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

Intelligent condition identification is the development trend of transformer condition recognition, However, the existing intelligent condition recognition has the disadvantage of single model and low recognition accuracy. In order to overcome the disadvantage, a transformer condition recognition method based on dissolved gas analysis features selection and multiple models fusion is proposed. At first, artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm is employed to select a set of optimal dissolved gas analysis (DGA) features. Then, according to the selected feature set, support vector classifier (SVC) model, naive bayes classifier (NBC) model, and back-propagation neural network (BPNN) model are respectively established. Finally, the Dempster–Shafer​ (D-S) evidence theory is used to combine the output results of the three recognition models. The identification performances of the optimal DGA features set and the multiple models fusion are evaluated. The results reveal that the proposed method has the highest accuracy and consistency of 89.39% and 90.49% respectively. With the input vector of proposed optimal DGA features set, the overall performance of multiple model fusion method is superior than the SVC, NBC, BPNN, extreme learning machine (ELM) and K- Nearest-Neighbor (KNN). The accuracy and consistency are increased by 4.54%, 4.52%, and 10.42%, 14.68%, and 3.03%, 3.67%, and 10.6%, 13.45%, and 24.24%, 27.57% respectively. Also, the overall performance of multiple model fusion method with optimal DGA features set is increased significantly compared to multiple model fusion method with IEC Ratio, Rogers Ratio, Doernenburg Ratio, optimal DGA features set selected by particle swarm optimization (PSO) and harris hawks optimization (HHO). The accuracy and consistency are increased by 4.54%, 7.43%, and 6.06%, 7.33%, and 10.6%, 13.58%, and 1.51%, 1.39%, and 9.09%,10% respectively. This proves the effectiveness and the feasibility of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a novel protection scheme for residual current devices (RCDs) based on the theory of skewness and the least squares‐support vector machine (LS‐SVM). The skewness of the residual current is applied to detect the electric shock fault time, and the LS‐SVM regression technique is used to perform touch current identification. The experimental test results indicate that the protection scheme can not only detect the electric shock fault time correctly and rapidly but also effectively recognise the circulation through the animal's current. Moreover, the proposed protection technique can provide valuable information for developing new generations of RCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 6005A aluminum alloy extrusion profiles are widely used in China Railway High-speed trains and mainly welded by metal-inert gas welding. The coarse-grain layer covering the profiles leads to the formation of liquation cracks and deteriorates the mechanical properties of the welded joints. In addition, the weld reinforcement has negative effects on the fatigue life. To improve the mechanical properties of the welded joints, a novel hybrid milling-friction stir processing (HMFSP) tool is developed. The surficial coarse grains and intergranular eutectic could be eliminated by the tool, which suppressed the formation of liquation cracks. Meanwhile, the weld reinforcement was removed simultaneously and the stress concentration near the weld toe was eliminated. The average grain size of the affected zone was refined to 5.7 μm and the tensile strength of the welded joints increased by 10% after HMFSP. Moreover, a 62.1% prolongation of the fatigue life was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Implants immediately loaded full-arch prosthesis in maxilla is always a challenge, especially when the zone 2 is extremely defected. To achieve a satisfying result, different therapeutic alternatives have been proposed, such as zygomatic implant, pterygoid implant; however, precise surgical skills limited its application. Case presentation: This study reported a case that an edentulous patient was treated with a new technique, two axial implants and four tilted implants supporting an immediate fixed denture, extruding the cortical bone of the anterior wall of the maxillary sinus to establish the primary stability. Conclusions: Two-year follow-up proves that it is a viable choice. Meanwhile, a reliable method for its saving time and money and low level of discomfort for patients is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explanation: A systematic research on chronology, mineral compositions, geochemistry, particularly the rare earth elements of the SSZK1 well suggests that the YX-2300 coral bone formed at 114 ka have obvious positive Eu anomalies (A), and the model calculations suggest that at least 0.1% of hydrothermal fluids were added to the surrounding seawater during its growth (B and C). [Display omitted] • The environment of most coral samples in this study can be well