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Old cartoon classics have the lasting power to strike the resonance and fantasies of audiences today. However, cartoon animations from earlier years suffered from noise, low resolution, and dull lackluster color due to the improper storage environment of the film materials and limitations in the manufacturing process. In this work, we propose a deep learning-based cartoon remastering application that investigates and integrates noise removal, super-resolution, and color enhancement to improve the presentation of old cartoon animations. We employ multi-task learning methods in the denoising part and color enhancement part individually to guide the model to focus on the structure lines so that the generated image retains the sharpness and color of the structure lines. We evaluate existing super-resolution methods for cartoon inputs and find the best one that can guarantee the sharpness of the structure lines and maintain the texture of images. Moreover, we propose a reference-free color enhancement method that leverages a pre-trained classifier for old and new cartoons to guide color mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one-dimensional self-consistent fluid model was employed to comparatively investigate the influence of pre-ionization on the helium direct-current glow discharge in the large gap and the small gap at atmospheric pressure. For the large-gap and small-gap discharges, the negative glow space and the cathode fall layer are both offset to the cathode with the increase in pre-ionization, which is mainly ascribed to the decrease in charged particle density in the original negative glow space as a result of the increased probability of collision and recombination between ions and electrons, and the new balance between the positive and negative charges established at the distance closer to the cathode. The electron density tends to grow in the negative glow space due to the elevated pre-ionization, while the ion density exhibits an overall downward tendency in the cathode fall layer because the increase in secondary electrons produces more newly born electrons that neutralize more ions via the recombination reaction. Thanks to the pre-ionization, a significant reduction of sustaining voltage and discharge power is obtained in both the large-gap and small-gap discharges. A remarkable characteristic is that the absent positive column in the small-gap discharge comes into being again due to the pre-ionization. Moreover, with the increase in the pre-ionization level, the potential fall shifts from the cathode fall layer to the positive column in the large-gap discharge, while it is always concentrated in the cathode fall layer in the small-gap discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we propose a data-driven multi-flaw detection strategy based on deep learning and the boundary element method (BEM). In the training phase, BEM is implemented to generate the database, while the block LU decomposition technique is employed to reduce the computational cost. Then the Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are adopted as a deep learning model to find the relationship between the input signals and the geometries of flaws through the training process. In the test phase, the performance of trained models will be evaluated with unseen data. As a typical inverse problem, the solution to a flaw detection problem is not always unique. In the present work, we demonstrate that such non-uniqueness is detrimental to the training process, and avoid them through some specific treatments. In order to enhance the robustness of the model, the idea of data augmentation is introduced to flaw detection tasks. The numerical results show that the presented model could produce accurate predictions in both single- and multi-flaw detection tasks with proper training. Additionally, data augmentation could significantly help against the noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing smart molecular probes for assisting surgeons to precisely detect cancerous tissues and to completely remove all of them during the surgery is urgently required. Conventional fluorescent probes allow for tumor detection but with limited signal‐to‐noise ratio. Herein, an aminopeptidase N/CD13 (APN)‐activated chemiluminescent probe (APN‐ACLP) is reported for sensitive imaging and precise resection of malignant tumors. The APN‐ACLP probe is based on acryl‐substituted phenoxy‐dioxetane that is coupled with an APN‐cleavable substrate via a self‐immolative linker. Upon activation by APN through specific hydrolysis reaction, APN‐ACLP generates spontaneously chemiluminescence signal, which offers a possibility to sensitively search tumors by simply spraying APN‐ACLP on the suspicious sites. Animal imaging studies reveal that a sufficient signal contrast between the cancerous tissues and the normal counterparts can be achieved within 5 min, which can allow for rapid detection and surgical resection of tumors, particularly tiny metastatic lesions in mice model, under the guidance of chemiluminescence imaging, well manifesting its potential for image‐guided surgery of malignant tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, conical cavities with a fixed top diameter and varied bottom diameter have been utilized to improve the signal intensity, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and signal stability of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). It is observed that the postponement of the maximum enhancement of spectral intensity and SNR occurs abnormally with decreasing the bottom diameter due to the energy dissipation from the plasma to the cavity walls. Optimization of the cavity size indicates that the conical cavity is superior to the widely-used cylindrical cavity in improving the performance of LIBS. It is also found that the emission enhancement in the conical cavity with larger bottom diameters is attributed to the increase in plasma temperature and electron number density, but the enhancement in the conical cavity with smaller bottom diameters is ascribed to the growth of electron number density. For the first time, the exact efficiencies of conical cavities suppressing the total number density fluctuation are acquired to evaluate the performance of improving signal stability through analysis of the signal uncertainty composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a coupled model of temperature field and dendrite growth is built to examine the solidification microstructure of Cr17 stainless steel under vibration. The temperature field is calculated with ANSYS FLUENT software. In addition, considering solute diffusion and local curvature, a low grid anisotropic cellular automaton (CA) model is used to simulate the dendrite growth. To verify the major source of crystal nucleus in the melts, a mechanical model of dendrite fracture is built, and an investigation is conducted on the critical condition of grain dissociation. As indicated from the results, the dendrites are stripped and dissociated into the melt when the vibration frequency and amplitude values exceed the critical condition of dendrite fracture, the grains are dissociated more easily, and the more equiaxed grains are indicated in the melt with the increase in the vibration frequency. It is preliminarily demonstrated that vibration can facilitate the dendrites to break and be dissociated from the chilling generator surface. The simulation results comply with the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by impairments in synaptic plasticity and cognitive performance. Cognitive dysfunction and loss of neuronal plasticity are known to begin decades before the clinical diagnosis of the disease. The important influence of congenital genetic mutations on the early development of AD provides a novel opportunity to initiate treatment during early development to prevent the Alzheimer-like behavior and synaptic dysfunction.Objective: To explore strategies for