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Abstract The pathological retinal angiogenesis often causes blindness. Current anti‐angiogenic therapy for proliferative retinopathy targets the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but many patients do not radically benefit from this therapy. Herein, we report that circulating prostaglandin (PG) F2α metabolites were increased in type 2 diabetic patients with proliferative retinopathy, and the PGF2α receptor (Ptgfr) was upregulated in retinal endothelial cells (ECs) from a mouse model of oxygen‐induced retinopathy (OIR). Further, disruption of the PTGFR receptor in ECs attenuated OIR in mice. PGF2α promoted the proliferation and tube formation of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) via the release of ELR+ CXC chemokines, such as CXCL8 and CXCL2. Mechanistically, the PGF2α/PTGFR axis potentiated ELR+ CXC chemokine expression in HRMECs through the Gq/CAMK2G/p38/ELK‐1/FOS pathway. Upregulated FOS‐mediated ELR+ CXC chemokine expression was observed in retinal ECs from PDR patients. Moreover, treatment with PTGFR inhibitor lessened the development of OIR in mice in a CXCR2‐dependent manner. Therefore, inhibition of PTGFR may represent a new avenue for the treatment of retinal neovascularization, particularly in PDR.

Multi-wall carbon nanotube filled shape memory polymer composite (MWCNT/SMC) possessed enhanced modulus, strength, and electric conductivity, as well as excellent electrothermal shape memory properties, showing wide design scenarios and engineering application prospects. The thermoelectrically triggered shape memory process contains complex multi-physical mechanisms, especially when coupled with finite deformation rooted on micro-mechanisms. A multi-physical finite deformation model is necessary to get a deep understanding on the coupled electro-thermomechanical properties of electrothermal shape memory composites (ESMCs), beneficial to its design and wide application. Taking into consideration of micro-physical mechanisms of the MWCNTs interacting with double-chain networks, a finite deformation theoretical model is developed in this work based on two superimposed network chains of physically crosslinked network formed among MWCNTs and the chemically crosslinked network. An intact crosslinked chemical network is considered featuring with entropic-hyperelastic properties, superimposed with a physically crosslinked network where percolation theory is based on electric conductivity and electric-heating mechanisms. The model is calibrated by experiments and used for shape recoveries triggered by heating and electric fields. It captures the coupled electro-thermomechanical behavior of ESMCs and provides design guidelines for MWCNTs filled shape memory polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low‐grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (LAMN) are very rare, accounting for approximately 0.2%–0.5% of gastrointestinal tumors. We conducted a multicenter retrospective study to explore the impact of different surgical procedures combined with HIPEC on the short‐term outcomes and long‐term survival of patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of 91 LAMN perforation patients from 9 teaching hospitals over a 10‐year period, and divided them into HIPEC group and non‐HIPEC group based on whether or not underwent HIPEC. Results: Of the 91 patients with LAMN, 52 were in the HIPEC group and 39 in the non‐HIPEC group. The Kaplan‐Meier method predicted that 52 patients in the HIPEC group had 5‐ and 10‐year overall survival rates of 82.7% and 76.9%, respectively, compared with predicted survival rates of 51.3% and 46.2% for the 39 patients in the non‐HIPEC group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (χ2 = 10.622, p = 0.001; χ2 = 10.995, p = 0.001). Compared to the 5‐year and 10‐year relapse‐free survival rates of 75.0% and 65.4% in the HIPEC group, respectively, the 5‐year and 10‐year relapse‐free survival rates of 48.7% and 46.2% in the non‐HIPEC group were significant different between the two outcomes (χ2 = 8.063, p = 0.005; χ2 = 6.775, p = 0.009). The incidence of postoperative electrolyte disturbances and hypoalbuminemia was significantly higher in the HIPEC group than in the non‐HIPEC group (p = 0.023; p = 0.044). Conclusions: This study shows that surgery combined with HIPEC can significantly improve 5‐year and 10‐year overall survival rates and relapse‐free survival rates of LAMN perforation patients, without affecting their short‐term clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and aims: Heavy metal (especially for potentially toxic element) contamination in soil has frequently been associated with plant invasion. However, the mechanisms underpinning plant invasion under potentially toxic element contamination remain unclear. Here we studied how differences in clonal traits of invasive and native plants affect their response strategies to stresses of potentially toxic element contamination. Methods: We manipulated clonal integration of two pairs (Alternanthera philoxeroides - A. sessilis, and Sphagneticola trilobata - S. calendulacea) of congeneric invasive and native plants by either severing stolons between ramet pair or not severing, and grew them in soils contaminated by three levels of Cd and three levels of Pb. Results: Our results show that the combination of Cd and Pb contamination decreased plant growth of recipient ramets of Alternanthera species. Under Pb stress, invasive S. trilobata is Pb-hyperaccumulation and benefits more from clonal integration than native S. calendulacea. Similarly, under Cd stress, invasive A. philoxeroides shows higher Cd risk sharing and benefits more from clonal integration than native A. sessilis. In contrast, clonal integration decreased the performance of A. sessilis under high Cd stress. Conclusion: These results suggest that invasive species such as A. philoxeroides and S. trilobata are able to alleviate the toxic effects of Cd and Pb co-contamination via clonal integration, thus becoming more invasive in contaminated environments with potentially toxic elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of solute cerium (Ce) on the electrochemical performance of magnesium (Mg) alloy anodes are investigated by the weight loss test, electrochemical measurement, and surface analysis methods. It is found that the added Ce with the content of 0.174 wt.