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This paper explores the typological attributes, practical characteristics, and policy connotations of Christian social service organizations in present China. This is achieved from the perspectives of religion, public administration, social work, and history. Data collection and analysis are based on the literature research and field research methods. The main points are as follows: (1) Christian social service organizations are simultaneously faith-based organizations, legal-person organizations, and professional organizations. These different types of characteristics put forward different requirements for their service functions and performance standards. It is necessary to understand their corresponding boundaries in theory and coordinate or optimize their corresponding functions in the system; (2) Christian social service organizations present the characteristics of pluralism and transition in the practice process, as well as form complex symbiosis and embedded relationships with non-religious professional service systems. Further, they have begun to reach a consensus on industry codes of practice, service concepts, and clinical models, especially in regard to the culturally sensitive service centered on the clients; and (3) the triple-type attributes of Christian social service organizations require government departments and professional circles to direct more attention to the "matrix" of policy tools—in other words, formulate more discerning and diverse policy measures in line with policy objectives, as well as strengthen the legalization of the policy implementation mechanism and the level of collaborative governance of religious social service organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's religious social services complement the statutory welfare. Clarifying the situations and characteristics of different types of religious social services is conducive to promoting their better integration into public welfare. With the help of existing policy texts, research documents, and website data, this paper employs the thematic framework analysis method to analyze texts and documents and uses NVivo12 and SPSS26 to analyze website data. We explore the similarities and differences between contemporary Chinese Protestant social services and Buddhist social services from the perspectives of the service program, service organizations, and service resources, starting from multiple dimensions such as vertical and horizontal, similarity and difference. The main findings include the following: (a) In terms of service programs, Protestant social services are more inclusive than Buddhist social services and more public in terms of participant selection, religious environment, and the use of spiritual methods. Protestant social services are more open in terms of service value and public expression, while Buddhist social services are more localized and are politically consistent with the government. (b) In terms of service organizations, Protestant social services and Buddhist social services are based on three main types of legal persons. Protestant social services were the first to register organizational legal persons. Protestant social organizations differentiated into special service institutions and have core organizations with strong mobilization capabilities (CCC/TSPM). There is little difference between Protestant and Buddhist social services in private non-enterprise units and foundations (transparency index, business scope). (c) In terms of service resources, both Protestant and Buddhist social services rely on donations. The sources of funds for Protestant social services are more international, diversified, and market-oriented. In terms of government resource acquisition, Protestant social services actively "adapt", while Buddhist social services passively "rely". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface treatments are always needed to enhance corrosion‐resistant performance of aluminum (Al) alloys when they are used in seawater environments. The paper aimed to prepare the composite oxide ceramic coating on Al alloy 7075 by combining micro‐arc oxidation (MAO) and magnetron sputtering technology. The Al substrate was precoated with titanium (Ti) layer by using the magnetron sputtering technology and then treated by MAO in the alkaline aluminate electrolyte, resulting in a composite MAO coating, which is composed of Al2O3 and TiO2 along with the complex oxide (Al2TiO5). The potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were carried out to evaluate the corrosion performance of the MAO coatings in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. Better corrosion resistance was observed for composite oxide coating than the reference MAO coating on the bare Al, as evidenced by the higher corrosion potential of −0.664 V versus Ag/AgCl and the lower corrosion current density of 4.41 × 10‐6 A/cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns with a reaction–diffusion susceptible-vaccinated-infectious-recovered model with a fixed latent period. The model is formulated as a non-local and time-delayed reaction–diffusion model due to the fact that an individual infected by the disease in one place may not stay at the same space in the domain due to the movement of human during the incubation period. We then derive the basic reproduction number ℜ 0 as the spectral radius of the next infection operator and show that it serves as a threshold role in predicting whether the disease will spread. Further, the explicit formula of basic reproduction number is obtained when all model parameters to be positive constants and the domain to the one-dimensional case. Moreover, we demonstrate the differences in the form of basic reproduction number between the standard incidence and bilinear incidence rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Reports of new Li-Nd isotope, major and trace element data of the Jiajika 3-km scientific drilling core. • Extreme magmatic differentiation as a direct origin for Li mineralization in the Jiajika Li deposit. • Fluid exsolution is not necessarily required for Li mineraltization. Although the metallogenic mechanism of the Jiajika super-large Li deposits in the eastern Tibetan Plateau has been proposed closely linked to development of the Majingzi granite pluton, the petrogenesis and evolutionary linkages between granite–pegmatites and Li mineralization still remain controversial. Here we investigated Li-Nd isotopes together with major and trace elemental data from a 3-km scientific drillcore and surface samples (including the Li-rich/poor pegmatites, the associated two-mica granite and the metasedimentary rocks) to reveal the magmatic evolution and Li-enrichment mechanism of the Jiajika deposit. In the drillcore, the Li-poor pegmatites overall exhibit low Li isotope values (δ7Li = −1.38 ‰ to +1.98 ‰, mean of +0.34 ‰) and low Li contents (67 to 45 ppm), while the Li-rich pegmatites show slightly higher δ7Li values (+0.9 ‰ to +1.1 ‰) and high Li contents (3078 to 6012 ppm). Additionally, the Li-poor pegmatites have ε Nd (t) values of −17.1 – −2.5 (mean of −10.34) and low Nd concentration (<10 ppm), similar to the two-mica granite (ε Nd (t) avg = −11.18 and Nd avg = 7.08 ppm), whereas the schists and calc-silicate rocks in the drillcore have relatively higher ε Nd (t) values (−11.9 to −2.4 with a mean of −7.3) and Nd contents (>20 ppm). These data, together with consistently low Nb/Ta、Zr/Hf of the deep-drilled pegmatites and two-mica granites, suggest that the Jiajika pegmatites are not directly derived from low degrees of partial melting of the Triassic metasediments (e.g., biotite shists or calc-silicate rocks), but more likely from extreme magmatic fractional crystallization of the Majingzi two-mica granite pluton. For the surface samples, the δ7Li values of the surface Li-poor pegmatite samples (−0.61 ‰ to +2.56 ‰ with a mean of +0.36 ‰) are slightly higher than that of the Li-rich pegmatites (−0.52 ‰ to −0.27 ‰ with a mean of −0.39 ‰), and the two-mica granites samples show relatively variation in δ7Li (−1.25 ‰ to +3.33 ‰ with a mean of +0.73 ‰). The surface granites and pegmatites are characterized by high A/CNK values (>1.1) and low K/Rb values (<200), and particularly, the degree of REE tetrad effect gradually increases from granites to pegmatites. We suggest that the Majingzi two-mica granites exposed by the Jiajika gneiss dome is analogous to the deeper granitic sheet implied by the 3 km deep drilling, which both are strongly peraluminous S-type granites with a highly fractionation. Based