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The thermophysical properties of Si–Ge–Ag alloys in a broad temperature range are essential for the design of electronic devices. In this work, relationships between specific heat, thermal expansion, thermal conductivity and temperature, as well as chemical composition of Si–Ge–Ag alloys were clarified. Moreover, various thermophysical properties' prediction strategies of multicomponent alloys from pure elements were evaluated. The specific heat of Ag–Si, Ag–Ge, Si–Ge, and Si–Ge–Ag alloys was determined by the differential scanning method. The results showed a significant increase with rising temperature at low temperatures followed by a gradual rise at high temperatures. The specific heat reached the maximum value when a small amount of Si/Ge was introduced to Ag. The coefficient of thermal expansion was obtained by a dilatometric method and increased slightly with the increasing temperature, while decreased linearly with the increase in the Si/Ge content. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity was investigated via a laser flash apparatus. It decreased with rising temperature when the Ag content is smaller than 50%, whereas it increased with rising temperature when the Ag content exceeds 50%. The thermal conductivity of Si–Ge alloys decreased with rising temperature and reached the local minimum for Si–Ge alloys with an equiatomic ratio of Si and Ge. More importantly, the experimental results reveal that the thermal expansion that is related to volume can be estimated approximately by pure metals in Si–Ge–Ag alloys. However, this rule cannot be applied to specific heat and thermal conductivity, which is due to the influence of lattice vibration, electronic scattering, and microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Static robust optimization has played an important role in radiotherapy, where the decisions aim to safeguard against all possible realizations of uncertainty. However, it may lead to overly conservative decisions or too expensive treatment plans, such as delivering significantly more dose than necessary. Motivated by the success of adjustable robust optimization in reducing highly conservative decision-making of static robust optimization in applications, in this paper, we present an affinely adjustable robust optimization (AARO) model for hypoxia-based radiation treatment planning in the face of evolving data uncertainty. We establish an exact semi-definite program reformulation of the model under a so-called affine decision rule and evaluate our model and approach on a liver cancer case as a proof-of-concept. Our AARO model incorporates uncertainties both in dose influence matrix and re-oxygenation data as well as inexactness of the revealed (re-oxygenation) data. Our numerical experiments demonstrate that the adjustable model successfully handles uncertainty in both re-oxygenation and the dose matrix. They also show that, by utilizing information halfway through the treatment plan, the adjustable solutions of the AARO model outperform a static method while maintaining a similar total dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero-field magnetization switching (ZFS) driven by current-induced spin–orbit torque (SOT) holds significant importance in spintronic applications. The introduction of a lateral asymmetric structure (LAS) through oblique deposition proves to be an effective strategy for breaking inversion symmetry, thereby enabling SOT-driven ZFS. However, the coexistence of wedge thickness structure and slanted columnar microstructure in the obliquely deposited films poses challenges in distinguishing their respective effects. In this study, we conducted a comparative investigation of the perpendicular magnetic properties and current-induced switching in W/Co40Fe40B20/MgO films by oblique sputtering of the W underlayer at a fixed tilting angle and at two opposite tilting angles with its wedge thickness compensated. We have found that the perpendicular magnetic properties of the Co40Fe40B20 layer are significantly altered at large tilting angles, irrespective of whether the W wedge thickness is compensated. Notably, at a tilting angle of 50°, ZFS is realized for both the conventional oblique sample and the compensating oblique sample, with the switching polarity contingent on the final tilting direction of the W layer. We have identified a gradient in perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in these samples, attributed to the laterally varying roughness associated with the slanted columnar microstructure of the W underlayer. This study underscores the dominant role of microscopic LAS in obliquely deposited films in breaking SOT symmetry. Our research sheds light on the impact of the slanted columnar microstructure on the magnetic and magneto-transport properties of films, offering valuable insights for advancing spintronic device research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Podaxis was first described from India by Linnaeus in 1771, but several revisions of the genus have left the taxonomy unclear. Forty-four Podaxis species names and nine intraspecific varieties are currently accepted, but most fungarium specimens are labelled Podaxis pistillaris. Recent molecular analyses based on barcoding genes suggest that the genus comprises several species, but their status is largely unresolved. Here we obtained basidiospores and photographs from 166 fungarium specimens from around the world and generated a phylogeny based on rDNA internal transcribed spacer ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2 (ITS), and a phylogenomic analysis of 3 839 BUSCO genes from low-coverage genomes for a subset of the specimens. Combining phylogenetics, phylogenomics, morphology, ecology, and geographical distribution, spanning 250 years of collections, we propose that the genus includes at least 16 unambiguous species. Based on 10 type specimens (holotype, paratype, and syntype), four recorded species were confirmed, P. carcinomalis, P. deflersii, P. emerici, and P. farlowii. Comparing phylogenetic analysis with described species, including morphology, ecology, and distribution, we resurrected P. termitophilus and designated neotypes, epitypes, or lectotypes for five previously described species, P. aegyptiacus, P. africana, P. beringamensis, P. calyptratus, and P. perraldieri. Lastly, based on phylogenies and morphology of type material, we synonymized three reported species, P. algericus, P. arabicus, and P. rugospora with P. pistillaris, and described five new species that we named P. desolatus, P. inyoensis, P. mareebaensis, P. namaquensis, and P. namibensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brevibacillus texasporus peptide (BT peptide) is immunomodulatory in poultry and is proposed as a feed additive substitute for antibiotics. In the present study, we performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing to compare development of the caecal microbial communities in Clostridium perfringens-challenged broilers fed a basal diet only or diets containing the BT peptide (48 ppm) or an antibiotic mixture (20 ppm zinc bacitracin and 40 ppm colistin sulphate). A total of 240 chicks were randomly assigned to these three treatments, each group consisting of 80 birds. Birds were challenged once per day between 4 and 10 d posthatch. A total of 65 caecal samples were collected from 6-8 randomly selected birds in each treatment group f The composition of microbial communities was clearly distinguishable over time. Treatments with challenge and the antibiotic mixture were associated with increased diversity and with higher relative abundances of Alistipes