% enhances the corrosion resistance of Mg in seawater through forming the compact corrosion products layer and reducing the grain size of Mg alloys. Moreover, Mg-Ce alloys were applied in Mg-seawater batteries, which obtained a high energy density of 627.53 mWh g−1 with an anode efficiency of 43.49%, around 11 times than that of casting pure Mg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Virtual reality of interior noises of vehicles based on boundary element and neural networks" has been retracted by the Editor-in-Chief and the publisher due to concerns about compromised editorial handling and peer review process, inappropriate references, and not being in scope of the journal or guest-edited issue. The investigation conducted by the publisher led to a loss of confidence in the results and conclusions of the article. The authors did not respond to correspondence from the publisher regarding this retraction. Springer Nature, the publisher, remains neutral in terms of jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

The development of new solvents is imperative in lithium metal batteries due to the incompatibility of conventional carbonate and narrow electrochemical windows of ether-based electrolytes. Whereas the fluorinated ethers showed improved electrochemical stabilities, they can hardly solvate lithium ions. Thus, the challenge in electrolyte chemistry is to combine the high voltage stability of fluorinated ethers with high lithium ion solvation ability of ethers in a single molecule. Herein, we report a new solvent, 2,2-dimethoxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-dioxolane (DTDL), combining a cyclic fluorinated ether with a linear ether segment to simultaneously achieve high voltage stability and tune lithium ion solvation ability and structure. High oxidation stability up to 5.5 V, large lithium ion transference number of 0.75 and stable Coulombic efficiency of 99.2% after 500 cycles proved the potential of DTDL in high-voltage lithium metal batteries. Furthermore, 20 μm thick lithium paired LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 full cell incorporating 2 M LiFSI-DTDL electrolyte retained 84% of the original capacity after 200 cycles at 0.5 C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dikes are great significance for studying the nature of the crust-mantle and the evolution of continental dynamics. In this paper, we investigated the dikes from the inner part of the Baiyintaohai Basin of the Suolun region in the DaXing'anling Mountains, China. Geochronological and geochemical analyses were performed on selected dike samples. These dikes consist of diorite porphyrite and granite aplites formed in the Late Triassic (221–228 Ma). The diorite porphyrites have low SiO2 contents of 37.32–58.29 wt%. These rocks are characterized by enrichment in macroionic lithophile elements (LILEs, Rb, K), strong depletion of Sr and Ti, and relative depletion of Nb, Ta. These results indicate that the diorite porphyrites were originated from an enriched lithospheric mantle and was previously accounted for by subduction-related fluids. The primitive magma subsequently underwent varying amounts of fractionated crystallization. In comparison, the granite aplites have relatively high SiO2 contents of 61.51 to 74.69 wt% (average is 70.15 wt%) and low MgO, CaO contents. Geochemical signatures show the granite aplites enrich LILEs and REEs, display negative Eu anomalies, indicating they were derived from the partial melting of late Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic juvenile crustal material. With this contribution, we suggest that dikes, consisting in granite aplite and diorite porphyrites from the Suolun region, crystallized in a post-closure. Among them, the diorite porphyrites in the Suolun area provide reducing agents for the formation of uranium deposits, and granite aplites provide the material source for uranium ore generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cereal endosperm is a major factor determining seed size and shape. However, the molecular mechanisms of endosperm development are not fully understood. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) function in various biological processes. Here we show a lncRNA, MISSEN, that plays an essential role in early endosperm development in rice (Oryza sativa). MISSEN is a parent-of-origin lncRNA expressed in endosperm, and negatively regulates endosperm development, leading to a prominent dent and bulge in the seed. Mechanistically, MISSEN functions through hijacking a helicase family protein (HeFP) to regulate tubulin function during endosperm nucleus division and endosperm cellularization, resulting in abnormal cytoskeletal polymerization. Finally, we revealed that the expression of MISSEN is inhibited by histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) modification after pollination. Therefore, MISSEN is the first lncRNA identified as a regulator in endosperm development, highlighting the potential applications in rice breeding. The cereal endosperm is a major determinant of seed size and shape. Here the authors show that a lncRNA, MISSEN, is expressed from the maternally derived allele in rice seeds and regulates a helicase family protein to support efficient nuclear division, distribution and cellularization in the endosperm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The employment of lithium metal anode in rechargeable lithium batteries has been hindered by the safety concerns which are associated with the uncontrolled lithium dendrite growth and the unceasing side reactions with liquid electrolytes. In this work, we report that the use of Ti-containing solid electrolyte-coated separators can greatly enhance the cycle performances of lithium metal anode in cells using liquid electrolytes. The detailed morphologic studies indicate that more uniform lithium deposition is achieved in cells using Ti-containing solid electrolyte-coated separators than that using Al2O3-coated separators, which is likely