on the degree of evolution of the Li-rich, Li-poor pegmatites and the two-mica granites and other geochemical evidence, we used a Rayleigh fractionation model to reproduce Li isotope variations in different types of rocks around the Jiajika deposit, suggesting an extreme magmatic differentiation without significant fluid exsolution as the origin for Li enrichments in pegmatites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sichuan–Yunnan–Guizhou (SYG) Pb–Zn mineral province, which has significant Pb–Zn repositories in China, is situated in the western Yangtze Block. Despite decades of research, the Pb–Zn source of deposits is still disputed between the basement rocks, sedimentary wall rocks, or the Emeishan flood basalts. The newly-discovered Laoxiongdong Pb–Zn deposit is hosted by the Late Ediacaran Dengying Formation in the SYG province. Moreover, the Laoxiongdong orebodies lie between regional deep faults and close to the Proterozoic basement and Emeishan basalts. Hence, this deposit represents a good case study on the ore-forming material source for the regional Pb–Zn mineralization. The Laoxiongdong Pb–Zn ores are massive, vein, or disseminated and have mainly sphalerite, galena, pyrite, quartz, and calcite. In this paper, we present new sulfide S–Pb–Zn isotope data of the deposit. The sulfide δ34SCDT values (+ 11.8 to + 16.5 ‰) suggest that the reduced sulfur was mainly sourced from evaporites in the Late Ediacaran–Cambrian sequences. Pb isotopic ratios (206Pb/204Pb = 18.004–18.107, 207Pb/204Pb = 15.652–15.667, and 208Pb/204Pb = 38.037–38.248) suggest that the lead metal was primarily originated from the basement rocks. The sphalerite δ66Zn values (+ 0.16 to + 0.37 ‰) are also highly similar (within error) to those of basement rocks (+ 0.10 to + 0.34 ‰), suggesting a basement-rocks zinc source with minor contributions from the carbonate host rocks and Emeishan flood basalts. The narrow sphalerite Zn isotopic range (0.21 ‰) also indicates that the Zn isotopic fractionation between the sphalerite and initial fluid was limited during the sphalerite ore precipitation. Therefore, we propose that both the Late Ediacaran Dengying Formation rocks and Proterozoic basement rocks were important ore-forming material source for the Laoxiongdong deposit, whereas the Emeishan flood basalts represent only a minor ore-material source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Both S- and I-type granitoids occur in the Yajiang gneiss dome group. • The S-type granitoids originated from partial melting of metapelites. • The I-type granitoids possibly derived from partial melting of a complicated magmatic sources. • The granitoids were generated in the syn/post-collisional setting, indicating affinity between Songpan-Ganze and Yangtze. Numerous Mesozoic granitoid plutons with a substantial variety of petrologic and geochemical signatures intrude the Triassic metasedimentary rocks of the Songpan-Ganze accretionary-orogenic wedge in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. These granitoid rocks generally exhibit sharp contact with the Triassic sedimentary rocks. To better understand the genesis and emplacement of magmas associated with tectonic accretion along convergent plate boundaries, we present new LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb geochronology, major and trace elements, and Sr–Nd–Pb–Hf isotopic compositions for intermediate-to-felsic plutons in the Yajiang gneiss dome group (YGDG), including the Changzheng pluton, the Jiajika (Majingzi) pluton, the Rongxuka pluton, the Xiya pluton, the Xinduqiao pluton, and the Waduo diorite dikes in the eastern margin of the Songpan-Ganze orogenic belt (SGOB). By their typical petrological and geochemical characteristics, these plutons are classified as I-type granodiorite-diorite (Rongxuka, Xiya, Xinduqiao plutons, Waduo dikes) or S-type granite (Changzheng and Jiajika plutons). I-type granodiorite-diorites exhibit a high Mg# (average 49), medium-K cala-alkiline signature and are enriched in large-ion lithophile elements (e.g., Rb, Th, and U) but depleted in high field strength elements (e.g., Nb, Ta, and Ti), and with lower initial 87Sr/86Sr values (0.70622 to 0.70863) but a relatively high and concentrated ε Hf (t) (−27 to −1.9) and ε Nd (t) (−4.02 to −7.51); while S-type granites exhibit a high silica, high-K cala-alkiline signature with strong negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.17–0.64), and possess high initial 87Sr/86Sr values but low ε Hf (t) (−40.1 to −0.9) and ε Nd (t) (−8.72 to −12.14) signatures, forming through partial melting of metasedimentary rocks from an ancient crust source. LA–ICP–MS zircon U-Pb dating indicates that they were emplacement between 207.2 ± 1.4 and 223.6 ± 2.2 Ma. Both types of granitoid rock were formed by the crustal partial melting followed by extensive fractional crystallization under high-temperature (700–850 °C), low-pressure (<15 kb) conditions. In combination with previous studies, our data provide evidence for an affinity between the eastern Songpan-Ganze andthe Yangtze craton basements, and suggest that the granitoid plutons formed in a syn -collisional to post-collisional setting at ca. 207–223 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combination of chemotherapy and small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based nanotherapeutics could cooperatively and effectively suppress multiple drug resistance in cancer development. Particularly, nano-delivery systems that efficiently encapsulate two or more therapeutic payloads to the tumor-targeted sites have been proven significantly. Here, we prepared a micellar nanoparticle formed by monomethoxy poly (ethylene glycol)–block–poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(L-lysine)/cholesterol (mPEG-b-PCL-b-PLL/Chol, further abbr. as "P"). In this work, PCL as the hydrophobic core to encase doxorubicin and PLL as the cationic moiety to bind with negatively charged siRNA are used to achieve the co-delivery of therapies in one platform. The results showed that the micellar nanoparticle is capable of delivering siRNA and doxorubicin simultaneously to the same tumor cells, and consequently displays enhanced inhibition efficiency on MCF-7/ADR cells. Moreover, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot experiments indicated that the co-delivery of micelleplex-delivering B-cell lymphoma 2 specific siRNA (siBcl) successfully down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 protein, which triggers chemotherapy to be more sensitive to the cancer cells. Therefore, the strategy of co-delivering anticancer drug and siRNA showed promising potential in reversing drug resistance of tumor cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the big data accumulation in ecology picks up pace, we now have the opportunity to test several macroecological hypotheses, such as the latitudinal herbivory hypothesis (LHH) dated from the 1990s. The LHH proposes that plant–herbivore interactions decrease as latitude increases, that is, from lower latitudinal areas (i.e., the equator) to higher latitudinal areas (i.e., the poles). This hypothesis has been challenged in recent years. In this study, we used the greatest volume dataset of leaf herbivory from the study of Zhang et al. (Journal of Ecology, 104, 2016, 1089) to test the LHH at a global scale, based on a quantile regression model. We found that the mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, and potential net primary production were heterogeneously correlated with herbivory at different quantiles or variable intervals. Although the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and the global‐scale trends are in accordance with the expected latitudinal variation, the Southern Hemisphere (SH) was found to exhibit inverse trends. The latitude has a negative effect on plant–herbivore interactions in the NH and on a global scale; leaf herbivory decreased more at a given latitude in higher latitudinal areas, which is attributed to harsher survival conditions in these areas. The uniformity of leaf herbivory variability along the climate and latitude gradient in the NH and on a global scale motivates that the loosening of this herbivory variability in the SH is not significant enough to dismiss the prevalence of the LHH, a testable macroecology hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We choose the delay as a variable parameter and investigate the Lorentz-like system with delayed feedback by using Hopf bifurcation theory and functional differential equations. The local stability of the positive equilibrium and the