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Lysine‐specific peptide and protein modification strategies are widely used to study charge‐related functions and applications. However, these strategies often result in the loss of the positive charge on lysine, significantly impacting the charge‐related properties of proteins. Herein, we report a strategy to preserve the positive charge and selectively convert amines in lysine side chains to amidines using nitriles and hydroxylamine under aqueous conditions. Various unprotected peptides and proteins were successfully modified with a high conversion rate. Moreover, the reactive amidine moiety and derived modification site enable subsequent secondary modifications. Notably, positive charges were retained during the modification. Therefore, positive charge‐related protein properties, such as liquid‐liquid phase separation behaviour of α‐synuclein, were not affected. This strategy was subsequently applied to a lysine rich protein to develop an amidine‐containing coacervate DNA complex with outstanding mechanical properties. Overall, our innovative strategy provides a new avenue to explore the characteristics of positively charged proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigated the sign-of-coupling dependence of the von Neumann Entanglement Entropy (EE) between system and environment in the ground state of networks of N coupled quantum oscillators. We find that whether the EE increases or decreases with the amplitude of coupling strengths between particles depends on the repulsive or attractive nature of the couplings, and it also depends on whether the coupling is between system-environment or particles both in the environment. In particular, the EE decreases with the amplitude of an attractive coupling between particles both in the environment. We also find that the EE varies nonmonotonically with number of particles directly interacting with the system with attractive couplings; besides, the position-momentum uncertainty of the particle in the system and the EE vary contrarily when the particle-number is small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discovering tactical knowledge aims to extract tactical data derived from battlefield signal data, which is vital in information warfare. The learning and reasoning from battlefield signal information can help commanders make effective decisions. However, traditional methods are limited in capturing sequential and global representation due to their reliance on prior knowledge or feature engineering. The current models based on deep learning focus on extracting implicit behavioral characteristics from combat process data, overlooking the embedded martial knowledge within the recognition of combat intentions. In this work, we fill the above challenge by proposing a dual fusion pipeline introducing graph representation learning into sequence learning to construct tactical behavior sequence graphs expressing implicit martial knowledge, named TBGCN. Specifically, the TBGCN utilizes graph representation learning to represent prior knowledge by building a graph to induce deep learning paradigms, and sequence learning finds the hidden representation from the target's serialized data. Then, we employ a fusion module to merge two such representations. The significance of integrating graphs with deep learning lies in using the artificial experience of implicit graph structure guiding adaptive learning, which can improve representation ability and model generalization. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed TBGCN can effectively discover tactical knowledge and significantly outperform the traditional and deep learning methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tree crown is a useful measure of tree vigour and is highly relevant to a tree's environmental adaptability. Crown allometry depends on environmental and stand conditions. Several studies have focussed on the effects of climate change and competitive intensity on the crown, but the regulatory role of soil resources and diversity on crown allometry and carbon allocation has been neglected.Data from 20,994 trees in 232 mixed forests collected between 2011 and 2019 were located near four major mountain ranges in northeast China. The proposed crown width model includes the stand developmental stage, soil, climate, competition intensity, species mixture, species diversity, structural diversity and their interactions.We observed that the cross‐species allometric scaling exponent does not conform to the universal scaling law. Our results showed that crown width increased with increasing soil bulk density, quadratic mean diameter and coefficient of diameter variation but decreased with increasing de Martonne aridity index, basal area, Simpson index and species mixture. The interaction between quadratic mean diameter and soil bulk density had a significant negative effect on crown width. The influence of a particular factor within the interaction term on crown width was modulated by the gradients of other factors. Furthermore, soil bulk density contributed more to crown width modelling than the aridity index, and structural diversity had a greater effect on crown width than species diversity.Synthesis. Our results provide new insights into the environmental variability of crown allometry in mixed forests under global change, which is critical for improving regional and global estimates of forest biomass and carbon stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD) contribute to osteoporosis risk, but the effect of a newly developed index (e.g., a body shape index, ABSI) of central obesity and its interaction with low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) on osteoporosis remains unknown. A total of 2534 Chinese individuals were enrolled in our ongoing cohort study: Osteoporosis Preventive Project. ABSI and eGFR were calculated as obesity-related indexes and renal function markers, respectively. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between osteoporosis and related clinical parameters (e.g., ABSI, eGFR), and to assess the additive and multiplicative interactions between risk factors and osteoporosis. Relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) and synergy index (SI) were calculated to assess the additive interaction. High ABSI was significantly associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis in participants compared with the lowest quartile of ABSI in both crude and adjusted models. Individuals in the lower quartiles of eGFR had a significantly increased risk of osteoporosis compared with those in the highest quartiles in crude models. After adding age and other variables in the model, the association was abolished. In addition, after adjusting for variables, high ABSI with low eGFR (RERI: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.15–0.75; AP: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.17–0.60) still displayed a noticeable interaction on the risk of osteoporosis. The multiplicative interactive effect between high ABSI with low eGFR on osteoporosis was statistically significant in the multivariable-adjusted model (P < 0.05). Our study indicated that higher ABSI increases the risk of osteoporosis independently and synergistically with low eGFR in Chinese elderly adults. The findings increase our understanding of the interactions of osteoporosis risk factors and may help provide potential interventions for osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental transmission channels of smart wearable devices and systems should support function reconfiguration and environment cognition or self‐adaption. Here, a environment‐adaptive meta‐channel (EAMC) is proposed that is adaptive to the near‐field environment. Benefiting from the capability to manipulate environment‐wave interactions, EAMC can cognize the near‐field environment impurities with subwavelength resolution, in which different impurities can be distinguished and located accurately with the aid of machine learning method. Thus, EAMC can adapt itself to varying environment so that its customized function is stabilized. For instance, EAMC is used as a communication modulator to adapt to different dielectric impurities and human body contacts dynamically. The quality of transmitted picture signals with impurities will deteriorate seriously but can be repaired efficiently as the self‐adaptive process of EAMC is used. Hence, the proposed EAMC could be a candidate for fundamental transmission channels for future smart wearable devices and systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

