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How do autocratic regimes use political propaganda to facilitate policy reversals of major significance? In this article, we demonstrate how the authoritarian regime in China dynamically uses propaganda to accomplish rapid discursive shifts in the context of major policy changes. Using a structural topic model for unsupervised machine learning to analyze extensive propaganda materials, we explore how the Chinese Communist Party facilitated the reversal of its One‐Child Policy in 2015 by deploying a systematic, precise, multi‐dimensional, and multi‐layered discursive engineering project. Our findings demonstrate that instead of a monolithic and rigid operation, China's state propaganda is a strategic and flexible discursive engineering project tailored to contingent factors, such as the nature of the policy being advocated, the level of the propaganda venue, and the needs, mentality, and tastes of carefully targeted audiences. This coordinated maneuver of state narrative is key for the effective and smooth policy reversal of major significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy politicization is an instrument used by modern states to achieve policy goals. Although politicization can facilitate a policy’s implementation by elevating its priority in the bureaucratic system, it may also create opportunities for the public to question the regime’s legitimacy and to call for broader political reforms. Using empirical evidence from 20 years of official narratives and public intellectual writings on environmental protection, we demonstrate this dilemma of politicization. Our research yields generalizable conclusions not only for environmental policy but also for other policy areas and political contexts, and thus paves the way for a new line of inquiry into governance under authoritarian rule. Methodologically, we demonstrate the potential of machine learning models for supporting qualitative textual analysis and overcoming limitations in data availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Efficient utilization of phosphorus (P) has been a major challenge for sustainable agriculture. However, the responses of fertilizer rate, region, soil properties, cropping systems and genotypes to P have not been investigated comprehensively and systematically. RESULTS: A comprehensive analysis of 9863 fertilizer‐P experiments on rice cultivation in China showed that rice yield increased first and then fell down with the addition of P fertilizer, and the highest yield of 7963 kg ha−1 was observed under 100% P treatment. Under 100% P treatment, the yield response of applied P (YRP) and agronomic efficiency of applied P (AEP) were 12.8% and 30.1 kg ha−1, respectively. Lower soil pH (< 5.5) and organic matter (< 30.0 g kg−1) were associated with lower YRP and AEP. By contrast, soil available P < 25.0 mg kg−1 resulted in decreased YRP (15.3 to 11.4%) and AEP (32.3 kg kg−1 to 26.2 kg kg−1), whereas soil available P > 25.0 mg kg−1 maintained the relatively stable YRP and AEP. Also, the YRP and AEP were significantly higher for single‐cropping rice compared to other cropping systems. Moreover, the rice genotypes such as 'Longdun', 'Kendao' and 'Jigeng' had higher YRP and AEP than the average value. Overall, the fertilizer‐P rate was the primary factor affecting YRP and AEP, and the recommended P fertilizer rate can be reduced by 9–21 kg P ha−1 compared to existing expert recommendations. CONCLUSION: The present study highlights the role of fertilizer‐P rate in maximizing the YRP and AEP, thereby providing a strong basis for future fertilizer management in rice cultivation systems. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The postharvest quality of pomelo fruit is pivotal in determining its market competitiveness and ensuring consumer satisfaction. However, a unified set of quality control standards for pomelo is lacking. This study analyzed a dataset comprising 1681 fruit samples using 21 indicators (6 appearance characteristics and 15 internal qualities) across the entire pomelo harvest period in southeastern China. The findings indicated that the peak flavor quality was achieved during the mid-harvesting period. In contrast, the best nutritional quality was typically found in the early harvesting period within the same growth season. Correlation analysis highlighted significant associations between appearance characteristics (color values a*, fruit shape index, and density) and most internal quality indicators. Using a random forest model to predict flavor and nutritional quality based on appearance yielded R2 values from 0.21–0.41 and 0.01–0.18, respectively. These results emphasized the critical role of harvesting time and appearance characteristics in assessing pomelo quality and presenting a nondestructive and cost-effective approach to improving postharvest handling and market competitiveness. Furthermore, the insights derived from this study provide a valuable framework for enhancing the grading and sustainability of large fruit varieties other than the pomelo. [Display omitted] • Analyzed 1681 fruits across 21 indicators encompassing entire pomelo harvesting time. • Peak flavor quality coincided with mid-harvesting time. • Early harvesting time associated with elevated nutritional quality. • Observed strong correlations among fruit color, shape index, density, and internal quality. • Predicted quality based on appearance, resulting in R2 values ranging from 0.01 to 0.41. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a combined low‐ and high‐cycle fatigue (CCF) life prediction model, which considers the crack closure effect (CCE) of micro‐defects, is proposed based on the continuous damage mechanics. The model is decomposed into three submodels: the low‐cycle fatigue (LCF), high‐cycle fatigue (HCF) under the maximum stress of LCF (HCFML), and their coupled damage models. The experimental CCF data of K403 full‐scale turbine blades are used to verify the accuracy. The prediction life falls within the ±2.62 times of scatter band compared with the experimental results. Further, there are the different damage evolution forms at different vibration stresses. When the vibration stress is below 29 MPa, the CCF damage mainly is caused by the LCF. However, while the vibration stress is above 29 MPa, the HCFML damage plays a major role. The CCF damage of the first stage serration of K403 turbine blades is mainly from HCFML. Highlights: New combined low‐ and high‐cycle fatigue (CCF) life prediction model.Consider the crack closure effect of micro‐defects based on the damage mechanics.Evolution laws of damage rate and damage under CCF loads.The main damage to the serrations of turbine blades in the actual external field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid ‒ liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a general phenomenon recently recognized to be critically involved in the regulation of a variety of cellular biological processes, such as transcriptional regulation, heterochromatin formation and signal transduction, through the compartmentalization of proteins or nucleic acids into droplet-like condensates. These processes are directly or indirectly related to tumor initiation and treatment. Posttranslational modifications (PTMs), which represent a rapid and reversible mechanism involved in the functional regulation of proteins, have emerged as key events in modulating LLPS under physiological or pathophysiological conditions, including tumorigenesis and antitumor therapy. In this review, we introduce the biological functions participated in cancer-associated LLPS, discuss the potential roles of LLPS during tumor onset or therapy, and emphasize the mechanistic characteristics of LLPS regulated by PTMs and its effects on tumor progression. We then provide a perspective on further studies on LLPS and its regulation by PTMs in cancer research. This review aims to broaden the understanding of the functions of LLPS and its regulation by PTMs under normal or aberrant cellular conditions. • Tumor-related LLPS can be finely tuned by PTMs. • The progression of tumors appears to be intricately linked with aberrant LLPS. • PTMs regulated-LLPS play an important role in cancer initiation and clinical tumor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient utilisation of phosphorus (P) is paramount for crop production, resource sustainability, and food security. For responsible management of P fertilisers across varying fertilisers supply scenarios in wheat cultivation, it is imperative to systematically assess the impact of soil characteristics, crop varieties, and crop rotation practices on P efficiency. The yield response to applied P (YR P) and the agronomic efficiency of applied P (AE P) were investigated in 2872 field experiments across the major wheat production areas of China. The influence and relative importance of these factors under the different P treatments were quantified and identified. Across all farms, the average wheat yields in the CK (no P application), 100%P (locally recommended dosage), 50%P, and 150%P treatments were 5574, 6472, 6098, and 6384 kg ha−1, respectively. The highest YR P was obtained in the 100%P treatment (18.2%), while the AE P decreased from 20.7 kg kg−1 to 10.8 kg kg−1 as the P supply increased from 50%P to 150%P treatment. Both YR P and AE P were significantly influenced by soil organic matter (SOM) and available P (Olsen-P). In addition, varieties with better advantages in terms of YR P and AE P were identified in Regions I, II, and III. Random forest analysis showed that the importance of the variables for YR P and AE P differed substantially with different P treatments, suggesting that different strategies are required for different farmland management units. However, regardless of whether P fertilisers was insufficient or excessive, variety was the most important variable for enhancing P-use efficiency. In conclusion, this analysis is useful for the better management of P fertilisers in wheat production. [Display omitted] • 2872 on-farm fertiliser-P trials were conducted in China's wheat production. • The highest yield response to P (YR P) was 18.2% and obtained in the 100% P treatment. • The agronomic efficiency of P (AE P) was 18.0 kg kg−1 under the 100% P treatment. • Variety for enhancing P use efficiency cannot be ignored whether P insufficient or excessive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The safety of radiotherapy techniques in the treatment of vestibular schwannoma (VS) shows a high rate of tumor control with few side effects. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) may have a potential relevance to the recurrence of VS. Further research is still needed on the key genes that determine the sensitivity of VS to radiation therapy. Materials and Methods. Transcriptional microarray data and clinical information data from VS patients were downloaded from GSE141801, and vascular-related genes associated with recurrence after radiation therapy for VS were obtained by combining information from MSigDB. Logistics regression was applied to construct a column line graph prediction model for recurrence status after radiation therapy. Pan-cancer analysis was also performed to investigate the cooccurrence of these genes in tumorigenesis. Results. We identified eight VS recurrence-related genes from the GSE141801 dataset. All of these genes were highly expressed in the VS recurrence samples. Four collagen family genes (COL5A1, COL3A1, COL4A1, and COL15A1) were further screened, and a model was constructed to predict the risk of recurrence of VS. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed that these four collagen family genes play important roles in a variety of biological functions and cellular pathways. Pan-cancer analysis further revealed that the expression of these genes was significantly heterogeneous across immune phenotypes and significantly associated with immune infiltration. Finally, Neuropeptide Y (NPY) was found to be significantly and negatively correlated with the expression of COL5A1, COL3A1, and COL4A1. Conclusions. Four collagen family genes have been identified as possible predictors of recurrence after radiation therapy for VS. Pan-cancer analysis reveals potential associations between the pathogenesis of VS and other tumorigenic factors. The relevance of NPY to VS was also revealed for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the available overvoltage sensors are too sensitive to the installation angle and inducing direction. Even a slight angular deflection will cause a nonnegligible error to the measurement. To reduce the impact caused by angular deflection, in this article, we propose a new spherical six-electrode overvoltage sensor to improve the measuring accuracy and stability. First, we presented the 3-D electric field ($E$ -field) coupling mechanism, vector synthesis method, design, and output properties of the proposed sensor. Second, we obtained the relationship between the structural parameters and the equivalent capacitance by the finite-element method (FEM). Finally, we completed the steady-state test, transient test, and 3-D angular deflection test. From the results, the sensor has a broad bandwidth of 1.2 MHz, a phase error of less than 1.8°, and good linearity of the output signals. In the case of 3-D angular deviations, the mean relative error (MRE) of the sensor is lower than 2.55%, with a maximum standard deviation (SD) of 0.088%, which proves that the output of the proposed sensor is well consistent with the overvoltage signal, and its accuracy is almost immune to the angular deflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fill the gap between the high realistic demand and lack of research basis, the process of smoke spread in Underground Traffic Link Tunnel fires during operation is investigated by numerical modeling. Good agreement between numerical predictions and experimental measurements for the longitudinal temperature has been achieved. Good agreement between numerical predictions and experimental measurements for the longitudinal temperature has been achieved. The characteristics of smoke transportation at key locations (e.g., maximum excess temperature and smoke fronts) were analyzed. A novel division method for the maximum lengths of smoke bays, which depends on thermal-smoke front spread length established from the characteristic number Ri = Q ̇ fuel ∗ 1 / 3 / V ∗ of mixed convection, to utilize the nature of smoke as much as possible during a fire is provided based on dimensional analysis and similarity principle. The margin of error between the final model prediction in this paper and the simulation was within plus or minus 10%. The outcomes of this study are believed to have practical guidance significance for linkage and interlock control of smoke management and passive fire protection design in tunnels during operation with a transverse ventilation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The energy density of the lithium-ion capacitors are restricted by the low charge-storage capability of the capacitive electrodes. Fast redox reactions from the redox-active aqueous electrolytes can effectively boost the charge storage of the capacitive electrodes without sacrificing the power performance, but are limited by the narrow electrochemical stability window. The "water-in-salt" electrolytes can enlarge the electrochemical stability window by effectively passivating the electrodes, but on the other hand remarkably elevate the cost, impair the ion conductivity and sacrifice the functionality of free water. Herein, we energize the unexpected role of free water in the "water-in-salt" electrolytes as the solvent of high-potential redox-active species, combining with the lithium insertion/de-insertion reaction at the battery-electrode to constitute a bi-redox system for effectively boosting the energy density. In addition, the unexpected opposite shift of the bi-redox potentials resulted from the decreases of the electrolyte concentration leads to an increased discharging voltage plateau to 2.2 V, helping further increase energy density and reduce costs. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The aqueous lithium-ion capacitor with a high voltage of 2.7 V is reported. • The free water in high-voltage electrolyte is energized by dissolving redox agent. • The specific energy of lithium-ion capacitor is enhanced by redox electrolyte. • The voltage plateau is raised to 2.2 V by regulating electrolyte ion activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Oncology drug development is greatly hampered by inefficient drug screening using 2D culture. Herein, we present ready-to-use micro-scaffolds in 384-well format to generate uniform 3D micro-tumor array (3D-MTA, CV < 0.15) that predicts in vivo drug responses more accurately than 2D monolayer. 3D-MTA generated from both cell lines and primary cells achieved high screen quality (Z' > 0.5), and were compatible with standard high throughput and high content instruments. Doxorubicin identified by 3D-MTA and 2D successfully inhibited tumor growth in mice bearing lung cancer cell line (H226) xenografts, but not gemcitabine and vinorelbine , which were selected solely by 2D. Resistance towards targeted therapy was modeled on 3D-MTA, which elicited SK-BR-3 to express higher proliferation-related genes in response to gefitinb , as compared to 2D. Screening of 56 MAPK inhibitors identified pisamertib to synergistically improve cytotoxicity effect in combination with gefitinib. Primary tumor cells derived from patient-derived xenografts further attested concordance of drug response in 3D-MTA with in vivo response. 