existence of Hopf bifurcations are obtained. After that the direction of Hopf bifurcation and stability of periodic solutions bifurcating from equilibrium is determined by using the normal form theory and center manifold theorem. In the end, some numerical simulations are employed to validate the theoretical analysis. The results show that the purpose of controlling chaos can be achieved by adjusting appropriate feedback effect strength and delay parameters. The applied delay feedback control method in this paper is general and can be applied to other nonlinear chaotic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the motivational factors for students to take up social work as a degree programme at the postgraduate level. The study reports on qualitative interviews (N = 66) conducted with conveniently selected postgraduate social work students at ten different university departments of social work across India and China. The findings revealed that there are (1) gaps in entry to MSW program: need to rethink admission policy; (2) gaps in the impact of studying social work: need to focus on social change and transformation; (3) gaps in career preferences after studying social work: need to focus on career guidance. The result of the study provides information on current international social work developments in education and help policymakers and educators to change or enhance their approaches towards understanding social work theory, teaching practice and student recruitment policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General circulation models and empirical observations show that rainfall patterns will become increasingly erratic in the future as the paradigm “dry gets drier, wet gets wetter” becomes globally prevalent. Currently, few field studies have evaluated the long-term effects of extreme precipitation on forest ecosystems based on tree physiology. To provide a better mechanistic understanding of these effects, a two-year “Precipitation Seasonal Distribution Changes” experiment (PSDC) was conducted in lower subtropical China. The treatments included “Drier dry season and wetter wet season (DD)”, ‘Extended dry season and wetter wet season (ED)” and “Ambient control (AC)’. The throughfall of the DD treatment was excluded during the dry season (October-March of the following year) to simulate drought, whereas the throughfall of the ED treatment was excluded in the spring (April-May) to simulate spring drought without significant altering the total annual precipitation input. The sap flow, water use efficiency, leaf and wood nutrient content and morphological parameters of two co-occurring tree species, Michelia macclurei Dandy and Schima superba Gardner & Champ., were quantified to elucidate the physiological mechanisms that occur in response to rainfall pattern changes. Our results indicated that the whole-tree transpiration per unit sapwood area ( J s ) and intrinsic water use efficiency ( WUE i ) showed homeostatic responses. Tree transpiration and response parameters to environmental variables (vapor pressure deficit [VPD] and photosynthetically active radiation [PAR]) did not show significant treatment effects regardless of drought , spring drought or irrigation periods. However, the leaf nitrogen (N area ) and phosphorus (P area ) content showed fluctuations, particularly the leaf N:P ratio, which showed that rainfall pattern changes had adverse effects on nutrient acquisition in this dual nitrogen- and phosphorus- limited forest ecosystem. The wood stoichiometry was more conserved than the leaf stoichiometry. For a given leaf 13 C discrimination (≈ c i / c a ), the wood 13 C discrimination did not show treatment or species effects, suggesting that the carbon transfer of trees was not affected by rainfall patterns. The branch A s :A l was significantly negatively correlated with the parameters representing the sensitivity of tree transpiration to VPD, indicating that the trees maintained homeostatic responses by combining stomatal control and morphological adjustments. In mesic environments, the two studied tree species showed high resilience to seasonal rainfall pattern changes and homeostatic responses to nutrient acquisition, light use and water uptake, which is consistent with the ‘ecohydrological equilibrium theory’. In conclusion, the shallow-rooted M. macclurei presented a growth advantage in mesic environments or under mild water stress, whereas the deeply rooted S. superba is more competitive under predicted prolonged drought scenarios, such as DD and ED rain patterns, because of its greater morphological plasticity and increased water uptake from groundwater. Both species are common in south and eastern China but present inherently different responses to seasonal precipitation changes, which implies that changes in the timing and magnitude of precipitation may have consequences for plant nutrient acquisition and water balance and the potential to alter community composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we focus on the qualitative analysis of a parabolic-elliptic attraction-repulsion chemotaxis model with logistic source. Applying a fixed point argument, -estimate technique and Moser's iteration, we derive that the model admits a unique global solution provided the initial cell mass satisfying for While for , there are no restrictions on the initial cell mass and the result still holds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely accepted that substantial nighttime sap flux ( J) or transpiration ( E) occurs in most plants, but the physiological implications are poorly known. It has been hypothesized that J or E serves to enhance nitrogen uptake or deliver oxygen; however, no clear evidence is currently available. In this study, sap flux ( J) in Eucalyptus grandis × urophylla with apparent stem photosynthesis was measured, including control trees which were covered by aluminum foil (approximately 1/3 of tree height) to block stem photosynthesis. We hypothesized that the nighttime water flux would be suppressed in trees with lower stem photosynthesis. The results showed that the green tissue degraded after 3 months, demonstrating a decrease in stem photosynthesis. The daytime J decreased by 21.47 %, while J decreased by 12.03 % in covered trees as compared to that of control, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.01). The linear quantile regression model showed that J decreased for a given daytime transpiration water loss, indicating that J was suppressed by lower stem photosynthesis in covered trees. Predawn ( ψ) of covered trees was marginally higher than that of control while lower at predawn stomatal conductance ( g), indicating a suppressed water flux in covered trees. There was no difference in leaf carbon content and δC between the two groups, while leaf nitrogen content and δN were significantly higher in covered trees than that of the control ( P < 0.05), indicating that J was not used for nitrogen uptake. These results suggest that J may act as an oxygen pathway since green tissue has a higher respiration or oxygen demand than non-green tissue. Thus, this study demonstrated the physiological implications of J and the possible benefits of nighttime water use or E by the tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a feasible scheme for implementing quantum secure direct communication in trapped ion systems. According to the results measured by the sender, the receiver can obtain different secret messages in a deterministic way. Our scheme is insensitive to both the initial vibrational state and heating. The probability of the success in our scheme is 1.