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Fumonisins (FBs), particularly fumonisin B1 (FB1) and fumonisin B2 (FB2) produced mainly by Fusarium verticillioide and Fusarium proliferatum, are common contaminants in animal feed and pose a serious threat to both animal and human health. The use of microbial enzymes to efficiently and specifically convert fumonisins into non-toxic or low-toxic metabolites has emerged as the most promising approach. However, most of the available enzymes have only been evaluated in vitro and lack systematic evaluation in vivo. In this study, the detoxification efficacy of two carboxylesterases, FumD (FUMzyme®) and FumDSB, was evaluated comparatively in piglets. The results show that feeding piglets 4.4 mg/kg FBs-contaminated diets for 32 days did not significantly affect the average daily gain, organ indices, and immunoglobulins of the piglets. However, a significant reduction (21.2%) in anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-4 was observed in the FBs group, and supplementation with FUMzyme® and FumDSB significantly increased interleukin-4 by 62.1% and 28.0%, respectively. In addition, FBs-contaminated diets resulted in a 3-fold increase in the serum sphinganine/sphingosine (Sa/So) ratio, which is a specific biomarker that has been used to accurately reflect fumonisin levels. The serum Sa/So ratio was significantly reduced by 48.8% after the addition of FUMzyme®, and was insignificantly reduced by 8.2% in the FumDSB group. These results suggested that FUMzyme was more effective than FumDSB in mitigating FBs toxicity in piglets by down-regulating the Sa/So ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass‐embossing technology has attracted great attention due to its promise of low‐cost and environmentally conscious fabrication of well‐defined and controllable surfaces and nanostructured devices. The embossed surface quality of glass structures is a very important index for optics. However, the evolutions of nanosurfaces and their microcontact mechanism during glass‐embossing process have not been deeply and comprehensively investigated. Here, we studied the surface morphology evolution of optical glass under different processing conditions using a tungsten carbide surface plate with nanoscale roughness as the mold. The light transmittances of different embossed glasses were detected by an ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The flow deformation and microcontact mechanism of glass‐supercooled liquids were revealed during glass‐embossing process. The result showed that the rough optical glass can successfully replicate the nanoscale smoothness of the tungsten carbide template without grinding or polishing. On the basis of the previous study, the glass‐surfaced structures from nanoscale to macroscale are fabricated. This work provides better understanding for the evolution of nanosurfaces and the fabrication of nanostructured optics during glass‐embossing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) simultaneously in the electrocatalytic water-splitting is essential to achieve a green hydrogen economy. However, a rational catalyst design still faces great challenges due to the slow kinetic limitations such as electron transfer at the electrode-electrolyte interface. Herein, a porous 3D CoPt 3 /a-FCWO-NS heterostructures was formed by morphology modulation and interfacial engineering. Notably, the catalyst requires only 1.51 V to achieve 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH, and a commercial 1.5 V cell can drive the overall water-splitting with excellent stability. DFT combined with XPS results reveal the electron transfer between CoPt 3 and FeCoW oxides. Due to the ensemble effect CoPt 3 exhibits an electron deficient state moderating the slow kinetics of the OER process. Furthermore, the substrate FeCoW oxides modulates the d -band position of CoPt 3 , and the suitable adsorption energy for hydrogen-containing intermediates makes CoPt 3 /a-FCWO favorable for the HER process. [Display omitted] • A new strategy to synthesize porous ultrathin nanosheets with crystalline-amorphous heterostructure. • Morphology modulation and interfacial engineering to improve the catalytic activity of materials. • DFT combined with XPS verified the electron transfer between heterogeneous interfaces. • Only a 1.5 V commercial battery to perform the overall water-splitting is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the clinical significance of the perioperative counts of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), mesenchymal CTCs (MCTCs), and CTC- white blood cells (WBCs) in renal cell carcinoma patients. A total of 131 patients with renal cancer who underwent operation excision from our hospital were enrolled. In addition, 20 patients with benign renal diseases were recruited as a control. Blood samples were collected from the 131 patients, before operation and 3 months after surgery. Samples were also obtained simultaneously from the control group. CanPatrol CTC detection technique was used to enrich and identify CTCs, MCTCs, and CTC-WBCs. All enrolled patients were T1-3N0M0. From these, 52 patients with renal cancer underwent radical resection, while other 79 patients underwent nephron-sparing surgery. The positive rate of CTC, MCTC, and CTC-WBC before surgery were 95.4% (125/131), 61.1% (80/131), and 11.5% (15/131), respectively. Preoperative total CTCs, MCTCs, or CTC-WBCs were poorly correlated with patients' parameters. Preoperative CTC, MCTC, or CTC-WBC showed no association with progression-free survival (PFS). In contrast, postoperative total CTCs (≥6), positive MCTCs, and positive CTC-WBCs significantly correlated with recurrence and metastasis. These results remained independent indicators for worse PFS. In addition, the increased CTC and MCTC count after surgery also correlated with unfavorable PFS. The detection of six or more total CTCs, MCTC, or CTC-WBCs in peripheral blood after surgery might help to identify a subset of patients that have higher recurrent risk than the overall population of patients with at different stages of renal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the rise of antibiotic resistance has become a primary health problem. With the emergence of bacterial resistance, the need to explore and develop novel antibacterial drugs has become increasingly urgent. Filamentous temperature‐sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ), a crucial cell division protein of bacteria, has become a vital antibacterial target. FtsZ is a filamentous GTPase; it is highly conserved in bacteria and shares less than 20% sequence identity with the eukaryotic cytoskeleton protein tubulin, indicating that FtsZ‐targeting antibacterial agents may have a low cytotoxicity toward eukaryotes. FtsZ can form a dynamic Z‐ring in the center of the cell resulting in cell division. Furthermore, disturbance in the assembly of FtsZ may affect cellular dynamics and bacterial cell survival, making it a fascinating target for drug development. This review focuses on the recent discovery of FtsZ inhibitors, including peptides, natural products, and other synthetic small molecules, as well as their mechanism of action, which could facilitate the discovery of novel FtsZ‐targeting clinical drugs in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogenic Escherichia coli can cause fatal diarrheal diseases in both animals and humans. However, no antibiotics or antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can adequately kill resistant bacteria and clear bacterial endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which leads to inflammation and sepsis. Here, the LPS-targeted smart chimeric peptides (SCPs)-A6 and G6 are generated by connecting LPS-targeting peptide-LBP14 and killing domain-N6 via different linkers. Rigid and flexible linkers retain the independent biological activities from each component. SCPs-A6 and G6 exert low toxicity and no bacterial resistance, and they more rapidly kill multiple-drug-resistant E. coli and more effectively neutralize LPS toxicity than N6 alone. The SCPs can enhance mouse survival more effectively than N6 or polymyxin B and alleviate lung injuries by blocking mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor kappa-B p65 activation. These findings uniquely show that SCPs-A6 and G6 may be promising dual-function candidates as improved antibacterial and anti-endotoxin agents to treat bacterial infection and sepsis. Wang ZL and Wang XM design bactericidal peptides in which an antimicrobial domain is fused to a domain that facilitates the neutralisation of lipoplysaccaride (LPS) to prevent inflammation associated with the targeting of Gram-negative bacteria. They characterise their properties and structures, and show their efficiency in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a new combined technology to fabricate complex 3D microstructure based on micro milling and micro sinking electro-discharge machining (micro-SEDM). Graphite microform electrode is in-situ prepared by micro milling and subsequently used for micro-SEDM, integrating the advantages of two processes. Material removal rate (MRR) and electrode wear ratio (EWR) are experimentally investigated to determine proper parameters for different micro-SEDM performances. Three different machining strategies including single, double and treble micro-SEDM are adopted to fabricate 3D microstructure. The surface