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Background: The proliferative stage (tachyzoite) of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is critical for its transmission and pathogenesis, and a proto-oncogene eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF-5A) plays an important role in various cellular processes such as cell multiplication. Methods: We performed a proteomic study to evaluate the specific roles of eIF-5A involved in invasion and replication of T. gondii, and both in vivo and in vitro trials using eIF-5A-interfered and wild tachyzoites were performed to verify the proteomic results. Results: The results of our study showed that T. gondii eIF-5A affected tachyzoite growth and also participated in the synthesis of proteins through regulation of both ribosomal and splicing pathways. Inhibition of eIF-5A in T. gondii resulted in the downregulated expression of soluble adhesions, such as microneme protein 1 (MIC1) and MIC4, which in turn decreased the parasite population that adhered to the surface of host cells. The reduced attachment, combined with lower expression of some rhoptry proteins (ROPs) and dense granule antigens (GRAs) involved in different stages of T. gondii invasion such as ROP4 and GRA3, ultimately reduce the invasion efficiency. These processes regulated by eIF-5A eventually affect the replication of tachyzoites. Conclusions: Our findings showed that eIF-5A influenced tachyzoite survival and was also involved in the process of parasite invasion and replication. These results will provide new clues for further development of targeted drugs to control T. gondii infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The proliferative stage (tachyzoite) of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is critical for its transmission and pathogenesis, and a proto-oncogene eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF-5A) plays an important role in various cellular processes such as cell multiplication. Methods: We performed a proteomic study to evaluate the specific roles of eIF-5A involved in invasion and replication of T. gondii, and both in vivo and in vitro trials using eIF-5A-interfered and wild tachyzoites were performed to verify the proteomic results. Results: The results of our study showed that T. gondii eIF-5A affected tachyzoite growth and also participated in the synthesis of proteins through regulation of both ribosomal and splicing pathways. Inhibition of eIF-5A in T. gondii resulted in the downregulated expression of soluble adhesions, such as microneme protein 1 (MIC1) and MIC4, which in turn decreased the parasite population that adhered to the surface of host cells. The reduced attachment, combined with lower expression of some rhoptry proteins (ROPs) and dense granule antigens (GRAs) involved in different stages of T. gondii invasion such as ROP4 and GRA3, ultimately reduce the invasion efficiency. These processes regulated by eIF-5A eventually affect the replication of tachyzoites. Conclusions: Our findings showed that eIF-5A influenced tachyzoite survival and was also involved in the process of parasite invasion and replication. These results will provide new clues for further development of targeted drugs to control T. gondii infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper propose a direct generalization quantile regression estimation method (DGQR estimation) for quantile regression with varying-coefficient models with interval censored data, which is a direct generalization for complete observed data. The consistency and asymptotic normality properties of the estimators are obtained. The proposed method has the advantage that does not require the censoring vectors to be identically distributed. The effectiveness of the method is verified by some simulation studies and a real data example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-lasting infection of high-risk type (type 16 or type 18) human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of gynecological and urinary malignancies. Given the high mortality rate after surgery, the development of a new molecular therapy would be of value to clinicians. The aim of the present study was to achieve targeted inactivation of the viral E6 gene in keratinocytes using the reprogrammed CRISPR-Cas13a system. To accomplish this, a reprogrammed CRISPR-Cas13a system, targeting both the HPV16/18 E6 genes was constructed using a guide RNA expressing vector. The expression levels of E6 protein were measured using western blot analysis after transfection of the vector into E6-transformed keratin oocytes. Cell proliferation was analyzed using CCK-8 assays and cell apoptosis was evaluated using Hoechst 33258 staining and ELISAs examining caspase-3 levels. The results indicated that both the HPV16/18 E6 genes can be inactivated using the CRISPR-Cas13a system. Furthermore, silencing E6 inhibited cell proliferation (14±1.8% on average) and induced apoptosis (80.2±3.2% on average) in E6-transformed keratinocytes but not in normal keratinocytes. In conclusion, results of the present study demonstrate that the reprogrammed CRISPR-Cas13a system has the potential for inactivating HPV E6 gene functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SiC/Cu nano-multilayer films were deposited on Si substrates using radio frequency and direct current alternative sputtering technique. In this paper, the transport and magnetic properties of the films were investigated. XRR shows the SiC/Cu periodical structures of the films. XRD confirms that the 3C-SiC crystal structure is formed in the films without heating substrates. The XPS indicates that the Cu atoms substitute for Si sites of the SiC lattice and exist in a mixed valance state of Cu + and Cu 2+ . The best fitting for the plots of ln ρ versus T −1/4 using the combination of the Mott and the band gap VRH models suggests that the carriers in the films are strongly localized. The films have a typical semiconductor characteristic and an obvious room temperature ferromagnetism which should arise from the bond magnetic polarons. The maximum values of saturation magnetization and carrier concentration are up to 15.2 emu/cm 3 and 1.86E + 22/cm 3 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) diffusion bonding with CLAM steel is the primary candidate fabrication technique for the first wall (FW) of DFLL-TBM. Surface state is one of the key factors for the joints quality. The effect of surface state prepared with grinder and miller on HIP diffusion bonding joints of CLAM steel was investigated. HIP diffusion bonding was performed at 140 MPa and 1373 K within 3 h. The mechanical properties of the joints were investigated with instrumented Charpy V-notch impact tests and the microstructures of the joints were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the milled samples with fine surface roughness were more suitable for CLAM steel HIP diffusion bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of human society has brought great pressure on land resources, while the reasonable land use pattern is the key to alleviate the pressure and realize the regional sustainable development strategy. This paper, based on the land demand of social, economic, and ecologically sustainable development, constructs a quantitative evaluation method of land pressure from three aspects of food production, economic development, and ecological protection. According to the survey data of the Shanghuang experimental area in different periods, this paper analyses the changes process of land pressure index and land use patterns in different periods, the results show the following: the land pressure index was 0.738 before comprehensive control of soil and water erosion, which is severe pressure level; the comprehensive pressure index of land fell to 0.247 in year 2000; the land pressure decreased significantly; the pressure level demonstrates a mild pressure rating; and, during the conversion of cropland to forest and grassland, the land pressure index continued to decline, which reached 0.164 in year 