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This study aimed to evaluate whether the onset of the plateau phase of slow hepatitis B surface antigen decline in patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with intermittent interferon therapy is related to the frequency of dendritic cell subsets and expression of the costimulatory molecules CD40, CD80, CD83, and CD86. This was a cross-sectional study in which patients were divided into a natural history group (namely NH group), a long-term oral nucleoside analogs treatment group (namely NA group), and a plateau-arriving group (namely P group). The percentage of plasmacytoid dendritic cell and myeloid dendritic cell subsets in peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes and the mean fluorescence intensity of their surface costimulatory molecules were detected using a flow cytometer. In total, 143 patients were enrolled (NH group, n = 49; NA group, n = 47; P group, n = 47). The results demonstrated that CD141/CD1c double negative myeloid dendritic cell (DNmDC)/lymphocytes and monocytes (%) in P group (0.041 [0.024, 0.069]) was significantly lower than that in NH group (0.270 [0.135, 0.407]) and NA group (0.273 [0.150, 0.443]), and CD86 mean fluorescence intensity of DNmDCs in P group (1832.0 [1484.0, 2793.0]) was significantly lower than that in NH group (4316.0 [2958.0, 5169.0]) and NA group (3299.0 [2534.0, 4371.0]), Adjusted P all < 0.001. Reduced DNmDCs and impaired maturation may be associated with the onset of the plateau phase during intermittent interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate prediction of the rate of penetration (ROP) is a difficult issue in the drilling process, especially under complex formation conditions. Many methods, such as mechanism and machine learning, were introduced to investigate it. However, most of them are offline prediction methods which may not be capable of capturing the online trend of ROP. In this paper, a novel dynamic model for ROP prediction is proposed considering the process characteristics, which consists of three stages. In the first stage, the correlations between ROP and eight drilling parameters are analyzed, and the rotational speed, weight on bit, depth are selected as the model inputs. In the second stage, the drilling data are pre-processed by using the filtering and re-sampling techniques. In the last stage, the moving window strategy, extreme learning machine, and 10-fold cross validation are used to establish the ROP model. Our main idea of online prediction of ROP lies in this last stage. Specifically, two steps (modeling and prediction) are executed alternately in the moving drilling depth windows so as to predict the ROP more accurately. Finally, the proposed ROP prediction model is applied to the drilling well ZK3 in Xiangyang area, Central China. The prediction accuracy is improved by at least 7% compared with seven well-known ROP prediction methods, two online and five offline, which validates the effectiveness of the proposed method. It is believed that the proposed model provides a basis for intelligent optimization control in drilling process. • A novel intelligent dynamic model is proposed for the online prediction of drilling ROP. • The influence of the length of moving window and distance between two windows are investigated thoroughly. • The proposed model can learn autonomously in the drilling process and has a fast computation speed. • The proposed method has a higher prediction accuracy than two online and five offline well-known conventional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Semi-analytic methods are used to solve 3D DPL problems. • Compared with FEM, the semi-analytic method has higher computational efficiency. • The phase lag of heat flow and the phase lag of temperature gradient have influence on the temperature response speed and the formation of temperature field. With the development of picosecond laser technology, the dual-phase-lagging (DPL) model is more suitable to describe the heat transfer problem with micro-scale effect and micro-time effect. In this paper, a three-dimensional dual-phase-lagging heat transfer model for picosecond laser processing is established. Then Fourier transform (FT) and Laplace transform (LT) are used to derive the frequency response functions (FRFs) of the problem in the frequency domain, and the inverse Laplace transform (ILT) and discrete-convolution fast Fourier transform (DC-FFT) algorithm are used to solve the temperature field. The calculation accuracy of this method is verified and the effect of phase lag constants on temperature field is studied. The results show that the semi-analytical method has a high accuracy for solving the dual-phase-lagging heat conduction model, and the phase lag of heat flux will affect the heating rate in the heating stage, and the phase lag of temperature gradient will delay the formation of temperature field. The effect of phase lag constants on temperature-time history is investigated and the related phenomena are explained by using the two-step heat transfer theory. This semi-analytical method provides a new approach to solve the problem of three-dimensional dual-phase-lagging heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one-size-fits-all approach to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening that does not account for CRC risk factors is not conducive to personalized screening. On the basis of the principle of equal management of equal risks, we aimed to tailor and validate risk-adapted starting ages of CRC screening for individuals with different CRC risk factors. A multi-center community-based population cohort (N = 3,165,088) was used to evaluate the starting age of CRC screening with comprehensive consideration of risk factors. Age-specific 10-year cumulative risk curves were used to determine when individuals at greater risk for CRC reached the same risk level as the 50-year-old general population, which is currently the recommended starting age for CRC screening in China. During the study follow-up period (2013–2021), 4,840 incident CRCs were recorded. Family history of CRC, adverse lifestyle, and comorbidities demonstrated heterogeneous associations with CRC risk (hazard ratios, 1.05–1.55; P <.05). Men and women with CRC family history and at least 2 risk factors reached the standard benchmark risk (0.28%) for screening at the age of 40, 10 years earlier than their peers without risk factors in the general population. Proposed starting ages for CRC screening were validated in an independent community-based population cohort (N = 1,023,367). We determined a risk-adapted CRC screening starting age for individuals with various CRC risk factors. Earlier, personalized screening based on these findings could allow for scarce health resources to be dedicated to individuals who benefit most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The plasticizers of DBP and TBC effectively restored the stiffness, relaxation capability, and crack resistance of the aged asphalt. • Both plasticizers lowered the glass transition temperature and broadened the transition region and linear viscoelastic relaxation spectrum. • TBC exhibited a stronger deagglomerating effect based on analytical characterizations and molecular dynamics simulations. • The higher rejuvenating effectiveness of TBC was due to its higher polarity and forming hydrogen bonds with asphalt molecules. Plasticizers are common additives used to enhance the flexibility and workability of polymer materials. Recent findings suggest a great potential