Search

PurposeThe stress–strain behaviors of rockfill materials in dams are significantly affected by the anisotropy and grain crushing. However, these factors are rarely considered in numerical simulations of high rockfill dams. This study intends to develop a reasonable and practical constitutive model for rockfill materials to overcome the above problems.Design/methodology/approachThe effects of anisotropy and grain crushing are comprehensively considered by the spatial position of the reference state line. After the improved generalized plasticity model for rockfill materials (referred to as the PZR model) is developed and verified by laboratory tests, it is used with the finite element method to simulate the stress–strain behaviors of the Nuozhadu high core rockfill dam.FindingsThe simulated results agree well with the laboratory tests data and the situ monitoring data, verifying the reliability and practicability of the developed PZR model.Originality/valueA new anisotropic state parameter is proposed to reflect the nonmonotonic variation in the strength as the major principal stress direction angle varies. This advantage is verified by the simulation of a set of conventional triaxial tests with different inclination angles of the compaction plane. 2) This is the first time that the elastoplastic model is verified by the situ monitoring data of high core rockfill dams. The numerical simulation results show that the PZR model can well reflect the stress–strain characteristics of rockfill materials in high core rockfill dams and is better than the traditional EB model.

With the development of tidal energy converters around the world, the field test work of tidal energy converters has become more and more important. In the present study, according to the research and development status of tidal energy converters in China, combined with the field test demands of tidal energy converters, a field test system for the power characteristics assessment of tidal energy converters was studied. This system was also applied in the field test work, the power curve scatter plot was drawn, and the conversion efficiency and annual energy production were calculated. The results show that the field test system could obtain the power characteristics of a tidal energy converter and could provide a reference for the construction of offshore field test systems for the power characteristics assessment of tidal energy converters.

The periods of flower bud differentiation and fruit growth for Camellia oleifera overlap greatly affect the allocation of photoassimilates to flower buds and fruit, resulting in obvious alternate bearing. To export the cause and mitigate alternate bearing of Camellia oleifera, the allocation of photoassimilates to buds and fruit supplied by leaves at different node positions was studied by the addition of labeled 13CO2 during the slow fruit growth stage. The fate of 13C photoassimilated carbon was followed during four periods: slow fruit growth (4 hours and 10 days after 13C labeling); rapid growth (63 days after 13C labeling); oil conversion (129 days after 13C labeling); and maturation (159 days after 13C labeling). Photosynthetic parameters and leaf areas of the leaves shared a common pattern (fifth > third > first), and the order of photosynthetic parameters of different fruit growth stages was as follows: oil conversion > maturation > rapid growth > slow growth. The most intense competition between flower bud differentiation and fruit growth occurred during the oil conversion stage. Dry matter accumulation in different sinks occurred as follow: fruit > flower bud > leaf bud. Photoassimilates from the labeled first leaf were mainly translocated to the first flower bud, and the upper buds were always differentiated into flower buds. The photoassimilates from the labeled third leaf were distributed disproportionately to the third flower bud and fruit. They distributed more to the third flower bud, and the middle buds formed either flower or leaf buds. However, the photoassimilates from the labeled fifth leaf were primarily allocated to the fruit that bore on the first node of last year’s bearing shoot, and basal buds did not form flower buds. Based on our results, the basal leaves should be retained for a high yield in the current year, and the top leaves should be retained for a high yield in the following year. Our results have important implications for understanding the management of flower and fruit in C. oleifera. The thinning of fruit during the on-crop year can promote flower bud formation and increase the yield of C. oleifera crops in the following year. During the off-year, more fruit should be retained to maintain the fruit yield. The thinning of middle-upper buds could promote more photoassimilates allocate to the fruit.