due to the modified anode and electrolyte interfacial properties induced by the reactive nature of Ti-containing solid electrolytes with metallic lithium. This work demonstrates an effective strategy to enhance the homogeneity of lithium deposition, which leads to the stable cycling of lithium metal anode in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Texture intensity decreases by the increase in the amount of alloying elements [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the shortcomings of the existing test methods, this paper provides a new procedure for validating the requirements on the repetition rate of repeating electromagnetic pulses when assessing the electromagnetic immunity of electronic devices. The pulse repetition rate should not be chosen arbitrarily, but should be consistent with the properties of the device under test. Two examples of a 60 W electrical power unit and a "Panasonic" video camera are presented to validate the conclusion in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) can cause bovine ephemeral fever and is an economically important arbovirus of cattle. To expand the knowledge of the molecular epidemiology of BEFV in southern China, the complete surface glycoprotein G gene of BEFV was sequenced from samples collected in five restricted outbreaks from 2013 to 2017, namely 2013ZH, 2014HM, 2015GX, 11082-2016, and qy2017. It was noted that both 2014HM and 11082-2016 were detected in cattle regularly vaccinated with inactivated vaccine. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that all five strains grouped into cluster I. However, qy2017 was closer to the BEFV strains identified in Thailand, Japan, and Taiwan after 2000, while 2013ZH, 2014HM, 2015GX, and 11082-2016 were closer to the Chinese strains in 2011 and the Turkey strains in 2012. The analysis of antigenic sites indicated that several amino acid changes occurred between the five strains and the vaccine strain. Importantly, one novel amino acid mutation site was observed in the putative N-linked glycosylation sites of 2013ZH, 2014HM, 2015GX, and 11082-2016. Our study indicated novel genetic characteristics of the newly emerging BEFV strains in southern China and the necessity of updating the component of commercially available inactivated BEFV vaccines in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown diamond films have been developed as irradiation-resistant materials to replace or upgrade current detectors for use in extreme radiation environments. However, their sensitivity in practical applications has been inhibited by space charge stability issues caused by defects and impurities in pure diamond crystal materials. In this study, two high-quality CVD-grown single-crystal diamond (SCD) detectors with low content of nitrogen impurities were fabricated and characterized. The intrinsic properties of the SCD samples were characterized using Raman spectroscopy, stereomicroscopy, and X-ray diffraction with the rocking curve mode, cathode luminescence (CL), and infrared and ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectroscopies. After packaging the detectors, the dark current and energy resolution under α particle irradiation were investigated. Dark currents of less than 5 pA at 100 V were obtained after annealing the electrodes, which is comparable with the optimal value previously reported. The detector that uses a diamond film with higher nitrogen content showed poor energy resolution, whereas the detector with more dislocations showed poor charge collection efficiency (CCE). This demonstrates that the nitrogen content in diamond has a significant effect on the energy resolution of detectors, while the dislocations in diamond largely contribute to the poor CCE of detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the accuracy of cirrhosis staging diagnosis based on MR images, a diagnostic method combining image texture feature extraction and classification algorithm is proposed. Firstly, the liver MR image is preprocessed, the region of interest (ROI) image patch is extracted therefrom, and the ROI image is quantized and compressed by the Lloyd algorithm. Then, the ROI image is filtered by a local binary pattern (LBP) operator, and then the texture feature of a 20-dimensional gray-level co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) in four directions on the LBP image is extracted. Finally, MR image is classified by performing support vector machine (SVM) and the final diagnosis of liver cirrhosis is obtained. The experimental results show that the proposed method can accurately diagnose liver cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is among the leading causes of death and disability across the globe. Post-stroke neuroinflammation contributes to the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke in the acute phase through damaging neurons in the penumbra region. Infiltrating regulatory T cells (Treg cells) provide neuronal protection in ischemic brains. In the current study using a mouse-transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model, we characterized the changes of sirtuin expression in infiltrating Treg cells in the acute phase of ischemia. We found that Sirt2 was remarkably upregulated in infiltrating Treg cells at day 3 post-MCAO. In vitro inhibition of Sirt2 activity enhanced the expression of immunosuppression-associated molecules including forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) in Treg cells. Using a lentiviral system to express exogenous Sirt2 in Treg cells, we found that Sirt2 weakened the anti-inflammatory effect of Treg cells on pro-inflammatory macrophages. Additionally, post-MCAO microglia increased Sirt2 expression in Treg cells in a cell-to-cell contact manner. We further found that microglia remarkably induced hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) expression in Treg cells, and inhibition of HIF-1α abolished microglia-induced Sirt2 upregulation. Collectively, we discovered a novel mechanism by which the immunoregulatory activity of infiltrating Treg cells is modulated after ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern snakehead, Ophiocephalus argus Cantor, is an endemic freshwater fish in