for typical plasticizers being used as rejuvenators to recycle oxidized paving asphalts. This study investigated the rejuvenating effectiveness of two plasticizers via rheological evaluation and explored the underlying mechanism by analytical characterizations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A conventional plasticizer dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and an environmentally friendly tributyl citrate (TBC) were selected given the discrepancies in their molecular structures. Both plasticizers were effective in restoring the rheological performance of the aged asphalt; TBC was relatively more efficient which was attributed to its higher molecular polarity and the formation of hydrogen bonds with the oxidized asphalt molecules. Analyses based on the gel permeation chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry suggested the capability of the plasticizers in dissociating the oxidized asphalt molecules and improving the molecular mobility. The improved molecular mobility was considered responsible for the reversing effect of the plasticizers, as compared to aging, in terms of widening the relaxation spectrum and broadening the glass transition region. The plasticizers' dissociating effect was confirmed and visualized in the simulations by inspecting their impacts on the spatial arrangement and distribution of the asphaltenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although nutrient-starvation therapies can elicit strong anti-tumor effects in multiple carcinomas, it has been convincingly demonstrated that cancer cells exploit the tumor microenvironment to thrive in nutrient-poor environments. Here, we reveal that cancer cells can co-opt nociceptive nerves to thrive in nutrient-poor environments. Initially examining the low-glucose environment of oral mucosa carcinomas, we discovered that cancer cells employ ROS-triggered activation of c-Jun to secrete nerve growth factor (NGF), which conditions nociceptive nerves for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) production. The neurogenic CGRP subsequently induces cytoprotective autophagy in cancer cells through Rap1-mediated disruption of the mTOR-Raptor interaction. Both anti-glycolysis and anti-angiogenesis-based nutrient-starvation therapies aggravate the vicious cycle of cancer cells and nociceptive nerves and therapeutically benefit from blocking neurogenic CGRP with an FDA-approved antimigraine drug. Our study sheds light on the role of the nociceptive nerve as a microenvironmental accomplice of cancer progression in nutrient-poor environments and upon nutrient-starvation therapies. [Display omitted] • Nutrient-poor environments initiate cancer cell-nociceptive nerve interactions • Cancer cell-derived NGF co-opts nociceptive nerves for CGRP production • Neurogenic CGRP induces cytoprotective autophagy in cancer cells • Blocking CGRP signaling enhances anti-tumor efficacy of nutrient-starvation therapies Zhang et al. report that nutrient-poor environments initiate the vicious cycle between cancer cells and nociceptive nerves. Cancer cell-derived NGF co-opts nociceptive nerves for CGRP production, which in turn promotes cancer cell cytoprotective autophagy. Blocking neurogenic CGRP with an FDA-approved antimigraine drug significantly enhances the therapeutic efficacy of nutrient-starvation therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multi-scale convolutional neural network (MS-CNN) model for transfer learning is proposed. • A domain alignment method based on local central moment discrepancy in class subspace is proposed. • Compared with the central moment discrepancy (CMD), the local center moment discrepancy (LCMD) performs better in transfer diagnosis. Transfer learning is an excellent approach to deal with the problem that the target domain label can not be adequately obtained when rolling bearing cross-condition fault detection. A transfer learning fault diagnosis method of multi-scale CNN rolling bearings based on local central moment discrepancy is presented in this research. The method maps bearing vibration data to a shared space by building a shared multi-scale feature extraction structure and fully connected layers. The source domain label and target domain pseudo-label are used to divide the category subspace in the shared space. And then the local central moment discrepancy is used to match source and target domain in the category subspace to realize fault knowledge transfer under different conditions. The experimental findings reveal that multi-scale CNN migration diagnosis based on local central moment discrepancy has superior accuracy and stability in diverse diagnostic tasks when compared to classic transfer learning approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Eco-efficiency of cultivated land use (EECLU) is evaluated. • Both carbon sequestration and carbon emissions are considered for measuring EECLU. • Super-efficiency SBM-DEA with undesirable output & panel data analysis are used. • Size has positive impact on the EECLU. • Shape complexity and patch fragmentation have negative impacts on the EECLU. With China's rapid urbanization and socioeconomic development, cultivated land has been experiencing continuous reduction, spatial shift, and ecological degradation in the past few decades, coupled with the decreasing and aging agricultural labor force, thus improving cultivated land utilization efficiency while minimizing associated environmental impacts is one of the major challenges facing China. This study first establishes an index system to access the eco-efficiency of cultivated land use (EECLU) considering both carbon sequestration and carbon emissions, next, employs the Super-SBM model to evaluate the spatial–temporal characteristics of EECLU, then, uses landscape metrics to describe landscape pattern dynamics of cultivated land, and finally conducts panel data analysis to investigate the relationship between landscape pattern changes and the EECLU variations. This framework was applied to Jiangsu Province, a major grain-producing area with a developed economy. The results showed that the average EECLU of the counties in rural Jiangsu from 2000 to 2020 slightly decreased, most counties were in the medium–low efficiency range (0.6–0.8), and Southern Jiangsu generally has the lowest EECLU values while Central Jiangsu has the highest. The total area and the average patch sizes of cultivated land have significantly positive impacts on EECLU, while the shape complexity and patch fragmentation have significantly negative impacts on EECLU. Therefore, comprehensive low-carbon strategies and better management and technology in the agricultural sector are needed to further improve EECLU. On the premise of protecting the total area of cultivated land, larger and more aggregated land patches should be promoted in the land consolidation process, and the cultivated land targeted for occupation or compensation should be able to simplify the overall shape of cultivated land patches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The HIV-1 infected immunological non-responders (INRs) are characterized by poor immune reconstitution after long-term treatment. Tripterygium Wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) pill is a traditional Chinese patent drug with extensive immunosuppressive effects and has been clinically proven efficacy in treating INRs.Purpose: The therapeutic mechanism of TwHF pills in the treatment of INRs was investigated by the combined multi-omics analysis on clinical samples and network pharmacology