Search

The high-speed train wheel wear problem persists throughout the whole service cycle, including the traction-braking stage, constant-speed stage, acceleration and deceleration stage, and so on. This article focuses on the wheel wear of high-speed trains under various braking modes. Firstly, high-speed motor cars and trailers are created, and the two are linked by the coupler buffer device, and the former considers detailed gear transmission system. A comprehensive wheel wear prediction process is then established based on the vehicle model, wheel-rail contact model, wear model, and wheel tread update strategy. Secondly, vehicle model and wheel wear prediction procedure are validated using the measured dynamic data and worn wheel profile. Thirdly, common braking modes and emergency braking modes are used for the braking process of high-speed trains. Finally, wheel wear and wear mechanism of high-speed trains during braking process is revealed. The results demonstrate that with the increase of braking mode level, the amplitude of longitudinal creepage also increases synchronously, while lateral creepage and spin creepage do not change significantly. According to wheel wear depth under different braking processes, the order from large to small is emergency braking mode >8-level common braking mode >6-level common braking mode >4-level common braking mode >3-level common braking mode >B1-level common braking mode. Furthermore, with the increase of rail slope, wheel wear is increasing during braking process. With the increase of friction coefficient, wheel wear depth decreases gradually during braking process. • The thesis focuses on wheel wear of high-speed trains during different braking modes. • The wear evolution and wear mechanism of high-speed trains during braking process is revealed. • The wheel wear law of high-speed trains during braking process on tracks with different rail slopes and friction coefficients is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the effects of different bulking agents (sawdust and mushroom residue), on compost quality and the environmental benefits of semipermeable film composting with poultry manure were investigated. The results show that composting with sawdust as the bulking agent resulted in greater efficiency and more cost benefits than composting with mushroom residue, and the cost of sawdust for treating an equal volume of manure was only 1/6 of that of mushroom residue. Additionally, lignin degradation and potential carbon emission reduction in the sawdust group were better than those in the mushroom residue group, and the lignin degradation efficiency of the bottom sample in the sawdust group was 48.57 %. Coupling between lignin degradation and potential carbon emission reduction was also closer in sawdust piles than in mushroom residue piles, and sawdust is more environmentally friendly. The abundance of key functional genes was higher at the bottom of each pile relative to the top and middle. Limnochordaceae , Lactobacillus and Enterococcus were the core microorganisms involved in coupling between lignin degradation and potential carbon emission reduction, and the coupled relationship was influenced by electric conductivity, ammonia nitrogen and total nitrogen in the compost piles. This study provides important data for supporting bulking agent selection in semipermeable film composting and for improving the composting process. The results have high value for compost production and process application. [Display omitted] • The efficiency and cost advantages of sawdust as the bulking agent is better. • The use of sawdust in film composting is more environmentally friendly. • The abundance of functional genes was higher at the bottom of the pile. • Bacteria with both lignin degradation and carbon retention functions were screened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While considering the competition effect and market share, this study discusses how the cash flow bullwhip effect (CFBE) is impacted in two-product and two-parallel supply chain systems by comparing the situation that it has one kind of product in two-level supply chain (SC). Specifically, the study aimed to examine two-product and two-parallel SC systems that include two suppliers and two retailers. Assuming that the demand function is a linear relationship of price self-sensitivity coefficient and price cross-sensitivity coefficient, which is an AR(1) process, two retailers share the demand. After that, the quantitative equation of the CFBE was deduced from two-product and two-parallel SC systems. Finally, we get the condition that the competition effect and the market share increase or decrease the CFBE, which was in contrast to the situation without the competition effect and the market share. The paper suggested that the manager can cooperate with their partner if two products are substitutable. On the other hand, the firm should improve the forecasting accuracy of the customer's demand and improve the service quality so that it can increase the market share and reduce the CFBE in two-parallel SC systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassica juncea is one of a unique vegetable in China, its tumorous stem can be processed into pickle or as fresh vegetable. For a long time, early-bolting as a main factor affects yield and quality of B. juncea, which happens about 15% all year round. As plant specific blue light receptors, FKF1/LKP2 involved in photoperiod flowering. To analyze the expression levels of BjuFKF1/BjuLKP2 and screen their interaction proteins in B. juncea, qRT-PCR and yeast two hybrid assays were recruited. qRT-PCR assays found that the expression levels of BjuFKF1 and BjuLKP2 were up-regulated expressed under both white and blue light. When under different light, BjuFKF1 was significantly increased at vegetative growth stage, but decreased in flowers under blue light. For BjuLKP2, its expression levels did not show significant changes under different light treatment. To investigate interaction proteins, BjuFKF1 and BjuLKP2 were used as bait proteins, and nine potential proteins were screened from yeast library. Yeast two hybrid assays was recruited to further verify their interaction, the results showed that both BjuFKF1 and BjuLKP2 interacted with BjuCOL, BjuCOL3, BjuCOL5, BjuAP2, BjuAP2-1 and BjuSKP1f, only BjuLKP2 interacted with BjuSVP-1 and BjuCDF1 in vivo. In this study, BjuFKF1 and BjuLKP2 were up-regulated expressed under both white and blue light. Yeast two hybrid results verified that BjuFKF1 and BjuLKP2 interacted with six and eight of those nine proteins in vivo, respectively. All of those results will provided reference genes to study BjuFKF1/BjuLKP2 regulated flowering pathway in B. juncea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TikTok, a short video platform featuring content between 15 and 60 seconds long, has become a popular and rapidly growing social media application around the world. As a platform catering for light entertainment, TikTok champions virality and encourages memetic remixes. Meme videos, mostly featuring lip-syncs, dance routines, and skits, have become one of the defining features of the platform. These seemingly trivial videos have been utilised by young TikTokers to advocate for various causes. This paper uses #OkBoomer memes as a case study to examine the political culture of young people and Gen Z in particular. By analysing how intergenerational politics has been 'memefied', this study delineates how Gen Z imagines and expresses a generational sentiment towards 'Boomers' as the imagined other. They do so through short video cultures and practices on TikTok, drawing upon the networked experiences of their peers. Specifically, the paper considers the key controversial issues, meme forms and meme functions across the #OkBoomer memes on TikTok, and its eventual mainstreaming in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thrombocytopenia is one of the most common hematological disease that can be life-threatening caused by bleeding complications. However, the treatment options for thrombocytopenia remain limited. Methods: In this study, giemsa staining, phalloidin staining, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry were used to identify the effects of 3,3ʹ-di-O-methylellagic acid 4ʹ-glucoside (DMAG), a natural ellagic acid derived from Sanguisorba officinalis L. (SOL) on megakaryocyte differentiation in HEL cells. Then, thrombocytopenia mice model was constructed by X-ray irradiation to evaluate the therapeutic action of DMAG on thrombocytopenia. Furthermore, the effects of DMAG on platelet function were evaluated by tail bleeding time, platelet aggregation and platelet adhesion assays. Next, network pharmacology approaches were carried out to identify the targets of DMAG. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to elucidate the underling mechanism of DMAG against thrombocytopenia. Finally, molecular docking simulation, molecular dynamics simulation and western blot analysis were used to explore the relationship between DAMG with its targets. Results: DMAG significantly promoted megakaryocyte differentiation of HEL cells. DMAG administration accelerated platelet recovery and megakaryopoiesis, shortened tail bleeding time, strengthened platelet aggregation and adhesion in thrombocytopenia mice. Network pharmacology revealed that ITGA2B, ITGB3, VWF, PLEK, TLR2, BCL2, BCL2L1 and TNF were the core targets of DMAG. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses suggested that the core targets of DMAG were enriched in PI3K–Akt signaling pathway, hematopoietic cell lineage, ECM-receptor interaction and platelet activation. Molecular docking simulation and molecular dynamics simulation further indicated that ITGA2B, ITGB3, PLEK and TLR2 displayed strong binding ability with DMAG. Finally, western blot analysis evidenced that DMAG up-regulated the expression of ITGA2B, ITGB3, VWF, p-Akt and PLEK. Conclusion: DMAG plays a critical role in promoting megakaryocytes differentiation and platelets production and might be a promising medicine for the treatment of thrombocytopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of resveratrol combined with ablative fractional CO2 laser system (AFL) treating skin photoaging. Methods: Thirty‐two subjects were assigned to the treatment group (TG) or the control group (CG), respectively, applied test product (resveratrol essence) or control product twice daily for 6 months. Each subject was given an AFL treatment or no laser treatment on left or right side of the face randomly. Subjective evaluations by investigators and subjects themselves were conducted after treatment. Melanin index, erythema index, and cuticle moisture content were conducted at baseline and after treatments. Adverse events (AEs) were evaluated during the study period. Results: All subjects in TG achieved improvements of their photoaging signs compared to pre‐treatment both the laser side and the non‐laser side at 6 months (p < 0.05). On the laser side, TG produced a better improvement than CG at 6 months (p < 0.05). On the laser side, the difference values of MI in TG at the 2 months after enrollment (M2), M3, and M4 were more obvious than those in CG (p < 0.05). On the non‐laser side, the difference values of MI in TG at M3, M4, M5, and M6 were more obvious than those of CG (p < 0.05). Subjects in TG were more likely to have tingling and had a faster subsidence of erythema mild edema, and pigmentation induced by AFL compared to CG. Conclusion: The resveratrol can improve photoaging alone and add an efficacy to the AFL treatment and subside the AEs induced by AFL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thrombocytopenia is one of the most common hematological disease that can be life-threatening caused by bleeding complications. However, the treatment options for thrombocytopenia remain limited. Methods: In this study, giemsa staining, phalloidin staining, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry were used to identify the effects of 3,3ʹ-di-O-methylellagic acid 4ʹ-glucoside (DMAG), a natural ellagic acid derived from Sanguisorba officinalis L. (SOL) on megakaryocyte differentiation in HEL cells. Then, thrombocytopenia mice model was constructed by X-ray irradiation to evaluate the therapeutic action of DMAG on thrombocytopenia. Furthermore, the effects of DMAG on platelet function were evaluated by tail bleeding time, platelet aggregation and platelet adhesion assays. Next, network pharmacology approaches were carried out to identify the targets of DMAG. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to elucidate the underling mechanism of DMAG against thrombocytopenia. Finally, molecular docking simulation, molecular dynamics simulation and western blot analysis were used to explore the relationship between DAMG with its targets. Results: DMAG significantly promoted megakaryocyte differentiation of HEL cells. DMAG administration accelerated platelet recovery and megakaryopoiesis, shortened tail bleeding time, strengthened platelet aggregation and adhesion in thrombocytopenia mice. Network pharmacology revealed that ITGA2B, ITGB3, VWF, PLEK, TLR2, BCL2, BCL2L1 and TNF were the core targets of DMAG. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses suggested that the core targets of DMAG were enriched in PI3K–Akt signaling pathway, hematopoietic cell lineage, ECM-receptor interaction and platelet activation. Molecular docking simulation and molecular dynamics simulation further indicated that ITGA2B, ITGB3, PLEK and TLR2 displayed strong binding ability with DMAG. Finally, western blot analysis evidenced that DMAG up-regulated the expression of ITGA2B, ITGB3, VWF, p-Akt and PLEK. Conclusion: DMAG plays a critical role in promoting megakaryocytes differentiation and platelets production and might be a promising medicine for the treatment of thrombocytopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new image encryption algorithm is proposed by combining fractional Hermite transform (FHT) with hyper-chaos map. In the first round of pixel scrambling, the original image is performed by the Zigzag operation and the Arnold transform. Then the scrambled image matrix is XORed with an encryption sequence composed of an 8-bit linear feedback shift register. Compared with the traditional Hermite transform, the FHT has better noise tolerance, and it could process the non-stationary input signals better. Subsequently, the encrypted data is re-encrypted by the cyclic shift operation based on the hyper-chaotic system. The four initial values of the hyper-chaotic system are obtained by combining plaintext image with SHA-512. Finally, the processed image matrix is XORed with a chaotic matrix generated by the three-dimensional Logistic-sine-coupling map. The presented image encryption algorithm has a large key space and strong anti-noise ability. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is feasible, secure and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing BN units into polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons expands the chemical space of conjugated materials with novel properties. However, it is challenging to achieve accurate synthesis of BN‐PAHs with specific BN positions and orientations. Here, three new parent B2N2‐perylenes with different BN orientations are synthesized with BN‐naphthalene as the building block, providing systematic insight into the effects of BN incorporation with different orientations on the structure, (anti)aromaticity, crystal packing and photophysical properties. The intermolecular dipole–dipole interaction shortens the π–π stacking distance. The crystal structure, (anti)aromaticity, and photophysical properties vary with the change of BN orientation. The revealed BN doping effects may provide a guideline for the synthesis of BN‐PAHs with specific stacking structures, and the synthetic strategy employed here can be extended toward the synthesis of larger BN‐embedded PAHs with adjustable BN patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing BN units into polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons expands the chemical space of conjugated materials with novel properties. However, it is challenging to achieve accurate synthesis of BN‐PAHs with specific BN positions and orientations. Here, three new parent B2N2‐perylenes with different BN orientations are synthesized with BN‐naphthalene as the building block, providing systematic insight into the effects of BN incorporation with different orientations on the structure, (anti)aromaticity, crystal packing and photophysical properties. The intermolecular dipole–dipole interaction shortens the π–π stacking distance. The crystal structure, (anti)aromaticity, and photophysical properties vary with the change of BN orientation. The revealed BN doping effects may provide a guideline for the synthesis of BN‐PAHs with specific stacking structures, and the synthetic strategy employed here can be extended toward the synthesis of larger BN‐embedded PAHs with adjustable BN patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polygonal wear around the wheel circumference could pose highly adverse influences on the wheel/rail interactions and thereby the performance of the vehicle system. In this study, the effects of wheel polygonalisation on the dynamic responses of a freight wagon are investigated through development and simulations of a comprehensive coupled vehicle-track dynamic model. The model integrates flexible ballasted track and wheelsets subsystem models so as to account for elastic deformations caused by impact loads induced by the wheel polygonalisation. Subsequently, the vehicles with low-order polygonal wear, whether in empty or loaded conditions, are simulated at different speeds considering different amplitudes and harmonic orders of the wheel polygonalisation and thus the mapping relation between wheel/rail impact force and wheel polygonalisation is obtained. The results reveal that the low-order wheel polygonalisation except 1st order and 3rd order can give rise to high-frequency impact loads at the wheel/rail interface and excite 1st-bend modes of the wheelset and "P2 resonance" leading to high-magnitude wheel/rail contact force at the corresponding speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Structural color materials have tremendous applications and been extensively investigated in the past decades. Most of them involve either nanoscale periodic photonic crystal structure or film interference mechanisms. Herein, we report a novel retroreflective structural color film (RSCF) based on a combined effect of interference and total internal reflection (TIR). The RSCF is consisted of a microscale polymer hemisphere array formed on the same polymer matrix. When exposed to white light illumination, the non-hemisphere-side of the film exhibits non-iridescent color under coaxial illumination and observation, and iridescent color under noncoaxial illumination and observation. In contrary, the hemisphere-side of the film does not show any colors regardless of