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This paper examines the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on China's political influence in international affairs, as mediated by Chinese economic integration with the BRI countries. We propose that the BRI plays a role in influencing partner countries to support China's presence in the international community, and the economic integration of the BRI positively mediates the willingness of partner countries to align with China in international affairs. This paper uses panel data from 147 BRI countries collected between 2009 and 2020, and the difference-in-differences method, to estimate the political influence of the BRI. The results suggest that the BRI motivates partner countries to support the growth of China's influence in international affairs. The results of the causal mechanism analysis indicate that a significant and positive association between the implementation of the BRI and China's influence is mediated by promoting Chinese contracts, trade overseas, and outward FDI. The examinations of heterogeneity demonstrate that BRI countries that are developing, non-landlocked, non-neighboring, having signed the memorandum of understanding or cooperation memorandum of understanding, or lacking a Chinese investment guide are more likely to support China's political presence. This paper concludes with insights into how China implements the BRI to enhance its political ascent in the global order by facilitating economic integration of the BRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: A total of 90,000 capture probes derived from wheat and Thinopyrumelongatum were integrated into one chip, which served as an economical genotype for explorating Thinopyrumspecies and their derivatives. Thinopyrum species play a crucial role as a source of new genetic variations for enhancing wheat traits, including resistance to both abiotic and biotic factors. Accurate identification of exogenous chromosome(s) or chromosome segments or genes is essential following the introduction of alien genetic material into wheat, but this task remains challenging. This study aimed to develop a high-resolution wheat–Thinopyrum elongatum array, named GenoBaits®WheatplusEE, to trace alien genetic information by genotyping using a target sequencing system. This GenoBaits®WheatplusEE array included 90,000 capture probes derived from two species and integrated into one chip, with 10,000 and 80,000 originating from wheat and Th. elongatum, respectively. The capture probes were strategically positioned in genes and evenly distributed across the genome, facilitating the development of a roadmap for identifying each alien gene. The array was applied to the high-throughput identification of the alien chromosomes or segments in Thinopyrum and distantly related species and their derivatives. Our results demonstrated that the GenoBaits®WheatplusEE array could be used for direct identification of the breakpoint of alien segments, determine copy number of alien chromosomes, and reveal variations in wheat chromosomes by a single round of target sequencing of the sample. Additionally, we could efficiently and cost-effectively genotype, supporting the exploration of subgenome composition, phylogenetic relationships, and polymorphisms in essential genes (e.g., Fhb7 gene) among Thinopyrum species and their derivatives. We hope that GenoBaits®WheatplusEE will become a widely adopted tool for exporting wild germplasm for wheat improvement in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The intermodal interference of microfiber was enhanced by forming the micro-arched transition region. • The RI sensitivity of the sensor was up to 12,620.0 nm/RIU in the RI range of 1.3940–1.3980, respectively. • The sensor showed a sensitivity of 0.3 nm/(mg/ml) to the concentration of bovine serum albumin solution. A novel refractive index (RI) sensor based on micro-fiber with micro-arched transition (MMAT) was proposed. The power extinction ratio of interference spectra was enhanced by the micro-arched transition. Although the waist diameter of micro-fiber was less than 6 μm, the power extinction ratio was larger than 10 dB, which was critical to the spectral dip measurement. The relationship between waist diameter of micro-fiber and RI sensitivity was systematically investigated. It turned out that higher RI sensitivity of MMAT could be obtained by decreasing the waist diameter of micro-fiber. While the waist diameter was 5.6 μm, the RI sensitivities of MMATs were up to 2739.8 nm/RIU, 4515.7 nm/RIU and 12,620.0 nm/RIU in the RI range of 1.333–1.3580, 1.3705–1.3905 and 1.3940–1.3980 respectively. The sensor was applied to detecting the concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions and showed the sensitivity of 0.3 nm/(mg/ml). Owing to its small volume and high sensitivity, this kind of senor can be expected to widely apply in fields of biology, chemistry and physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of carbon fiber (CF) and/or glass fiber (GF) fillers on the tribological behaviors of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites to develop a high-performance water-lubricated journal bearing material.Design/methodology/approach Tribological tests were conducted using a pin-on-disc tribometer using polished GCr15 steel pins against the UHMWPE composite discs under dry conditions with a contact pressure of 15 MPa and a sliding speed of 0.15 m/s. Scanning electron microscopy, laser 3D micro-imaging profile measurements and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry were used to analyze the morphologies and elemental distributions of the worn surfaces.Findings The results showed that hybrid CF and GF fillers effectively improved the wear resistance of the composites. The fiber fillers decreased the contact area, promoted transfer from the polymers and decreased the interlocking and plowing of material pairs, which contributed to the reduction of both the friction coefficient and the wear rate.Originality/value The UHMWPE composite containing 12.5 Wt.% CF and 12.5 Wt.% GF showed the best wear resistance of 2.61 × 10−5 mm3/(N·m) and the lower friction coefficient of 0.12 under heavy loading. In addition, the fillers changed the worn surface morphology and the wear mechanism of the composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we are concerned with the nonlinear elliptic systems in divergence form under controllable growth condition. We prove that the weak solution u is locally Hölder continuous besides a singular set by using the direct method and classical Morrey-type estimates. Here the Hausdorff dimension of the singular set is less than n - p {n-p}. This result not only holds in the interior, but also holds up to the boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, CMOS wafer level ring oscillator frequency variability improvement >40% is demonstrated by either spatial source/drain activation or ion implantation super scan in FinFET technology. Yield improvement (up to 17%) is verified with better within wafer uniformity and with no intrinsic device performance degradation. Furthermore, the combination of super scan and spatial source/drain activation is suggested for optimized variability improvement benefits from individual device type uniformity tuning (super scan) and all device type uniformity tuning (from spatial S/D activation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we are concerned with subquadratic homogeneity elliptic problems with VMO-coefficients in divergence form. We obtain that the weak solution u is locally Hölder continuous besides a singular set by using A -harmonic approximation, where the Hölder exponent α ∈ ( 0 , 1 ) . The Hausdorff dimension of the singular set is less than n − p . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thinopyrum ponticum ( Th. ponticum) (2 n = 10 x = 70) is an important breeding material with excellent resistance and stress tolerance. In this study, we characterized the derivative line CH1113-B13-1-1-2-1 (CH1113-B13) through cytological, morphological, genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), expressed sequence tag (EST), and PCR-based landmark unique gene (PLUG) marker analysis. The GISH analysis revealed that CH1113-B13 contained 20 pairs of common wheat chromosomes and one pair of JSt genomic chromosomes. Linkage analysis of Th. ponticum using seven EST and seven PLUG markers indicated that the pair of alien chromosomes belonged to the seventh homeologous group. Nulli-tetrasomic and FISH analysis revealed that wheat 7 B chromosomes were absent in CH1113-B13; thus, CH1113-B13 was identified as a 7 JSt (7 B) substitution line. Finally, adult-stage CH1113-B13 exhibited immunity to wheat stripe rust. This substitution line is therefore a promising germplasm resource for wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of introducing glass fiber (GF) and/or carbon fiber (CF) filler materials on the friction and wear characteristics of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)-based composites were investigated. The composites were evaluated against GCr15 steel under dry and water-lubricated conditions. The goal was to develop an improved material for water-lubricated journal bearings. The friction coefficients of UHMWPE composites were obtained using a pin-on-disc tribometer using sliding speeds ranging from 0.2 to 1.0 m/s, contact pressures from 1.0 to 5.0 MPa, and two counterface roughness values (R a =0.1 and 0.3 μm). The samples were lubricated by dropping distilled water onto the sliding surface. To evaluate the wear mechanisms, the morphologies of the worn surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy and laser 3D micro-imaging profile measurements. In addition, the elemental distribution and content in the transfer film on the GF/UHMWPE composite surface were measured using an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer. The results show that glass fibers could effectively reduce the wear rate of composites. In addition, a hybrid filling of glass and carbon fibers could significantly reduce the friction coefficient under water lubrication and dry conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricholoma matsutake, one of widely accepted functional mushrooms, possesses various pharmacological activities, and its antitumor effect has become an important research point. Our study aims to evaluate the cytotoxicity activities of T. matsutake aqueous extract (TM) in HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells. In in vitro experiments, TM strikingly reduced cell viability, promoted cell apoptosis, inhibited cell migration ability, induced excessive generation of ROS, and caused caspases cascade and mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In in vivo experiments, 14-day TM treatment strongly suppressed tumor growth in HepG2 and SMMC-7721-xenografted nude mice without influence on their body weights and liver function. Furthermore, TM increased the levels of cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), Bad, and Bax and reduced the expressions of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) in treated cells and tumor tissues. All aforementioned results suggest that caspase-dependent mitochondrial apoptotic pathways are involved in TM-mediated antihepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Water lubrication is significant for its environmental friendliness. Composite journal bearing is liable to deform for the huge pressure of water film. This paper aims to study the influence of elastic deformation on how lubrication functions in water-lubricated journal bearings and to provide references for designing composite journal bearings.Design/methodology/approach The combination of computational fluid dynamics and fluid-structure interaction is adopted in this paper to study the lubrication performance of water-lubricated compliant journal bearings. The influences of elasticity modulus and Poisson’s ratio on load-carrying capacity and elastic deformation are studied for different rotational speeds. Predictions in this work are compared with the published experimental results, and the present work agrees well with the experimental results.Findings A reference whether elastic deformation should be considered for composite journal bearings is proposed under different working conditions. Besides, a reference to determine water-lubricated plain journal bearings dimensions under different loads and rotational speeds is developed with the effect of both elastic deformation and cavitation being accounted.Originality/value The present research provides references as to whether elastic deformation should be considered in operation and to determine compliant journal bearings’ dimensions in the design process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricholoma matsutake has been popular as food and biopharmaceutical materials in Asian countries for its various pharmacological activities. The present study aims to analyze the antifatigue effects on enhancing exercise performance of Tricholoma matsutake fruit body (ABM) and liquid cultured mycelia (TM) in mouse model. Two-week Tricholoma matsutake treatment significantly enhances the exercise performance in weight-loaded swimming, rotating rod, and forced running test. In TM- and ABM-treated mice, some factors were observed at 60 min after swimming compared with nontreated mice, such as the increased levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), antioxidative enzymes, and glycogen and the reduced levels of malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species in muscle, liver, and/or serum. Further data obtained from western blot show that CM and ABM have strongly enhanced the activation of 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and the expressions of peroxisome proliferator have activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK-1) in liver. Our data suggest that both Tricholoma matsutake fruit body and liquid cultured mycelia possess antifatigue effects related to AMPK-linked antioxidative pathway. The information uncovered in our study may serve as a valuable resource for further identification and provide experimental evidence for clinical trials of Tricholoma matsutake as an effective agent against fatigue related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antifungal activity of Nerol (NEL) was evaluated