2010. Land pressure was defined as land use pattern interactions throughout the whole study period, but the interactional features are significant differences in different periods. Before 1982, under the conditions of the traditional agriculture production pattern, due to the low levels of agricultural productivity and the rapid population growth, the land resource was facing tremendous pressure. The characteristics of land use pattern were that the productivity development level and the population growth were extremely imbalanced, the resources utilization and protection were in serious disorder, and the man-land relationship was opposite. During the periods of governance and returning farmland to forest and grassland, the land resource was facing greater pressure because of the situation of population growth. Under the interventions of technical factors and policy factors, the level of agricultural productivity increased greatly, so the land use pattern was changed from the extensive to the intensive management, the grain yield and economic income had great improvement, the ecological construction obtained great achievements, ecology and economics presented a harmonious development situation, the sustainable utilization level of land resource continuously improved. From the mutual relationship of land use pattern and land pressure, population growth is the primary source of land pressure, while the productivity level is the key to relieve the pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper a new method for computing the action of the matrix exponential on a vector , where is a complex matrix and is a positive real number, is proposed. Our approach is based on vector valued rational approximation where the approximants are determined by the denominator polynomials whose coefficients are obtained by solving an inexpensive linear least-squares problem. No matrix multiplications or divisions but matrix-vector products are required in the whole process. A technique of scaling and recurrence enables our method to be more effective when the problem is for fixed and many values of . We also give a backward error analysis in exact arithmetic for the truncation errors to derive our new algorithm. Preliminary numerical results illustrate that the new algorithm performs well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: China Low Activation Martensitic (CLAM) steel is being developed at the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences under collaboration with many institutes and universities. This steel has been chosen as the primary candidate structural material for the LiPb blanket and DFLL–TBM developed in China. The development and testing strategy for DFLL–TBM includes three stages: out-of-pile tests, tests in EAST, and tests in ITER. The joining of CLAM by Hot Isostatic Pressing Diffusion Welding and Electron Beam Welding is being studied in detail, and small scale panels of the TBM first wall and cover plate with flow channels are being fabricated. Properties of CLAM including fatigue crack growth, creep properties and compatibility with liquid LiPb are also being studied. Recent progress in these R&D activities is summarized. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fabrication techniques for Test Blanket Module (TBM) with CLAM are being under development. Effect of surface preparation on the HIP diffusion bonding joints was studied and good joints with Charpy impact absorbed energy close to that of base metal have been obtained. The mechanical properties test showed that effect of HIP process on the mechanical properties of base metal was little. Uniaxial diffusion bonding experiments were carried out to study the effect of temperature on microstructure and mechanical properties. And preliminary experiments on Electron Beam Welding (EBW), Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding and Laser Beam Welding (LBW) were performed to find proper welding techniques to assemble the TBM. In addition, the thermal processes assessed with a Gleeble thermal-mechanical machine were carried out as well to assist the fusion welding research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Thermal aging experiment is an effective method to evaluate the thermostability of structure materials which serve in high temperatures. But it difficult to acquire the aging data throughout service term, because it would take a long time. Hence, an accelerating thermal aging model of China low activation martensitic (CLAM) steel was built in this paper to shorten the time of the thermal aging experiment. The microstructure analysis and Charpy impact tests were conducted on CLAM steel after thermal aging with different temperatures. The results showed that raising temperature could accelerate the grain coarsening process and the main factor of ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) increasing was grain coarsening after aging for less than 8000 h which were analyzed by fracture model. Hence, the activation energy of grain coarsening with a value of 47.4 kJ/mol could be regarded as the activation energy of thermal aging. Then a model of accelerating thermal aging was built by using Arrhenius formula to evaluate the properties degradation during thermal aging. This strategy could be used to accelerate thermal aging process of CLAM steel through raising aging temperature and it could save time and cost for aging experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractA 100-W radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) is by far the most suitable power supply for long-term deep space exploration where solar power would not be feasible. Understanding the thermal performance and electrical performance of the RTG under operational conditions is paramount for its nominal and safety performance during the space mission. In this paper, modeling and experimental studies on the thermal behavior and electrical performance of the 100-W RTG have been conducted. The RTG uses high conversion efficiency skutterudite-based thermoelectric convertor (TEC) arrays thermally coupled with a radioisotope heat unit (RHU) to generate electricity. A comprehensive finite element model and an electrical heating prototype of the 100-W RTG have been built to assess the performance of the RTG designs. Critical temperature, generated power, and energy conversion efficiency were evaluated. The simulation results show that the maximum output power of the RTG can reach about 120 W(electric); the temperature of the hot end of the TECs is about 853 K, and the temperature of the cold end is about 473 K, making a temperature difference of about 380 K. The RTG prototype with Bi2Te3 TECs generated about 60 W(electric) of electrical power in the first experimental research stage. These research results have significant reference for extension of the RTG prototype to the actual power source of the RHU and allow for future research and development improvements of the 100-W RTG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The TRIANGLE operation benefits patients with pancreatic cancer; however, the Heidelberg triangle, where the operation occurs, contains vessels that can impact safety, especially in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) with the TRIANGLE operation. This study aimed to identify Heidelberg triangle vessel types and their implications in pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Methods: Retrospective collection of radiographic data was performed from January 2017 to April 2023. Three-dimensional (3D) CT reconstructions were performed on patients. Vascular types in the Heidelberg triangle were classified based on named vessels crossing its interior. The impact of these types on surgical outcomes and complications in PD with the TRIANGLE operation was assessed. Results: Preoperative CT reconstruction was conducted on 184 pancreatic surgery patients. The findings revealed 99 patients (53.8%) with the type I Heidelberg triangle, lacking named vessels crossing the interior. Type II (n = 85, 46.2%), with named vessels