coaxial or noncoaxial illumination and observation. Furthermore, an elastic polyurethane-based RSCF can exhibit dynamically and reversibly changing colors during uniaxial tensile/compressive deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, its terrible infectiousness has caused great panic, anxiety and poor sleep quality to the vulnerable adolescent populations.Methods: This cross-sectional online survey recruited 10 569 Chinese junior and senior high school adolescents during 31 January to 9 February 2020. Basic socio-demographic information, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Fear of negative evaluation (FNE) were included in the survey. The χ2 and logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors correlated with poor sleep quality.Results: The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 18.6% in the Chinese adolescent population. The average score of PSQI was 3.39 (SD = 2.64), which was significantly correlated with scores for anxiety (r = 0.50, p < 0.01), and FNE (r = 0.36, p < 0.01). Adjusted logistic regression indicated that gender (females) and education (senior high school) were associated with poor sleep quality, while living in Hubei Province and time spent on the COVID-19 information were inversely associated with poor sleep quality. Having a family member or friend infected/suspected and spending time on electronics were associated with higher odds of having poor sleep quality. Adolescents with anxiety were 8 times, and those with FNE were three times more likely than ones without anxiety or FNE to have poor sleep quality. In addition, the number of meals, exercise time and diet quality were also significantly associated with sleep quality. (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Poor sleep quality was common during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chinese adolescents. Understanding several factors associated with the poor sleep quality will offer some important insights into determining potential interventions to improve sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bogie hunting instability is one of the common faults in railway vehicles. It not only affects ride comfort but also threatens operational safety. Due to the lower operating speed of metro vehicles, their bogie hunting stability is often overlooked. However, as wheel tread wear increases, metro vehicles with high conicity wheel–rail contact can also experience bogie hunting instability. In order to enhance the operational safety of metro vehicles, this paper conducts field tests and simulation calculations to study the bogie hunting instability behavior of metro vehicles and proposes corresponding solutions from the perspective of wheel–rail contact relationships. Acceleration and displacement sensors are installed on metro vehicles to collect data, which are processed in real time in 2 s intervals. The lateral acceleration of the frame is analyzed to determine if bogie hunting instability has occurred. Based on calculated safety indicators, it is determined whether deceleration is necessary to ensure the safety of vehicle operation. For metro vehicles in the later stages of wheel wear (after 300,000 km), the stability of their bogies should be monitored in real time. To improve the stability of metro vehicle bogies while ensuring the longevity of wheelsets, metro vehicle wheel treads should be reprofiled regularly, with a recommended reprofiling interval of 350,000 km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum α-Klotho levels and insulin resistance (IR), a precursor to type 2 diabetes. The study analyzed data from 4,758 adult participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning from 2007 to 2016. The relationship between α-Klotho concentration and IR was assessed using the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and odds ratios (OR) derived from logistic regression models. Results showed that every 1-ln increase in α-Klotho concentration raised the HOMA-IR value by 0.55 (95% confidence interval 0.35–0.74) and the odds of IR by 64% (odds ratio 1.64; 95% confidence interval 1.28–2.1). The odds of IR was 40% greater in highest tertile than in the lowest tertile. The findings of this study underscore a significant correlation between increased serum α-Klotho levels and the prevalence of IR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Huanglian (HL), also known as Coptis chinensis Franch., was initially documented in "Sheng Nong's Herbal Classic" as a high-quality product used to cure ailments such as fever, indigestion, bloating, nausea, dysentery, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and tuberculosis. Nowadays, it is extensively employed in clinical settings to alleviate pulmonary diseases, like tuberculosis, lobular lung disease, and pulmonary abscess, and is worth exploring further. Nevertheless, there is limited research on the precise advancements of anti-lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Objectives: Using biological experiments and network pharmacology, the objective of this research was to investigate the most effective parts and chemical constituents of C. chinensis against LUAD and ascertain the probable targets and pathways. Materials and Methods: First, an MTT experiment verified the impact of each part on A549 and BEAS-2B cells. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was then used to identify the chemical components of the effective substance in C. chinensis against LUAD. Then, network pharmacology was used to screen potential pathways and binding target proteins. Finally, a subcutaneous tumor model was established in mice using LLC cells to observe the effects of the effective components of C. chinensis against LUAD in tumor-bearing mice. Results: The MTT assay demonstrated the efficacy of oxyepiberberine (OPB) as an anti-LUAD compound with minimal toxicity and side effects. According to the results of network pharmacology and molecular docking, SRC appears to be the primary target of C. chinensis active substance against LUAD. In vivo experiments revealed that the OPB group exhibited lowered toxicity and side effects. Additionally, the density of tumor cells decreased and the nuclei were destroyed in OPB groups of tumor tissues. Finally, OPB could regulate apoptosis, migration, and protein expression significantly related to the SRC pathway in tumor cells. Conclusion: Our research reveals the anti-LUAD properties of C. chinensis through a combination of experimentation and network analysis. These findings establish a theoretical foundation for C. chinensis as a clinical antitumor agent. Furthermore, our work provided an essential groundwork for further investigations into the medicinal properties of C. chinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study empirically investigates how the COVID-infodemic manifests differently in different languages and in different countries. This paper focuses on the topical and temporal features of misinformation related to COVID-19 in five countries. Design/methodology/approach: COVID-related misinformation was retrieved from 4,487 fact-checked articles. A novel approach to conducting cross-lingual topic extraction was applied. The rectr algorithm, empowered by aligned word-embedding, was utilised. To examine how the COVID-infodemic interplays with the pandemic, a time series analysis was used to construct and compare their temporal development. Findings: The cross-lingual topic model findings reveal the topical characteristics of each country. On an aggregated level, health misinformation represents only a small portion of the COVID-infodemic. The time series results indicate that, for most countries, the infodemic curve fluctuates with the epidemic curve. In this study, this form of infodemic is referred to as "point-source infodemic". The second type of infodemic is continuous infodemic, which is seen in India and the United States (US). In those two countries, the infodemic is predominantly caused by political misinformation; its temporal distribution appears to be largely unrelated to the epidemic development. Originality/value: Despite the growing attention given to misinformation research, existing scholarship is dominated by single-country or mono-lingual research. This study takes a cross-national and cross-lingual comparative approach to investigate the problem of online misinformation. This paper demonstrates how the technological barrier of cross-lingual topic analysis can be overcome with aligned word-embedding algorithms. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-09-2020-0417 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The great M ~ 8 1920 Haiyuan earthquake (HYEQ) was one of the largest and most deadly earthquakes in China in the last century, with ~ 234,000 deaths. The earthquake occurred within the Loess Plateau of northern China, where Quaternary loess deposits form a distinctive blanket across the landscape. Large regions of this loess cover experienced co-seismic landslides. Based on an analysis of the original disaster reports, field surveys, and satellite image interpretation, we have compiled the shaking effects of the earthquake, including the distribution of landslides, fatalities, and structural damage. Landslides triggered by the HYEQ (n > 7,000) are concentrated south of the Haiyuan fault, in a region that has both thick loess cover and long-term relief generated by the drainage network. This distribution is spatially separated from landslides triggered by other earthquakes. We find that in contrast to previous studies, the most important factor in the severe death toll of the HYEQ was the collapse of housing by ground shaking, including collapse of loess house-caves. Landslides were a secondary factor; although up to 32,000 deaths occurred in areas with intense landsliding. Based on the revised distribution pattern of landslides and damage (e.g., house collapses), we suggest that the isoseismal intensity IX line extends south of previous locations. We have also identified 126 dammed lakes created by co-seismic landslides, which form major modifications of this semi-arid landscape. The research methods in this paper, combining historical review, satellite image interpretation, and field validation of landslides, can be used as a reference for studies of other areas affected by historical earthquakes and co-seismic landslides, elsewhere in the Loess Plateau and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have focused on the spatially clustered regions in the association between short-term exposure to temperature and mortality, which is important for identifying high-susceptibility population and enhancing the prevention of high/low temperatures. Previous studies have explored the association inequality, but no study has evaluated the inequalities of temperature-attributable burdens, which may be more meaningful for reducing temperature-related regional inequality. Taking the Sichuan Basin (SCB), an economically imbalanced area with high humidity and four distinctive seasons, as an example, we used a novel multi-stage strategy to investigate the two issues. First, distributed lag nonlinear models were independently constructed to obtain the county-level associations between daily temperature and cardiorespiratory mortality. Then, an estimation-error-based spatial scan statistic was used to detect the association-clustered regions. Third, multivariate meta-regression incorporating the identified clustered regions and socioeconomic and natural factors was used to obtain stable county-specific associations, based on which the heat- and cold-attributable deaths were mapped and their inequalities were evaluated using concentration indices and Lorenz curves. On average, a U-shaped temperature-mortality association was examined. A significantly association-clustered region was detected (P = 0.017), in which heat and cold temperatures presented significantly stronger associations than those in the non-clustered region, particularly for heat temperatures. The cold-attributable deaths (3.5%) were substantially more than the heat-attributable deaths (0.5%). Both presented severe inequalities over counties. Significant temperature-attributable inequalities were also found over per-capital public budget, urbanization rate, employment rate and per-capital GDP. The directions of inequalities over GDP and urbanization rate were opposite between heat and cold temperatures. Our analysis provided the first evidence about the clustering of temperature-mortality associations and the inequality of cold- and heat-attributable burdens. Significantly association-clustered regions and heavy temperature-attributable inequalities were found in the SCB. Rural people bore heavier cold-attributable but less heat-attributable mortality risk than urban people, suggesting that different policies should be designed to reduce the temperature-attributable inequalities for heat and cold temperatures and different regions. This novel strategy can provide an interesting new perspective in the association between environmental exposure and human health. [Display omitted] • A significantly association-clustered region was detected in the SCB. • People in the clustered region are significantly more susceptible to heat. • Inequality of temperature-attributable burdens is first evaluated. • Temperature-attributable inequality over public budget is strong in the SCB. • Heat and cold have opposite inequality directions over GDP and urbanization rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ordered porous WO 3 films were prepared using polystyrene as template. • Ordered porous stacked WO 3 films were fabricated by electrodeposition-assisted sol-gel. • The deposition time has effect on the microstructure of ordered porous stacked WO 3 films. • The ECD assembled with ordered porous stacked WO 3 films exhibited good performance. WO 3 is currently the most widely used and promising electrochromic material, but the preparation of WO 3 thin films with excellent optoelectronic properties is a formidable challenge. The amorphous WO 3 /ordered porous crystalline WO 3 stacked films (a-WO 3 /OP-c-WO 3) were prepared by electrodeposition-assisted sol–gel method with polystyrene (PS) spheres as the templates. The microstructure and properties of a-WO 3 /OP-c-WO 3 films were significantly influenced by electrodeposition time (150 s ∼ 300 s). The optimized a-WO 3 /OP-c-WO 3 films exhibited even better electrochromic properties (at 633 nm) with high cycling stability, superior optical modulation (53.9 %), fast response time (3.9 s/6.1 s for bleaching /coloration), and especially high coloration efficiency (51.3 cm2/C), compared with OP-c-WO 3 film (25.1 cm2/C) and a-WO 3 film (35.2 cm2/C), which is unique synergistic effect between the top layer of a-WO 3 and the bottom layer of OP-c-WO 3 film. The ordered porous structure allows the film to fully contact with the electrolyte, thereby providing a greater specific surface area and more active sites for the electrochemical reaction. The electrochromic device (EDC) prototype assembled with a-WO 3 /OP-c-WO 3 laminated film as the electrochromic layer has better electrochromic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale detailed mapping plays a key role in revealing the rupture characteristics and mechanisms of strong earthquakes. Relatively few studies have been performed on the surface ruptures of large earthquakes in central and western Tibet due to its remote nature and high elevation. Based on high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography, we mapped the coseismic surface rupture of the 2014 Yutian Ms7.3 earthquake. Along the western Altyn Tagh fault system, the earthquake produced ≈37 km of surface rupture along the South Xor Kol fault (southern section S1), Xor Kol fault (central section S2) and Ashikule fault (northern section S3). Section S1 has a 16-km-long surface rupture with an average sinistral offset of 52±25 cm and a maximum offset of ~90 cm, while section S3 has a 14.2-km-long surface rupture with an average sinistral offset of 36±21 cm and a maximum offset of ~84 cm. A compilation of 5308 cracks yields an average crack width along the southern section of 85±71 cm and a maximum width of ~700 cm; the average width along the central section is 39±21 cm, and the maximum width is 243 cm; and the average width along the northern section is 61±44 cm with a maximum of ~340 cm. In addition, the average cumulative opening across rupture zone is 3.4±2.9 m along the southern section, with a maximum of ~17 m; 4.3±3.6 m along the central section, with a maximum of ~13 m; and 1.7±1.6 m along the northern section, with a maximum of ~6 m. Evidently, the average crack width and cumulative opening decrease towards bends and steps along the fault. A global synthesis of surface rupture distributions corresponding to strike-slip earthquakes indicates that the rupture zone is wider near the complex parts of fault geometries (such as bends, steps and fault bifurcations) than along straight sections, suggesting that the fault geometry has an obvious control on the surface rupture width. The widespread cracks at the intersection between the Xor Kol and South Xor Kol faults may indicate that an extensional regime is more likely to produce distributed offfault deformation, which provides an observational constraint for the numerical simulation of dynamic rupture on a fault. In addition to coseismic surface rupture, the Yutian earthquake also produced a large number of gravity-driven slides on alluvial fans with gentle slopes. The friction efficiency of the water-bearing salt layer beneath fans could decrease the sliding threshold and trigger instability under surface shaking. These distributed deformations and gravity-driven slides reflect the coupling between the rupture propagation and fault geometry and indicate that the rupture may have propagated in two directions along the Ashikule fault after passing through a step. Therefore, the investigation of coseismic surface rupture provides important observational constraints on the dynamic rupture process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important cause of seismic anisotropic attenuation is the interbedding of thin viscoelastic layers. However, much less attention has been devoted to layer‐induced anisotropic attenuation. Here, we derive a group of unified weighted average forms for effective attenuation from a binary isotropic, transversely isotropic‐ and orthorhombic‐layered medium in the zero‐frequency limit by using the Backus averaging/upscaling method and analyse the influence of interval parameters on effective attenuation. Besides the corresponding interval attenuation and the real part of stiffness, the contrast in the real part of the complex stiffness is also a key factor influencing effective attenuation. A simple linear approximation can be obtained to calculate effective attenuation if the contrast in the real part of stiffness is very small. In a viscoelastic medium, attenuation anisotropy and velocity anisotropy may have different