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Synthetic biology aims to engineer transgene switches for precise therapeutic protein control in cell‐based gene therapies. However, off‐the‐shelf trigger‐inducible gene circuits are usually switched on by single or structurally similar molecules. This study presents a mammalian gene‐switch platform that controls therapeutic gene expression by a wide range of molecules generating low, non‐toxic levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this system, KEAP1 (Kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1) serves as ROS sensor, regulating the translocation of NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2) to the nucleus, where NRF2 binds to antioxidant response elements (ARE) to activate the expression of a gene of interest. It is found that a promoter containing eight‐tandem ARE repeats is highly sensitive to the low ROS levels generated by the soluble and volatile molecules, which include food preservatives, food additives, pharmaceuticals, and signal transduction inducers. In a proof‐of‐concept study, it is shown that many of these compounds can independently trigger microencapsulated engineered cells to produce sufficient insulin to restore normoglycemia in experimental type‐1 diabetic mice. It is believed that this system greatly extends the variety of small‐molecule inducers available to drive therapeutic gene switches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A launch vehicle needs to adapt to a complex flight environment during flight, and traditional guidance and control algorithms can hardly deal with multi-factor uncertainties due to the high dependency on control models. To solve this problem, this paper designs a new intelligent flight control method for a rocket based on the deep reinforcement learning algorithm driven by knowledge and data. In this process, the Markov decision process of the rocket landing section is established by designing a reinforcement function with consideration of the combination effect on the return of the terminal constraint of the launch vehicle and the cumulative return of the flight process of the rocket. Meanwhile, to improve the training speed of the landing process of the launch vehicle and to enhance the generalization ability of the model, the strategic neural network model is obtained and trained via the form of a long short-term memory (LSTM) network combined with a full connection layer as a landing guidance strategy network. The proximal policy optimization (PPO) is the training algorithm of reinforcement learning network parameters combined with behavioral cloning (BC) as the reinforcement learning pre-training imitation learning algorithm. Notably, the rocket-borne environment is transplanted to the Nvidia Jetson TX2 embedded platform for the comparative testing and verification of this intelligent model, which is then used to generate real-time control commands for guiding the actual flying and landing process of the rocket. Further, comparisons of the results obtained from convex landing optimization and the proposed method in this work are performed to prove the effectiveness of this proposed method. The simulation results show that the intelligent control method in this work can meet the landing accuracy requirements of the launch vehicle with a fast convergence speed of 84 steps, and the decision time is only 2.5 ms. Additionally, it has the ability of online autonomous decision making as deployed on the embedded platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Postoperative bile leakage (POBL) is one of the most common complications after liver resection. However, current studies on the risk factors for POBL and their impacts on surgical outcomes need to be more consistent. This study aims to conduct a meta‐analysis to analyze the risk factors for POBL after hepatectomy. Methods: We incorporated all eligible studies from Embase, PubMed, and the Web of Science database (until July 2022) into this study. RevMan and STATA software were used to analyze the extracted data. Results: A total of 39 studies, including 43,824 patients, were included in this meta‐analysis. We found that gender, partial hepatectomy, repeat of hepatectomy, extended hepatectomy, abdominal drain, diabetes, Child≥B, solitary tumor, and chemotherapy are the factors of grade B and C POBL. Some recognized risk factors were considered potential risk factors for grade B and C bile leakage because no subgroup analysis was performed, like HCC, cholangiocarcinoma, major resection, posterior sectionectomy, bi‐segmentectomy, S4 involved, S8 involved, central hepatectomy, and bile duct resection/reconstruction. Meanwhile, cirrhosis, benign diseases, left hepatectomy, and Segment 1 resection were not significant for grade B and C bile leakage. The influence of lateral sectionectomy, anterior sectionectomy, S1 involved, S3 involved, high‐risk procedure, laparoscope, and blood loss>1000 mL on POBL of ISGLS needs further research. Meanwhile, POBL significantly influenced overall survival (OS) after liver resection. Conclusions: We identified several risk factors for POBL after hepatectomy, which could prompt the clinician to decrease POBL rates and make more beneficial decisions for patients who underwent the hepatectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid insulin release plays an essential role in maintaining blood‐glucose homeostasis in mammalians. Patients diagnosed with type‐I diabetes mellitus experience chronic and remarkably high blood‐sugar levels, and require lifelong insulin injection therapy, so there is a need for more convenient and less invasive insulin delivery systems to increase patients' compliance and also to enhance their quality of life. Here, an endoplasmic‐reticulum‐localized split sec‐tobacco etch virus protease (TEVp)‐based rapamycin‐actuated protein‐induction device (RAPID) is engineered, which is composed of the rapamycin‐inducible dimerization domains FK506 binding protein (FKBP) and FKBP‐rapamycin binding protein fused with modified split sec‐TEVp components. Insulin accumulation inside the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is achieved through tagging its C‐terminus with KDEL, an ER‐retention signal, spaced by a TEVp cleavage site. In the presence of rapamycin, the split sec‐TEVp‐based RAPID components dimerize, regain their proteolytic activity, and remove the KDEL retention signal from insulin. This leads to rapid secretion of accumulated insulin from cells within few minutes. Using liver hydrodynamic transfection methodology, it is shown that RAPID quickly restores glucose homeostasis in type‐1‐diabetic (T1DM) mice treated with an oral dose of clinically licensed rapamycin. This rapid‐release technology may become the foundation for other cell‐based therapies requiring instantaneous biopharmaceutical availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radium-223 dichloride is the first approved alpha particle-emitting radiopharmaceutical for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer with symptomatic bone metastases and no known visceral metastases. A large percentage of intestinal enrichment and a slow clearance rate were the main causes of gastrointestinal adverse events after 223RaCl 2 administration. The molecular weight of sodium alginate in aqueous solution was determined to be 656 kDa. Sodium alginate exhibits a higher affinity for adsorbing Ra2+ compared to other metal ions belonging to the second main group. Sodium alginate as low as 0.5 g/rat reduced intestinal damage by remodeling 223RaCl 2 distribution without affecting bone resorption. Intestinal villi were preserved and enterocyte activity was maintained after sodium alginate intervention. Sodium alginate reduced DNA oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation and maintained endogenous antioxidant status by increasing superoxide dismutase levels and total antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, sodium alginate treatment mitigated DNA damage and apoptosis. The administration of sodium alginate effectively maintained the integrity of the intestinal microbiota, which had undergone perturbations due to radiation exposure. This study demonstrated that sodium alginate could be applied to reduce the adverse effects caused by radiation exposure to the intestine during 223RaCl 2 -treated and reduced intestinal damage resulted from 223RaCl 2 accumulation without affecting bone uptake. [Display omitted] • Sodium alginate exchanges ions with Ra2+ forming a macromolecular hydrogel. • Sodium alginate reduces gut 223Ra retention, no impact on bone resorption. • Sodium alginate enhances antioxidants, mitigates intestinal damage. • Sodium alginate preserves altered gut microbiota after radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Donor‐derived adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) dampen the alloimmune response and exosomes are reported to have biological activity similar to their parent cells. Here, we investigated the roles of exosomes from donor‐derived ADMSCs (ADMSC‐exo) in vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA). Brown Norway‐to‐Lewis rat hindlimb transplantations were intravenously treated with either exosome from donor‐derived ADMSCs or phosphate‐buffered saline, combined with a short course of immunosuppression. We established that the treatment with ADMSC‐exo prolongs the survival time of VCA grafts. Skin and muscle samples from ADMSC‐exo‐treated animals showed no histological signs of rejection, but samples from controls showed rejection of degree III. Comparing to the control group, a significant increase of donor cell chimerism, Tr1 and Treg, while a decrease of CD4+ T and Th1 cells were observed in the ADMSC‐exo‐treated group. Our findings imply that ADMSC‐exo may be a valuable and safe treatment for extending VCA graft survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miscanthus, a perennial rhizomatous C4 grass, has emerged as a promising lignocellulosic crop. To avoid competition with food crops, marginal lands especially saline–alkaline soil are being recommended to grow Miscanthus across China. However, the challenges such as high cost and low reproduction