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the dynamic behavior of a new Lorenz-like chaotic system with distributed delayed feedback by the qualitative analysis and numerical simulations. It is verified that the equilibria are locally asymptotically stable when α∈(0,α0) and unstable when α∈(α0,∞); Hopf bifurcation occurs when α crosses a critical value α0 by choosing α as a bifurcation parameter. Meanwhile, the explicit algorithm for determining the direction of the Hopf bifurcation and the stability of the bifurcating periodic solutions is derived by normal form theorem and center manifold argument. Furthermore, regarding α as a bifurcation parameter, we explore variation tendency of the dynamics behavior of a chaotic system with the increase of the parameter value α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of discrete SI epidemic model, which has been obtained by the forward Euler scheme, is investigated in detail. By using the center manifold theorem and bifurcation theorem in the interior R+2, the specific conditions for the existence of flip bifurcation and Neimark-Sacker bifurcation have been derived. Numerical simulation not only presents our theoretical analysis but also exhibits rich and complex dynamical behavior existing in the case of the windows of period-1, period-3, period-5, period-6, period-7, period-9, period-11, period-15, period-19, period-23, period-34, period-42, and period-53 orbits. Meanwhile, there appears the cascade of period-doubling 2, 4, 8 bifurcation and chaos sets from the fixed point. These results show the discrete model has more richer dynamics compared with the continuous model. The computations of the largest Lyapunov exponents more than 0 confirm the chaotic behaviors of the system x→x+δ[rN(1-N/K)-βxy/N-(μ+m)x], y→y+δ[βxy/N-(μ+d)y]. Specifically, the chaotic orbits at an unstable fixed point are stabilized by using the feedback control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A discrete two-species competitive model is investigated. By using some preliminary lemmas and constructing a Lyapunov function, the existence and uniformly asymptotic stability of positive almost periodic solutions of the system are derived. In addition, an example and numerical simulations are presented to illustrate and substantiate the results of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying the sensitivity of trees to environmental variables such as vapor pressure deficit ( D ) is important for understanding the hydrological responses to land use changes and the role of underlying physiological mechanisms. Sap flux ( J s ), water transport, and sensitivity of canopy stomatal conductance ( G s ) to D ( m ) were determined during the early dry season in 2012 and 2013 for young timber trees (5 years), secondary forest trees (∼25 years), and mature forest trees (∼50 years) at three sites of lower subtropical China. The J s was found to be negatively correlated with tree biometric parameters, and whole tree water transport for a given tree size decreased with age or size, which was partially attributed to the lower sapwood quantity for a given diameter. The m and reference G s at 1 kPa ( G sref ) of the seven tree species decreased from young timber to mature trees, although not significantly. The D , which is the extrapolated value when stomata closure ( e b/m ), significantly varied among species, which decreased from isohydric Eucalyptus grandis × urophylla to more anisohydric Acacia auriculiformis and Eucalyptus citriodora . J s and maximum sap flux ( J s,max ) decreased with wood density, suggesting that water flux was regulated by biophysical constraints. Wood density was a good predictor of G sref ( r 2 = 0.664, P = 0.026), indicating that water flux to D is an intrinsic adaptive characteristic. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study linking wood density and G sref . The responses of water flux to D varied among species, size or age, and hydraulic architecture, which highlights that modeling water budget to land cover transition based on the same hydraulic parameter from one land use scenario can potentially cause extensive errors in model prediction. Our empirical research could be used for the evaluation of the consequences of land use changes on the hydrological process of forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study compares and deciphers the differences in tribological performance of CrN coatings after incorporation of Cu moiety, i.e. CrCuN coatings, prepared using DC magnetron sputtered physical vapor deposition (PVD), under glycerol lubrication conditions. The structures, compositions and mechanical properties of the coatings were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and nano-indentation. CrCuN coatings present superior mechanical characteristics than CrN coatings. Reduced COF and wear rate values were observed more for the CrCuN coating than the CrN coating. The reason why glycerol exhibits better friction-reducing and wear protection performance in CrCuN coatings than CrN coatings is explained using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Glycerol molecules were found to be easily degraded on the surface of the CrCuN coating during the sliding process to form a tribofilm which can greatly reduce the friction and wear. • The study compares the differences in tribological performance of PVD CrN and CrCuN coatings under glycerol lubrication. • The structures, compositions and mechanical properties of the coatings were investigated. • Reduced COF and wear rate values were observed more for the CrCuN coating than the CrN coating. • Glycerol molecules were found to be easily degraded to form a tribofilm which can greatly reduce the friction and wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA polymerase delta 1 catalytic subunit (POLD1) plays a vital role in genomic copy with high fidelity and DNA damage repair processes. However, the prognostic value of POLD1 and its relationship with tumor immunity in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remains to be further explored. Transcriptional data sets and clinical information were obtained from the TCGA, ICGC, and GEO databases. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were derived from the comparison between the low and high POLD1 expression groups in the TCGA–KIRC cohort. KEGG and gene ontology (GO) analyses were performed for those DEGs to explore the potential influence of POLD1 on the biological behaviors of ccRCC. The prognostic clinical value and mutational characteristics of patients were described and analyzed according to the POLD1 expression levels. TIMER and TISIDB databases were utilized to comprehensively investigate the potential relevance between the POLD1 levels and the status of the immune cells, as well as the tumor infiltration of immune cells. In addition, RT-qPCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and several functional and animal experiments were performed for clinical, in vitro and in vivo validation. POLD1 was highly expressed in a variety of tumors including ccRCC, and further verified in a validation cohort of 60 ccRCC samples and in vitro cell line experiments. POLD1 expression levels in the ccRCC samples were associated with various clinical characteristics including pathologic tumor stage and histologic grade. ccRCC patients with high POLD1 expression have poor clinical outcomes and exhibit a higher rate of somatic mutations than those with low POLD1 expression. Cox regression analysis also showed that POLD1 could act as a potential independent prognostic biomarker. The DEGs associated with POLD1 were significantly enriched in the immunity-related pathways. Moreover, further immune infiltration analysis indicated that high POLD1 expression was associated with high NK CD56bright cells, Treg cells, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells' (MDSCs) infiltration scores, as well as their marker gene sets of immune cell status. Meanwhile, POLD1 exhibited resistance to various drugs when highly expressed. Finally, the knockdown of POLD1 inhibited the proliferation and migration, and promoted the apoptosis of ccRCC cells in vitro and in vivo, as well as influenced the activation of oncogenic signaling. Our current study demonstrated that POLD1 is a potential prognostic biomarker for ccRCC patients. It might create a tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment and inhibit the susceptibility to ferroptosis leading to a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the types, faith attributes, development characteristics, and limitations of Christian social organizations in China. China's religious social service organizations mainly include four types of organizations: associations, private non-enterprise units, foundations, and venues for religious activities. From the perspective of faith attributes, they can be divided into faith-permeated organizations, faith-centered organizations, faith-affiliated organizations, faith-background organizations, and faith–secular partnerships. Since the reform and opening up in 1978, China's Christian social services have been in a period of organizational reconstruction. The main development characteristics are as follows: (a) social services have begun to take on multiple forms; (b) institutional services have transferred their original focus on those with disabilities to the elderly, and the services have been gradually extended from the low-income populations to other target groups; and (c) the basic functions of social services are still in the recovery