sp. CHKCI003 and Faecalibacterium and lower abundance of Escherichia coli. At the end of the trial, the caecal microbiota in broilers supplemented with BT peptide were dominated by members of Bacteroidaceae. Predicted function analysis revealed marked enrichment of genes involved in ion-coupled transporters and sugar and biotin metabolism in the BT peptide treatment. The results suggest that BT peptide and commonly-used antibiotics have different influences on modulating the composition of caecal microbiota in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deg proteases play critical roles in photoprotection and PSII-repair circle, which remains elusive in cereal crops including wheat. Here, a Deg7-encoding gene TaDeg7 was silenced in wheat via a Barley stripe mosaic virus-induced gene-silencing system (BSMV-VIGS). When the expression level of TaDeg7 was downregulated, the photosynthetic activity including CO2 assimilation rate, actual photochemical efficiency of PSII, and electron transport rate declined while the nonphotochemical quenching increased significantly. When grown in high light, the BSMV:TaDeg7 plants accumulated more soluble sugar, malondialdehyde, and superoxide anion but had lower superoxide dismutase activity and less ascorbic acid. Additionally, the expression levels of TaPsbA and TarbcS were repressed in the BSMV:TaDeg7 plants in high light. The BSMV:TaDeg7 plants also were more sensitive to high-light stress. Collectively, it appeared that TaDeg7 may be a potential target for wheat radiation-use efficiency improvement against high light stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the mechanical properties of rock material at the grain scale. A multilevel parallel bonded-grain based model (Multi Pb-GBM) is proposed to revel the microstructure of granite. The bonded modes of the samples are classified into three types: intra-grain contacts, inter-grain contacts between the same type of mineral, and inter-grain contacts between two different minerals. The parameters of the model are obtained from calculation tests of the uniaxial compressive strength and the Brazilian tension strength. Then, comprehensive simulations are conducted to examine the dynamic damage evolution of brittle granitic rock. The impact of the mineral distribution mode and the grain size coefficient on the simulated failure mode and rock strength are examined. An intact fracture-monitored system is established based on the fish function, and the behaviors of the microfractures are discussed. The results indicate that Multi Pb-GBM can effectively simulate rock mechanical problems and that it has advantages when simulating typical crystalline rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E. coli was cultured from the urine of patients from the tertiary hospital located in Southeast China from 2017 to 2019. The species were identified, drug sensitivity test was performed, and the presence of the virulence genes USP and hlyA was determined. A total of 483 strains of E. coli were isolated, including 132 from patients with urinary tract infection (UTI). The resistance to ciprofloxacin was more common in non-UTI patients, while resistance to gentamycin was significantly higher in the UTI group. In the UTI group, the proportions of isolated bacteria with the virulence USP (40.15%) and hlyA (8.33%) genes were significantly higher than in the non-UTI group (19.60 and 2.56%, respectively). The rate of resistance of E. coli toward levofloxacin in the USP+ group was significantly (p<0.05) higher than in the USP— group. Thus, we revealed the differences in the rate of drug resistance and prevalence of USP and hlyA between the UTI and non-UTI groups. Furthermore, the presence of the USP gene was found to be associated with greater resistance to levofloxacin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the origin of magnetism in ZnO-based diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) is still controversial, in this work, we presented a detailed study on the magnetic, structural, and electronic properties of wurtzite ZnO-based DMS systems with point and complex intrinsic defects. Two outer electrons from neutral oxygen vacancy (VO) occupy the a1 orbital, making the inducted magnetic moment to be zero, while a cluster including three VOs leads to a magnetic moment of ∼1 μB. The magnetic moment of the system with a Zn vacancy (VZn) is 1.65 μB. When two neutral VZns in different relative distances were created in respective supercells, the systems showed different magnetic moments induced by the unequal level between the highest electron occupied orbital of the defect state introduced by different VZn sites and the valence band maximum. The system of a neutral O occupying an octahedral site gives rise to a magnetic moment of 2 μB, while zinc interstitial and antisite defects do not cause spin polarization. The system with a complex defect of VO and VZn is magnetic when those vacancies are adjacent but still do not cause the compensation effect. The oxygen interstitial defect is unstable, and VZn easily turns into the complex defect. We suggest that VO clusters and VZn complex defects could likely be the origin of ferromagnetism in undoped ZnO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical model for diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) at one-dimensional stationary planar shocks in the lower corona is presented. The model introduces an upstream escape boundary through which a constant flux of protons streaming upstream out of the system is allowed. The nonvanishing flux of streaming protons out of the system limits the maximum attainable energy of DSA and produces a rollover in the high-energy spectra of the shock-accelerated protons. The condition for the rollover energy derived from the model can account for the approximately linear relation between the natural logarithm of event-integrated fluences and the natural logarithm of rollover energies as demonstrated in Bruno et al. Solar energetic particle (SEP) events with higher integrated fluences in principle exhibit higher rollover energies since proton-excited hydromagnetic waves in the turbulent sheath reduce the proton diffusion coefficient and throttle the upstream streaming of protons. The consistency between the observation and the theory of DSA at shocks in the lower corona serves as evidence for the shock origin of protons of the highest energies in large SEP events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new coordination polymers, {[Zn(3-Nbdc)(bip)]·2H2O}n (1) and {[Co(3-Nbdc)(bip)(H2O)]0.25H2O}n (2) (H23-Nbdc = 3-nitrobenzene-1,2-dicarboxylic acid, bip = 3,5-bis(1-imidazolyl)pyridine) were synthesized under the hydrothermal conditions and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis. In 1, the Zn(II) ion forms a slightly distorted [ZnO2N2] tetrahedron by two carboxylate oxygen atoms and two nitrogen atoms. Adjacent Zn(II) neighbors are linked by 3-Nbdc dianions adopting monodentate coordination mode to form 1D Zn-carboxylate chain, which is further extended by bip molecules to produce a two-dimensional thick layer. For complex 2, two six-coordinated Co(II) ions with different coordination environments are alternately connected by 3-Nbdc dianions and bip ligands along different directions to generate a two-dimensional grid layer. Furthermore, Powder X-ray diffractions, FTIR spectra and thermogravimetric analyses are also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid improper ferroelectricity (HIF) has been proposed as a candidate approach to create room- temperature multiferroic materials with an intrinsic electric-field controlled magnetism effect, and HIFs in bi-layered