early intervention to prevent Alzheimer's disease.Methods: In the present study, we investigated the effect of treatment during early development with a ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) derived peptidergic compound, P021 (Ac-DGGLAG-NH2) on cognitive function and synaptic plasticity in 3xTg-AD transgenic mouse model of AD. 3xTg-AD and genetic background-matched wild type female mice were treated from birth to postnatal day 120 with P021 in diet or as a control with vehicle diet, and cognitive function and molecular markers of neuroplasticity were evaluated.Results: P021 treatment during early development prevented cognitive impairment and increased expressions of pCREB and BDNF that activated downstream various signaling cascades such as PLC/PKC, MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt, and ameliorated synaptic protein deficit in 4-month-old 3xTg-AD mice.Conclusion: These findings indicate that treatment with the neurotrophic peptide mimetic such as P021 during early development can be an effective therapeutic strategy to rescue synaptic deficit and cognitive impairment in familial AD and related tauopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • DMSN with highly loaded hydrophobic drug was used as the drug delivery vehicle. • DMSN featured with small particle size, high pore volume and large pore size. • A vacuum rotary evaporation-mediated casting method was applied for drug loading. • A GSH-responsive PMAsh shell and Tf were functionalized for tumor-targeting therapy. The efficacy of hydrophobic chemotherapy drugs in cancer treatment is often hampered by their poor solubility in the physiological environment, which causes their low delivery efficiency in the body. This manuscript develops an intelligent nanocarrier (~100 nm) drug delivery system that can highly load a water-insoluble drug, and possesses desirable tumor-targeting properties for cancer therapy. In this system, highly porous silica nanoparticles (pore volume ~ 1.4 cm3 g−1) with a dendritic pore structure (denoted as DMSN) are applied as a matrix for drug loading. A facile, vacuum rotary evaporation-mediated casting method is applied to quantitatively load a high content of a hydrophobic drug (i.e., paclitaxel) in the DMSN matrix. A thiol-modified poly(methacrylic acid) (denoted as PMAsh) shell is then assembled and crosslinked via disulfide bonds on the particle surface to improve the dispersibility of the particles in an aqueous environment. After functionalization of the PMAsh shell with the targeting ligand transferrin (Tf), the nanocarriers exhibit accumulation ability on tumor cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Combining the fascinating properties of high drug-loading, excellent colloidal stability, low cytotoxicity, targeting ability and glutathione-responsive PMAsh shell deconstruction properties, the nanocarriers described here hold great promise for the efficient delivery of hydrophobic drugs and tumor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-targets detection has obtained much attention because this sensing mode can realize the detection of multi-targets simultaneously, which is helpful for biomedical analysis. Carbon nanoparticles have attracted extensive attention due to their superior optical and chemical properties, but there are few reports about red emission carbon nanoparticles for simultaneous detection of multi-targets. In this paper, a red emission fluorescent carbon nanoparticles were prepared by 1, 2, 4-triaminobenzene dihydrochloride at room temperature. The as-prepared red emission fluorescent carbon nanoparticles exhibited strong emission peak located at 635 nm with an absolute quantum yield up to 24%. They showed excellent solubility, high photostability and good biocompatibility. Furthermore, it could sensitively and selectively response to hypochlorite and pH, thus simultaneous detection of hypochlorite and pH was achieved by combining the red emission fluorescent carbon nanoparticles with computational chemistry. The formation mechanisms of red emission fluorescent carbon nanoparticles and their response to hypochlorite and pH were investigated, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was a prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial and aimed to compare the effect of placebo, soy isoflavone, calcium and soy isoflavone combined with calcium on bone mineral density (BMD). One hundred and sixty perimenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia were enrolled and randomised into four groups: control, soy isoflavone, calcium and soy isoflavone combined with calcium groups. After intervention, compared with control, isoflavone and calcium groups, mean changes from their corresponding baseline values of BMD, calcium/phosphorus, vitamin D and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-pX) activity were significantly increased, however, those of phosphorus, osteocalcin, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were significantly decreased in isoflavone combined with calcium group. The results showed that soy isoflavone, calcium and isoflavone combined with calcium therapy were effective and safe on attenuating BMD loss in perimenopausal women and isoflavone combined with calcium therapy was better than soy isoflavone and calcium alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In structural integrity assessment, it is important to measure the in-plane and out-of-plane constraint effects which have strong influences on fracture toughness. Based on the improved analytical solution of crack tip plastic zone size, four new constraint parameters are derived theoretically, i.e. r p 0 1/2, r p max 1/2, A pz 1/4 and χ p. By means of three-dimensional finite element method and test data validation, the effectiveness of new constraint parameters has been studied in three kinds of materials, i.e. Aluminum alloy 2024-T351, Shoreham Reactor vessel steel (K12539) and Carbon steel 34XH3MA. Then the prediction models of fracture toughness are established for these materials. Lastly, the application range and extensive application are discussed. The results show that the newly proposed constraint parameters can effectively characterize both the in-plane and out-of-plane constraint effects, and are applicable under small- and moderate-scale yielding conditions. For a given specimen, these constraint parameters are approximately linearly proportional to mode I stress intensity factors. Additionally, in the materials under consideration, there are also linear relations between the proposed constraint parameters and the experimental fracture toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of the stress field for notch contained structures and components at elevated temperature is a preliminary to assess their safety and integrity reasonably. In this paper, the characteristics of the sharp V-notch tip field in power-law creeping materials are presented from the asymptotic viewpoint. Through asymptotic analysis and solution, the stress exponents and the angular distribution functions for various notch angles and creep exponents are presented. The asymptotic structure of the stress field for the sharp V-notch tip field is presented by proposing the amplitude factor K (t) which is dependent on the creep time, specimen geometry, notch angle as well as loading condition. The amplitude factor K (t) can bridge the fracture parameters between notch and crack in power-law creeping solids. A reasonable and accurate estimation method for the evaluation of the K (t) factor is also proposed. With the determination of K (t), the notch tip stress fields of single edged sharp V-notch specimens in power-law creeping materials with various notch angles and different depths are presented, compared and analyzed. It has been verified that the stress components for sharp V-notch specimens can be estimated accurately and reasonably with the theory and method proposed in this paper. The differences of the asymptotic solutions for