stage, and the organizational system and service scale are not complete and sufficient. The multiple limitations of Christian social services involve (a) the social development stage and institutional background; (b) government policy text and implementation; and (c) maturity of its own organizational structure and service ability. There is still a long way to go to achieve the basic goals of reconstruction and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurturing new, competent social work professionals requires multilevel preparation extending from school to the workplace. However, not much has been done to understand this school-to-work transition process in countries where the social work profession is still in an early stage of development. This paper reports the findings of an exploratory qualitative study of 28 new social workers in China, where social work is an emerging profession, on how they entered the field and what challenges they encountered. Their stories indicate that what they learned in school did form a foundation for the establishment of their professional identity in the workplace. However, due to workplace politics and to the lack of recognition of their professional status, they experienced an unsettling induction process. Coupled with the challenges of inadequate financial compensation, the careers of these new social workers may face an early end despite the great future for the profession promised by the government. Implications of this study for social work education in China are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Laochang polymetallic ore deposit at Lancang is one of the well known ancient ore deposits associated with volcanic rocks in the Sanjiang (Tri-river) region of Southwest China. Volcanic rocks are dominated by alkali basalt and trachyte basalt. There has long been a controversy on the environment of formation of basalts. Some scholars hold that the basalts were formed in a continental environment, some thought they were formed in an oceanic environment and others considered that the basalts were emplaced in a back-arc basin. This study focuses on the geochemical characteristics of the basalts on the basis of their major elements, REEs and trace elements. At the same time, strongly incompatible elements such as Ta, Th and Hf and their ratios were used to differentiate the geotectonic settings of basalts. The results showed that the basalts in the region studied were formed in a continental rift environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a diffusive host-pathogen model with horizontal transmission and heterogeneous parameters is proposed and analyzed. We first prove the global existence of solution and a global attractor of the model. We then give the threshold dynamics for extinction and persistence of the disease. Our result suggests that by adding horizontal transmission, even a homogeneous case, the basic reproduction number is larger than the case without horizontal transmission mechanism. This may lead to over-evaluating the threshold role of the basic reproduction number. Finally, we also carry out the bifurcation analysis of steady state solutions by considering disease-induced mortality as the main bifurcation parameter, and such results can help us better understanding how it affects the spatial pattern of the pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a reaction–diffusion SVIR epidemic model in a spatial heterogeneous environment is proposed. We defined the basic reproduction number ℜ 0 and showed that it is a threshold parameter, which determines the disease extinction or persistence in the case of a bounded domain. The global attractiveness of the constant positive steady state and the explicit formula of ℜ 0 are obtained when the space is homogeneous. Simulation results reveal that the spatial heterogeneity can enhance the spread risk of the disease. It is found that the distribution of infected individuals is affected by different diffusion rate and its prevalence becomes higher when a larger diffusion rate is used. The relationship among the basic reproduction number, the vaccination rate and recovery rate of vaccinated individuals and infected individuals are also addressed. If the recovery rates of vaccinated individuals and infected individuals are sufficiently large, disease can be eradicated by conducting suitable vaccination strategy, which reveals that increasing the recovery rates of vaccinated individuals and infected individuals seems more important than increasing vaccination rate. • We have shown that ℜ 0 determines the disease extinction or persistence. • We concluded that the spatial heterogeneity can enhance the spread risk of the disease. • We found that increasing the recovery rates of vaccinated and infected individuals seems more important than increasing vaccination rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with chaos control and bifurcations of the Leslie–Gower type generalist predator model in a tri-trophic food web system with the time-delayed feedback control. First, the distribution of the roots of the related characteristic equations is analyzed by the polynomial theorem, the conditions to guarantee the existence of Hopf bifurcation are given by choosing the time delay as a bifurcation parameter. Then, the explicit formula for direction of Hopf bifurcation and stability of periodic solutions bifurcating are determined by using the normal form theory and center manifold theorem. Finally, the correctness of our theoretical analysis is verified by some numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceived risk clearly impacts travel behavior, including destination selection and satisfaction, but it is unclear how or why its effect is only significant in certain cases. This is because existing studies have undervalued the mediating factors of risk aversion, government initiatives, and media influence as well as the multiple forms or dimensions of risk that can mask its direct effect. This study constructs a structural equation model of perceived risk's impact on destination image and travel intention for a more nuanced model of the perceived risk mechanism in tourism, based on 413 e-questionnaires regarding travel to Chengdu, China during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the Bootstrap method to analyze suppressing effect. It finds that while perceived risk has a significant negative impact on destination image and travel intention, this is complexly mediated so as to appear insignificant. Furthermore, different mediating factors and dimensions of perceived risk operate differently according to their varied combinations in actual circumstances. This study is significant because it provides a theoretical interpretation of tourism risk, elucidates the mechanisms or paths by which perceived risk affects travel intention, and expands a framework for research on destination image and travel intention into the realms of psychology, political, and communication science. It additionally encourages people to pay greater attention to the negative impact of crises and focuses on the important role of internal and external responses in crisis management, which can help improve the effectiveness of crisis management and promote the sustainable development of the tourism industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article studies the analysis of copper deposits in Jiangcheng in Yunnan Province, China. Topics discussed include the copper deposit regarded as one of the important nonferrous metal metallogenic belts in China, comparison of the fracture structure development in the mining area and analysis of structural ore-controlling mechanism that reflects on characteristics of low temperature hydrothermal genesis in this deposit.