Ruddlesden-Popper Ca3-xSrxTi2O7 ceramics have been confirmed in the present work. The ferroelectric hysteresis loops are observed in these ceramics at room temperature, and the polar orthorhombic structures with oxygen octahedral rotation and tilt modes have been confirmed by room-temperature X-ray powder diffraction. The amplitudes of oxygen octahedral rotation and tilt modes decrease with the increasing x value, which in turn leads to the decrease of remnant polarization in these ceramics. A first-order phase transition has been evidenced by the differential scanning calorimetry measurement, and the temperature of phase transition decreases linearly with the increasing content of strontium cations. It is found that the amplitude of oxygen octahedral distortion is the dominating factor that affects ferroelectric polarization in partial-ordered bi-layered Ca3Ti2O7-based ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZrO 2 - and Al 2 O 3 -based submerged entry nozzle (SEN) clogging during continuous casting of a RE-treating sulfur resistant casing steel is studied experimentally based on morphological analysis and the related thermodynamic calculations. The results show that the ceramic cloggings exists both in the inner-wall and outlet regions of SEN, while the latter is the main reason for terminating the casting with its clogging reaching 77% in the nozzle cross section area. The clogging is caused by RE-containing inclusions from molten steel and reoxidation products by the reaction between RE in molten steel and the initial formed cloggings on nozzle refractory. The possible existence state of RE in molten steel with its content has been discussed, and the clogging mechanism studied in detail. To prevent nozzle clogging, suggestions are given for continuous casting of the RE-treating steel with a modified RE treatment strategy for less solid inclusions and solute [RE] presented in liquid steel during refining process. Additionally, the optimization of nozzle geometry and its refractory materials may help as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to further improve the penetration power of the multi-explosive formed warhead, tantalum is used to design a multi-explosive folded warhead. Firstly, using numerical simulation, the design parameters of the damage element of two different forming methods are obtained. Then the formation process, flight process, and penetration process of the projectile were calculated respectively. Finally, the static explosion experiment of the warhead was carried out. The results show that the calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results. There was no break during the formation of the penetrator. It can be folded to form a rod-shaped penetrating body with a high aspect ratio, which can penetrate a Q235 steel target with a thickness of 30mm at a distance of 3 meters. Tantalum material is used as a shaped charge liner, which has a much higher penetration power and stronger aftereffect than copper and pure iron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The goal of this study was to investigate the colour diversity of egg shells and expression of related genes in the uterus of chickens that produce eggs of different colours. 2. Four colour types of Changshun blue-shell chickens, producing dark or light blue, greenish-brown and brown shelled eggs, were selected. The eggshell pigment concentration and colour values in each group were examined. The relative gene expression of solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 1C1 (SLCO1C1), ferrochelatase (FECH), haem oxygenase 1 (HO-1), ovotransferrin (OF) and biliverdin reductase A (BLVRA) in eggshell gland were measured. 3. The Δb, ΔE and protoporphyrin in brown and greenish-brown groups were significantly higher in the blue egg group (P < 0.01), whereas ΔL was significantly lower than that in the blue eggs (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in biliverdin concentration between the brown and blue groups. 4. The Δa values, in descending order, were 8.27 ± 2.76 in the brown, −3.79 ± 2.39 in the greenish-brown and −7.29 ± 2.27 in the blue groups, respectively. The relative expression of HO-1 in the greenish-brown and light blue groups was significantly higher than in the dark blue and brown groups. The relative expression of FECH in the light blue group was significantly lower than that in the dark blue, greenish-brown or brown group (P < 0.01). The relative expression of HO-1 and BLVRA genes in the dark blue group was significantly higher than that in the light blue, greenish-brown and the brown group (P < 0.01). 5. The Δa might provide a better index than protoporphyrin and biliverdin contents for eggshell colour breeding. Overall, HO-1 as well as BLVRA were important candidate genes for the selection of dark blue eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface mounted permanent magnet Vernier (SPM-V) machines, because of their high torque density and multi-pole structure, are promising candidates for low-speed direct-drive applications. To achieve high torque density, the SPM-V machines are generally designed with high gear ratios. Therefore, their operating frequencies can be much higher than those of the conventional SPM machines. This potentially increases the alternating current (AC) winding losses, especially those with form-wound coils proposed for high-power applications. This article investigates the AC losses (including skin effect, proximity effect, rotor PM induced, and circulating current losses) in form-wound stator coils of a 3 MW direct-drive SPM-V machine with different slot/pole number combinations. The study reveals that the SPM-V machines have significantly higher AC winding losses than their conventional SPM counterparts for similar operating conditions. To reduce the AC winding losses in SPM-V machines, a novel flux shunt concept is proposed along with other conventional techniques such as increasing the number of turns/coil (with terminal voltage being kept constant) and parallel strands/turn, providing extra clearance at slot opening. With the loss reduction techniques implemented, the SPM-V machines can achieve comparable efficiency but much higher torque density than their conventional counterparts. Moreover, the proposed flux shunt was also found to be very effective in reducing the potential risk of permanent magnet (PM) irreversible demagnetization, a key issue for SPM-V machines at high power ratings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral hardening has been identified in solar flare hard X-ray observations for several decades and remains a puzzle. We examine spectral hardening under the diffusive shock acceleration mechanism using numerical simulations. The hardening is related to the finite width of the shock and is controlled by the shock PĂ©clet number. We implement two different types of Monte Carlo simulations. The first is based on the backward stochastic differential equation method, where the Parker transport equation is solved by casting it to a set of stochastic different equations, and by following the trajectories of individual quasiparticles. In the second approach, we follow real particles and particles are assumed to move freely between scatterings from magnetic turbulence in the plasma. The scattering is modeled as either large-angle hard-sphere elastic collision, or small-angle pitch-angle scattering. We show that the results from these two approaches agree well with each other and agree with analytical results. We also use a Pan-spectrum form to fit the resulting spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug repositioning may be a promising way to find potential therapies