A theranostic system that enables monitoring the delivery process and amplified detection of low-abundance biomarkers is significant for bioimaging and biomedicine. We here develop a graphitic carbon nitride (g-C

RNA imaging in living animals helps decipher biology and creates new theranostics for disease treatment. Due to their low delivery efficiency and high background, however, fluorescence probes for in situ RNA imaging in living mice have not been reported. We develop a new cell-targeting fluorescent probe that enables RNA imaging in living mice via an in vivo hybridization chain reaction (HCR). The minimalistic Y-shaped design of the tripartite DNA probe improves its performance in live animal studies and serves as a modular scaffold for three DNA motifs for cell-targeting and the HCR circuit. The tripartite DNA probe allows facile synthesis with a high yield and demonstrates ultrasensitive RNA detection in vitro. The probe also exhibits selective and efficient internalization into folate (FA) receptor-overexpressed cells via a caveolar-mediated endocytosis mechanism and produces fluorescence signals dynamically correlated with intracellular target expressions. Furthermore, the probe exhibits specific delivery into tumor cells and allows high-contrast imaging of miR-21 in living mice. The tripartite DNA design may open the door for intracellular RNA imaging in living animals using DNA-minimal structures and its design strategy can help future development of DNA-based multi-functional molecular probes.

The first cascade diastereoselective synthesis of oxazoloisoindolinones via the palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative ortho-acylation of N-benzoyl α-amino acid derivatives followed by double intramolecular cyclizations has been demonstrated. This reaction, using α-amino acids as directing groups and α-oxocarboxylic acids as the acylation source, features a broad substrate scope, good functional group tolerance, high regioselectivity, and excellent diastereoselectivity.

Formaldehyde (FA), as a reactive carbonyl species and signaling molecule, plays an important role in living systems. Here, an FA-responsive probe with fast response and great selectivity is designed based on aggregation-induced emission. The probe is prepared by functionalizing tetraphenylethene (TPE) with two amine groups. FA is detected based on the solubility differences between the amine-functionalized TPE and the corresponding Schiff bases after reaction with FA. The probe exhibits a limit of detection of 40 nM and a response time of ∼90 s. Furthermore, its ability to detect both endogenous and exogenous FA is demonstrated in living cells with high specificity. Moreover, the probe is also introduced to image endogenous FA in real time with fast response. These results suggest that our probe holds great potential for tracking FA in living systems under various physiological conditions as well as related biomedical applications.

To investigate the effects of gibberellic acid (GA) on photosynthesis, nutrient partitioning and endogenous hormones at different leaf locations (1 and 6), Camellia oleifera was treated with four l...

This study investigated the relationship between environmental factors and the fruit yield, quality, and tree structure of Camellia oleifera by studying the relationship between the canopy microclimate, fruit yield, and fruit quality. The distributions of environmental factors over a year, and fruit yield and quality at fruit maturity in the canopy were investigated by measuring the differences between the inner canopy of the lower layer, outer canopy of the lower layer, inner canopy of the middle layer, outer canopy of the middle layer, inner canopy of the upper layer, and outer canopy of the upper layer. Light intensity was significantly different in the various layers, but there were no significant changes in temperature and relative humidity. Fruit yield and quality were related to light intensity, which improved from bottom to top and from the inner to outer canopy. They had positive correlations with the annual average light intensity and temperature, but were inversely associated with the annual average relative humidity. The fruit yield and oil content ratio in fresh fruit varied between the inside of the bottom to the outside of the top canopy. Yield and quality of fruit between July and October had higher mean correlation coefficients with light intensity (r = 0.807), temperature (r = 0.812) and relative humidity (r = −0.863). Additionally, regression equations between fruit characteristics and the canopy microclimate between July and October could be used evaluate the fruit yield and quality.

Hybridization chain reaction (HCR) circuits are valuable approaches to monitor low-abundance mRNA, and current HCR is still subjected to issues such as limited amplification efficiency, compromised localization resolution, or complicated designs. We report a novel branched HCR (bHCR) circuit for efficient signal-amplified imaging of mRNA in living cells. The bHCR can be realized using a simplified design by hierarchically coupling two HCR circuits with two split initiator fragments of the secondary HCR circuit incorporated in the probes for the primary HCR circuit. The bHCR circuit enables one to generate a hyperbranched assembly seeded from a single target initiator, affording the potential for localizing single target molecules in live cells. In vitro assays show that bHCR offers very high amplification efficiency and specificity in single mismatch discrimination with a detection limit of 500 fM. Live cell studies reveal that bHCR displays intense fluorescence spots indicating mRNA localization in living cells with improved contrast. The bHCR method can provide a useful platform for low-abundance biomarker detection and imaging for cell biology and diagnostics.