crossing the interior, was identified. Among reconstructed patients who underwent PD with the TRIANGLE operation (n = 103), they were categorized as type I (n = 57) or type II (n = 46). The results showed that LPD patients with type II had significantly higher median intraoperative blood loss (300 mL vs. 200 mL, P = 0.030) and mean examined lymph nodes (17.2 ± 7.6 vs. 13.4 ± 5.2, P = 0.019) compared to those with type I. No significant differences were found in operative time or postoperative complications. Conclusion: The presence of named vessels crossing the interior of the Heidelberg triangle was associated with increased intraoperative bleeding during LPD combined with the TRIANGLE operation. Therefore, targeted preoperative planning is required before the operation, thus improving the safety of the TRIANGLE operation in minimally invasive surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: With the change of lifestyle, the occurrence of coronary artery disease presents a younger trend, increasing the medical and economic burden on the family and society. To reduce the burden caused by this disease, this study applied LASSO Logistic Regression and Random Forest to establish a risk prediction model for premature coronary artery disease(PCAD) separately and compared the predictive performance of the two models. Methods: The data are obtained from 1004 patients with coronary artery disease admitted to a third-class hospital in Liaoning Province from September 2019 to December 2021. The data from 797 patients were ultimately evaluated. The dataset of 797 patients was randomly divided into the training set (569 persons) and the validation set (228 persons) scale by 7:3. The risk prediction model was established and compared by LASSO Logistic and Random Forest. Result: The two models in this study showed that hyperuricemia, chronic renal disease, carotid artery atherosclerosis were important predictors of premature coronary artery disease. A result of the AUC between the two models showed statistical difference (Z = 3.47, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Random Forest has better prediction performance for PCAD and is suitable for clinical practice. It can provide an objective reference for the early screening and diagnosis of premature coronary artery disease, guide clinical decision-making and promote disease prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, oral diseases are common, pose an economic burden, and significantly decline the quality of life of affected individuals. Recently, researchers have substantially highlighted the effect of depression on oral disease incidence and development. In this study, we elucidated the correlation between depression and oral diseases. Methods: Using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR), the association between depression and the risk of 17 oral diseases was evaluated. Three methods were used to perform MR analysis: the inverse variance-weighted, weighted median, and MR-Egger methods. Furthermore, Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier test, and leave-one-out analysis were performed to analyze sensitivity. Results: After implementing multiple test corrections, we observed that genetic susceptibility to depression was associated with an increased risk of mouth ulcers, toothache, loose teeth, bleeding gums, painful gums, chronic periodontitis, chronic tonsil and adenoid diseases, peritonsillar abscess, and excessive tooth attrition. However, a causal relationship between depression and other oral diseases was not observed. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. Conclusions: We confirmed the causal relationship between depression and several oral diseases, thereby providing a novel viewpoint on the prevention and treatment of oral diseases. Our findings suggest the integration of depression control into routine clinical care to enhance the effectiveness of oral disease treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil total nitrogen (STN) is a crucial component of the ecosystem's nitrogen pool, and accurate prediction of STN content is essential for understanding global nitrogen cycling processes. This study utilized the measured STN content of 126 sample points and 40 extracted remote sensing variables to predict the STN content and map its spatial distribution in the northeastern coastal region of Hebei Province, China, employing the random forest (RF), gradient boosting machine (GBM), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) methods. The purpose was to compare the ability of remote sensing images (Landsat-8, Sentinel-1, and Sentinel-2) with different machine learning methods for predicting STN content. The research results show the following: (1) The three machine learning methods accurately predicted the STN content and the optimal model provided by the XGBoost method, with an R2 of 0.627, RMSE of 0.127 g·kg−1, and MAE of 0.092 g·kg−1. (2) The combination of optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images improved prediction accuracy, with the R2 improving by 45.5%. (3) The importance of optical images is higher than that of SAR images in the RF, GBM, and XGBoost methods, with optical images accounting for 87%, 76%, and 77% importance, respectively. (4) The spatial distribution of STN content predicted by the three methods is similar. Higher STN contents are distributed in the northern part of the study area, while lower STN contents are distributed in coastal areas. The results of this study can be very useful for inventories of soil nitrogen and provide data support and method references for revealing nitrogen cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), as the members of pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs), play a crucial role in innate immunity due to its significant function to recognize pathogens and activate downstream elements in signaling pathway. In the present study, the full-length cDNA sequences of TLR1 and TLR2 were cloned in the natural triploid Qihe crucian carp (Carassius auratus). The complete cDNA sequence of TLR1 was 2754 bp which was comprised of 5′ UTR of 60 bp, 3′ UTR of 300 bp, and an open reading frame of 2394 bp encoding 797 amino acids. The full-length cDNA sequence of TLR2 was 2605 bp, containing 5′ UTR of 36 bp, 3′ UTR of 202 bp, and an open reading frame of 2367 bp, encoding 788 amino acids. The mRNA expressions of CaTLR1 and CaTLR2 were detected to be constitutive at various embryonic developmental stages, and it was indicated that the similar expression pattern that mRNA expression levels were high at early development, then went down, and increased at later development stage. With regard to mRNA expression levels of CaTLR1 and CaTLR2 in various tissues of Qihe crucian carp, it showed to be constitutive with being higher in the liver and heart and the lowest in ovary. The mRNA expressions of CaTLR1 and CaTLR2 were profiled by quantitative real-time PCR following intraperitoneal injections of Aeromonas hydrophila and TLR ligands including LPS, PGN, and PolyI:C. Compared with the control, both CaTLR1 and CaTLR2 expressions were upregulated in most tissues of fish after challenges of LPS, PGN, PolyI:C, or A. hydrophila, although expression patterns varied in different tissues (gill, liver, spleen, trunk kidney, and head kidney). Together, these data highlighted the important role of CaTLR1 and CaTLR2 in recognizing LPS, PGN, PolyI:C, and A. hydrophila and in augmenting the innate immune ability against bacterial and viral infections in Qihe crucian carp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water conservation (WC) function of ecosystems is related to regional ecological security and the sustainable development of water resources, and the assessment of WC and its influencing factors is crucial for ecological and water resource management. The Tumen River Basin (TRB) is located in the core of the Northeast Asian ecological network and has been experiencing severe ecological crises and water shortages in recent years due to climate change and human activities. However, these crises have not been fully revealed to the extent that corresponding scientific measures are lacking. This study analyzed the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics and drivers of WC in the TRB from 1990 to 2019 based on the water yield module of the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model. The results showed that: 1) under the combined effect of nature and socioeconomics, the WC depth of the TRB has slowly increased at a rate of 0.11 mm/yr in the past 30 years, with an average WC depth of 36.14 mm. 2) The main driving factor of the spatial variation in WC is precipitation, there is a significant interaction between precipitation and velocity, the interaction between each factor is higher than the contribution of a single factor, and the interactions between factors all have nonlinear enhancement and two-factor enhancement. 