against coronavirus disease 2019. Although chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine showed controversial results against the coronavirus disease 2019 disease, the potential common and diverging mechanisms of action are not reported and need to be dissected for better understanding them. An integrated strategy was proposed to systematically decipher the common and diverging aspects of mechanism of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine against coronavirus disease 2019-disease network based on network pharmacology and in silico molecular docking. Potential targets of the two drugs and coronavirus disease 2019 related genes were collected from online public databases. Target function enrichment analysis, tissue enrichment maps and molecular docking analysis were carried out to facilitate the systematic understanding of common and diverging mechanisms of the two drugs. Our results showed that 51 chloroquine targets and 47 hydroxychloroquine targets were associated with coronavirus disease 2019. The core targets include tumor necrosis factor, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, lymphocyte-specific protein-tyrosine kinase, beta-2 microglobulin, nuclear receptor coactivator 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and glutathione disulfide reductase. Both chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine had good binding affinity towards tumor necrosis factor (affinity=-8.6 and -8.4 kcal/mol, respectively) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (-7.5 and -7.5 kcal/mol). Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine both had good affinity with angiotensin converting enzyme 2, 3-chymotrypsin-like protease and transmembrane serine protease 2. However, hydroxychloroquine manifested better binding affinity with the three proteins comparing with that of chloroquine. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine could have potential to inhibit over-activated immunity and inflammation. The potential tissue-specific regulation of the two drugs against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection may related with the lung, liver, brain, placenta, kidney, blood, eye, etc. In conclusion, our data systematically demonstrated chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine may have potential regulatory effects on coronavirus disease 2019 disease network, which may affect multiple organs, protein targets and pathways. Routine measurements of the chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine blood concentrations and tailored therapy regimen may be essential. But, further rigorous and high quality randomized controlled clinical trials are warranted to validate the antiviral effects of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Our proposed strategy could facilitate the drug repurposing efforts for coronavirus disease 2019 treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compensated ferrimagnetic insulator Gd3Fe5O12 (GdIG) with a magnetization compensation point (TM ∼ 286 K) near room temperature has recently gained significant attention because of its long spin transmission length and absence of Ohmic loss. However, previously reported GdIG films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy have a TM far below room temperature, which is unfavorable for practical applications. Here, we show the tuning of TM from 268 to 303.7 K in perpendicularly magnetized 15 nm GdIG films epitaxially grown on (111) Gd3Sc2Ga3O12 by manipulating the epitaxial strain through controlling the rapid cooling temperature during the annealing process. By varying the film thickness between 5 and 40 nm, the TM of the film can be further extended to a range of 246–380 K. We have also demonstrated highly efficient switching of the GdIG spin-sublattices driven by current at room temperature in the GdIG/Pt heterostructures with various TM values, especially with TM slightly higher than 300 K. Our findings reveal potential opportunities for insulating compensated ferrimagnetic films of GdIG in the development of high-density, high-speed, and energy-efficient spintronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the effects of B addition on the grain refinement mechanism of Ti–Al-based alloys, we investigate liquid local structure, nucleation and liquid/solid interface migration of Ti–Al–B alloy using molecular dynamics with a deep neural network potential. It is found that Ti/Al and B atoms repel each other, and the order structure is decided by Ti–Al bonds in the dilute B solution. B atoms are not involved in the formation of short-range-order structures or the growth of β crystals. The production of borides occurs at the frontier of liquid–solid interface, depending on the presence of a rich-B liquid phase caused by the L → β phase transition. It is indicated that constitutional undercooling causes the grain refinement of Ti–Al-based alloys by B addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to minimize the loss of life and property in an earthquake, the beamcolumn joints of buildings need to have good seismic performance. This paper briefly introduced concrete beam-column joints and used a steel skeleton to strengthen the seismic performance of concrete beam-column joints. The concrete beam-column and reinforced concrete beam-column joints were prepared for experimental analysis. The skeleton curve and energy dissipation capacity of the joints were tested using quasi-static loading experiments. The relative displacement of the column at different heights in the beam-column joints was tested under an eight-degree earthquake simulated by a vibration table. The results showed that the reinforced concrete beam-column joint had higher peak loads and ultimate displacements when the quasi-static loading displacement exceeded the yield displacement; the reinforced concrete beam-column joint had stronger energy dissipation capacity in the face of cyclic loads; the reinforced concrete beam-column joint had smaller relative column displacements in the face of an eight-degree earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new algorithm based on nonlinear transformation is proposed for estimation of multimodal probability density function. • The original multimodal performance function can be converted to the suitable form through the transformation. • Engineering examples show the applicability and accuracy of the proposed method in the real-life engineering setting. The high-precision estimation of a multimodal probability density function is a difficult problem in many engineering fields. We propose a new method to improve the estimation accuracy based on the fractional moment-based maximum entropy method with a nonlinear transformation and a multi-peak recognition method. For the translation parameters in the nonlinear transformation, three approaches, such as sample-based least square polynomial fitting technique, sample-based kernel density estimation and classical maximum entropy method, are presented to determine the parameters. By adjusting the translation parameter, the valley of the probability density function curve can be translated to the position with a larger slope, and the distance between adjacent peaks is enlarged to avoid the wrong fitting form of the probability density function curve with multiple peaks. After the parameters of the transformation are obtained, the fractional moment-based maximum entropy method is applied to predict the probability density function of the transformed performance function. Two numerical examples are used to verify the accuracy and stability of the proposed method. Two engineering examples are introduced to illustrate the