coefficient associated with the propagation methods are impeding its large‐scale plantation in saline–alkaline soil. In this study, a "two‐steps" propagation method was designed, which was comprised of two phases: (1) seedling cultivation and (2) seedling strengthening. The parameters (substrate composition and plug size) for this method were determined. The optimal substrate composition of the seedling bed for M. sinensis, M. lutarioriparius, and their interspecific hybrids was peat and perlite at a ratio of 3:2, 3:1, and 3:3 by volume, respectively. The seedlings were transplanted into the plugs to deliver robust plantlets. The most appropriate plug size for M. sinensis, M. lutarioriparius, and their interspecific hybrids was 50 plugs (50 cm3/plug), 72 plugs (40 cm3/plug), and 72 plugs (40 cm3/plug), respectively. Three propagation methods, that is, direct sowing of seeds, rhizomes plantation, and "two‐steps" seed‐derived plugs for M. lutarioriparius were compared in saline–alkaline soil over 3 years (2014, 2015, and 2016). The establishment rate of the seeds directly planted was poor (zero). The performance (e.g., biomass yield) of the plants derived from the "two‐steps" seed‐derived plugs was better than that of the plants derived from rhizomes directly planted. Therefore, the "two‐steps" seed‐derived plugs can be regarded as an effective propagation method to upscale Miscanthus cultivation in saline–alkaline soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been reported that long-chain non-coding RNA (lncRNA) zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 antisense 1 (ZEB1-AS1) is an oncogene in various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the role and mechanism of ZEB1-AS1 as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) combined with miR-23c in HCC cell proliferation and invasion. Methods: QRT-PCR was used to detect ZEB1-AS1 and miR-23c expressions in HCC tissues and cells. The dual luciferase reporter assay detected the targeted regulation of miR-23c and ZEB1-AS1. We also performed the correlation analysis of their expression in HCC tissues by the Spearman's correlation analysis. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to detect the proliferation of hepatoma cells. Cell invasion was assessed by the Transwell assay. Results: QRT-PCR results indicated ZEB1-AS1 was upregulated and miR-23c was downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. ZEB1-AS1 knockdown hampered the proliferation and invasion of HCC cells. Dual luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-23c is a target of ZEB1-AS1, and ZEB1-AS1 was significantly negatively correlated with the miR-23c expression in HCC tissues. The results of MTT and Transwell assay showed that miR-23c inhibition restored the inhibitory effect of ZEB1-AS1 knockdown on HCC cells proliferation and invasion. Conclusions: As a ceRNA, lncRNA ZEB1-AS1 may play a vital role in inhibiting HCC progression through miR-23c, which will provide new clues and theoretical basis for the HCC diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freeform optical surfaces are advantageous to optical designers, as they provide additional degrees of freedom for optimization. The loss of rotational symmetry, however, makes measurement of freeforms more challenging. Herein, advances in interferometric areal measurement of freeform optical surfaces, including null tests, non‐null tests, near‐null tests, and adaptive null tests, are reviewed. Some new developments, in the Hartmann test, deflectometry, and phase retrieval, as representatives of non‐interferometric areal measurement, are then presented. Overall, the focus is on single‐point‐probe‐based profilometry categorized into coordinate measurements and slope‐ or curvature‐based measurements. Innovative measurement technology is trying to bridge the gap between high accuracy and high dynamic range as freeform optical surfaces are finding more applications in visible and shorter‐wavelength optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) has broad application prospects in the preparation of large structural components such as those in aerospace structures. It is of great significance to have a deep understanding of the residual stress distribution and deformation of EBAM. A three-dimensional transient thermal–mechanical coupling model was established for the comprehensive investigation of the deformation and residual stress of aluminum alloy components prepared by wire-feed EBAM for the first time. The reliability of the simulation model was verified by comparing the predicted temperature, stress and deformation with experimentally measured values. The influence of heat input on residual stress distribution and deformation was studied using the verified model. The simulation results indicate that reducing heat input is an efficient approach to reducing deformation and residual stress. The developed model can be a powerful tool to optimize process parameters to reduce the residual stress and deformation of EBAM aluminum alloy components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamical evolution of one-dimensional quasi-soliton in Kerr-type linear-nonlinear optical lattices with the exponential asymptotically longitudinal modulation is investigated. The optical lattice features both the transverse linear refractive index modulation and the nonlinear coefficient periodically modulation. The analytical solutions of the integral beam center, the mean square of the beam width, and the critical incident angle are obtained by adopting the effective particle approach. The dynamical trapping and switching phenomena have been observed. Moreover, the introduction of the longitudinal modulation improves greatly the mobility of the soliton. The propagation states of the quasi-soliton can be controlled by varying a variety of parameters, such as the depths of the linear nonlinear lattices, the form factor and the incident angle of soliton, as well as the asymptotic rate of longitudinal modulation. Thus our results offer a new opportunity for the all optical manipulation of light beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Significant resistivity contrast is revealed in NE Tibet. • Upper crustal deformation is responsible for the uplift of the Longmenshan belt. • Ductile deformation of lower crust play key role in crust thickening of west Qinling. The northeastern margin of Tibet is the youngest risen part and key area for understanding the growth mechanism of the Tibetan Plateau. New broadband magnetotelluric (MT) data are conducted at the conjunction of the Longmenshan and West Qinling orogenic belts in NE Tibet. The preferred resistivity model obtained using 3-D inversion method shows a dramatic resistivity contrast from the Sichuan Basin (SB) to the West Qinling Orogenic Belt (WQOB). Beneath the SB and Longmenshan Orogenic Belt (LMSOB), several low-resistivity zones are distributed in the upper crust underlain by an intact resistive lower crust, indicating the upper crustal deformation is responsible for the uplift of the LMSOB. While to the north, a prominently conductive lower crust is observed, favoring the ductile deformation of the weak lower crust plays a significant role in the crustal thickening of the WQOB. Therefore, we suggest contrasting crustal deformation mechanisms work in the LMSOB and WQOB, and diversified crustal deformations together contribute to the marginal growth of the plateau. Moreover, combining with other studies, we propose the deep conductive bodies beneath the WQOB would be induced by the hot upwelling related to the asthenospheric flow from the plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miscanthus lutarioriparius is a native perennial Miscanthus species of China, which is currently used as raw material of papermaking and bioenergy crop. It also has been considered as a promising eco-bioindustrial plant, which can offer raw material and gene for the biomass industry. However, lack of germplasm resources and genetic diversity information of M. lutarioriparius have become the bottleneck that prevents the stable and further development of the biomass industry. In the present study, genetic diversity of 153 M. lutarioriparius individuals nine populations was studied using 27 Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers. High polymorphic bands (97.67%), polymorphic information content (0.26) and allele number (1.88) showed SCoT as a reliable marker system for genetic analysis in M. lutarioriparius. At the species, the percentage of polymorphic loci [PPL] was 97.2%, Nei’s gene diversity [H] was 0.36, Shannon index [I] was 0.54 and Expected Heterozygosity [He] was 0.56. Genetic variation within populations (84.91%) was higher than among populations (15.09%) based on analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA). Moderate level of genetic differentiation was found in M. lutarioriparius populations (Fst = 0.15), which is further confirmed by STRUCTURE, principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) and an unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) analysis that could reveal a clear separation between groups of the north and south of Yangtze River. The gene flow of the populations within the respective south and north of Yangtze River area was higher, but lower between the areas. There was no obvious correlation between genetic distance and geographic distance. The breeding systems, geographical isolation and fragmented habitat of M. lutarioriparius may be due to the high level of genetic diversity, moderate genetic differentiation, and the population, structure. The study further suggests some measure for conservation of genetic resources and provides the genetic basis for improving the efficiency of breeding based on the results of diversity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Multi-criteria decision making model was developed to screen miscanthus for energy breeding. • Energy-related traits of miscanthus include the two aspects of agronomy and quality. • Miscanthus lutarioriparius is most suitable for producing electricity and pyrolysis bio-oil. • Miscanthus floridulus is most suitable for producing bioethanol and biogas. Abstract Biomass is the