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The Northeast Plain is the largest maize production area in China, and drip irrigation has recently been proposed to cope with the effects of frequent droughts and to improve water use efficiency (WUE). In order to develop an efficient and environmentally friendly irrigation system, drip irrigation experiments were conducted in 2016–2018 incorporating different soil water conservation measures as follows: (1) drip irrigation under plastic film mulch (PI), (2) drip irrigation under biodegradable film mulch (BI), (3) drip irrigation incorporating straw returning (SI), and (4) drip irrigation with the tape buried at a shallow soil depth (OI); with furrow irrigation (FI) used as the control. The results showed that PI and BI gave the highest maize yield, as well as the highest WUE and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) because of the higher root length density (RLD) and better heat conditions during the vegetative stage. But compared with BI, PI consumed more soil water in the 20–60 and 60–100 cm soil layers, and accelerated the progress of root and leaf senescence due to a larger root system in the top 0–20 cm soil layer and a higher soil temperature during the reproductive stage. SI was effective in improving soil water and nitrate contents, and promoted RLD in deeper soil layers, thereby maintaining higher physiological activity during the reproductive stage. FI resulted in higher nitrate levels in the deep 60–100 cm soil layer, which increased the risk of nitrogen losses by leaching compared with the drip irrigation treatments. RLD in the 0–20 cm soil layer was highly positively correlated with yield, WUE and NUE (P

Plant flavonoids are valuable natural antioxidants. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) leaves are rich in flavonoids, regenerate rapidly, and can adapt to harsh environments, making them an ideal material for flavonoid biofortification. Here, we demonstrate that the B-box (BBX) family transcription factor IbBBX29 regulates the flavonoid contents and development of sweet potato leaves. IbBBX29 was highly expressed in sweet potato leaves and significantly induced by auxin (IAA). Overexpression of IbBBX29 contributed to a 21.37%–70.94% increase in leaf biomass, a 12.08%–21.85% increase in IAA levels, and a 31.33%–63.03% increase in flavonoid accumulation in sweet potato, whereas silencing this gene produced opposite effects. Heterologous expression of IbBBX29 in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) led to a dwarfed phenotype, along with enhanced IAA and flavonoid accumulation. RNA-seq analysis revealed that IbBBX29 modulates the expression of genes involved in the IAA signaling and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Chromatin immunoprecipitation–quantitative polymerase chain reaction and electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that IbBBX29 targets key genes of IAA signaling and flavonoid biosynthesis to activate their expression by binding to specific T/G-boxes in their promoters, especially those adjacent to the transcription start site. Moreover, IbBBX29 physically interacted with developmental and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis-related proteins, such as AGAMOUS-LIKE 21 protein IbAGL21 and MYB308-like protein IbMYB308L. Finally, overexpressing IbBBX29 also increased flavonoid contents in sweet potato storage roots. These findings indicate that IbBBX29 plays a pivotal role in regulating IAA-mediated leaf development and flavonoid biosynthesis in sweet potato and Arabidopsis, providing a candidate gene for flavonoid biofortification in plants.

An experimental study of the 1st order vibration improvement at engine idle condition of a malfunctional vehicle in development is presented in this work. Firstly, the generation mechanism of the vehicle 1st order vibration problem at engine idle is analyzed based on theoretical analysis. Then, experiments are designed to derive the possible vibration excitation source and transfer path through comprehensive analysis. The powertrain rotational system imbalance exceeding a limit is determined to be the main reason for the vehicle 1st order abnormal vibration. The resonance of the mounting system excited by the powertrain rotational system intensifies the 1st order abnormal vibration. Experimental analyses show that the clutch imbalance severely exceeds the prescribed limit, which confirms the diagnosis of the excitation source, and a significant improvement of about 87% of the 1st order vibration can be achieved by adjusting the clutch imbalance.

