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This paper plans to propose a general numerical model for investigating the free and forced vibration behaviors of the multi-stepped functionally graded porous graphene platelet-reinforced composite (FGP-GPLRC) curved beam with various boundary conditions based on the first-order shear deformation Timoshenko beam theory by employing Rayleigh–Ritz method in conjunction with Jacobi polynomials. Different porosity and GPL distribution types are considered. The general boundary conditions of the multi-stepped FGP-GPLRC curved beam and connecting conditions of the FGP-GPLRC curved beam elements are simulated by employing boundary springs and connecting springs, respectively. The convergence and validation of the proposed numerical model are demonstrated by comparing the proposed results with the corresponding results which come from open literature and finite element software ABAQUS. The free and forced vibration behavior analysis of multi-stepped FGP-GPLRC curved beam is carried out by investigating the influences of material property and geometric parameters on the natural frequency and displacement response in the frequency and time domains of multi-stepped FGP-GPLRC curved beam structure. The investigation results can offer the technique guidance for the design and manufacture of the multi-stepped FGP-GPLRC curved beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power exhibit strong stochasticity and volatility, resulting in decreased power supply security and sustainability. A strategically optimized hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) is crucial for maintaining stable load operations and achieving sustainable energy development. This paper introduces an energy optimization management model for an independent HRES consisting of wind turbines, photovoltaic systems, diesel generators, and energy storage units. Operational strategies focus on energy storage-led loads following diesel generator-led load prioritizations. The model aims to optimize objectives to include economic, environmental, and power supply reliability indices. A dynamic adaptive parameter approach balances the parameters of the objective function at various instances. The optimal capacity allocation of the model is solved using the improved gray wolf optimization (IGWO) algorithm. This approach incorporates the golden sine strategy, the levy flight strategy, and the dynamic inverse learning strategy into the traditional GWO algorithm. Analyzing different test functions, evaluation metrics, and actual load data indicates that the proposed algorithm excels in global optimization capabilities and search speeds. The model significantly reduces the economic and environmental costs of the HRES microgrids and improves the sustainable development of renewable energy in various scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce several martingale Orlicz-Hardy spaces with continuous time. By use of the atomic decomposition, we establish some martingale inequalities and characterize the dualities of these spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consider a system consisting of Dp and Dp′, placed parallel at a separation and with p − p′ = 2n (assuming p ≥ p′, the integer n ≥ 0 and p′ > 0). When either Dp or Dp′ carries a worldvolume electric flux, one in general expects a non-vanishing open string pair production due to the pair of virtual open string/anti open string connecting the two D branes under the action of the applied flux. However, this will not be true for p′ = 0 and p = 2, 4, 6 when the Dp carries a pure electric flux. In this note, we will explore the case for which a finite non-vanishing open string pair production rate can indeed be produced when a certain worldvolume flux is applied to the Dp brane and understand the physics behind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytic fungi exert beneficial effects on enhancing plant seed germination, increasing the growth of shoots and roots, strengthening tolerance of host plants to abiotic and biotic stress, and inducing bioactive metabolite aggregation in the host plant. Hence, biological strategies using endophytic fungi are promising and effective to augment the quality of medicinal herbs. Here, we isolated 34 endophytes from the corms of Crocus sativus collected from Hecun Village, Zhejiang Province, China. Two strains, namely CS04 and CS29, symbiotically enhanced the biomass of C. sativus; induced biosynthesis and accumulation of its specialized metabolites, including crocin I and II, and antagonized the growth of pathogenic fungi for preventing rot disease. A multilocus phylogenetic analysis identified CS04 and CS29 as Talaromyces sp. and Penicillium sp., respectively. Treatment with CS04 and CS29 increased the activities of stress-related enzymes. Thus, both CS04 and CS29 are remarkable fungal resources for enhancing plant growth and specialization of metabolite accumulation in C. sativus for agricultural cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This preliminary study examined the effects of wearing an elevation training mask® 2.0 (ETM) during high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on the aerobic capacity of young men. Twenty-six young men were recruited and randomly divided into an experimental group (EG, n = 13) and a control group (CG, n = 13). The former performed HIIT on a running platform while wearing an ETM, and the latter performed HIIT only. Before and after the intervention, the following parameters were measured: exercise performance indicator is a 3000-m running test; aerobic capacity indicators are maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VT), and running economy (RE); the physiological indicators are blood, pulmonary function, and cardiac function. After 6 weeks of intervention, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) between the time and time × group interaction for the 3000-m running time. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in VO2max between the time and time × group interaction. The VT and RE demonstrated significant differences (p < 0.05) between the time and time × group interaction. Among the physiological indicators, pulmonary and cardiac function differed significantly (p < 0.05) be-tween the time and time × group interaction. Blood parameters showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the time points and time × group interaction. These preliminary results suggest that using ETM in conjunction with HIIT for 6 weeks increased young men's aerobic performance much more than conventional HIIT. This effect may be attributed to the significantly improved respiratory function and cardiac function caused by the combination of ETM with HIIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Sex chromosomes of emus are largely homomorphic. Therefore, the standard methodology for molecular sexing based on screening intron length variations in sex-linked genes is not applicable. However, emu sexing requires costly and time-consuming PCR-RFLP or multiplex PCR methods. 