sharp V-notch tip in power-law creeping solids and power-law hardening materials are also discussed and clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, a structured mesh based B-Spline finite elements (BSFE) method combining the isogeometry analysis technique is developed for analyzing crack problems. The BSFE is used for the global approximation and the isogeometry analysis technique is performed on the local crack tip region which is covered by several elements around the crack tip. The geometry of the selected crack tip region is described by the B-Spline basis functions in parameter space. Meanwhile, a specific function with relevant parameters is introduced into geometry description for catching the characters of the solution around the crack tip. In addition, the B-Spline basis functions are also used as basis functions to approximate the displacement field in the local region under the parameter space. The relevant B spline basis functions used for approximation in local region are replaced by the corresponding BSFE basis functions used in the interface elements adjacent to the local region and the seamless connection between the global approximation and the local isogeometry analysis can be easily achieved. For crack problems, no enrichment functions and remeshing are needed in this new method. This newly developed method is applied to the stress analysis of 2D linear elasticity crack problems in order to investigate its performance and study parameters. Numerical results show that the present method is highly accurate and stable. The new method has a promising potential for practical applications. Highlights • A new mapping technique is used to describe the geometry of the selected crack tip region in parameter space. • The seamless connection between the global approximation and the local isogeometry analysis can be easily achieved. • No enrichment functions and remeshing are needed for crack problems in this new method. • The present method is highly accurate, efficient and robust for crack problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Improved analytical solutions of plastic zone size are obtained in cracked plates. • Correction factor can reflect the effects of materials on plastic zone size. • The effects of biaxial stress ratio on T -stresses and plastic zone size are studied. • The effects of specimen geometry can be ignored if SIF and T -stresses are constant. Abstract Crack tip plastic zone size is affected by biaxial loading and materials, and these effects are studied in the unstiffened and stiffened plates in this paper. By means of three-dimensional finite element method, the characteristics of crack tip stress field and plastic zone are investigated for various biaxial stress ratios. Under small scale yielding conditions, the analytical characterizations of plastic zone size (i.e. improved analytical solutions) are determined in the elastic perfectly-plastic material and strain-hardening materials, respectively. The results show that the biaxial stress ratio has slight influences on stress intensity factor (SIF) and out-of-plane T -stress, but it has significant effects on in-plane T -stress and plastic zone size. The correction factor can reflect the effects of materials on plastic zone size, and the improved analytical solutions are in excellent agreement with numerical solutions under the application ranges. Additionally, the plastic zone size is greatly affected by the hardening performances of materials, but it is slightly influenced by specimen geometry and Young's modulus when SIF and T -stresses are constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel direct method called the stress compensation method (SCM) is proposed for limit and shakedown analysis of large-scale elastoplastic structures. Without needing to solve the specific mathematical programming problem, the SCM is a two-level iterative procedure based on a sequence of linear elastic finite element solutions where the global stiffness matrix is decomposed only once. In the inner loop, the static admissible residual stress field for shakedown analysis is constructed. In the outer loop, a series of decreasing load multipliers are updated to approach to the shakedown limit multiplier by using an efficient and robust iteration control technique, where the static shakedown theorem is adopted. Three numerical examples up to about 140,000 finite element nodes confirm the applicability and efficiency of this method for two-dimensional and three-dimensional elastoplastic structures, with detailed discussions on the convergence and the accuracy of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract According to the extended Melan's static theorem, theoretical and numerical aspects of the stress compensation method (SCM) are presented to perform shakedown analysis of elastic-plastic structures considering the effect of temperature on yield strength. Instead of constructing a mathematical programming formulation, this developed method consists of the two-level iterative scheme. The inner loop constructs the statically admissible self-equilibrating stress field, while the outer loop evaluates a sequence of decreasing load factors to approach to the shakedown limit multiplier. The yield strength considering temperature effect is updated based on the current temperature at each outer iteration, and the yield conditions are checked at all Gauss points. The numerical procedure is well incorporated into ABAQUS finite element code and used for calculating the shakedown limits of structures considering yield strengths as different functions of temperature under complex thermomechanical loading system. The method is validated by some plane stress and axisymmetric numerical examples with theoretical and numerical solutions, and subsequently applied to solve the practical shakedown problem of a pipe with oblique nozzle. The results demonstrate that the developed method is stable, accurate and efficient, and can effectively evaluate the shakedown limit of an elastic-plastic structure where the yield strength of material varies with temperature. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • An effective method is developed for shakedown analysis of structures with temperature-dependent yield strength. • Geometric illustration of extended static shakedown theorem considering temperature-dependent yield strength is given. • The developed method just performs some iterative calculations where the global stiffness matrix is decomposed only once. • 2D and 3D numerical examples considering the linear and nonlinear yield stress functions are solved and analyzed. • Failure modes and mechanisms considering the effect of temperature on shakedown boundaries are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new four-dimensional ratcheting boundary is derived analytically for the first time considering the interaction among four types of stresses: constant mechanical membrane stress, mechanical bending stress, cyclic thermal membrane stress, and thermal bending stress. A uniaxial beam model is used to derive the closed-form ratcheting boundary for these combined cyclic and constant loadings. The Tresca yield condition and elastic-perfectly plastic behavior are assumed. A novel two-plane FE model is proposed for numerical validation and the results predicted by analytical solution agree very well with that obtained by two-plane FE model. The solution of the classical Bree problem is the one of special cases when this new four-dimensional ratcheting boundary is reduced into two-dimensional style. The relationship between the three-dimensional ratcheting boundary adopted by the newly implemented ASME VIII -2 Pressure Vessel Code and the proposed four-dimensional ratcheting boundary is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 90-day rat feeding study was performed to conduct a safety assessment on L4, a multi-gene genetically modified maize, conferring "Bt" insect resistance and glyphosate tolerance. A total of 