The microbiologically influenced corrosion of 201 stainless steel by Shewanella algae was investigated via modulating the concentration of fumarate (electron acceptor) in the medium and constructing mutant strains induced by ΔOmcA. The ICP-MS and electrochemical tests showed that the presence of S. algae enhanced the degradation of the passive film; the lack of an electron acceptor further aggravated the effect and mainly affected the early stage of MIC. The electrochemical tests and atomic force microscopy characterization revealed that the ability of ΔOmcA to transfer electrons to the passive film was significantly reduced in the absence of the c-type cytochrome OmcA related to EET progress, leading to the lower corrosion rate of the steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The ‘home-field advantage (HFA) hypothesis’ predicts a litter-field affinity effect on litter decomposition. In terrestrial ecosystems, plant roots have comprehensive roles in regulating litter-decomposer interactions, yet their potential influences on HFA remain unsolved. To fill this gap, we conducted a litter transplant experiment in a subtropical forest, and tested whether roots affect litter-field affinity via interactions with soil microbial functions.Methods: Leaf litters of Quercus variabilis and Pinus massoniana were incubated at their conspecific-dominated and heterospecific-dominated forests. Root-specific incubation microcosms were manipulated by using a series of root ingrowth cores to control the access of living fine roots.Results: Entire exclusion of roots led to a significant suppression of HFA, and the affinity effect was amplified under a medium root constraint treatment (by 0.5 mm mesh). Incubation field (‘home’ vs. ‘away’) generally had a positive effect on litter mineralization when roots were present, and roots became more influential after 9 months than 3 months of incubation. Although microbial enzymatic functions and their impact on litter N loss depended on root status, they were not associated with incubation field.Conclusions: Our findings advocate that a moderate amount of local roots is essential for HFA in leaf litter decomposition, and taking account of root-mediated species-specific bio-interactions will advance our understanding of native litter- home field affinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of Al/steel joints with a certain area obtained by resistance seam-assisted thermo-compensated resistance brazing welding, including the pre-consolidation by RSW and the subsequent RBW, with different interlayers were investigated. The results indicated that due to the high melting point of Ni interlayer, the effective connection Al/steel weld was a failure by the single RBW with Ni interlayer or "Ni + Zn" composite interlayers. The pre-metallurgical bonding between interlayer and steel by traditional RSW could obtain a complete Al/steel weld by subsequent RBW. The Al/Ni + Zn/steel joints were obtained successfully and the interfacial structure of the final joints was transformed into as follows: Al alloy, reaction zone, Ni interlayer, and 304ss due to the addition of Zn foil with a low melting point. The main components of the reaction area were Al(s.s) and Al-Ni IMCs. Few Zn element was found at the interface due to the pre-consolidation. The joint performance of the final Al/Ni + Zn/steel joints was the highest and reached 2202.3 N, which was 3.77 times higher than that of the original joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Biglycan (BGN) is a small leucine‐rich proteoglycan that participates in the production of excess extracellular matrix (ECM) and is related to fibrosis in many organs. However, the role of BGN in liver fibrosis remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of BGN in liver fibrosis. Methods: Human liver samples, Bgn−/0 (BGN KO) mice and a human LX‐2 hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) model were applied for the study of experimental fibrosis. GEO data and single‐cell RNA‐seq data of human liver tissue were analysed as a bioinformatic approach. Coimmunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence staining, western blotting and qRT–PCR were conducted to identify the regulatory effects of BGN on heat shock protein 47 (HSP47) expression and liver fibrosis. Results: We observed that hepatic BGN expression was significantly increased in patients with fibrosis and in a mouse model of liver fibrosis. Genetic deletion of BGN disrupted TGF‐β1 pathway signalling and alleviated liver fibrosis in mice administered carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). siRNA‐mediated knockdown of BGN significantly reduced TGF‐β1‐induced ECM deposition and fibroblastic activation in LX‐2 cells. Mechanistically, BGN directly interacted with and positively regulated the collagen synthesis chaperon protein HSP47. Rescue experiments showed that BGN promoted hepatic fibrosis by regulating ECM deposition and HSC activation by positively regulating HSP47. Conclusion: Our data indicate that BGN promotes hepatic fibrosis by regulating ECM deposition and HSC activation through an HSP47‐dependent mechanism. BGN may be a new biomarker of hepatic fibrosis and a novel target for disease prevention and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of organizational factors affecting safety performance of military aviation system should be researched in order to enhance the level of safety risk management. Firstly, organizational factors, military aviation system and safety performance were analyzed to build safety performance model of military aviation system. Then, the causal loop diagram model of organizational factors affecting safety performance of military aviation system was built, and the system dynamics (SD) model was established by SD modeling software Vensim PLE. Finally, the safety performance and its dimensionalities under two circumstances of action preparation times changing and target values of these flight safety performance dimensionalities changing were simulated. The simulation results show that it is supposed to shorten the action preparation time of safety situation improvement in aviation safety management and to optimize the combination of target values of flight safety performance dimensionalities in order to maximize the flight safety performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceratodus is a form genus of ceratodontid lungfishes. Until now, only 14 specimens have been reported from the Mesozoic of China. Detailed measurements and characteristic comparisons based on 15 well‐preserved lungfish tooth plates of Ceratodus type, uncovered from the upper member of the Upper Jurassic Shaximiao Formation at Luojiashan, Qianfeng District, Guang'an, Sichuan Province in 2019, allow us to establish a new species, Ceratodus guanganensis sp. nov., on the basis of its small swollen irregular triangular tooth plate with four low and swollen radial crests on the occlusal surface without denticles. Other specimens from the same locality can be referred to C. szechuanensis and C. youngi. This is the first discovery of Ceratodus in the Guang'an region and represents the fifth Ceratodus fossil site in the Sichuan Basin. The discovery indicates that the climate was hot and arid in the Sichuan Basin during the Late Jurassic, and reveals a tectonic paleogeographic relationship between the Yangtze block in southwestern China and the Kola Basin in northern Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and: Aims: The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains dismal, and its molecular pathogenesis has not been completely defined. The enzyme 3‐mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST) regulates endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) biosynthesis. However, the role of MPST in HCC has never been intensively investigated. Methods: MPST protein expression was analysed in HCC tumour tissues and matched adjacent tissues. The effect of MPST on HCC progression was studied in vitro and in vivo. Results: The mRNA and protein expression of MPST was significantly downregulated in HCC samples compared with their paired nontumour counterparts. A low MPST expression was associated with larger tumour size and a worse overall survival. Overexpression of MPST in HCC cells inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. MPST overexpression also significantly suppressed the growth of tumour xenografts in nude mice, whereas silencing MPST by intratumour delivery of siRNA substantially promoted tumour growth. Moreover, diethylnitrosamine‐induced mouse HCC was aggravated by MPST gene knockout. Mechanistically, MPST suppressed the cell cycle associated with H2S production and inhibition of the AKT/FOXO3a/Rb signalling pathway in HCC development. In addition, MPST expression negatively correlated with that of pRb in HCC specimens and the combination of these two parameters is a more powerful predictor of poor prognosis. Conclusions: MPST may function as a tumour suppressor gene that plays an essential role in HCC proliferation and liver tumorigenesis. It is a candidate predictor of clinical outcome in patients with HCC and may be used as a biomarker and intervention target for new therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 96-well liquid-liquid microextraction system combined with modern HPLC was developed and used for the simultaneous analysis of 96 biological samples. The system