roughness, size accuracy, machining duration and cost of micro-cavities, and electrode wear under different strategies have been compared. The results show that treble micro-SEDM produces superior surface quality with 0.83 μm Ra and size accuracy with ≤ 28.05 μm tolerance. The proposed method broadens the machining flexibility and capability of micro-fabrication techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigeons have natural advantages in robotics research, including a wide range of activities, low energy consumption, good concealment performance, strong long-distance weight bearing and continuous flight ability, excellent navigation, and spatial cognitive ability, etc. They are typical model animals in the field of animal robot research and have important application value. A hot interdisciplinary research topic and the core content of pigeon robot research, altering pigeon motor behavior using brain stimulation involves multiple disciplines including animal ethology, neuroscience, electronic information technology and artificial intelligence technology, etc. In this paper, we review the progress of altering pigeon motor behavior using brain stimulation from the perspectives of the neural basis and neuro-devices. The recent literature on altering pigeon motor behavior using brain stimulation was investigated first. The neural basis, structure and function of a system to alter pigeon motor behavior using brain stimulation are briefly introduced below. Furthermore, a classified review was carried out based on the representative research achievements in this field in recent years. Our summary and discussion of the related research progress cover five aspects including the control targets, control parameters, control environment, control objectives, and control system. Future directions that need to be further studied are discussed, and the development trend in altering pigeon motor behavior using brain stimulation is projected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZrB2-SiC-graphite composite is one of the most promising ceramics, which show significant potential in manufacturing parts served in ultra-high temperature. Micro-electrical discharge machining (micro-EDM) is an effective method in machining this conductive hard ceramic. However, the recast layer characterized by craters and micro-cracks is formed on the machined surface, resulting in poor surface quality. In this paper, micro-EDM and micro-ultrasonic machining (micro-USM) combined milling is proposed for manufacturing 3D micro-cavities in the ZrB2-SiC-graphite composite. The micro-cavity is firstly machined by micro-EDM milling, followed by micro-USM finish milling to remove the recast layer in the same system without changing the micro-tool. The machining performances are investigated with consideration of the surface topography and finishing depth. It is found that the more recast layer is removed when a higher ultrasonic amplitude, larger abrasive grain size, and lower tool feedrate are employed. Based on the preliminary experiments, the proper machining parameters are obtained and applied to the fabrication of micro-cavities. The machining results show that the surface quality is improved with the low surface roughness and absence of defect layer. Meanwhile, the high machining accuracy in the depth direction and processing efficiency are achieved. It is verified that the micro-EDM and micro-USM combined milling process is feasible for fabricating 3D micro-cavities in the ZrB2-SiC-graphite composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the manufacture of micro-rotating structure combining micro reciprocated wire electrical discharge machining (wire-EDM) and multi-cutting strategy. A novel rotating spindle is developed to achieve the rotation of cylindrical workpiece and the multi-cutting strategy including rough, semi-finish, and finish machining is attempted to improve the machining removal rate (MRR) and reduce the surface roughness (SR) of micro-rotating structure. To determine proper parameters for multi-cutting process, the effects of machining parameters such as open voltage, discharge capacitance, and rotation rate on MRR and SR are studied by systematically performing experiments planed by single factor design and central composite design (CCD) of response surface methodology (RSM). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is conducted to identify the significant factor and confirm the adequacy of the established models of MRR and SR. The mathematical models are used to predict MRR and SR within 8.18 and 8.74% prediction error compared with the additivity tests, respectively. Desirability method in RSM technique is used to determine three sets of parametric combinations for multi-cutting process, which are verified by confirmation experiments with 1.75~7.76% prediction error for MRR and 2.77~8.59% prediction error for SR. Finally, a typical microballoon probe is successfully machined with 0.435 Ra and 98.7-μm diameter by the proposed method, which provides a feasible approach for the fabrication of micro-rotating structure with high efficiency and smooth surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a hybrid process combine micro reciprocated wire-EDM which uses reciprocated travelling wire with 50 μm diameter as tool electrode, with the precision forging, achieving the economical and high-efficiency sustainable production of micro gears. A micro gear mold with 0.1 mm module and 10 tooth number is devised, and the 14.5 μm mold fit clearance is determined by analyzing the established mold matching model and conducting the numerical simulation of precision forging. During the micro reciprocated wire-EDM of micro gear mold from SKD11, the basic experiments are performed to study the effect of the main parameters on machining accuracy and productivity, and whilst the proper machining parameters are obtained. The micro gear punch and die are successfully fabricated by micro reciprocated wire-EDM, showing good surface quality with 0.90 μm and 0.83 μm Ra respectively, and low dimensional deviations of ≤1.3 μm and 2.1 μm respectively. Finally, the precision forging of the micro gears are conducted on ultrafine grained (UFG) high purity copper by the machined micro gear mold. The forged micro gears have high forming precision with ≤4.1 μm deviation from the micro gear mold and smooth surface with 0.86 μm copied from the micro gear die cavity, verifying the feasibility of the proposed method for the sustainable production of micro gears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beryllium copper alloys are the ideal materials to fabricate the supporting parts owing to their excellent physical and chemical properties. Many high aspect ratio micro-holes are often required to realize the special missions. However, they were not easily fabricated by the traditional machining methods owing to the materials' mechanical strength. Here, we presented a high efficiency method for drilling high aspect ratio micro-holes on C17200 beryllium copper alloy by combining deionized water based micro-EDM and in situ PMEDM with boron carbide additives. The machining parameters were systematically investigated and optimized to realize the ever high aspect ratio of 23.26 at the holes' diameter of 215 μm. The surface quality of the micro-hole was improved further by in-situ PMEDM, which was demonstrated by the decreasing of surface roughness (Ra) from 2.65 μm to 0.92 μm. Our method will open an avenue to fabricate high aspect ratio micro-holes on C17200 with high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beryllium copper alloys known as high-reliability engineered materials are widely used in many engineering fields. Micro-electrical discharge machining (micro-EDM) provides a safely and effectively machining process to machine beryllium copper alloys regardless of their toxicity and mechanical strength. During micro-EDM, the higher material removal rate and the lower electrode wear rate are observed when deionized water is used as a dielectric fluid. However, there are many stray-current corrosion pits on the end surface of holes which directly affect the performance and life span of parts. In this study, the method of auxiliary electrode was used to suppress the effects of stray-current corrosion on the end surfaces of holes on C17200 beryllium copper alloy. The end surfaces of holes were protected by sacrificing the auxiliary electrode. The feasibility of micro-EDM with an auxiliary electrode was verified by an experiment of a hole machined with half coved by the auxiliary electrode and the others without. The effects of the thickness of the auxiliary electrode on end surface quality and machining time were studied. The effects of the auxiliary electrode to suppress stray-current corrosion on C17200 beryllium copper alloy were proved under diffident pulse currents and pulse widths. Machining time and electrode wear were investigated. The results show that the electrode wear is scarcely affected by the auxiliary electrode. However, the machining time is slightly increased when the pulse current is lower than 0.55 A, and the pulse width is shorter than 20 μs. Beyond that level, the effect of the auxiliary electrode on machining time is not obvious. The end surface quality decreases when the pulse width is longer than 20 μs. In addition, the results also show that, when the thickness of the auxiliary electrode is 60 μm, a value of 0.34 A