µ-Conotoxin GIIIB (µ-CTX GIIIB) is a polypeptide containing three disulfide bridges, produced by the sea snail Conus geographus. This study was aimed to explored the cytotoxic effects of µ-CTX GIIIB on mouse skeletal musculoblast (Sol8). Sol8 cells were exposed to ouabain and veratridine to establish the cell injury model, and then treated with µ-CTX GIIIB. CCK-8 was adopted to evaluate the cytotoxicity of µ-CTX GIIIB. Then, proteomics and transcriptome were conducted, and the explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) affected by µ-CTX GIIIB were found. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis was used to investigate the affected signaling pathways. µ-CTX GIIIB increased the cell survival rate of injured Sol8 cells. We found and identified 1,663 DEGs and 444 DEPs influenced by µ-CTX GIIIB. 106 pairs of correlated DEGs and DEPs were selected by combining transcriptome and proteome data. The results of KEGG and GO analysis showed that µ-CTX GIIB affected the cell cycle, apoptosis, DNA damage and repair, lipid metabolism and other biological processes of Sol8 cells. µ-CTX GIIIB could affected cell cycle regulation, DNA damage repair, and activation of tumor factors, with potential carcinogenic effects. Our results provide an important basis for the study of in vitro toxicity, the mechanism of toxicity and injury prevention by µ-CTX GIIIB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the tale-within-tale 'Cupid and Psyche' narrated in Apuleius' Metamorphoses , the female heroine Psyche goes through a series of wanderings and tasks as punishments for seeing her husband Cupid's real form out of curiosity. Psyche's curiosity connects this internal tale with the external narratives in Metamorphoses , the protagonist of which, Lucius, shares a similar curiosity that leads to his downfall. While scholars attribute favourable qualities to Lucius' curiosity despite its negative consequences, they deny the same value to Psyche's curiosity. In this paper, I argue against the condemnation of Psyche's curiosity due to the stereotype of transgressive females. Instead, I propose to view her curiosity as the drive for her awakening, empowerment, and growth, which transforms her into a fully powered agent and leads to her final reunion with Cupid in immortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time evolution of a quantum particle's product of uncertainties in position and momentum is calculated when it is coupled with an external source. We have used a simple toy model where the particle is subject to a harmonic potential and coupled with an equivalent harmonic oscillator via a linear term. It is found that the long-time-averaged product is an increasing function of the coupling strength. It diverges when one of the eigenmodes of the coupled system goes soft, with the singular term twice of that for the stationary state. Generally, there is a jump of finite size for this quantity when a small coupling is turned on, compared to the uncoupled case. Similar behaviors have also been found for the von Neumann entanglement entropy, which is calculated exactly using a covariance matrix formalism. We find that the mode-interference plays an important role in the main features of this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most important reactive oxygen species, which plays a vital role in many physiological and pathological processes. A dramatic increase in H2O2 levels is a prominent feature of cancer. Therefore, rapid and sensitive detection of H2O2 in vivo is quite conducive to an early cancer diagnosis. On the other hand, the therapeutic potential of estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) has been implicated in many diseases including prostate cancer, and this target has attracted intensive attention recently. In this work, we report the development of the first H2O2-triggered ERβ-targeted near-infrared fluorescence (NIR) probe and its application in imaging of prostate cancer both in vitro and in vivo. The probe showed good ERβ selective binding affinity, excellent H2O2 responsiveness and near infrared imaging potential. Moreover, in vivo and ex vivo imaging studies indicated that the probe could selectively bind to DU-145 prostate cancer cells and rapidly visualizes H2O2 in DU-145 xenograft tumors. Mechanistic studies such as high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that the borate ester group is vital for the H2O2 response turn-on fluorescence of the probe. Therefore, this probe might be a promising imaging tool for monitoring the H2O2 levels and early diagnosis studies in prostate cancer research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the intergranular corrosion (IGC) susceptibility of a nitrogen-containing austenitic stainless steel QN2109. The intergranular corrosion (IGC) susceptibility of a nitrogen-containing austenitic stainless steel QN2109 was investigated. Design/methodology/approach: The double-loop electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation (DL-EPR) tests were carried out. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the microstructure. Findings: The optimized test condition for QN2109 was 1 M H2SO4 + 0.01 M NH4SCN at 40°C. The nose temperature of the temperature–time–sensitization (TTS) curve of QN2109 plot was approximately 750°C. Moreover, the IGC susceptibility started to appear at approximately 120 min. The Cr-depletion zone of QN2109 was generated by the formation of M23C6 rather than by the addition of nitrogen. The depth–width ratio of the grain boundaries after the DL-EPR tests decreased as the aging temperature increased. The degree of Cr depletion and size of the Cr-depletion zone at the grain boundary were reflected by the degree of sensitization and depth–width ratio, respectively. Originality/value: The optimized test condition for DL-EPR tests of a nitrogen-containing austenitic stainless steel QN2109 was investigated. The TTS curve of QN2109 was first plotted to avoid IGC failure. The morphology of the Cr-depletion zone was reflected by the depth–width ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalyzed synthesis of silanols from tertiary si-lanes has been carried out using eosin Y under air. This is a metal-free method that uses a low catalyst loading, atmospheric oxygen as the oxidant, and visible-light conditions (blue light). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XET/XEH, also named XTH) family is a multigene family, the function of which plays a significant role in cell-wall rebuilding and stress tolerance in plants. However, the specific traits of the XTH gene family members and their expression pattern in different tissues and under stress have not been carried out in sweet potato. Thirty-six XTH genes were identified in I. batatas, all of which had conserved structures (Glyco_hydro_16). Based on Neighbor-Joining phylogenetic analysis the IbXTHs can be divided into three subfamilies—the I/II, IIIA, and IIIB subfamilies, which were unevenly distributed on 13 chromosomes, with the exception of Chr9 and Chr15. Multiple cis-acting regions related to growth and development, as well as stress responses, may be found in the IbXTH gene promoters. The segmental duplication occurrences greatly aided the evolution of IbXTHs. The results of a collinearity analysis showed that the XTH genes of sweet potato shared evolutionary history with three additional species, including A. thaliana, G. max, and O. sativa. Additionally, based on the transcriptome sequencing data, the results revealed that the IbXTHs have different expression patterns in leaves, stems, the root body (RB), the distal end (DE), the root stock (RS), the proximal end (PE), the initiative storage root (ISR), and the fibrous root (FR), and many of them are well expressed in the roots. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis of FRs after hormone treatment of the roots indicated that IbXTH28 and IbXTH30 are up-regulated under salicylic acid (SA) treatment but down-regulated under methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. Attentionally, there were only two genes showing down-regulation under the cold and drought treatment. Collectively, all of the findings suggested that genes from the XTH family are crucial for root specificity. This study could provide a theoretical basis for further research on the molecular function of sweet potato XTH genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic fracturing technology has played a pivotal role as a key technology in shale gas development, but the geological environmental problems caused have been worrying the public. This paper proposes an advanced step rectangular pulse hydraulic fracturing technique, which can achieve higher pressure and more complex fractures by pumping lower energy fluid. The results indicate that the pressure propagation of step rectangular pulse hydraulic fracturing can be divided into stable and unstable propagation stages. Compared with conventional hydraulic fracturing, longer unsteady propagation time, higher pressure and more complex pressure distribution can be obtained. Step pulse parameters are discussed. We found that the pulse pressure increases linearly with the increase in pulse amplitude. There are optimal pulse frequencies and comprehensive damping coefficients to get optimal fluid pressure in different shale reservoirs. These research results will help reduce geological environmental hazards, and can also provide guidance for the optimization of step rectangular pulse hydraulic fracturing technology in shale reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrogen receptor (ER) is a major transcriptional regulator that plays an important role in the treatment of breast cancer. Herein, we rationally designed and synthesized a novel small-molecule near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe, 2-(4-(2-(2,5-bis(2-fluoro-4-hydroxyphenyl)thiophen-3-yl)vinyl)− 3-cyano-5,5-dimethylfuran-2(5 H)ylidene)malononitrile (TCFT) , which could enable prolonged live-cell imaging by three-dimensional (3D) confocal microscopy. Moreover, this bifunctional probe also exhibited photostability, selective estrogen receptor modulator activity, and potent antiproliferative activity for targeted breast cancer therapy, which would be a prominent NIR fluorescent probe for breast cancer study. [Display omitted] • A novel photostable NIR fluorescent probe TCFT was developed for estrogen receptor. • TCFT was successfully applied in prolong live-cell imaging of estrogen receptor by 3D confocal microscopy. • TCFT exhibited selective estrogen receptor modulator activity and potent antiproliferative activity for breast cancer therapy. • TCFT possessed the potential as a theranostic probe for estrogen receptor (+) breast cancer study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semantic segmentation is an important yet unsolved problem in aerial scenes understanding. One of the major challenges is the intense variations of scenes and object scales. In this article, we propose a novel multi-scale aware-relation network (MANet) to tackle this problem in remote sensing. Inspired by the process of human perception of multi-scale (MS) information, we explore discriminative and diverse MS representations. For discriminative MS representations, we propose an inter-class and intra-class region refinement (IIRR) method to reduce feature redundancy caused by fusion. IIRR utilizes the refinement maps with intra-class and inter-class scale variation to guide MS fine-grained features. Then, we propose multi-scale collaborative learning (MCL) to enhance the diversity of MS feature representations. The MCL constrains the diversity of MS feature network parameters to obtain diverse information. Also, the segmentation results are rectified according to the dispersion of the multilevel network predictions. In this way, MANet can learn MS features by collaboratively exploiting the correlation among different scales. Extensive experiments on image and video datasets, which have large-scale variations, have demonstrated the effectiveness of our proposed MANet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear phenomena such as second‐harmonic generation (SHG) play an important role in both optical and microwave technologies. To achieve high second‐harmonic (SH) conversion efficiency and single‐conductor system adaptability simultaneously, a gain‐associated SHG method based on odd‐mode spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPPs) is proposed. Field analysis indicates that the odd‐mode SSPPs can support internal electric potential difference on the cross sections of single‐conductor transmission structures to feed active semiconductor chips, which is hardly achieved by the even modes of single‐conductor structures. Measured results demonstrate the realization of SHG with a gain of 4.93 dB at 9 GHz based on the odd‐mode SSPPs, accompanied by the third‐harmonic suppression and backward SH isolation as a result of the customized passband of odd‐mode SSPPs. The ingenious detachable chip carrier can easily be disassembled, replaced and repaired, bringing big convenience and adaptability to practical applications. Moreover, the proposed single‐conductor active integration method can be extended to other single‐conductor devices, which has great potentials in the flexible systems and wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the recycling of uranium, such as its usage as new materials, can promote the safe treatment of nuclear waste. In this work, with the direction of transition-metal complex cations, three uranyl–organic frameworks (UOFs) with different dimensions have been synthesized via a hydrothermal reaction, i.e. [Cu(phen)2(SO4)(UO2)(TDC)·H2O]n (1), {[Zn(phen)3][(UO2)2(TDC)3(TDC)]·6H2O}n (2), and {[Cd(phen)3][(UO2)2(TDC)2(OX)·2H2O]}n (3), (TDC = thiophene-2,5-dicarboxylic acid, OX = oxalate, and phen = 1,10-phenanthroline). With the presence of SO42−, 1 presents a rare neutral 1-D Cu/U heterometallic chain. Under the similar [Zn(phen)3]2+ and [Cd(phen)3]2+ templates, 2 is a 2-D [(UO2)2(TDC)3]n planar non-interpenetrated honeycomb layer, but 3 presents an interesting twofold interpenetrated (6,3) sheet structure, which is led by the larger cavity of the hexagonal motif with the presence of the second ligand OX. This trend could be helpful for the oriented construction of UOFs. Intra- and inter-layer hydrogen bonds between the honeycomb structure and guest cations and π–π stacking interactions contribute to the stabilization of the overall framework. Complete quenching of uranyl luminescence via nonradiative decay can be observed in 1, and 2 and 3 emit yellow fluorescence with well-resolved vibronic fine structures. The interpenetrated arrangements could give rise to weakened uranyl emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive decline is one of the greatest concerns for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their care partners. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a nonpharmacological treatment option used to improve cognitive function in PD, but its efficacy is unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to determine whether rTMS improves cognition in PD patients. Eligibility criteria (PICOS) were as follows: (1) 'P': The patients participating were diagnosed with idiopathic PD; (2) 'I': Intervention using rTMS; (3) 'C': Sham stimulation as control; (4) 'O': The outcome of the study included cognitive evaluations; (5) 'S': The study adopted randomized controlled design. The standardized mean difference (SMD) of change of score was applied to measure efficacy, and we used Version 2 of the Cochrane tool to assess risk of bias. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Compared with sham-controlled group, the pooled result showed a non-significant short-term effect of rTMS on global cognition (SMD: −0.15, 95% CI: −0.59 to 0.29, I2 = 36.7%), executive function (SMD: 0.03, 95% CI: −0.21 to 0.26, I2 = 0.0%), and attention and working memory (SMD: 0.05, 95% CI: −0.25 to 0.35, I2 = 0.0%). Long-term outcomes were either shown to be statistically nonsignificant. Based on a limited number of studies, rTMS fails to improve cognition in PD. We call for additional high-quality randomized controlled trials with adequate sample sizes to determine the efficacy of rTMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM), osteoporosis (OP), and obesity (OB) are three complex diseases. OB is associated with both DM and OP, but it is unclear whether OB mediates association between DM and OP. The study aimed to investigate the potential mediation effects of OB on association between DM and bone mineral density (BMD) by the causal inference tests (CIT). Methods: A total of 5682 Chinese aged over 65 years were enrolled in an ongoing cohort: Osteoporosis Preventive Project (OPP). Obesity‐related indexes, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and waist circumference‐hip circumference‐ratio (WHR), and BMD at total hip (TH) and femur neck (FN) were measured. Results: Subjects with DM had significant greater values of age, weight, BMI, waist circumference, WHR, and BMD than non‐DM subjects. BMD at TH and FN was significantly associated with DM (p < 0.05) with adjustment of age both in males and females. Further CIT showed that OB‐related indexes (BMI, waist circumference, and WHR) are significantly mediators in the associations between DM and BMD in females, but not in males. Furthermore, the mediation effects of waist circumference were detected on DM and TH BMD in the females of normal‐weight group. Conclusions: Obesity‐related indexes, especially waist circumference, serve as significant mediator(s) between DM and OP in Chinese female elderly. Diabetes increases BMD by increasing obesity‐related indexes. The findings established the intermediate role of OB underlying the association between DM and OP in human population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrogen receptor (ER) β and histone deacetylases (HDACs), when overexpressed, are associated closely with the occurrence and development of prostate cancer and are, therefore, considered important targets and biomarkers used in the clinical treatment of prostate cancer. The present study involved the design and synthesis of the first ERβ and HDAC dual-target near-infrared fluorescent probe with both imaging capacity and antitumor activity for prostate cancer. Both P1 and P2 probes exhibited excellent ERβ selectivity, with P1 being almost exclusively selective for ERβ compared to ERα. In addition, P1 exhibited good optical properties, such as strong near-infrared emission, large Stokes shift, and better anti-interference ability, along with excellent imaging ability for living cells. P1 also exhibited potent inhibitory activity against HDAC6 and DU-145 cells, with IC 50 values of 52 nM and 0.96 μM, respectively. Further, P1 was applied successfully for the in vivo imaging of prostate cancer in a mouse model, and significant in vivo antitumor efficacy was achieved. The developed dual-target NIR fluorescent probe is expected to serve as an effective tool in the research on prostate cancer, leading to novel insights for the theranostic study of diseases related to ERβ and HDACs. [Display omitted] • The ERβ and HDAC dual-targeted near-infrared fluorescent probes were developed. • P1 showed excellent ERβ selectivity and NIR imaging ability in living cells. • P1 exhibited potent inhibitory activity against HDAC6 and DU-145 cells. • P1 displayed good prostate tumor imaging ability both in vivo and ex vivo. • P1 showed also significant in vivo antitumor effect in a mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mode I fracture process is characterized for GFRP-steel bi-material interface. • Double-cantilever beam experiments supplemented by detailed DIC measurement. • Accurate modeling of crack initiation, fiber bridging and propagation by new CZM. • Four-linear traction-separation law derived from DIC measurements and iterative FEA. Debonding is characterized as the governing failure mode in the innovative wrapped composite joints made with glass fiber composite material wrapped around steel hollow sections without welding. The prerequisite for predicting debonding failure of wrapped composite joints is to obtain fracture behavior of the composite-steel bonded interface. The mode I fracture behavior of the bonded interface was experimentally investigated using glass fiber composite-steel double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens. The crack length a and the crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) during the test were accurately measured by analyzing the digital image correlation (DIC) data while the strain energy release rate (SERR) was calculated through the extended global method (EGM). The cohesive zone modeling (CZM) was utilized in the finite element model with the proposal of a four-linear traction-separation law to simulate the mode I fracture process. An approach is introduced to determine the critical stages of the proposed four-linear cohesive law by combining accurate measurements of crack length a and CTOD, along with SERR values. The validity of the four-linear cohesive law and the introduced approach to determine the critical stages were confirmed by good agreement in both global and local behavior between the testing and the FEA results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Marine white spot disease' is caused by Cryptocaryon irritans infection and can lead to high mortality in Trachinotus ovatus. L‐Amino acid oxides (LAAOs) play a key role in antibacterial activity and parasitic activity. To investigate the function of the LAAO (ToLAAO) and LAAO‐like (ToLAAO‐like) genes of T. ovatus, this study explored the sequence characteristics and relationship between polymorphisms and traits of anti‐C. irritans. The ToLAAO and ToLAAO‐like ORF sequences obtained from the whole genome of T. ovatus were 1563 and 1584 bp, which encoded 520 and 527 amino acids respectively. Both sequences contained a highly conserved flavin adenine dinucleotide‐binding domain and a similar amino oxidase domain. Sequence multiple alignment analysis showed that ToLAAO and ToLAAO‐like had the highest homology to the LAAO sequence of Larimichthys crocea. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) results showed that ToLAAO and ToLAAO‐like mRNA were generally expressed in 10 tissues. ToLAAO mRNA was highly expressed in the testis, while ToLAAO‐like mRNA was highly expressed in muscle tissue. After C. irritans infection, ToLAAO and ToLAAO‐like mRNA were significantly upregulated in the skin and spleen, while only ToLAAO mRNA was significantly upregulated in the liver and head kidney, and only ToLAAO‐like mRNA was significantly upregulated in the gills. Five SNP sites were identified from the ToLAAO and ToLAAO‐like genomic sequence fragments, and two sites (6200C/T and 6237G/A) of LAAO were significantly associated with resistance to C. irritans. These results suggest that ToLAAO and ToLAAO‐like genes play crucial roles in defending against the immune response to C. irritans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose to suppress high-power microwave pulses (HPMPs) using nonlinear dispersion and filtering natures of spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPPs). Frequency components of a short HPMP are distributed in time domain due to different group velocities and partly cutoff on SSPP transmission lines (TLs), leading to peak suppression of HPMP. To illustrate the protection mechanism in real microwave engineering, an SSPP mono-pulse antenna is designed. Sum and difference beam functions of the antenna are demonstrated by both simulations and experiments. For easy comparison, a microstrip mono-pulse antenna is also fabricated. HPMP incidences from the main lobe directions of the sum beam and difference beam are considered. Compared to the microstrip antenna, obvious suppression of HPMPs is observed in the SSPP mono-pulse antenna in different cases, which verifies the better performance to prevent HPMP damages by SSPPs. The proposed technology to suppress HPMPs by using SSPPs can find wide applications in radar and communication systems in the electronic warfare environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ITGA2 was up-regulated in PBMCs of RA patients. • Plasma ITGA2 protein level significantly elevated in RA patients. • ITGA2 protein could affect T cell growth and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in T cells. • ITGA2 may be involved in the pathogenesis of RA. We identified proteins significant for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and to clarify mechanisms mediated by underlying proteins that may involve in the pathogenesis of RA. Proteome-wide protein expressions were profiled by employing label-free quantitative proteomics methodology (Easy-nLC1000 and Q-exactive). The t- test was applied to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEP, p ≤ 0.05) between RA case and control samples. Gene Ontology enrichment analyses and Protein-Protein Interaction analyses were performed to annotate functions of DEPs. The selected DEP was validated in independent samples using Simple Western assay. Plasma protein level of α2 component of integrin (ITGA2) was measured by using ELISA. The DEP, ITGA2, was assessed for its effects on T cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and inflammatory cytokine expression. Sixty-four DEPs (p < 0.05) were identified in PBMCs. The selected ITGA2 (Fold Change, FC = 2.20, p = 1.49E-02) was validated to be up-regulated (FC = 12.33, p = 4.90E-2) with RA, and plasma ITGA2 protein level significantly elevated in RA patients vs. controls. Over-expression of ITGA2 could promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of Jurkat T cell, and induce IL-8, IFN-γ and TNF-α expression in Jurkat T cells. ITGA2 protein was significantly over-expressed in PBMCs in RA patients, and affects T cell growth and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Gut microbiota is now considered to be a hidden organ that interacts bidirectionally with cellular responses in numerous organs belonged to the immune, bone, and nervous systems. Here, we aimed to investigate the relationships between gut microbiota and complex diseases by utilizing multiple publicly available genome-wide association. Materials and methods: We applied a novel microbiota-related gene set enrichment analysis approach to detect the associations between gut microbiota and complex diseases by processing genome-wide association studies (GWASs) data sets of six autoimmune diseases (including celiac disease (CeD), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), multiple sclerosis (MS), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), type 1 diabetes (T1D) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)) and osteoporosis (OP). Results: The family Oxalobacteraceae and genus Candidatus_Soleaferrea were found to be correlated with all of the six autoimmune diseases (FDR adjusted P < 0.05). Moreover, we observed that the six autoimmune diseases except PBC shared 3 overlapping features (including family Peptostreptococcaceae, order Gastranaerophilales and genus Romboutsia). For all of the six autoimmune diseases and BMDs (LS-BMD and TB-BMD), an association signal was observed for genus Candidatus_Soleaferrea (FDR adjusted P < 0.05). Notably, FA / FN-BMD shared the maximum number of overlapping microbial features (e.g., genus Ruminococcaceae_UCG009, Erysipelatoclostridium and Ruminococcaceae_UCG013). Conclusion: Our study found that part of the gut microbiota could be novel regulators of BMDs and autoimmune diseases via the effects of its metabolites and may lead to a better understanding of the role played by gut microbiota in the communication of the microbiota-skeletal/immune-gut axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide, which currently lacks disease-modifying therapy to slow down its progression. Idebenone, a coenzyme Q10 (CQ10) analogue, is a well-known antioxidant and has been used to treat neurological disorders. However, the mechanism of Idebenone on PD has not been fully elucidated. This study aims to predict the potential targets of Idebenone and explore its therapeutic mechanism against PD. Method. We obtained potential therapeutic targets through database prediction, followed by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis. Next, we constructed and analyzed a protein-protein interaction network (PPI) and a drug-target-pathway-disease network. A molecular docking test was conducted to identify the interactions between Idebenone and potential targets. Lastly, a PD cell line of SH-SY5Y overexpressing mutant α-synuclein was used to validate the molecular mechanism. Result. A total of 87 targets were identified based on network pharmacology. The enrichment analysis highlighted manipulation of MAP kinase activity and the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway as potential pharmacological targets for Idebenone against PD. Additionally, molecular docking showed that AKT and MAPK could bind tightly with Idebenone. In the cell model of PD, Idebenone activated autophagy and promoted α-synuclein degradation by suppressing the AKT/mTOR pathway. Pretreating cells with chloroquine (CQ) to block autophagic flux could diminish the pharmacological effect of Idebenone to clear α-synuclein. Conclusion. This study demonstrated that Idebenone exerts its anti-PD effects by enhancing autophagy and clearance of α-synuclein, thus providing a theoretical and experimental basis for Idebenone therapy against PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement of biosorption efficiency for selective dye removal in a multi-dye aqueous system has become an increasingly significant research topic. However, the competitive effects of coexisting dyes and the target dye in such systems remain uncertain due to complex interactions between adsorbent and coexisting dyes. Therefore, in this research, response surface methodology (RSM) model was effectively employed to investigate the competitive effects of allura red (AR) and malachite green (MG) on methylene blue (MB) removal in a ternary dye aqueous system using three different parts of rape straw powders. In the current design of RSM, the initial concentrations of AR and MG dyes ranging from 0 mg·L−1 to 500 mg·L−1 were considered as influencing factors, while the removal rates of MB on adsorbents at an initial concentration of 500 mg·L−1 were established as response values. The RSM models exhibited high correlation coefficients with adjusted R2 values of 0.9908 (pith core), 0.9870 (seedpods), and 0.9902 (shells), respectively, indicating a close fitted between predicted and actual values. The proposed models indicated that the perturbation effects of initial AR and MG concentrations were observed on the removal rates of MB by three types of rape straw powders in a ternary dye aqueous system, resulting in a decrease in MB removal rates, particularly at higher initial AR concentration due to stronger competitive effects compared to initial MG concentration. The structures of rape straw powders, including pith core, seedpods and shell, were analyzed using scanning eletron microscoe (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), N2 physisorption isotherm, frourier transform infared spectroscopy (FTIR), Zeta potential classes and fluorescence spectrum before and after adsorption of MB in various dye aqueous systems. The characteristics of rape straw powders suggested that similar adsorption mechanisms, such as electrostatic attraction, pore diffusion, and group complex formation for MB, AR, and MG, respectively, occurred on the surfaces of adsorbents during their respective adsorption processes. This leads to significant competitive effects on the removal rates of MB in a ternary dye aqueous system, which are particularly influenced by initial AR concentrations as confirmed through fluorescence spectrum analysis. Impact of AR and MG on MB removal was analyzed using simple methodologies. Competitive behaviors between AR, MG and MB were understood through RSM. Intense restrain effects on MB removal were revealed by AR concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed shock model is an explicit construction method of failure probability model based on component independent failure, system nonfatal shock, and fatal shock failure, which considers common cause failure (CCF) in redundant system. For aerospace systems, a modified mixed shock model is proposed, which considers several components may fail independently and simultaneously in operation. In order to solve the issue that the parameters of the mixed shock model cannot be solved directly based on the failure probability data, a parameter solving method based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is proposed. Additionally, the relationship between the failure probability and the gradient of the parameter change is deduced, and the reduced‐order (RO) solution based on the gradient of the parameter change is proposed to improve the efficiency of the solution. A fitness function construction method based on the relative error of the solution probability and the true probability is proposed to improve the probability solution accuracy of multicomponent failure. The nonlinear inertia factor optimization method combined with fitness change is studied to improve the particle swarm dynamics. The accuracy of the results of different parameters solving sequence and different PSO methods are compared, and the effectiveness of the RO solution is verified. The results of the mixed shock model before and after modification are compared with the different CCF data, which verifies the effectiveness and wide applicability of the modified mixed shock model. The results show that the modified mixed shock model for CCF and its parameter solution method can significantly improve the probability solution accuracy of all components failure, and also provide a new theoretical basis and solution method for the quantitative analysis of multiredundant system failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The permeability performance made of recycled aggregate pervious concrete with macropores (M-RAPC) relates greatly to the macropore structure and seepage behaviors. However, the mechanism of the influence of pore structure on the permeability of M-RAPC is still unclear. Based on the high-resolution X-ray computer tomography (CT) and image processing technology, a three-dimensional (3D) pore structure model with macropore (>0.15 mm) was constructed, and the dimension of the representative elementary volume (REV) was determined to be 450×450×450 voxel3. Then, the quantitative characterization of the topological structure of macropore space and the simulation of pore flow were conducted. Finally, the relationship between macropore structure parameters and seepage behavior was discussed. The results showed that about 80% of macropores are in the range of 0.15–1 mm, and the pore coordination number is mostly concentrated within 20. The macropore distribution shows a great spatial heterogeneity, showing that the permeability anisotropy index is mainly larger than 1, and even up to 8. Besides, the permeability performance of M-RAPC is significantly correlated with macropore parameters (effective porosity, tortuosity, and fractal dimension). In summary, this study can better reveal the relationship between pore structure and seepage behaviors in M-RAPC and provide a reference for the skeleton structure and permeability performance optimization design of