bioenergy carrier and can be converted to solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. Miscanthus , a plant type with high biomass yield potential, is a promising feedstock source for bioenergy production. However, the current expansion of miscanthus (Miscanthus spp.) production is constrained by a shortage of commercial varieties, especially those suitable for different energy usages and cultivation under adverse environmental conditions. Therefore, breeding or selecting high-biomass-yielding, high quality and stress tolerant miscanthus varieties is essential for the extension of miscanthus for bioenergy production. To effectively select elite germplasms and breed new varieties of miscanthus, it is necessary to establish a scientific evaluation method for analysing their energy potential. In this study, a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) model was designed to evaluate the potential of miscanthus germplasms as feedstock in four energy usages including combustion for power generation (CPG), pyrolysis for bio-oil production (PBP), fermentation for ethanol production (FEP) and fermentation for biogas production (FBP). The MCDM model was constructed based on 11 sub-criteria indices, which were grouped into agronomic-related and quality-related criteria indices. The agronomic-related criteria indices include dry matter yield, canopy height, stem diameter, tiller number and base diameter/canopy diameter ratio. The quality-related criteria indices include the leaf/stem ratio, moisture content, ash content, cellulose content, hemicellulose content and lignin content. Thirty-eight representative germplasms of miscanthus were evaluated. The MCDM analysis results showed that Miscanthus lutarioriparius (especially the XiangNanDi no. 1 variety) and Miscanthus floridulus (especially A0521) are the best species for CPG/PBP and FEP/FBP, respectively. These results are superior to those calculated by the traditional energy potential assessment method, which showed that Miscanthus floridulus was the most suitable species for CPG, FEP and FBP, especially A0521 and D0624. Moreover, the analysis also indicated that D0505 (M. floridulus) can be used as a suitable parent together with XiangNanDi no. 1 to breed new varieties for CPG and PBP; XiangNanDi no. 1 can be used as an alternative parent for breeding to improve A0521 for use in FEP and FBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel control method for an asymmetrical-cascaded-multilevel-converter-based hybrid energy storage system (HESS), which includes one battery and several electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs). Traditionally, it is challenging to control the power distribution between different cascaded H-bridges by using different energy storage components as dc sources. In this paper, a feedforward space-vector-modulation (FFSVM) technique is used to distribute the active power between the battery and EDLCs. With the proposed voltage feedforward mechanism, the HESS can flexibly operate in the normal operation mode, the high-power output mode, and the reverse power absorption mode. The principle and effectiveness of the improved FFSVM technique are analyzed. Meanwhile, the state-of-charge-balancing mechanisms are introduced. The simulation results obtained in MATLAB/Simulink as well as the experimental results of a hybrid energy storage test bed based on the proposed system are presented to verify its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Deposition of bimetals on Z-scheme photocatalysts has been reported to improve the nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 −) reduction properties. However, it is not clear whether bimetal deposition possesses advantage over single metal deposition and what is the different reaction mechanisms. In this work, the g-C 3 N 4 (Pd-Cu)/rGO/TiO 2 and g-C 3 N 4 (Ag)/rGO/TiO 2 composites with bimetallic Pd-Cu and single metal Ag deposited on the graphitic carbon nitride/reduced graphene oxide/titanium dioxide (g-C 3 N 4 /rGO/TiO 2) Z-scheme photocatalyst were prepared, and their photocatalytic NO 3 − reduction properties and the mechanisms under visible light irradiation were studied. The results showed that the NO 3 − and total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiencies of g-C 3 N 4 (Pd-Cu)/rGO/TiO 2 were 57.78% and 20.1%, respectively, 1.15 and 1.72 times higher than those of g-C 3 N 4 (Ag)/rGO/TiO 2. This can be ascribed to that Pd-Cu enriched more electrons and absorbed more NO 3 − molecules due to the different charge densities, and the NO 3 − reduction process were enhanced by the staged NO 3 −→NO 2 − and NO 2 −→N 2 /NH 4 + processes on Cu and Pd. The effects of reductive species were demonstrated to be photogenerated electrons > ·OH (·CO 2 −) > ·O 2 − in g-C 3 N 4 (Ag)/rGO/TiO 2 , while it was photogenerated electrons > ·O 2 − > ·OH (·CO 2 −) in g-C 3 N 4 (Pd-Cu)/rGO/TiO 2 , which may be caused by the better O 2 reduction property of the latter. Finally, the cyclic experiment proved the good stability of both materials. This work provided some reference for design of metal deposited Z-scheme photocatalysts for various reduction reactions. [Display omitted] • The g-C 3 N 4 (Cu-Pd)/rGO/TiO 2 and g-C 3 N 4 (Ag)/rGO/TiO 2 composites were prepared. • The NO 3 − reduction performances and mechanisms were studied and compared. • The reductive species in g-C 3 N 4 (Ag)/rGO/TiO 2 were e– > ·OH (·CO 2 −) > ·O 2 −. • The reductive species in g-C 3 N 4 (Cu-Pd)/rGO/TiO 2 were e– > ·O 2 − > ·OH (·CO 2 −). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) has been demonstrated to be a more effective method for preserving livers donated after circulatory death (DCD) than cold storage (CS); however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of HMP on rat DCD livers and the possible role of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling pathway. A total of 18 adult male rats were randomly divided into three groups: Control, HMP and CS (n=6 per group). To simulate the conditions of DCD liver transplantation, rat livers in the CS and HMP groups were subjected to 30 min warm ischemia following cardiac arrest and were then preserved by CS or HMP for 3 h. Subsequently, after 1 h of isolated reperfusion, the extent of ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) and cellular functions were assessed. During reperfusion, intrahepatic resistance and bile production were measured, and the perfusion fluid was collected for liver enzyme analysis. The liver tissues were then harvested for the assessment of malondialdehyde (MDA) production, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, ATP levels, as well as for histological analysis, immunohistochemistry and a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay. Finally, the expression levels of the components associated with the Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway were analyzed via western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results of the present study revealed that, compared with in the CS group, the HMP group exhibited higher levels of ATP, bile production and SOD activity, and improved histological results; however, lower levels of liver enzymes, apoptosis and MDA were detected. Additionally, the findings of the present study also suggested that the Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway may be activated by the steady laminar flow of HMP. In conclusion, HMP may attenuate ischemia-reperfusion injury to rat DCD livers via activation of the Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensification of livestock farming and use of arable forage crops has led to a decrease in the area of grassland used for animal husbandry. One potentially profitable use of this grassland is the production of biomass for bioenergy. The C4 grass miscanthus ( Miscanthus spp.) is considered an important biomass resource for bioenergy production; however, its cultivation is currently limited by the shortage of suitable agricultural land. The establishment of miscanthus on permanent grassland, at low densities and without destruction of the existing vegetation, could be an interesting option to consider. In this way, the expansion of miscanthus cultivation could be combined with grassland maintenance. Conventional tilling practices in miscanthus establishment (ploughing and herbicide application) on meadows can lead to loss of biodiversity. The aim of this study was to investigate efficient no-till practices for establishment and maintenance of several miscanthus genotypes on permanent grassland in Germany, focusing on the methods to improve establishment success and biomass production potential of miscanthus-supplemented grassland. A field trial was conducted at two sites to assess the effect of genotype, grassland pre-treatment (through temporary suppression of existing vegetation to reduce initial competition) and management (harvest frequencies) on miscanthus establishment and growth in grassland stands. An additional experiment with two miscanthus genotypes was set up to assess the effect of propagation method (rhizomes or pre-grown plantlets) on miscanthus establishment on grassland. Successful miscanthus establishment was achieved with no-till planting and grassland pre-treatment. Overall, miscanthus genotypes with tall, thick shoots performed better on grassland than those with short, thin shoots. Higher establishment rates were achieved through the transplanting of rhizome-derived (pre-grown) plantlets than with direct planting of rhizomes. Cutting the grassland vegetation to a stubble height of 5 cm and spraying herbicide in narrow strips before introducing miscanthus had beneficial effects on its establishment, without significant negative impact on grassland productivity. In the first three years of the study, two biomass harvests per growing season allowed a good total biomass yield from grassland to be achieved without significant impact on miscanthus growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We aimed to carry out a retrospective study from a single institution to determine whether radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation decreases the risk of recurrence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) patients that presented with lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a total of 6361 consecutive PTMC patients who initially underwent surgery for the treatment of thyroid carcinoma at the First Hospital of Jilin University, between January 2005 and February 2015. Altogether, 137 patients with PTMC with LLNM have been enrolled in our study. Results: The disease-free survival period was significantly shorter for the RAI (−) patients than for the RAI (+) patients ( p = 0.0074 by the log-rank test). The disease-free survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 93.02 and 87.5%, respectively, in the RAI (−) group and 100 and 96.81%, respectively, in the RAI (+) group. CLNM ratio and LLNM ratio were factors identified for multivariate analysis by Cox's proportional hazards method yielding risk ratios of 7.281 [CI 1.804-17.554; p = 0.010] and 1.157 [CI 1.0125-9.381; p = 0.048] in the RAI (−) group. Conclusion: Taken together, RAI may be beneficial for PTMC with LLNM, especially when CLNM ratio or LLNM ratio was greater than 0.