This study aimed to explore the expressions of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and its receptors IL-23R and IL12RB2 in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) before and after treatment and their relationship with clinical efficacy. A total of 172 LDH patients undergoing surgical treatment in Wuhan Third Hospital, Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University were enrolled as the study group, and 170 healthy subjects as the control group. 5 mL of fasting venous blood was taken before surgery (T0), 1 d (T1), 3 d (T2), 5 d (T3) and 7 d (T4) after treatment respectively. The concentrations of IL-12, IL-23R and IL12RB2 in the two groups were detected, and the correlation between them and the treatment duration and clinical efficacy was analyzed. The study group showed significantly higher serum IL-12, IL-23R and IL12RB2 than the control group before treatment (P < 0.001). In the study group, IL-12, IL-23R and IL-12RB2 were the lowest at T4 (P < 0.001), followed by T3 (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in IL-23R at T1 and T0 (P > 0.050), and in IL12RB2 at T1 and T2 (P > 0.050). Spearman rank correlation showed that IL-12, IL-23R, IL12RB2 were negatively correlated with treatment duration in the study group (P < 0.001), and were positively correlated with clinical efficacy (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the concentrations of serum IL-12, IL-23R and IL12RB2 in LDH patients are significantly higher than those in normal controls. Moreover, the concentrations are closely related to the rehabilitation of patients and are expected to become therapeutic targets for LDH.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of metformin on osteoclast differentiation and apoptosis. Low concentration of metformin inhibited osteoclast differentiation and downregulated the expression of TRAP, RANK, Cathepsink, NFATC-1, MMP-9 and TRAF-6. High concentration of metformin promoted osteoclast apoptosis and upregulated the expression of Bax/Bcl-2 and caspase-3; BV/TV, BS/TV, Tb.N and BMD were increased while Tp.Sp decreased in the group of intraperitoneal metformin+femoral intramedullary osteoclast injection (Met+OC) compared with the control group, 1 nM metformin downregulated Akt, p44/42 MAPK, JNK, p38 MAPK phosphorylation, 5 nM metformin down regulated ERK and Akt phosphorylation. These results suggest that a low concentration of metformin inhibits osteoclast differentiation through PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK signaling pathway; high concentrations of metformin promote osteoclast apoptosis through PI3K/Akt and ERK signaling pathway.

The SMPC (Shape Memory Polymer Composite) is used for space deployable structuredue to their excellent properties. In this paper, the space deployable antenna was designed, whichincludes the design of the basic configuration, the antenna substrate, the SMPC hinge and its location.The modal of the hinge was studied with finite element software ABAQUS. The hinges with differentthickness were analyzed and compared. The modal of single piece antenna was calculated. Thevibration types and natural frequencies of the single piece antenna in connection are obtained. Theeffects of different hinge structures on the overall mode and the natural frequencies of the hinge werestudied. The influence of hinge location on the natural frequencies of deployable antenna was alsostudied. The mode of four pieces antenna in unfolding was calculated, the main vibration types wereobtained, and the natural frequencies were analyzed and compared with that of the single pieceantenna. In unfolding, the natural frequencies of the four pieces antenna are lower than that of thesingle piece one.

SMPC (shape memory polymer composites) has many advantages as a hinge of spacedeployable antenna. The structure of the SMPC hinge is designed and tested in this paper. The basicmechanical properties of composites are calculated. Through finite element simulation, the bendingmoment of the positive and reverse of the lamella with the bending angle as the lamella with the fiberdifferent content, the bending of the lamella with different bending distances was simulated, and thecurves of bending moment with bending angle in different bending distances were obtained. Hingebending process simulation shows when the hinge begins to bend, the stress of the inner positivebending lamella is larger. The stress of the outside bending lamella increases with the increase of thebending angle. As for the relationship of moment-angle, the process of unfolding of the hinge isbasically the same as that of the lamellae. However, the hinge bending moment is much greater thanthe single layer lamella bending moment. The hinge with the structure of back-to-back can increasethe structure stiffness and the bending resilience ability. The tested moment of the hinge is similar tothe simulation result.