applicability and efficiency of the proposed method in the real-life engineering setting. It is concluded that the proposed method uses fewer moments with less additional calculation costs, and has good computational efficiency and applicability for the modeling of multimodal probability density functions, compared with the classical fractional moment-based maximum entropy method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LncRNA XIST plays roles in the development of such degenerative disorder as Parkinson's disease (PD). We herein explored its diagnostic value. Clinical baseline data (age, sex, BMI, years of education, and PD family history) of PD patients and healthy controls, as well as the diseases course in PD patients, were recorded. The PD patients were staged using the Hoehn and Yahr grading scale. Case severity, serum XIST level, correlation between the serum XIST level and UPDRS score, and XIST diagnostic value for PD were assessed by means of UPDRS score, RT-qPCR, Pearson analysis, and plotting an operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The PD patients and healthy controls presented no significant differences in age, sex, BMI, and years of education, but there were more cases with a family history of PD in PD patients. The serum XIST expression was noticeably greater in PD patients, and a higher PD stage was linked to a higher serum XIST expression. There was a positive correlation between the serum XIST expression and UPDRS score in PD patients. Thus, the XIST expression has a noticeable diagnostic value for PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pedestal structure of the high-confinement mode (H-mode) operation strongly impacts global confinement and fusion performance in tokamak devices. Studies of the pedestal structure also play an important role in better understanding the characterization of H-mode plasma discharges with type-I edge localized modes on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). The EPED model has been widely validated to predict the pedestal structure of several tokamak devices. The mean pedestal width correlates with the square root of the poloidal pedestal beta and is in good agreement with from experimental observations. It is also found that the scaling coefficients of and may have no dependence on the heating schemes. The comparison of predictions with measurements indicates that the REPED model could be used to predict the pedestal height for a range of experimental pedestal pressures () on EAST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining in situ measurements of energetic electrons and remote sensing observations of hard X‐rays and type III radio bursts, we examine the release times of energetic electrons in the July 23, 2016 event. We find that the releases of in situ energetic electrons from the Sun are delayed from those electrons that are responsible for the hard X‐rays. We further find that the release time of in situ electrons is a function of electron energy. Under the assumption that the acceleration mechanism for the upward propagating electrons is of Fermi‐type and is controlled by an energy‐dependent diffusion coefficient, we fit these release times by a simple functional form, related to the turbulence spectral index. Implications of our study on the underlying electron acceleration mechanisms and the magnetic reconnection process in solar flares are discussed. Our results demonstrate the power of the recently developed fractional velocity dispersion analysis (FVDA) method in solar flare studies. Plain Language Summary: Solar flares are efficient particle accelerators. Electrons and ions are accelerated to very high energies at solar flares. Magnetic reconnection is believed to be the main energy convertor at solar flares. Observations and simulations in the past decade have shown that when magnetic reconnection occurs, electrons can be accelerated at both the reconnection site and the reconnection exhausts, which are plasma shooting away from the reconnection site. Energetic electrons precipitating down on the solar surface will cause hard X‐ray and gamma ray. Energetic electrons escape outward can be observed in situ. Are these two populations of electron released at the same reconnection site, or they have different acceleration history, perhaps at the two oppositely propagating exhausts? In this study, we examine this question using timing studies of in‐situ electrons and hard X‐ray observations of the solar flare from Fermi observation. We show that outward propagating electrons are undergoing a longer acceleration process than those downward propagating electrons, suggesting an acceleration process that is volume‐filling and is consistent with a second‐order Fermi acceleration at the reconnection exhaust propagating upward. Key Points: Release of in situ electrons at the Sun is delayed from the release of hard X‐ray generating electrons in impulsive SEP eventsThe release delay of in‐situ electrons at the Sun shows a clear energy dependence which can be fitted by a power law of electron momentumThe power law index from the above fitting is related to the turbulence dissipation range spectral index at the flare site [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the class of S-generalized distances such that the involved t-conorms S are ordinal sums is discussed. It is shown that these S-generalized distances can be thought of as families of generalized distances with respect to some Archimedean t-conorms. We also deal with the S-generalized distance aggregations, which merge a family of Si-generalized distances into a new S-generalized distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we analyzed quantitative aspects of earthworms alongside soil and climate factors in three habitats, which include corn farms, vegetable fields, and grassland, in Northern China. Eighteen earthworm species belonging to seven genera and three families were found across habitat types in 57 plots. Amynthas modiglianii and Aporrectodea caliginosa trapezoides were the dominant species across the three habitat types. The average density of earthworms among the habitat types was 74.39 individuals/m2 with the vegetable fields having the highest density. The highest number of earthworm species was found on the corn farms. The vegetable fields were found to have the highest Shannon–Wiener (H' = 1.64) and Margalef (D = 1.06) indices. Species composition was similar among the vegetable fields but differed significantly in the corn farms. Most soil samples from collection sites were alkalescent. Temperature and vapor pressure were positively correlated with earthworm species diversity and abundance, but negatively correlated with species dominance. Elevation was negatively correlated with species diversity and abundance, but positively correlated with dominance. Some soil and precipitation factors showed non-significant correlations with species diversity. In addition, there was no significant correlation between the distribution ratio of juveniles and environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For lung cancer patients with complex conditions, doctors need to determine treatment plan in combination with changes of immune response during radiotherapy. It was urgent to find a strategy to predict immune response to intervene the treatment at an early stage. The radiotherapy process and tumor microenvironment status of 105 lung cancer patients were tracked and recorded in our hospital from 2019 to 2022, public database TCGA-LUAD/LUSC queue of TCIA image data was downloaded as external verification set. Data was analyzed according to the following methods: First, the 3D slicer software was