approach.Methods: Clinically, the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) samples of TwHF-treated INRs from different time points were collected to conduct the transcriptomic and proteomic profiling. Key effector pathways of TwHF were enriched and analyzed by the ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). Computationally, the TwHF-related compounds were obtained from traditional Chinese medicine databases, and literature search and structural prediction were performed to identify TwHF-related targets. Integrated with the INR-related targets, the 'TwHF-compounds-targets-INR' network was constructed to analyze core effector targets by centrality measurement. Experimentally, the effects of TwHF compounds on the T cells activation and expression of identified targets were evaluated with in vitro cell culture.Results: 33 INRs were included and treated with TwHF pills for 17 (IQR, 12-24) months. These patients experienced rapid growth in the CD4+ T cell counts and decreased T cell activation. The multi-omics analysis showed that the interferon (IFN)-signaling pathway was significantly inhibited after taking TwHF pills. The network pharmacology predicted the central role of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) in the 'TwHF-compounds-targets-INR' network. Further bioinformatic analysis predicted STAT1 would regulate over 58.8% of identified down-regulated genes. Cell experiments validated that triptolide (TPL) would serve as the major bioactivity compound of TwHF pills to inhibit the immune cell activation, the production of IFN-γ, the expression of downstream IFN-stimulated genes, and the phosphorylation of STAT1.Conclusion: Our research is the first to systemic verify the mechanisms of TwHF in treating INRs. The IFN signaling pathway and the STAT1 would be the major effector targets of TwHF pills in treating INRs. The TPL would be the major bioactive compound to inhibit the IFN response and the phosphorylation of STAT1. Our observations suggest the basis for further application of TPL analogous in treating INRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We have improved the LM jump test method by double-parameter optimization. • A combination method of jump identification and parameter estimation to describe the jump characteristics. • Considering the different jump direction and time point of carbon asset price. • The high frequency of downward jumps indicates that the downward risk of carbon market is significant. • The high intensity of the upward jumps indicates that the good information has a greater impact on the carbon market. To identify the jump forms of carbon asset price under the shocks of significant information, this paper focuses on two aspects: different jump directions and jump time points. Therefore, a method for simultaneously optimizing time window size and threshold of the LM jump test is proposed. This optimized method has reduced the omission of jump points and improves the effectiveness of the model. Results show that the shocks of significant information cause large magnitude and asymmetric successive jumps of carbon asset price. A downward high-frequency jump indicates that the downward risk of carbon market is significant, and policy events have the biggest impact on the carbon market, which leads to the biggest jump magnitude. This research helps improve the efficiency of carbon pricing, provides practical guidance for decision process of enterprises, and prevents risk in a timely manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Capsule of alkaloids from leaf of Alstonia scholaris (CALAS) is a new investigational botanical drug (No. 2011L01436) for respiratory disease. Clinical population pharmacokinetics (PK), metabolomics and therapeutic data are essential to guide dosing in patients. Previous research has demonstrated the potential therapeutic effect of CALAS on acute bronchitis. Further clinical trial data are needed to verify its clinical efficacy, pharmacokinetics behavior, and influence of dosage and other factors.Purpose: To verify the clinical efficacy and explore the potential biomarkers related to CALAS treatment for acute bronchitis.Materials and Methods: Oral CALAS was assessed in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Fifty-five eligible patients were randomly assigned to four cohorts to receive 20, 40 or 80 mg, of CALAS three times daily for seven days, or placebo. Each CALAS cohort included 15 subjects, and the placebo group included 10 subjects. A population PK model of CALAS was developed using plasma with four major alkaloid components. Metabolomics analysis was performed to identify biomarkers correlated with the therapeutic effect of CALAS, and efficacy and safety were assessed based on clinical symptoms and adverse events.Results: The symptoms of acute bronchitis were alleviated by CALAS treatment without serious adverse events or clinically significant changes in vital signs, electrocardiography or upper abdominal Doppler ultrasonography. Moreover, one compartment model with first-order absorption showed that an increase in aspartate transaminase will reduce the clearance (CL) of scholaricine, and picrinine CL was inversely proportional to body mass index, while 19-epischolaricine and vallesamine CL increased with aging. The serum samples from acute bronchitis patients at different time points were analyzed using UPLC-QTOF in combination with the orthogonal projection to latent structures-discriminant analysis, which indicated higher levels of lysophosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylethanolamines and amino acids with CALAS treatment than with placebo.Conclusion: This is the first study to evaluate the clinical efficacy and explored the potential biomarkers related to CALAS therapeutic mechanism of acute bronchitis by means of clinical trial combined the metabolomics study. This exploratory study provides a basis for further research on clinical efficacy and optimal dosing regimens based on pharmacokinetics behavior. Additional acute bronchitis patients and CALAS PK samples collected in future studies may be used to improve model performance and maximize its clinical value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gas lift technique is promising in the natural circulation system with inherent safety needed. • The performance of argon-lift liquid LBE pump is numerically investigated. • The parameters of argon injection flow rate, submergence ratio and diameter of up-riser tube are checked. • The two-phase flow characteristics of argon-liquid LBE with large density ratio are also analyzed. Heavy liquid metals such as sodium and liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) have excellent heat transfer capability and receive increasing attention as the primary coolant in fast reactors and accelerator driven systems (ADS). In ADS system, coolant system is designed as natural circulation, to simplify the primary system, improve the compactness of reactors and most important of all is to increase the inherent safety of reactor. Because the electromagnetic pump that drives the flow of liquid metal is eliminated in the coolant natural circulation system. In such situation, gas-lift technique named gas-lift pump could be adopted to enhance the coolant natural circulation capacity. The open research on the performance of gas-lift liquid metal pump is much less than that of air- lift water pump. The physical properties of large density ratio of liquid to gas, small kinematic viscosity and high surface tension of liquid metal is believed to have effects on the performance of gas-lift liquid metal pump. The present paper carries out some preliminary numerical simulation work on the two-phase flow characteristics of argon-liquid LBE in the up-riser tube and the performance of gas-lift liquid metal pump. Eulerian-Eulerian two-fluid model is used to describe the two-phase flow. Some interphase momentum transfer models from literature are used to account for the interfacial momentum transfer between liquid and gas phases. SST k-ω model with mixture treatment is used to compute the turbulence parameters of the homogeneous mixing phase in the present study. The influence of such parameters as argon injection superficial velocity, submergence ratio and diameter of up-riser tube on the discharged LBE mass flow rate and pressure drop of gas-lift pump are checked. The results could be helpful for the design of the gas-lift liquid metal pump. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A three-dimensional cavity topology model for dynamic simulations is established. • The planning model of supercavitating vehicles is improved for more degrees of freedom. • A numerical algorithm to simulate supercavitating vehicles in three-dimensional space is developed. • Evolution of cavity shape and dynamic characteristics of vehicles are compared by fins deflection. The maneuvering motion of a supercavitating vehicle pitching and yawing inevitably occurs when navigating in three-dimensional space. In order to give some insights into design of underwater vehicles, the maneuvering motion in the longitudinal and horizontal planes is investigated in this paper. Considering the definition of multi-body coordinate frames, a three-dimensional cavity topology model is proposed to predict the development of the shape of cavity and interact with the supercavitating vehicle in the simulations. Based on the cavity model, an improved planning model is established to calculate the necessary critical parameters of the planning force. According to the mathematical model above, a numerical algorithm is developed to simulate the maneuvering motion of the supercavitating vehicle. The higher algorithm efficiency is validated by the relative error of 10% order of magnitude and the more stable performance. The real-time scene figures and time-varying curves of the dynamic characteristics are obtained through the developed algorithm to study the influence of fins deflection on the maneuvering motion. The developed algorithm is validated to some extent to be a better alternative than the empirical one and provides a new method for analyses of simulation results of supercavitating vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detonation performance is fundamental to the power evaluation of high explosives (HEs). This paper assesses the detonation performance (including detonation velocity D , detonation pressure P , detonation heat Q , specific kinetic energy E k , detonation products, working capacity, etc.) of HEs by an optimized method. Firstly, "exp-six" intermolecular potential function was used to optimize the theoretical VLW (Virial-Wu) EOS (equation of state), which exhibits a good precision in calculations of detonation performance. Then, the detonation performance of three new HEs (LLM-105, FOX-7, and TKX-50) was calculated and compared with traditional HEs (TATB, HMX, and CL-20). The results indicate that, for D and P , LLM-105, FOX-7, and TKX-50 are superior to TATB, but inferior to HMX and CL-20 except for D of TKX-50. The descending order for Q and E k is CL-20, HMX, TKX-50, FOX-7, LLM-105, and TATB. By analyzing detonation product components, more gaseous products with a higher proportion of heavy and medium molecules favor better detonation performance. Finally, the JWL (Jones-Wilkins-Lee) EOS was fitted by theoretically acquired isentropic expansion process of detonation products and cylinder test was simulated by the hydrodynamic program LS-DYNA. An increasing sequence of working capacity is TATB, LLM-105, FOX-7, TKX-50, HMX and CL-20. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence, spatiotemporal variations, influence factors and environmental risks of eight common neonicotinoids (NEOs), fipronil, and three fipronil metabolites (fipronil and its metabolites are collectively referred to as FIPs) in different seasons from the estuary to the inner area of Jiaozhou Bay, China were comprehensively investigated. First- and second-generation NEOs were found to be the predominant pesticides in this area. The average contents of ∑NEOs and ∑FIPs from the estuary to the inner bay decreased from 12.99 ng/L to 0.82 ng/L and from 1.10 ng/L to 0.17 ng/L, respectively. NEO and FIP concentrations were higher in summer and autumn. High ∑NEO content is distributed in main inflow rivers, such as Dagu River and Licun River, which are influenced by pesticide application. NEO concentrations in all rivers were high upstream and low downstream because of the influence of heavy rainfall and seawater dilution in summer. NEO concentrations were high along the coast and low at the mouth and center of Jiaozhou Bay in summer and autumn and evenly distributed in winter and spring. Temperature has a great influence on most NEOs and FIPs owing to its effect on their degradation. Nitrogen-containing nutrients have an important influence on the distribution of fipronil and acetamiprid, which may be due to the activity of nitrogen-containing functional groups in their structure. Only Licun River, Dagu River and Haibo river sewage treatment plant in summer posed a certain risk of chronic toxicity for NEOs using the new threshold established by the species sensitive distribution (SSD) method for Chinese native aquatic lives. These findings should arouse people's attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sr(Li 1/4 Nb 3/4) x Ti (1- x) O 3 (0.000 ≤ x ≤ 0.04) (STLN) ceramics were synthesized via a solid-state reaction under a flowing nitrogen atmosphere. Co-doping with Li+ and Nb5+ considerably enhanced the dielectric properties of SrTiO 3 ceramics. These dielectric properties increased with the co-doping concentration x up to x = 0.012 and decreased for higher x. The STLN ceramic with x = 0.012 exhibited a colossal permittivity of ε r = 17,300 (1 kHz) and an ultralow dielectric loss of tan δ = 0.017 (1 kHz), with excellent frequency (20–106 Hz) and temperature (room temperature to 450 °C) stabilities. Their dielectric relaxation mechanisms and point-defect structures were also investigated. With an excessive increase in x , the formation of point defects is inhibited, resulting in the deterioration of the dielectric properties of the STLN ceramics. Further studies showed that acceptor doping Li+ and N 2 atmosphere sintering provided a large number of oxygen vacancies. These oxygen vacancies contribute to the formation of some defect dipoles and defect-dipole clusters (Ti Ti ′ − V O • • − Ti Ti ′ , Nb TI • − Ti Ti ′) related to oxygen vacancies. These defect dipoles and defect-dipole clusters restrict non-localized electrons, leading to electron-pinning. Consequently, the sample exhibits colossal permittivity and low dielectric loss. In addition, a high grain boundary resistance also contributes to the reduced dielectric loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron (B) has potential applications in energetic materials as additive fuel. In order to understand the combustion mechanism of B with various scales, the ignition and combustion characteristics of micro- and nano-sized B under different pressures (0.4 MPa, 0.8 MPa and 1.2 MPa) and atmospheres (60% O 2 + 40% N 2 , 80% O 2 + 20% N 2 and 100% O 2) were studied by a laser ignition and combustion experimental system. The evolution images and specialized parameters of ignition and combustion under different conditions were obtained, and the effects of atmosphere and pressure on the ignition and combustion characteristics of micro- and nano-sized B were discussed. Meanwhile, the crystal structure and morphology of condensed combustion products were observed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and then the compositions in micro-areas were analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results show that, the burning of micro-sized B is relatively slow, while the burning of nano-sized B is intensified, and a deflagration-like phenomenon is observed for nano-sized B in pure oxygen with pressures of 0.8 and 1.2 MPa. The ignition delay time, combustion time and maximum flame temperature of nano-sized B are smaller than those of micro-sized B, while the maximum characteristic spectral intensity of nano-sized B is stronger. Besides, B 2 O 3 , B 6 O and BN exist in condensed combustion products of micro-sized B, but only B 2 O 3 is detected for nano-sized B, and products agglomerating is observed for nano-sized B. In general, nano-sized B has significant advantages than micro-sized B in the ignition and combustion characteristics, especially under conditions of high oxygen concentrations and high pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We projected shifts in ecological supply and consumption patterns among scenarios. • Over one-third of Nepal's districts are at risk of ecological overload by 2030. • Climate change sensitivity and increasing human demands challenge overloaded areas. • Multiple strategies were proposed for Nepal's ecoresource management. As global demand for ecological resources continues to surpass ecosystem capacity, predicting future changes in ecological supply, consumption, and carrying capacity is crucial for informed decision-making regarding sustainable land use and ecological security. This study forecasts ecological carrying states in Nepal, a representative region in the southern Himalayan foothills, from 2020 to 2030. We employ three alternative scenarios from the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway and Representative Concentration Pathway (SSP-RCP): SSP2-RCP4.5 (BAU), SSP1-RCP2.6 (TSS) and SSP5-RCP8.5 (SSS). Our findings indicate a continuous rise in ecological consumption, particularly in densely populated tropical areas such as the hilly region (HR) and Terai region (TR). Under the BAU and SSS scenarios, ecological supply decreases rapidly in these regions. Alarmingly, over one-third of Nepal's districts, mainly in central and eastern HR and TR, are projected to experience overloaded ecological carrying states by 2030. Climate change sensitivity and escalating consumption due to improved living standards and population growth pose significant challenges for these regions to reverse ecological deficits. This study offers a scientific foundation for reconciling the conflict between ecological protection and societal demands, facilitating the preservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems while striving to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The imbalanced dataset in actual engineering negatively affects the precision of fault diagnosis because of the severe lack of collected fault data. To effectively address this issue, an adaptive feature fusion assisted generation adversarial network is proposed, which can use very restricted numbers of samples for data augmentation. Firstly, the U-Net network is introduced into the generate adversarial network, which can ensure the spatial characteristics of samples and accurately extract characteristics from extremely finite samples. Secondly, to avoid the problem of reducing the diversity of generated samples due to single signal input, a module for adaptive feature fusion is constructed to guide the generator to learn and effectively improve the diversity of generated samples. Finally, construct a new loss function by utilizing a dual discriminator network to keep the training process running smoothly. To validate the proposed method, experiments are conducted on the datasets from Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and a self-built test bench. The outcomes demonstrate that the proposed method can generate high-quality samples using very restricted samples, outperforming the comparison methods in terms of structural similarity (SSIM), maximum mean discrepancy (MMD), and Fréchet inception distance (FID) metrics. This shows the advantages of the proposed generation model in terms of sample diversity and similarity and can be used to greatly boost fault identification precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-buckling equilibrium paths (including the whole unstable region) and natural characteristics of fiber-reinforced composite laminated plates with different imperfections under thermal load are studied. Based on the Incremental Von Karman nonlinear relationship, Third-order shear deformation plate theory and Hamilton's principle, the theoretical governing equations are formulated. Firstly, the Cylindrical Arc-length method is developed with a direction judgement to capture the unstable post-buckling path including a number of snap-back and limit points. Then the natural characteristics are derived at the stable buckling position. The results show that in post-buckling state, the number of limit points along the unstable paths is directly related to the number of negative eigenvalues at the initial position. As long as the perturbation load is small enough, the buckling deformation of the flat plate keeps the same under different perturbation load. For the plate with imperfection, if the imperfection is really small, the buckling deformation is the same as that of the flat plate. If the imperfection is relatively larger, the buckling deformation is of high correlation with the imperfection shape. The effects of thermal stress and buckling deformation on the natural frequencies and mode shapes are further analyzed. Some new interesting phenomena are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The government service platform, exemplified by the government hotline, has to handle extensive volumes of business documents that contain rich and timely public opinion information and citizens' demands. However, manual processing struggles to process large-scale text data, adversely impacting operating costs and the quality of government services. This study proposes a comprehensive system for business document classification of the government hotline (BDCGHS) in China to address these challenges. BDCGHS leverages information entropy fused with term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) weight to mine new words from business documents of the government hotline, and store them in a new word repository. These new words optimize Chinese word segmentation and text representation for text classification. We introduce a novel data structure called nested balanced binary tree to expedite new word mining, yielding a computational speed of almost five times than the Trie trees. Comparative experiments on the THUNews and government hotline datasets validate our proposed improvement BDCGHS algorithm's superior performance 3 % over text classification algorithms. Compared to the latest bidirectional encoder representations from the transformers (BERT) model, BDCGHS enhances the accuracy of order