judged as the marine environment with oxidation conditions. • The similarity in the distribution patterns of REE+Y in P1 and P2 suggests that diagenetic alteration has little influence. • Obvious positive Eu anomalies and the REE + Y distribution model indicate the involvement of hydrothermal fluids. Coral reefs play an important role in the high-resolution paleoclimate and paleoenvironment records. In particular, the contents, distribution patterns and elemental anomalies of the rare earth elements can reflect the paleoceanic conditions and sedimentary environments. In this study, we focus on the SSZK1 core in the Coral Reef of Yongxing Island, South China Sea (SCS). The sediments of this core can be divided into two stages: P1 (18.00–24.95 m) and P2 (24.95–55.92 m), based on the dating results. The results show that the coral reefs of P1 and P2 stages have slightly different REE contents, but similar REE + Y patterns. In general, the REE + Y patterns of both P1 and P2 stages are similar to those of normal marine carbonates (rocks), showing LREE depletion, negative Ce anomaly and high Y/Ho ratios. This indicates that the REEs of coral preserved their pristine geochemical features although they have experienced the diagenetic alteration to some degree. However, the samples, such as the YX-2300 coral bone formed at 114 ka, have obvious positive Eu anomalies except the similar REE + Y characteristics as the normal marine carbonates (rocks). The positive Eu anomalies indicate that some hydrothermal fluids may be input into the surrounding water at the time of coral bone formation. Based on the model calculations, at least 0.1% of hydrothermal fluids were added to the surrounding seawater during the growth of YX-2300 coral bone. By comparing the data and ages, it is suggested that these hydrothermal fluids could be associated with volcanic activities on Gaojishi Island or Hainan Island. This evidence is important to trace the occurrence of modern worldwide volcanism or deep faults activity in the deep-sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of metal-polymer structures has been restricted by challenges in achieving effective bonding between the two materials. To address this, nano-TiO 2 coatings were introduced to improve the interfacial bonding between the treated 6061 Al alloy and carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite (CFRTP) during the laser joining process. The results highlighted that the joints created with nano-TiO 2 coatings achieved significantly higher tensile shear force and strength, reaching 1.43 and 1.37 times the values of those without particles, respectively. This improvement can be attributed to the following factors: firstly, the incorporation of coatings led to an increase in the absorption of hydroxy groups, thereby improving the wettability of the Al alloy, which in turn promoted the formation of hydrogen bonds at the interface. Secondly, the increased surface roughness favored the chemical interaction between the Al alloy and CFRTP, ascribed to the enlarged contact area. Moreover, this change influenced the thermal contact conductance (TCC), thereby changing the temperature at the interface and joining areas of the two materials. Finally, a notable transformation in the failure mode was observed, transitioning from adhesive failure to cohesive failure when compared to joints without nano-TiO 2 coatings. This underscored the reinforcing role played by nano-TiO 2 particles, providing an innovative solution for enhancing the interface bonding between dissimilar materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of metal-polymer structures has been restricted by challenges in achieving effective bonding between the two materials. To address this, nano-TiO 2 coatings were introduced to improve the interfacial bonding between the treated 6061 Al alloy and carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite (CFRTP) during the laser joining process. The results highlighted that the joints created with nano-TiO 2 coatings achieved significantly higher tensile shear force and strength, reaching 1.43 and 1.37 times the values of those without particles, respectively. This improvement can be attributed to the following factors: firstly, the incorporation of coatings led to an increase in the absorption of hydroxy groups, thereby improving the wettability of the Al alloy, which in turn promoted the formation of hydrogen bonds at the interface. Secondly, the increased surface roughness favored the chemical interaction between the Al alloy and CFRTP, ascribed to the enlarged contact area. Moreover, this change influenced the thermal contact conductance (TCC), thereby changing the temperature at the interface and joining areas of the two materials. Finally, a notable transformation in the failure mode was observed, transitioning from adhesive failure to cohesive failure when compared to joints without nano-TiO 2 coatings. This underscored the reinforcing role played by nano-TiO 2 particles, providing an innovative solution for enhancing the interface bonding