140 Wistar rats were assigned to seven groups, 10 animals/group/sex, which comprised three genetically modified groups fed diets containing different concentrations of L4, three corresponding non-genetically modified groups fed diets containing different concentrations of zheng58 (parent plants), and a basal diet group fed the standard basal diet for 13 weeks. The fed diets contained L4 and Zheng58 at w/w% percentages of 12.5%, 25.0%, and 50% of the total. Animals were evaluated on some research parameters, including general behaviour, body weight/gain, feed consumption/efficiency, ophthalmology, clinical pathology, organ weights, and histopathology. Throughout the feeding trial, all animals were in good condition. No mortality and no biologically relevant effects or toxicologically significant alterations were observed in the total research parameters of the rats in the genetically modified groups compared with those in the basal diet group or their corresponding non-genetically modified groups. No adverse effects were observed in any of the animals. The results indicated that L4 is as safe and wholesome as conventional, non-genetically modified control maize. • A 90-day rodent feeding study of a genetically modified maize L4, was conducted. • Maize L4 developed, was conferred insect resistance and glyphosate tolerance. • Cry1Ab gene, cry1F gene, and cp4epsps gene, are co-expressed in maize L4. • No treatment-related adverse effects were observed in all treated animals. • Maize L4, is as safe as its corresponding non-genetically modified maize line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed the boundary-integral type neural networks (BINN) for the boundary value problems in computational mechanics. The boundary integral equations are employed to transfer all the unknowns to the boundary, then the unknowns are approximated using neural networks and solved through a training process. The loss function is chosen as the residuals of the boundary integral equations. Regularization techniques are adopted to efficiently evaluate the weakly singular and Cauchy principal integrals in boundary integral equations. Potential problems and elastostatic problems are mainly concerned in this article as a demonstration. The proposed method has several outstanding advantages: First, the dimensions of the original problem are reduced by one, thus the degrees of freedom are greatly reduced. Second, the proposed method does not require any extra treatment to introduce the boundary conditions, since they are naturally considered through the boundary integral equations. Therefore, the method is suitable for complex geometries. Third, BINN is suitable for problems on the infinite or semi-infinite domains. Moreover, BINN can easily handle heterogeneous problems with a single neural network without domain decomposition. • A BIE-based deep learning framework is proposed to solve boundary value problems. • The advantage of BINN is that it can reduce the problem dimension by 1. • Boundary conditions are automatically considered in the proposed method. • BINN is convenient to solve problems with infinite and semi-infinite regions. • BINN can conveniently solve heterogeneous problems with only a single network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of shakedown load or shakedown domain is an important task in structural design and integrity assessment. In this paper, a novel numerical procedure based on the stress compensation method (SCM) is developed to perform shakedown analysis of engineering structures under multiple variable mechanical and thermal loads. By applying the compensation stress on the yield regions that occur at every load vertex of the prescribed loading domain to adjust the total stress to the yield surface and re-solving the equilibrium equations, the statically admissible residual stress field for static shakedown analysis is constructed. A robust and effective iteration control technique with some convergence parameters is used to check the change of the compensation stress in the inner loop and to update the shakedown load multiplier in the outer loop. For the purpose of general use, the method is implemented into ABAQUS platform. The shakedown problems for the Bree plate, a square plate with a central circular hole and a practical thick vessel with nozzles under some two-dimensional and three-dimensional loading domains are effectively solved and analyzed. Both alternating plasticity mechanism and ratcheting mechanism to determine the shakedown boundary of these structures are revealed. Numerical applications show that the proposed method has good numerical stability, high accuracy and efficiency, and is well suited for shakedown analysis of large-scale practical engineering structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified strain-based failure assessment diagram (FAD) and a method of using the displacement of the outer boundary of the load (DOBL) to measure the reference strain in strain-based FAD (SB-FAD) application are established in this paper. Measuring reference strain by DOBL is a new method of introducing displacement to characterize reference strain and has a great potential of promoting the application of strain-based FAD. A modification parameter with a physical meaning of reflecting defect size, component geometry and material properties, is introduced to improve the SB-FAD Option 2 (one important SB-FAD assessing curve) and makes the assessment method conservative and safe. For some typical 2D and 3D crack structures in engineering, the modification parameter query tables are presented for the application convenience. The modified SB-FAD Option 2 is conservative and can be well combined with the method of using DOBL to measure reference strain in SB-FAD application. The two aspects of the developments of SB-FAD are of general practicality, and are illustrated in the paper to assess the structural integrity of 3D surface cracks in reel pipeline projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a dual mode sensor, which was obtained by integrating B, N, S co -doped carbon dots and Fe 3+ (BNS-CDs@Fe 3+ ), was developed for sensing ascorbic acid (AA). The fluorescent signal of BNS-CDs@Fe 3+ sensor could be enhanced by AA, and a good linear relationship was obtained in the range of 0.1–600 μM with a detection limit down to 0.05 μM. More fascinatingly, the color of the sensor solution gradually changed from blue to red with the increasing concentrations of AA, which allowed establishing a simple colorimetric assay for AA detection in the linear range of 1–110 μM with a detection limit of 0.3 μM. Notably, a paper sensor for the determination of AA was developed with a lowest visual concentration of 1 μM, providing a novel and convenient platform for AA detection. More importantly, cell imaging experiments showed that this sensor can be applied for AA detection in HeLa cell, suggesting this sensing system holds great potential in biosensing and bioimaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crack tip plastic zone size is affected by in-plane and out-of-plane T -stresses. The characteristics of T -stresses are obtained in flat plates and stiffened plates with three-dimensional finite element method and interaction integral method. Based on stress intensity factors and T -stresses, an improved analytical solution is proposed for crack tip plastic zone size, which is corrected with relative error analyses, then its application range is determined. The results show that the T -stresses are affected by plate thickness, crack length as well as stiffener’s size, location and integrity. Both in-plane and out-of-plane T -stresses play significant roles in plastic zone size. Furthermore, structure geometry and crack size can influence the plastic zone size, but their effects are negligible under some situations, and the improved analytical solution is in excellent agreement with numerical solution then. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnitude and distribution of three-dimensional stress intensity factor are affected by out-of-plane bending and loading modes in stiffened plates, and the influences are studied externally under uniform tensile stresses. Based on theoretical analysis of linear elastic fracture mechanics, crack propagation behavior is investigated with three-dimensional finite element method. The crack arrest effects of stiffeners and the influences of out-of-plane bending are analyzed in three typical stiffened plates. Then relative stiffness is proposed to reflect the difference of crack arrest effects of the stiffeners, and mathematical models are developed for the fracture parameters of stiffened plates. Lastly, the effects of loading modes on crack propagation are discussed. The results indicate that stiffened plates generally have better crack arrest effects than flat (unstiffened) plates, and the relative stiffness, location, integrity and load sharing of the stiffeners play significant roles in crack arrest behavior. In some situations, the influence of out-of-plane bending cannot be negligible and should be considered carefully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mode II creeping crack tip fields with three terms from an asymptotic analysis under plane strain conditions are presented in this paper. Comparisons among the three term asymptotic solutions, finite element (FE) results and HRR solutions are made for boundary layer model (BLM) and single edge notched (SEN) specimen. Two typical power-law materials having different creep exponents are adopted for the numerical analyses. Results show that the three term asymptotic solutions coincide with the FE results quite well for all cases at both transient creep and extensive creep stages. It indicates that the three term solution is sufficient to characterize the full mechanics field of a mode II creep crack under various conditions. Some typical fracture parameters under creep conditions are extended and discussed. The effect of creep time on the integration constant I n under mode II case is also studied and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise has been proven to promote learning and memory, and is closely related to increased adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus. In our study, the β subunit of Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3β) can be significantly regulated by exercise, and the modulation of GSK3β activity can enhance adult neurogenesis and memory. To explore the mechanism by which exercise can improve cognitive function and adult neurogenesis, and the role GSK3β plays in this process, we established a mouse model of voluntary exercise to examine the expression and activity of GSK3β, and its associated signaling pathways, in the hippocampus dentate gyrus. The results showed an obvious increase in adult neurogenesis and cognitive functions, and the up-regulation of GSK3β, after exercise. The activity of the insulin pathway, which negatively regulates GSK3β, was also increased. Moreover, our results showed that the dopamine D 1 receptor (DARP D 1 ) pathway and adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) were also activated, which indicates a relationship between GSK3β and neurogenesis. Overall, our findings demonstrated that voluntary exercise promotes cognition and neurogenesis in the adult mouse dentate gyrus by the regulation of GSK3β expression and activity, which may be implemented through the DARP D 1 receptor-signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the confinement effects of upward and downward conical cavities on laser-induced copper plasma were investigated by optical emission spectroscopy and fast imaging technique. It follows from the time-integrated spectra, the time-resolved spectra, and the spatial distributions of spectral intensity that the superior enhancement effects on spectral intensity are obtained in the upward conical cavity. Compared to the plasmas without confinement, plasma temperature and electron number density are increased in the presence of upward conical cavity, while no enhancements are obtained in the downward conical cavity. Reflection model of shockwave in a conical cavity is established to interpret these phenomena. The enhancement of the plasma plume confined in the upward conical cavity results from the compression of the plume towards its central region by the shockwave, as well as the accelerated collisions between the particles therein. No enhancement effect of the plasma in the downward conical cavity is obtained because of the radial expansion of plasma plume and the population reduction of excited species in the plasma primary core due to the pressure of oblique downward shockwave. This shockwave reflection model is further verified by the fast imaging, where the direct observation of the plasma plume agrees well with the enhancement effects of the two cavities on the spectral intensity. [Display omitted] • The upward and downward conical cavities exhibit distinct spectra enhancements. • A shockwave reflection model is developed to explain this enhancement discrepancy. • Fast imaging of the laser-induced plasma verifies the shockwave reflection model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have synthesized the nickel phosphides supported on the commercial HZSM-22 catalysts, which were used to convert palmitic acid to diesel-like hydrocarbons under ambient pressure in the absence of any solvents. The deoxygenation reactions of palmitic acid were studied in a fixed-bed reactor over HZSM-22, Ni x P/HZSM-22, Ni 2 P/HZSM-22, the unsupported Ni x P and the unsupported Ni 12 P 5 catalysts. The conversion of palmitic acid and the hydrocarbon yield were found to be 99.6% and 42.9%, respectively, for the best catalyst, 40 Ni x P/HZSM-22. The heat value of the resulting hydrocarbons was 46.4 MJ kg −1 . Ketones and aldehydes were identified as reaction intermediates, which were subsequently converted into hydrocarbons. In addition, short-chain hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons were generated, suggesting the presence of cracking and isomerization reactions. Our mechanistic exploration and the NH 3 adsorption–desorption DRIFT spectra suggest that the decarbonylation and decarboxylation are facilitated by Ni x P, whereas Brønsted acid sites on HZSM-22 play a crucial role in the isomerization reactions and Lewis acids sites on catalysts are responsible for the cracking reactions. The present study demonstrates that the catalysts such as Ni x P supported on commercial HZSM-22 can serve as a practical modus with excellent catalytic activity to produce diesel-like hydrocarbons from biomass-based oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel nitrogen-doped Nb 2 O 5 (N-Nb 2 O 5 ) nanobelt quasi-arrays has been simply prepared by traditional hydrothermal reaction and followed by annealing in NH 3 atmosphere on metal Nb foil. Adjusting the annealing temperature can alternate the amount of N doped. The as-prepared N-Nb 2 O 5 nanobelt shows strong sensitivity to visible light and performs excellent photocatalysis activity. The contaminant in the water can be dissolved up to 40% after 4 h visible light irradiation. The N-Nb 2 O 5 nanobelt photocatalyst will be a promising candidate for future water contaminant treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel numerical solution procedure is developed for the upper bound shakedown analysis of elastic-perfectly plastic structures. The nodal natural element method (nodal-NEM) combines the advantages of the NEM and the stabilized conforming nodal integration scheme, and is used to discretize the established mathematical programming formulation of upper bound shakedown analysis based on Koiter's theorem. In this formulation, the displacement field is approximated by using the Sibson interpolation and the difficulty caused by the time integration is solved by König's technique. Meanwhile, the nonlinear and non-differentiable characteristic of objective function is overcome by