pulse current and 20 μs pulse width could be considered as ideal parameters for C17200 beryllium copper alloy machined by micro-EDM with an auxiliary electrode in deionized water. Furthermore, it is confirmed that the auxiliary electrode can be easily fixed on different radii of curvature surface and effectively protect the end surface of micro-holes from stray-current corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZrB-SiC-graphite composite is a promising engineering material for ultra-high temperature applications. However, the fabrication of micro-hole in this ceramic composite is difficult due to the high hardness. This paper presents micro-electrical discharge machining (EDM) drilling of the ZrB-SiC-graphite composite using the micro sheet-cylinder tool electrode to improve the machining efficiency and quality of micro-hole. The micro-hole is firstly drilled by the sheet segment of electrode under the high capacitance, and then finish drilling is conducted using the cylinder segment of electrode under the low capacitance. The material removal rate, surface roughness, surface microcracks, debris, and material removal mechanisms are investigated. It is found that the material is removed by melting/evaporation and thermal spalling during micro-EDM of the ZrB-SiC-graphite composite, and the thermal spalling effect produces the large size irregular debris. The electrode with the sheet shape can significantly increase the machining efficiency compared with the electrode with the cylinder shape. Furthermore, the surface roughness is reduced in finish drilling with the low capacitance. The experiment results of micro-holes machined by the sheet-cylinder electrode demonstrate that the presented method can improve the machining efficiency, surface quality, and machining accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalysts with amorphous structures have shown excellent performance in electrocatalytic water oxidation, but it remains a challenge to prepare efficient catalysts using simple methods while maintaining high yields. Herein, amorphous Fe x Co y W z oxides nanoparticles were prepared by a one-step co-precipitation method, and the Fe content was optimized to ensure efficient water oxidation. The prepared Fe 0.05 Co 0.09 W 0.61 O 0.25 had the best OER performance with a yield of 95.6% when the Co and Fe feeding ratio was 2:1. The Fe 0.05 Co 0.09 W 0.61 O 0.25 possessed an overpotential of 267 mV at 10 mA cm−2 with a small Tafel slope of 39.4 mV dec−1. The activation energy at 1.5 V is only 49.4 kJ mol−1, and Faraday efficiency is close to 100%. The water oxidation performance of the two-electrode test shows that the voltages at 10 mA cm−2 are only 1.50 V. In addition, it still maintained high activity after 72 h of chronoamperometry test, which exhibits excellent water oxidation performance among similar non-precious transition metal catalysts. Therefore, the present work provides a simple and easy way to prepare high-activity and high-yield transition metal amorphous electrocatalysts. [Display omitted] • The simple method successfully prepared high performance amorphous Fe 0.05 Co 0.09 W 0.61 O 0.25. • Fe modulates the electronic configuration and morphology of CoWO 4. • The optimal ratio of Fe doping into CoWO 4 is regulated. • Co acts as the main catalytic site in the OER process instead of Fe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wire electric discharge machining (WEDM) and electrical discharge machining (EDM) promise to be effective and economical methods for the machining of metal matrix composites and conducting ceramic blanks. However, the machining process of Ni-AlO functionally graded materials (FGMs) is extremely difficult because the insulating ceramic layer cannot be machined directly by EDM. In this paper, the pure AlO layer has been machined by self-induced EDM, using the conductive layers of Ni-AlO FGMs to trigger the discharges in the insulating ceramic layer. Machining experiments have been performed to investigate the effects of discharge capacitance, pulse off-time, and charging resistance on the process performance of the pure AlO layer using RC-type pulse generator. From the experimental results, the discharge waveform of pure AlO layer includes long pulse discharge waveform, in addition to conventional normal discharge of conductive layers. The shape of long pulse discharge waveform can be changed by pulse off-time. The appropriate pulse off-time not only improves the stability of EDM but also increases the material removal rate (MRR). Moreover, it was observed that the MRR increases with increasing discharge capacitance and decreasing charging resistance. The surface roughness increases with increasing discharge capacitance. Finally, a small hole with a depth-diameter ratio of 5, little tapper is machined based on the experimental analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beryllium copper alloys with excellent features are widely used in many engineering fields, and their fabrication requires high machining speed. However, the fabrication of beryllium copper alloys by traditional processes has serious problems. In this study, high-speed electrochemical discharge drilling (HSECDD), a hybrid process containing electrical discharge machining (EDM) and electrochemical machining (ECM) in deionized water, was used to machine micro-holes on C17200 beryllium copper alloy. The material removal mechanism of HSECDD was studied and compared with traditional EDM. The performance of the process was investigated under different conductivities of peak current and pulse width. The results show that HSECDD is a high-efficiency method to machine C17200 beryllium copper alloy. During HSECDD, the material removal depends mainly on EDM. And, the ECM occurs at the entrance region of micro-holes machined by EDM. The function of ECM is to expand the gap between the electrode and the hole. The machining speed and average diameter of micro-holes increase with the increasing of peak current and pulse width. Increasing the pulse width will reduce the electrode wear. However, the taper angle will increase. In addition, the results also show that a value of 0.34-A peak current and 10-μs pulse width can be considered an ideal parameter for HSECDD to machine micro-holes on C17200 beryllium copper alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni-AlO functionally graded materials (FGMs) have become important for high-temperature applications due to a continuous change in composition. However, the manufacturing of Ni-AlO FGMs with conventional machining methods is a long and costly process because of the insulating ceramic composition. This paper presents a new method of machining Ni-AlO FGMs by self-induced electrical discharge machining (EDM). Self-induced EDM uses the conductive compositions of Ni-AlO FGMs to trigger the discharges in the insulating composition. Machining characteristics of a four-layered Ni-AlO FGMs drilled by self-induced EDM have been investigated, which include the material removal mechanisms, discharge properties, surface characteristics, material removal rate, and electrode wear ratio. It has been found that graded layers, 70 % Ni-graded layer and 30 % Ni-graded layer, are removed by dislodgement of AlO particles, in addition to conventional melting and evaporation. Pure AlO layer is melted and evaporated by utilizing conductive layer-induced discharges. The discharge properties, surface characteristics, material removal rate, and electrode wear ratio are significantly influenced by the material removal mechanisms of graded compositions. These findings demonstrate that self-induced EDM is able to effectively machine Ni-AlO FGMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although helical electrodes have been proven to improve the EDM (electrical discharge machining) speed of small holes, there are few studies on the morphological characteristics of the machined small holes and the influence of electrode structures. In this paper, the influence of the helical electrode structure on the machining effect is studied by the method of orthogonal experiment, and the internal mechanism of the influence of the helical electrode on the machining is explained by the method of CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulation. The results show that the larger depth and width of the helical groove and the helix angle of 60° are beneficial to increase the machining speed and reduce the relative loss rate, and at the same time, avoid serious defects in the small hole morphology. These conclusions provide a valuable reference for future researchers to choose the reasonable structure of the helical electrode, which is of great significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lunar water ice resources are important space assets for human survival and sustainable living on the Moon. Detection data indicates that the permanently shadowed regions at the lunar poles contain water ice resources. The efficiency of in-situ extraction of lunar water ice resources depends on its volatile characteristics. In the context of extraction and utilization of water ice resources in the permanently shadowed regions, the sublimation and diffusion processes of lunar water ice are investigated by combining the theory of pure ice sublimation with the fractal theory of porous media. On this basis, a volatilization model for lunar water ice is established to examine the effect of