orientations of symmetry planes, and the symmetry class of the former is not lower than that of the latter. We define a group of more general attenuation‐anisotropy parameters to characterize not only the anisotropic attenuation with different symmetry classes from the anisotropic velocity but also the elastic case. Numerical tests reveal the influence of interval attenuation anisotropy, interval velocity anisotropy and the contrast in the real part of stiffness on effective attenuation anisotropy. Types of effective attenuation anisotropy for interval orthorhombic attenuation and interval transversely isotropic attenuation with a vertical symmetry (vertical transversely isotropic attenuation) are controlled only by the interval attenuation anisotropy. A type of effective attenuation anisotropy for interval TI attenuation with a horizontal symmetry (horizontal transversely isotropic attenuation) is controlled by the interval attenuation anisotropy and the contrast in the real part of stiffness. The type of effective attenuation anisotropy for interval isotropic attenuation is controlled by all three factors. The magnitude of effective attenuation anisotropy is positively correlated with the contrast in the real part of the stiffness. Effective attenuation even in isotropic layers with identical isotropic attenuation is anisotropic if the contrast in the real part of stiffness is non‐zero. In addition, if the contrast in the real part of stiffness is very small, a simple linear approximation also can be performed to calculate effective attenuation‐anisotropy parameters for interval anisotropic attenuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-frequency carbody swaying on China's high-speed trains is not only an impediment to ride comfort but it may also be an operational risk under some extreme situations. To study the mechanism and mitigate the carbody swaying problem for high-speed trains, a multibody dynamics model was established based on both linear and nonlinear analyses. Whilst it is generally assumed that carbody swaying is predominantly caused by carbody hunting motion, the results in this paper has shown that, under certain boundary conditions, bogie-hunting motion can also lead to low-frequency carbody swaying. This low-frequency swaying phenomenon was also found to be caused by the excessively low wheel-rail contact or mismatched suspension parameters. Parametric optimization analysis was accordingly conducted from the perspective of the wheel-rail contact relationship and the suspension system. The analysis indicated that although optimizing the suspension parameters can meet the requirement of vehicle stability, bogie's vibration worsen when the wheel profiles wear over time. Overall, while rail reprofiling was found to be one of the fundamental solutions to mitigate carbody swaying, it is cost prohibitive for most routine operational applications. Thus, for economic considerations and the fact that low wheel-rail contact conicity is also a contributing factor to carbody swaying, vehicles with worn wheels can also be operated on the rail line, which was successfully verified by the field data presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the 3rd epidemic coronavirus after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Since December 2019, the outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has aroused great attention around the world. Pregnant women and their fetuses have been concerned as a high-risk population. We explained why pregnant women are susceptible to coronavirus in terms of their adaptive changes in physiology and immune system during pregnancy, and described the associations between maternal clinical symptoms, perinatal outcomes and coronavirus infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low-frequency seismic reflection is important for the characterization of hydrocarbon reservoirs. Previous research has proved that the frequency-dependent component of the low-frequency reflection coefficient is approximately proportional to the reservoir fluid mobility. A low-frequency seismic attribute is defined to extract an approximate measurement of reservoir fluid mobility from seismic reflection data. Based on the high-resolution time–frequency decomposition technology, we apply this seismic attribute to detect hydrocarbons in shale and igneous reservoirs with low porosity and low permeability. The application results illustrate that the low-frequency seismic attribute can not only indicate the spatial distribution of oil and gas, which can help design the optimal landing point and trajectory of directional drilling, but also be approximately proportional to the production of oil and gas, which can be used for resource evaluation during the early exploration stage. We also give a brief discussion on the working mechanism of the low-frequency seismic attribute. The present work may provide some references for the subsequent exploration and research of reservoirs with low porosity and low permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very recently, experimental evidence showed that the hydrogen is retained in dithiol-terminated single-molecule junction under the widely adopted preparation conditions, which is in contrast to the accepted view [Nat. Chem. 11 351 (2019)]. However, the hydrogen is generally assumed to be lost in the previous physical models of single-molecule junctions. Whether the retention of the hydrogen at the gold—sulfur interface exerts a significant effect on the theoretical prediction of spin transport properties is an open question. Therefore, here in this paper we carry out a comparative study of spin transport in M-tetraphenylporphyrin-based (M = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co; M-TPP) single-molecule junction through Au–SR and Au–S(H)R bondings. The results show that the hydrogen at the gold–sulfur interface may dramatically affect the spin-filtering efficiency of M-TPP-based single-molecule junction, depending on the type of transition metal ions embedded into porphyrin ring. Moreover, we find that for the Co-TPP-based molecular junction, the hydrogen at the gold–sulfur interface has no obvious effect on transmission at the Fermi level, but it has a significant effect on the spin-dependent transmission dip induced by the quantum interference on the occupied side. Thus the fate of hydrogen should be concerned in the physical model according to the actual preparation condition, which is important for our fundamental understanding of spin transport in the single-molecule junctions. Our work also provides guidance in how to experimentally identify the nature of gold–sulfur interface in the single-molecule junction with spin-polarized transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although numerous glycosylation methods have been developed for the construction of glycosidic bonds, the pace of discovering rapid assembly strategies to access complex glycosidic linkages never stops. Over the last several years, we have introduced interrupted Pummerer reaction into carbohydrate chemistry and developed two pairs of latent/active glycosyl donors, OPTB/OPSB and SPTB/SPSB glycosides. After thorough investigation of the reaction mechanism and establishment of the substrate scopes, the extension of these novel glycosylation methods to synthesize naturally occurring biological active glycoconjugates was further illustrated. In this account, the development and especially the application of IPRm glycosylation in the synthesis of phenylethanoids and resin glycosides were introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest WHO guideline of CNS tumor defined a RELA fusion-positive ependymoma type with extremely poor prognosis, and the expression of L1CAM was correlated well with the presence of RELA fusion. However, the L1CAM protein expression in large sample gliomas other than ependymoma, its relationship with the RELA gene and its prognostic significance remained unknown. We examined the expression of L1CAM in 565 glioma cases (WHO grade I-IV). The L1CAM IHC-positive cases were selected to test RELA fusion with FISH break-apart probes. L1CAM was positive in 109 cases (19.29%) of all 565 glioma cases, with 18.27% in low-grade gliomas and 19.84% in high-grade gliomas, respectively. Unlike ependymoma, L1CAM protein expression was not correlated with the C11orf95-RELA fusion gene in other gliomas, but it had correction with the patient age (older than 45-year-old, p = 0.006), ATRX mutation (p = 0.003) and Ki67 (p = 0.007). High expression of L1CAM was an independent prognostic factor in our cohort. Further analysis demonstrated that L1CAM strong positive expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis in gliomas, both in our cohort (p < 0.001) and TCGA (p < 0.009) dataset. Although uncorrelated with C11orf95-RELA fusion, L1CAM was a significant poor prognostic marker in glioma patients. More aggressive treatment should be taken for these patients and L1CAM might be a promising therapeutic target in glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the coupling vibration of a flexible carbody and the underneath suspended equipment, a vertical coupled vibration model of a high-speed train was constructed. A roller test rig was conducted to validate the theoretical model. To reduce carbody elastic vibration, the semi-active vibration reduction models based on the Sky-hook and the linear quadratic regulator control strategies were proposed. The semi-active suspension system was installed between the carbody and