used to process the CT imageomics data, and the doseomics information was calculated by DVHmetrics package from R software. Then Python was brought in to develop a non-invasive radiation scoring system through machine learning methods (T-test, LASSO, random forest and Xgboost). Finally, combined with the clinical information related to the patient's immune response, a nomogram was made to study the correlation between the score markers and the ratio of CD4 cells/CD8 cells in the tumor microenvironment, the prognosis of lung cancer, as well as the incidence of radiation pneumonia. The radiation markers score formula was obtained with CT imageomics and DVH dosimics features, which achieved an AUC of 0.67-0.75 in predicting CD4/CD8 condition in tumor microenvironment after radiotherapy. It was worth noticing that in predicting the prognosis of lung cancer, it was difficult to distinguish between the radiation score and the patient's survival status (P>0.05). However, we found that the radiation pneumonitis of lung cancer patients in the low score group (42.6%) was significantly higher than that in the high score group (13.4%). Radiation markers score was a non-invasive method to evaluate the immune response of patients with lung cancer, which can be used to predict the incidence of radiation pneumonitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new coordination polymers, {[Mn2(L)(H2O)2]·H2O}n (1) and {[Co2(L)(H2O)2]·H2O}n (2) (H4L = 2-(2,4,6-tricarboxylphenyl)-6-carbxoylbenzimi-dazole), have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by element analysis, powder XRD and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The results indicate complex 1 as a 2D carboxylate layer structure, which is extended by hydrogen bonds resulting in a three-dimensional supramolecular network. The structure of 2 is isomorphic to that of 1. Magnetic measurements demonstrate weak antiferromagnetic interactions between the neighbouring Mn(II) ions in 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Innate immunity provides the first line of defence against pathogenic organisms through a myriad of germline encoded receptors called pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). Toll-like receptor (TLR) 3, as an important member of PRRs, is indispensable for host defence against viral infection by recognising virus-derived RNAs. However, little is known about the structure and function of TLR3 in ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), a natural host for the avian influenza virus. 2. This study cloned the full-length cDNA of duck TLR3 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The cDNA sequence of duck TLR3 was 4046 bp in length and encoded 895 amino acids. Multiple sequence alignment showed that duck TLR3 shared high similarity with that from other vertebrates. 3. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis suggested that TLR3 mRNA was constitutively expressed in all tissues tested, having higher levels in the kidney, liver, breast muscle, ovary and heart. After stimulation with viral- or bacterial-mimics, including LPS, poly(I:C), pam3CSK4, FLS-1, FLA-ST and R848, the TLR3 transcript was significantly upregulated. Meanwhile, overexpression of duck TLR3 significantly promoted the transcription of IFN-β, IRF7, TRIF, Mx, STAT1 and STAT2 mRNA after stimulation with poly(I:C). 4. These results suggested that TLR3 play an important role in resistance against viral and bacterial infections in ducks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of unsaturated fatty acids on clinical plasmids. Methods and Results: Two unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid (LA) and α‐linolenic acid (ALA) at final concentration 0, 0·03, 0·3 and 3 mmol l−1, respectively, were used to assess the effects on conjugative transfer of a mcr‐1‐harbouring plasmid pCSZ4 (IncX4) in conjugation experiment. The inhibitory mechanisms were analysed by molecular docking and the gene expression of virB11 was quantitated by qRT‐PCR. Target plasmid diversity was carried out by TrwD/VirB11 homology protein sequence prediction analysis. Our results showed that LA and ALA inhibit plasmid pCSZ4 transfer by binding to the amino acid residues (Phe124 and Thr125) of VirB11 with dose‐dependent effects. The expression levels of virB11 gene were also significantly inhibited by LA and ALA treatment. Protein homology analysis revealed a wide distribution of TrwD/VirB11‐like genes among over 37 classes of plasmids originated from both Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria. Conclusions: This study demonstrates representing a diversity of plasmids that may be potentially inhibited by unsaturated fatty acids. Significance and Impact of the Study: Our work reported here provides additional support for application of curbing the spread of multiple plasmids by unsaturated fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Mn50Ni41-xSn9Cox ribbons, the exchange bias field is very sensitive to the Co content. Based on both theoretical and experimental studies, it has been found that with increasing Co content, the pinned phase (ferromagnetic phase) remains almost unchanged while the pinning phase is changed from a canonical spin glass to a cluster spin glass and finally to a ferromagnetic phase. Changing the Co content in Mn50Ni41-xSn9Cox alloys has been proven to be an effective way of tuning the magnetic anisotropy and the phase structure of the pinning phase. With different Co contents, a continuous tuning of the exchange bias field from 345 Oe to 3154 Oe is realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accelerated Finite Element Contact Block Reduction (FECBR) approach is presented for computational analysis of ballistic transport in nanoscale electronic devices with arbitrary geometry and unstructured mesh. Finite element formulation is developed for the theoretical CBR/Poisson model. The FECBR approach is accelerated through eigen-pair reduction, lead mode space projection, and component mode synthesis techniques. The accelerated FECBR is applied to perform quantum mechanical ballistic transport analysis of a DG-MOSFET with taper-shaped extensions and a DG-MOSFET with Si/SiO2 interface roughness. The computed electrical transport properties of the devices obtained from the accelerated FECBR approach and associated computational cost as a function of system degrees of freedom are compared with those obtained from the original CBR and direct inversion methods. The performance of the accelerated FECBR in both its accuracy and efficiency is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel V2O5/HZSM-5 catalyst was prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, mapping, inductively coupled plasma spectrometry, nitrogen physical desorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in order to expound the structure-activity relationship. The results showed that the conversion of benzene was 73.5%, the selectivity of phenol was over 99.0% under the optimal reaction conditions, and the stability of catalyst was also effectively improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytic model for the angular dispersion of magnetic field lines resulting from the turbulence in the solar wind and at the solar source surface is presented. The heliospheric magnetic field lines in our model are derived from a Hamiltonian with the pair of canonically conjugated variables the cosine of the heliographic colatitude μ and the longitude ϕ. In the diffusion approximation, the Parker spirals are modeled by a set of stochastic differential equations for θ and ϕ as functions of r. These stochastic Parker spirals are realizations of a standard random walk on a sphere