temperature, relative density, and water content on the volatile behaviors of lunar water ice. The findings of this study can provide technical and theoretical support for the in-situ exploration, extraction, and utilization of lunar water ice resources and offer insights into the existence and distribution of lunar water ice resources. • Apply the fractal theory of porous media on the research of icy lunar regolith volatilization. • Establish a volatilization model of water ice within icy lunar regolith. • Investigate the effect of temperature, relative density, and water content on volatilization. • Provide technical support for the exploration and extraction of lunar water ice resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network microstructure titanium matrix composites (NMTMCs), featuring Ti6Al4V as the matrix and network-distributed TiB whiskers (TiBw) as reinforcement, exhibit remarkable potential for diverse applications due to their superior physical properties. Due to the difficulty in machining titanium matrix composites, electrical discharge machining (EDM) stands as one of the preferred machining techniques for NMTMCs. Nevertheless, the compromised surface quality and the recast layer significantly impact the performance of the workpiece machined by EDM. Therefore, for the purpose of enhancing the surface quality and restraining the defects of NMTMCs, this study conducted comparative EDM milling experiments between NMTMCs and Ti6Al4V to analyze the effects of discharge capacitance, charging current, and pulse interval on the surface roughness, recast layer thickness, recast layer uniformity, and surface microcrack density of both materials. The results indicated that machining energy significantly influences workpiece surface quality. Furthermore, comparative experiments exploring the influence of network reinforcement on EDM milling revealed that NMTMCs have a higher melting point, leading to an accumulation phenomenon in low-energy machining where the reinforcement could not be completely removed. The residual reinforcement in the recasting layer had an adsorption effect on molten metal affecting the thermal conductivity and uniformity within the recasting layer. Finally, specific guidelines are put forward for optimizing the material's surface roughness, recast layer thickness, and uniformity, along with minimizing microcrack density, which attain a processing effect that features a roughness of Ra 0.9 μm, an average recast layer thickness of 6 μm with a range of 8 μm, and a surface microcrack density of 0.08 μm−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A superhydrophobic surface with robust structures on a metallic surface could improve its application in various harsh conditions. Herein, we developed a new strategy to fabricate robust micro-/nanoscale hierarchical structures with electrical discharge machining and electrochemical etching on a titanium substrate. After modification by fluorinated silane, the static water contact angle and slide angle of the surface could reach 162 ± 2° and 4 ± 1°, respectively. The superhydrophobic surfaces showed good corrosion resistance and mechanical stability after scratching with sandpapers. In addition, the superhydrophobic surfaces had good self-cleaning performance even in an acidic environment as well as the potential to be used as guiding tracks in droplet microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip systems. These results are expected to be helpful in designing the surface of liquid float gyroscope parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is one of the major abiotic stresses to wheat worldwide, with negative effects on wheat growth and yield. Assessing genetic variation and drought stress tolerance of key agronomic and physiological traits of spring wheat and screening germplasm resources for higher drought tolerance and yield stability are a prerequisite for developing new, better-adapted spring wheat varieties. This study evaluated nine important agronomic and physiological traits in 152 spring wheat cultivars under non-stress (NS) and drought-stress (DS) conditions. Under DS conditions, grain yield per plot (GYP) and grain weight per spike (GWE) were significantly reduced by 33.8% and 31.7%, and their drought-tolerance indexes (DIs) were only 0.66 and 0.69, respectively, indicating that GYP and GWE are the most susceptible traits to drought stress. The SPAD value of flag leave at flowering stage decreased by 13.9% under DS conditions, and the DI of SPAD was 0.86. In addition, DI-SPAD was significantly positively correlated with DIs of plant height (PH), grain number per spikelet (GPS), grain number per spike (GNS), GWE and GYP, indicating that the drought tolerance and yield of wheat are closely related to chlorophyll retention. Six wheat germplasm accessions were identified for their ability to sustain grain yield and improve drought tolerance simultaneously. These results provide insights into the genetic co-variation between grain yield and drought stress tolerance and provide a theoretical basis for the development of new wheat cultivars with excellent drought tolerance and high yields in the presence and absence of drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tool electrode wear varying with different materials in electrical discharge machining (EDM) is unavoidable, thus inevitably reducing the machining quality and accuracy of microstructures. To convert this disadvantageous phenomenon into a beneficial process, the paper proposed a wear-variation EDM (WV-EDM) approach to fabricate a laminated disc electrode (LDE) with stable-shape micro channels on the outer edge surface; this electrode was subsequently used to machine micro grooves on workpieces by EDM. The WV-EDM formation of the LDE, the relationship between relative volume wear rate of the disc foils and the machining depth, and flow field distribution in the machining gap of the LDE during processing were investigated. The results show that the method proposed herein could reliably produce LDEs with stable micro channels on the outer edge surfaces that could subsequently be employed to continuously machine micro groove arrays with the same machining depth on the same material workpiece by EDM, and especially LDE reshaping was unnecessary. Additionally, the "pump effect" of the vortex, located in the flow field between micro channels on the LDE and workpiece, was beneficial for debris removal. Using the proposed method, micro groove arrays and columnar microstructures were successfully fabricated on Ti–6Al–4V alloy workpieces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel hot embossing process to fabricate the hierarchical macro/nano optical glass lens is innovatively proposed. [Display omitted] • A novel hot embossing strategy to fabricate the hierarchical macro/nano optical glass lens is innovatively proposed. • The hierarchical macro-/nano glass lens made by second hot embossing show good optical performance. • The deformation history and forming mechanism of hierarchical macro-/nano glass structures are revealed. Constructing nanostructured surfaces on the macro/micro-scale optical lens is of great importance in the improvement of light transmittance, reflection, and surface functionality of optical devices. In this paper, a flexible and novel material interface design and manufacturing method for hierarchical macro/nano optical glass lenses is proposed. To verify the feasibility of the presented manufacturing strategy, the deformation history and flow driving mechanism of multiscale structured surfaces during second hot embossing were studied by simulations and experiments. The results showed that solid-like glass preform exhibits a higher nanoscale deformation resistance and elastic recovery, which can reduce the distortion levels of the nanostructured surface. At small scales, molecular confinement greatly reduces the tectonic deformation of nanostructured surface at relatively low applied heat and pressure. However, beyond a specific thermal energy threshold, nanostructured convex surfaces are easily compressed into a smooth flattened surface. By collaborative control of embossing conditions, the nano-surface integrity of multiscale structured surface can be ensured during second hot embossing. Compared to the smooth macroscale optical lens, the hierarchical macro/nano glass lens exhibited better optical transmittance and antireflection properties. The proposed design and manufacturing strategy provides a facile and flexible solution for building the hierarchical macro/micro/nanostructure functional optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass hot embossing is a well-established and cost-effective manufacturing method for glass microstructures. However, the spatial volume affects deformation behaviors in closed mold cavities, which determines the final shape of the embossed glass. To investigate the spatial gas effect on the glass deformation mechanism during hot embossing, we used the focused ion beam (FIB) to fabricate blind micro-hole array structures with different depths as embossing templates. The experimental results demonstrated that the spatial volume of the mold cavity has a great influence on the energy of gas expansion, thus affecting the deformation height of glass microstructures during hot embossing. The deeper the cavity depth, the bigger the surface tension, resulting in larger surface concave deformation. Due to the