The evolution of canopy traits related to maize yield increases has been well documented, but the changes in the root system over decades and their relationships with the water use efficiency (WUE) and nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) require further investigation. In this study, we analyzed the morphological and physiological characteristics of the roots, as well as the water-N uptake, WUE, and NUE under low water/N (LW/LN) and high water/N (HW/HN) supply levels in 11 elite inbred maize lines released in China during the 1960s, 1980s, and 2000s. The results showed that yield improvement in the inbred lines from the 1960s to the 1980s (61–109%) was greater than that in those from the 1980s to the 2000s (6–17%), and the resistance to drought and low N also exhibited a significant linear increase over the decades. The utilization of water and N by the inbred lines evolved efficiently and economically, especially in stressful environments. The improved WUE of modern inbred lines was demonstrated by the higher yield and lower evapotranspiration. The NUE defined as the grain yield obtained per unit of N in plants increased in a linear manner over the three decades, and it was accompanied by higher N accumulation in the grains and greater N translocation efficiency in the roots. However, the agronomic N use efficiency improved from the 1960s to the 1980s, but then decreased from the 1980s to the 2000s. The modern inbred lines tended to produce less redundant roots in the top (0–20 cm) soil layer, whereas root development was enhanced in the deeper soil layer. The morphological properties of the roots (dry weight, length, volume, surface area, weight density, and length density) tended to increase from the 1960s to the 1980s but then decreased from the 1980s to the 2000s, and they had significant quadratic relationships with the yield, WUE, and NUE. By contrast, water/N amount absorbed per unit root volume, the physiological properties related to the root absorption area, root activity improved over the decades, where the physiological properties had positive linear relationships with the yield, WUE, and NUE. Thus, we conclude that the maize roots evolved alongside higher yields and greater tolerance to drought and low N environments. The improved WUE and NUE in the modern inbred lines were associated with the greater physiological absorption capacity of the roots rather than larger root size in normal or stressful environments.

Background With the development of new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, an increasing number of articles have been published regarding hepatocellular carcinoma magnetic resonance imaging (HCCMRI) in the past decade. However, few studies have statistically analyzed these published articles. In this study, we aim to systematically evaluate the scientific outcomes of HCCMRI research and explore the research hotspots from 2008 to 2017. Methods The included articles regarding HCCMRI research from 2008 to 2017 were downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection and verified by two experienced radiologists. Excel 2016 was used to analyze the literature data, including the publication years and journals. CiteSpace V was used to perform co-occurrence analyses for authors, countries/regions and institutions and to generate the related collaboration network maps. Reference co-citation analysis (RCA) and burst keyword detection were also performed using CiteSpace V to explore the research hotspots in the past decade. Results A total of 835 HCCMRI articles published from 2008 to 2017 were identified. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging published the most articles (79 publications, 9.46%). Extensive cooperating relationship were observed among countries/regions and among authors. South Korea had the most publications (199 publications, 21.82%), followed by the United States of America (USA) (190 publications, 20.83%), Japan (162 publications, 17.76%), and the People's Republic of China (148 publications, 16.23%). Among the top 10 co-cited authors, Bruix J (398 citations) was ranked first, followed by Llovet JM (235 citations), Kim YK (170 citations) and Forner A (152 citations). According to the RCA, ten major clusters were explored over the last decade; "LI-RADS data system" and "microvascular invasion" (MVI) were the two most recent clusters. Forty-seven burst keywords with the highest citation strength were detected over time. Of these keywords, "microvascular invasion" had the highest strength in the last 3 years. The LI-RADS has been constantly updated with the latest edition released in July 2018. However, the LI-RADS still has limitations in identifying certain categories of lesions by conceptual and non-quantitative probabilistic methods. Plenty of questions still need to be further answered such as the difference of diagnostic efficiency of each major/ancillary imaging features. Preoperative prediction of MVI of HCC is very important to therapeutic decision-making. Some parameters of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were found to be useful in prediction of MVI, however, with a high specificity but a very low sensitivity. Comprehensive predictive model incorporating both imaging and clinical variables may be the more preferable in prediction of MVI of HCC. Conclusions HCCMRI-related publications displayed a gradually increasing trend from 2008 to 2017. The USA has a central position in collaboration with other countries/regions, while South Korea contributed the most in the number of publications. Of the ten major clusters identified in the RCA, the two most recent clusters were "LI-RADS data system" and "microvascular invasion", indicative of the current HCCMRI research hotspots.