the suspended equipment, and the influence of the semi-active suspension on carbody vibration reduction was analyzed. The results show that the semi-active suspension can significantly reduce carbody vibration, especially at high operating speeds. The higher the elastic vibration of carbody, the better the vibration reduction effect of the semi-active suspension. Compared with the passive suspension and the semi-active suspension, the semi-active suspension of the Sky-hook control has a relatively wider vibration control range, and has an obvious effect on carbody rigid and elastic vibration reduction. Although the semi-active suspension of the linear quadratic regulator control had little influence on the rigid carbody vibration, it could reduce most of the elastic carbody vibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crustal-scale shear zones are believed to have played an important role in the tectonic and landscape evolution of orogens. However, the variation of long-term rock exhumation between the interior of shear zones and adjacent regions has not been documented in detail. In this study, we obtained new zircon U-Pb, biotite Ar/ Ar, zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He data, and conducted inverse thermal history modeling from two age-elevation profiles (the Pianma and Tu'er profiles) in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Our goal is to constrain the exhumation history of the Gaoligong and Chongshan shear zones and adjacent regions, so as to explore the effect of the shear zones on exhumation and their thermal effect on cooling that should not be ignored. Our results suggest that during the interval of 18-11 Ma the exhumation rates of rocks within the Gaoligong shear zone are anomalously high compared with those outside of. The rapid cooling during 18-11 Ma appears to be restricted to the shear zone, likely due to localized thermal effects of shearing and exhumation. After 11 Ma, both the areas within and outside of the shear zones experienced a similar two-stage exhumation history: slower cooling until the early Pliocene, and then a rapid increase in cooling rate since the early Pliocene. Our results indicate a synchronized exhumation but with spatially varied exhumation rates. Our study also highlights the important role of large-scale shear zones in exposing rocks, and thus the importance of the structural context when interpreting thermochronological data in the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic nanocomposite often compounds diverse physical and chemical properties to realize some novel functions. Herein, the design of a novel magnetic Sn/SnO/FeSn 2 nanocomposite via a one-pot method under reducing conditions is demonstrated at the first time. The three phases, i.e., Sn, SnO, and FeSn 2 , were evenly distributed in the nanocomposite to reach high electrochemical performance and structural stability. The as-prepared magnetic Sn/SnO/FeSn 2 nanocomposite as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) exhibit superior reversible capacity and cycling stability. Specially, the electrode made of the magnetic Sn/SnO/FeSn 2 nanocomposite has a high specific capacity of 791 mAh g−1 and 528 mAh g−1 under the current density of 200 mA g−1 and 2000 mA g−1, respectively, and it exhibits a capacity retention of 92% after 1000 cycles under the current density of 2000 mA g−1. Overall, the as-prepared magnetic Sn/SnO/FeSn 2 nanocomposite has been demonstrated as a promising candidate anode material for LIBs. Unlabelled Image • We designed a novel magnetic Sn/SnO/FeSn 2 nanocomposite. • Synergistic coupling effect of the three components improves capacity and stability. • It presents an ultrahigh cyclic duration (92% retention after 1000 cycles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Yinzhihuang (YZH) liquid, a traditional Chinese medicine mainly composed of extracts of four components, on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) induced by a high‐fat, high‐cholesterol diet (HFHCD) in rats. Methods: Altogether 30 Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomized into three groups: control, the model group (HFHCD + saline) and the treatment group (HFHCD + YZH). Liver histological features and serum biochemical parameters were assessed by the end of the 16th week. RNA sequencing and protein mass spectrometry detection were performed. The genes and proteins expressed differentially were subjected to KEGG pathway enrichment analysis and included in a network‐based regulatory model. Results: The weight, liver and fat indices and serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and total cholesterol levels of the HFHCD + YZH group were all significantly lower than those of the HFHCD + saline group. Moreover, their hepatic steatosis, ballooning and lobular inflammation were relieved, and 64 hepatic genes and 73 hepatic proteins were found to be reversed in their expression patterns after YZH treatment (P < 0.05). The network‐based regulatory model showed that these deregulated genes and proteins were mainly involved in oxidative phosphorylation, Toll‐like receptor, nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain‐like receptor, peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor signaling, nuclear factor‐kappa B tumor necrosis factor signaling pathways and fatty acid metabolism. Conclusion: YZH could alleviate NASH in HFHCD‐fed rats by inhibiting lipogenesis, accelerating lipid β‐oxidation, alleviating oxidative stress and relieving necroinflammation in the liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very recently, experimental evidence showed that the hydrogen is retained in dithiol-terminated single-molecule junction under the widely adopted preparation conditions, which is in contrast to the accepted view [Nat. Chem. 11 351 (2019)]. However, the hydrogen is generally assumed to be lost in the previous physical models of single-molecule junctions. Whether the retention of the hydrogen at the gold—sulfur interface exerts a significant effect on the theoretical prediction of spin transport properties is an open question. Therefore, here in this paper we carry out a comparative study of spin transport in M-tetraphenylporphyrin-based (M = V, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co; M-TPP) single-molecule junction through Au–SR and Au–S(H)R bondings. The results show that the hydrogen at the gold–sulfur interface may dramatically affect the spin-filtering efficiency of M-TPP-based single-molecule junction, depending on the type of transition metal ions embedded into porphyrin ring. Moreover, we find that for the Co-TPP-based molecular junction, the hydrogen at the gold–sulfur interface has no obvious effect on transmission at the Fermi level, but it has a significant effect on the spin-dependent transmission dip induced by the quantum interference on the occupied side. Thus the fate of hydrogen should be concerned in the physical model according to the actual preparation condition, which is important for our fundamental understanding of spin transport in the single-molecule junctions. Our work also provides guidance in how to experimentally identify the nature of gold–sulfur interface in the single-molecule junction with spin-polarized transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Altyn Tagh fault is one of the few great active strike-slip faults in the world. The recurrence characteristics of paleoearthquakes on this fault are still poorly understood due to the lack of paleoseismic records recorded in high-resolution strata. We document a paleoseismic record in a pull-apart basin along the Wuzunxiaoer section of the central Altyn Tagh fault. The high-resolution strata recorded abundant seismic deformations and their sedimentary responses. Four earthquakes are identified based on event evidence in the form of open fissures, thickened strata, angular unconformities, and folds. The occurrence times of the four events were constrained using radiocarbon dating. Event W1 occurred at AD1220-1773, events W2 and W3 occurred between 407 and 215BC, and event W4 occurred slightly earlier at 1608-1462BC, indicating clustered recurrence characteristics. A comparison of the earthquake records along the Wuzunxiaoer section with other records along the Xorkoli section suggests that both sections ruptured during the most recent event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to improve the accuracy of model forecasting, such that forecasters could use model products to make more efficient daily weather predictions. Historical data of the 12 hr following a given time for various meteorological factors from the control forecasts of the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) between 20 ° and 40 ° N latitude and 110 °–130 ° E longitude were used to verify the performance of the proposed method. Eight major meteorological factors were selected via correlation analysis between control forecast meteorological factors and real‐time rainfall. The samples were divided into four types using the K‐means clustered method. Each type was respectively modelled by long short‐term memory (LSTM) in order to correct rainfall forecasts for eastern China. The eight major meteorological factors were used as the model input, and the differences between real‐time rainfall data and model‐forecast rainfall were used as the model output. The corrected results revealed that the root mean square error decreased by 0.65, and the threat scores of light rainfall and rainstorms were improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Aqueous