distinguishing non-plastic areas from plastic areas and modifying associated constraint conditions and goal function at each iteration step. Finally, the objective function subjected to several equality constraints is linearized and the upper bound shakedown load multiplier is obtained. This direct iterative process can ensure the shakedown load to monotonically converge to the upper bound of true solution. Several typical numerical examples confirm the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Theoretical insights into static shakedown theorem of bounded kinematic hardening (KH) are presented. • Differences and application ranges of two basic shakedown formulations are given. • A direct numerical approach is proposed for shakedown analysis of bounded KH structures. • The approach is implemented into Abaqus and becomes a general utility tool for shakedown analysis of large-scale structures. • Numerical examples show the great potential of the proposed approach in engineering applications. There exist two basic formulations of static shakedown theorem for bounded kinematic hardening (KH) model in literature. Whether the two formulations are equivalent, whether the conditions of loading-path-independence are satisfied, and how to employ the shakedown theorem to obtain the safety margin of realistic engineering structures under cyclic loading are some key issues to be solved and addressed. This paper presents theoretical aspects of the static shakedown theorem of KH and proposes a direct approach for shakedown analysis of KH structures. The presented direct approach allows for both the two shakedown formulations and considers the simultaneous influences of multiple load vertices. The two formulations are suitable for plastic models with different hardening laws and determine different shakedown load boundaries in the region of incremental collapse. Instead of dealing with a complicated problem of mathematical programming, the presented approach performs several linear elastic finite element iterative calculations, which ensures its high computational efficiency. Furthermore, the direct approach is implemented into Abaqus software platform so that it becomes a general tool to handle large-scale shakedown problems of engineering structures with complex geometry and loading conditions. An illustrative sample with analytical solution and three numerical examples from power plant engineering are adopted to validate these theoretical aspects and to present the potential of the direct approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first α-alkylation of unactivated amides with primary alcohols is described. An effective and robust iridium pincer complex has been developed for selective α-alkylation of tertiary and secondary acetamides involving a “borrowing hydrogen” methodology. The method is compatible with alcohols bearing various functional groups. This presents a convenient and environmentally benign protocol for α-alkylation of amides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel numerical solution procedure is proposed to evaluate the upper bound limit load multipliers for thin plate problems, which incorporates the C natural element method (CNEM) with a direct iteration algorithm. Due to its remarkable interpolation property to the nodal function and the nodal gradient values, the CNEM with the C- continuous trial function is used here to deal with the upper bound limit analysis problem of perfectly rigid-plastic plates. The relevant discrete mathematical programming formulation is established based on the kinematic theorem of plastic limit analysis, and a direct iteration algorithm with the advantages of simple solution formula and easy procedure implementation is presented to solve it. Several representative examples governed by the von Mises yield criterion are investigated. The numerical solutions obtained in this paper are reasonable and satisfactory, and are in good agreement with the previously reported results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, an analytical method is proposed for solving the free vibration of cracked functionally graded material (FGM) beams with axial loading, rotary inertia and shear deformation. The governing differential equations of motion for an FGM beam are established and the corresponding solutions are found first. The discontinuity of rotation caused by the cracks is simulated by means of the rotational spring model. Based on the transfer matrix method, then the recurrence formula is developed to get the eigenvalue equations of free vibration of FGM beams. The main advantage of the proposed method is that the eigenvalue equation for vibrating beams with an arbitrary number of cracks can be conveniently determined from a third-order determinant. Due to the decrease in the determinant order as compared with previous methods, the developed method is simpler and more convenient to analytically solve the free vibration problem of cracked FGM beams. Moreover, free vibration analyses of the Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko beams with any number of cracks can be conducted using the unified procedure based on the developed method. These advantages of the proposed procedure would be more remarkable as the increase of the number of cracks. A comprehensive analysis is conducted to investigate the influences of the location and total number of cracks, material properties, axial load, inertia and end supports on the natural frequencies and vibration mode shapes of FGM beams. The present work may be useful for the design and control of damaged structures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out to investigate the effects of micronutrients supplementation on immunity and the incidence of common infections in type 2 diabetic outpatients. A total of 196 type 2 diabetic outpatients were randomized to receive tablets of micronutrients (n=97) or placebo (n=99) for 6 months. Individualized dietary energy intake and daily physical activity were recommended. Anthropometric measurements, blood biochemical variables and the incidence of common infections were measured at baseline and at 6 months. Data on diet, exercise and infection (upper respiratory tract infection, skin infection, urinary and genital tract infections, other infections) were recorded 1 month before the study and every month during the study. Blood concentrations of total protein, iron (Fe), folic acid and hemoglobin increased and unsaturated iron-binding capacity(UIBC) levels were decreased in the micronutrients supplementation group compared to the placebo group at 6 months. Moreover, at 6 months, compared to the placebo group, the blood concentrations of IgE, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, WBC, lymphocyte counts, basophilic leukocyte increased and CD8+ count decreased in the supplementation group, and the levels of IgA, IgM, IgG and complements C3 and C4 did not differ. The incidence of upper respiratory infection, whitlow, dermapostasis, vaginitis, urinary tract infection, gingivitis and dental ulcer were lower and body temperature and duration of fever greatly improved in the supplementation than the placebo group. These data indicated that supplementation of micronutrients might increase immune function and reduce the incidence of common infections in type 2 diabetic outpatients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, the multi-scale Daubechies (DB) wavelet method is used for solution of 2-D plain elastic problems. Unlike the single scale wavelet method, the DB wavelet functions are also used in function approximation for solving problems with local complicated deformation in the multi-scale method. Using the ideas of some meshless methods and Galerkin methods, the solution formulations for two dimensional elastic problems in multi-scale approach are established. In order to treat general boundaries and improve the efficiency and accuracy of solution, a method for evaluation of integrals in general region is proposed. Numerical