between dissimilar materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Leaf mass fraction (LMF) is mainly related to draught tolerance. • Leaf area ratio (LAR) is mainly related to light capture. • LMF and LAR play different roles in the acclimation of plants. Abstract Understanding how plants allocate biomass to different organs is of high importance since biomass allocation among organs determines many growth processes. Biomass allocation among plant organs is driven by environmental conditions, while functional traits can also be potential covariates to understand the allocation of biomass. However, the relationships between functional traits and biomass allocation remain poorly known and studied. We investigated the relationships of two biomass allocation indicators, including leaf mass fraction (LMF) and leaf area ratio (LAR), with six economic traits and five hydraulic traits across 30 woody species. We found that LMF and LAR showed different relationships with economics traits. In addition, a significantly negative correlation was observed between LMF and leaf water potential at turgor loss point (TLP), but no significant relationship was found between LAR and TLP. Principal component analyses showed that LMF-related traits and LAR-related traits could be divided into two groups. Taken together, LMF is mainly related to draught tolerance while LAR mainly related to light capture. Although LMF and LAR are two significantly correlated biomass allocation indicators, they play different roles in the acclimation of plants. Researchers should focus on the different functions of these two indicators and the different relationships with other functional traits in the further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of soldering based on metallurgical bonding, as opposed to conventional rubber sealing, is capable of achieving the firm sealing of stainless-steel subway car bodies, though the corrosion resistance of such joints has rarely been investigated. In this study, two typical solders were selected and applied to the soldering of stainless steel, and their properties were investigated. As indicated by the experimental results, the two types of solder exhibited favorable wetting and spreading properties on stainless-steel plates, and successfully achieved sealing connections between the stainless-steel sheets. In comparison with the Sn-Zn9 solder, the Sn-Sb8-Cu4 solder exhibited lower solidus–liquidus, such that it can be more suitably applied to low-temperature sealing brazing. The sealing strength of the two solders reached over 35 MPa, notably higher than that of the sealant currently used (the sealing strength is lower than 10 MPa). In comparison with the Sn-Sb8-Cu4 solder, the Sn-Zn9 solder exhibited a higher corrosion tendency and a higher degree of corrosion during the corrosion process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum profile structures are extensively used in the transportation industry and pose a considerable challenge to single-sided spot joining technologies. The widely used Huck BOM® riveting process requires prefabricated holes and thus significantly increases cost and reduces efficiency. In this study, a novel single-sided friction riveting (SSFR) process with an internal-threaded semi-tubular rivet is proposed to realize a screwed-solid state hybrid joining of aluminum sheet to profile structure without prefabricated holes. The results show that the upper trapped metal is welded with the lower profile structure under the thermal-mechanical coupled action generated by rivet stirring. The internal thread could facilitate material filling into the rivet cavity and form a mechanical interlock, so as to realize the single-sided joining between the sheet and the profile without prefabricated holes. The one-stage SSFR process could form shear texture and promote continuous dynamic recrystallization, but lead to excessive material softening and internal cracking. A two-stage process including friction softening and screw tightening could better coordinate the effects of heat and force, thereby avoiding cracking and refining grains in the stirring zone. Finally, the tensile-shear and cross-tension peak loads were respectively improved by 9.0 % and 29.3 %, compared to the joints with one-stage process and non-structural rivet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as important regulators in a variety of human diseases. The dysregulation of liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) phenotype is a critical early event in the fibrotic process. However, the biological function of lncRNAs in LSEC still remains unclear.Methods: The expression level of lncRNA Airn was evaluated in both human fibrotic livers and serums, as well as mouse fibrotic livers. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed to detect the effect of Airn on LSEC differentiation and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation in liver fibrosis. Furthermore, RIP, RNA pull-down-immunoblotting, and ChIP experiments were performed to explore the underlying mechanisms of Airn.Results: We have identified Airn was significantly upregulated in liver tissues and LSEC of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver fibrosis mouse model. Moreover, the expression of AIRN in fibrotic human liver tissues and serums was remarkably increased compared with healthy controls. In vivo studies showed that Airn deficiency aggravated CCl4- and bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced liver fibrosis, while Airn over-expression by AAV8 alleviated CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. Furthermore, we revealed that Airn maintained LSEC differentiation in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, Airn inhibited HSC activation indirectly by regulating LSEC differentiation and promoted hepatocyte (HC) proliferation by increasing paracrine secretion of Wnt2a and HGF from LSEC. Mechanistically, Airn interacted with EZH2 to maintain LSEC differentiation through KLF2-eNOS-sGC pathway, thereby maintaining HSC quiescence and promoting HC proliferation.Conclusions: Our work identified that Airn is beneficial to liver fibrosis by maintaining LSEC differentiation and might be a serum biomarker for liver fibrogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent type of OA, and Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) may lead to the pathogenesis of OA. Recently, X-linked TLR7 polymorphism has been confirmed to be associated with arthritis. However, there is a lack of studies on TLR7 gene polymorphism associated with knee OA susceptibility. The current study aimed to determine whether TLR7 gene polymorphism is associated with the risk of knee OA. Genotyping of two polymorphic sites (rs3853839 and rs179010) in the TLR7 gene was performed in 252 OA patients, and 265 healthy controls using the SNaPshot sequencing technique. Data were analyzed statistically by Chi-square tests and logistic regression. Rs3853839-C allele showed frequencies of 28% and 27% in the healthy control and female knee OA groups, respectively. The differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The rs3853839-CG genotype frequency was significantly lower in the female knee OA group as compared to the healthy control group (OR 0.60; 95%CI 0.36–0.99; P = 0.044). In the male hemizygote population, the rs3853839-CC showed significantly lower frequencies in the male knee OA group as compared to the healthy control group (OR 0.35; 95%CI 0.17–0.71; P = 0.0025). Regarding rs179010, there were no differences in the genotype distribution and allele frequencies between OA patients and healthy subjects under any models (P > 0.05). Stratified analysis showed that the frequency of the rs3853839-CG genotypes was lower in high Kellgren-Lawrence grades (KLG) (OR 0.48; 95%CI 0.21–1.08; P = 0.066), and significantly lower in OA patients with effusion synovitis (OR 0.38; 95%CI 0.17–0.88; P = 0.013). TLR7 rs3853839 polymorphism may play a role in the susceptibility of knee OA in the Chinese Han Population and may be associated with OA severity and the risk of effusion synovitis in Knee OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calotropis gigantea is often found in mining areas with heavy metal pollution. However, little is known about the physiological and molecular response mechanism of C. gigantea to Cd stress. In the present study, Cd tolerance characteristic of C. gigantea and the potential mechanisms were explored. Seed germination test results showed that C. gigantea had a certain Cd tolerance capacity. Biochemical and transcriptomic analysis indicated that the roots and leaves of C. gigantea had different responses to early Cd stress. A total of 176 and 1618 DEGs were identified in the roots and leaves of C. gigantea treated with Cd compared to the control samples, respectively. Results indicated that oxidative stress was mainly initiated in the roots of C. gigantea, whereas the leaves activated several Cd detoxification processes to cope with Cd, including the upregulation of genes involved in Cd transport (i.e., absorption, efflux, or compartmentalization), cell wall remodeling, antioxidant system, and chelation. This study provides preliminary information to understand how C. gigantea respond to Cd stress, which is useful for evaluating the potential of C. gigantea in the remediation of Cd-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The much lower processing temperature makes cold spray have many merits to deposit metallic coatings, repair failed metallic parts and additively manufacture metallic parts as compared with the high-energy beam based metal depositing processes. Although adhesion is critical for coating and repairing applications for cold sprayed deposits, it is still challenging to get high bonding strength especially for depositing materials with low density and elastic modulus. Here we introduced an in-situ micro-forging (MF) effect to cold spray by mixing 200–300 µm big-sized 410 stainless steel shot peening particles into the depositing Al powder. Due to the in-situ forging by the shot peening particles with 100 time