dispatch based on business documents by almost 3 %. It has also demonstrated stable operations in two Chinese cities for over a year, yielding favorable results. [Display omitted] • An embedded balanced binary tree structure is proposed for new word discovery. • A new word database is constructed for the government hotline. • The effects of mainstream classification algorithms are compared based on a new word database. • An intelligent text classification system for the government hotline is constructed and the results have promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic compound (PAC) contamination in soil as a result of oil spills is a serious issue because of the huge global demand for fossil energy. This study assessed the vertical variation in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), derivatives of PAHs (dPAHs) and bacterial community structure in deep soil with long-term contamination by oil spillage. Our results suggest that the content of total PACs ranged from 1196.6 μg/kg to 14980.9 μg/kg and decreased with depth at all sites. PAHs were the most abundant PACs, with a mean concentration of 6640.7 μg/kg, followed by oxygenated PAHs (mean 156.3 μg/kg) and nitrated PAHs (mean 33.4 μg/kg). PAHs are mainly low molecular weight PACs such as naphthalene, fluorene and phenanthrene, while derivatives of PAHs are all low molecular weight PACs and mainly oxygenated PAHs. Low molecular weight PAHs were an important source of dPAHs under specific conditions. The bacterial community structure showed higher bacterial diversity and lower bacterial richness in shallow soil (2–6 m in depth) than in deep soil (8–10 m in depth). Spearman's analysis confirmed that dramatic bacterial community shifts are a response to contamination. At the genus level, the presence of PACs highly selected for Pseudomonas , belonging to Proteobacteria. Moreover, functional predictions based on Tax4Fun revealed that soil with long-term contamination had a strong potential for PAC degradation. In addition, statistical analysis showed that oxidation-reduction potential (Eh) was closely related to variations of bacterial community composition and function. Finally, Ramlibacter , Pseudomonas , Pseudonocardia , c_MB-A2-108 , f_Amb-16S-1323 , and Qipengyuania were identified by cooccurrence network analysis as keystone taxa contributing to the maintenance of bacterial ecological function. Together, our results provide evidence of tight bacterial effects of PAHs and dPAHs and a more complete understanding of the fate of PACs in deep contaminated soils. [Display omitted] • Total PAC concentrations decreased with increasing soil depth. • Low molecular weight PAHs were an important source of dPAHs. • Variations of Eh and PACs droved assembly of microbial communities. • Actinobacteria was more adaptable to higher PAC pollution than Proteobacteria. • The soil with long-term contamination had a strong potential for PACs biodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil-slurry bioreactor based bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminated soil was studied through laboratory and pilot-scale trials, in which the degradation mechanism was explored. Indigenous PAH-degrading consortium was firstly screened out and it degraded 80.5% of total PAHs in lab-scale bioreactors. Then a pilot-scale trial lasting 410 days was conducted in two bioreactors of 1.5 m3 to examine the operating parameters and validate the optimum running conditions. During the initial 200 days, the crucial running parameters affecting PAH removal were evaluated and selected. Subsequently, an average PAH removal rate of 93.4% was achieved during 15 consecutive batches (210 days) under the optimum running conditions. The kinetic analysis showed that the reactor under optimum conditions achieved the highest PAH degradation rate of 0.1795 day−1 and the shortest half-life of 3.86 days. Notably, efficient mass transfer of PAHs and high biodegradation capability by bioaugmented consortia in soil-slurry bioreactors were two key mechanisms for appreciable PAH removal performance. Under the optimal operating conditions, the degradation rate of low-molecular-weight (LMW) PAHs was significantly higher than high-molecular-weight (HMW) PAHs; when the mass transfer was limited, there was no significant difference between their degradation behaviors. Both microbial co-metabolism and collaborative metabolism might occur when all PAHs demonstrated low degradation rates. The findings provide insightful guidance on the future assessment and remediation practices of PAH-contaminated sites. [Display omitted] • Indigenous bacterial consortium was more conducive to efficient degradation. • Kinetic analysis of the pilot-scale trial showed rapid and efficient remediation. • Aeration and water-soil ratio were main PAH degradation factors. • Mass transfer determined the PAH degradation behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humulus scanden, rich in flavonoids, is a traditional Chinese medicine. It is widely used in China to treat tuberculosis, dysentery and chronic colitis. In this study, Humulus scandens (H.S) was extracted in different solvents (water, n-butanol, acetic ether and chloroform) and the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activities of extracts were investigated by four assays including DPPH, reducing power, xylene-induced mouse ear edema and cotton pellet-induced granuloma methods. And then, the acute oral toxicity of extracts and biochemical parameters such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in blood serum and edematous tissue of rats were also evaluated. Moreover, the active compounds were identified by LC-ESI-QTOF-MS-MS. Results showed that ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts had the stronger antioxidant activities, while water extract appeared to be weakest among them. The anti-inflammatory test showed that the extract of n-butanol and chloroform had significant anti-inflammatory effects and could improve the activity of SOD and CAT in mice. In general, the site of n-butanol has a stronger antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, and 15 compounds were analyzed by LC/Q-TOF-MS/MS technology. The present study confirms the ethnobotanical use of H.S extracts as natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and the composition of the active compound was preliminarily identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The local search algorithm based on K-Nearest Neighbor adaptively adjusts the K value in the natural neighbor searching process. • The search scheme improves the accuracy and efficiency for the natural element method. • The algorithm has high calculation accuracy in both the elastic analysis and large plastic deformation. Natural element method (NEM) is a meshless method based on the Voronoi diagram and Delaunay triangulation. It has the advantages of the meshless method, and simplifies the imposition of essential boundary conditions. NEM has great potential to solve the problems with large deformation. However, the high computational cost for searching natural neighbors is one of the main problems in NEM. In this paper a local algorithm based on K-Nearest Neighbor is presented for searching natural neighbors. Compared with the global sweep algorithm and other local search algorithms, the proposed algorithm introduces K to reduce the search scope. The value of K can be adjusted adaptively with the distribution characteristics of local neighbors of the calculation point and so the search can reach the global optimal value. The