M-RAPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive graphene inks have attracted extensive research interests for printed electronics due to the excellent electrical and mechanical properties of graphene. While the traditional organic solvents used for graphene inks will result in high environmental cost, environmentally friendly solvents are required for conductive graphene inks. In this work, we demonstrate a highly conductive aqueous graphene ink printed on a paper substrate using screen printing technique. The well-tuned rheological properties of the graphene ink enable the printed lines to achieve a high resolution as fine as 45 µm in width. After being dried at 70 °C and roller compressed, the printed graphene lines present a high conductivity, up to 4.23 × 104 S m−1 at 3 µm thickness. It also shows an excellent bending stability during the roller compression process, which is compatible for large-scale manufacturing. Combining with inkjet-printed graphene oxide as the sensing layer, the graphene lines are exploited as the electrodes for a fully printed humidity sensor on the paper substrate. Such a low drying temperature, high printing resolution and low-cost printing method offers an example that two-dimensional materials are cooperatively utilized for fully printed flexible electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a late-stage modification strategy by a phospha-Michael addition reaction between various functional phosphines and unprotected dehydroalanine (Dha) peptides and proteins under mild conditions. This strategy was applied to generate a staple peptide to enhance its cell membrane penetrability, and it was also able to regulate α-synuclein aggregation properties and morphological characteristics with the addition of different charges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circulating exosomes are promising biomarker source in various diseases. Exosomal constituents can stably exist in the circulating plasma and serum thus making them ideal biomarkers for a number of clinical applications. Exosomes can also mediate the occurrence of many types of diseases, including distal cancerous metastasis and tumour enlargement, through encapsulated proteins or RNAs, which regulate interactions among tissues. While performing these actions, exosomes show tissue specificity. However, the mechanism for such selection is not clear. For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), molecular diagnostic markers and mechanisms of exosome-mediated tumour metastasis are not well understood. Therefore, in this study, we characterized LLC exosomal proteins and mRNAs by analysing their molecular profiles, laying a foundation for exploring diagnostic markers of lung cancer. Furthermore, the interactions between exosomal membrane proteins and their target proteins were analysed and revealed a possible tissue propensity of LLC cell-derived exosomes. These findings provide a theoretical basis for studying exosome-mediated tissue targeting and distal lung cancer metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants with complex matrices are endowed with a wide scope of biological activities. The separation, quantification, characterization and purification of bioactive components from herbal medicine extracts have always challenged analysts. Fortunately, the advancement of various emerging techniques has provided potent support for improving the method selectivity, sensitivity and run speeds in medicinal plant analyses. In recent years, the advent of new-generation supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) instruments and a wide diversity of column chemistries, coupled with the intrinsic technical features of SFC, have made it an alternative and prominent analytical platform in the medicinal plant research area. This work aims to give a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals, technical advancement and investigating parameters of SFC in combination with three prevalent detectors. Moreover, the latest research progress of SFC applications in medicinal plant analyses is illuminated, with focus on herbal medicine-related SFC papers on the analytical and preparative scale that were published during the period of 2012 to December 2018. The most relevant applications were classified based on the constituents to be analysed. As for the respective research cases, analytical protocols and data processing strategies were provided, along with the indicated restrictions or superiority of the method; thus, the current status of SFC in medicinal plant analysis was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of the present study were to identify the aberrant expression of microRNA (miRNA) in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) tissues from published miRNA profiling studies and to investigate the effects of the identified miRNA inhibitor and mimic miR-96-5p on CRC cell migration and invasion. The altered expression of the regulators of cytoskeleton mRNA in miR-96-5p inhibitor-transfected cells was determined. The miR-96-5p expression level in five CRC cell lines, HCT11, CaCo2, HT29, SW480 and SW620, and 26 archived paraffin-embedded CRC tissues were also investigated by reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell viability in response to the miR-96-5p inhibitor and mimic transfections was determined by an MTT assay. A Matrigel invasion assay was conducted to select the invasive subpopulation designated SW480-7, by using the parental cell line SW480. The effects of miR-96-5p mimic- or inhibitor-transfected SW480-7 cells on cell migration and invasion were evaluated using the Transwell and Matrigel assays, and the change in expression of the regulators of cytoskeleton mRNAs was identified by Cytoskeleton Regulators RT2-Profiler PCR array followed by validation with RT-qPCR. CRC tissues exhibited a significant increase in miR-96-5p expression, compared with their matched normal adjacent tissues, indicating an oncogenic role for miR-96-5p. The results demonstrated that the miR-96-5p inhibitor decreased the migration of SW480-7 cells, but had no effect on invasion. This may be due to the promotion of cell invasion by Matrigel, which counteracts the blockade of cell invasion by the miR-96-5p inhibitor. The miR-96-5p mimic enhanced SW480-7 cell migration and invasion, as expected. It was determined that there was a >2.5 fold increase in the expression of genes involved in cytoskeleton regulation, myosin light chain kinase 2, pleckstrin homology like domain family B member 2, cyclin A1, IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 2, Brain-specific angiogenesisinhibitor 1-associated protein 2 and microtubule-actin crosslinking factor 1, in miR-96-5p inhibitor-transfected cells, indicating that they are negative regulators of cell migration. In conclusion, the miR-96-5p inhibitor blocked cell migration but not invasion, and the latter may be due to the counteraction of Matrigel, which has been demonstrated to stimulate cell invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental evidence has demonstrated that neonicotinoids (NEOs) exposure can cause lipid accumulation and increased leptin levels. However, the relationship between NEOs exposure and dyslipidemia in humans remains unclear, and the interactive effects of NEOs and their characteristic metabolites on dyslipidemia remain unknown. We detected 14 NEOs and their metabolites in urine samples of 500 individuals (236 and 264 with and without dyslipidemia, respectively) randomly selected from the baseline of the Yinchuan community-dwelling elderly cohort (Ningxia, China). The NEOs and their metabolites were widely detected in urine (87.2–99.6 %) samples, and the median levels ranged within 0.06–0.55 μg/g creatinine. The positive associations and dose-dependent relationships of thiacloprid, imidacloprid-olefin, and imidacloprid-equivalent total with dyslipidemia were validated using restricted cubic spline analysis. Mixture models revealed a positive association between the NEOs mixture and dyslipidemia risk, with urine desnitro-imidacloprid ranked as the top contributor. The Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression models showed that the NEOs mixtures were associated with increased dyslipidemia when the chemical mixtures were ≥ 25th percentile compared to their medians, and desnitro-imidacloprid and imidacloprid-olefin were the major contributors to the combined effect. Given the widespread use of NEOs and the dyslipidemia pandemic, further investigations are urgently needed to confirm our findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. [Display omitted] • Community-dwelling elderly were widely exposed to NEOs and their metabolites. • Non-linear associations with dyslipidemia risk were demonstrated for IMI and THI. • NEOs and their metabolites were associated with increased risk of dyslipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By analysing the variational patterns of the cutting temperature for brittle materials, the concept of characteristic temperature was proposed to evaluate the changes in effective thermal characteristics and macro temperature during the cutting process of engineering ceramics. The quantization method of the characteristic temperature was also presented. As isolated cracks could only reflect single microscale fracture behaviour, and was incompatible with the continuous cutting process, the continuous facture mechanism of brittle materials was proposed. The quantization methods for the fracture number and volume of the cutting heat receptor were improved. Based on the principle of energy conservation and fracture mechanics, the theoretical model of characteristic temperature for brittle materials was established. Verification experiments of the turning process were carried out by cutting fluorophlogopite ceramics with a cemented carbide tool. The experimental results show that the variations in cutting temperature caused by changes in process parameters can be characterized by the characteristic temperature. The model of cutting temperature for brittle materials was demonstrated to be practical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study investigated heavy metals (Ni, Zn, Cr, Cu, As, Pb, Cd and Hg) concentrations in surface sediment of Subei Shoal, China, to illustrate their spatial distribution characteristics, sources and potential ecological risk of pollution. Contents of total organic carbon (TOC), clay, silt and sand were 1.7 ± 0.8%, 3.3 ± 3.2%, 13.6 ± 14.2% and 83.1 ± 17.4%, respectively. The spatial distribution of TOC, clay and silt were similar; however, distribution of Hg was inverse. Concentrations of Ni, Zn, Cr, Cu, As, Pb, Cd and Hg were 47.88 ± 8.93, 38.18 ± 8.86, 19.22 ± 5.14, 11.32 ± 5.07, 6.97 ± 2.45, 0.13 ± 0.72, 0.56 ± 0.77 and 0.06 ± 0.02 mg kg−1 sediment, respectively. Principal component analysis suggested that Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr and Ni were mainly derived from natural sources, whereas Pb, Cd, As and Hg from industrial and agricultural sources. Results of geo-accumulation index, potential ecological risk index (RI), pollution load index (PLI), toxic risk index (TRI) and contamination severity index (CSI) demonstrated that pollution levels of Cd and Hg were moderate, which should attract more attention as main pollution factors. The pollution was mainly distributed in the central and northern parts, and the southern part had a good ecological environment. Moreover, the contaminated stations accounted respective for 33.4%, 25.9%, 33.3% and 70.4% of RI, PLI, TRI and CSI, of which 70.4% of the contamination severity index stations contained 66.7% of much lower severity stations. These findings could contribute to more effective exploitation of tidal flat resources, and the prevention and treatment of tidal marsh environment. Highlights • It was the first time to investigate spatial distribution characteristics, sources and potential ecological risk of heavy metals completely in Subei Shoal, China. • Except for Hg, concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, Ni and As decreased from the northern to southern part. • Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr and Ni were mainly derived from natural sources, whereas Pb, Cd, As and Hg from industrial and agricultural sources. • Potential ecological risk represented low to moderate pollution levels. • Hg and Cd are the main ecological risk contribution factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is currently a serious public health problem in China; thus, it is urgent to identify effective treatment strategies for this disease. Previous studies demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) serve important roles in the apoptosis of LSCC cells. It has also been indicated that carboplatin (CBDCA), a second-generation platinum compound with broad antineoplastic properties, is able to induce oxidative stress to produce ROS, which in turn promotes apoptosis. Thus, the present study investigated if CBDCA is cytotoxic in LSCC cells due to the oxidative stress caused by ROS. Therefore, an MTT assay was performed to determine the cell viability of HN-3 LSCC cells following treatment with different doses of CBDCA. Subsequently, the expression levels of ROS and the rate of apoptosis/necrosis were evaluated in the cells. Following this, the HN-3 cells were co-treated with CBDCA and glutathione (GSH) or H2O2, followed by an MTT assay, a cell migration assay and western blot analysis. The results demonstrated that CBDCA reduced the viability of HN-3 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner and promoted the production of ROS and apoptosis at certain doses. Additionally, the combination treatment of CBDCA and H2O2 enhanced the inhibitory effects of CBDCA on cell viability and migration ability, and promoted apoptosis in HN-3 cells; whereas the combined treatment of CBDCA and GSH exerted opposite effects. The results of the present study demonstrated that CBDCA promotes the apoptosis of HN-3 cells through accumulation of ROS, which may provide a novel treatment strategy for treating LSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) is indispensable in shale gas, but there are also problems existed in high ratio of energy consumption and low ratio of energy utilization. Based on hydraulic fracturing and pulsating jet, pulse hydraulic fracturing (PHF) has been widely used and achieved good results in the coal-bed methane. This paper attempts to study the mechanism of pulse wave propagation and attenuation during PHF in shale reservoirs, which provides theoretical support for application. On the basis of the motion equation and continuity equation, the two-dimensional propagation and attenuation equation with damping and fissure width during PHF is established and fracture network is simulated based on DFN discrete random model. The mathematical and physical model is verified by laboratory experiment The study of PHF superiority, PHF waveform effect, PHF propagation and attenuation characters are also performed. Results indicate that PHF propagation has two stages: The first is the pressure fluctuation is sharp in the process of the initial fracturing. The second is a stable state is appeared after a period of time. Compared with HF, PHF can pressurize obviously the pressure gradient of pulse waveform, which is an important parameter of affecting pulse pressure: the greater pressure gradient, the more obvious water hammer and supercharging effect. In the process of PHF propagation, pressure distribution complicates under the supercharging. Pressure wave has different attenuation characteristics in two steps. These research results will provide guidance for optimizing technical parameters for using PHF technology in shale reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to investigate the distribution of hydrogen and hydrogen-facilitated intergranular corrosion (IGC) in an austenitic stainless steel, which comprises mainly Σ3 and random grain boundaries. The coherent twin boundaries Σ3, which routinely exhibited excellent corrosion resistance, were observed to be prone to IGC after hydrogen charging. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that the inhomogeneous distribution of absorbed hydrogen finally induced IGC at grain boundaries in both the solution-treated and sensitized specimens. The mechanism of hydrogen-facilitated IGC differs from the conventional chromium-depleted theory. A model was established to describe this different type of IGC induced by hydrogen. • Hydrogen induces intergranular corrosion (IGC) in non-sensitized stainless steel. • Hydrogen results in IGC at Σ3 twin boundaries. • Hydrogen accumulates preferentially in both random and twin boundaries. • Hydrogen-facilitated IGC model for stainless steel is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bonding joining technology instead of welding to connect circular hollow sections. • Debonding crack monitored by 3D digital image correlation technique. • Steel yielding limits full utilization of the resistance of the bonded interface. • Failure mode of HSS joints is combined debonding and delamination. • Fracture toughness of the polymer resin has a governing effect on the joint ductility. The concept of an innovative bonded joining technology where welding is not required is presented as an alternative to traditional welded connection for steel circular hollow section (CHS). Wrapped composite joints have potential to greatly improve fatigue endurance when applied in multi-membered truss structures, e.g. offshore jackets for wind turbines. This paper focuses on characterization of influence of chemical bonding resistance, fracture toughness of resins, and steel yielding on debonding