2. This experiment used a directed PCR amplification and capillary electrophoresis sexing protocol. Two distinct peaks were observed in females (ZW), while only one peak was observed in males (ZZ). 3. This sexing technique proved to be rapid, non-invasive, and highly sensitive and may be useful for verifying the sex ratio and breeding management of emus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A parametric study on the energy transfer of the solar wind across the magnetopause entering the magnetosphere is conducted using a global magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulation. The characteristics of the mechanical and electromagnetic energy distribution under the dawn–dusk interplanetary magnetic fields (IMFs) are investigated by analyzing magnetic reconnection and viscous effect, and compared with the radial and north–south IMFs. It is shown that (1) the interactions at the magnetopause and the transfer of energy across this boundary move in relation to the IMF orientation. (2) For the duskward IMF, the mechanical energy flow clearly enters the equatorial and low-latitude regions on the dayside, and the electromagnetic energy flow has a small inflow on the equatorial and low latitudes of the dayside. A significant energy inflow appears on the dawn side in the northern hemisphere and the dusk side in the southern hemisphere near the polar cusp. (3) The energy distribution characteristics across the magnetopause under dawn–dusk IMFs are mirror symmetric about the Y = 0 plane. (4) For a magnetic field of 5 nT, the electromagnetic energy input under the dawn–dusk IMFs is twice as large as the mechanical energy and the electromagnetic energy under the radial IMF, which is five times as large as the electromagnetic energy during the pure northward IMF, but only half as large as the electromagnetic energy under the pure southward IMF. The mechanical energy input under dawn–dusk IMFs has the same magnitude as that under radial and north–south IMFs. The magnitude of the energy transfer rate for the dawn IMF and dusk IMF (about 3.5%) is between 1.71% for the northward IMF and 4.95% for the southward IMF, but higher than 2.22% for the radial IMF. The Akasofu-type energy-coupling formula, ε , underestimates the energy input from the solar wind under B y dominated IMF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid improper ferroelectricity, which is induced by the coupling of oxygen octahedral rotation and tilt in oxide materials, has great potential to create single-phase multiferroic materials with intrinsic electric field-controlled magnetism. Based on previous experiments with bi-layered Ruddlesden-Popper Sr-based materials, hybrid improper ferroelectricity in Sr3Hf2O7 was investigated by first-principle calculations in the present work. The results show that the ferroelectric A21am phase has the lowest energy among all possible phases, indicating that it is the ground state. The spontaneous polarization calculated by the Berry phase approach and Born effective charge model is approximately 4.6 μC/cm2, in agreement with those reported for other Sr-based compounds. Compared to Ca3Ti2O7, the smaller polarization of Sr3Hf2O7 is attributed to the negative contribution of the HfO2 layer to global polarization. The possible ferroelectric switching path was determined using the nudged elastic band method. The energy barriers of the two four-step paths across the non-polar Pbnm and Pnab phases are almost the same, and they are the lowest energies among all possible paths. Competition between these paths can help us understand complex phase transitions in analogous compounds. In summary, hybrid improper ferroelectricity was predicted in Sr3Hf2O7 for the first time, and the possible ferroelectric switching paths were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid improper ferroelectricity is induced by the coupling of oxygen octahedral rotation and tilt, and it may provide a promising way to develop new room-temperature single-phase multiferroic materials with a strong magnetoelectric effect. Though ferroelectric polarizations are confirmed by the electric hysteresis loops at room temperature, the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition has not been well understood. In the present work, the crystal structures, dielectric properties, and phase transition behaviors of Ruddlesden-Popper Sr3–xCaxSn2O7 ceramics are thoroughly determined. Ferroelectricity is confirmed through the polarization-electric field hysteresis loops at room temperature, and the Curie temperature is identified by the variable-temperature differential scanning calorimetric analysis and dielectric characterization. The polarizations and Curie temperatures of the present ceramics increase with increasing the calcium content. An improper ferroelectric transition is experimentally evidenced by a small dielectric constant and a step variation of dielectric constant around the Curie temperature, and the thermal hysteresis of dielectric constant confirms the first order transition nature. Moreover, the fitting result of Landau phase transition theory also suggests the first-order improper ferroelectric transition nature. The variable-temperature Raman result implies a tetragonal paraelectric phase above TC. The present work confidently confirms the first-order hybrid improper ferroelectric transitions in the present ceramics, and ferroelectric properties can be readily tuned by substituting the cations at the A-site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the predictive value of the radiomics feature-based nomogram for predicting telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutation status and prognosis of lower-grade gliomas (LGGs) non-invasively.Materials and Methods: One hundred and seventy-six LGG patients (123 in the training cohort and 53 in the validation cohort) were enrolled retrospectively. A total of 851 radiomics features were extracted from contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. The radiomics features were selected using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method and a rad-score was calculated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to build a radiomics signature based on rad-score, participant's age, and gender, and a radiomics nomogram was used to represent this signature. The performance of the signature was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and the patient prognosis was stratified based on the TERT promoter mutation status and the radiomics signature.Results: Seven robust radiomics features were selected by LASSO and the radiomics signature showed good performance for predicting the TERT promoter mutation status, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.900 (0.832-0.946) and 0.873 (0.753-0.948) in the training and validation datasets. With a median overall survival time of 28.5 months, the radiomics signature stratified the LGG patients into two risk groups with significantly different prognosis (log-rank = 47.531, p<0.001).Conclusion: The radiomics feature-based nomogram is a promising approach for predicting the TERT promoter mutation status preoperatively and evaluating the prognosis of lower-grade glioma patients