higher kinetic energy than the depositing Al particle, vortex-like material intermixing between the Al deposit and the AZ31BMg substrate is periodically formed along the deposit/substrate interface. Meanwhile, the greatly improved interfacial plastic deformation at the deposit/substrate interface remarkably promotes the breaking and segmentation of the native oxide scale on both the spraying particle surface and substrate surface which promotes metallurgical bonding formation across the deposit/substrate interface. Both the vortex-like material intermixing induced enhanced mechanical interlocking and the improved metallurgical bonding contribute to a higher adhesion. As a consequence, the adhesion of Al deposit increases from 47.9 MPa to 107.2 MPa. [Display omitted] • An in-situ micro-forging is introduced into cold spray to improve the adhesion. • Vortex-like material intermixing is periodically formed along the interface. • More dispersed interfacial oxide scale leads to improved metallurgical bonding fraction. • Adhesion of cold sprayed Al deposit is improved from 47.9 MPa to 107.2 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental fluorosis is a global issue. Although there are multiple causes of dental fluorosis, the precise mechanism remains controversial. Previous studies have demonstrated that extracellular fluoride may promote an accumulation of fluoride ions in ameloblasts, which may induce oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stresses, leading to dental fluorosis. However, the exact process by which fluoride ions enter cells has not been determined. In the present study, intracellular fluoride concentration was determined using a newly developed specific fluorescent probe called probe 1. Under high extracellular fluoride concentrations, the fluorescence intensity of the ameloblasts increased, however, exogenous transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) was able to inhibit the increase. Furthermore, changes in the expression of the voltage-gated chloride channels 5 and 7 (ClC5 and ClC-7), which are responsible for the transport of fluoride were investigated. The results indicated that fluoride reduced the expression of endogenous TGF-β1 and increased the expression of ClC-5 and ClC-7. Additionally, exogenous TGF-β1 reduced the expression of ClC-5 and ClC-7. The results of the present study indicate that exogenous TGF-β1 may prevent accumulation of fluoride in ameloblasts through the regulation of ClC-5 and ClC-7 under high extracellular fluoride concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides frequently block rivers, forming a barrier lake, resulting in a dam break event in the terrestrial environment. However, reports about the submarine landslides are scarce. Herein, the periplatform submarine landslides changing transport pathways of deepwater gravity flows within the southeastern region out of Xuande Atoll on the Xisha Islands, South China Sea, are described. Submarine landslides, including SL I and SL II, with a total area of 170.9 km2, were identified using up-to-date geophysical data, including multi-beam bathymetric and seismic data and sediment gravity cores. SL I directly connects the Sansha Canyon forming a large-scale negative relief with an area of 151.8 km2, developing the terraces, and transporting blocks and remnant blocks. SL II covers an area of 19.1 km2 and was mainly deposited on the deepwater plain with a toe part that is higher than the initial seafloor. The negative relief created by SL I on the seafloor forms the dominant pathways for the gravity flows, creating the new active channel system directly flowing into the canyon. The turbidity currents flowing along the steep lateral margin of SL II formed the cyclic steps. The remnant submarine landslide deposits on the western canyon margin indicate that SL I previously blocked the canyon and formed a submarine barrier lake, which was then eroded by the gravity flows flowing along with the channel system within SL I and the upstream canyon. Finally, the canyon was formed again, whose axis was "pushed" eastward by SL I. These observations update the evolution model of submarine landslide on a carbonate platform slope and the transport system from the slope to the submarine canyon or the deep basin and clarify the stability of submarine engineering and island-and-reef systems. • Our results help understand the initiation and emplacement processes of submarine landslides around the atoll. • Submarine landslides are the major conduits for shallow-water sediment transport into deep-water environments. • Submarine canyonning process can evacuate the distal part of a submarine landslide on the carbonate platform slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by the demands for contactless stress detection, technologies are being used for shape control when producing cold-rolled strips. This paper presents a novel contactless stress detection technology based on a magnetoresistance sensor and the magnetoelastic effect, enabling the detection of internal stress in manufactured