Using an in vivo hybridization chain reaction with a tripartite DNA probe to image RNA in living mice may open the door for intracellular RNA imaging in living mammalian animals, implying its potential for tumor biology studies and theranostics., RNA imaging in living animals helps decipher biology and creates new theranostics for disease treatment. Due to their low delivery efficiency and high background, however, fluorescence probes for in situ RNA imaging in living mice have not been reported. We develop a new cell-targeting fluorescent probe that enables RNA imaging in living mice via an in vivo hybridization chain reaction (HCR). The minimalistic Y-shaped design of the tripartite DNA probe improves its performance in live animal studies and serves as a modular scaffold for three DNA motifs for cell-targeting and the HCR circuit. The tripartite DNA probe allows facile synthesis with a high yield and demonstrates ultrasensitive RNA detection in vitro. The probe also exhibits selective and efficient internalization into folate (FA) receptor-overexpressed cells via a caveolar-mediated endocytosis mechanism and produces fluorescence signals dynamically correlated with intracellular target expressions. Furthermore, the probe exhibits specific delivery into tumor cells and allows high-contrast imaging of miR-21 in living mice. The tripartite DNA design may open the door for intracellular RNA imaging in living animals using DNA-minimal structures and its design strategy can help future development of DNA-based multi-functional molecular probes.

Tree shape can affect microclimate, which may directly influence fruit growth and development. Open center and round head are two tree canopy shapes that are generally used in Camellia oleifera Abel. cultivation. To study the effects of the two canopy shapes on the microclimate and fruit quality parameters inside the canopy and investigate the correlations between microclimate and oil yield characteristics, microclimates in different developmental periods and fruit quality parameters at maturity at different positions in the two canopy shapes were determined. In this study, the open-center shape increased the light intensity and temperature, and reduced the relative humidity within the canopy, and the microclimate was more uniformly distributed within the open-center canopy. Fruit quality parameters of open-center canopied trees were also significantly increased and had more uniform distributions, especially the oil yield parameters. The content ratio of the dry seed, oil content ratio of the fresh fruit, and oil yield increased by 43.55%, 59.30% and 79.01%, in the lower layer, respectively, and 27.33%, 41.75%, and 55.43%, in the inner canopy, respectively, compared to those of round-head canopied trees. For both canopy shapes, oil yield parameters had positive correlations with light intensity and temperature, but negative correlations with relative humidity, and the correlation coefficients between light intensity and temperature at different developmental stages and oil yield parameters in round-head canopies were greater than in the open-center canopies. Additionally, regression equations between the single microclimatic factor in different developmental periods and oil yield parameters could be used to estimate the latter in the two canopy shapes. The optimum light conditions for open-center and round-head canopy shapes were 916&ndash, 1893 and 1108&ndash, 1259 &mu, mol&middot, m2&middot, s&minus, 1, respectively. Overall, the open-center canopy had a more desirable microclimate and a more uniform microclimate distribution, especially the light intensity, which contributes to high uniform fruit quality parameters. Thus, an open-center canopy is the desirable shape in C. oleifera production.

Chinese commercial banks are transforming their activities into more non-interest income businesses under a highly regulated financial system. This paper investigates the effects of this transformation on profit and risk efficiencies. We find that commission and fee income significantly reduce risk efficiency due to the circumvention of the regulation on deposit interest rate and the assumption of risk that should have been borne by customers. In terms of trading income, it significantly reduces profit efficiency due to the upper limit of the loan-deposit ratio, the lack of investment channels and low returns of bond markets. The regulatory authorities are supposed to further liberalize the banking industry and grant banks more rights.