non-invasively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expansions in non-integer bases have been extensively investigated since a pioneering work of Rényi. We introduce a more general framework of alphabet-base systems that also includes Pedicini's general alphabets and the multiple-base expansions of Neunhäuserer and Li. We extend the Parry type lexicographic theory to this setup, and we improve and generalize various former results on unique expansions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) has been widely reported to influence ovarian follicular development, and miRNAs play a significant role in mammalian follicular development by regulating their target genes. Therefore, it is of interest to explore the roles of miRNAs in sheep follicular development during FSH stimulation. In the current study, we constructed miRNA expression profiles of small follicles (SFs, prerecruitment stage), medium follicles (MFs, dominance stage), and large follicles (LFs, maturation stage). Three and 50 significant differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified in the MF vs. SF and LF vs. SF comparisons, respectively, and none were identified in the LF vs. MF comparison. Oar-miR-10a was significantly downregulated in MFs compared with SFs. In LFs compared with SFs, miR-212-3p, miR-212-5p and miR-202-5p were significantly upregulated, and miR-27a-3p, miR-181a-5p, miR-204-5p, and miR-182-5p were significantly downregulated. Furthermore, we predicted the target genes of significant DEMs and performed functional enrichment analyses of these target genes. Analyses of KEGG pathways and GO terms showed that the putative target genes were significantly enriched in ovarian steroidogenesis, glutathione metabolism, positive regulation of cell differentiation, positive regulation of cell development, and cellular response to oxygen-containing compounds. Analyses of miRNA–gene regulatory networks suggested that miR-181a-5p –CYP11A1 , (miR-27a-3p and miR-129-5p) –LDLR , (miR-212-3p and miR-212-5p) –EFNA5 , (miR-181a-5p, miR-182-5p, and miR-27a-3p) –INHBA , and miR-182-5p– SOD2 might be involved in follicular development. The present study provides basic data and suggests research directions for further exploration of the roles of miRNAs in sheep follicular development under FSH stimulation. • miRNA expression profiles of ewe follicles after superstimulation was constructed. • Fifty differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in the LFs vs SFs comparison. • Ovarian steroidogenesis and positive regulation of cell development were predicted. • miR-181a-5p-CYP11A1 and miR-27a-3p-LDLR might influence follicular development. • Numerous miRNAs might influence follicular development via regulating target genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enthusiasm for predicting the properties of valley materials continues to grow due to the much attention of valley degrees of freedom. In this Letter, a two-dimensional ferromagnetic half-metal 1T-FeCl2 with super-exchange interactions and high Curie temperature is used to construct ferrovalley heterostructures under the means of magnetic proximity effects. The valley polarization up to 47.6 meV can be achieved in the HfNX (X = Cl, Br, I)/FeCl2. Meanwhile, we modulate the valley polarization by changing the interlayer spacing, applying biaxial strain, and changing the magnetization directions. Surprisingly, we find that the super-exchange interactions of the 1T-FeCl2 lead to particular robustness of the valley polarization, so the valley signals in this structure are nonvolatile. Finally, the Berry curvature demonstrates that the HfNI/FeCl2 is capable of achieving the anomalous valley Hall effect. The controllability and the robustness of the valley polarization in HfNX/FeCl2 heterostructure are expected to overcome the volatility of the valley signals, which will be of great help for future applications in spintronics and valleytronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce Orlicz–Hardy spaces for two-parameter martingales, and establish some new martingale inequalities by use of the atomic decompositions. We also characterize the dual spaces of martingale Orlicz–Hardy spaces in two-parameter case as the generalized martingale Lipschitz spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel bimodal model to predict a complete sunspot cycle based on comprehensive precursor information is proposed. We compare the traditional 13 month moving average with the Gaussian filter and find that the latter has less missing information and can better describe the overall trend of the raw data. Unlike the previous models that usually only use one precursor, here we combine the implicit and geometric information of the solar cycle (peak and skewness of the previous cycle and start value of the predicted cycle) with the traditional precursor method based on the geomagnetic index and adopt a multivariate linear approach with a higher goodness of fit (>0.85) in the fitting. Verifications for cycles 22–24 demonstrate that the model has good performance in predicting the peak and peak occurrence time. It also successfully predicts the complete bimodal structure for cycle 22 and cycle 24, showing a certain ability to predict whether the next solar cycle is unimodal or bimodal. It shows that cycle 25 is a single-peak structure and that the peak will come in 2024 October with a peak of 145.3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porous material is an emerging lightweight material, which is able to reduce structural weight and also keeps the superiority of the structure. Therefore, this work is devoted to the investigation of the functionally graded porous (FGP) annular and circular plates with general boundary conditions. The unified modeling method is proposed by combining the first-order shear deformation theory, the virtual spring technology, the multi-segment partition method, and the semi-analysis Rayleigh–Ritz approach. Afterwards, the convergency and correctness of the proposed method are verified, respectively. The frequency parameters, modal shapes, and forced vibration responses are uniformly calculated based on the proposed method. Finally, the dynamic analyses of the FGP annular and circular plates with different parameters, such as the porosity distribution types, porosity ratios, boundary condition types, geometry parameters, and load types, are conducted in detail. It is found that the reasonable porous design is able to keep the dynamic stability of the structure under different parameter variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy and the cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB)/steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) signaling pathway play important roles in steroid hormone production and follicular development in hens. This present study aimed to investigate the effects of exogenous energy on the synthesis of steroid hormones and the expression characteristics of the CREB/StAR signaling pathway in theca cells of laying hen. The primary theca cells of small yellow follicles were randomly divided into 6 treatments and cultured in medium with glucose concentrations of 1, 1.5, 