A planar measurement approach is presented to obtain the radiation pattern, by which rotation operations can be removed or reduced for a source with narrow and divergent viewing angle, respectively. The Étendue conservation is applied to derive the intensity distribution relationship between planar and spherical surfaces, which is further used for the radiation feature measurement on planar systems. As an indirect approach, sampling position distribution and measurement sensitivity is then discussed. Four application scenarios of the method are proposed and experimentally studied, including: 1D, 3D wireframe, pattern reconstruction for Monte Carlo ray-tracing planar data and 3D pattern estimation for luminaires. 1D radiation pattern obtained by classical goniophotometer method is employed as an evaluation standard, and experiments indicate that the results agree well between the two approaches. Therefore, the planar measurement can be applied as an alternative or supplementary method of the goniophotometer to test angle-dependent attributes of sources.

This work focuses on developing high-efficiency perylene diimide (PDI)-based small molecular nonfullerene acceptors with a simple synthetic strategy. We reported a new electron acceptor, Py-e-PDI, obtained via cross-coupling four PDI units with a planar pyrene core through ethynyl groups. Although the ring-fusion synthetic procedure was omitted, the large planar core and significantly reduced intramolecular steric hindrance endowed this nonfused PDI-tetramer derivative with moderate planarity. Differing from most of the PDI-tetramers with highly twisted geometries, Py-e-PDI could self-assemble into a highly ordered structure. The inverted solar cells with PTB7-Th/Py-e-PDI blends exhibited the best power conversion efficiency of up to 7.59%, which mainly resulted from the combined contribution of complementary absorption with a donor polymer, desirable aggregation and high electron mobility. Most importantly, this result demonstrates that simply planarizing 3D nonfused perylene diimide based acceptors is effective to improve the performance of the corresponding non-fullerene (NF) acceptors.

MPS (Moving Particle Semi-Implicit) method is an effective method to solve the simulation of large-deformation free surface fluid flow. In order to improve the stability and accuracy of the MPS method, this paper proposes a collision model between fluid particles. The collision model assumes that the collisions between fluid particles are completely elastic collisions and follow the law of conservation of momentum and energy. The improved MPS method is used for the fluid simulation of two-dimensional and three-dimensional fluid dam break model. The simulation results show that the improved MPS algorithm has good stability, the calculation results are in better agreement with the experimental data, and it has a wider range of adaptability. The improved MPS method is more suitable for the simulation of large-deformation free surface fluid flow.

Longitudinal ridge tillage is the conventional tillage method in the cold, Mollisol region of Northeast China in which furrows are oriented up and down the slope. In part due to the use of this tillage system with large slope lengths, soil erosion is a serious problem in this region. Currently, it is unclear what the best tillage system and ridge orientation is for sustainable agriculture in this region. Thus to compare the runoff and soil loss in longitudinal (LRS) and contour ridge (CRS) systems to a flat tillage system (FTS), a series of simulated rainfall experiments were conducted. A large soil pan (8 m-long, 1.5 m-wide, and 0.6 m-deep) and a side sprinkler rainfall simulation system were used in this study with the three tillage systems (LRS, CRS, FTS) under three rainfall intensities (50, 75 and 100 mm h−1) at a 5° slope gradient. The results showed that runoff and soil loss in the LRS were larger than those in the CRS and FTS due to a shift in erosion pattern from sheet to concentrated flow erosion along furrows which led to shear stress increases. Contour ridge failures occurred in the 75 and 100 mm h−1 treatments by breaching of ridges when water stored in furrows exceeded their storage capacity. Breaching changed the runoff and soil loss by providing a large sediment source to the convergent flow. Water storage of CRS furrows was constant as rainfall intensity varied which led to overtopping during large storm conditions. Shifting conventional LRS to CRS with modifications to retain more rainwater during low to moderate rainfall events is highly recommended as this would reduce soil loss and enhance infiltration. The FTS exhibited the lowest runoff and soil loss which is recommended for the Mollisol region of Northeast China in large storm conditions.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dose and radiation-induced liver disease (RILD) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). Twenty-three patients with HCC who received conventional fractionated 3DCRT, including 7 who were diagnosed with classic RILD, were enrolled in this retrospective investigation. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were acquired at the time of treatment for each patient. The beams from each patient's treatment plan were applied to each pretreatment CBCT (the modified CBCT or mCBCT) to construct the delivered dose distribution of the day considering inter-treatment anatomy changes. The daily doses were summed together with the help of deformable image registration (DIR) to obtain the adjusted cumulative dose (Dadjusted). The dose changes to the normal liver between the original planned dose (Dplan) and Dadjusted were evaluated by V20, V30, V40, and the mean dose to normal liver (MDTNL). Univariate analysis was performed to identify the significant dose changes. Among the 23 patients, the liver V20, V30, V40, and MDTNL showed significant differences between Dplan and Dadjusted, with average values of these parameters increased by 4.1%, 4.7%, 4.5%, and 3.9 Gy, respectively (p