made use of hollow fibers, a 96-well plate, and a plastic base with a center hole and a side hole. One end of the hollow fiber was sealed, while the other end was attached to one of the holes positioned at the center for the plastic base. The needle was inserted into the liquid from inside or outside of the hollow fiber through the center or the side holes, respectively. The system was tested with plasma samples containing three compounds, acidic indomethacin, neutral dexamethasone, and basic propafenone. Some parameters, such as the kind and dimension of hollow fiber, pH and salt concentration of the donor phase, the selection of organic solvent for the acceptor phase, and the extraction time were investigated. Under the optimization conditions, the Log D and drug concentration of indomethacin, dexamethasone, and propafenone in plasma and urine samples were analyzed. Then, the methodology was validated. The results demonstrated that ng/mL levels could be exactly and rapidly analyzed by our system, which was equipped with an auto-injection sampler, making sample analysis more convenient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the frailty status in Chinese cancer patients through establishing a novel prediction algorithm. Methods: The percentage of frailty in various age groups, locations, and tumor types in Chinese cancer patients was investigated. The prediction capacity of frailty on mortality of Chinese cancer patients was analysed by the frailty index composing of routine laboratory data (FI‐LAB) accessible from a blood test and calculated as the ratio of abnormal factors to 22 total variables. The establishment of a novel algorithm, MCP (mortality of cancer patients), to predict the 5‐year mortality in Chinese cancer patients was accomplished and the algorithm's prediction capacity was tested in the training and validation sets using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: We found that the risk of death in cancer patients can be successfully identified through FI‐LAB. The univariable and multivariable Cox regression were used to evaluate the effect of frailty on death. In the 5‐year follow‐up, 20.6% of the 2959 participants (age = 55.8 ± 11.7 years; 43.5% female) died, while the mean FI‐LAB score in baseline was 0.23 (standard deviation = 0.13; range = 0–0.73). Frailty (after adjusting for gender, age, and other confounders) directly correlated with an increased risk of death, hazard ratio of 12.67 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.19, 22.31), compared to those without frailty. In addition, the MCP algorithm (MCP) = 3.678 × FI‐LAB + 1.575 × sex + 1.779 × first tumor node metastasis staging, presented an area under the ROC (AUC) of 0.691 (95% CI: 0.656–0.726) and 0.648 (95% CI: 0.613–0.684) in the training and validation sets, respectively. Conclusion: Frailty as defined by FI‐LAB was common and indicated a significant death risk in cancer patients. Our novel developed algorithm MCP had a passable prediction capacity on 5‐year MCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a large threat to public health in China, with high contagious capacity and varied mortality. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of older patients with COVID-19 outside Wuhan. Methods A retrospective study was performed, with collecting data from medical records of confirmed COVID-19 patients in Zhejiang province from 17 January to 12 February 2020. Epidemiological, clinical, and treatment data were analyzed between older (≥ 60 years) and younger (< 60 years) patients. Results A total of 788 patients with confirmed COVID-19 were selected; 136 were older patients with corresponding mean age of 68.28 ± 7.31 years. There was a significantly higher frequency of women in older patient group compared with younger patients (57.35% vs 46.47%, P  = .021). The presence of coexisting medical conditions was significantly higher in older patients compared with younger patients (55.15% vs 21.93%, P  < .001), including the rate of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Significantly higher rates of severe clinical type (older vs younger groups: 16.18% vs 5.98%, P  < .001), critical clinical type (8.82% vs 0.77%, P  < .001), shortness of breath (12.50% vs 3.07%, P  < .001), and temperature of > 39.0°C (13.97% vs 7.21%, P  = .010) were observed in older patients compared with younger patients. Finally, higher rates of intensive care unit admission (9.56% vs 1.38%, P  < .001) and methylprednisolone application (28.68% vs 9.36%, P  < .001) were also identified in older patients compared with younger ones. Conclusions The specific epidemiological and clinical features of older COVID-19 patients included significantly higher female sex, body temperature, comorbidities, and rate of severe and critical type disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate carbon spheres as a green lubricant additive in 5W30 engine oil to reduce friction and wear. Carbon spheres with a diameter of ∼400 nm are synthesized from glucose by using a hydrothermal process. Lubrication is studied using a ball-on-disk tribometer by measuring the friction coefficient and wear in the boundary lubrication regimes. The worn surfaces were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. Carbon spheres are found to be stably dispersed at 0.5 wt% concentration in base oil. The experiments revealed that carbon spheres are effective in reducing both friction and wear when lubricating by using base oil. Raman results show that the enhanced tribological performance is owing to a carbon-rich boundary film, the formation of which is attributed to the deposit of carbon particles during the sliding process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) activity is inhibited, and its expression is suppressed during many diseases, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the mechanism is controversial. Here, we report that PXR may not take part in the downregulation of CYP3A during NAFLD. Hepatic CYP3A11 (major subtype of mouse CYP3A) mRNA and protein expression was significantly decreased in both mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks and palmitate (PA)-treated mouse primary hepatocytes. Similarly, in HepG2 cells, PA treatment significantly suppressed the CYP3A4 (major subtype of human CYP3A) mRNA level and promoter transcription activity. However, Western blotting analysis found an induction of PXR nuclear translocation during NAFLD in both in vivo and in vitro models. Moreover, immunofluorescence determination also found nuclear translocation effect of PXR by PA stimulation in HepG2 cells. In addition, the siRNA knockdown of PXR did not affect the suppressive effects of PA on the CYP3A4 promoter transcription activity and mRNA levels in HepG2 cells. Similarly, PXR knockdown also did not affect the suppressive effects of PA on CYP3A11 mRNA and protein expression levels in mouse primary hepatoctyes. Taken together, the results showed that the suppressive effect of CYP3A transcription was independent of PXR regulation. • CYP3A expression is suppressed by NAFLD modelling. • PXR translocation is induced by NAFLD modelling. • PXR silence did not affect the suppressive effect of PA on CYP3A in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Upper Triassic turbidites at the depth of 0–400 m underwent Barrovian-Buchuan metamorphism. • Li-Be, Nb-Ta mineralized at depth of < 1200 m and < 1800 m, respectively. • The granite related to the lithium deposit was emplaced as domal sheets, not a rooted pluton. • The Jiajika Li-rich pegmatites and related granites were formed during ∼ 205–210 Ma. • The process includes deep anatexis, granitic sheet intrusion and magma-fluid interaction. The Jiajika pegmatite-type lithium deposit emplaced in Upper Triassic turbidites is located in the southeastern Songpan-Ganze terrane of the eastern Tibetan Plateau and is the largest hard-rock lithium deposit in China. The Jiajika Scientific Drilling Project (JSD) consists of the JSD-1 borehole, which is 3211 m deep, and two 1000 m boreholes, JSD-2 and JSD-3. The JSD-1 borehole is composed of the upper pelitic metasediment unit (0–900 m) and the lower are calc-silicate unit (900–3211 m). Pelitic metasediments at the depth of 0–400 m experienced Barrovian-Buchan metamorphism, while metasediments at the depth of 0–900 m were associated with domal deformation (D 2). The calc-silicate unit below 900 m only experienced earlier orogenic deformation (D 1). The mineralization of Li-Be and Nb-Ta occurs at a depth of 0–1200 m and 0–1800 m, respectively, while the Rb enrichment occurs throughout the whole