3, 4.5, 6, and 7.5 mg/mL for 48 h. It was found that growth was robust and cell outlines were clear when cells were cultured with 1, 1.5, 3, and 4.5 mg/mL glucose, but cell viability was diminished and cell density decreased after exposure to glucose at 6 and 7.5 mg/mL for 48 h. Cell viability showed an increasing and then decreasing quadratic response to increasing glucose concentration in culture (r 2 = 0.688, P < 0.001). The cell viability of theca cells cultured with 4.5 mg/mL glucose was greater than those cultured with 1, 1.5, 6, and 7.5 mg/mL glucose (P < 0.05). The concentration of estradiol in the medium containing 3 mg/mL glucose was higher than in medium containing 1, 1.5, and 6 mg/mL glucose (P < 0.05). There was an increasing and then decreasing quadratic correlation between progesterone concentrations and glucose concentrations (r 2 = 0.522, P = 0.002). The concentration of progesterone in medium with 4.5 mg/mL glucose was higher than in medium with 1 and 7.5 mg/mL glucose (P < 0.05). There was an increasing and then decreasing quadratic correlation between the relative expression of CREB1 (r 2 = 0.752, P < 0.001), StAR (r 2 = 0.456, P = 0.002), CYP1B1 (r 2 = 0.568, P < 0.001), and 3β-HSD (r 2 = 0.319, P = 0.018) in theca cells of laying hens and glucose concentrations after treatment with different glucose concentrations for 48 h. After treatment with 4.5 mg/mL glucose, the expression of StAR, CYP1B1 , and 3β-HSD genes were increased compared to treatment with 1, 1.5, 3, 6, and 7.5 mg/mL glucose (P < 0.001). There was an increasing and then decreasing quadratic correlation between glucose concentrations and protein expression of CREB1 (r 2 = 0.819, P < 0.001), StAR (r 2 = 0.844, P < 0.001), 3β-HSD (r 2 = 0.801, P < 0.001), and CYP11A1 (r 2 = 0.800, P < 0.001) in theca cells of laying hens. The protein expression of CREB1, StAR, and 3β-HSD in theca cells cultured with 4.5 mg/mL glucose was higher than in other groups (P < 0.001). The results indicate that the appropriate glucose concentration (4.5 mg/mL) can improve the synthesis of steroid hormones in theca cells of laying hens through the upregulation of key genes and proteins in the CREB/StAR signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 3D metal coordination polymer, {[Na4(µ2-H2O)(DMF)2(BCT)2]⋅DMF}n (I) (DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide, H2BCT = 3,5-bis(4'-carboxy-phenyl)-1,2,4-triazole), was synthesized under solvothermal conditions and characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric and elemental analysis techniques. X-ray diffraction structural analyses revealed that I featured a 3D framework. Furthermore, the photocatalytic experiment result showed the degradation ratios of rhodamine B(RhB) to reach 76.2% when I acted as catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To research digital holography resolution enhancement a standard resolution target was used to calibrate the resolution of a digital holographic microscopy (DHM) system; however, the positive standard resolution target and negative target can indicate different resolution for the reflection DHM system. The reflection multi-angle illumination DHM system was built and the positive and negative standard resolution targets are tested, respectively. Comparing to the positive standard resolution target, the negative standard resolution target's interference fringes of the hologram are clearer, the values of the high frequency part of the frequency spectrum are larger, and the phase noises of the phase image are less; therefore, for reflectance DHM system, it is more suitable to test the negative standard resolution target. The reason of the result analysed from the reflectivity of the resolution target and the spectrum of the hologram is demonstrated. This study is of great significance to the measurement of microdevices with low reflectivity substrate, such as silicon dioxide based microfluidic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method is proposed to obtain the exact solution for the dynamic analysis of functionally graded porous (FGP) curved beams with general boundary conditions and variable curvatures. First, the model of a curved beam of variable curvature is constructed, and then the beam is divided into a number of free beam segments via a multi-segment segmentation (MSS) strategy. Second, the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) is adopted to obtain the displacement fields of each segment, and then the kinetic energy and potential energy of the structure are expressed by the displacement field. Finally, the exact solution is obtained by the Hamilton principle. Using the springs to simulate various boundary conditions, the frequency parameters, modal shapes and forced vibration responses of the structure with elastic boundary conditions are calculated, with the convergence and correctness verified. Finally, effects of the FGP curved beams, such as porosity distribution types, porosity ratios, boundary condition types, geometry parameters and load types, are investigated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the free vibration characteristics of the functionally graded piezoelectric (FGPE) plate with classical and elastic constraints. First, the analytical model is established for the FGPE plate on the basis of the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT). Besides, different distribution profiles of the material constituent are considered for the FGPE plate model, and various external initial voltages are also considered for modeling the piezoelectric effect. The displacement functions for the FGPE plate are then given in the form of third-kind orthogonal polynomials. Ultimately, the solution of the FGPE plate model is resolved by means of the Ritz method. Convergence and accuracy of the presented model are verified, and a series of parametric investigations are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compound 1-(3-amino-4-morpholino-1H-indazole-1-carbonyl)-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)cyclopropane-1-carboxamide (C22H23N5O3, Mr = 870.96) was synthesized by condensation of 1-(4-methoxyphenylcarbamoyl)cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid with 4-morpholino-1H-indazol-3-amine, which was prepared from 2,6-difluorobenzonitrile by amination with morpholine and subsequent cyclization with hydrazine hydrate. The crystal structure was determined. The results of biological activity determination indicated that the compound exhibited significant inhibitory activity against some cancer cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whistler-mode waves have been extensively observed and investigated in terrestrial space. In this study, we present the dynamic response of whistler-mode waves to different solar wind conditions in the dayside terrestrial space based on Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) data. Statistical results show that the occurrence rate, amplitudes, and corresponding electron temperature anisotropy of whistler-mode waves increase with P sw in the dayside terrestrial space, which is attributed to the compression of magnetic fields in these