search scope changes with the flow of nodes, avoiding the problem that the natural neighbors exceed the search scope and reducing the calculation error. The proposed approach realizes the meshless characteristic in the natural neighbor searching process. The approach was used to solve the elastic deformation of a cantilever beam and a porous structure and the large plastic deformation in metal forming process. The results show that the proposed approach has great significance to solve problems in the elastic-plastic large deformation of metals and it is efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve and adjust the combustion and energy output of HMX/Al, graphite fluoride (CF) as oxidizer was introduced in HMX/Al and gradient structured HMX/Al/CF was prepared by additive manufacturing technology. For HMX/Al added with CF, a significantly exothermic peak is observed ranging from 860 to 950 °C due to the reaction of Al and fluorine derived from CF decomposition, and the heat release increases by 106.63% compared to that of HMX/Al. The fourth exothermic heat increases from 161.48 to 955.25 J/g with the increased Al content from 10 to 30 wt%. Moreover, the combustion rate and pressure output of HMX/Al have been improved by introducing CF. For HMX/Al added with CF, the combustion time decreases from 10.3 to 2.5 s, which is dependent on the Al content from 10 to 30 wt%. And the highest peak pressure is 1712.2 kPa when Al content is 20 wt% in HMX/Al/CF composites. Furthermore, gradient structured HMX/Al/CF consisting of three layers with Al content of 10, 20 and 30 wt% was prepared to improve combustion and pressure output. The combustion rate and peak pressure of gradient structured HMX/Al/CF are higher than those of single structured HMX/Al/CF. The highest peak pressure (∼2.24 MPa) is obtained when the Al content of the middle layer and outer layer is 30 wt% and 20 wt% in the gradient structured HMX/Al/CF cylinder, respectively. Finally, the reaction intermediates and combustion reaction products were fully characterized to understand the enhanced effect of CF in HMX/Al. This work provides a promoting way to improve and regulate the combustion reaction performance and pressure output of HMX/Al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Unveiling the role of carbonate in Ni-based core/shell plasmonic photocatalyst. • Revealing amorphous NiCO 3 as an active side for H 2 reduction via DFT calculations. • Enhancing photocatalytic activity by the incorporation of NiO as a middle layer. • Optimizing the photocatalytic performance by post-vacuum annealing thermal treatment. Though carbonates are known for several decades, their role in sun-light driven photocatalysis is still hidden. Herein, carbonate boosted solar water splitting in nickel-based plasmonic hybrid nanostructures is disclosed for the first time via in-situ experiments and density-functional theory (DFT)-based calculations. Ni@NiO/NiCO 3 core@shell (shell consisting of crystalline NiO and amorphous NiCO 3) nanostructure with varying size and compositions are studied for hydrogen production. The visible light absorption at ∼470 nm excludes the possibility of NiO as an active photocatalyst, emphasizing plasmon driven H 2 evolution. Under white light irradiation, higher hydrogen yield of ∼80 µmol/g/h for vacuum annealed sample over pristine (∼50 µmol/g/h) complements the spectroscopic data and DFT results, uncovering amorphous NiCO 3 as an active site for H 2 absorption due to its unique electronic structure. This conclusion also supports the time-resolved photoluminescence results, indicating that the plasmonic electrons originating from Ni are transferred to NiCO 3 via NiO. The H 2 evolution rate can further be enhanced and tuned by the incorporation of NiO between Ni and NiCO 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The salinity of soil can result in serious potential environmental hazards such as increased collapsibility and corrosiveness. Microbially induced carbonate precipitation is an upcoming and pollution-free treatment modality that can eliminate environmental and engineering hazards of saline soil. To verify the feasibility of the method of curing saline soils, a series of tests were conducted to investigate the impact of chloride salt on urea hydrolysis, the impact of the method on engineering and mechanical properties of coarse-grained soils containing chloride salt and the deterioration mechanism of curing effect caused by salt. The study demonstrated that, even though the curing effect of the method is excellent, the negative effect of salt cannot be ignored. With increased salt concentration, the hydrolysis rate and calcium carbonate precipitation efficiency sharply decrease at first and tend to be flatter. The unconfined compressive strength and shear strength of the samples can be greatly improved through the application of the method. However, calcium carbonate content reduces with an increase in the salt content, which decreases the strength. Compared to uncured samples, the permeability coefficient of cured samples reduced from 1 to 2 orders of magnitude. On the other hand, as the dominant aperture size increases with a decrease in the calcium carbonate content, the permeability coefficient increases with an increase in the salt content. Furthermore, micro-mechanical tests, such as X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope tests, were conducted to analyze the mechanism by which salt degrades the reinforcement. As a guiding agent, while chloride salt can improve the proportion of calcite in calcium carbonate, it decreases the total quantity of calcium carbonate through the limiting urea hydrolysis process. A significant amount of calcium carbonate is deposited on the surface of the particles in each sample, especially the contact surface. In conclusion, even though salt has a certain deterioration effect, microbially-induced carbonate precipitation is still an effective and environment-friendly method to cure saline soil. This study can provide a theoretical basis for using this method to solidify saline soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to polymer fibers, it is still challenging for fabricating large-scale polymer products with superb mechanical properties. Herein, high density polyethylene (HDPE) films reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared via an ingenious high-speed melt stretching strategy. With employing a homemade two-drum extensional rheometer, the maximum 80 × stretch ratio of supercooled melt was realized within very short time of 220 ms. The achieved nanocomposite films present the highest tensile strength of 147 MPa in reported HDPE-based composites, while the Young's modulus keeps simultaneously a high level of 2300 MPa in spite of low filler fraction of 3 wt%. Furthermore, the nanocomposite films display an excellent erosion resistance, ensuring the durability in harsh using environments. Microstructural characterization indicates a strong synergy between high-speed melt stretching and CNTs in (1) forming the densely distributed shish-kebab superstructures, (2) making a nearly perfect orientation of shish-kebab crystal and (3) reinforcing the physical connectivity of shish-kebab network. The construction of such characteristic microstructures greatly improves the transfer of mechanical load and underlies a significant enhancement on the mechanical performance. Due to the ultrastrong nanocomposite films fabricated directly by melt processing, the current work is of guiding significance in engineering practice and lights a feasible path towards expanding applications of general plastics to some special occasions like collision protection and structural materials. [Display omitted] • PE/C nanocomposite films are fabricated by high-speed melt stretching. • Films show ultrahigh mechanical properties and excellent erosion resistance. • Dense shish-kebab superstructures with nearly perfect orientation are formed. • CNTs greatly reinforce physical connectivity of shish-kebab crystal network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A micro-sized B-Al alloy has application potential to be an energetic material for metal fuel. To understand the combustion mechanism of micro-sized B-Al compound powder and explosives containing B-Al (30 wt.