surface tension of gas expansion, the deformation height of the edge zone is higher than that of the center zone at a higher embossing temperature until the heated glass is completely compressed into the mold cavity. Additionally, at lower embossing temperatures (520 °C), the heated glass has a large deformation resistance and elastic recovery. The more deformation volume escape from the shallower mold cavity because of the spatial effect, thus the deformation height decreases as the cavity depth reduces. The work provides a better understanding of manufacturing glass microstructures in hot embossing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni-Al2O3 functionally graded materials (FGMs) have become important for high-temperature applications due to a continuous change in graded layers. However, the manufacturing process of Ni-Al2O3 FGMs with the traditional pulse power is a long process because the pulse power cannot real-timely adjust machining parameters to adapt the change of graded layers. This paper designed a real-time monitoring module and a parameter adjustment module, which can identify different graded layers and actively adjust machining parameters to adapt the change of graded layers. By means of the monitoring module, four major discharge states, normal, arc, insufficiency, and long pulse discharge state have been discriminated real-timely. The 70% Ni/30%Al2O3 layer and 30% Ni/70%Al2O3 layer have been distinguished based on the quantitative analysis of insufficiency and long pulse discharge waveforms. Multi-layers of Ni-Al2O3 FGMs are machined to validate the machining performance of the parameter adjustment module. Experiment results demonstrate that by adjusting the open voltage, the machining efficiency of 30% Ni/70%Al2O3 layer has been increased by six times, resulting in more time-efficient EDM process of Ni-Al2O3 FGMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Superhydrophobic surfaces have a wide application prospect in the future industrial production due to its special abilities. The fabrication of superhydrophobic coating on metal surfaces can improve its performance. A one-step electrodeposition method is proposed to construct nanostructures on the surface of beryllium copper (Be-Cu) alloys, and a mixture of copper chloride and stearic acid is used as the electrolytes. The static contact angle of water on the surface can reach up to 163 ± 4°, a sliding angle of 1.7 ± 0.2°. The nanostructure and chemical composition on the surface were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy respectively. The corrosion resistance was tested through electrochemical measurement. It was found that the as-prepared superhydrophobic coating improved the corrosion resistance significantly. In addition, the coating with excellent self-cleaning performance was proved. This method solves the problems of complicated process, improves the efficiency effectively, and the electrolyte is eco-friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic fuels are the main factors affecting the morphology, pore structure and catalytic active sites of metal oxides in solution combustion synthesis (SCS). However, due to the diversity of organic fuel structures, the specific role of organic fuel types on SCS is questionable. In this work, we compared the effects of five organic fuels on the thermocatalytic active sites of graded porous MgCo 2 O 4 nanomaterials. MgCo 2 O 4 (CA-MCO) prepared with citric acid as fuel has the largest specific surface area and the richest pore structure with the largest number of active sites. And the porous CA-MCO exhibited the best catalytic properties that the T HTD of AP decreased by 206.06 °C, the activation energy (E a) decreased by 104.58 kJ·mol−1, and the reaction rate (k) increased by 2.49 s−1. A possible catalytic mechanism for the thermal decomposition of AP was also proposed based on TG-MS and Hall effect tests. Finally, CA-MCO was applied to AP/HTPB-based composite solid propellants (CSPs), and the results showed that the introduction of CA-MCO significantly shortened the ignition delay time of the CSPs (From 29 ms to 8 ms), indicating its potential application in the CSPs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional capability and low coupling electronic skin (e‐skin) is of great significance in advanced robot systems interacting with the human body or the external environment directly. Herein, a multifunctional e‐skin system via vertical integrated different sensing materials and structures is presented. The multifunctional e‐skin has capacity sensing the proximity, pressure, temperature, and relative humidity simultaneously, with scope of 100–0 mm, 0–30 N, 20–120 °C and 20–70%, respectively. The sensitivity of the four kinds of sensors can be achieved to 0.72 mm−1, 16.34 N−1, 0.0032 °C−1, and 15.2 pF/%RH, respectively. The cross‐coupling errors are less than 1.96%, 1.08%, 2.65%, and 1.64%, respectively, after temperature compensation. To be state‐of‐the‐art, a commercial robot is accurately controlled via the multifunctional e‐skin system in the complicated environment. The following and safety controlling exhibit both accuracy and high dynamic features. To improve the sensing performance to the insulating objects, machine learning is employed to classify the conductivity during the object approaching, leading to set the threshold in dynamic. The accuracy for isolating the insulator increases from 18% to 88%. Looking forward, the multifunctional e‐skin system has broader applications in human–machine collaboration and industrial safety production technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) has become a serious public health problem, placing a heavy burden on society and the healthcare system. Its pathogenesis is not completely clear and may be closely related to mechanical damage, inflammatory factors, oxidative stress and death of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). The treatment of IVDD mainly includes conservative treatment and surgery. Conservative treatment is based on hormonal and anti-inflammatory drugs and massage techniques, which can relieve the pain symptoms to a certain extent, but cannot solve the problem from the root cause. Surgical treatment is mainly by removing the herniated nucleus pulposus, but it is more traumatic for IVDD patients, expensive and not suitable for all patients. Therefore, it is extremely important to clarify the pathogenesis of IVDD, to find an effective and convenient treatment and to further elaborate its mechanism of action. The effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of IVDD has been well demonstrated in clinical medical research. We have been working on the Chinese herbal formula Duhuo Jisheng Decoction, which is a common formula for the treatment of degenerative disc disease. Not only does it have significant clinical effects, but it also has few adverse effects. At present, we found that its mechanism of action mainly involves regulation of inflammatory factors, reduction of apoptosis and pyroptosis of NPCs, inhibition of extracellular matrix degradation, improvement of intestinal flora, etc. However, a few relevant articles have yet comprehensively and systematically summarized the mechanisms by which they exert their effect. Therefore, this paper will comprehensively and systematically explain on it. This is of great clinical significance and social value for elucidating the pathogenesis of IVDD and improving the symptoms of patients, and will provide a theoretical basis and scientific basis for the treatment of IVDD with traditional Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop software for multi-axis electrical discharge machining (EDM) computer numerical control (CNC) systems using open CNC technology and soft CNC technology and to then apply the software to the machining of rimmed turbine blisks. Through the analysis of functional requirements, this study established the hierarchy structure of the software. On the basis of this structure, three main modules and their communications were established with Linux and RT-Linux as the development platforms. The software architecture was also constructed. Through the construction of the modules and communications and the realization of the functions, the multi-axis EDM CNC system software was developed and installed into a five-axis EDM CNC machine to realize the machining of rimmed turbine blisks. Machining results show that the architecture of the software is correct, harmonious, and reasonable. The software is also stable and reliable and features strong real-time capability and accurate movement control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-liquid floated gyroscopes are widely used in nuclear submarines, intercontinental missiles, and strategic bombers. The machining accuracy of micro-ball sockets determined the motion accuracy of the rotor. However, it was not easily fabricated by micro-cutting because of the excellent physical and chemical properties of beryllium copper alloy. Here, we presented a linear compensation of tool electrode and a proportional variable thickness method for milling micro-ball sockets in C17200 beryllium copper alloy by micro-electrical discharge machining. The machining parameters were systematically investigated and optimized to achieve high-precision micro-ball sockets when the k value was 0.98 and the initial layer thickness was 0.024 mm. Our method provided a new way to fabricate