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), an extensively used plasticizer, can cause environmental pollution and organ injury. Lycopene (LYC) is a natural carotene that has the potential to prevent chronic diseases. To reveal the effect of DEHP and/or LYC on the kidney, male mice were treated with LYC (5 mg/kg) and/or DEHP (500 mg/kg or 1000 mg/kg) by gavage for 28 days. The study indicated that DEHP caused glomerular atrophy, tubular expansion, disappearance of the mitochondrial membrane, and cristae rupture. DEHP exposure can increase the expression of aquaporin (AQP) subunits and the activity of Ca2+-Mg2+-ATPase and decrease the activity of Na+-K+-ATPase, which results in ion disorder. However, LYC can relieve kidney injury by regulating the activity of ATPase, the expression of ATPase subunits, and AQP subunit expression. The results indicated that AQP was a target for LYC in antagonizing the disturbance of DEHP-induced renal damage.

Off-axis optical system can meet the needs of focus, FOV and optical distortion, the requirement of the optical system for space-borne off-axis mapping camera can be met well. In view of the strict requirements to the linear array horizontality and consistency of confocal plane for all FOV and all spectral, a method of computer aided adjustment model is proposed for quick alignment and test of the focal plane. Compare the traditional method, this method can both improve the efficiency and achieve high accuracy of alignment and test of the focal plane. The alignment and test result to a type long focal length mapping camera indicate that uniformity of the focal plane for all CCDs less than ±0.05mm and the linear array horizontality less than ±1 ′ .The result shows that this method is feasible and efficient. So it can provide a reference to fasten alignment and test of the focal plane for other space-borne off-axis mapping camera.

As a preliminary study for bearingless permanent magnet slice motor (BPMSM) development, an effective means for BPMSM mechanical structure optimization is proposed here by developing a virtual prototype based on Ansoft Maxwell to realize overall performance improvements. First, the sensitivity evaluation index of the candidate mechanical structural parameters for individual BPMSM performance is constructed for selection. Orthogonal tests are performed to determine the dominant mechanical structural parameters to be optimized by utilizing monitored data based on Ansoft Maxwell. A linear regression model of the mechanical structural parameters for specific performances is obtained by utilizing the gradient descent method. Then, a multi-structural optimization regression model of the selected dominant mechanical structural parameters for overall performance is established using an analytic hierarchy process and solved using a genetic algorithm. The simulation results show that the performance of the optimized BPMSM has been comprehensively improved. Specifically, the passive axial stiffness, passive tilting stiffness, force-current coefficient, and motor efficiency increased by 56.4%, 71.3%, 19.6%, and 8.7%, respectively.