against Aspergillus niger , a known cause of grape spoilage, and possible modes of action were explored. The antifungal efficacy of NEL against A. niger has been proven in a dose-dependent manner through in vitro (mycelial growth and spore germination) and in vivo (grapes) tests. An obvious increase in the membrane permeability was detected through the determination of extracellular pH and conductivity. The damage in the cell membrane was measured by monitoring the influx of Propidium iodide (PI) using flow cytometry and was further verified through the inhibition of ergosterol synthesis in the cell membrane. NEL induced morphological changes, and the integrity of the A. niger fungal cells decreased with increasing NEL concentrations. A dose-dependent decrease in ergosterol production was also seen in A. niger cell membranes upon exposure to NEL. The mechanism-of-action study revealed that NEL activated a membrane-active mechanism that inhibits ergosterol synthesis and consequently compromised the membrane integrity of A. niger . As a result, the membrane permeability changes and causes cell death. The membrane lesion mechanism makes NEL a natural alternative to commercial fungicide for control of stored grape spoilage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of plant products have been recognized for their antifungal activity and recently have attracted food industry attention for their efficacy in controlling postharvest fungal decay of fruits. The antifungal activity of perillaldehyde (PAE) was evaluated against Aspergillus niger, a known cause of grape spoilage, and possible mechanisms were explored. PAE showed notable antifungal activity against A. niger , with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and a minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 0.25 and 1 μl/ml, respectively. The accumulation of mycelial biomass was also inhibited by PAE in a dose-dependent manner, completely inhibiting mycelial growth at 1 μl/ml. In vivo data confirmed that the vapour treatment of grapes with various concentrations of PAE markedly improved control of A. niger and suppressed natural decay. Concentrations of PAE of 0.075 μl/ml air showed the greatest inhibition of fungal growth compared to the controls. Further experiments indicated that PAE activated a membrane-active mechanism that inhibits ergosterol synthesis, increases membrane permeability (as evidenced by extracellular pH and conductivity measurements), and disrupts membrane integrity, leading to cell death. Our findings suggest that this membrane-active mechanism makes PAE a promising potential antifungal agent for postharvest control of grape spoilage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electroforming voltages (Vef) of silicon oxide resistive random access memory devices with oxide sidewall etched to different degrees are compared. The results show that the Vef is significantly reduced when more sidewall area is formed, and Vef of around 17 V is achieved in devices with maximum sidewall area. Plausible electroforming and state switching mechanisms are discussed using a filament-gap model. Endurance measurements up to 107 pulse cycles are compared for different device types. An external series resistance may be helpful for decreasing voltage stress during pulsed cycling to help enable device survival beyond 107 pulse cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electroforming voltage (Vef) of silicon oxide resistive random access memories treated with post-deposition-anneal (PDA) and/or post-metal-anneal in different gas ambients is compared. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy result shows significant incorporation of H/D atoms in SiOx after anneals in H2/N2 and D2/N2. Vef is significantly reduced after anneal in H2/N2 or D2/N2, but D2/N2 anneal results in even lower Vef, which could be due to more stable Si passivation in the Si-D/O+ pair as compared to the Si-H/O+ pair. On and off state currents are measured at 200 mV gate bias every 60 s for a total time of 6000 s with results showing good data retention for both on and off states. On and off state currents are observed to decrease when using PDA resulting in lower overall power dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of SF6 plasma treatment of Al2O3 on InP substrate have been investigated in this paper. Electrical characteristics including drive current, effective channel mobility, transconductance, subthreshold swings, etc., have been compared for devices with SF6 plasma treatment at different power (P = 30 or 50 W) for different time (t = 3, 5, or 7 min). With 5 min SF6 plasma treatment at power = 30 W, the maximum drive current is increased by 20% to 60.2 μA/μm and effective channel mobility is increased by 36.7% to 1099 cm2/V s for devices on InP substrate with 7 nm Al2O3 (EOT ∼ 3.4 nm and W/L = 600 μm/10 μm). It is believed S and F atoms are incorporated into Al2O3 bulk and Al2O3/InP interface, so that better oxide quality and a lower interface trap density are achieved by SF6 plasma treatment at optimal power with optimal time duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double-layer composite water-lubricated bearing is a new type of water-lubricated bearing which can integrate the good damping performance of low elastic under-layer bush and good tribological performance of plastic layer bush. This paper analyzes its elastohydrodynamic lubrication performance by fluid–structure interaction (FSI) method, and studies the effects of eccentricity ratio, rotational speed, elastic modulus distribution and thickness distribution of bearing bush on its lubrication performance. Results show that the lubrication performance of double-layer bearing is more like that of plastic bearing. As rotational speed and eccentricity ratio increase, the maximum water film pressure, the load carrying capacity and the maximum bush deformation increase significantly. As the elastic modulus of the low elastic under-layer bush decreases, the total bush deformation increases significantly, but the load carrying capacity decreases slightly. The bush thickness distribution influences the deformation distribution of both low elastic under-layer bush and plastic layer bush, but have little impact on the total bush deformation and bearing lubrication performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we demonstrate that device characteristics could be significantly improved by incorporating more fluorine (F) into HfO2 dielectrics layer using low power SF6 plasma treatment at different positions of gate oxide. Fluorine was incorporated in three ways: 4 min treatment from the top of 6 nm HfO2, 4 min treatment in the middle of 6 nm HfO2, or 2 min treatment each in the middle and from the top of HfO2 layer. Drive current (Id) and effective channel mobility could be improved by 70% and 51%, respectively, for devices with treatment both in the middle and from the top of HfO2 high κ layer compared to those of devices without SF6 treatment. The impact of SF6 plasma treatment on devices with HfO2/In0.53Ga0.47As stack is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notable improvements in the \HfO2/\In0.53 \Ga0.47\As gate stack have been achieved by a post-\HfO2 fluorine plasma treatment, including excellent interface quality of low equivalent oxide thickness \HfO2 (1.4 nm) directly on \In0.53\Ga0.47\As without using an interface passivation layer, \sim\!