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interferometric test of large convex aspheres with high accuracy is still an urgent problem. Adopting a large-aperture null corrector is usually inevitable, and it is imperative to certify the large-aperture null optics in case incorrect final shape of the aspheric mirror is obtained. Moreover, it is necessary to calibrate and remove errors of the large-aperture null lens and trace errors to surfaces that are easy to obtain high accuracy. For these purpose, this paper presents an in situ calibrated null test method. The large-aperture null corrector for convex aspheric mirror is verified and calibrated by a wisely designed small aperture certifying null whose surfaces are either flat or spherical which are easy to be fabricated, measured and assembled. A redundant test is implemented by a Zygo VeriFire Asphere interferometer for cross test. Compared with existing methods of certificating null correctors which utilize an expensive CGH or a self-aligning aspherical mirror, the presented method finally traces errors of a large-aperture null corrector to small aperture flat and spherical surfaces thus costs are expected to be saved dramatically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subaperture stitching test in combination of the reconfigurable optical null we proposed recently provides flexible solutions to various surfaces including convex aspheres and even aspheres of large aperture. However it is challenging for the stitching optimization to get the real surface error because the surface error is strongly coupled with misalignment-induced aberrations in near-null subaperture measurements. Aiming at this challenge, we first figure out the property of aberrations induced by misalignment of optical null or test surface. It shows that identical misalignment of the optical null introduces nearly identical aberrations to subapertures with different off-axis distances, while misalignment of the test surface introduces little aberrations to the central subaperture. The stitching algorithm is then proposed with focus on decoupling surface error and induced aberrations. The major step is to calibrate out the effect of misaligned near-null optics before stitching optimization by using the central subaperture measurement. We also present the through-the-back null test for the purpose of cross test. The axial distance is precisely monitored by a low coherence interferometer, which enables accurate determination of the spherical aberration component of surface error. Final experimental results show consistent spherical aberration obtained by stitching test and by the through-the-back null test. It is a big step towards instrumentation of subaperture stitching test for aspheres with rather big amount of misalignments in surface metrology practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the research focus of subaperture stitching interferometry shifting from flat wavefronts to aspheric ones, a variety of algorithms for stitching optimization have been proposed. We try to category and compare the algorithms in this paper by their modeling of misalignment-induced subaperture aberrations which are of low orders. A simple way is to relate the aberrations to misalignment by linear approximation with small angle assumption. But it can not exactly model the induced aberrations of aspheres. In general, the induced aberrations can be fitted to free polynomials and then removed from subaperture measurements. However, it is at the risk of mixing up the surface error and the induced aberrations. The misalignment actually introduces different terms of aberrations with certain proportions. The interrelation is then determined through analytical modeling or ray tracing. The analytical model-based algorithm and the ray tracing-based algorithm both are tedious, aperture shape-related and surface type-specific. While the configuration space-based algorithm we proposed numerically calculates the surface height change under rigid body transformation, it is generally applicable to various surface types and different aperture shapes. Simulations and experiments are presented to compare the stitching results when different algorithms are applied to null cylindrical subapertures measured with a computer generated hologram. The configuration space-based algorithm shows superior flexibility and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new zonal wavefront reconstruction algorithm with pixel-level spatial resolution and high accuracy is proposed, which is able to reconstruct the original wavefront of general aperture shape from only two difference wavefronts measured at two orthogonal shear directions with shear amounts equaling arbitrary moderate integral multiples of the sample interval. Based on this algorithm, a quasi-absolute surface figure test method is presented, which requires only two additional translational measurements with shifts of arbitrary moderate integral multiples of sample interval along x and y directions besides the original position measurement. Optical schemes of the proposed method for testing flat, spherical and cylindrical surfaces are investigated, and special considerations and challenges for calibrating spheres and cylinders are also briefly formulated theoretically. Thorough errors analysis is formulated for obtaining high accuracy test result. Simulations and experiments on a flat surface are conducted to validate the proposed algorithm and method. Compared with existing absolute test methods with Pseudo-Shear Interferometry (PSI) technique, the presented method has advantages, like, less number of measurements, arbitrary moderate shear amounts and the high signal-to-noise ratio it can reach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous P84 co-polyimide anion exchange membranes are prepared by phase inversion process using isopropanol (IPA) or water as the non-solvent. Membrane area resistances are in the range of 0.7–2.2 Ω cm 2 , lower than those of commercial anion exchange membrane AMX (2.0–3.5 Ω cm 2 ) and dense P84 membrane (>80 Ω cm 2 ). The ion exchange capacities (IECs) are in the range of 0.6–0.9 mmol/g and the water uptake (W R ) values are 100–160%, both of which are higher than those of dense P84 membrane. The porous P84 co-polyimide membranes are utilized in bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) process to produce lactobionic acid (LBA) and NaOH from sodium lactobionic. The pore morphology and IECs influence the output of LBA significantly. Membrane with big tear-like pores shows higher W R value and can produce 0.0555–0.0565 mol/L LBA. Sponge-like pores with IEC of 0.9 mmol/g can yield 0.0724 mol/L LBA after 180 min running under 20 V, while sponge-like pores with IEC of 0.7 mmol/g yield reduced LBA concentration of 0.0593 mol/L, illustrating that higher IEC is in favour of the passage of LB − . The porous P84 membranes have improved efficiency as compared with commercial membrane AMX (0.0451 mol/L) and the dense P84 membrane (merely 0.0162 mol/L) in the production of LBA. Meanwhile, the Na + leakage through the porous membrane is similar to that of the commercial membrane. Hence, the porous membranes, due to their low resistances, can have high potential for producing organic acid with high molecular weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffusion dialysis (DD) technique is nowadays mainly utilized for recovering acid or alkali solutions, but the recovery of salts such as sodium chloride (NaCl) and sodium acetate (NaAc) is much more difficult due to their low diffusivity. Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) membranes containing functional groups of C OH, Si OH, N + (CH 3 ) 3 and SO 3 Na are pioneered for DD process of salts. The membranes have improved stability in water and salt solution. The dialysis coefficients of NaCl (U NaCl ) are in the range of 0.00196–0.00290 m/h, which are 6–30 times higher than the values of commercial DF-9010 and CJMCDD-1 membranes. The dialysis coefficients of NaAc (U NaAc ) are in the range of 0.00108–0.00503 m/h, which are 30–143 times higher than the value of CJMCDD-1 membrane, whereas DF-9010 membrane has poor stability in NaAc solution. Finally, PECs/PVA membranes are applied to NaCl/threonine (Thr) mixture and NaAc waste residue solution, showing their outstanding advantages for DD process of salts. The membranes show both high permeability and selectivity for NaCl/Thr mixture, with separation factor (S NaCl/Thr ) as high as 6.495 (DF-9010: 1.25; CJMCDD-1: 0.224). The U NaAc values for NaAc waste residue solution are 0.000602–0.00120 m/h, higher than that of commercial CJMCDD-1 membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miscanthus is characterized by high biomass production potential and low input requirements and therefore considered a leading candidate for second-generation energy crops. Because China has limited agricultural land resources, development of its miscanthus-based bioenergy industry must rely on the use of marginal land. This study focuses on the assessment of the production potential of miscanthus on China’s marginal land, which in this context is defined as land presently not used for agricultural production, residential purposes and other social uses. Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques and model simulation are adopted to identify the productive marginal areas for miscanthus and to estimate their biomass and bioenergy production potential. The results show that although a large marginal area of 17,163.54×10 4 ha is available for producing miscanthus, due to the limitation of low winter temperatures and low precipitation levels in some areas, the total suitable marginal area is only 769.37×10 4 ha. The Monteith radiation yield model was used to determine the potential miscanthus yield in Chinese climatic conditions. The simulation gave actual harvestable yield levels on arable land of 18.1–44.2 t ha −1 yr −1 . Taking the environmental stresses of marginal conditions into account then gave an achievable miscanthus yield potential on marginal land of 2.1–32.4 t ha −1 yr −1 (average for the different marginal lands). Based on these achievable yield levels, the total biomass production potential on the entire marginal area is 13,521.7×10 4 t yr −1 ; the bio-electricity generation and total greenhouse gas saving potential from these biomasses are 183.9 TW h yr −1 and 21,242.4×10 4 t CO 2 eq. yr −1 , respectively. The spatial distribution of the suitable marginal areas shows that they are mainly concentrated in the central part of Northeast China and the Loess Plateau. Both regions are recommended as priority development zones for the Chinese miscanthus-based bioenergy industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large amounts of solid waste residue containing high salinity and a series of organic impurities are produced during the manufacturing process of dithianon in insecticide factories, posing a severe environmental pollution problem. Here sodium acetate (CH 3 COONa) waste residue is firstly tested by diffusion dialysis (DD) to investigate the permeability of different commercial ion exchange membranes. Selemion CMV and AMV membranes show low permeability to the organic impurities of the waste residue, and hence are chosen for the following bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) experiments to regenerate acid and base. The BMED firstly uses a BP-A-C-BP configuration to select an optimized current density of ∼50 mA/cm 2 . Afterwards, four membrane stack configurations are compared including BP-A-C-BP, C-BP-A-C, BP-C-BP and BP-A-BP. In consideration of the high current efficiency, low energy consumption, and high concentrations of the produced acid/base, C-BP-A-C is a favorable configuration. Finally, the addition of a strong acid 001 ∗ 7 type of cation-exchange resin into acid compartment can substantially decrease the voltage drop across the stack and reduce the energy consumption. The C-BP-A-C configuration at 50 mA/cm 2 can have a high output (0.491 mol/L CH 3 COOH and 0.556 mol/L NaOH), high current efficiency (87.7% for CH 3 COOH and 99.0% for NaOH), and a relatively low energy consumption (22.3 kW h/kg CH 3 COOH and 29.7 kW h/kg NaOH). Overall, this study illustrates the practical significance of BMED process for treating sodium acetate waste residue, including reducing soil and water pollution and producing valuable products in insecticide industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several species of the genus Miscanthus are characterized by high biomass yields and low input requirements, and there is increasing interest in their commercial use for bioenergy production. However, the lack of inexpensive and effective propagation and establishment techniques is currently limiting the potential of miscanthus as a commercial bioenergy crop. In this review, through an evaluation of previous studies, results of our own field trials, experiments and farmer surveys, we concluded that there are five main approaches that can be used for miscanthus establishment. First is direct rhizome planting which is relatively mature, easily realized and inexpensive (1904–3375.7 € ha −1 ); therefore it is the method mostly preferred by farmers. However, in the long term, its low dividing efficiency (1:10) will cause a conflict between the demand for and supply of rhizomes for large-scale plantations. Compared to the direct rhizome planting, an increased multiplication ratio (1:30) has been realized using rhizome- or stem-derived plantlets. However, due to higher labour and energy inputs required for the pre-growing of plantlets, their establishment cost reduction potential is limited, with estimated costs of between 4240.8 € ha −1 and 4400.8 € ha −1 . The seed-setting rate of miscanthus ( Miscanthus sinensis ) is very low (0.0–28.7%) under the climatic conditions of south-west Germany, making commercial seed production difficult. The high multiplication ratio (1:960) and fast bulk-up production potential achieved by micropropagation provide an opportunity to reduce the costs of this currently most expensive establishment method (6320.8 € ha −1 ). The cheapest method could be direct seed sowing (1508.5 € ha −1 ) if it will become feasible in future. Additionally, the recently developed CEED technology may become a good alternative, if it is not too expensive. For all the propagation methods considered, new technologies and research efforts are required to reduce the material production costs and simultaneously increase the multiplication ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Himalayan gneiss domes (NHGD), as one of the extensional structures widely distributed across the southern Tibetan Plateau, are an important window for studying post-collisional diastrophism and magmation as well as polymetallic mineralization. However, the deep mechanism for the formation of NHGD remains controversial. The magneto-telluric (MT) method was adopted to study the deep structure of the Cuonadong dome in the Northern Himalayas. The characteristics of the dome were explored by using the MT sounding curves and phase tensors. Three-dimensional (3D) MT inversion was performed to determine the electrical resistivity structure beneath the Cuonadong dome. The preferred 3D electrical resistivity model shows that an obvious low-resistivity anomaly develops beneath the Cuonadong dome which is overlaid by a high-resistivity body and surrounded by an apparent subcircular zone of low-resistivity anomalies. The integrated conductivity (longitudinal conductance) from depths of 1–20 km indicates that the average longitudinal conductance at the core of the Cuonadong dome is about 10,000 S. The high-conductivity anomaly at the core is found to be analogous to that of lava, mainly resulting from the crustal partial melting, and the estimated melt content is 11.0–17.3%. The high conductance surrounding the dome reaches 20,000 S on average, which is mainly attributed to saline fluids. MT results in this study support that the Cuonadong dome experienced magmatic diapirism. Taken together with previous geological and geochemical studies, we suggest that under the east-west (E-W) extensional tectonic setting in southern Tibet, deep crustal partial melting constantly accumulated beneath the dome, and therefore the magmatic diapirism resulted in the formation of the Cuonadong dome. In addition, the MT results also indicate that the development of the Cuonadong dome provides abundant mineralizing fluids and the space for migration of metallogenic fluids for (rare-metal) polymetallic mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Himalayan gneiss domes (NHGD), as one of the extensional structures widely distributed across the southern Tibetan Plateau, are an important window for studying post-collisional diastrophism and magmation as well as polymetallic mineralization. However, the deep mechanism for the formation of NHGD remains controversial. The magneto-telluric (MT) method was adopted to study the deep structure of the Cuonadong dome in the Northern Himalayas. The characteristics of the dome were explored by using the MT sounding curves and phase tensors. Three-dimensional (3D) MT inversion was performed to determine the electrical resistivity structure beneath the Cuonadong dome. The preferred 3D electrical resistivity model shows that an obvious low-resistivity anomaly develops beneath the Cuonadong dome which is overlaid by a high-resistivity body and surrounded by an apparent subcircular zone of low-resistivity anomalies. The integrated conductivity (longitudinal conductance) from depths of 1–20 km indicates that the average longitudinal conductance at the core of the Cuonadong dome is about 10,000 S. The high-conductivity anomaly at the core is found to be analogous to that of lava, mainly resulting from the crustal partial melting, and the estimated melt content is 11.0–17.3%. The high conductance surrounding the dome reaches 20,000 S on average, which is mainly attributed to saline fluids. MT results in this study support that the Cuonadong dome experienced magmatic diapirism. Taken together with previous geological and geochemical studies, we suggest that under the east-west (E-W) extensional tectonic setting in southern Tibet, deep crustal partial melting constantly accumulated beneath the dome, and therefore the magmatic diapirism resulted in the formation of the Cuonadong dome. In addition, the MT results also indicate that the development of the Cuonadong dome provides abundant mineralizing fluids and the space for migration of metallogenic fluids for (rare-metal) polymetallic mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkaline solution containing NaOH and NaAl(OH) 4 is produced largely during extracting aluminum from aluminum ore. Conventionally alkali and alumina-bearing components in the solution are separated by purification, filtration and precipitation, so that gibbsite precipitation is obtained and the alkaline liquor can be returned to the circuit. The feasibility of membrane separation, including diffusion dialysis (DD) and electrodialysis (ED), is investigated by batch DD and ED running with total 6.15×10 –4 m 2 and 2.865×10 –3 m 2 membranes, respectively. The DD running shows that the dialysis coefficient of OH − ( U O H − ) is at a low level (0.0028–0.0031 