China. However, wild stocks of O. argus are dwindling sharply. Further, water conservancy projects, environmental pollution and human activities have caused the decrease of wild stocks, which has attracted much attention. Here, we have investigated the genomic information of O. argus using IlluminaHiseq 4000 sequencing. The transcriptomes of O. argus were sequenced by Illumina technology. A total of 67,564 sequences from 79,500,964 paired-end reads were generated, 33,710 unigenes were annotated based on protein databases (NCBI nonredundant (NR) databases). In total, 7182 unigenes had the clusters of orthologous group (COG) classifications, 33,710 unigenes were assigned to 59 gene ontology (GO) terms. Further, a total of 21,464 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) from 67,564 unigenes and 113,518 singlenucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites among 335 Mclean reads were yielded for O. argus based on a transcriptome-wide search. The new transcriptome data which is presented in this study for O. argus will provide valuable information for gene discovery and downstream applications, such as phylogenetic analysis, gene-expression profiling and identification of genetic markers (SSRs and SNP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metformin, an anti-hyperglycemic agent used for type 2 diabetes, has recently been found to have more effects apart from glucose regulation. We found that, in ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene particle-induced osteolysis mouse models, metformin had bone protect property and reduced the negative regulator of bone formation sclerostin (SOST) and Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1), and increased osteoprotegerin (OPG) secretion and the ratio of OPG/Receptor Activator for Nuclear Factor-κB Ligand (RANKL). In vitro, we established a 3D co-culture system in which metformin affects osteoblasts and osteoclasts through mature osteocytes secretion. Metformin (50 μM) significantly decreased SOST and DKK1 mRNA expression, stimulating alkaline phosphatase activity and proliferation of osteoblast, and increased OPG secretion and the ratio of OPG/RANKL, inhibiting osteoclastogenesis. Moreover, the effect on OPG was reversed by adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase inhibitor, Compound C. Our finding suggests that metformin induces differentiation and mineralization of osteoblasts, while inhibits osteoclastogenesis via mature osteocytes secretion. Therefore, the drug might be beneficial for not only diabetes but also in other bone disorders by acting on mature osteocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have considered a methodical approach to forecast the consequences of the influence of pulsed electromagnetic fields on electronic devices based on three defined conditions of the disruption of device functioning. The approach is based on the use of key parameters of pulse disturbances in critical circuits of electronic devices. Depending on the problem being solved and features of the object being tested, the key parameters can be: the amplitude of a voltage pulse in a critical circuit of an object; the Joule integral; the energy; the frequency of repetition of influencing pulses; the probability of a bit error; the number of errors in a transferred data packet; the data rate, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was designed to explore the anticancer potential of isoalantolactone, a sesquiterpene lactone, on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells and associated molecular mechanisms.Methods: ESCC cell lines were treated with isoalantolactone or vehicle and tested for viability, proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis. Xenograft tumor studies in nude mice were done to examine the in vivo anticancer effect of isoalantolactone.Results: Isoalantolactone treatment reduced ESCC cell viability and proliferation in vitro, which was coupled with induction of G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In vivo studies confirmed the growth-suppressive effect of isoalantolactone on ESCC cells. Mechanistically, isoalantolactone reversed microRNA-21-mediated repression of programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4). Overexpression of microRNA-21 and knockdown of PDCD4 blocked the growth suppression and apoptosis induction by isoalantolactone in ESCC cells.Conclusions: Isoalantolactone shows growth-suppressive activity against ESCC cells, which is ascribed to upregulation of PDCD4 via downregulation of microRNA-21. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the main steel used in the aero-engine main shaft bearings, the tribological properties of M50 can directly affect the performance of aero-engine. The purpose of this study is to design the reasonable composition of Sn-Ag-Cu alloy and investigate the wear mechanisms of M50-10 wt.%(Sn-Ag-Cu) composites (MSACC) prepared by SPS sliding against Si3N4 ball from 25 to 550 °C at 12 N-0.25 m/s. XRD, EPMA, FESEM and EDS mappings are conducted to understand the major mechanisms leading to the improvement in the sliding behavior of MSACC. The results indicate that MSACC with different specifications of Sn-Ag-Cu alloy shows excellent friction and wear properties from 25 to 550 °C compared to M50. M50-10 wt.%(50Sn40Ag10Cu) (MSACC-2) shows the distinguished tribological performance for the lower friction coefficients of 0.22-0.61 and less wear rates of 1.7-4.1 × 10−6 mm3 N−1 m−1, which is attributed to the formed excellent lubricating structure consisting of the lubricating film with massive Sn-Ag-Cu alloy and intermetallic compounds formed during the friction process, as well as the underneath mixed layer who can well support the lubricating film due to the good intersolubility between the designed Sn-Ag-Cu alloy and M50 (Fe). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Octahedral nickel ferrite oxide (NiFe2O4) nanocrystals with average sizes of 81, 69, 63 and 46 nm were fabricated using hexamethylenetetramine as adscititious alkali via a facile hydrothermal route at various temperatures. The formation mechanism of octahedral nickel ferrite oxide nanocrystals was discussed in detail. Interestingly, the nanocrystalline size decreased with the increase in the hydrothermal reaction temperature. We studied the influence of hydrothermal temperatures on the evolution of the nanocrystalline and analyzed the relationship between the sizes of the nanocrystalline and their capacitive properties. Compared to the large-sized counterpart (81, 69 and 63 nm), the small-sized nanocrystals (46 nm) presented a maximum specific capacitance (562.1 F g−1) and remarkable cycling stability (80.3% capacity retention after 1500 cycles) at 4 A g−1. The excellent performance of the NiFe2O4 nanocrystals (46 nm) was mainly attributed to the unique octahedral nanostructures with a small size (fully exposing more electroactive sites and providing more sufficient expressways for rapid charge transfer) and their compositional advantages of nickel and cobalt (multiple oxidation states for redox reactions and relatively desirable electroconductivity). More remarkably, an asymmetric supercapacitor composed of NiFe2O4 (as the positive electrode) and activated carbon (as the negative electrode) displayed an ultrahigh energy density (34.91 Wh kg−1 at 1100 W kg−1) and an advanced cycling stability (84.5% capacity retention after 1000 cycles), which suggested that the decreased crystal size played a pivotal role in size-dependent capacitive performance enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the Jurassic Sangonghe Formation in the Mosuowan-Mobei area of the Junggar Basin as an example, this paper provides a method that evaluates paleo hydrocarbon pools and predicts secondary reservoirs. Through Quantitative Grain Fluorescence (QGF) experiments, well-tie seismic correlation, and paleo structure analysis, the scale and distribution of paleo hydrocarbon pools in the study area are outlined. Combining current structural features and fault characteristics, the re-migration pathways of paleo oil and gas are depicted. Based on barrier conditions on the oil re-migration pathways and current reservoir distribution, we recognize three types of secondary reservoirs. By analyzing structural evolution and sand body-fault distribution, the major control factors of secondary reservoirs are specified and, consequently, favorable zones for secondary reservoirs are predicted. The results are mainly as follows. (1) In the primary accumulation period in the Cretaceous, paleo hydrocarbon pools were formed in the Sangonghe Formation of the Mosuowan uplift and their size and distribution were extensive and the exploration potential for secondary reservoirs should not be ignored. Besides, paleo reservoirs were also formed in the Mobei uplift, but just small scale. (2) In the adjustment period in the Neogene, traps were reshaped or destroyed and so were the paleo reservoirs, resulting in oil release. The released oil migrated linearly northward along the structural highs of the Mobei uplift and the Qianshao low-relief uplift and then formed secondary reservoirs when it met new traps. In this process, a structural ridge cooperated with sand bodies and faults, applying unobstructed pathways for oil and gas re-migration. (3) The secondary hydrocarbon pools are classified into three types: low-relief anticlinal type, lithologic pinch-out type and fault block type. The distribution of the first type is controlled by a residual low uplift in the north flank of the paleo-anticline. The second type is distributed in the lithologic pinch-out zones on the periphery of the inherited paleo uplift. The third type is controlled by fault zones of which the strikes are perpendicular to the hydrocarbon re-migration pathways. (4) Four favorable zones for secondary reservoirs are predicted: the low-relief structural zone of the north flank of the Mosuowan paleo-anticline, the fault barrier zone on the western flank of the Mobei uplift, the Qianshao low-relief uplift and the north area of the Mobei uplift that parallels the fault zone. The study above effectively supports the exploration of the Qianshao low-relief uplift, with commercial oil discovered in the Qianshao1 well. Besides, the research process in this paper can also be applied to other basins to explore for secondary reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the effect of scanning velocity on the microstructure and tribological properties of Ni3Al matrix composites containing graphene nanoplatelets (NGs), a series of NG samples are successfully synthesized by laser melt deposition under the various scanning velocities from 300 to 500 mm s−1. The sliding friction tests of NG against GCr15 steel balls are carried out under 10 N and 0.2 m s−1 at room temperature. The microstructures, tribological properties and wear mechanisms of the NG samples are analyzed. The results show that the scanning velocity can be optimized to effectively control the surface hardness and relative density, as well as tribological performance of NG. The NG sample synthesized under scanning velocity of 450 mm s−1 has a dense and fine microstructure as well as excellent properties such as higher relative density (98.6%), lower friction coefficient (0.23) and wear rate (5.5 × 10−6 mm3 N−1 m−1). The lower substrate layer with dense and stable structure plays an important role in supporting the upper glaze layer with rich graphene and oxides, as well as nanocrystalline structure, which contributes to the excellent friction-reducing and wear resistance performances of NG. The research results could be used to guide the selection of suitable scanning velocity and study the wear mechanisms of NG for having excellent tribological performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interior noises of vehicles would be caused when the vibration of body panels excites the indoor air. In the paper, the vibration load of engine was obtained firstly through experiments. Secondly, the engine load was applied in the finite element model of body in white to compute the vibration velocity and realize virtual reality, indicating that the front support of the body had large vibration velocity when the frequency was lower than 60 Hz. The boundary element was then adopted to compute the interior noise and extract the sound pressure at a point near the driver’s head. Two obvious peaks were shown in sound pressure curves, at 270 and 310 Hz, respectively. The body panels that had obvious impact on the interior peak noise were determined through the panel contribution analysis, and the interior peak noise was remarkably reduced after applying sound absorption materials on these panels. Nevertheless, many more additional sound absorption materials were not always better. If a multilayer of sound absorption materials was needed, an optimal value was existed in the thickness of sound absorption material. And a great impact would be played toward the interior noise of the cabin by the reasonable selection of different sound absorption materials and their thicknesses. Finally, the neutral network (NN) was also used to predict interior noises, which was compared with the result of the boundary element. The maximum difference between the prediction values of NN and boundary element was within 5 dB, indicating that the neural network was feasible to predict the interior noise. Subsequently, the neural network method would be applied to conduct the optimization analysis for the interior noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

M50 steel is widely applied to manufacture aircraft bearings where service lives are mainly determined by the friction and wear behaviors. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the tribological behaviors and wear mechanisms of M50-1.5 wt.% graphene composites (MGC) prepared by laser additive manufacturing (LAM) (MGC-LAM) sliding against Si3N4 ball from 25 to 550 °C at 18 N-0.2 m/s. XRD, EPMA, FESEM, and EDS mapping were conducted to understand the major mechanisms leading to the improvement in the sliding behavior of MGC-LAM. The results indicated that MGC-LAM showed the excellent friction and wear performance at 25-550 °C for the lower friction coefficient of 0.16-0.52 and less wear rate of 6.1-9.5 × 10−7 mm3 N−1 m−1. Especially at 350 °C, MGC-LAM obtained the best tribological performance (0.16, 6.1 × 10−7mm3 N−1 m−1). It was attributed to the dense coral-like microstructure, as well as the formed surface lubricating structure which is composed of the upper uniform lubricating film with massive graphene and the underneath compacted layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the problem of global stabilization control via partial-state feedback is addressed for a class of uncertain nonholonomic systems with the disturbed virtual control directions. The investigated nonholonomic system has the input-to-state stable (ISS) dynamic uncertainties. The small gain theorem and the changing supply function technique are employed to derive a global stabilization controller. Additionally, we develop a switching control strategy in order to get around the smooth stabilization burden associated with nonholonomic systems. The simulation results illustrate the efficacy of the presented algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flavonoid extract from Erigeron breviscapus, breviscapine, has increasingly been used to treat cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases in China for more than 30 years, and plant supply of E. breviscapus is becoming insufficient to satisfy the growing market demand. Here we report an alternative strategy for the supply of breviscapine by building a yeast cell factory using synthetic biology. We identify two key enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway (flavonoid- 7-O-glucuronosyltransferase and flavone-6-hydroxylase) from E. breviscapus genome and engineer yeast to produce breviscapine from glucose. After metabolic engineering and optimization of fed-batch fermentation, scutellarin and apigenin-7-O-glucuronide, two major active ingredients of breviscapine, reach to 108 and 185 mg l-1, respectively. Our study not only introduces an alternative source of these valuable compounds, but also provides an example of integrating genomics and synthetic biology knowledge for metabolic engineering of natural compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the role and mechanism of microglial NOX2 activation in minimally toxic dose of LPS and Syn-elicited synergistic dopaminergic neurodegeneration. NOX2+/+ and NOX2−/− mice and multiple primary cultures were treated with LPS and/or Syn in vivo and in vitro. Neuronal function and morphology were evaluated by uptake of related neurotransmitter and immunostaining with specific antibody. Levels of superoxide, intracellular reactive oxygen species, mRNA and protein of relevant molecules, and dopamine were detected. LPS and Syn synergistically induce selective and progressive dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Microglia are functionally and morphologically activated, contributing to synergistic dopaminergic neurotoxicity elicited by LPS and Syn. NOX2−/− mice are more resistant to synergistic neurotoxicity than NOX2+/+mice in vivo and in vitro, and NOX2 inhibitor protects against synergistic neurotoxicity through decreasing microglial superoxide production, illustrating a critical role of microglial NOX2. Microglial NOX2 is activated by LPS and Syn as mRNA and protein levels of NOX2 subunits P47and gp91 are enhanced. Molecules relevant to microglial NOX2 activation include PKC-σ, P38, ERK1/2, JNK, and NF-КBP50 as their mRNA and protein levels are elevated after treatment with LPS and Syn. Combination of exogenous and endogenous environmental factors with minimally toxic dose synergistically propagates dopaminergic neurodegeneration through activating microglial NOX2 and relevant signaling molecules, casting a new light for PD pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve tribological performance of NiAl-based alloy, NiAl matrix composites containing 1.5 wt.