of increasing radius, superimposed on an angular drift due to solar rotation. The Green function solution of the Fokker–Planck equation describing the angular diffusion of the field line density is obtained in terms of spherical harmonics. Magnetic field lines traced from an observer back to the Sun are realizations of a Brownian bridge. Our model incorporates the effect of the random footpoint motions at the source surface, which is associated with the zero-frequency component of the solar wind turbulence. Assuming that the footpoint motion is diffusive, its contribution to the angular diffusivity of the stochastic Parker spirals is then given by the angular diffusivity of the footpoints divided by the solar wind speed and is controlled by a unique parameter, which is the Kubo number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal). < This article has been retracted at the request of the Co-Editor-in-Chief after a complaint was registered on the PubPeer webpage (https://pubpeer.com/publications/2460573E8B5707B48D70D73FF31E54). The article duplicates images from a figure, with a 90o rotation, from a paper that had already appeared in PLoS ONE (2015), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0143438 , also two panels in Fig 4C seem to be the same image. Several requests to the authors to resolve this went unanswered. One of the conditions of submission of a paper for publication is that authors declare explicitly that the paper has not been previously published and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Re-use of any data should be appropriately cited. As such this article represents a misuse of the scientific publishing system. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter and apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process.> [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In August 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released draft models to estimate daily NH 3 , H 2 S, PM 2.5 , PM 10 , and total suspended particulates emissions from U.S. broiler operations using inputs of daily mean ambient temperature, relative humidity, and live animal weight. The EPA developed these models using datasets collected between 2005 and 2007. It is important to note that over 15 yr have passed since the original data were collected, and broiler genetics, nutrition, and management have improved considerably. These models, if adopted, could have substantial impact on the U.S. broiler industry regarding air emission management and regulation. The objectives of this work were to 1) evaluate the draft EPA emissions model robustness and practicality, and 2) assess the estimated annual emissions for broiler operations in representative U.S. climates using the draft EPA models. The draft EPA emissions models and coefficients were coded and checked against example calculations provided in the draft EPA report, with discrepancies noted. The draft EPA models with log transforms were found to be overly complicated for deployment by most laypersons intending to estimate daily annual emissions from a house or a site with multiple houses. Substantive, fundamental model challenges were uncovered due to narrow model input ranges. For example, lower bird inventory (<20,000 birds per house) generally resulted in much greater emission factors per bird, but should be relatively constant for different inventories at the same environmental conditions; all particulate matter models predicted negative emissions at lower bird inventories; and of the 5 air pollutant models presented, only ammonia was found to be potentially limiting for larger farms in terms of exceeding the threshold of 100 tons per yr. We conclude that the current draft EPA emissions models are not appropriate for accurately or reasonably estimating emissions for a realistic range of broiler operations in their current forms. Revisions are suggested to accommodate the range of climates encountered within the U.S. broiler industry and to better reflect relations found in the scientific literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an analytical treatment for time-dependent diffusive shock acceleration at shocks inside magnetic clouds (MCs) observed near 1 au. The model includes the effects of (i) spatial diffusion of test particles upstream and downstream of the shock, (ii) proton advection with the plasma inside MCs, (iii) a reflecting boundary at distance L upstream of the shock to mimic the boundary of the MCs, and (iv) particle leakage out of the system at a constant rate, possibly through open field lines introduced by magnetic reconnection between the closed field lines of the MC and open field lines in the corona or heliosphere. The analysis reveals that the mean time for accelerating particles from p0 to p is naturally reduced if the MC characteristic length is much smaller than the spatial diffusion length of energetic protons upstream of the shock. However, because most shocks inside MCs observed at 1 au are located in the back half of the MC, the time that the shock has propagated into the MCs is not sufficient to cause significant SEP enhancement—even with a reflecting boundary—if particles are only injected from the low-beta plasma inside MCs. To cause large SEP enhancements inside the shock–MC structure, magnetic reconnection at the back MC is essential to allow particles energized by the shock prior to its interaction with the MC to enter the MC. These particles consequently become the seed energetic protons that are reaccelerated at the shock inside MC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plantation-grown Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) and other trees residing in the Myrtales have been widely planted in southern China. These fungal pathogens include species of Cryphonectriaceae that are well-known to cause stem and branch canker disease on Myrtales trees. During recent disease surveys in southern China, sporocarps with typical characteristics of Cryphonectriaceae were observed on the surfaces of cankers on the stems and branches of Myrtales trees. In this study, a total of 164 Cryphonectriaceae isolates were identified based on comparisons of DNA sequences of the partial conserved nuclear large subunit (LSU) ribosomal DNA, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions including the 5.8S gene of the ribosomal DNA operon, two regions of the ß-tubulin (tub2/tub1) gene, and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) gene region, as well as their morphological characteristics. The results showed that eight species reside in four genera of Cryphonectriaceae occurring on the genera Eucalyptus, Melastoma (Melastomataceae), Psidium (Myrtaceae), Syzygium (Myrtaceae), and Terminalia (Combretaceae) in Myrtales. These fungal species include Chrysoporthe deuterocubensis, Celoporthe syzygii, Cel. eucalypti, Cel. guangdongensis, Cel. cerciana, a new genus and two new species, as well as one new species of Aurifilum. These new taxa are hereby described as Parvosmorbus gen. nov., Par. eucalypti sp. nov., Par. guangdongensis sp. nov., and Aurifilum terminali sp. nov. Pathogenicity tests showed that the eight species of Cryphonectriaceae are pathogenic to two Eucalyptus hybrid seedlings, Melastoma sanguineum branches, and Psidium guajava and Syzygium jambos seedlings. The overall data showed that Chr. deuterocubensis is the most aggressive, followed by Par. eucalypti. Significant differences in tolerance were observed between the two tested Eucalyptus hybrid genotypes, suggesting that disease-tolerant genotypes can be selected for disease management in the Eucalyptus industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetization jumps (MJs) and the exchange bias (EB) effect are simultaneously observed in the mixed-spin oxide (FeTiO3)0.9-(Fe2O3)0.1 at 2.0 K. Dc and ac susceptibility measurements confirm a reentrant spin glass phase with a partially disordered antiferromagnetic (PDA) state below the irreversibility temperature (Tir=60 K). Antiferromagnetic (AFM) Fe3+ clusters are nested in AFM Fe2+ lattices forming a triangular lattice, in which 2/3 of the magnetic moments order antiferromagnetically with each other leaving the remaining 1/3 "confused." This geometric frustration in the triangular lattice leads to a PDA state that is the ground state of the AFM triangular configuration. The PDA state, in the presence of a critical trigger field, evolves into a ferromagnetic (FM) state, and induces the AFM spins of the Fe2+ ions to enter a FM state, resulting in the MJs. Meanwhile, the FM spins of Fe2+ can serve as the pinned phase, and the AFM spins of Fe3+ can serve as the pinning phase, resulting in the EB effect. Thus, we point out that the PDA state is very likely to be at the origin of the MJs and the EB effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have performed the study on the dependence of laser beam induced current (LBIC) spectra on the temperature for the vacancy-doped molecular beam epitaxy grown Hg1-xCdxTe (x = 0.31) photodiodes by both experiment and numerical simulations. It is found that the measured LBIC signal has different distributions for different temperature extents. The LBIC profile tends to be more asymmetric with increasing temperature below 170 K. But the LBIC profile becomes more symmetric with increasing temperature above 170 K. Based on a localized leakage model, it is indicated that the localized junction leakage can lead to asymmetric LBIC signal, in good agreement with the experimental data. The reason is that the trap-assisted tunneling current is the dominant leakage current at the cryogenic temperature below 170 K while the diffusion current component becomes dominant above the temperature of 170 K. The results are helpful for us to better clarify the mechanism of the dependence of LBIC spectra on temperature for the applications of HgCdTe infrared photodiodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the effect of sampling windows on derived shock and associated energetic storm particle (ESP) properties in 296 fast-forward interplanetary shocks using Advanced Composition Explorer measurements at 1 au between 1998 February and 2013 August. We vary the time windows from 2 minutes to 20 minutes for the shock properties and from 2 minutes to 540 minutes for ESP properties. Variability is quantified by the median absolute deviation statistic. We find that the magnetic, density, and temperature compression ratios vary from their median values by 17.03%, 20.05%, and 25.91%, respectively; shock speed by 16.26%; speed jump by 45.46%; Alfvénic Mach number by 31.53%; and shock obliquity by 24.25%. Spectral indices in the 2 minute–540 minute windows downstream of the shock vary from the median value of 1.79 by 26.05% and by 30.53% from the 1.70 median value upstream of the shock. Similarity of ESP spectral indices upstream and downstream of the shock suggest that these ESP populations are likely locally accelerated at the shock. Furthermore, we find that for a moving sampling window around the shock, values for the density ratio hold for ∼10 minutes; the magnetic ratio and shock speed jump hold for ∼30 minutes and ∼60 minutes, respectively. Fixing the upstream window to 2 minutes and moving only in the downstream direction, the density ratio holds for ∼60 minutes downstream, magnetic ratio holds for ∼30 minutes, and the shock speed jump holds for ∼110 minutes. Beyond these time windows, derived shock properties are no longer representative of shock properties. These results provide constraints for modeling and forecasting efforts of shock and ESP-associated properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) provides an agent with an optimal policy so as to maximize the cumulative rewards. The policy defined in DRL mainly depends on the state, historical memory, and policy model parameters. However, we humans usually take actions according to our own intentions, such as moving fast or slow, besides the elements included in the traditional policy models. In order to make the action-choosing mechanism more similar to humans and make the agent to select actions that incorporate intentions, we propose an intention-aware policy learning method in this letter To formalize this process, we first define an intention-aware policy by incorporating the intention information into the policy model, which is learned by maximizing the cumulative rewards with the mutual information (MI) between the intention and the action. Then we derive an approximation of the MI objective that can be optimized efficiently. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the intention-aware policy in the classical MuJoCo control task and the multigoal continuous chain walking task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Femtosecond laser excitations of FeRh/Pt bilayers launch an ultrafast pulse of electric photocurrents in the Pt-layer and subsequently result in the emission of electromagnetic radiation in the THz spectral range. Analysis of the THz emission as a function of the polarization of the femtosecond laser pulse, external magnetic field, sample temperature, and sample orientation shows that the photocurrent can emerge due to vertical spin pumping and photo-induced inverse spin–orbit torque at the FeRh/Pt interface. The vertical spin pumping from FeRh into Pt does not depend on the polarization of light and originates from ultrafast laser-induced demagnetization of the ferromagnetic phase of FeRh. The photo-induced inverse spin–orbit torque at the FeRh/Pt interface can be described in terms of a helicity-dependent effect of circularly polarized light on the magnetization of the ferromagnetic FeRh and the subsequent generation of a photocurrent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been found that the X-divertor (XD) configuration can flare magnetic field lines near the divertor targets and reduce heat flux on the divertor plate (Kotschenreuther 2007 Phys. Plasmas 14 072502). To solve severe heat exhaust problems in the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor, the XD configuration is proposed. Equilibria calculations indicate that the XD can be realized and is compatible with the long-leg divertor. The position of the extra X-point was optimized to reduce the currents in the central solenoid (CS) coils, which dominates the flattop length. Two internal coils were considered to assist in the optimization of the XD. Different plasma currents were also used to further reduce the CS coil currents. The results indicate that the aforementioned approaches can effectively extend the flattop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contact electrification by collisions of homogenous particles is investigated by two-particle collision experiments, which reveals the relation between electrification and the diameter ratio and relative colliding velocity of the two particles. Then, based on researches reported by Grzybowski's research group, a statistical model to compute the net charge of electrified particle after a single collision and multiple collisions are established, respectively. The model shows the net charge carried by the electrified particles depends on the difference between the two surfaces' areas involved in collision contact and gives results in good agreement with our experiment results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]