%), the ignition and combustion characteristics of B-Al compound powder without and with HMX (cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine) under different pressures (0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.5 and 1.8 MPa) and atmospheres (60% O + 2 40 % N 2 , 80% O + 2 20 % N 2 and 100% O 2) were studied via a laser ignition experimental system. The images and characteristic parameters of the ignition and combustion process with different conditions for the B-Al compound powder without and with HMX were obtained. The effects of atmosphere and pressure on the ignition and combustion characteristics of the B-Al compound powder without and with HMX were discussed through a comparative analysis. For the condensed combustion products (CCPs), the phase crystal structures were analysed with X-ray diffraction (XRD), the micro-morphology of the surface was observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the micro-area elementary composition was analysed with X-ray energy dispersive spectrum (EDS). The results show that whether the increase in pressure or oxygen concentration, the ignition delay time (t id) and combustion time (t ct) of samples without and with HMX decrease, while the maximum spectral intensity (I max) and the maximum combustion temperature (T max) increase. According to the flame morphology, the combustion of the B-Al compound powder is weaker, while that of the B-Al powder with HMX is more intense, and the flame area is larger, which produces a large amount of smoke and presents a deflagration phenomenon. Specially, for various B-Al powder (B/Al = 3/7, 1/1 and 7/3) with HMX under high pressures (1.2, 1.5 and 1.8 MPa), the higher ratio of B leads to shorter combustion time and stronger spectral intensity. Unreacted B, Al and their final oxides, B 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 , were detected in the CCPs of both samples without and with HMX. In addition, the CCPs like BN, AlN and Al 5 O 6 N were also detected. The experimental results can help us better understand the chemical reaction mechanism and energy release characteristics of HMX-based explosives containing B-Al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase transformation in low alloyed Fe-C steels during quenching and partitioning (Q&P), though authentically attributed to carbon diffusion, is scarcely quantified experimentally in terms of microstructural evolution and lack of fundamental backing at a quantum mechanics level. Herein, we report on a combined in-situ high energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction and density functional theory (DFT) study to unveil the physical mechanism of phase transformation in a Q&P processed advanced Fe-C steel. Beside a small fraction of bainite, a low air-quenching rate of ∼6 °C/s in the M s to quenching temperature range leads to carbon enrichment into the untransformed austenite, which simultaneously turns up with the later stage of martensitic transformation at the existing austenite/martensite interfaces. The resulting transformations are ascertained by DFT results and attributed to a second energy barrier in ferrite/martensite facilitation to carbon diffusion to austenite at elevated temperatures, along with the well-known carbon solubility difference/equilibrium in austenite and martensite. The development of cubic martensite in the carbon steel is theoretically elucidated and attributed to more probable hopping sites and diffusion paths of carbon in the ferrite/martensite than in the austenite. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effect of compressive in-plane load on the equilibrium paths and vibration characteristics of a vertical symmetric laminated plate coupled with fluid is studied theoretically both in the pre- and post-buckling state. The Third-order shear deformation theory and von Karman nonlinear strain displacement relationship are utilized to describe the nonlinear deformation of the plate consists of a number of fiber-reinforced layers. The Hamilton's principle is introduced to formulate the plate-fluid coupled governing equations. A two-step theoretical approach is developed. Firstly, based on the Cylindrical arc-length method, we solve the nonlinear static equations to trace the snap-back behavior and pass the limit points along the complex equilibrium paths obtaining the stable buckling deflection. Then the coupled vibration characteristics are calculated using the tangent stiffness at the stable positions. The present theoretical results are validated by the numerical results. The effects of added mass and hydrostatic load are compared and analyzed. It is noted that, in the post-buckling state, the number of limit points along the static unstable equilibrium path increases with the compressive in-plane load getting larger. The variation trends of the natural frequencies and modes under different in-plane loads in pre- and post-buckling state are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Generate anisotropic porous structures by ACV and closed B-spline curves. • The structural parameters of the generated porous model are driven by the stress field. • The stress distribution is mapped to relative density by weighted random sampling. • The modeling method is suitable for complex features, including concave polygons. • Lightweight modeling is integrated with mechanical properties for optimal design. As displaying many advantages including high specific strength, light weight, energy absorption, etc., porous structures have been widely used in aerospace, medical science, engineering and other fields. In this paper, an adaptive anisotropic porous modeling method is proposed for improving the mechanical performance of 2.5D mechanical parts whilst minimizing weight and maximizing product benefits. The method relies on the Anisotropic Centroidal Voronoi Tessellations (ACVTs) by offsetting closed B-spline curves. To enhance adaptability to a given parts, the finite element analysis (FEA) results of stress field is combined with stress-based weighted random sampling strategy to generate ACVTs according to Riemannian metric. A skin frame is established to improve geometrical quality of porous structure and ACVTs is tailored to be adaptive for concave and Non-zero genus. Besides, a parametric model between the stress tensor distribution and the relative density field is formulated, allowing the size, the distribution and the shape of pores to be controlled by stress mapping. Both the FEA results and the experimental data show that the adaptive anisotropic structures have significant advantages in mechanical properties, topological consistency and connectivity. Additionally, an example of wrench is provided to prove the great potential of the adaptive anisotropic structures in engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]