\!\5\times reduction in interface trap density from \2.8 \times \10^12 to \4.9 \times \10^11\ \cm^-2\eV^-1, \sim\!\!\10\times reduced border traps from \1.6 \times \10^19 to \1.6 \times \10^18\ \cm^-3, and \sim40% less charge-trapping centers. As a result, improved electrical performances have been obtained. Frequency dispersion in capacitance–voltage characteristics has been reduced. Subthreshold swing has been improved from 127 to 109 mV/dec. Effective channel mobility has been enhanced from 826 to 1067 \cm^2/\Vs. An improved drive current of 123 mA/mm at Vd = \2.5\ \V and Vg - Vth = \2\ \V (5- \mu\m channel length) has been also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper evaluated pulping performance of 3-year-old field-grown transgenic poplar (Populus tremula x Populus alba). The transgenic poplar with anti-sense CCoAOMT had an about 13% decreased lignin content, in which a slight increment was found in SIG ratio. Chemical analysis showed that the transgenic poplar had significantly less benezene-ethanol extractive than that of control wood, but no significant differences were found in contents of ash, cold water extractive, hot water extractive, 1% NaOH extractive, holocellulose, pentosans and cellulose. Fiber assay demonstrated that down-regulation of CCoAOMT expression improved the fiber quality in transgenic poplar. Kraft pulping showed that lower lignin in transgenic poplar led to remarkable improved pulp quality and increased pulp yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new method to remove and purify the naphthenic acids in heavy fractions of petroleum is studied in this paper. An ammonia solution of ethylene glycol was used as the acid removal reagent by mixing with the petroleum fraction and then allowing the two phases to separate, with the naphthenic acids being extracted from petroleum fractions. The naphthenic acids were recovered by heating the ammonia solution containing naphthenic acids to release NH3 and decompose the naphthenic acid ammonia salt. Petroleum ether was used to purify the naphthenic acids by extracting the neutral oils from the acid removal reagent. Data indicated that the optimal extraction temperature was in the range of 50–60°C and the optimal NH3 content in ethylene glycol was 3–5%. The contact time should be more than 10min with the reagent/oil ratio being more than 0.3(wt/wt). Acid removal can be greater than 85%. After purification by petroleum ether, the purity of naphthenic acids can be greater than 90%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new method to remove the nitrogen compounds from lubricating base stocks was revealed by using the complexing and crystallization of oxalic acid and nitrogen compounds in this paper. The data indicated that the reaction and filtration temperatures obviously influence the nitrogen removal efficiency. The suitable reaction temperature was 100–130 °C and the reaction time is more than 20 min. The crystal water in oxalic acid can lower the removal efficiency, which can be improved when inert gas is introduced to take out the crystal water in oxalic acid. When clay was used in the reaction system, the nitrogen removal efficiency was improved and the filtration temperature was also elevated. Oxalic acid can remove more than 98% of basic nitrogen compounds and more than 70% of nonbasic nitrogen compounds from the lubricating base stocks. The removal of basic nitrogen showed a linear relationship with the removal of nonbasic nitrogen. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A combined solvent was used for getting rid of the acid components of lubricating oil distillates. Data indicate that this solvent can remove most of the acid matters. The deacidified oil has better light stability than hydrodeacidified oils. This solvent can be reused and recovered. The reaction conditions are easy to be fulfilled. This deacidification method is an effective technology to remove the acid matters of high acid number feed stocks of lubricating oil distillates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are known to be involved in various human cancer types. Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) may improve the transfection efficiency of exogenous genes into target tissues and organs, thereby improving cancer treatment. In the present study, the role of miR-4284 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was investigated and the effect of UTMD-mediated inhibition of miR-4284 on tumor progression was further analyzed. The expression of miR-4284 in NSCLC cells and tissues was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. UTMD-mediated inhibition of miR-4284 was achieved by co-transfection of microvesicles and miR-4284 inhibitors into NSCLC cells. A Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to determine NSCLC cell proliferation, and the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells were examined by Transwell assays. Compared with that in the control group, the expression of miR-4284 was increased in NSCLC tissues and cells. Knockdown of miR-4284 in NSCLC cells inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion. UTMD improved the transfection efficiency of miR-4284 inhibitors in NSCLC cells, resulting in more significant inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In conclusion, the results indicated that the expression of miR-4284 was increased in clinical samples and cell lines of NSCLC and that knockdown of miR-4284 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of tumor cells. UTMD-mediated miR-4284 inhibition further promoted this effect, indicating that this technique may represent a novel strategy for the treatment of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the trade data of digitizable products exported by China to the 65 'Belt and Road' countries from 1998 to 2018, this study adopts the extended trade gravity model to analyze the impact of ICT on the country's exports of these products. The empirical results show that ICT has a significant and positive effect on the development of trade of digitizable products and it also promotes China's exports by lowering trade costs and accelerating innovation. The paper provides new evidence on information and technology's impact and influential mechanisms with regard to new trade patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By constructing a technology spillover connectedness index and connectedness matrix, this paper studies the technology spillover connectedness among innovation agents in China from the perspective of network topology. An empirical study based on invention patent data finds that there is noticeable technology spillover connectedness among the six innovation agents: central enterprises, other domestic enterprises, universities and scientific research institutes, troops, individuals and other organizations, and foreign-funded enterprises. Other domestic enterprises are the hub of technology spillover connectedness among these agents, while foreign-funded