cold-rolled strips. An experimental device was designed and produced. Characteristics of this detection technology were investigated through experiments assisted by theoretical analysis. Theoretically, a linear correlation exists between the internal stress of strip steel and the voltage output of a magneto-resistive sensor. Therefore, for this stress detection system, the sensitivity of the stress detection was adjusted by adjusting the supply voltage of the magnetoresistance sensor, detection distance, and other relevant parameters. The stress detection experimental results showed that this detection system has good repeatability and linearity. The detection error was controlled within 1.5%. Moreover, the intrinsic factors of the detected strip steel, including thickness, carbon percentage, and crystal orientation, also affected the sensitivity of the detection system. The detection technology proposed in this research enables online contactless detection and meets the requirements for cold-rolled steel strips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulation of amyloid β protein (Aβ)-containing neuritic plaques in the brain is a neuropathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is essential for Aβ generation and dysregulation of BACE1 expression may lead to AD pathogenesis. Bcl-2-associated athanogen 1M (BAG-1M), initially identified as an anti-apoptotic protein, has also been found to be highly expressed in the same neurons that contain intracellular amyloid in the hippocampus of AD patient. In this report, we found that over-expression of BAG-1M enhances BACE1-mediated cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Aβ production by up-regulating BACE1 gene transcription. The regulation of BACE1 transcription by BAG-1M was dependent on NF-κB, as BAG-1M complexes NF-κB at the promoter of BACE1 gene and co-activates NF-κB-facilitated BACE1 transcription. Moreover, expression of BAG-1M by lentiviral vector in the hippocampus of AD transgenic model mice promotes Aβ generation and formation of neuritic plaque, and subsequently accelerates memory deficits of the mice. These results provide evidence for an emerging role of BAG-1M in the regulation of BACE1 expression and AD pathogenesis and that targeting the BAG-1M-NF-κB complex may provide a mechanism for inhibiting Aβ production and plaque formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel approach for enhancing bonding reliability of metal and CFRTP was proposed. • Synergetic mechanism of interfacial physical–chemical dual scales was elucidated. • The multiple modification approach enhanced the bonding reliability by 166%. • Oxide structures were confirmed as the condition of interfacial chemical bonding. • Hydrogen bonds were successfully induced and captured at the bonding interface. A novel multiple modification approach including laser texturing, micro-arc oxidation process and silane coupling agent treatment was proposed to optimize the bonding interface. Firstly, laser texturing was fabricated to promote the mechanical interlocking. Secondly, the micro-arc oxidation porous structure was designed to modify its physical structure and chemical states. This promoted the interfacial mechanical interlocking in dual scales including texturing and porous structures. Moreover, the new chemical bonds such as Ti-C and Ti-O were generated at the interface. The bonding strength of TC4/CFRTP was enhanced from 10.23 MPa to 23.41 MPa. Besides, more hydroxyl groups (–OH) were adsorbed inside the optimized structure, and the hydrogen bonds were successfully induced by silane coupling film via the final step. This further enhanced the bonding strength to the maximum of 27.22 MPa. Therefore, the multiple modification approach realized the comprehensive enhancement of mechanical interlocking, chemical bonding and functional groups interaction, which enhanced the bonding reliability by 166% than pretreated case. These results benefit future research in the process optimization to improve the reliability of metal-CFRTP bonding structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the cutoff voltage is efficient to increase the energy density of LiCoO 2 -based lithium-ion batteries to meet consumers' demand for electronic devices. However, higher cut-off voltage may lead to continuous decomposition of electrolyte and shorten the battery's cycle life. Herein, 1,3-propanediolcyclic sulfate (PCS) is designed as a film-forming additive to improve the electrochemical performance of high-voltage graphite/LiCoO 2 cells. The combined density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experimental results indicate that PCS participates in the film formation on both LiCoO 2 cathode and graphite anode side to regulate the interfacial reaction and inhibit the corresponding gas production. Thus, the capacity retention of 4.45 V graphite/LiCoO 2 pouch cells cycled at 45 °C after 300 cycles is elevated from 59.5% to 80.1% by incorporating 1.0 wt% PCS additive into the base electrolyte. It is found that PCS follows the C-O bond breaking