DNA nanodevices that mimic natural biomolecular machines changing configurations in response to external inputs have enabled smart sensors to live cell imaging. We report for the first time the development of a dynamic DNA nanomachine that is anchored on a cell’s surface and undergoes pH-responsive triplex–duplex conformation switching, allowing tunable sensing and imaging of extracellular pH. Results reveal that the DNA nanomachine can be stably anchored on the cell surface via multiple anchors, and the adjustment of C+G-C content in the switch element confers tunability of pH response windows. The anchored DNA nanomachine also demonstrates desirable sensitivity, excellent reversibility, and quantitative ability for extracellular pH detection and imaging. This cell surface-anchored pH-responsive DNA nanomachine can provide a useful platform for pH sensing in extracellular microenvironments and diagnostics of different pH-related diseases.

First, combined with relevant theories of modern investment decision-making, this paper took AS power engineering project of ZC Company for instance, analyzed objective function of power engineering investment structure in ZC Company. Second, this paper analyzed investment decision-making structure of AS power engineering project in ZC Company, and obtained specific results of investment decision-making, and the related results were verified. Through analysis and exploration, this paper has a scientific impact on ZC Company for the AS power project investment, while it’s hoped that it can play a role in electric power engineering projects of other companies in China. So it can better promote the development of electrical engineering investment in electrical industry.

The working conditional model of schnable car has been established and the principle of lifting mechanism has been analyzed. By complex vector method, we analyze the kinematics of the lifting mechanism and get the position, speed and acceleration curves of relevant objects under the lifting progress. We have a static analysis on lifting mechanism, and get the relationship curve of the cylinder’s force and generator’s mass by mathematical Calculation. Kinematics simulation test is proceeded by ADAMS.

High-throughput and sensitive detection of proteins are essential for clinical diagnostics and biomarker discovery. We develop a novel high-throughput, multiplexed, sensitive mass spectrometric (MS) immunoassay method, which utilizes antibody-modified phospholipid bilayer coated gold nanoparticles (PBL-AuNPs) as the detection label and antibody-immobilized magnetic beads as the capture reagent. This method enables magnetic enrichment of the PBL-AuNPs label specific to target protein, allowing sensitive surface enhanced laser desorption ionization (SELDI)-TOF MS detection of the protein via its specific label. AuNPs act as not only the support but also the matrix for the phospholipids in SELDI TOF MS detection. Moreover, with phospholipids with varying molecular weights as the encoded MS reporters, this method allows multiplexed detection of multiple proteins. With the use of a predefined phospholipids internal standard, this method also affords excellent reproducibility in protein quantification. We have demonstrated this method using the assays of two tumor biomarkers, and the results reveal that it provides a sensitive platform for multiplexed protein detection with detection limits in the picomolar ranges. This method may provide a useful platform for high-throughput and sensitive detection of protein biomarkers for clinical diagnostics.

Genetic diversity of 51 oil-tea camellia germplasms was analyzed using the optimized inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR)–PCR reaction system with 22 primers screened from a set of 100 ISSR primers. The results showed that 493 discernible loci with distinct electrophoretic bands were obtained, of which, 478 loci (96.78%) were polymorphic. This indicated that oil-tea germplasms possess abundant genetic diversities. By clustering analysis performed using softwares of NTSYS 2.10 and Winboot, 51 oil-tea germplasms were divided into two groups: Group I had 48 lines of Camellia oleifera Abel, while Group II had three C. oleifera Abel related species and their similarity coefficient was 0.62. Group I was further divided into Group I-1 and Group I-2, and their similarity coefficient (Gs) was 0.634. All members of Group I-1 originated from Hunan Province, while Group I-2 included the rest of Hunan lines and those originated from other regions of China. Analyzed by software POPGENE 1.32, the Shannon's information index (I*) of genetic polymorphism was 0.3852, the genetic diversity among different region populations (Ht) was 0.2537, the genetic diversity within populations (Hs) was 0.15545, the differentiation coefficient of genetic diversity among populations (Gst) was 0.3967, and the gene flow among populations (Nm*) was 0.8262. The Nei's genetic distances between the Hunan population and the populations originated from other regions of China implied that geographic isolation strongly influenced genetic differentiation among populations. Meanwhile, seedling rootstock grafting and high grafting for tree crown produced genetic variations among clonal offsprings.