enterprises play a limited role. The study of further subdividing foreign-funded enterprises according to their sources finds that the United States, South Korea, and Japan are the centers of technology spillover connectedness in China. The dynamic evolution of technology spillover connectedness shows that the total technology spillover connectedness among innovation agents presents an obvious downward trend, which is closely related to the complex and changeable international economic situation and the uncertainty of China's economic policy in recent years. This paper concludes with insights into how China uses the spillover connectedness among innovation agents to spur agents' innovation performance and promote the nation's economic growth and competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Flanking markers useful for identifying hybrid necrosis alleles were identified by fine mapping Ne1 and Ne2 and the distribution of the two necrosis genes was investigated in Chinese elite wheat varieties. Hybrid necrosis of wheat is caused by the interaction of two dominant complementary genes Ne1 and Ne2 present separately in normal parents and is regarded as a barrier to gene transfer in wheat breeding. However, the necrosis alleles still occur at a high frequency in modern wheat varieties. In this study, we constructed two high-density genetic maps of Ne1 and Ne2 in winter wheat. In these cultivars, Ne1 was found to be located in a span interval of 0.50 centimorgan (cM) on chromosome 5BL delimited by markers Nwu_5B_4137 and Nwu_5B_5114, while Ne2 co-segregated with markers Lseq102 and TC67744 on 2BS. Statistical analysis confirmed that the dosage effect of Ne1 and Ne2 also existed in moderate and severe hybrid necrosis systems, and the symptoms of necrosis can also be affected by the genetic background. Furthermore, we clarified the discrete distribution and proportion of the Ne1 and Ne2 in the 10 China's agro-ecological production zones. We concluded that 26.2% and 33.2% of the 1364 cultivars (lines) were genotyped with Ne1Ne1ne2ne2 and ne1ne1Ne2Ne2, respectively and introduced modern cultivars should directly affect the frequencies of necrosis genes in modern Chinese cultivars (lines), especially that of Ne2. Taking investigations in spring wheat together, we proposed that hybrid necrosis alleles could positively affect breeding owing to their linked excellent genes such as Lr13. Additionally, based on the pedigrees and hybridization tests, we speculated that the Ne1 and Ne2 in winter wheat may directly originate from wild emmer and introduced cultivars or hexaploid triticale, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistive switching between high impedance ('off' state) and low impedance ('on' state) is demonstrated on e-beam evaporated SiOx/Si resistive random access memory devices in this paper. The set and reset voltages are independent of the device perimeters and oxide thicknesses after electroforming. A circuit model including filament conductance G is proposed to explain the measured 'on' state capacitances under frequency ranges from 1 KHz to 1 MHz. The electrochemical redox process is adopted to explain the formation of Si filament during electroforming and switching. 'On' and 'off' currents were also measured at various operating temperatures. It is found that both set and reset voltages increase as temperature decreases and that no electroforming is exhibited at low temperature T = 77 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the experimental impact of SF6 plasma treatment on the performance of InP metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors is presented. S and F are incorporated into atomic layer deposited HfO2 via postgate SF6 plasma treatment. The decreased subthreshold swing, gate leakage (Ig), and increased effective channel mobility (μeff) indicate that better interface and bulk oxide quality have been achieved with SF6 plasma treatment due to the formation of stronger Hf-F bonds. Drive current (Id), transconductance (Gm), and effective channel mobility (μeff) are improved by 22.3%, 35%, and 35%, respectively, compared with those of control devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study the friction and wear properties of journal bearings under different working conditions. Design/methodology/approach: Friction coefficient and wear losses of journal bearing under different working conditions have been determined by a bearing test rig. The worn surfaces of bearing were examined by scanning electron microscopy and laser three-dimensional micro-imaging profile measurements, and the tribological behavior and wear mechanisms were investigated. Findings: The wear loss and friction coefficient of bearing under starting-stopping working condition is far greater than that of steady-state working conditions. In addition, the maximum wear loss under start-up and stop conditions is about 120 times of that under stable operating conditions. Under stable working conditions, the main wear forms of bearings are abrasive wear, under starting-stopping working conditions the main wear mechanisms of bearings are adhesion wear, abrasive wear and fatigue wear. Originality/value: These research results have certain practical value for understanding the tribology behavior of journal bearings under different working conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiobjective subset selection problems widely exist in many real‐world applications. Multiobjective ant colony optimisation (MOACO) is a strong and kind instrument for settling those issues. However, it still has two shortages which the authors must resolve. One, its solution construction process is inconsistent with the disorder characteristics of solutions, which prevent it from getting better solutions. Two, conventional MOACOs which most deal with biobjective optimisation problems are difficult to figure out high‐dimensional objectives optimisation problems. In this study, the authors propose a new MOACO to resolve those two disadvantages. They give its detailed descriptions and an exhaust experiment. And the results on C measure, spacing measure and inverted generational distance (IGD) show that the proposed algorithm has a powerful convergence ability and gets a better balance between convergence and diversity compared with other state of art approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distant hybridizations are important for developing common wheat germplasm. Thinopyrum ponticum (2n = 10x = 70), which is a wild relative of wheat, has numerous advantages for enhancing the tolerance of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. ES-11 and ES-12 are two stable lines derived from a cross between the Triticum aestivum–Th. ponticum partial amphiploid line Xiaoyan784 (2n = 8x = 56) and the wheat Abbondanza nullisomic lines (2n = 40) involving consecutive self-crosses and cytological marker-assisted selection. Lines ES-11 and ES-12 were characterized by a cytogenetic analysis, a sequential fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)–genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), and a multicolor GISH (mc-GISH) combined with an analysis of functional molecular markers. Moreover, their