The outer tropical cyclone (TC) size was extracted from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) fifth-generation global atmospheric reanalysis (ERA5), the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), and the ECMWF Interim reanalysis (ERA-I), as well as a hybrid reanalysis-observation dataset, the Cross Calibrated Multi-Platform (CCMP) ocean surface wind vector product. Results are compared with the QuikSCAT Tropical Cyclone Radial Structure Dataset (QSCAT-R). Several size metrics were applied including the radii of 6–15 m s⁻¹ winds. The capability of ERA5 in describing TC outer wind fields was evaluated, and improvements in the representation of outer size assessed.The ERA5 reanalysis can resolve stronger TC winds, which leads to more valid outer size samples, especially for the radii of 12 and 15 m s⁻¹ winds, and for the cases with outer sizes of

The individual differences and flexible muscular tissue upon bone make it difficult to realize high accuracy hand motion tracking. A full-pose estimation method is proposed by fusing measurements from an Inertial and Magnetic Measurement Unit (IMMU) in structurized magnetic field derived from a marked permanent magnet. Rather than eliminating the non-geomagnetic field, we realize spatial hand motion estimation (including both the location and orientation) by introducing structurized magnetic field to provide increased physical field dimensions without involving field coupling. The IMMU orientation is derived by using the pose matrix expressed by quaternion with complementary filter. Then, 3D position is localized by solving the magnetic inverse problem with derived orientation. Experiments on a developed platform show that the mean individual orientation error of roll, pitch and yaw attitude angle is 0.61°, 0.52° and 0.92°, respectively. In continuous path tracking, the mean localization error and mean orientation error around Z-axis motion and around X-axis motion is (1.56 mm, 0.12°) and (1.2 mm, 0.10°), respectively. The mean full-pose estimation process time is 1.6 ms. This method provides high-precision full-pose estimation for hand gesture recognition.

Soil aggregates profoundly influence soil fertility and soil erosion. A large number of studies have showed that soil aggregate loss was mainly affected by raindrop impact and runoff detachment during hillslope erosion process; however, few attempts have been made to investigate which one plays the dominant role in soil aggregate loss. Therefore, a laboratory study was conducted to quantify the effects of raindrop impact and runoff detachment on soil erosion and soil aggregate loss during hillslope erosion processes. A soil pan (8 m long, 1.5 m wide, and 0.6 m deep and with an adjustable slope gradient of 0–35°) was subjected to rainfall simulation experiments under two soil surface conditions: with and without raindrop impact through placing nylon net over soil pan. Two rainfall intensities (50 and 100 mm h−1) of representative erosive rainfall and two slope gradients (5 and 10°) in the Mollisol region of Northeast China were subjected to two soil surface conditions. The results showed that raindrop impact played the dominant role in hillslope soil erosion and soil aggregate loss. Soil loss caused by raindrop impact was 3.6–19.8 times higher than that caused by runoff detachment. The contributions of raindrop impact to hillslope soil erosion were 78.3% to 95.2%. As rainfall intensity and slope gradient increased, soil loss caused by raindrop impact and runoff detachment both increased. The loss of each size aggregate was greatly reduced by 46.6–99.4% after eliminating raindrop impact. Meanwhile, the contributions of raindrop impact to the >2, 1–2, 0.5–1, 0.25–0.5 and

Controlling the height of crops plays a crucial role for their yields. The large scale utilization of semi-dwarf varieties has greatly improved crop yield, providing an effective support for world food security. In rice, a main food for over half of the world's population, a number of dwarf loci have been identified. However, most of them are recessive, such as the ‘green revolution’ gene sd1. To gain more beneficial loci for rice breeding programs, exploring new mutations is needed, especially the dominant loci which can be used broadly for hybrid breeding. Here, we isolated a novel dominant dwarf rice mutant, slr1-d5. All of the internodes of slr1-d5 are reduced. We find that the responsiveness of slr1-d5 to gibberellin (GA), GA3, was significantly reduced. Map-based cloning revealed that the dominant dwarfism of slr1-d5 was caused by an amino acid substitution in the N-terminal TVHYNP domain of rice DELLA protein, SLR1, where the conserved amino acid Pro (P) was substituted to His (H). Our findings not only further prove the pivotal role of TVHYNP motif in regulating SLR1 stability, but also provide a new dwarf source for improvement of rice germplasms.