mechanism on the positive electrode and S-O bond breaking mechanism on the negative electrode, respectively. In addition, PCS may undergo H-transfer reaction at the cathode in the first cycle because the -O-SO 2 - group appears as oxidation product in ex-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results. This finding provides new insights for understanding the mechanism of PCS acting as a high-voltage additive. • PCS can participate in film formation on both electrodes. • PCS follows the C-O bond breaking mechanism to produce -O-SO 3 - species on LiCoO 2. • -O-SO 2 - is produced by PCS following the S-O bond breaking mechanism on graphite. • PCS can improve the high voltage performance of graphite/LiCoO 2 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aberrant accumulation of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) in the brain is a key feature of Alzheimer's disease ( AD), and enhanced cleavage of β-amyloid precursor protein ( APP) by β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 ( BACE1) has a major causative role in AD. Despite their prominence in AD pathogenesis, the regulation of BACE1 and APP is incompletely understood. In this study, we report that the circular RNA circular RNA sponge for miR-7 (ciRS-7) has an important role in regulating BACE1 and APP protein levels. Previous studies have shown that ci RS-7, which is highly expressed in the human brain, is down-regulated in the brain of people with AD but the relevance of this finding was not clear. We have found that ci RS-7 is not involved in the regulation of APP and BACE1 gene expression, but instead reduces the protein levels of APP and BACE1 by promoting their degradation via the proteasome and lysosome. Consequently, overexpression of ci RS-7 reduces the generation of Aβ, indicating a potential neuroprotective role of ci RS-7. Our data also suggest that ci RS-7 modulates APP and BACE1 levels in a nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-dependent manner: ci RS-7 expression inhibits translation of NF-κB and induces its cytoplasmic localization, thus derepressing expression of UCHL1, which promotes APP and BACE1 degradation. Additionally, we demonstrated that APP reduces the level of ci RS-7, revealing a mutual regulation of ci RS-7 and APP. Taken together, our data provide a molecular mechanism implicating reduced ci RS-7 expression in AD, suggesting that ci RS-7 may represent a useful target in the development of therapeutic strategies for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hybrid laser heat source was selected for repairing of hybrid laser welded A7N01 alloy. • Defects in original joints were effectively eliminated by hybrid laser heat source. • HCF property with a little increase can be obtained compared with original joints. As one of the key concerns in the health maintenance system for modern railway equipment, defect repair plays an important role in enhancing the running safety reliability and economic benefits. In this study, welding defects of A7N01 alloy commonly used in high-speed trains were repaired by hybrid laser welding. The surface integrity of the welded zone before and after repairing was evaluated by various characterization methods in terms of the microstructures, tensile and fatigue properties. The results show that the original incomplete penetration defects would be eliminated by welding repair, giving rise to some microstructural changes such as the grain refinement and the widening of fine grain zone in the original welded joints. The heat input during welding repairing induced significantly reduction of the hardness and tensile strength from 105 HV to 75 HV and from 358 MPa to 338 MPa, respectively. Nevertheless, the fatigue properties of hybrid welded A7N01 alloy with the hybrid welding repairing were improved by 33.8%, probably because of reduced defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel Y 3 NbO 7 nanowires were successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method using Y(NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O and Nb 2 O 5 as raw materials. X-ray power diffraction (XRD), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis-DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) techniques were employed to determine the structure, morphology, specific surface area and optical properties of the as-prepared samples. Photocatalytic examination of the samples was carried out using aqueous solution of omeprazole sodium under visible light irradiation. The effects of initial omeprazole sodium concentration and catalyst amount on the photocatalytic degradation were also investigated. Detailed characterization demonstrated that Y 3 NbO 7 nanowires have cubic fluorite crystal structure with a diameter of about 20 nm and a length up to several micrometers. Photocatalytic activity tests revealed that omeprazole sodium photocatalytic reactions followed pseudo-first-order kinetics and Y 3 NbO 7 nanowires exhibited greater photocatalytic activity than its bulk counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]