magnetosheath and outer magnetosphere. Furthermore, whistler-mode waves under the southward interplanetary magnetic fields (IMFs) show a higher occurrence rate than that under the northward IMFs, mostly corresponding to T e ⊥/ T e ∥ > 1, and have a higher occurrence rate during quasi-radial IMFs. These results present that whistler-mode waves in these magnetosheath and outer magnetosphere are also modulated by the solar wind as clearly as the inner magnetosphere. This work advanced our understanding in the solar–terrestrial interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hybrid phased multiple‐input‐multiple‐output (MIMO) radar with subarray partition can provide the transmit coherent gain of phased array and the waveform diversity of MIMO radar. The current researches mainly focus on the different subarray partition schemes of the transmit array. In this letter, a full phased‐MIMO (FPMIMO) radar with equally overlapped subarrays is introduced, and a robust adaptive transmit/receive beamforming algorithm is proposed based on the virtual interference‐plus‐noise covariance matrix (INCM) reconstruction and the virtual steering vector estimation. In the FPMIMO radar, the conventional beamforming is used for the signal transmission and reception on each subarray, and all subarrays can be assumed as a uniform linear array. Based on the presumed uniform linear array, the virtual INCM can be reconstructed by Eigen‐decomposition of the reconstructed INCM, and the virtual steering vector can be obtained by the estimated steering vector. With fewer antenna elements and sampling channels in the FPMIMO radar, simulation results demonstrate better performance of the proposed algorithm in a wide range of input signal‐to‐noise ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of energy-restricted feeding during growing phase on the productive performance of Hyline Brown laying hens aged 6 to 72 wk. A total of 720 six-week-old layer chicks were allocated equally to 3 groups with 6 replicates of 40 pullets each, and were fed 1 of 3 diets that were nutritionally similar except for the apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen (AME n) content. At the age of 6 to 17 wk, the pullets in the control group were given diet with 2,850 kcal/kg AME n , and were fed ad libitum. The levels of AME n in diet of pullets in the experimental groups were 90% (2,565 [2,850 × 90%] kcal/kg) and 80% (2,280 [2,850 × 80%] kcal/kg) of that in control group, and the daily amount of feed was restricted to the absolute quantity of the diet consumed by pullets in control group. At the age of 18 to 72 wk, all the hens were fed with the same diets ad libitum. As energy restriction increased in the growing phase, body weight (BW) dropped at the ages of 12 and 15 to 23 wk (at 23 wk: P = 0.001; at other ages: P < 0.001), but it showed no significant difference at 24 wk (P = 0.071). At 20 wk, restricting energy induced a delay in the development of sexual organs, including the ovary stroma, oviduct, and small yellow follicle (P < 0.05), as well as a delay in sexual maturity (P < 0.05). Consequently, the laying rate in the first and second periods dropped linearly (P = 0.046, 0.030, and 0.038, P < 0.001, respectively). The coefficient of variation (CV) in the BW at 19, 20, and 21 wk (P = 0.040, 0.023, and 0.042, respectively), the CV of age at first egg (P < 0.001), and CV of individual egg number at age 18 to 72 wk (P < 0.001) decreased linearly. There was a linear increase in the laying rate of hens in the later periods (at age 32–72 wk, P < 0.05), as well as in the average total egg number per hen and average laying rate at the age of 18 to 72 wk (P = 0.006). The average egg mass also showed a linear increase with increasing levels of energy restriction (P < 0.001). In summary, although appropriate energy restriction during growing phase delayed sexual maturity and sexual organ development in early-laying Hyline Brown pullets, it improved uniformity of BW, age at first egg laying, and individual egg number, and increased egg number per hen, laying rate, average egg mass, and number of settable eggs from 18 to 72 wk of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant SWEET (Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters) proteins, as newly discovered sugar transporters, play various important roles during plant depending on the transmembrane gradient of sugar concentration. SWEET17 protein is one of the SWEET family members transporting fructose in particular. In this study, we identified eight SWEET17s from six loquats (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) cultivars and named them as Ej_NHB_SWEET17, Ej_BL_SWEET17a, Ej_ZH_SWEET17, Ej_MM-_SWEET17a, Ej_MM_SWEET17b, Ej_BL_SWEET17b, Ej_GY_SWEET17 and Ep_LY_SWEET17. All of the eight loquat SWEET17s have five to six transmembrane structures. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Ej_NHB_SWEET17 had the farthest genetic relationship with other seven loquat SWEET17s, indicating that 'Ninghaibai' cultivar was far away from the other five loquat varieties possibly. The similarities of nucleotide and amino acid sequences between Ej_NHB_SWEET17 and the other loquat SWEET17s were only about 61 and 46%, respectively, while that among other seven SWEET17s were greater than 90%. The expression levels of loquat SWEET17s in leaves were positively correlated with the content of fructose, sorbitol and total sugar in various fruit from the six cultivars, in which the sugar contents in fruits of different cultivars varied significantly, that was probably related to expression levels of loquat SWEET17. Our results indicated that the expression level of loquat SWEET17s was probably related to the regulation of sugar contents of mature fruit, experimental confirmation needs to be performed. Together, these results indicated that EjSWEET17s possibly played important roles in the sugar accumulation of fruit, which could serve as the basis for further functional identification of such genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the control field, the adaptive model predictive control (AMPC) has the capability of taking effective control actions on unknown‐but‐bounded time‐independent or slowly time‐varying systems coupling with constraints. In essence, AMPC estimates the uncertain parameters or uncertainty set online by utilising historian data to extract model information. The model estimation procedure imposes some specific conditions on data and these extra conditions have restricted its practical use. To overcome these problems, a new data‐driven control methodology is presented that integrates the data‐driven concept into robust model predictive control (RMPC) architecture for unknown‐but‐bounded time‐independent or slowly time‐varying plant. The key novelty is to employ historian data to derive control policy and make a prediction in replacement with the complicated procedure of utilising data to estimate model parameters. A data‐driven RMPC algorithm is developed within the robust model predictive control framework with the fulfilment of recursive feasibility and stability. The authors display the highlights of the data‐driven