3) Among the seven counties and municipalities in the study area, the southern part of Helong City and the southeastern part of Longjing City are extremely important areas for WC (> 75 mm), and they should be regarded as regional water resources and ecological priority protection areas. It is foreseen that under extreme climate conditions in the future, the WC of the watershed is under great potential threat, and protection measures such as afforestation and forestation should begin immediately. Furthermore, the great interannual fluctuations in WC depth may place more stringent requirements on the choice of time scales in the ecosystem service assessment process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal wetland soil organic carbon (CW-SOC) is crucial for both "blue carbon" and carbon sequestration. It is of great significance to understand the content of soil organic carbon (SOC) in soil resource management. A total of 133 soil samples were evaluated using an indoor spectral curve and were categorized into silty soil and sandy soil. The prediction model of CW-SOC was established using optimized support vector machine regression (OSVR) and optimized random forest regression (ORFR). The Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation (LOO-CV) method was used to verify the model, and the performance of the two prediction models, as well as the models' stability and uncertainty, was examined. The results show that (1) The SOC content of different coastal wetlands is significantly different, and the SOC content of silty soils is about 1.8 times that of sandy soils. Moreover, the characteristic wavelengths associated with SOC in silty soils are mainly concentrated in the spectral range of 500–1000 nm and 1900–2400 nm, while the spectral range of sandy soils is concentrated in the spectral range of 600–1400 nm and 1700–2400 nm. (2) The organic carbon prediction model of silty soil based on the OSVR method under the first-order differential of reflectance (R′) is the best, with the Adjusted-R2 value as high as 0.78, the RPD value is much greater than 2.0 and 5.07, and the RMSE value as low as 0.07. (3) The performance of the OSVR model is about 15~30% higher than that of the support vector machine regression (SVR) model, and the performance of the ORFR model is about 3~5% higher than that of the random forest regression (RFR) model. OSVR and ORFR are better methods of accurately predicting the CW-SOC content and provide data support for the carbon cycle, soil conservation, plant growth, and environmental protection of coastal wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between water and green spaces holds significant importance as an urban carbon sink, but there has been insufficient attention to how the specific morphology of waterfront landscapes affects their capacity for carbon sink. This study focuses on typical riverfront spaces in Shanghai, employing an improved Carnegie-Ames-Stanford-Approach (CASA) model fused with remote sensing spatiotemporal images to simulate vegetation fixed carbon within urban riverfront green spaces. Furthermore, an interpretable machine learning method was utilized to unveil the mechanism driving spatial heterogeneity in carbon sink efficiency. The results reveal the carbon sink efficiency of urban riverfront green spaces exhibits noticeable spatial heterogeneity, varying according to the location, type, scale, and river elements; The internal green component factors, including vegetation coverage and tree green ratio, along with surrounding environmental factor water surface ratio, are key factors influencing the carbon sinks efficiency; Hydrological elements within specific thresholds, namely, water surface ratio ranges between 0.245 and 0.281, can effectively enhance the carbon sink capacity of green spaces. And the maximum influencing value of distance from the water body is about 1800 m. The study contributes to developing a more scientific layout for climate-adaptive urban riverfront green spaces on the mesoscale. • Green carbon sink efficiency is affected by spatial morphology and the surrounding environment. • Hydrological elements can enhance carbon sink efficiency in riverfront green patches. • Landscape spatial morphology elements interact with each other during the carbon sequestration process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China Low Activation Martensitic (CLAM) steel is selected as the candidate structural material in Fusion Design Study (FDS) series fusion reactor conceptual designs. The creep property of CLAM steel has been studied in this paper. Creep tests have been carried out at 823 K and 873 K over a stress range of 150–230 MPa. The creep curves showed three creep regimes, primary creep, steady-state creep and tertiary creep. The relationship between minimum creep rate ( ε ̇ min ) and the applied stress ( σ ) could be described by Norton power law, and the stress exponent n was decreased with the increase of the creep temperature. The creep mechanism was analyzed with the fractographes of the rupture specimens which were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The coarsening of precipitates observed with transmission electron microscope (TEM) indicated the microstructural degradation after creep test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The age of a shelterbelt is not only an important parameter for determining the function of a shelterbelt, it is also strongly related to the biomass and carbon flux of shelterbelt ecosystems. Therefore, timely and accurate identifications of shelterbelt ages are key for shelterbelt monitoring and management. This study developed a method for estimating shelterbelt age (i.e., years after planting) from a time series of remote sensing images. Firstly, the shelterbelts were divided into three states based on a single remote sensing image of each. Then, a three-stage growth process was established by analysis. Finally, the shelterbelt ages were determined based on time series remote sensing images over a two-year monitoring period in the study area. The actual shelterbelt ages based on field measurements were used to analyze the accuracy of the results. The total number of samples was 243. The results showed that the age identification accuracy was 68.7%. The main factors affecting the identification accuracy were missing images, cloud cover, and the length of the monitoring period. Despite some uncertainties, the proposed method may be used to obtain critical data for shelterbelt management and conducting quick surveys of current shelterbelt conditions over a large area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) in the majority of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) is caused by various factors such as maternal age, embryo quality, endometrial receptivity (ER), and immunity. The incidence of RIF is usually between 5 and 10%. Previous studies have shown that herb-partitioned moxibustion on the navel is one of the treatment methods of acupuncture with a positive effect on pregnancy. However, its application in the treatment of RIF has not been reported. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safeness of herb-partitioned moxibustion on the navel in improving the outcome of frozen embryo transfer (FET) in patients with RIF.Methods: This study conducts a randomized controlled trial (RCT). It is planned to recruit 210 patients undergoing RIF for FET from Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and randomly divide them into the treatment group and the control group in a ratio of 1:1. The patient of the treatment group will be treated with herb-partitioned moxibustion on the navel once a week for three consecutive menstrual cycles. No intervention will be used in the control group for 3 menstrual cycles. In the fourth menstrual cycle, all patients will undergo artificial cycle to prepare the endometrium for FET. The pregnancy outcomes will be recorded after a 3-month follow-up. Primary outcome will be assessed as the ongoing pregnancy rate compared with the control group. Secondary outcomes include the endometrial type, resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI) of the bilateral uterine artery, endometrial blood flow, serum estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), biochemical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, and clinical pregnancy rate.Discussion: If the results show that the herb-partitioned moxibustion on the navel can improve IVF-ET outcomes in patients with RIF, it will be recommended in clinical practice.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) ChiCTR2100043954 . Registered on 8 July 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), characterized by heightened neural density, presents a challenging prognosis primarily due to perineural invasion. Recognized for their crucial roles in neural support and myelination, Schwann cells (SCs) significantly influence the process of tumorigenesis. This review succinctly outlines the interplay between PDAC and neural systems, positioning SCs as a nexus in the tumor-neural interface. Subsequently, it delves into the cellular origin and influencers of SCs within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, emphasizing their multifaceted roles in tumor initiation, progression, and modulation of the neural and immune microenvironment. The discussion encompasses potential therapeutic interventions targeting SCs. Lastly, the review underscores pressing issues, advocating for sustained exploration into the diverse contributions of SCs within the intricate landscape of PDAC, with the aim of enhancing our understanding of their involvement in this complex malignancy. • Schwann cells emerge as a nexus in the interplay of the tumor and nerves. • The cellular origin and influencers of tumor-associated Schwann cells are complex. • Schwann cells exert multifaceted influences on pancreatic cancer. • Several issues persist in our comprehension of Schwann cells within the context of pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The SKE was the most accurate turbulent model in predicting the temperature distribution in the SUPERCAVNA with an average relative temperature error of 2.96 % and a standard deviation of 2.7 %. • For thermal stratification of liquid sodium, the Pr t was recommended to be within the range of 1.5 to 2 to obtain convincing temperature data. • The effect of turbulent Prandtl number on temperature distribution diminished when Ri increased. • The BA can effectively replace the TD for investigations involving calculations about the thermal stratification phenomenon of liquid sodium. The accuracy in simulating thermal stratification, a critical issue in thermohydraulic research of liquid–metal-cooled nuclear reactors, has garnered significant attention. In this study, a symmetric 3D-CFD model has been established based on the SUPERCAVNA facility to analyze the performance of four RANS turbulent models. The results indicate that the SKE is the most accurate turbulent model in predicting the temperature distribution in the SUPERCAVNA with an average relative temperature error of 2.96 % and a standard deviation of 2.7 %. A parametric study has been conducted using SKE to discuss the effect of turbulent Prandtl number, the value of which is recommended to be between 1.5 and 2.0 from the results. Moreover, the Boussinesq approximation can be regarded as an alternative method for setting the temperature-dependent variables to conduct calculations involving gravity-induced buoyancy. These results are valuable for further investigations of thermal stratification and thermohydraulic research in liquid–metal-cooled nuclear reactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The first wall (FW) of China dual functional lithium lead-test blanket module (DFLL-TBM) for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) contains rectangular helium flow channels, which will be fabricated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP)-diffusion welding with China low activation martensitic (CLAM) steel plates and rectangular tubes. Study on the rectangular tube fabrication process are being conducted. Rectangular tubes of 15mm×20 (inter dimensions of cross section)mm×2.2 (wall thickness)mm×1500 (length)mm were produced by hot piercing and cold rolling, and its dimensional deviation met the requirement of TBM assembly. The effects of tube rolling and heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of CLAM rectangular tube were analyzed. It is found that soft annealing heat treatment after tube piercing was a suitable way to improve the ductility of the CLAM steel. The elongation should be less than 15% at every tube rolling step, and the favorable tempering temperature to release the stress caused by tube rolling was 800°C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: CLAM steel is one of the RAFMs under development in China. And it is chosen as the primary candidate structural material of the LiPb blankets and DFLL-TBM developed in China. The development and test strategy of DFLL-TBM includes three stages: out-of-pile test, test in EAST and test in ITER. The fabrication techniques of small TBMs for EAST and ITER such as smelting of CLAM steel, the process of the panel for the first wall and Electron Beam Welding method are being studied in detail during recent years. The recent progress of these R&D activities is summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of the size and distribution of non-metal inclusions on mechanical properties of the China low activation martensitic steel (CLAM) was investigated. The tensile and Charpy V-notch impact tests showed that electroslag remelting improved the tensile properties and reduced the ductile brittle transition temperature (DBTT). Inclusion detection of CLAM by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope showed that both the dimensions and quantities of the alumina inclusions decreased and their distributions became more uniform after remelting. The better refinement and distribution uniformity of alumina inclusions were considered as the main possible reasons for the improvement of the mechanical properties of CLAM steel after remelting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To investigate the irradiation effects on a new version of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels (RAFMs) i.e. China Low Activation Martensitic steel (CLAM), neutron irradiation experiments has been being carried out under wide collaboration in China and overseas. In this paper, the mechanical properties of CLAM heats 0603A, 0408B, and 0408D were investigated before and after neutron irradiation to ∼0.02dpa at 250°C. The test results showed that ultimate strength and yield stress of CLAM HEAT 0603A increased about 10–30MPa and ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT) shift was about 5°C. For CLAM heats 0408B and 0408D, ultimate strength and yield stress increased about 80–150MPa. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) are two critical signal transducers in toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway. In the present study, we identified and characterized the homologues of MyD88 and TRAF6 in Qihe crucian carp Carassius auratus , termed as CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 , respectively, and examined their roles during pathogenic infection. Full-length cDNA of CaMyD88 was 2463 bp, including a 191 bp 5′-untranslated region (UTR), a 1417 bp 3′-UTR, and an 855 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding for a putative protein with 284 amino acids. Full-length cDNA of CaTRAF6 was identified to be 2555 bp, consisting of a 52 bp 5′-UTR, an 871 bp 3′-UTR, and a 1632 bp ORF encoding a protein of 543 amino acids. Deduced amino acid sequences of CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 contained the typical domains (CaMyD88: death domain and TIR domain; CaTRAF6: one RING-type zinc finger domain, two TRAF-type zinc finger domains, one coiled-coil region, and one conserved C-terminal meprin and TRAF homology domain) as in other fish. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that both CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 were ubiquitously expressed throughout the development stages and appeared to be developmentally regulated. In addition, CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 had a broadly distribution of expression in all examined eleven tissues of healthy fish, although the transcript levels varied among the different tissues. Moreover, it was found that mRNA expressions of CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 were generally up-regulated after stimulation by polyI:C, flagellin, and Aeromonas hydrophila in spite of the down-regulation appeared at some time points or tissues. These results indicated that CaMyD88 and CaTRAF6 play the critical roles in the immune defense of Qihe crucian carp against pathogenic invasion. The present findings will provide the valuable information for understanding the innate immune responses of Qihe crucian carp and contribute to develop the preventive way against pathogens. Highlights • Full length DNA and cDNA of MyD88 and TRAF6 were respectively characterized in Carassius auratus. • Maternal CaMyD88 or CaTRAF6 mRNA was gradually consumed in early period of developmental embryos. • Target gene mRNA expressions show obvious tissue specificity. • Expression patterns of two genes show the significant responses to immune challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Previous studies have found that impairment of the circadian clock appears to contribute to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the circulating follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level showed a diurnal cycle. A recent study reported that a lower FSH level was associated with NAFLD. However, the effects of the diurnal rhythm of FSH on NAFLD have not been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the diurnal rhythm of FSH was associated with NAFLD in an elderly population.Study Design: We performed a cross-sectional study among 71 elderly patients between August 2015 and November 2015 at Fujian Provincial Hospital. Anthropometrics and tests for laboratory were performed for each patient. FSH was determined by radioimmunoassay. The FSH receptor (FSHR) expression was identified in liver and ovary tissue by immunohistochemical staining. NAFLD was diagnosed by sonographic features.Results: Of the 71 patients, 33 (42.9%) had NAFLD on their ultrasound. There were no significant differences between subjects with NAFLD and those without NAFLD in terms of age, sex, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting plasma glucose, postload plasma glucose, liver enzyme, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. Both the serum FSH levels of 8AM and 0AM showed no differences between the groups. The proportion of the 'normal' diurnal rhythm of FSH was higher among the patients with NAFLD (78.1% vs. 52.6%, P = .027). After adjusting for all potential confounders, the fully adjusted odds ratios (OR) of diurnal rhythm of FSH for NAFLD was 3.86 (95%CI: 1.01, 14.81, P = .049). Immunohistochemical staining showed that the FSHR protein was detected in human ovarian and hepatic tissues.Conclusions: These results suggest that the 'normal' diurnal rhythm of FSH was independently associated with NAFLD in an elderly population. This study provides a novel insight into the diurnal rhythm of FSH in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu and Mn co-doped LiNbO 3 films were deposited on Si (111) substrates by rf-magnetron sputtering. XRD shows a randomly oriented polycrystalline R3C structure of LiNbO 3 was formed in the films annealed at 1000 °C for 1 h in air. XPS and XAFS determine that Mn 2+ substitutes on the Li site with a Li vacancy and Cu 2+ substitutes on the Nb site with an oxygen vacancy in the LiNbO 3 lattice. SQUID measurements indicate that all the films exhibit room temperature ferromagnetism, attributed to a strong d–d electron interaction between Mn and Nb and the bound magnetic polarons resulting from the oxygen vacancies. The saturated magnetization increases but the atom magnetic moment decreases with increasing Cu content in the films. The drop of the atom magnetic moment may arise from the antiferromagnetic coupling among adjacent Cu ions and an antiparallel configuration between Cu 2+ ions and their trapped electrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni-doped SiC films deposited on Si (100) substrates prepared by RF-magnetron sputtering were discussed in this paper. The results show that with reference to the as-deposited as well as annealing at 800 °C. C atoms were substituted by Ni atoms in the 3C SiC lattice and Ni-related secondary phase cannot be detected. After annealing at 1200 °C, the crystal quality improved obviously while the majority of Ni atoms form the Ni 2 Si secondary phase. Temperature dependent on resistivity reveals that the conduction mechanism is dominated by Mott variable range hopping behavior for the Ni-doped SiC films, confirming that the carriers are localized. All the films are ferromagnetic at 300 K and annealing can evidently improve the room-temperature (RT) ferromagnetism. The bound magnetic polarons should be responsible for the RT ferromagnetism of the Ni-doped SiC films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the application of ureteroscopy in the treatment of ureteral calculi during pregnancy has been on the rise, for persistent renal colic patients without ultrasound-detected ureteral calculi, it may represent a clinical dilemma due to the potential risks for both mother and fetus. Objective: The aim of the present study is to present our experience with the application of the ureteroscope in the emergency treatment of persistent renal colic patients during pregnancy. Methods: From March 2009 to September 2014, a total of 117 pregnant women who received ureteroscopy for persistent renal colic were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups according to duration of the persistent renal colic: Group A (within 12 hours; 24 cases); Group B (12 to 24 hours; 76 cases); and Group C (more than 24 hours; 17 cases). The stone-free rate, complications, and other qualitative data were analyzed. Results: Of the 117 patients, 31 patients who were found not to have renal or ureteral calculi received ureteroscopic double-J (DJ) stent insertion, whereas 86 patients who were found with ureteral calculi received ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL) and DJ stent insertion. Among them, 24 patients (27.9%) were found with ureteral calculi by ureteroscopy rather than ultrasound. In addition, 73 patients (84.9%) had complete fragmentation of calculi; 12 patients (10.3%) had a threatened abortion (the rates of threatened abortion in Groups A, B and C were 8.3% vs. 6.5% vs. 29.4%; Group C compared with Groups A and B, p<0.05), and one patient (1.2%) had urosepsis (in Group C). However, these complications were cured with conservative treatment, without postpartum infant and maternal complications. Conclusion: For pregnant patients with persistent renal colic/ureteral calculi and hydronephrosis, ureteroscopic DJ stent insertion and URSL are effective and safe options when conservative treatment fails, even if no urinary calculi were found by ultrasound. At the same time, for patients with persistent renal colic during pregnancy, early application of ureteroscopy may reduce the risk of preterm birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on detection technology of 1 H low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), this study developed a novel method for assessment and mechanism study of bleeding. This method is sensitive to bleeding water as well as water in cement paste and diluted grout, gives a vivid scenario of microstructure variation and provides important insights into mechanism of bleeding. In this study, influence of parameters such as cement type, water/cement ratio, chemical additives and environmental temperature on bleeding process was investigated. Results show that bleeding property of cements can be rapidly and precisely evaluated by the proposed method. It is found that peaks of T 2 distribution correlate with separated layers of fresh cement paste with bleeding, and the bleeding process generally consists of a significant growth, a relative stable period and a water-sucking stage. Results also demonstrate that retarder significantly increases bleeding, however, bleeding, to a certain extent, can be reduced by the addition of air-entraining agent. Furthermore, bleeding results of the cement paste under different temperatures (15.5 and 22.5 °C) suggest that higher temperature leads to a smaller T 2 value (around 10 ms) and a lower bleeding rate. The high precision of 1 H low-field NMR and linear correlation ( R ⩾ 0.921) between R t ( B ) and bleeding rate both evidenced the superiority and feasibility of the proposed method on study of bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights the results of a study on the high cycle fatigue strength and fracture mechanism of China Low Activation Martensitic (CLAM) steel. The high cycle fatigue test results showed that the fatigue strength of CLAM steel decreased with the temperature, and the condition fatigue strengths ( N = 10 7 ) were 275 MPa and 235 MPa at 723 K and 823 K, respectively. The fractograph results indicated that the fractures were mainly initiated from the surface of the specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissimilar welding between China low activation martensitic (CLAM) steel and 316L austenitic stainless steel was investigated to achieve the reliable connection between test blanket modules (TBMs) and piping system in the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER). The dissimilar joints were welded by tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding process with a filler material type-309. In order to stabilize the microstructure and improve the strength and toughness, post-weld heat treatments (PWHTs) of tempering at 740 °C, 780 °C and 820 °C, respectively, for 2 h were performed. The microstructure observation showed that tempering at 740 °C for 2 h was the preferable PWHT rule in this work. After the treatment, the hardening in heat affected zone (HAZ) on the CLAM steel side decreased remarkably. The tensile strength of the joint was roughly the same as that of the base metal. The impact toughness of HAZ on the CLAM steel side was 77% of that of the base metal. The absorbed energy of HAZ of 316L steel decreased by 93 J, and that of weld metal (WM) was 110 J after the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the correlation between PGAM1 and spermatogenic dysfunction and to evaluate the effect of expression of PGAM1 on the function of germ cells. Methods: Expression of PGAM1 was detected in 40 cases of infertile males with definite pathological diagnosis and 12 cases of mouse models with spermatogenic dysfunction by immunohistochemistry. Then, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration were evaluated when expression of PGAM1 was knocked down by a specific small interfering RNA in GC1 and TM4 cells. Results: The positive rates of PGAM1 in patients with normal spermatogenesis, mild hypospermatogenesis, severe hypospermatogenesis, and Sertoli cell-only syndrome were 90%, 80%, 10%, 100%, respectively, and the difference was significant (P < .001). Meanwhile, expression of PGAM1 was found to be significantly decreased in mouse models with spermatogenic dysfunction. Moreover, when expression of PGAM1 was knocked down in GC1 cells, the proliferation and migration were significantly inhibited, but the rate of apoptosis was significantly increased. Furthermore, PGAM1 downregulation in TM4 cells significantly inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis but didn’t affect migration. Conclusion: PGAM1 correlates with spermatogenic distinction and affects the function of cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, a new edge detection approach combining gray-moments operator with smoothing spline algorithm is proposed, which is invariant to additive and multiplicative noises in the image. This approach consists of two steps: firstly, a continuous blurred edge model is obtained using the smoothing spline algorithm in the edge region detected by Sobel operator; then a gray-moment solution is derived for both the one- and two-dimensional situations using the blurred edge model. Testing of this new detection approach demonstrates more robustness against the white Gaussian noise and speckle noise, and run time very close to the gray-moment and space-moment operators. The above advantages indicate this approach is very suitable for on-line accurate detection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, a non-contact and high-precision method based on the processing of a digital image is presented to measure the diameter of a shaft. The method mainly involves three steps: first, the camera is calibrated by an improved approach, which only uses the feature points in the measurement area of the image to optimise the local camera model; second, with the help of the parameters of the model in the first step, a measurement method for determining the shaft diameter is proposed; finally, to embody the spatial attitude of the shaft accurately, the extrinsic parameters are re-calibrated by measuring a shaft whose diameter is known, and then the precision of measurement is improved by means of the new extrinsic parameters. The experimental data demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits high precision, with relative errors of approximately 0.005mm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper the microstructure and mechanical properties of electron beam weld (EBW) joints for China low activation martensitic (CLAM) steel, which underwent a series of different post weld heat treatments (PWHTs) were studied. The aim of the study was to identify suitable PWHTs that give a good balance between strength and toughness of the EBW joints. The microstructural analyses were performed by means of optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mechanical properties were determined via tensile tests and Charpy impact tests. The results showed that the tensile strength of the as-weld joint (i.e. without any PWHT) were close to that of the base metal, but the impact toughness was only 13% of that of the base metal due to the existence of a delta-ferrite microstructure. To achieve a significant improvement in toughness a PWHT needs to be performed. If a one-step PWHT is applied tempering at 760°C for 2h gives EBW joints with high strength at a still acceptable toughness level. If a two-step PWHT is applied, a process involving quenching at 980°C for 0.5h followed by tempering at 740°C or 760°C for 2h gives EBW joints with high strength and toughness properties. Whenever possible a two-step PWHT should be applied in favor of a one-step process, because of higher resulting strength and toughness properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The microstructure of China Low Activation Martensitic steel (CLAM) and its influence on mechanical properties were investigated. The tensile test showed that the strength of CLAM (HEAT 0603A) was higher than that of HEAT 0408B at room temperature, and the reverse results were obtained at elevated temperatures. The results indicated that the microstructure was composed of dispersived carbide particles and lath martensite with high dislocation density. The main precipitation phases were Cr-rich M23C6 carbides precipitated mainly along the lath boundaries and prior-austenite grain boundaries and Ta-rich MX particles precipitated mainly in the laths and lath boundaries. The finer lath was the main reason for the higher strength of HEAT 0603A compared with HEAT 0408B at room temperature; contrasted with the lower strength at high temperature. Heavier hot forging deformation degree was considered as the main possible reason for the decrease of martensite lath width in HEAT 0603A. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Based on the experience of the thermal convection LiPb loops, a multi-functional forced convection loop, DRAGON-IV, was constructed to confirm the different design functions of blankets in China. It can provide directly the valuable and real working condition, such as high magnetic field, flowing liquid LiPb with high temperature, tensile stress, reference TBM mockup, etc. Therefore, many out-of-pile experiments can be performed in it, such as high temperature corrosion experiment, stress corrosion, MHD effect under magnetic field for different manifolds, characteristic of flowing and heat transfer for mini-TBM, and purification technology. The detailed information of DRAGON-IV is described in the paper, its design objective, experimental parameters, main components are introduced, and the design scheme and analysis results of thermal-hydraulic for some key subsystems are presented. The results showed that they meet well the design requirement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The China Low Activation Martensitic (CLAM) steel is being developed in ASIPP (Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) under wide collaboration with many institutes and universities. A heat of 1.2 tons was fabricated and tested. The tested main compositions are eligible and without segregation. The tensile, Charpy impact and fracture toughness tests showed that its mechanical properties were similar to those of small ingots of CLAM steel. Also, joining techniques such as Electron Beam Welding (EBW), Hot Isostatic Pressing–Diffusion Welding (HIP–DW) and fabrication techniques of rectangular tube with CLAM steel were studied in details. And a 1/3 scaled mockup of Test Blanket Module (TBM) by P91 are being fabricated to explore TBM fabrication technology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we give an analytical model of the compression error of down-sampled compression based on wavelet transform, which explains why down-sampling before compression can improve coding performance. And we approximate the missing details due to down-sampling and compression by using the linear combination of a set of basis vectors with norm. Then we propose a down-sampled and high frequency information approximated coding scheme and apply it to natural images, and achieve gains of both subjective quality and objective quality compared with JPEG2000. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the design of liquid–metal fusion blankets, Al2O3 ceramic is one of the most promising coating materials. In this study, functionally graded FeAl/Al2O3 coatings were deposited on China Low Activation Martensitic (CLAM) steel substrates with vacuum plasma spraying (VPS) method. The SEM investigation revealed that the adhesion between adjacent layers in the coatings was sound. X-ray diffraction showed that stable alpha alumina dominated in the top alumina layers, while γ-Al2O3 and β-Al2O3 were also detected. The coating/substrate adhesive tensile strength test showed that adhesive strength of graded coatings was about 2.5 times that of duplex FeAl/Al2O3 coatings. Thermal shock resistance test indicated that the graded coatings could tolerate more thermal shock cycles than duplex coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aluminum oxide Al2O3 coatings on China Low Activation Martensitic (CLAM) steel substrates were prepared with atmospheric plasma spray (APS) method. Corrosion experiments of the coating specimens in static liquid LiPb were carried out in DRAGON-ST capsule for 5000h at 550°C. The results showed that there is no obvious thinning of external layer Al2O3 after 5000h exposure. The γ phase Al2O3 in external layer and the dissolution of Ni in liquid LiPb from the edge of the internal layer Ni–Cr were the possible reasons for the corrosion of coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Liquid LiPb eutectic is one of the promising candidate tritium breeder materials for fusion reactors. This paper presents the progress in compatibility experiments with liquid LiPb achieved up to now in China for some candidate structural materials. The results showed that CLAM steel had good compatibility with flowing LiPb at 480°C with the velocity of 0.08m/s after 5000h in DRAGON-I loop. On the other hand, after exposed in static LiPb at 700°C for 500h in a SiC crucible, the W and Mo specimens suffered much more weight loss compared with Nb specimen, and a thin reaction product layer was visible on the surface of all the three refractory metals. Preliminary analysis on SiCf/SiC composite specimens indicated that there was no penetration of LiPb and no reaction products on the surface with CVD SiC coating, which showed SiCf/SiC composite were stable and compatible with static LiPb under 700°C after 500h exposure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this work, a novel route for the fabrication of polythionine/gold nanoparticles/multi-wall carbon nanotubes (PTH/NPAu/MWNTs) modified electrode was proposed via a two-step process. First, the gold nanoparticles/multi-wall carbon nanotubes (NPAu/MWNTs) composites, which were synthesized by ultrasonic, were deposited on the glassy carbon electrode to prepare the NPAu/MWNTs electrode. Then, the thionine was electropolymerized on the surface of NPAu/MWNTs modified electrode to prepare the PTH/NPAu/MWNTs modified electrode. The performances of the PTH/NPAu/MWNTs modified electrode were characterized with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The modified electrode exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic behavior and good stability for the detection of guanine and adenine in 0.1M PBS (pH 7.0). The experimental parameters were optimized and a direct electrochemical method for the simultaneous determination of guanine and adenine was proposed. The detection limit (S/N=3) for guanine and adenine was 1×10−8 M and 8×10−9 M, respectively. A sensitive electrochemical method for the measurement of guanine and adenine in calf thymus DNA was also developed with this modified electrode. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The liquid metal LiPb blanket design is one of the most promising designs for future fusion power reactors and under wide research in the world. The first liquid metal LiPb loop in China named DRAGON-I was built in 2005 in order to do research on characteristics of liquid metal LiPb such as its corrosion to structural materials of the blankets and so on. The first corrosion experiment in flowing LiPb with a speed of 0.08m/s at 480°C for 500h was done in October 2005 on CLAM (China low activation martensitic) steel and 316L stainless steel for comparison. The weights and compositions, etc. of the specimens before and after corrosion experiment were tested and analyzed, the microstructures of the specimens were also inspected by SEM. The results show that the corrosion of CLAM steel is relatively slight, while that for 316L is obvious and very serious. Further study on corrosion behavior of CLAM for longer time experiment in liquid LiPb at different temperatures and flow speeds will be carried out in the near future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]