agronomic traits and disease resistance were evaluated. The cytogenetic results suggested that ES-11 and ES-12 contained 42 chromosomes. In ES-12, wheat chromosome 3D was replaced by a pair of Th. ponticum 3St chromosomes for a genome composition of 14A + 14B + 12D + 2(3St). In ES-11, wheat chromosome 3B and 4D were replaced by chromosomes 3St and 4 J, respectively, for a genome composition of 14A + 12B + 12D + 2(3St) +2(4J). The detected recombination between chromosomes 3St and 4J and the structural variation of chromosome 2A were due to the introduction of two pairs of Th. ponticum chromosomes. Additionally, ES-11 and ES-12 were resistant to stripe rust at the seedling and adult stages. Thus, the highly disease-resistant wheat–Th. ponticum disomic substitution line (ES-12) and double substitution line (ES-11) are potentially useful germplasms for breeding disease-resistant wheat lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional numerical simulation for clarifying the seismic response characteristics of an underground structure considering the influences of dynamic interaction with the surrounding liquefied soil is still a huge challenge. Using the proposed generic loosely coupled nonlinear effective stress method for site response of liquefiable soil, the authors developed an effective stress seismic response analysis of the underground subway station structure. Based on the effective stress method, the responses of the model underground subway station with three floors and three spans in model liquefiable foundation in the shaking table test are simulated. The comparison between the measured and simulated results proves that the developed method can effectively capture the response characteristics of the liquefiable foundation，by which the generation of residual excess pore water pressure and the effect of cyclic stiffness softening and degradation can be taken into good consideration, and the measured responses of model underground structure can be well reproduced. The results also demonstrate the availability of the shaking table test simulating the dynamic interaction between the underground structure and the surrounding liquefied soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New anti- Candida albicans drugs are needed due to the emergence of resistant cases in recent years. Perillaldehyde (PAE) is a natural monoterpenoid compound derived from Perilla frutescens. The minimum inhibitory concentration of PAE against C. albicans was 0.4 μL/mL. We aimed to elucidate the antifungal mode of action of PAE against C. albicans. The antifungal activity of PAE against C. albicans was found to correlate with an elevation in intracellular Ca and accumulation of ROS. Several downstream apoptosis events such as the disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, phosphatidylserine externalization, cytochrome c release, and metacaspase activation were observed in PAE-treated cells. DNA damage and nuclear fragmentation assays also revealed apoptosis of C. albicans cells. In summary, by means of fluorescent microscopy, flow cytometer analysis, and Western blot, our data uncovered that PAE exerts its antifungal activity through Ca and oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis mechanisms. This study deciphered the mode of action of PAE, which will be useful in the design of improved antifungal therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO-11) molecular sieves were synthesized by the dry-gel conversion [i.e. steam-assisted conversion and vapor-phase transport (VPT)] method using di- n-propylamine as a structure-directing agent. The influence of the bottom water content, the crystallization time, the drying time and the pH value was investigated. The properties of the as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, N2-adsorption and NH3-temperature-programmed desorption. The results show that the crystallization process of SAPO-11 was closely related to the pH value and the drying time of the gel; the amount of water in the wet gel plays an important role for SAPO-11 formation. It can be observed that when the crystal time is within 48 h, and the pH value of the gel is between 0 and 5, the longer the crystal time and the higher the pH value, the higher the crystallinity of the samples. The presence of NH4+ leads to the formation of an amorphous phase in the samples synthesized by the VPT method. Of these two methods, the steam-assisted conversion method exhibits better Si incorporation into the AlPO4 framework than the VPT method. The results from hydroisodewaxing of hydrocracking recycle oil show that the Pt/SAPO-11 catalysts synthesized by these methods possess high activity and selectivity of isomerization. The pour point of the lubricating base oils can be lowered to below −15 from 42 °C. Copyright © 2016 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrointestinal dysfunction (GD) is a common complication after endotoxemia, which can further aggravate the progress of infection. Acupuncture uses metal needles of different shapes and techniques to stimulate specific points on the human body, which are effective in treating various diseases, including gastrointestinal diseases. We aimed at exploring the clinical effect of acupuncture on the recovery of visceral sensation, proximal gastric compliance, and autonomic nervous function in patients with septic GD. A total of 73 sepsis with GD patients were selected using modified single section ultrasonography combined with clinical symptoms in the First People's Hospital of Lanzhou City during 2019. The participants were randomly allocated to routine-treatment (control group) and study group receiving acupuncture. The indexes before and after treatment included gastric residue, gastric dilatation, pressure and volume, gastric compliance, autonomic nerve function, APACHE II score, and infection index were measured and compared. Before treatment, there was no significant difference in the basic information of the two groups, including gastric volume and pressure, gastric residue, gastric compliance, autonomic nerve function, and APACHE II score. After treatment, the maximum gastric volume and pressure, gastric residue, and APACHE II score of the two groups were significantly improved (P < 0.05). In addition, the maximum gastric volume and pressure of the study group were significantly higher, while gastric residual, autonomic nerve function, and APACHE II were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). However, our results showed that acupuncture did not further reduce inflammatory markers, including white blood cells, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin. To sum up, on the basis of basic treatment, the application of acupuncture can further improve the clinical symptoms of GD in patients with sepsis, enhance gastrointestinal motility, and improve autonomic nervous function, which is worthy of clinical application and promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a commercially important crop and its production is seriously threatened by the fungal pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici West (Pst). Resistance (R) genes are critical factors that facilitate plant immune