examples of 2-D elastic problems illustrate that this multi-scale Daubechies wavelet method is effective and stable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Shakedown analysis is an extension of plastic limit analysis to the case of variable repeated loads and plays a significant role in safety assessment and structural design. This paper presents a solution procedure based on the meshless local Petrov–Galerkin (MLPG) method for lower-bound shakedown analysis of bounded kinematic hardening structures. The numerical implementation is very simple and convenient because it is only necessary to construct an array of nodes in the targeted domain. Moreover, the natural neighbour interpolation (NNI) is employed to construct trial functions for simplifying the imposition of essential boundary conditions. The kinematic hardening behaviour is simulated by an overlay model and the numerical difficulties caused by the time parameter are overcome by introducing the conception of load corner. The reduced-basis technique is applied to solve the mathematical programming iteratively through a sequence of reduced residual stress subspaces with very low dimensions and the resulting non-linear programming sub-problems are solved via the Complex method. Numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed solution procedure is feasible and effective to determine the shakedown loads of bounded kinematic hardening structures as well as unbounded kinematic hardening structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Degradation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures due to chloride penetration followed by reinforcement corrosion has been a serious problem in civil engineering for many years. In the present paper, a systematic and robust model for predicting service life of RC structures is developed which takes environmental humidity and temperature fluctuations, chloride binding, diffusion and convection, as well as the decay of structural performance into account. The interactions between the decay of structural performance, heat and moisture transfer are considered in a coupled thermal-hygro-mechanical model. The governing equations of heat, moisture and chloride transport into nonsaturated concrete are described particularly and solved numerically by finite element analysis in space and time domains. Comparisons of numerical results with analytical solutions and experimental observations are conducted to establish the validity of the proposed numerical model. Applications of the numerical model are demonstrated by predicting service life of a RC slab exposed to a chloride environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper proposes a load-modifying method for the stress and deflection analyses of floating roofs used in cylindrical oil storage tanks. The formulations of loads and deformations are derived according to the equilibrium analysis of floating roofs. Based on these formulations, the load-modifying method is developed to conduct a geometrically nonlinear analysis of floating roofs with the finite element (FE) simulation. In the procedure with the load-modifying method, the analysis is carried out through a series of iterative computations until a convergence is achieved within the error tolerance. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the validity and reliability of the proposed method, which provides an effective and practical numerical solution to the design and analysis of floating roofs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Creep rupture assessment is a significant issue in the field of high-temperature structural integrity. In this paper, the creep rupture assessment of 3D pressure pipelines with volumetric defects subjected to cyclic thermo-mechanical loadings is done using a direct numerical approach within the framework of stress compensation method (SCM). For calculation of creep rupture limit, an extended shakedown analysis scheme with yield strength correction is essentially performed, where the revised yield strength is determined as the minimum of the plastic yield strength and the creep rupture strength of material corresponding to a specified elevated temperature and rupture time. This direct numerical approach performs the creep rupture assessment by using the given creep rupture data of material rather than simulating the degenerative process of material based on creep damage constitutive equations under a specified loading history. The numerical approach is incorporated into commercial finite element software of Abaqus. Parametric studies on geometric dimensions of part-through slot affecting the creep rupture limit of 3D pressure pipelines with volumetric defects are conducted. Numerical results shown in this study indicate that the direct numerical approach accurately identifies the creep rupture limit boundary of the pressure pipeline, verified by the elastic-plastic cycle-by-cycle analysis. Failure mechanisms, such as local creep rupture, global creep rupture and global plastic rupture are detected under different loading combinations. These results give the helpful information for in-service integrity assessment of defective pressure pipelines at elevated temperature, and demonstrate the applicability and application prospect of the direct numerical approach in solving questions relevant to design or life assessment of other engineering structures. • Creep rupture assessment of pressure pipelines is performed using a direct numerical approach. • Creep rupture limit interaction curves for pressure pipelines with four types of slots are presented and analysed. • The obtained results are validated with the detailed cycle-by-cycle analyses. • These results give helpful information for in-service integrity assessment of high temperature defective pipelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Shakedown analysis is a powerful tool for assessing the safety of structures under variable repeated loads. By using the element free Galerkin (EFG) method and non-linear programming, a novel numerical solution procedure is developed to perform lower bound shakedown analysis of structures made up of elasto-perfectly plastic material. The numerical implementation is very simple and convenient because it is only necessary to construct an array of nodes in the domain under consideration. The reduced-basis technique is adopted here to solve the mathematical programming iteratively in a sequence of reduced self-equilibrium stress subspaces with very low dimensions. The self-equilibrium stress field is expressed by linear combination of several self-equilibrium stress basis vectors with parameters to be determined. These self-equilibrium stress basis vectors are generated by performing an equilibrium iteration procedure during elasto-plastic incremental analysis. The Complex method is used to solve the non-linear programming and determine the lower bound of shakedown load. The proposed numerical method is verified by using several numerical examples and the results show good agreement with other available solutions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The elastic compensation method (ECM) based on the conventional linear elastic finite element method is a simple and effective method for structural limit analysis. However, for structures containing flaws, computational errors of the ECM are relatively greater and numerical singularity is often caused before a better solution can be achieved. Firstly, the present paper employs the Banach''s contraction mapping theorem in mathematical analysis to discuss the convergence problem of the iterative method of the ECM. The discussions demonstrate that only when iterative elastic modulus sequences are contraction mappings can a good limit load solution be obtained. Secondly, a modified elastic compensation method (KtECM) is proposed, in which iterative elastic modulus sequences of structural main load-carrying elements can satisfy the condition of contraction mapping. Moreover, an