borehole. Analyses of K-Fe-Ba-B-Li-Rb isotopes suggest that the Jiajika lithium deposit resulted from high-degree fractionation of the parent granitic magma and strong fluid immiscibility. The pegmatites may have crystallized from volatile-rich melts during two-stage magmatic-hydrothermal events at 205–210 Ma and 192–193 Ma. The JSD-1, JSD-2 and JSD-3 indicate that S-type granite related to the Jiajika lithium deposit was emplaced as multi-layer domal sheets, rather than as a deeply rooted pluton. The domal granitic sheets are surrounded by pegmatites and meta -sedimentary rocks. Therefore, we propose a "domal granitic sheet" model to interpret the geologic scenario from granite sheet to Li-rich pegmatite in the Jiajika ore field. The Upper Triassic turbidites in the Songpan-Ganze terrane underwent significant orogenic decollement at ∼ 230 Ma, followed by deep anatexis, basement doming, magma rising and emplacement of granitic sheets. Finally, the rare-metal-rich pegmatites intruded under domal decompression condition, forming a multi-layer architecture intercrossed by the granitic sheets and the meta -sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discovered that biotite granite is associated with biotite–oligoclase–microcline pegmatite and gneisses biotite granite is associated with two–mica microcline–albite pegmatite in Tugman area. A combined study of the field investigation, petrography, geochronology, and major-trace element of granite and pegmatite was performed in this study. The results indicate that pegmatites can be formed during both highly fractionated and less-evolved stages of granite formation, but only highly differentiated granites are favorable for the Li and/or Be mineralization; The Tugeman granites formed during the late Cambrian–Middle Ordovician (500–440 Ma) and can be divided into three groups related to the northward subduction of the Central Altun Ocean crust at 520–490 Ma, the closure of the Central Altun Ocean at 490–480 Ma, and post-collisional extension inducing by slab break-off and delamination at 480–440 Ma. [Display omitted] • Tugeman granites formed during the 500–440 Ma. • Granitic pegmatite can be formed at different stages of crystal fractionation. • Tugeman granitoids were derived from a Proterozoic crustal source. The Altun Orogenic Belt (AOB) is located on the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. We report the petrography, zircon U-Pb ages, Hf isotopic compositions, and whole-rock geochemistry of the Tugeman pegmatitic and granitic rocks from the AOB to constrain their petrogenesis and tectonic setting. Zircon U-Pb dating of the pegmatitic and granitic rocks yielded ages of 500–440 Ma, which we interpret as the emplacement ages of the granites and formation age of pegmatite. The granites are weakly peraluminous to peraluminous (A/CNK = 1.01–1.26), and they have high SiO 2 (63.9–74.2 wt%) and Al 2 O 3 (13.7–17.6 wt%) and low CaO (0.72–3.80 wt%) and P 2 O 5 (0.06–0.44 wt%) contents. They show marked depletion in HREEs, enrichment in LREEs, and pronounced negative Eu anomalies, and they are enriched in Th, U, K, Pb, Nd, and Sm and depleted in Ba, Nb, Ce, Sr, P, and Ti. Zircon ε Hf (t) values vary from − 12.0 to + 3.3, with two-stage Hf model ages of 2.2–1.2 Ga, implying that the granites were derived mainly from ancient crust with a minor contribution from juvenile crust. Weakly peraluminous pegmatitic rocks have geochemistry characters of SiO 2 (74.4–79.9 wt%) and Al 2 O 3 (12.3–14.9 wt%) and low CaO (0.08–0.69 wt%) and P 2 O 5 (0.05–0.33 wt%), depletion in HREEs, enrichment in LREEs, depletion in Ba, La, Ce and Ti, enriched in U, K, Pb and P. Granitic pegmatite can be formed at different stages of crystallization differentiation of granitic magma, but the pegmatite associated with highly differentiated granites is favorable to the Li and/or Be mineralization, while the pegmatite associated with low differentiated granites (such as biotite granites) is unfavorable to the Li and/or Be mineralization. Based on our findings, we propose that the Tugeman granitic magmas originated from partial melting of crustal metagreywacke and metabasalt. Furthermore, we suggest that the early Paleozoic magmatism in the Central Altun Block (CAB) can be categorized into three groups, which correspond to different tectonic events. These events include the northward subduction of the Central Altun Ocean (CAO) beneath the CAB around 520 Ma, the closure of CAO at 490–480 Ma, and post-collisional extension at 480–440 Ma induced by slab breakoff and delamination of the subducted CAO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • since Early Miocene. • Exhumation thickness of the Jiajika dome is up to 3.5 ± 1 km since ∼ 120 Ma. • Cenozioc limited exhumation provides significance in the preservation of JJK lithium ore bodies. The Jiajika lithium deposit, located on the southeastern Songpan-Ganze orogenic belt in the Tibetan Plateau, is one of China's largest and most significant lithium deposits. Previous studies mainly focused on this deposit's petrography, geochemistry, and geochronology. However, its exhumation, thermal evolution, and implication for ore-deposit preservation remain enigmatic due to the scarcity of low-temperature thermochronology studies. Here, we perform the detailed low-temperature thermochronological methods including Zircon (U-Th)/He, Apatite Fission-Track, and Apatite (U-Th)/He on fifteen successive core samples from our 3000 m Jiajika scientific drilling borehole. Combined with the regional tectonic evolution, we suggest that the Jiajika area underwent three stages of rapid cooling: (1) middle Cretaceous (∼120–88 Ma); (2) Late Eocene (∼43–30 Ma); (3) since Early Miocene (∼18–14 Ma). These rapid cooling episodes are probably associated with the Cretaceous collision between the Lhasa and Qiangtang terranes, the Eocene crustal thickening in the central and north Tibetan Plateau affected by India-Asia collision, and Miocene activity of the Xianshuihe Fault and/or drainage erosion, respectively. Further, assuming a geothermal gradient of 30 ± 2 °C/km, we estimate the exhumation thickness of the Jiajika area up to ca. 3.5 ± 1 km since ∼ 120 Ma, of which the middle Cretaceous exhumation accounts for a major proportion, nearly ∼ 2.7 ± 0.6 km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to increase wear resistance of aluminum.Design/methodology/approach The authors have studied the ways to improve the tribological performance of aluminum by assembling stearic acid on aluminum coated by sol-gel-derived TiO2 film. The samples were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, contact angle measurements and a macro friction and wear tester.Findings Enhanced wear resistance was clearly obtained after functionalization of TiO2 film on aluminum by stearic acid.Originality/value The relevant results might be helpful for guiding the surface modification of aluminum devices in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is a need to reduce the friction and to prevent the galling between the galvanised steel and the shaping tools during the metal working process. Zinc phosphate (ZP) coatings are limitedly used as solid lubricant due to intrinsic high‐friction properties. This investigation explores the use of stearic acid overcoat on ZP coatings to produce surface coatings with low friction and high durability. A simple hydrothermal process was developed to fabricate ZP coatings on zinc. A stearic acid overcoat was then deposited on ZP coatings. Infrared microscopy and water contact angle measurements were used to analyse the chemical composition and the hydrophobicity of modified ZP coatings. The tribological behaviour of modified ZP coatings was evaluated by sliding against a steel ball by using a reciprocating ball‐on‐plate tribotester. Tribological results show that stearic acid overcoat on ZP coatings led to a decreased friction with greatly extended life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium alloy shows a poor tribological performance even under lubrication. In this paper, we report the formation of carbon-based tribofilms from poly-alpha-olefin (PAO) base oil molecules on Ti6Al4V (Ti64) samples after thermal oxidization treatment, where PAO enabling base oils to provide not only the fluid but also the solid tribofilm. Ball-on-disk tests at contact pressures of 2.0 GPa reveal that these carbon-based tribofilms on thermally oxidized Ti64 samples decrease the friction coefficient by about 3 times and wear rate by up to 2 orders magnitude as comparing to untreated one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]