zinc-manganese batteries with reversible Mn2+/Mn4+ double redox are achieved by carbon-coated MnOx nanoparticles. Combined with Mn2+-containing electrolyte, the MnOx cathode achieves an ultrahigh energy density with a peak of 845.1 Wh kg−1 and an ultralong lifespan of 1500 cycles. The electrode behaviors and reaction mechanism are systematically discussed by combining electrochemical measurements and material characterization.There is an urgent need for low-cost, high-energy-density, environmentally friendly energy storage devices to fulfill the rapidly increasing need for electrical energy storage. Multi-electron redox is considerably crucial for the development of high-energy-density cathodes. Here we present high-performance aqueous zinc–manganese batteries with reversible Mn2+/Mn4+ double redox. The active Mn4+ is generated in situ from the Mn2+-containing MnOx nanoparticles and electrolyte. Benefitting from the low crystallinity of the birnessite-type MnO2 as well as the electrolyte with Mn2+ additive, the MnOx cathode achieves an ultrahigh energy density with a peak of 845.1 Wh kg−1 and an ultralong lifespan of 1500 cycles. The combination of electrochemical measurements and material characterization reveals the reversible Mn2+/Mn4+ double redox (birnessite-type MnO2 ↔ monoclinic MnOOH and spinel ZnMn2O4 ↔ Mn2+ ions). The reversible Mn2+/Mn4+ double redox electrode reaction mechanism offers new opportunities for the design of low-cost, high-energy-density cathodes for advanced rechargeable aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures composed of the single layer V 2 O 5 and graphene achieve good chemical diffusion of Li+, high conductivity and cycling stability. Hence, a simple and novel bottom-up approach has been proposed to build the true single layer V 2 O 5 nanoribbon/graphene heterostructures. The single layer V 2 O 5 nanoribbon, which has a thickness of 800 p.m. and are approximate 80 nm in wide, is combined with graphene as sandwich-like heterostructures through the layer-by-layer assembly method. The distinct heterostructures can effectively shorten the practical diffusion pathway for Li+ and improve the electrical conductivity of the overall electrode. Therefore, the as-prepared ultrathin V 2 O 5 nanoribbon/graphene heterostructures exhibit excellent reversible capacity and stable cycling performance as a cathode material for lithium storage. Under the current density of 10 C, the electrode made from the ultrathin V 2 O 5 nanoribbon/graphene heterostructures has an ultrahigh initial discharge capacity of 225 mAh g−1 (with corresponding coulombic efficiency of 99.6%) and a superior capacity retention of 92.8% after 600 charge and discharge cycles. In all, rapid ion and electron diffusions, which are the kinetic demands of alternative electrode material for lithium storage, will be satisfied by our single layer heterostructures. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SCP is one of the significant factors affecting the integrity of subsea wellhead in deepwater wells. In this paper, a new model has been established for predicting the SCP in multilayer casings based on the Darcy percolation flow model and the pressure–volume–temperature equation of state, in which the effect of inter-coupling compression of multilayer casing and volume change of annulus and casing has been considered. An iterative calculation computer program is coded for solving the model. On this basis, the influence of the gas migration parameters, the casing program, the physical properties of fluid in the annulus, and the cement permeability on the SCP is discussed, respectively. Analysis results show that the gas migration has a significant influence on the SCP, which indicates that the importance of the cement sealing performance to the integrity of subsea wellhead. In particular, the gas migration would cause the SCP increase at the beginning and then tend to be stable finally. The increase in the cement permeability, fluid density, or cement top can decrease the time when SCP reaches to stability. On the contrary, the high fluid bulk modulus can increase the time. Casing deformation provided additional annular space for gas migration, the calculation results agree well with field data, and the study provides guidance for the casing program design, the cement job, and the prediction and control of the wellbore integrity in deepwater wells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this work, the benzothiophene structure was introduced into the organic ionic crystals (OICs) for the cost-effective small molecule organic hole transport materials. • The synthesized OIC, S -methyl benzthiophenium tetrafluoroborate ([MBT]BF 4), not only exhibits the high ionic conductivity, but also shows the good interface compatibility with the photoanode. • Applying [MBT]BF 4 into quantum-dot sensitized solar cell (QDSSC) as the matrix of solid-state electrolyte, the device achieves a power conversion efficiency of 5.49% which is higher than those previously reported for the solid-state QDSSCs. Developing cost-effective solid-state electrolyte is a urgent issue and a common request for (photo) electrochemical cells. In this work, a series of organic ionic conductors based on the S -substituted benzothiophenium salts have been synthesized via a simple and low-cost method. Research on the thermal behavior, optical absorption and ionic conductivity shows that S -methylbenzothiophenium tetrafluoroborate ([MBT]BF 4) among them have the good thermal stability, high ionic conductivity and no absorption in the visible region. And the solid-state electrolyte using [MBT]BF 4 as the matrix exhibits the good interfacial compatibility with photoanode. Applying this solid-state electrolyte into the quantum-dot sensitized solar cell (QDSSCs), the device achieves an open circuit voltage of 0.71 V, a short circuit current density of 20.73 mW cm−2, and a power conversion efficiency of 5.49% which is higher than those previously reported for the solid-state QDSSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new multiblock monitoring scheme is developed for monitoring distribution and structure changes in plant-wide process. • A new mutual information-based sparsification method is proposed to divide the process into easy-to-interpret sub-blocks. • A multiblock method based on dissimilarity analysis method is proposed for incipient fault monitoring. Multiblock methods have attracted much attention in monitoring of plant-wide processes. However, most recent works only provide rough division results and do not take the data distribution changes among the process into consideration. To solve these defects, a new multiblock monitoring scheme that integrates a mutual information (MI)-based sparsification method, dissimilarity analysis (DISSIM) method and support vector data description (SVDD) is proposed in this paper. This method makes use of the complex relations between variables and the connections between sub-blocks in process decomposition to produce easy-to-interpret sub-blocks related to the process mechanism. Then DISSIM method is applied in each sub-block for distribution monitoring. The multiblock DISSIM strategy can deal with the local behaviors and distribution changes, improving its sensitivity to incipient changes in plant-wide process. Finally, results in all blocks are combined with SVDD to provide a final decision, and a diagnosis method is proposed for fault diagnosis. Case studies upon a numerical case and Tennessee Eastman (TE) benchmark process demonstrate the effectiveness of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tin monoxide(SnO) has been considered as a promising candidate for the next-generation lithium storage due to its exceptional specific capacity and unique layered structure. However, the huge volume change of SnO during lithiation/delithiation process tends to cause various mechanical failure problems including the delamination between the current collector and the electrode materials, leading to poor stability of the lithium-ion batteries. Herein we propose to solve the interfacial delamination problem by encapsulating the SnO microspheres in amorphous TiO 2. The prepared SnO@amorphous TiO 2 core-shell composite is found quite successful in alleviating the interfacial delamination, resulting in higher capacity retention and faster solid-state ion diffusion. Specifically, the SnO@amorphous TiO 2 core-shell composites electrode shows a stable charge capacity of 253.6 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles, which is much higher than that of the pure SnO electrode (141.1 mAh g-1). Our work provides a guideline for the design and manufacture of the SnO-based electrodes for LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheel–rail contact calculation is of vital importance in vehicle system dynamics. In the existing methods of wheel–rail contact calculation, the finite element method and Kalker's CONTACT program, which are based on the complementary energy principle, are the two methods with accuracy recognised. However, because of its very slow calculation speed, it cannot meet the requirement of online calculation, so a variety of fast non-elliptic algorithms have been proposed. The semi-Hertz method, which is recognised for its great contributions to the fast wheel–rail contact calculation, is based on the concept of virtual penetration. The calculation of virtual penetration is crucial to evaluate the shape and normal pressure distribution of the contact patch. In