m/h), mainly because of the hydrophobic nature of the membrane matrix and absence of a pressure difference or an electrical field as the driving force. The OH − recovery ratio is 6.3%, the Al(OH) 4 − leakage ratio is 0.6%, and the caustic ratio ( α k ) can reach up to 17.8 after 4 h. As for ED running, the OH − recovery ratio is substantially enhanced, while the Al(OH) 4 − leakage and α k value can still meet the industrial requirements. The OH − recovery ratio, Al(OH) 4 − leakage ratio and α k are 48.0%, 12.6% and 7.9, respectively, when OH − concentration is ~1.55 mol/L in the feed chamber, and the ED current density is 350.0 mA/cm 2 . The current efficiency is 62.5% and the energy consumption is 12.43 kW h/kg, relatively high because of use of a 0.01 m plexiglas spacer between two neighboring membranes, the increase of the solution temperature which is caused by the high current density. Overall, the ED process is a more effective approach to treat the alumina alkaline solution. Much higher alkali concentration and recovery ratio can be achieved in a short time because of the higher permeability, leading to higher treatment capacity for ED device. The DD process, on the other hand, has advantages of low energy consumption, low membrane fouling and environmental friendliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, to enhance the mineralization of the organic dyes, the g-C 3 N 4 (Ag)/Gr/TiO 2 Z-scheme photocatalyst was successfully prepared by hydrothermal method. The XRD and XPS results showed that the nanocomposite was constructed. The SEM and EDS results showed that the morphology of g-C 3 N 4 (Ag)/Gr/TiO 2 was that TiO 2 nanoparticles distributed on the surface of the Gr/g-C 3 N 4 layers. The photocatalytic performance of the prepared samples was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation and mineralization of RhB under visible light irradiation. The degradation efficiency of RhB on g-C 3 N 4 (Ag)/Gr/TiO 2 reached 99.7% within 2 h, and the kinetic rate (0.0431 min−1) was 7.1, 7.1, 2.2, 2.0 and 1.3 times higher than those of g-C 3 N 4 , TiO 2 , g-C 3 N 4 (Ag)/Gr, g-C 3 N 4 /TiO 2 , and g-C 3 N 4 /Gr/TiO 2 , respectively. The total organic carbon (TOC) removal results showed that the mineralization efficiency of RhB on this composite was as high as 74.5% after 2 h of reaction time. During the photocatalytic process, it was speculated that Gr acted as the electron transporter between TiO 2 and g-C 3 N 4 , which reduced the recombination efficiency of photo-generated charge carriers, and silver clusters acted as an electron reservoir to accelerate the reduction reaction of photo-generated electrons on the g-C 3 N 4 conduction band, and further improved the photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the effect of perennial energy crop (PEC) cultivation on soil organic carbon (SOC) in marginal land soil is vital for carbon neutrality and bioeconomy development. However, a comprehensive and systematic evaluation of the response of SOC content to different PECs and its underlying drivers is still lacking. We used soil data collected from infertile red topsoil (0–20 cm) after 10 years of cultivation with Miscanthus (MS), Panicum virgatum (SG), and Saccharum arundinaceum (SA) to explore the changes in SOC stock induced by PEC. The roles of physical, chemical, and microbiological factors driving the increase in the SOC stock were investigated. Results revealed that SA and MS enhanced SOC stock by 87.97% and 27.52% relative to the uncultivated control. Conversely, PEC increased the percentage of soil mega‐aggregates, geometric mean diameters, soil chelate iron (Fe), and aluminum (Al) oxides, and reduced soil acidity for the infertile red soils. In addition, fungal richness and diversity for PEC soils were enhanced compared to the unplanted soil. It is possible that PEC cultivation reduced the relative abundance of copiotrophic fungi but increased the relative abundance of oligotrophic fungi. Furthermore, variance partitioning analysis revealed that chemical and microbiological factors accounted for 80.54% of the total variation for the SOC stock. The partial least squares path model showed that PEC cultivation enhanced soil carbon (C) stock via soil deacidification and increased soil bacterial function. In conclusion, this study confirms the SOC sequestration potential of PEC cultivation in marginal land and the underlying mechanism driving SOC stock. The main positive factors controlling soil C sequestration included "pH," while the negative factors were "bacterial community," "fungal community," and "bacterial function." Our research may help encourage and support decision‐makers of wasted marginal land conversion to PEC cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forty-nine wild oil plants which are abundant in the Tsinling and Zhongtiao Mountains were investigated and screened as raw material for biodiesel production. The oil content was tested and found to be greatly variable, ranging from 10 to 62.8 %. Fatty acid profiles of their vegetable oils were analyzed, and their acid value, saponification number, and iodine value were found to range from 1.6 to 61.3 mg KOH/g, 128.6 to 225.9 mg KOH/g, and 54.3 to 120.9 g I/100 g, respectively. Cetane number, kinematic viscosity, specific gravity, high heating values, and cold filter plugging point of the 49 vegetable-oil methyl esters (MEs) were empirically calculated and were found to vary from 38.8 to 66.6, 2.9 to 4.2 mm/s, 841.4 to 883.8 kg/m, 39.0 to 47.5 kJ/g, and −14.3 to 13.2 °C, respectively. Almost half (25 species) of all the sampled resources were found to be suitable for biodiesel production since the profiles of their vegetable-oil MEs met the major specifications of Chinese and European Union biodiesel standards, GB/T20828 and EN-14214, respectively. Grey relational analysis was used during the optimum-species screening process. The difference between the individual species and the artificial designed ideal species (the best biodiesel plant type in this paper) was calculated and evaluated with the help of grey relational grade, which varied from 0.467 to 0.686. Finally, the selected plants, Prunus salicina Linn. and Amygdalus davidiana (C.) C. de Vos, were considered as the optimal feedstock for biodiesel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Next‐generation gene and engineered‐cell therapies benefit from incorporating synthetic gene networks that can precisely regulate the therapeutic output in response to externally administered signal inputs that are safe, readily bioavailable and pleasant to take. To enable such therapeutic control, a mammalian gene switch is designed to be responsive to the natural sweetener xylose and its functionality is assessed in mouse studies. The gene switch consists of the bacterial transcription regulator XylR fused to a mammalian transactivator, which binds to an optimized promoter in the presence of xylose, thereby allowing dose‐dependent transgene expression. The sensitivity of SWEET (sweetener‐inducible expression of transgene) is improved by coexpressing a xylose transporter. Mice implanted with encapsulated SWEET‐engineered cells show increased blood levels of cargo protein when taking xylose‐sweetened water or coffee, or highly concentrated apple extract, while they do not respond to intake of a usual amount of carrots, which contain xylose. In a proof‐of‐concept therapeutic application study, type‐1 diabetic mice engineered with insulin‐expressing SWEET show lowered glycemia and increased insulin levels when administered this fairly diabetic‐compliant sweetener, compared to untreated mice. A SWEET‐based therapy appears to have the potential to integrate seamlessly into patients' life‐style and food habits in the move toward personalized medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the nutritional components of Miscanthus floridulus at different periods (germination period, elongation stage and head sprouting period) and to study the degradation characteristics of Miscanthus floridulus at the period of elongation in the rumen of goats, five Mindong goats fitted with the permanent ruminal fistula were selected to determine the degradation rate of Miscanthus floridulus at different time points (4, 8, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72 h) in the rumen, and the degradation parameters and effective degradation rate were also calculated. The results showed that: the contents of CP, NDF and ADF in the stems and leaves of Miscanthus floridulus in different periods were quite different. Among them, Miscanthus floridulus at the period of elongation had the characteristics of high biomass and better nutritional quality, which was suitable for the goat farming. The degradation rates of DM, CP, NDF and ADF in Miscanthus floridulus at the period of elongation increased in the rumen of goats with the time variation, and reached the maximum at 72 h, with the degradation rates of 42.94%, 59.31%, 44.15% and 39.65%, respectively, and the effective degradation rates of 30.03%, 40.74%, 29.80% and 27.41%, respectively. The 72 h degradation rate and the effective degradation rate (ED) of CP were significantly higher than those of DM, NDF and ADF (P<0.05). In summary, Miscanthus floridulus at the period of elongation had higher nutritional value and ruminal degradation characteristic, and was an unconventional roughage forage with development potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) has been recognized as a potential energy crop due to high dry biomass yield and sugar content in its stems, which are composed of nodes and internodes. In this study, a field experiment with middle and late maturity types was conducted to investigate dynamics in length and diameter, elongation, and dry weight of elongated internodes (EIs) in sweet sorghum plants. The EI thermal time duration varied from 151.5 to 399.7 growing degree days (GDD) for the two cultivars in the two years. Simple linear regression models were developed to describe the relationship between node and EI numbers (correlation coefficient (R 2)=0.93**, root mean square error (RMSE)=0.80), and between the dry mass content per unit length (DML) and EI order (R 2 =0.90**, RMSE=0.11gcm−1). The