adjustable factor related with structural stress concentration factor () is introduced to define a rational nominal stress and to dynamically balance the computational precision and CPU time consumed. Finally, we perform limit load analyses for several representative structures containing flaws. These solutions obtained by the KtECM are compared with results from the analytical method, the elastic-plastic analysis method (EPAM) and the ECM. It reaches the conclusion that the KtECM can provide good estimations of plastic limit loads for structures containing flaws. The KtECM has the advantages of simplicity, high efficiency and convenience for engineering applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper is concerned with the applications of the proposed models, namely the modified linear damage summation (MLDS) method and the modified strain range partitioning (MSRP) method described in Part I of the series papers, to life prediction of turbine blades under creep–fatigue interaction. To begin with, a detailed FEM analysis is conducted considering peak loading of thermal load, centrifugal force and airflow force to determine life assessment positions. Secondly, according to the blades rig testing load, a stress–strain response analysis is performed for pure low-cycle fatigue (LCF) and creep–fatigue interaction, in which steady-state temperature field, plastic kinematic hardening and contact between the blade body and hoop segment are taken into consideration to achieve accordance with practical conditions. Finally, based on FEM simulation results, the life of turbine blades is predicted using the five different models for creep–fatigue loading. A minimum safe and conservative life of 1293h is given by the MLDS method based on power-exponent function model. The predicted lives by the MLDS and MSRP methods show reasonable agreement with the rig testing life, which further illustrates the validity of power-exponent function model and its applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Based on power transformation method, this paper advances a power-exponent function model for low-cycle fatigue (LCF) life prediction and then introduces it to creep–fatigue life prediction methods – the strain range partitioning (SRP) method and the linear damage summation (LDS) method for comprehensive assessment of power-exponent function model. Power transformation exponents (p) are given for some typical materials. Through LCF and creep–fatigue life predictions for these materials, we illustrate the validity of power-exponent function model and its applications. The comparisons between different models show that the power-exponent function model has better performances for LCF life prediction. In nature, Manson–Coffin law is the first order Taylor expansion approximation of power-exponent function model in log–log scale coordinates, corresponding to p =1. The enhancement of nonlinearity makes the power-exponent function model and its applications to creep–fatigue life prediction methods more precise than the corresponding unmodified methods, whereas these models still use linear parameter regression method and remain simple for engineering applications. An example of these models’ applications to life prediction of turbine blades under creep–fatigue interaction is given in the accompanying paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A neutral polysaccharide named PD was isolated from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb, Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua. Five fragments were isolated by Bio-Gel P4 chromatography from hydrolysates of PD. Using assays of cytopathic effect inhibition, neutral red dye uptake and plaque forming inhibition, it was proved that the fragments with degree of polymerization (DP) of 4 and 5 were the shortest ones which retained the activity against herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in vero cell culture. The structures of PD and one of its activity-retaining fragments, B3, were determined by permethylation followed with reductive cleavage, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. It was shown that PD was a branched fructan with average DP of 28. There was one two-residue side chain composed of (2 → 6)-linked β-d-fructofuranosyl (Fruf) residues every three (2 → 1)-linked β-d-Fruf residues in the backbone of PD, whereas B3 was a mixture containing 1-kestose and neokestose series of oligosaccharides of DP 3–5 without branches. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Based on the static limit analysis theorem, a solution procedure for limit analysis of three-dimensional (3-D) structures is established making use of conventional boundary element method (BEM) rather than of finite element method (FEM). The self-equilibrium stress fields are expressed by linear combination of several basic self-equilibrium stress fields with parameters to be determined. These basic self-equilibrium stress fields are elastic responses of the body to imposed permanent strains obtained through elastic-plastic incremental analysis by three-dimensional boundary element method (3-D BEM). The Complex method is used to directly solve the resulting nonlinear programming problem and to determine the maximal load amplifier. The numerical results show that it is efficient and accurate to solve 3-D limit analysis problems by using BEM and the Complex method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A solution procedure for lower bound limit analysis is presented making use of the Symmetric Galerkin Boundary Element Method (SGBEM) rather than of finite element method. The self-equilibrium stress fields are expressed by linear combination of several basic self-equilibrium stress fields with parameters to be determined. These basic self-equilibrium stress fields are expressed as elastic responses of the body to imposed permanent strains obtained through elastic–plastic incremental analysis. The Complex method is used to solve nonlinear programming and determine the maximal load amplifier. The numerical results show that it is efficient and accurate to solve limit analysis problems by using the SGBEM and the Complex method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Evaluation of creep rupture limit and prediction of creep rupture life are two significant issues for high-temperature devices under the action of cyclic thermo-mechanical loadings. In this paper, the shakedown solution procedure proposed recently by the authors, so-called stress compensation method (SCM), is extended for creep rupture assessment via an extended shakedown theory including creep. Two distinct numerical schemes based on the SCM framework are presented, where Scheme 1 is utilised for evaluation of creep rupture limit and Scheme 2 is utilised for prediction of creep rupture life. Instead of using the detailed creep constitutive equations, the present methods just need to know several material parameters including the creep rupture data. A holed plate is provided as a typical example to validate the reliability of two numerical schemes. Detailed cycle-by-cycle analyses are carried out to illustrate the good accuracy of these calculated creep rupture limits and reveal the failure mechanisms of the structure under different combinations of loads. A numerical study on a pipe junction is also conducted to show the engineering application of the methods. As a result, the two numerical schemes are proved to be effective and reliable for solving practical industrial problems. Image 1 • Two numerical schemes are proposed to evaluate creep rupture limit and predict creep rupture life, respectively. • The proposed methods are validated with the detailed cycle-by-cycle analyses and are accurate and efficient. • Important creep rupture failure mechanisms due to different load conditions are provided and revealed. • The proposed methods only need less material data and can solve practical industrial problems effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]