model predictive control controller through two simulation examples. The resulting controller is verified to reduce conservativeness and increase the closed‐loop performance of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First experimental investigations of foil aluminium liner implosions with a high aspect ratio of ∼ 103 at an 8 MA pulsed-power facility in China, motivated by possible application for magneto-inertial fusion, will be reported. Key diagnostics including UV cameras, micro-magnetic probes and x-ray pinhole imaging systems were fielded. Quasi-monochromatic UV images and optical streak data showed localized plasma formation at breakdown positions, suggesting that vacuum gaps in contact play a crucial role in long-time and non-uniform initiation. In liner ablation, quasi-periodic striation patterns were directly observed in UV self-emission images and were found to be azimuthally correlated with Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities. An m ≠ 0 azimuthal helical mode was obtained for the unmagnetized liner, which could be attributed to the large surface roughness that may act as an inherently and randomly seeded instability. Precursor plasma formation was confirmed by the observed x-ray emission on-axis at −70 ns by the end-on x-ray framing camera. Further quantitative current measurements taken by micro magnetic probes suggested that the current division due to precursor plasma was approximately 20% of the load current at −66 ns. Side-on imaging diagnostics indicated an evident liner implosion, however with a relatively low convergence ratio of ∼ 3.2 at stagnation. For the observed emission rings with much faster velocity in end-on x-ray images, possible mechanisms were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-spin states of 109Ag have been studied using the 7Li + 110Pd reaction at a beam energy of 46 MeV. A negative-parity band decaying to the ground-state band by several new linking transitions is established. Meanwhile, seven new E2 crossover transitions of this band are observed, thereby confirming the spin-parity assignment and ordering of the dipole transitions above the Iπ = 19/2− level. A low energy γ-ray transition of 88 keV is found and placed at the bottom of the negative-parity band, and thus the Iπ = 17/2− level is tentatively assigned as the lowest observed state of this band. Experimental excitation energies and total angular momenta of the negative-parity band are compared with the predictions of self-consistent titled axis cranking relativistic mean-field theory with a three-quasiparticle configuration of. Based on the theoretical description and the analyses of the angular momentum coupling, this negative-parity dipole band is suggested as a 'stapler' band. By investigating the angular momentum components, it is found that the valence nucleons in the low-j orbitals play an active role in the 'stapler' mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) has been increasing in popularity over the years. Seroma formation is a common complication of LVHR. The aim of this study is to review the current evidence on seroma prevention strategies following LVHR.Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase (1946-13 February 2019) and Medline (1946-13 February 2019) databases was conducted using terms which include "seroma", "hernia, ventral" and "laparoscopy". All studies are comparative retrospective or prospective human adult studies in peer-reviewed journals describing at least one intra-operative intervention designed to decrease the rate of seroma formation in laparoscopic ventral hernia repair.Results: The database searches identified 3762 citations, and 21 studies were included for final analysis. Five studies compared the different methods of mesh fixation, nine studies compared primary defect closure (PFC) and bridged repair, two studies compared the effect of different types of meshes, two studies looked into the use of electrical cauterization, one study compared single- site laparoscopy with conventional laparoscopy, one study looked into the use of fibrin sealant and one study compared transabdominal preperitoneal placement of mesh with conventional repair. PFC appears to be the most promising with large studies showing a low rate of seroma formation with additional benefits of decreasing wound infection and recurrence rate. Cauterisation of hernia sac and injection of fibrin sealant also show promising results but are mainly derived from small studies. Other strategies did not demonstrate benefit.Conclusion: Currently, primary fascial closure appears to be the most promising strategy available to decrease seroma formation after LVHR based on the results of large studies. Other promising strategies that decrease dead space such as cauterisation of the sac and fibrin sealant injection will require further multicentre trials to confirm benefit before an increase in operative time and cost can be justified for their routine use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The failure of dikes is mostly caused by the development of piping. Whether or not piping erosion develops is mainly determined by the critical hydraulic gradient. In this paper, a multi-particle model for the critical hydraulic gradient of dike piping is derived. The model is based on the Terzaghi formula, and considers particle size distribution characteristics and the interaction between the sand sample and the water flow. Using a global sensitivity analysis of the model, it was found that the determinants of piping occurrence are mainly the physical characteristics of the soil particles and the particle size distribution characteristics. Laboratory tests and a field case analysis (in China) of piping were carried out. The derived model was found to perform better than Terzaghi's model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction of Na impurities and O vacancies (VO) in ZnO was studied in theory and experiment. The VO facilitated substitutional Na (NaZn/NaZn-) acceptors with inhibiting interstitial Na (Nai/Nai+) donors, which may benefit the p-type conductivity. The formed (NaZn-VO)+/0 complexes induced the change of band structures of ZnO, with the broadening of gap energies and disappearance of the VO2+-related impurity level, which confirmed by the blue shift of the near-band-edge (NBE) UV emission and the decay of the visible emission in PL spectra. The strong and dominant NBE UV emission suggested acceptable luminescence behaviors of Na-doped ZnO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Although comammox have been discovered in a variety of ecosystems, there are few studies in urban lakes. This paper attempted to confirm whether this ammonia‐oxidizing microbe exists in urban lakes and to determine the factors influencing its existence. Methods and Results: This study investigated the diversity and abundance of comammox bacteria in sediments of a typical urban lake in China, and their ecological relationship with other ammonia‐oxidizing micro‐organisms. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that comammox clade A existed in the sediment of Lake Donghu, and the comammox bacteria co‐existed with ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA), ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and anaerobic ammonia‐oxidizing (anammox) bacteria in the sediment of this lake. The abundances of the ammonia monooxygenase subunit A (amoA) genes for comammox, AOA, AOB and anammox 16S rRNA were 2·43 × 108, 1·07 × 108, 3·24 × 107 and 3·21 × 1011 copies per gram dry sediment respectively. Moreover, the amoA gene abundance of comammox was positively correlated with that of AOA and AOB. The redundancy analysis showed that the abundance of the comammox amoA gene was negatively correlated with the concentration of main indicators for nitrogen status in both the sediment and the water column, indicating that eutrophication may inhibit the growth of comammox bacteria. Conclusions: Comammox bacteria play an important ecological role in the nitrogen cycle of urban lake sediments. Significance and Impact of the Study: Our results indicated comammox bacteria were widespread in urban lakes and eutrophication may inhibit their growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prognostic values of the AJCC staging system for gastric cancer (GC‐AJCC), the AJCC staging system for gastric neuroendocrine tumours (NET‐AJCC) and the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS) system for gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma and mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MA)NEC remain controversial. Methods: Data on patients with (MA)NEC from 21 centres in China were analysed. Different staging systems were evaluated by performing Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and calculating the concordance index (C‐index) and Akaike information criterion (AIC). Based on three existing systems, a modified staging system (mTNM) was developed. Results: A total of 871 patients were included. In the GC‐AJCC system, an overlap was noticed for pT2 and pT3 categories. Patients with stage IIIC disease had a similar prognosis to those with stage IV disease. The pT categories of the NET‐AJCC system had a lower C‐index and higher AIC than those of the other systems. In the ENETS system, there was a low proportion (0·2 per cent) of patients with stage IIIA and a high proportion (67·6 per cent) of stage IIIB disease. The mTNM system adopted the NET‐AJCC pT and GC‐AJCC pN and pM definitions, and was developed based on the ENETS stage definitions. The proportion of patients in each stage was better distributed and the mTNM system showed improved prognostic performance in predicting overall and disease‐free survival. Conclusion: The mTNM system offers more accurate prognostic value for gastric (MA)NEC than the AJCC or ENETS staging systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inferior tillers contribute negligibly to rice grain yields as their late occurrence or prematurity curtails growth. However, 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA, a synthetic cytokinin) can delay tiller senescence. Our results indicate that foliar application of 6-BA enhanced the distribution and allocation of light energy for the photochemical reactions of PSII, under appropriate N supply. The percentage of thermal energy dissipation also decreased following the application of 6-BA as a consequence of the reduced risk of chloroplast oxidative damage through excess excitations. Moreover, leaf peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase activities were augmented by adding 6-BA, which significantly inhibited the accumulation of malondialdehyde and H2O2. The application of 6-BA increased the grain numbers of the inferior tillers and further enhanced tiller yields under 82.5 and 165 kg(N) ha-1 supply. The effect of 6-BA was negligible for the untreated or excessive N-treated plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new Cu(II) complexes, Cu(1,3-bip)(Ac)2 (I), {[Cu(H2O)2(1,3-bip)2] · (NO3)2}n (II), {[Cu(1,3-bip)(1,4-bdc)]2 · H2O · MeOH}n (III), where 1,3-bip is 1,3-bis(imidazole)propane and 1,4-bdc is terephthalic acid, have been synthesized and characterized by single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Single crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that the complex I shows a zero-dimensional architecture, the complex II shows a one-dimensional loop-like chain, and the complex III shows a two-dimensional (4,4) grid layer structure. In addition, the thermal stability of complexes was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, is a major threat to rice production. The eggshell plays an important role in insect reproduction. The constituents and formation process of BPH eggshells remains largely unknown. Here, we report a novel eggshell‐associated protein, NlChP38, containing an amelogenin domain, that is essential for normal ovulation in the BPH. NlChP38 is specifically expressed in the follicular cells from egg chambers at both RNA and protein levels. RNA interference of NlChP38 resulted in oocytes with loose and thin eggshell structure and caused ovulation difficulties. Immunofluorescence localization showed NlChP38 is deposited between follicular cells and oocytes during late choriogenesis. These results indicate that NlChP38 plays an important role in eggshell formation and could be a potential target for RNA interference control of the BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetization switching induced by spin–orbit torque is of fundamental interest for developing spintronic devices with low-power consumption and nonvolatility. Here, we report on the spin–orbit torque induced magnetization switching behavior of (001) oriented tetragonal Heusler alloy D022-Mn3Ga films with an intrinsic ferrimagnetic spin structure grown on the GaAs(001) substrate by molecular-beam epitaxy. The out-of-plane hysteresis loop and anomalous Hall effect demonstrated a large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and low saturation magnetization of D022-Mn3Ga thin films. The spin–orbit torque induced magnetization switching has been realized in D022-Mn3Ga/Pt heterostructure based Hall devices under an in-plane external field. It is found that the critical switching current density Jc is much smaller than that of the L10-MnGa/heavy metal system. Besides, both a dampinglike effective field HDL and a fieldlike effective field HFL are quantified by performing harmonic Hall voltage measurements. All these results indicate that ferrimagnetic D022-Mn3Ga can be a promising candidate material for realizing high-density and energy-efficient spintronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When plants are exposed to a heterogeneous environment, photosynthesis of leaves is not only determined by their local condition, but also by certain signals from other parts of the same plant, termed systemic regulation. Our present study was conducted to investigate the effects of light‐dependent systemic regulation on the photosynthetic performance of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) under heterogeneous light conditions.Soybean plants were treated with heterogeneous light. Then gas exchange characteristics were measured to evaluate the photosynthetic performance