micro-ball sockets in C17200 with high efficiency for micro-liquid floated gyroscopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-assisted machining (LAM) is a new manufacturing technology to improve the productivity of metal matrix composites (MMCs). However, there are many arguments about whether LAM is good for improving chip deformation, and there is also a lot of debate about surface integrity. The quality of surface integrity is closely correlated with the chip formation in LAM of MMCs depending on the processing conditions and constituents in composites. In this study, interaction process between 1064-nm diode laser and 45%SiCp/Al composites is theoretically described. The chip formation mechanism in LAM of 45%SiC/Al composites at different temperatures is revealed by analyzing the chip root morphology and chip chip-breaking process with an assistance of finite element model. The thermal mismatch stress of particles and matrix in the shear deformation zone are derived applying the Eshelby equivalent strain equations and thermal expansion coefficient and elastic modulus. Based on these, mechanisms of chip deformation and fracture in LAM are elucidated further. The various surface morphology (plastic side stream, surface scratches, particle pull-out, particles broken) dependent on the coupling of the force loads, thermal loads, and removal model of reinforcement particles are deeply investigated through LAM experiments. The surface morphology experiment results show that particle aggregation occurs between two or more adjacent SiC particles because the multiple SiC particles appear simultaneously at cutting path of tools. An analysis model was established to evaluate particle agglomeration in LAM according to the influence rules of tool geometry and particle size. Moreover, technological experiments focus on the effect of LAM variables, like laser power and scanning velocity on the microhardness and surface roughness of cross-section layer, mechanisms of which are analyzed from multiple perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C f -ZrB 2 -SiC is a new composite material with excellent properties for making the next-generation aerospace component. This material is extremely difficult to removal by mechanical machining, and there is a lack of research on feasible secondary processing methods of this composite at present. Micro-EDM is not limited by material hardness, so it is very suitable for machining this material. In this paper, the Material removal mechanisms and processing characteristics of C f -ZrB 2 -SiC by micro-EDM is analyzed. The removal mechanism of composite materials is explored though the discharge crater morphology, and the single-discharge experiments of each phase materials with different medium and different energies are also carried out as a reference. Electrical discharge milling experiments of C f -ZrB 2 -SiC are performed to explore the medium on processing index, and found that the best surface quality and maximum processing efficiency can be realized in kerosene. An experiment with four factors (pulse width, voltage, peak current, capacitance) and three indexes (surface roughness, MRR, TWR) is designed to analyze the C f -ZrB 2 -SiC process characteristics of micro-EDM and the response surface diagram and second-order regression equation are obtained. Milling the C f -ZrB 2 -SiC by electrical discharge according to the optimal combination of surface roughness parameters deduced above, the as-machined surface is analyzed including the surface morphology by SEM, element content by EDS and the surface phase by XRD. The feasibility and advantages of micro-EDM on machining C f -ZrB 2 -SiC are prove. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co 3 O 4 is an excellent catalyst for the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) due to its spinel structure and more Co3+ as catalytically active sites. In this work, MCo 2 O 4 (M=Fe, Cu, Ni and Zn) with different Co species substituted with transition metal ion were prepared using triblock copolymer F127 as soft template by simple solvothermal and subsequent heat treatment. The porous MCo 2 O 4 samples have higher Co3+ / Co2+ ratio than Co 3 O 4 , and exhibits better catalytic performance for thermal decomposition of AP. Especially with the addition of FeCo 2 O 4 , the high decomposition temperature (HDT) of AP decreases by an amazing 196.25 °C, showing the most excellent catalytic performance. The activation energy (E a) decreases from 290.19 kJ·mol−1 for pure AP to 203.05 kJ·mol−1, while the reaction rate (k) increases from 0.499 s−1 to 1.699 s−1. Based on the electron transfer theory, the catalytic mechanism and active site of porous MCo 2 O 4 series cobaltate materials are discussed. The results show that the porous FeCo 2 O 4 not only has highest specific surface, but also has the highest Co3+/ Co2+ ratio, which suggest that the Co3+ on octahedral coordination sites is known as the catalytic active site for AP thermal decomposition. [Display omitted] • Ordered nanoporous MCo 2 O 4 (M=Fe, Cu, Ni and Zn) were successfully syntesized and substituted for the Co in Co 3 O 4. • The high Co3+ / Co2+ ratio and specific surface area of FeCo 2 O 4 provide higher catalytic activity and sites. • The kinetic parameters of AP thermal decomposition have been better optimized after adding porous FeCo 2 O 4. • The catalytic mechanism of porous FeCo 2 O 4 for thermal decomposition of AP is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The posterior pallial amygdala (PoA) is located on the basolateral caudal telencephalon, including the basal division of PoA (PoAb) and the compact division of PoA (PoAc). PoA plays a vital role in emotion regulation and is considered a part of the amygdala in birds. However, the regulatory functions responsible for motor behaviors and emotions between PoAb and PoAc are poorly understood. Therefore, we studied the structure and function of PoA by tract-tracing methods, constant current electrical stimulation, and different dopamine receptor drug injections in pigeons (Columba livia domestica). PoAb connects reciprocally with two nuclear groups in the cerebrum: 1) a continuum comprising the temporo–parieto–occipitalis, corticoidea dorsolateralis, hippocampus, and parahippocampalis areas and 2) rostral areas of the hemisphere, including the nucleus septalis lateralis and nucleus taeniae amygdalae. Extratelencephalic projections of PoAb terminate in the lateral hypothalamic nucleus and are scattered in many limbic midbrain regions. PoAb and PoAc mainly mediated the turning movement. In the 'open-field' test, D1 agonist and D2 antagonist could significantly reduce the latency period for entering into the central area and increase the residence time in the central area, whereas D1 antagonist and D2 agonist had the opposite effect. PoAb and PoAc are important brain areas that mediate turning behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As important post-translational modifications, protein cysteine modifications (PCMs) occurring at cysteine thiol group play critical roles in the regulation of various biological processes in eukaryotes. Due to the rapid advancement of high-throughput proteomics technologies, a large number of PCM events have been identified but remain to be curated. Thus, an integrated resource of eukaryotic PCMs will be useful for the research community. In this work, we developed an integrative database for protein cysteine modifications in eukaryotes (iCysMod), which curated and hosted 108 030 PCM events for 85 747 experimentally identified sites on 31 483 proteins from 48 eukaryotes for 8 types of PCMs, including oxidation, S-nitrosylation (-SNO), S-glutathionylation (-SSG), disulfide formation (-SSR), S-sulfhydration (-SSH), S-sulfenylation (-SOH), S-sulfinylation (-SO2H) and S-palmitoylation (-S-palm). Then, browse and search options were provided for accessing the dataset, while various detailed information about the PCM events was well organized for visualization. With human dataset in iCysMod, the sequence features around the cysteine modification sites for each PCM type were analyzed, and the results indicated that various types of PCMs presented distinct sequence recognition preferences. Moreover, different PCMs can crosstalk with each other to synergistically orchestrate specific biological processes, and 37 841 PCM events involved in 119 types of PCM co-occurrences at the same cysteine residues were finally obtained. Taken together, we anticipate that the database of iCysMod would provide a useful resource for eukaryotic PCMs to facilitate related researches, while the online service is freely available at http://icysmod.omicsbio.info. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Circulating tumour cell (CTC) and CTC-white blood cell (CTC-WBC) clusters are related to the prognosis of tumour patients. However, the relationship between CTC-WBC clusters and prognosis in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients is not clear. We evaluated the prognostic value of CTC-WBC clusters using metastasis-free survival (MFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with RCC.Materials and Methods: The baseline, survival, and CTC data of patients with RCC were statistically analysed by R.Results: The Cox risk proportional regression model suggests that the total CTCs, pathology type, and CTC-WBC clusters can be used as prognostic indicators for the MFS of RCC patients. Total CTCs and solid tumour diameter can be used as prognostic indicators for the OS of RCC patients. Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, we found that patients with total CTCs, pathology, and CTC-WBC clusters greater than the cut-off value had a worse MFS, and patients with total CTCs greater than the cut-off value had a worse OS.Conclusion: The analysis of the clinical sample data in patients with RCC shows that CTC-WBC clusters play an important role in monitoring the prognosis of RCC. Among them, total CTCs, pathology, and CTC-WBC clusters were combined as prognostic factors for the MFS of RCC patients. Total CTCs and solid tumour diameter can be combined as prognostic factors for the OS of RCC patients. These prognostic factors provide more convenient and accurate condition monitoring for renal cancer patients and can be used to actively improve the prognosis of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated method of micro-milling and micro electrical discharge machining (EDM) is proposed for micro-structures array manufacture in this paper. In order to obtain micro-cavity array with high accuracy and consistency, in situ machining on the same coordinate system ensures the positioning precision. After studying micro-milling graphite, the effect of parameters on the machining accuracy is found. Further, suitable mode is chosen for high-dimensional consistency and good surface quality array electrodes according to comparison of one-by-one and layer-by-layer milling tool trajectory. Workpiece lifting control is used to strengthen the debris clear; then, it is verified beneficial of lifting through flow simulation and adding discrete particles. In order to solve poor precision of the micro-cavity contour caused by electrode wear, a multi-step machining by group electrodes is proposed, rough machining for material removal and finishing machining for trimming. Finally, a micro-cavity with clear edge, small fillets, and high shape accuracy is obtained. This method improves the machining performance of the array micro-structures and shows good prospects in micro-fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, qigong and tai chi exercises are the two most common preventive as well as therapeutic interventions for chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the quantitative evaluation of these interventions is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of qigong and tai chi intervention in middle-aged and older adults with T2DM. The study included 103 eligible participants, who were randomized to participate for 12 weeks, in one of the following intervention groups for the treatment of T2DM: fitness qigong, tai chi, and control group. Three biochemical measures, including fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), and C-peptide (C-P) levels, assessed at baseline and 12 weeks, served as the primary outcome measures. During the training process, 16 of the 103 participants dropped out. After the 12-week intervention, there were significant influences on HbA1C (F2,83 = 4.88, p = 0.010) and C-P levels (F2,83 = 3.64, p = 0.031). Moreover, significant reduction in C-P levels was observed after 12-week tai chi practice (p = 0.004). Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between the duration of T2DM and the relative changes in FPG levels after qigong intervention, and the relative changes in HbA1C levels were positively correlated with waist-to-height ratio after tai chi practice. Our study suggests that targeted qigong exercise might have a better interventional effect on patients with a longer duration of T2DM, while tai chi might be risky for people with central obesity. Trial registration: This trial was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. The registration number is ChiCTR180020069. The public title is "Health-care qigong · study for the prescription of chronic diabetes intervention." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave-induced thermal-crack propagation (MITP) is an advanced processing technology for cutting ceramics introduced recently. However, due to the lack of methods to predict its machinability, its application has been limited. In order to evaluate the machinability of this method for different ceramic materials, in this paper, a simple method is presented to predict the machinability in microwave cutting ceramics. Firstly, the processing difficulty of microwave cutting ceramics using MITP is analyzed based on the fracture mechanics, and the concept of crack initiation factor is proposed. An experimental work demonstrates that crack initiation factor is effective to predict the machinability. However, the crack initiation factor is closely related to many process parameters in MITP, so its prediction process is complicated. To find a practical and straightforward method, the ceramic heated by the static point heat source is analyzed, and the crack initiation factor is simplified as the crack factor which is only related to the physical parameters of the material in this model. The theoretical calculation shows that there is a positive correlation between the crack factor and the crack initiation factor, so the machinability in MITP can be predicted by this simplified factor. By establishing a link with the processing parameters, the crack factor can be used to pre-select the processing parameters. The simulation results show that the crack factor can also be used to predict the relative magnitude of temperature gradient and maximum thermal stress of different ceramics under the same processing conditions. This study provides a simple and effective method for predicting the machinability of ceramics using MITP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the core of additive manufacturing (3D printing) is the ability to rapidly print with multiple materials for arbitrary distribution with high resolution, which can remove challenges and limits of traditional assembly and enable us to make increasingly complex objects, especially exciting meta-materials. Here we demonstrate a simple and effective strategy to achieve nano-resolution printing of multiple materials for arbitrary distribution via layer-by-layer deposition on a special deposition surface. The established physical model reveals that complex distribution on a section can be achieved by vertical deformation of simple lamination of multiple materials. The deformation is controlled by a special surface of the mold and a contour-by-contour (instead of point-by-point) printing mode is revealed in the actual process. A large-scale concentric ring array with a minimum feature size below 50 nm is printed within less than two hours, verifying the capacity of high-throughput, high-resolution and rapidity of printing. The proposed printing method opens the way towards the programming of internal compositions of object (such as functional microdevices with multiple materials). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life underground has provided remarkable examples of adaptive evolution in subterranean mammals; however, genome‐wide adaptive evolution to underground stresses still needs further research. There are approximately 250 species of subterranean mammals across three suborders and six families. These species not only inhabit hypoxic and dark burrows but also exhibit evolved adaptation to hypoxia, cancer resistance, and specialized sensory systems, making them an excellent model of evolution. The adaptive evolution of subterranean mammals has attracted great attention and needs further study. In the present study, phylogenetic analysis of 5,853 single‐copy orthologous gene families of five subterranean mammals (Nannospalax galili, Heterocephalus glaber, Fukomys damarensis, Condylura cristata, and Chrysochloris asiatica) showed that they formed fou distinct clusters. This result is consistent with the traditional systematics of these species. Furthermore, comparison of the high‐quality genomes of these five subterranean mammalian species led to the identification of the genomic signatures of adaptive evolution. Our results show that the five subterranean mammalian did not share positively selected genes but had similar functional enrichment categories, including hypoxia tolerance, immunity promotion, and sensory specialization, which adapted to the environment of underground stresses. Moreover, variations in soil hardness, climate, and lifestyles have resulted in different molecular mechanisms of adaptation to the hypoxic environment and different degrees of visual degradation. These results provide insights into the genome‐wide adaptive evolution to underground stresses in subterranean mammals, with special focus on the characteristics of hypoxia adaption, immunity promotion, and sensory specialization response to the life underground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an adaptive fault-tolerant method is proposed to synthesize a compensation controller for the uncertain nonlinear pure-feedback systems possessing dead-zone actuators and stochastic failures. Each actuator’s failure mode is described by a scalar Markovian type function, which is not only much more practical in control engineering but also challenging in control theory. By exploring the adaptive backstepping methodology, a compensation scheme for actuator failure is presented to guarantee that the solution of the closed-loop system is a unique and bounded in