responses. Here, we report a wheat R gene NB-ARC-LRR ortholog, TaYRG1 , that is associated with distinct alternative splicing events in wheat infected by Pst. The native splice variant, TaYRG1.6 , encodes internal-motif-deleted polypeptides with the same N- and C-termini as TaYRG1.1, resulting in gain of function. Transient expression of protein variants in Nicotiana benthamiana showed that the NB and ARC domains, and TaYRG1.6 (half LRR domain), stimulate robust elicitor-independent cell death based on a signal peptide, although the activity was negatively modulated by the CC and complete LRR domains. Furthermore, molecular genetic analyses indicated that TaYRG1.6 enhanced resistance to Pst in wheat. Moreover, we provide multiple lines of evidence that TaYRG1.6 interacts with a dynamin-related protein, TaDrp1. Proteome profiling suggested that the TaYRG1.6-TaDrp1-DNM complex in the membrane trafficking systems may trigger cell death by mobilizing lipid and kinase signaling in the endocytosis pathway. Our findings reveal a unique mechanism by which TaYRG1 activates cell death and enhances disease resistance by reconfiguring protein structure through alternative splicing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Switching characteristics of edge and bulk device structures and an unusual backward-scan effect are investigated in SiOx-based resistive memory. Adding external resistance is found to dramatically affect reset voltage, providing insight into the unique unipolar operation. Non-edge, bulk SiOx-based devices allow flexibility in the fabrication process and hydrogen incorporation improves electroforming and device yield. A backward-scan phenomenon is examined by investigating the DC and AC pulse responses, which defines requirements for ON and OFF programming duration. Circuit-level simulation using a Verilog-A model aids device characterization and programming strategy development for future nonvolatile memory applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We define quality differential coordinates (QDC) for per-vertex encoding of the quality of a tetrahedral mesh. QDC measures the deviation of a mesh vertex from a position which maximizes the combined quality of the set of tetrahedra incident at that vertex. Our formulation allows the incorporation of different choices of element quality metrics into QDC construction to penalize badly shaped and inverted tetrahedra. We develop an algorithm for tetrahedral mesh optimization through energy minimization driven by QDC. The variational problem is solved efficiently and robustly using gradient flow based on a stable semi-implicit integration scheme. To ensure quality boundary of the resulting tetrahedral mesh, we propose a harmonic-guided optimization scheme which leads to consistent handling of both the interior and boundary tetrahedra. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Alcoholic liver disease, caused by abuse and consumption of alcohol, exhibits high morbidity and mortality. Boletus aereus Bull. (Boletaceae) (BA) shows antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. To investigate the hepatoprotective effects of BA using an acute alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity mice model. The composition of BA fruit body was first systematically analyzed. Subsequently, a C57BL/6 mice model of acute alcohol-induced liver injury was established by intragastrically administration of alcohol, which was intragastrically received with BA powder at 200 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg for 2 weeks, 60 mg/kg silybin treatment was used as positive control group. By employing the pathological examination, ELISA, RT-PCR and western blot, the regulation of BA on oxidative stress signals was investigated. The LD50 of BA was much higher than 4 g/kg/p.o. In acute alcohol-damaged mice, BA reduced the levels of alanine aminotransferase (>18.3%) and aspartate aminotransferase (>27.6%) in liver, increased the activity of liver alcohol dehydrogenase (>35.0%) and serum acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (>18.9%). BA increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (>13.4%), glutathione peroxidase (>11.0%) and 800 mg/kg BA strongly reduced chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 13 (14.9%) and chitinase-3 like-1 protein (13.4%) in serum. BA reversed mRNA over-expression (>70%) and phosphor-stimulated expression (>45.0%) of an inhibitor of nuclear factor κ-B kinase (NF-κB, an inhibitor of nuclear factor κ-B α and nuclear factor κ-B in the liver. BA is effective in ameliorating alcohol-induced liver injury through regulating oxidative stress-mediated NF-κB signalling, which provides a scientific basis for further research on its clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have compared the device performance of In0.7Ga0.3As HfO2 gate dielectric tunneling field-effect-transistors (TFETs) using p++/i or p++/n+ tunneling junctions. Devices with p++/n+ tunneling junctions show 61% and 20% higher current at Vg-Vth=0.5 and 2 V compared to the ones with p++/i junctions. These p++/n+ TFETs exhibit an on-current of 60 μA/μm and a minimum subthreshold swing of 84 mV/dec. Device characteristics of TFETs using p++/n+ tunneling diodes with various n+ region doping concentrations have been simulated, results indicate the doping concentration of the n+ region plays an important role in determining the on-current and providing a well gate-controlled tunneling behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aegilops geniculata Roth has been used as a donor of disease-resistance genes, to enrich the gene pool for wheat (Triticum aestivum) improvement through distant hybridization. In this study, the wheat–Ae. geniculata alien disomic substitution line W16998 was obtained from the BC1F8 progeny of a cross between the common wheat 'Chinese Spring' (CS) and Ae. geniculata Roth (serial number: SY159//CS). This line was identified using cytogenetic techniques, analysis of genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), functional molecular markers (Expressed sequence tag-sequence-tagged site (EST–STS) and PCR-based landmark unique gene (PLUG), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), sequential fluorescence in situ hybridization–genomic in situ hybridization (sequential FISH–GISH), and assessment of agronomic traits and powdery mildew resistance. During the anaphase of meiosis, these were evenly distributed on both sides of the equatorial plate, and they exhibited high cytological stability during the meiotic metaphase and anaphase. GISH analysis indicated that W16998 contained a pair of Ae. geniculata alien chromosomes and 40 common wheat chromosomes. One EST–STS marker and seven PLUG marker results showed that the introduced chromosomes of Ae. geniculata belonged to homoeologous group 7. Nullisomic–tetrasomic analyses suggested that the common wheat chromosome, 7A, was absent in W16998. FISH and sequential FISH–GISH analyses confirmed that the introduced Ae. geniculata chromosome was 7Mg. Therefore, W16998 was a wheat–Ae. geniculata 7Mg (7A) alien disomic substitution line. Inoculation of isolate E09 (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) in the