of leaves. Parameters related to photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll fluorescence, Rubisco and photosynthates were examined to study the mechanisms of light‐dependent systemic regulation on photosynthesis.Light‐induced systemic signalling by illuminated leaves reduced the Pn of both upper and lower non‐illuminated leaves on the same soybean plant. The decrease in gs and increase in Ci in these non‐illuminated leaves indicated restriction of carbon assimilation, which was further verified by the decline in content and activity of Rubisco. However, the activation state of Rubisco decreased only in upper non‐illuminated leaves. Quantum efficiency of PSII (ΦPSII) and ETR also decreased only in upper non‐illuminated leaves. Moreover, the effects of light‐induced systemic signalling on carbohydrate content were also detectable only in upper non‐illuminated leaves.Light‐induced systemic signalling by illuminated leaves restricts carbon assimilation and down‐regulates photosynthetic performance of non‐illuminated leaves within a soybean plant. However, effects of such systemic regulation differed when regulated in upward or downward direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser shock peening (LSP) is an effective approach to eliminate tensile residual stress, improve microhardness and refine coarse grain in the welding zone, which can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the welded joint. In the present work, microhardness curves and residual stress distributions of the gas tungsten arc welded (GTAW) 316L stainless steel tube before and after LSP were presented and compared. Furthermore, typical microstructure morphologies in the near-surface layer of the welding zone, the heat affected zone (HAZ) and the base metal for both cases were characterized by optical microscope (OM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations. Results indicated that microhardness and residual stress of the GTAW stainless steel tube were significantly improved by laser shock wave. In addition, the relationship between residual stress, microhardness and microstructure in the welding zone of the welded joint were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motion of transverse magnetic domain walls (TDW) in thin magnetic nanostripes under transverse magnetic fields (TMF) is investigated. In the absence of axial fields, an approximate static TDW profile is obtained under a TMF with an arbitrary orientation. This profile becomes exact if the TMF is parallel or perpendicular to the stripe plane. Under nonzero axial fields, the TDW becomes asymmetric and twisted, and it moves along the wire axis with two different propagation modes, rigid-body mode and precession mode, depending on the strength of the axial field. The critical strength separating these two modes is called modified Walker limit HW′. The TMF dependence of HW′, the TDW velocity and maximum twisting angle at HW′ were investigated both numerically and analytically. Moreover, it is shown that an early proposed velocity-field relationship fits well to the average velocities of a TDW above HW′. These results should be important for future developments of magnetic nanodevices based on DW propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe films with the different thicknesses were grown on c(4×4) reconstructed GaAs (001) surfaces at low temperature by molecular-beam epitaxy. Well-ordered bcc structural Fe epitaxial films are confirmed by x-ray diffraction patterns and high-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy images. A large lattice expansion perpendicular to the surface in Fe film is observed. In-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy is determined by the difference between magnetizing energy along [110] and [110] directions, and the constant of interfacial uniaxial magnetic anisotropy is calculated to be 1.02×10-4 J m-2. We also find that magnetic anisotropy is not obviously influenced after in situ annealing, but in-plane strain is completely changed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a complete perturbation theory of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), which includes the new experimental technique of femtosecond stimulated Raman scattering (FSRS), where a picosecond Raman pump pulse and a femtosecond probe pulse simultaneously act on a stationary or nonstationary vibrational state. It is shown that eight terms in perturbation theory are required to account for SRS, with observation along the probe pulse direction, and they can be grouped into four nonlinear processes which are labeled as stimulated Raman scattering or inverse Raman scattering (IRS): SRS(I), SRS(II), IRS(I), and IRS(II). Previous FSRS theories have used only the SRS(I) process or only the “resonance Raman scattering” term in SRS(I). Each process can be represented by an overlap between a wave packet in the initial electronic state and a wave packet in the excited Raman electronic state. Calculations were performed with Gaussian Raman pump and probe pulses on displaced harmonic potentials to illustrate various features of FSRS, such as high time and frequency resolution; Raman gain for the Stokes line, Raman loss for the anti-Stokes line, and absence of the Rayleigh line in off-resonance FSRS from a stationary or decaying v=0 state; dispersive line shapes in resonance FSRS; and the possibility of observing vibrational wave packet motion with off-resonance FSRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the Ni–Mo–Cr superalloy Hastelloy® C-276™ has been used as a substrate material for fabricating superconducting tapes such as YBCO and MgB2 coated conductors. With increasing piece length, these coated conductors are within reach of large scale commercial applications. However, data on the physical properties of Hastelloy C-276 at temperatures relevant for these applications are not yet available. In this work, physical properties including magnet succeptibility, specific heat, electrical resistivity, and the Seebeck coefficient are measured from 2 to 300 K and thermal conductivity from 2 to 200 K. Our results show that Hastelloy C-276 exhibits Curie paramagnetism between 4 and 300 K with a Curie constant C=0.091 K. A spin-glass-like behavior is observed below 3 K. The electrical resistivity has a minimum at ∼12 K, and shows a linear weak T dependence at higher temperatures. The specific heat Cp between 15 and 40 K follows Cp=γT+AT3. Below ∼10 K, an upturn in Cp/T with decreasing T is interpreted by the existence of very small ferromagnetic clusters. We found relatively strong phonon contribution to the thermal conductivity in the measured temperature range. In addition, we present the thermal diffusivity as a function of temperature calculated from the thermal conductivity and the Cp data. The Seebeck coefficient is found to be proportional to temperature. The results of our measurements provide important data not only for the specific applications of the superconducting coated conductors that use Hastelloy C-276 as substrates, but also for many other potential cryogenic temperature applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]