practice, the virtual penetration is related to the curvature of the whole contact patch; however, the range of the contact patch is determined by the value of penetration. Such an interaction leads the calculation into a dead loop. In the semi-Hertz method, the penetration is calculated by the Hertz parameters of the initial contact point. Thus, the practical range of the method is limited. In this paper, a fast-iterative method for solving virtual penetration is proposed, and a reliable value of virtual penetration can be obtained under any lateral wheel–rail relative curvature variation with good stability and speed. The normal and tangential solutions are analysed with different methods in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A honeycomb-like structured NVP/C/G is constructed by a convenient and universal spray-drying method. • The ED-NVP/C shows faster diffusion kinetics during demagnesiation process. • The R ct shows a positive relationship to the formation of NaV 2 (PO 4) 3 phase. • A Mg full cell prototype based on the ED-NVP/C/G cathode and Mg metal anode is proposed. The high-voltage cathode material based on the sodium super ionic conductor (NASICON) structured Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 (NVP) has been found to be a potential candidate for Mg storage. In this work, to improve its electrochemical performance, we construct honeycomb-like structured NVP/C/G with faster electronic and ionic transport by a convenient and universal spray-drying method for the first time. After electrochemically desodiating two Na from the NVP/C/G (ED-NVP/C/G), the ED-NVP/C/G is tested in highly anhydrous Mg electrolyte, and the insights into its Mg storage property and mechanism are carefully studied. An initial capacity of 87 mAh g−1 with a relatively high average discharge voltage of 2.47 V vs. Mg2+/Mg is obtained at 0.1 C. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show that the inserted Mg2+ ions tend to occupy the Na2 (at 18e sites) vacant sites. The investigation of kinetic process by galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) reveals that the Mg diffusion kinetics is faster during the demagnesiation process. The electrochemical reaction bases on two-phase transition mechanism, and the R ct value shows a positive relationship to the formation of NaV 2 (PO 4) 3 phase. Finally, a Mg full cell prototype based on the ED-NVP/C/G cathode with Mg metal anode is built. The rational structure design of NVP/C/G improves the electrochemical performance for Mg storage, and our work also gives new understanding into the Mg storage mechanism in the ED-NVP/C/G structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Repeated-batch process was applicable for chromium bioleaching from tannery sludge. • Two-stage process reduced sludge retention time and achieved high treatment rate. • High abundance of Acidithiobacillus was critical for effective chromium bioleaching. By using an enriched microbial community, repeated-batch processes for bioleaching of chromium from tannery sludge was set up. The effects of batch-feeding ratio (FR) and sludge total solid (TS) on sludge retention time and treatment rate were investigated and a two-stage repeated-batch process was developed. The results of flask-scale repeated-batch bioleaching suggested that the sludge TS and FR impacted the bioleaching performance and a maximum sludge treatment rate of 6.82 g/L/d was achieved at a TS of 6% and FR of 0.5. Repeated-batch bioleaching using single continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) did not yield a satisfactory treatment rate. However, a two-stage process (two CSTRs in series) successfully reduced the sludge retention time and a maximum sludge treatment rate of 4.60 g/L/d with over 90% chromium removal ratio was achieved. The high relative abundance of Acidithiobacillus was found critical for effective bioleaching; however, other genera including Sulfobacillus, Alicyclobacillus, Mycobacterium , and Acidiphilium might also play important supplementary roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By applying nonequilibrium Green's functions in combination with density-function theory, we investigate the electronic transport properties of armchair graphene nanoribbons devices with one undoped and one nitrogen-doped armchair graphene nanoribbons electrode. For the doped armchair graphene nanoribbons electrode, an N dopant is considered to substitute the center or edge carbon atom. The results show that the electronic transport properties are strongly dependent on the width of the ribbon and the position of the N dopant. The rectifying behavior with large rectifying ratio can be observed and can be modulated by changing the width of the ribbon or the position of the N dopant. A mechanism for the rectifying behavior is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to challenging biodegradability and environmental accumulation, pollutants in the environment and food quality have posed a major concern to human health. Advanced oxidation processes to remediate pollutants have emerged as innovative technologies in the field of water treatment. As complementary pollutants removal technologies, electrochemical advanced oxidation process and heterogeneous photocatalysis have received extensive attention in recent years. According to recent studies, coupling these two techniques into a photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) system considerably reduces both of their limitations and provides synergistic benefits for the degradation process. This article provides a comprehensive review of the developments in PEC for pollutant removal, with focus on the application of such removal. Then the principles of PEC process and photoactive materials are briefly introduced. Finally, the challenges and prospects for PEC degradation pollutants processes are examined. • The advantages and disadvantages of PEC, PC, and EC technologies were evaluated., PC, and EC technologies were evaluated. 2 The degradation rate, mineralization rate and simplification rate of PEC for different pollutants were summarized. 3 The degradable mechanism of harmful pollutants is expounded in the fundamental study. • The degradation rate and mineralization rate of PEC technology for different pollutants were summarized. • The degradable mechanism of harmful pollutants is expounded in the fundamental study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yaw damper, widely employed in high-speed railway vehicles, has played an important role in improving the hunting stability. This paper mainly makes a comprehensive analysis on the effect of yaw damper with its series stiffness value on the stability and bifurcation type of the railway bogie. With the prerequisite of the linear critical speed calculated by mathematical method, Center Manifold Theorem is adopted to reduce the dimension of the model to a planar dynamical system. And the symbolic expression associated with yaw damper and its series stiffness to determine bifurcation type at the critical speed is obtained by the method of Normal Form. As a result, the influence of the variation tendency of the yaw damper and series stiffness on the bifurcation type of the bogie is given qualitatively in contrast to different couples. Finally, numerical analysis of corresponding bifurcation diagrams is given to verify the accuracy of the conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Many studies demonstrated a close relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and leukocyte telomere length (LTL). However, how the LTL changes in T2DM and what are the potential causal factors in it, particularly in patients during a long period treatment, have not been studied. Here we performed a longitudinal observation of LTL in trained T2DM patients during a 6-year follow-up and evaluated the possible risk factors that were associated with LTL alteration.Methods: Seventy-six patients with T2DM were enrolled in this 6-year longitudinal study. The enrolled patients had no severe complication and had never received insulin therapy by the time. Patients were scheduled to visit once every one or two months and their medication changes were recorded. The LTL at the time when patients were enrolled was used as baseline, which was compared with the LTL at 6 year. Multivariable linear regression and exact logistic regression model were adopted to identify independent predictors of telomere length change and telomere length shortening, respectively.Results: Sixty-four patients were successfully followed up. Although mean LTL decreased after 6 years, 30% (19/64) of patients demonstrated LTL lengthening and 70% (45/64) of patients demonstrated LTL shortening. Among them, 18 Patients received insulin treatment during the 6 years. Of these 18 patients, 16 patients showed decreased LTL and only two showed increased LTL. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that change in telomere length during the 6 years was associated inversely with insulin use (β-coefficients: -0.587, 95% CI: -0.198, -0.085, P < 0.001). Exact logistic regression analysis showed insulin use (OR: 17.355, 95% CI: 2.659, 35.627, P = 0.013) and LDL-C(OR: 3.493, 95% CI: 1.559, 10.063, P = 0.007)were independent predicts of telomere length shortening.Conclusions: LTL may increase as well as decrease in T2DM who received antidiabetic treatment. Insulin use may accelerate telomere attrition. Insulin use and LDL-C can predict telomere shortening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]