% multilayer graphene (MLG) are prepared through additive manufacturing (AM) and spark plasma sintering (SPS), which are denoted as NMAM and NMSPS, respectively. Tribological behaviors of NMAM and NMSPS against SiN balls are researched under constant speed (0.2 m/s) and varied loads (from 4 to 16 N) for evaluating the tribological properties of NMAM and NMSPS. The results present that NMAM exhibits the excellent tribological properties [low friction coefficients (0.26-0.40) and considerable wear resistance (2.8-4.6 × 10 mm N m)] as compared to NMSPS, which attributes to the uniform enrichment of MLG with properties of high tensile strength and being easily sheared off on the worn surfaces. Owing to the use of spherical prealloyed powder containing multilayer graphene and the characteristics of layer by layer depositing in the AM process, NMAM has a more compact and uniform substrate, which persistently provides a source of the formation of continuous and stable frictional layer. Due to the characteristics of AM rapid solidification, NMAM has the small grain size and well-compacted microstructure, which can effectively reduce the probability of spalling wear and lead to the increase in wear resistance of materials. The research can offer the reference for self-lubricating materials prepared by AM technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article was dedicated to explore the combined lubrication of silver, MoS and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based on the changes in applied loads and sliding speeds. The results showed that the formed lubricating films played the major role in undertaking the equivalent stress, as well as effectively reduced friction resistance and material loss. It led to small friction coefficient and less wear rate at 1.2 m/s. At 1.2 m/s-16 N, an integrated lubricating film containing Ag, CNTs and MoS was continuously formed, which well provided the excellent lubricating property, resulting in lower friction coefficient (0.19) and less wear rate (1.56 × 10 mm/N m). The formation of Ag and CNTs enriched islands acted as the bearing areas and played the major role in resisting friction resistance. Meanwhile, solid lubricant MoS was enriched in the lubricating film and effectively protected lubricating film from being destroyed, resulting in small friction coefficient and less wear rate at 1.2 m/s-16 N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MYCN amplification and 11q deletion are two inversely correlated prognostic factors of poor outcome in neuroblastoma. Here we identify common variants at 11q22.2 within MMP20 that associate with neuroblastoma cases harboring 11q deletion (rs10895322), using GWAS in 113 European-American cases and 5109 ancestry-matched controls. The association is replicated in 44 independent cases and 1902 controls. Our study yields novel insights into the genetic underpinnings of neuroblastoma, demonstrating that the inherited common variants reported contribute to the origin of intra-tumor genetic heterogeneity in neuroblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of NiAl-based alloy (NA) in the field of aerospace was limited by its poor tribological properties. For improving the tribological performance of NA, multilayer graphene (MLG) and TiSiC were added in NiAl matrix composites. Tribological behavior of NiAl matrix composites containing 1.5 wt.% MLG and 10 wt.% TiSiC (NMT) against SiN ball at 12 N-0.2 m/s from 25 to 750 °C was investigated. The results showed that NMT exhibited the excellent tribological behavior [lower friction coefficients (0.26-0.57) and less wear resistance (3.1-6.5 × 10 mm N m)] due to synergetic effect of MLG and TiSiC over a wide temperature range from 25 to 750 °C. At 25-350 °C, part of MLG enriched on worn surface could play a role in reducing friction and improving wear resistance. At 350-550 °C, although MLG gradually lost the lubricating properties, the partial decomposition of TiSiC could continually improve the tribological properties of NMT. At 550-750 °C, TiSiC on worn surface was oxidized to form lubricating film, while TiSiC in the subsurface played an important role in supporting the film, resulting in the excellent high-temperature tribological performance. The research had good guiding significance for the preparation of wide temperature range self-lubricating material and the study of synergetic effect of complex solid lubricants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribological performance is a key factor for M50 steel that is widely used in aero-engine main-shaft bearings. In this study, the tribological properties of M50 matrix self-lubricating composites with different contents of TiSiC against SiN ceramic counterpart are investigated at 15 N-0.2 m/s from 25 to 450 °C. The results showed that M50 with 10 wt.% TiSiC (MT10) exhibits the lower friction coefficients (0.21-0.78) and less wear rates (1.78-3.14 × 10 mm N m) at 25-450 °C. Especially at 350 °C, MT10 shows the lowest friction coefficient and wear rate owing to the formation of smooth lubricating layer containing TiSiC and oxides. TiSiC and compacted Ti-Si-oxides are uniformly distributed in the lubricating layer, which can well improve the anti-friction and anti-wear performance of MT10. The mechanically mixed layer containing massive TiSiC can sustain the lubricating layer, resulting in the increase of anti-wear performance of MT10. MT10 could be applied under the practical conditions of friction and wear for its outstanding anti-friction and anti-wear performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction to: I Nature Communications i https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19922-3, published online 27 November 2020 In this article the author name Ke-Ren Zhou was incorrectly written as Ke-Reng Zhou. These authors contributed equally: Yu-Chan Zhang, Meng-Qi Lei. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, the effect of friction layer thickness and subsurface nano-hardness of wear track on tribological behavior of γ-TiAl matrix composites is investigated. The results of dry sliding tribolocial tests of γ-TiAl matrix composites with 0-2.25 wt.% multilayer graphene (MLG) (0.25 wt.% in tolerance) under different applied loads are reported. The testing results show that the optimized addition amount of MLG is 1.75 wt.% at 12 N (friction layer thickness 3.23 µm, subsurface nano-hardness of wear track 9.03 GPa). It can be found that a continuous and thick friction layer is formed in γ-TiAl-1.75 wt.