stem dry weight on the maturity date was simulated as the sum of the products of the DML and the maximal length of all EIs (R 2 =0.84**, RMSE=9.0). The change in thermal time of an internode elongation start with the EI order was simulated using the cubic equation (R 2 =0.97**, RMSE=0.019). A revised logistic equation was used to simulate the dynamics in the internode elongation with GDD after the EI divided into five groups (EIG) (R 2 varied between 0.93** and 0.98**; RMSE between 0.28cm and 1.45cm). The models validation exhibited highly significant correlation coefficients between observed and simulated values for all the developed models. The findings will afford insight into growth and development and will facilitate the construction of an integrated sweet sorghum model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, we consider the pinning effect for full Ginzburg-Landau functional on a superconducting hollow sphere. The existence of local minimizers with vortices locating in the pinning regions is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Complete characterization of surface error and thickness variation for hemispherical shells. • Interpretation and correction of pixel misalignment and mapping distortion. • Full aperture error map available through subaperture stitching. • Polar harmonics decomposition related to resonator performance. Geometric errors including the surface error and thickness variation of a hemispherical shell are determinant of the system performance, e.g. the frequency splitting of a hemispherical resonator gyroscope. Therefore, complete characterization at 0.1 µm level of accuracy is required which is difficult with current roundness measuring instruments. This paper presents an interferometric method for axially eccentric hemispherical shells. The outer surface and inner surface are measured individually by simply translating the shell along its anchor axis. The two measurements are registered after correction of pixel misalignment and mapping distortion through ray tracing. Thickness variation is then calculated from their difference. A multi-axis platform is designed to scan multiple subapertures covering the hemispherical shell. All subapertures are stitched together with misalignment corrected, according to the minimized inconsistency in the overlapping region of neighboring subapertures. The full aperture map is thus obtained for both the surface error and thickness variation. Polar harmonic representation is suggested by applying annular Zernike polynomial fitting. The method is experimentally demonstrated and validated with roundness cross test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most prominent deformation features on Tibetan plateau, a series of N-S systematic rifts and V-shaped conjugate strike-slip faults are well developed in central-southern Tibet. However the mechanism for the formation of the rifts and conjugate strike-slip faults is still controversial. An east-west trending magnetotelluric (MT) array has been operated across the Gyaring Co Fault (GCF) at the northern end of the Xainza-Dingjye Rift (XDR) in Lhasa block. Three-dimensional (3-D) inversions are employed to image lithospheric resistivity structure. Combined with the previous north-south MT 3-D inversion result, electrical resistivity models reveal obvious conductive layer in the mid-to-lower crust beneath the XDR and apparent resistivity change in the vicinity of the GCF. The calculated depth-integrated conductivity shows that the weak mid-to-lower crust (~30 km- ~ 60 km) characterized by high conductance (≥ ~10,000 S) and melt fraction of ~5–13%, is mainly distributed between the Indus-Yarlung suture (IYS) and the GCF, whereas the relatively rigid crust characterized by low conductance (≤ ~2000 S) and melt fraction of ~2–4% appears to the northeast of the GCF. The weak mid-to-lower crust in southern Tibet and the abrupt difference in the resistivity characteristics of the mid-to-lower crust in the vicinity of the GCF, suggest the formation of the rifts in Lhasa block is closely associated with the weak mid-to-lower crust. Taken together with the upper mantle seismic features, the weak mid-to-lower crust is believed to be attributed to the underplated Indian plate. An alternative geodynamic model is presented to respond to the eastward extrusion during the ongoing N-S convergence between the Indian and Eurasian plates, that the rigid crust in central Tibet is sandwiched by the weak mid-to-lower crust in southern and northern Tibet, and the rifts form above the weak mid-to-lower crust, whereas the conjugate strike-slip faults develop on the rigid crust in central Tibet. [Display omitted] • 3-D inversion resistivity models are obtained from the orthogonal MT arrays in Lhasa terrane. • Apparent resistivity variation in the mid-to-lower crust is revealed beneath the vicinity of the strike-slip faulting. • The rifts form above the weak crust, whereas the conjugate strike-slip faults develop on the rigid crust in central Tibet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance advantages of high-entropy alloy (HEA) have become a consensus. However, the current preparation methods are mostly focused on thermal processing methods, and the research on the preparation of HEA coatings using electrochemical technology is generally rare. Therefore, in this study, the CoCrFeNi HEA coating was synthesized by electrodeposition technology and the effect of graphene oxide (GO) concentration on the microstructure and tribological property of the HEA coating was further studied. The results showed that during the electrodeposition process, the four atoms of Co, Cr, Fe and Ni were co-deposited to form the HEA coating with a face-centered cubic crystal structure. The introduction of GO did not change the crystal structure of HEA coatings, and GO was also co-deposited with metal atoms to form the HEA-GO composite coating. Meanwhile, GO was distributed in composite coatings in the form of being encapsulated by the metal layer. The addition of GO improved the compactness of HEA coating and reduced the surface roughness. The increase in GO concentration helped to inhibit the formation of the stress-induced cracks on the surface of the composite coating, and significantly enhanced the wear resistance of HEA coating. When the GO concentration was 0.2 g/L, the wear resistance was the best. The wear form of composite coatings was independent of GO and its concentration, and was dominated by abrasive wear. • The electrodeposition method was used to prepare CoCrFeNi HEA coatings. • The addition of GO did not change the crystal structure of HEA coatings. • The addition of GO significantly improved the forming quality and increased the wear resistance of HEA coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miscanthus spp. has been regarded as a promising industrial plant for the sustainable production of bio-based materials. To assess its potential for microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) production, 50 representative clones of M. sinensis and M. floridulus were selected from a nationwide collection showcasing the extensive diversity of germplasm resources. Descriptive analysis indicates that the dry biomass weight of M. floridulus is advantageous whereas M. sinensis demonstrates higher MCC and CNCs yields as well as a smaller CNCs particle size. Correlation analyses indicated that MCC yield is solely influenced by the cellulose content whereas the yield of CNCs is affected by both the cellulose content and CrI. Comparative analyses of the chemical composition, physical features (degree of polymerization, crystalline index, particle size distribution and zeta potential), and scanning electron microscopy indicated that the MCC and CNCs extracted from M. sinensis and M. floridulus exhibited remarkable stability and quality. Additionally, the CNCs derived from M. sinensis and M. floridulus exhibited a distinctive ball-shaped structure. Notably, machine learning has demonstrated its efficacy and effectiveness in the high-throughput screening of large populations of Miscanthus spp. for predicting the yield of MCC and CNCs. Our results have also laid the theoretical foundation for the exploration, cultivation, and genetic breeding of M. sinensis and M. floridulus germplasm resources with the purpose of MCC and CNCs preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China, as a significant global consumer of chemical fertilizers and a leading producer of rice, faces challenges associated with low fertilizer efficiency and fewer utilization options of rice husks. The development of rice husk biochar‐based fertilizers (RHBF) offers a strategic solution to address these issues. In this study, diverse biochar fertilizer production techniques were used to develop four types of fertilizers: blended RHBF, soaked RHBF, high‐pressure soaked RHBF, and pure rice husk biochar coated fertilizer. The nutrients slow‐releasing performance of these four RHBF were compared by hydrostatic and soil column intermittent leaching methods. Effects of their application on rice growth, yield, and cadmium reduction potential were analyzed and compared by the pot trial. Results demonstrated that nutrients of the four RHBF were generally released slower in the soil compared with the conventional compound fertilizer (CK). The slow nutrient release effect was more pronounced under high‐pressure soaked RHBF. Notably, in the soil column leaching experiment, the cumulative leaching rates of nitrogen and K2O for RHBF3 (12.0% and 13.9%) were greatly lower than those of CK (42.3% and 51.3%). Moreover, the application of RHBF induced a marked enhancement in the nutrient use efficiency, grain yield, harvest index, and photosynthetic characteristics compared to CK. The average agronomic efficiency of P2O5 for the four RHBF increased by 102.8% compared with CK, while the average grain yield of the four RHBF increased by 20.6%. In addition, RHBF showed a significant reduction in Cd mobilization by an average of 80.1% compared to CK. This study offers a promising model for enhancing the comprehensive performance of RHBF and optimizing traditional fertilizer application practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We