. Cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis, mitochondrial functions, and expression levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) proteins were analyzed to elucidate the antioxidant effects of this extract. Cabbage extract protected against H2O2-induced cell death and did not elicit any cytotoxic effects. In addition, cabbage extract suppressed ROS production and increased expression of antioxidant proteins (SOD-1, catalase, and GPx). Cabbage extract also inhibited apoptotic responses and activation of MAPK proteins (ERK1/2, JNK, and p-38) in oxidative stress-exposed H9c2 cells. Notably, cabbage extract preserved mitochondrial functions upon oxidative stress. These findings reveal that cabbage extract protects against oxidative stress and suggest that it can be used as an alternative therapeutic strategy to prevent the oxidative stress in the heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A new damage model in bond-based peridynamics is established for concrete. • Quantitative investigation is conducted on the whole fracture processes of concrete. • A strategy to determine the initial cracking load of TPB concrete beams is proposed. • The influence of different definitions for computing fracture energy on numerical results. • Comparisons of different damage models in the BBPD frame are carried out. Abstract A new damage model is proposed in the bond-based peridynamics (BBPD) frame to quantitatively investigate mode-I crack propagation in concrete, which is established based on the pattern of bilinear softening curve commonly used in the discrete cohesive zone model (CZM). This new damage model can be obtained completely based on material properties, that is, once experimental bilinear softening curve, the uniaxial tensile strength, the elastic modulus and fracture energy of concrete are given, this corresponding new damage model will be exclusively determined. And then, the whole fracture processes of concrete specimens with different strengths, dimensions and crack-depth ratios under quasi-static three-point-bending (TPB) are simulated using BBPD to verify this proposed new damage model. The predicted load-crack mouth opening displacement (P-CMOD) curves are in a good agreement with the experimental ones. Finally, in the BBPD frame, a strategy to determine the initial cracking load of TPB beams, the influence of different definitions for computing fracture energy and different damage models on numerical results are discussed respectively. It can be found that different from brittle materials, fracture energy is mainly consumed in the softening stage rather than the elastic stage for concrete. Besides, this new damage model based on bilinear softening curve is more appropriate to describe the damage mechanism of concrete, compared with other damage models in BBPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]