% MLG at 12 N, resulting in a lower friction coefficient of 0.31 and wear rate of 2.09 × 10 mm N m. During dry sliding process, the high subsurface nano-hardness of wear track leads to the increase in resisting plastic deformation capacity and reduces the material loss. Meanwhile, the thick friction layer contains MLG with high tensile strength which is easily sheared off. Hence, γ-TiAl matrix composites show excellent tribological performance of a friction-reducing and an increase in wear resistance. The investigation shows that γ-TiAl-1.75 wt.% MLG, due to its excellent tribological behavior at 12 N, can be chosen as a promising structural material for minimizing friction- and wear-related mechanical failures in sliding mechanical components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tribological behaviors of TiAl-multilayer graphene-microsphere composites (TMMC) are investigated at different loads in this paper. The tribological results show that TMMC exhibit excellent wear and friction performances from 4 to 20 N for the formation of the intact and smooth tribo-films containing multilayer graphene (MLG) and WS-SiO microsphere (WSM) on the worn surfaces. During the sliding process, MLG and WSM are ground out of TMMC to form the tribo-films on the worn surfaces, which is beneficial to the decreasing in friction coefficients and wear rates. MLG is easy to be sheared for the weak interlayer binding force, which can reduce the friction coefficients and wear rates. WSM can repair the tribo-film by filling its worn pits, resulting in the smooth worn surface and excellent tribological performance of TMMC. Moreover, the hardness of TMMC is increased for the addition of MLG and WSM, which makes contributions to the improvement of tribological behaviors of TMMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasonic vibration-assisted micro-end grinding (UAMEG) is a promising processing method for micro-parts made of hard and brittle materials. Grinding force is one of the most important parameters which can synthetically reflect the grinding process. So, it is a key issue to establish a model for the reliable prediction of grinding force in UAMEG. First, by studying removal mechanism and the micro-topography of grinding surface, the micro-end grinding zone is divided into the following three grinding regions: main grinding region, plowing grinding region, and sliding grinding region. Then, the single-grain force model is developed under different material removal modes, and the grinding force model of the whole grinding wheel is established considering size effect. To verify the correctness of the proposed model, contrast grinding tests of silica glass with and without ultrasonic assistance using micro-radial electroplated diamond wheel are conducted. The theoretical predicted values of grinding force match well with the experimental results. The grinding forces are significantly reduced, and ductile machining is easier to be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the bursty nature of cascades in social media is practically important in many real applications such as product sales prediction, disaster relief, and stock market prediction. Although both the cascade size prediction and the burst patterns of the cascades have been extensively studied, how to predict when a burst will come remains an open problem. It is challenging for traditional time-series-based models such as regression models to address this task directly. Firstly, times-series-based prediction models focus on predicting the future values based on previously observed ones. It is hard to apply them to predict the time of a bursts with the 'quick rise-and-fall' pattern. Secondly, besides the cascade popularity, a lot of other side information like user profile and social relation are available in social media. Although the potential utility of such information can be high, it is also hard for time-series-based models to capture and integrate these rich information with diverse formats seamlessly. This paper proposes a classification-based approach for burst time prediction by exploiting rich knowledge in information diffusion. Particularly, we first propose a time-window-based transformation to predict in which time window the burst will appear. By dividing the time spans of all the cascades into the same number of time windows K, the cascades with diverse time spans can thus be handled uniformly. To exploit the rich and heterogenous information in social media, we next propose a scale-independent feature extraction framework to model the heterogenous knowledge in a scale-independent manner. Systematical evaluations are conducted on the Sina Weibo reposting dataset and MemeTracker dataset. Besides the superior performance of the proposed approach, we also observe that: (1) surprisingly, social/structure knowledge is more indicative of the bursts than the cascade popularity information, especially for the bursts occurring in a farther future. (2) Larger cascades are harder to predict as the spreading process of the cascades with higher popularity is usually more diverse and fluctuant. (3) The proposed approach is robust in the sense that the result is not much sensitive to the popularity of the training cascades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasonic vibration-assisted micro end grinding (UAMEG) is a promising processing method for microparts made of hard and brittle materials. The surface quality of the workpiece in UAMEG is important, as it influences the performance of the finished part to a great extent. However, the surface finish is governed by many factors, and its experimental determination is laborious and time-consuming. So, it is a key issue to establish a model for the reliable prediction of surface roughness in UAMEG. In this paper, a new analytical surface roughness model is developed considering the influence of random distribution of abrasives, grinding conditions, and ultrasonic vibration, which shows the relationship between the surface roughness and the expected value of chip thickness, based on the assumption that the profile of groove produced by an individual grain is a triangular shape. This model is validated by the experimental results of silica glass in UAMEG. The theoretical predicted value of surface roughness matches well with the experimental result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]