numerically investigate the temperature characteristics of the bright soliton and a Gaussian beam in a photorefractive crystal circuit, in which two photorefractive crystals are connected with an external voltage source. The results indicate that the dynamical evolution of the bright soliton and the Gaussian beam formed in one crystal depend strongly on the temperature of the other crystal, in which the dark soliton is formed. For the bright soliton, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the soliton increases and the center deflection decreases with the increase of the dark soliton crystal temperature. The Gaussian beam shows the similar evolution behaviors and experiences periodic compression and expansion during propagation. The deviation between the bright soliton and the Gaussian beam, however, becomes obvious as the increase of the temperature of the dark soliton crystal. A Gaussian beam that is mismatched with the bright soliton supported by the crystal could evolve into a bright solitary wave by tuning the temperature of the dark soliton crystal properly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miscanthus lutarioriparius is an endemic species in China and has been widely accepted as a promising eco-bioindustrial plant. Currently, predominantly used germplasms have narrow genetic diversity, which causes a gene resource utilization plateau. Therefore, this study was designed to map the geographic and genetic distribution of M. lutarioriparius. Grid search tuning technique was applied to combine occurrence sites, which was followed by the genetic diversity analysis using the Simple Sequence Repeat markers. The results have revealed that the natural distribution of M. lutarioriparius is in the area with altitude less than 300 m and enclosed by the eastern line of East China Sea, western boundary along the longitude line of 111° E, northern boundary of the Qinling-Huai River line, and the southern line of the 27–28° N in Hunan and Jiangxi, and the 30° N line in Zhejiang. The further analysis has demonstrated that the northern line is mainly determined by the climatic factors, whereas the other three boundaries by the dispersal barriers of the sea and high mountains. The genetic diversity of M. lutarioriparius across its distribution range is high with a total Nei's genetic diversity of 0.2462. Populations from the downstream of the Yangtze River generally have a higher genetic diversity than the relative upstream areas. The centeres of genetic diversity for the M. lutarioriparius across China are located in the central and the southern Jiangsu. Outcomes of this study will help expanding the M. lutarioriparius cultivation through improving breeding and subsequently accelerate the development of biobased industry. • Exact distribution range of M. lutarioriparius across China was firstly mapped. • Spatial distribution of M. lutarioriparius genetic variation was mapped. • M. lutarioriparius has a high genetic diversity than that of other monocots. • Key for the development of future biobased industry. • Central and southern Jiangsu are centers of M. lutarioriparius genetic variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miscanthus has been used to breed a variety of energy crops suitable for cultivation in various adverse environments. The collection, conservation, characterization and maintenance of Miscanthus genetic resources are the basic premises for improving Miscanthus crop varieties and their utilization. Large datasets will be generated at the same time. A system designed to manage and analyse those large datasets of Miscanthus germplasms in a coherent and systematic manner is urgently needed. In the present study, the Miscanthus Germplasm Database (MGDB) is constructed to rationalize the storage, update, query and analysis of Miscanthus germplasm data for a multiuser environment. A multi-criteria decision-making model has been introduced into the MGDB to help evaluate Miscanthus and screen elite germplasm. Four hundred eighty-five representative materials of Miscanthus were evaluated and the results are described below. 1. Assessment of the energy potential: Miscanthus lutarioriparius (particularly accession A0118) and Miscanthus floridulus (particularly accession C0540) are the best species to use for combustion for power generation (CPG)/pyrolysis for bio-oil production (PBP) and fermentation for ethanol production (FEP)/fermentation for biogas production (FBP), respectively. 2. Assessment of the breeding potential: The optimal crossing combination is M. lutarioriparius and M. floridulus because of the parental advantages and complementarity. The C0602/C0540 accessions (M. floridulus) represent a suitable parent together with A0118 to breed new varieties for CPG and PBP; A0118 represents as an alternative parent for breeding to improve C0540 for use in FEP and FBP. 3. Prediction of the species distribution: The elite germplasm resources of M. floridulus are mainly distributed in ten floristic regions: IIID9a, IIID9b, IIID9c, IIID9d, IIID10c, IIID11a, IIID11b, IIID11c, IIID11d and IIID12a. The elite germplasm resources of M. lutarioriparius are mainly distributed in four floristic regions: IIID9a, IIID9b, IIID9d and IIID10c. • A Miscanthus Germplasm Database is constructed to rationalize the storage, update, query and analysis of data. • The Miscanthus Germplasm Database can be used to screen elite germplasms. • The occurrence rate of elite germplasms in the floristic regions can be predicted using the Miscanthus Germplasm Database. • Parental materials for breeding different varieties can be selected using the Miscanthus Germplasm Database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-material lattices with tailorable coefficients of thermal expansion have been applied to a wide range of modern engineering systems. As supporting techniques for fabricating dual-material lattices with given coefficients of thermal expansion, the current existing methods for measuring the coefficient of thermal expansion have limited anti-interference ability. They ignore the measuring error caused by micro-displacement between the measurement sensor and the test sample. In this paper, we report a robust interferometric test method which can eliminate the measurement error caused by micro-displacement between the measurement sensor and the test sample. In the presented method, two parallel plane lenses are utilized to avoid the measurement error caused by translation, and the right lens is utilized as an angle detector to eliminate the measurement error caused by rotation. A robust interferometric testing setup was established using a distance measuring set and two plane lenses. The experiment results indicated that the method can avoid the measurement error induced by translation and has the potential to eliminate the measurement error induced by rotation using the rotational angle. This method can improve the anti-interference ability and accuracy by eliminating the measurement error. It is especially useful for high-precision thermal expansion measurement of dual-material lattices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative thermal expansion (NTE) lattices are widely used in aerospace engineering where the structures experience large temperature variation. However, the available range of NTE of the current lattices is quite narrow, which severely limits their engineering application. In this paper, we report an inverted trapezoid lattice (ITL) with large NTE. The NTE of the ITL is 2.6 times that of a typical triangular lattice with the same height and hypotenuse angle. Theoretically, with a pin-jointed assumption, the ITL can improve the NTE by order of magnitude if the length ratio of the composite rod is changed. In the presented ITL, a composite rod is utilized as the base of the ITL. The composite rod has large inner NTE. The inverted trapezoid structure converts the inner NTE to the vertical direction contraction and obtains an extra NTE. Finite element simulations and experimental verification by interferometric measurement were conducted to verify the large thermal expansion of the ITL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Enzyme-responsive aminoethyl anisamide modified squalenoyl-chidamide nanoparticles are constructed and characterized. • AEAA modified squalenoyl-chidamide nanoparticles demonstrated enhanced anti-pancreatic cancer effects in both in vitro and in vivo. • AEAA modified squalenoyl-chidamide nanoparticles were primarily transported through caveolin-mediated endocytosis in pancreatic cancer cells. We explored the potential of overcoming the dense interstitial barrier in pancreatic cancer treatment by enhancing the uptake of hydrophilic chemotherapeutic drugs. In this study, we synthesized the squalenoyl-chidamide prodrug (SQ-CHI), linking lipophilic squalene (SQ) with the hydrophilic antitumor drug chidamide (CHI) through a trypsin-responsive bond. Self-assembled nanoparticles with sigma receptor-bound aminoethyl anisamide (AEAA) modification, forming AEAA-PEG-SQ-CHI NPs (A-C NPs, size 116.6 ± 0.4 nm), and reference nanoparticles without AEAA modification, forming mPEG-SQ-CHI NPs (M−C NPs, size 88.3 ± 0.3 nm), were prepared. A-C NPs exhibited significantly higher in vitro CHI release (74.7 %) in 0.5 % trypsin medium compared to release (20.2 %) in medium without trypsin. In vitro cell uptake assays revealed 3.6 and 2.3times higher permeation of A-C NPs into tumorspheres of PSN-1/HPSC or CFPAC-1/HPSC, respectively, compared to M−C NPs. Following intraperitoneal administration to subcutaneous tumor-bearing nude mice, the A-C NPs group demonstrated significant anti-pancreatic cancer efficacy, inducing cancer cell apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that AEAA surface modification on nanoparticles promoted intracellular uptake through caveolin-mediated endocytosis. This nanoparticle system presents a novel therapeutic approach for pancreatic cancer treatment, offering a delivery strategy to enhance efficacy through improved tumor permeation, trypsin-responsive drug release, and specific cell surface receptor-mediated intracellular uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]