of wrapped composite joints. Uniaxial splice joints (A-joints) are made with GFRP composite material wrapped around steel sections, and tested under static tensile loading conditions until failure. Different chemical bonding properties by application of bonding primer, different types of polymer resins and steel grade are used during the wrapping procedure. Debonding on the bonded interface are identified by surface strain measurements through 3D digital image correlation (DIC) technique. Testing results indicate that steel yielding limits full utilization of the resistance of the bonded interface. Wrapped composite A-joints with high-strength steel exhibits 75% larger ultimate load where yielding is prevented. Larger fracture toughness of toughened vinyl-ester resin contributes to 30% larger displacement of the joints at failure compared to regular vinyl-ester and polyester resins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that peripheral ionotropic glutamate receptors are involved in the increase in sensitivity of a cutaneous branch of spinal dorsal ramus (CBDR) through antidromic electrical stimulation (ADES) of another CBDR in the adjacent segment. CBDR in the thoracic segments run parallel to each other and no synaptic contact at the periphery is reported. The present study investigated whether the increased sensitivity of peripheral sensory nerves via ADES of a CBDR induced Fos expression changes in the adjacent segments of the spinal cord. Fos expression increased in the T8 - T12 segments of the spinal cord evoked by ADES of the T10 CBDR in rats. The increased Fos expression in the T11 and T12, but not T8 - T10 spinal cord segments, was significantly blocked by local application of either N -methyl- D -aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist dizocilpine maleate (MK-801) or non-NMDA receptor antagonist 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX) into the receptive field of T11 CBDR. The results suggest that endogenous glutamate released by ADES of sensory nerve may bind to peripheral ionotropic glutamate receptors and activate adjacent sensory nerve endings to increase the sensitivity of the spinal cord. These data reveal the potential mechanisms of neuron activation in the spinal cord evoked by peripheral sensitization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the abilities of remarkable field confinements and enhancements, plasmonic surfaces supporting spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are important artificial structures with many potential applications. In this paper, we propose analytical derivation to the dispersion formulation of metallic surface with complicated subwavelength decorations using a field-network joint solution, which offers a new scheme to obtain the dispersion relations of plasmonic surfaces. Based on the proposed method, we could predict not only the dispersion relationship between the frequency and wavenumber but also the approximate near-field distribution on the plasmonic surface rapidly and accurately. As an example, we analyze a series of complex-decorated metallic plasmonic surfaces, with comparisons to the full-wave simulation and experiment. The analytical, numerical, and experimental results show that these plasmonic surfaces support electromagnetic surface modes that are similar to the SPPs at the optical frequency. Meanwhile, the calculated dispersion curve and field form have great matching to the simulation and measured results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of strengthening nanoparticles have a major influence on the mechanical property and irradiation resistance of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels. In situ small angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments were performed to determine the evolution of nanoparticles in 9Cr ODS steel powders varied with temperature. Initial-added Y 2 O 3 was completely dissolved into the steel matrix after mechanical alloying. Nanoparticles emerge after annealing at 600 °C for 10 min and coarsen slightly after 12 h. The radius of nanoparticles increases from 0.73 nm at 600 °C to 1.63 nm at 1000 °C, while the volume fraction decreases with increasing annealing temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on low carbon wastewater as the research object and using corncob as an external solid carbon source, the performance of corncob organic matter was assessed for its release potential, quantity of release, and safety of use. The effects of varying quantities of the solid carbon source on simultaneous nitrification and denitrification were investigated in a sequencing biofilm batch reactor (SBBR). Results show that the regularity of corncob as solid carbon source material was linear, with released concentrations of heavy metals being below the Chinese national standard limit values for heavy metals according to the surface water environment quality standards (I and II) (GB3838-2002). When temperatures were within 28~31°C, the dissolved oxygen level was 4.0±0.2 mg/L and the pH conditions were within 7.5~8.0. The optimal quantity for corncob dosing was 5 g per 1.5 L of low carbon wastewater. Following treatment, the average effluent concentrations of NH4+-N and TN were 2.85 mg/L and 4.51 mg/L, respectively. The effluent concentration of NH4+-N, TN had reached the A level national standard of sewage treatment plant pollutant discharge standard (GB18918-2002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 88 pure cultures was obtained from the pit muds of one wine corporation following separation and purification culture. The 75 strains of bacteria were assigned into 8 phylogenetic clusters (cluster I - VIII) based on the analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and phylogenetic tree. In them, the most similar bacteria were C. tyrobutyricum, C. butyricum, C. indolis, C. acetobutylicum, C. bifermentans, C. sporogenes, C. cadaveris and C. kluyveri, respectively. The volatile metabolites of 8 representative Clostridium spp. were analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 75 volatile metabolites was detected, including 23 alcohols, 20 acids, 14 esters, 2 aldehydes, 2 ketones and other 14 volatile substances. The principal component analysis revealed that the representative strain RL1 (C. tyrobutyricum) and EL7 (C. butyricum) were mainly related to the generation of acetic acid and butyric acid, and EL46 (C. kluyveri), RL20 (C. acetobutylicum) and RL10 (C. indolis) mainly contributed to the formation of caproic acid and ethyl hexanoate, and ELI2 (C. bifermentans) and RL23 (C. sporogenes) were mainly associated with the S-methyl acetate, 1-Decyl alcohol and octanol, and EL43 (C. cadaveris) was mainly correlated to the biosynthesis of various esters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grammatical evolution (GE) is a combination of genetic algorithm and context-free grammar, evolving programs for given problems by breeding candidate programs in the context of a grammar using genetic operations. As far as the representation is concerned, classical GE as well as most of its existing variants lacks awareness of both syntax and semantics, therefore having no potential for parallelism of various evaluation methods. To this end, we have proposed a novel approach called model-based grammatical evolution (MGE) in terms of grammar model (a finite state transition system) previously. It is proved, in the present paper, through theoretical analysis and experiments that semantic embedded syntax taking the form of regex (regular expression) over an alphabet of simple cycles and paths provides with potential for parallel evaluation of fitness, thereby making it possible for MGE to have a better performance in coping with more complex problems than most existing GEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaniline-graft-basalt plates (PANI-g-BP) were prepared based on γ-aminopropyltriethoxysiliane (APTS)-modified basalt plates via in-situ chemical-oxidation polymerization method. Three PANI-g-BP samples were prepared by varying the ratio of aniline to BP, i.e. 1:2, 1:4, 1:6. The results of Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed that PANI was successfully grafted on the surface of basalt plates. Different coatings were prepared by adding the synthesized PANI-g-BPs or PANI, and were coated on the mild steel subsequently. The water-uptake property, the adhesion strength and the passive properties of the coatings were investigated. In addition, the protective performance of the coatings was tested by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 12% NaCl solution at 95 °C. The results indicated that the coatings with 10% PANI-g-BP (1:4) exhibited the best protective performance and its impedance at 0.01 Hz is higher than 10 10 after 80 days immersing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]