The difference of microstructure of carbon fibers is subtle for the carbon fibers with similar mechanical properties. The mechanical properties and microstructures of six carbon fibers were investigated by a universal material testing machine, X-ray diffraction, small angle X-ray scattering and Raman spectroscopy to reveal the microstructure-dependent tensile strength of carbon fibers. Results indicate that the tensile strength increases with decreasing d002 and ID/IG and with increasing Lc for the five of the six carbon fibers. The dispersion of the tensile strength characterized by the Weibull modulus increases with increasing micropore radius. The Griffith theory over-estimates the tensile strength of the six carbon fibers. A more accurate formula was proposed based on the experimental tensile strength and microstructure of carbon fibers using Mathematics & MATLAB as the simulation tools, which takes into account of the tensile strength loss due to imperfections in the outer-surface and in the inner-surface, defects and the dispersion of fibers, and is validated by T300 data from other researchers.

A visible-light driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor is described that is capable of detecting chloramphenicol (CAP). It is based on the use of a TiO2 based nanorod array (NRA) sensitized with Eu(III)-doped CdS quantum dots. The NRA absorbs visible-light and while strongly depressing the recombination of photogenerated charges, thereby improving photo-to-current conversion efficiency. The introduction of Eu(III) ions promotes the charge transformation and utilization, and this results in a further increase of photocurrent. The NRA was employed as the photoactive material for the fabrication of a PEC aptasensor. CAP-binding aptamers were immobilized on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode that was modified with the NRA. The aptasensor was applied to the determination of CAP by monitoring the decrease in photocurrent (at a typical voltage of 0 V) that is caused by the formation of the aptamer-CAP complex. Under optimal conditions, the response is linear in the 1.0 pM to 3.0 nM CAP concentration range, with a detection limit of 0.36 pM (at S/N = 3). The method was applied to the determination of CAP in spiked milk samples where it gave satisfactory results.

Soil erosion in the Mollisol region of Northeast China is increasingly severe and directly affects national food security and sustainable development. However, few attempts have been made to create a clear distinction between the effects of rainfall and inflow on hillslope soil erosion. A laboratory study was conducted to discuss the roles and contributions of rainfall intensity and inflow rate to hillslope soil erosion and to fit equations based on variations of rainfall intensity and inflow rate (RI + IR) for soil erosion. A soil pan (8 m long, 1.5 m wide and 0.6 m deep and with an adjustable slope gradient of 0°–35°) was subjected to designed rainfall intensities (0, 50 and 100 mm h−1) and inflow rates (0, 50 and 100 mm h−1). The results showed that the effects of RI + IR treatments on hillslope soil loss were significantly greater than those on runoff. Furthermore, the effect of rainfall intensity on hillslope soil loss was significantly greater than the effect of inflow rate. Under the same total water supply, an increase in rainfall intensity resulted in greater average soil loss rates and stronger fluctuations in soil loss than an increase in the inflow rate. The occurrence of rill erosion significantly increased sediment transport capacity on the hillslope, which resulted in an increase in soil loss. Utilizing rainfall intensity and inflow rate, runoff and soil loss equations were generated and validated, and the performances of the two equations were satisfactory. Furthermore, it was determined that both equations are most applicable to the prediction of hillslope soil erosion under long rolling hillslope conditions. For the Mollisol region of Northeast China, the key factor affecting soil erosion on hillslopes is soil particle dispersion caused by rainfall. Therefore, taking measures to cover the soil, such as corn straw mulching, would effectively reduce rainfall erosivity and have significant positive effects on soil erosion prevention and control.

Definitions of polar Gauss and stereographic projections are introduced, and the two projections sketches of the Arctic Circle are drawed with the help of Geocart software, according to these two projections formulae. From the angles of real and complex numbers respectively, direct transformations formulae between polar Gauss and stereographic projections are derived through series of derivations. Finally, correctness and reliabilities of the formulae are tested and verified by numerical examples by comparing the calculated coordinates of the projections formulae with the calculated coordinates of the projection transformations formulae. The formulae have universal applicability, and it can provide reference for polar mapping and navigation.