probability. Importantly, the proposed control method can achieve arbitrarily small tracking error in the presence of nonlinear actuators with random failures. The case study of active suspension system using the adaptive fault-tolerant compensation controller shows the effectiveness of the presented method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe hypoxia induces a series of stress responses in mammals; however, subterranean rodents have evolved several adaptation mechanisms of energy metabolisms and O2 utilization for hypoxia. Mammalian brains show extreme aerobic metabolism. Following hypoxia exposure, mammals usually experience irreversible brain damage and can even develop serious diseases, such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and brain edema. To investigate mechanisms underlying the responses of subterranean rodents to severe hypoxia, we performed a cross-species brain transcriptomic analysis using RNA sequencing and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the subterranean rodent Lasiopodomys mandarinus and its closely related aboveground species L. brandtii under severe hypoxia (5.0% O2, 6 h) and normoxia (20.9% O2, 6 h). Results: We obtained 361 million clean reads, including 69,611 unigenes in L. mandarinus and 69,360 in L. brandtii. We identified 359 and 515 DEGs by comparing the hypoxic and normoxia groups of L. mandarinus and L. brandtii, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that upregulated DEGs in both species displayed similar terms in response to severe hypoxia; the main difference is that GO terms of L. brandtii were enriched in the immune system. However, in the downregulated DEGs, GO terms of L. mandarinus were enriched in cell proliferation and protein transport and those of L. brandtii were enriched in nuclease and hydrolase activities, particularly in terms of developmental functions. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that upregulated DEGs in L. mandarinus were associated with DNA repair and damage prevention as well as angiogenesis and metastasis inhibition, whereas downregulated DEGs were associated with neuronal synaptic transmission and tumor-associated metabolic pathways. In L. brandtii, upregulated KEGG pathways were enriched in the immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems and particularly in cancer-related pathways, whereas downregulated DEGs were associated with environmental information processing and misregulation in cancers. Conclusions: L. mandarinus has evolved hypoxia adaptation by enhancing DNA repair, damage prevention, and augmenting sensing, whereas L. brandtii showed a higher risk of tumorigenesis and promoted innate immunity toward severe hypoxia. These results reveal the hypoxic mechanisms of L. mandarinus to severe hypoxia, which may provide research clues for hypoxic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Subterranean rodents have evolved many features to adapt to their hypoxic environment. The brain is an organ that is particularly vulnerable to damage caused by exposure to hypoxic conditions. To investigate the mechanisms of adaption to a hypoxic underground environment, we carried out a cross-species brain transcriptome analysis by RNA sequencing and identified genes that are differentially expressed between the subterranean vole Lasiopodomys mandarinus and the closely related above-ground species Lasiopodomys brandtii under chronic hypoxia [10.0% oxygen (O2)] and normoxia (20.9% O2). Results: A total of 355 million clean reads were obtained, including 69,611 unigenes in L. mandarinus and 69,360 in L. brandtii. A total of 235 and 92 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by comparing the hypoxic and control groups of L. mandarinus and L. brandtii, respectively. A Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that upregulated DEGs in both species had similar functions in response to hypoxia, whereas downregulated DEGs in L. mandarinus were enriched GO terms related to enzymes involved in aerobic reactions. In the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, upregulated DEGs in L. mandarinus were associated with angiogenesis and the increased O2 transport capacity of red blood cells, whereas downregulated DEGs were associated with immune responses. On the other hand, upregulated DEGs in L. brandtii were associated with cell survival, vascular endothelial cell proliferation, and neuroprotection, while downregulated genes were related to the synaptic transmission by neurons. Conclusions: L. mandarinus actively adapts its physiological functions to hypoxic conditions, for instance by increasing O2 transport capacity and modulating O2 consumption. In contrast, L. brandtii reacts passively to hypoxia by decreasing overall activity in order to reduce O2 consumption. These results provide insight into hypoxia adaptation mechanisms in subterranean rodents that may be applicable to humans living at high altitudes or operating in other O2-poor environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With three-dimensional (3D) microelectrodes used to machine microcavities in microelectrical discharge machining (micro-EDM), the processing efficiency can be greatly improved. However, the surfaces of a laminated 3D microelectrode always have stair steps, which will be further copied to the machined surfaces of the microcavities, reducing the processed surface quality. To solve the problems, the paper proposed using layer-by-layer scanning microelectrochemical machining (micro-ECM) to eliminate the stair-stepping effect of the laminated 3D microelectrodes. First, wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) was chosen to cut Cu foils for obtaining multilayer two-dimensional (2D) microstructures. Second, the multilayer 2D microstructures were applied to thermal diffusion bonding to form 3D microelectrode blanks. Then, the 3D microelectrode blanks were processed via layer-by-layer scanning micro-ECM to eliminate the stair steps on the surfaces. The influences of applied voltage, offset distance, and layer thickness on the elimination of the stair-stepping effect were investigated in details. Experimental results show that the stair steps on the laminated 3D microelectrode surfaces were eliminated obviously under 4.0 V applied voltage, 200 μm offset distance, and 20 μm layer thickness. Finally, the laminated 3D microelectrodes without stair steps on the surfaces were applied to micro-EDM to process microcavities. Two typical microcavities without the stair steps were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Orbitally shaken bioreactors (OSRs) are commonly used for the cultivation of mammalian cells in suspension. To aid the geometry designing and optimizing of OSRs, we conducted a three‐dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation to characterize the flow fields in a 10 L cylindrical OSR with different vessel diameters. The liquid wave shape captured by a camera experimentally validated the CFD models established for the cylindrical OSR. The geometry size effect on volumetric mass transfer coefficient (kLa) and hydromechanical stress was analyzed by varying the ratio of vessel diameter (d) to liquid height at static (hL), d/hL. The highest value of kLa about 30 h−1 was observed in the cylindrical vessel with the d/hL of 6.35. Moreover, the magnitudes of shear stress and energy dissipation rate in all the vessels tested were below their minimum values causing cells damage separately, which indicated that the hydromechanical‐stress environment in OSRs is suitable for cells cultivation in suspension. Finally, the CFD results suggested that the d/hL higher than 8.80 should not be adopted for the 10 L cylindrical OSR at the shaking speed of 180 rpm because the “out of phase” state probably will happen there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In micro scale metal forming processes, the plastic deformation behaviors are complicated and difficult to predict because of size effects. In this study, micro cylinder compression tests have been carried out to determine the plastic deformation behaviors in micro bulk metal forming. The effects of specimen height-to-diameter ratio and strain on the plastic deformation behaviors have been investigated extensively by compressing pure nickel micro cylinders. It is found that both the flow stress and friction coefficient decrease with the increase of the specimen height-to-diameter ratio. Friction coefficient decreases with the increase of compression ratio for specimens with the same height or decreases with the increase of the specimen height-to-diameter ratio under the same compression ratio. A relationship between normal pressure of lubricant friction, strain and height-to-diameter ratio ( H/D ) is established. A modified friction model is proposed based on the assumption of open-close lubricant pockets by introducing the specimen geometrical parameters. The calculated friction coefficients by the developed model and their tendencies are in good accordance with the experimental ones. It is also found that the ratio of the real contact areas (RCAs) decreases with increase of the specimen height-to-diameter ratio under the same compression ratio which can explain the decrease of the equivalent friction stress between the tool and the specimen. The new developed friction model enables more flexible modeling of friction behaviors in microforming processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]