seedling stage showed that SY159 and W16998 were resistant to powdery mildew, indeed nearly immune, whereas CS was highly susceptible. Compared to CS, W16998 exhibited increased grain weight and more spikelets, and a greater number of superior agronomic traits. Consequently, W16998 was potentially useful. Germplasms transfer new disease-resistance genes and prominent agronomic traits into common wheat, giving the latter some fine properties for breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The landscape of AS modulation in wheat- Pst and - Bgt interaction. • Differential splice variants were activated against Pst and Bgt stress. • Specific induced AS genes were differential enriched in Pst -resistant and -susceptible plants. Alternative splicing (AS) enhances the diversities of both transcripts and proteins in eukaryotes, which contribute to stress adaptation. To catalog wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) AS genes, we characterized 45 RNA-seq libraries from wheat seedlings infected by powdery mildew, Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) or stripe rust fungus, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). We discovered that 11.2% and 10.4% of the multiexon genes had AS transcripts during Bgt and Pst infections, respectively. In response to fungal infection, wheat modulated AS not only in disease resistance proteins, but also in splicing related factors. Apart from the stress induced or activated splicing variants by pathogen, the differential expression profiles were fold increased through changing the ratio of full spliced transcripts versus intron retention (IR) transcripts. Comparing AS transcripts produced by the same gene in Bgt with Pst stress, the spliced terminal exons and the stranded introns are independent and different. This demonstrated that differential induction of specific splice variants were activated against two fungal pathogens. The specific induced AS genes in the Pst -resistant plants were enriched in improving the membrane permeability and protein modification ability, whereas gene expression involved in protein translation and transport were strengthened in Pst -susceptible plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistive switching characteristics and mechanism in active SiOx-based resistive switching memory have been investigated by using a simple TaN/SiO2/n++ Si-substrate test structure. Controlling the oxygen content in SiOx layer not only improved device yield but also stabilized electrical switching characteristics. The current transport behavior in high- and low-resistance states, thickness effect in SiOx layer, device area effect, and multilevel effect by controlling compliance current limitation and stopped voltage values have been studied. The results indicate that resistive switching occurs in a localized region along a filament, rather than uniformly throughout the bulk. A general current flow model for nonpolar SiOx-based resistive switching memory has been proposed, which provides a simple physical concept to describe the resistive switching behavior and provides additional insights into optimization of resistive switching memory devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Calcium and oxidative stress mediate perillaldehyde-induced apoptosis in Candida albicans,"

Phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase 1 (PRPS1) is closely associated with a number of diseases; however, its influence in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and the potential molecular mechanisms involved remain unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the expression of PRPS1 in Chinese children with B-ALL and to investigate the mechanism of action of PRPS1 in this disease. A Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to examine the proliferation of B-ALL Sup-B15 and Raji cells, and flow cytometric analysis was conducted to determine the cell cycle distribution and rate of apoptosis. The mRNA and protein expression levels of PRPS1, MYC proto-oncogene, bHLH transcription factor, cyclin E1, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), cyclin dependent kinase 2 and caspase-3 were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis, respectively. Elevated PRPS1 expression was associated with a high-risk stratification and poor prognosis in patients with B-ALL. Furthermore, overexpression of PRPS1 accelerated the growth of and inhibited apoptosis in Sup-B15 and Raji cells as well as increasing the expression of Bcl-2 to induce an anti-apoptotic effect in B-ALL cell lines. The results of the present study indicate that PRPS1 regulates multiple processes in B-ALL and may be an attractive therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the ultimate hydrodynamic load carrying capacity of water-lubricated plain journal bearings with rigid bush materials under misalignment effect, aiming to help designers find appropriate design parameters. The relationships between the ultimate load carrying capacity and the misalignment angle for bearings with different relative clearances, different length-to-diameter ratios are gained. Bearings with different diameters and different rotational speeds are also studied to determine how the ultimate hydrodynamic load carrying capacity changes with diameter and rotational speed. Finally, a method is provided for determining the appropriate radial clearance and length of misaligned water-lubricated rigid plain journal bearings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonplanar In0.53Ga0.47As gate wrap around field-effect transistors (GWAFETs) with atomic-layer deposited high-k dielectric and metal gate have been demonstrated in this paper. By applying novel device structure and optimizing fabrication process, In0.53Ga0.47As GWAFETs exhibit significant performance improvements over planar MOSFETs on both current drive capability and electrostatics control. In0.53Ga0.47As GWAFETs with fin width (W \(_{\mathrm {{fin}}}\) ) 40–200 nm have been fabricated. Devices with narrower W \(_{\mathrm {{fin}}}\) exhibit higher drive current, transconductance, and better short channel effect control, which demonstrates the scalability of nonplanar In0.53Ga0.47As GWAFETs. Subthreshold swing of 80 mV/decade and drain-induced barrier lowering of 20 mV/V have been achieved by 40-nm W \(_{\mathrm {{fin}}}\) and 140-nm L \(_{{g}}\) In0.53Ga0.47As GWAFETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SiOx-based resistive switching memory was realized by a simple TaN/SiO2/n++ Si-substrate structure. Post-deposition annealing treatment not only reduced operational variation but also stabilized electrical reliability during repeated switching. The relationship between applied voltage polarity and reset switching parameters is investigated and may indicate that resistive switching occurs at the cathode side. Oxygen-vacancy clustering and asymmetrical thermal-dissipation of the electrodes are discussed as possible causes for the polarity dependence of reset switching parameters. Data retention in high- and low-resistance states was measured for over 104 s, indicating promising potential for future nonvolatile memory applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]