3D-MTA was further extended to realize chemosensitivity testing using patient-derived cells. Overall, 3D-MTA demonstrated strong potential to accelerate drug discovery and improve cancer treatment by providing efficient drug screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • There is a certain degree of scatter in the crack growth behavior of GH420Li. • The crack growth rates of GH4720Li under identical Δ K fit lognormal distribution. • A stochastic FCG model based on a lognormally distributed variable is derived. Abstract In order to conduct structural integrity assessment based on probabilistic fracture mechanics, the scatter in fatigue crack growth behavior of materials should be characterized accurately. In this work, ten groups of superalloy crack growth tests under the identical condition are conducted. Based on the statistic results of experimental data, there is a considerable degree of scatter in the fatigue crack growth behavior of GH420Li. The crack growth rates (da/dN) under the identical Δ K fit lognormal distribution. According to the random number generation principle of lognormally distributed variable, a stochastic crack growth model depending on the mean value and the coefficient of variation (COV) is derived. As the mean value and COV of ln(da/dN) can be expressed as functions of Δ K , the stochastic crack growth rate is determined by Δ K and a standard normally distributed random variable. At last, the stochastic model is adopted to calculate the fatigue crack growth of CT specimen. The comparison of the predicted results with the experimental results proves the effectiveness of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The electrostatic flapping-wing actuator utilizes a pair of “pivot-spar” brackets to guide the rotational movements of the flapping wings for improved lift force. • Advanced micro fabrication methods based on laser cutting technique are explored and the mass of the flapping-wing actuator can be reduced to 50 mg. • As compared with the earlier report, 50 times higher lift force/weight ratio is achieved for the presented electrostatic flapping-wing actuator with “pivot-spar” design. Abstract Appropriate wing rotational movements in flapping wing flight are essential to generate aerodynamic lift force. This paper presents the usage of a pair of “pivot-spar” brackets to guide rotational movements of an electrostatic flapping-wing actuator for enhanced lift force. The wing rotation pattern is guided by the bracket design with the help of numerical simulations. Wing movements with desired rotation pattern are recorded by a high speed camera and the instantaneous lift force generated by the flapping-wing actuator is measured by a test platform using a lever and a high-precision force sensor. Experimentally, the flapping-wing actuator using the “pivot-spar” brackets with a diverging angle of 40° can achieve a maximum wing rotation angle of 29° and generate an aerodynamic lift force at 79.2 μN. Besides, this work also uses advanced micro fabrication methods based on laser cutting technique and the mass of the flapping-wing actuator can be reduced to 50 mg. With 2.5 times higher lift force at 79.2 μN and 20 times lower overall system mass at 50 mg as compared with the earlier report, 50 times higher efficiency is achieved by calculating the total lift force/weight ratio for the presented electrostatic flapping-wing actuator with “pivot-spar” design. This result advances the field of electrostatic flapping-wing actuator toward its possible takeoff in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Microalgae-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), which transfer their cargos to the extracellular environment to affect recipient cells, play important roles in microalgal growth and environmental adaptation. And, they are also considered as sustainable and renewable bioresources of delivery nanocarrier for bioactive molecules and/or artificial drug molecules. However, their molecular composition and functions remain poorly understood. Results: In this study, isolation, characterization, and functional verification of Haematococcus pluvialis-derived EVs (HpEVs) were performed. The results indicated that HpEVs with typical EV morphology and size were secreted by H. pluvialis cells during the whole period of growth and accumulated in the culture medium. Cellular uptake of HpEVs by H. pluvialis was confirmed, and their roles in regulation of growth and various physiological processes of the recipient cells were also characterized. The short-term inhibition of HpEV secretion results in the accumulation of functional cellular components of HpEVs, thereby altering the biological response of these cells at the molecular level. Meanwhile, continuously inhibiting the secretion of HpEVs negatively influenced growth, and fatty acid and astaxanthin accumulation in H. pluvialis. Small RNA high-throughput sequencing was further performed to determine the miRNA cargoes and compelling details in HpEVs in depth. Comparative analysis revealed commonalities and differences in miRNA species and expression levels in three stages of HpEVs. A total of 163 mature miRNAs were identified with a few unique miRNAs reveal the highest expression levels, and miRNA expression profile of the HpEVs exhibited a clear stage-specific pattern. Moreover, a total of 12 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified and their target genes were classified to cell cycle control, lipid transport and metabolism, secondary metabolites biosynthesis and so on. Conclusion: It was therefore proposed that cargos of HpEVs, including miRNA constituents, were suggested potential roles in modulate cell physiological state of H. pluvialis. To summarize, this work uncovers the intercellular communication and metabolism regulation functions of HpEVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the spectra of the doubly charmed tetraquark states in a diquark–antidiquark model. The doubly charmed tetraquark states form an antitriplet and sextet configurations according to flavor SU(3) symmetry. For the tetraquark state [qq′][c̄c̄], we show the mass for both bound and excited states. The two-body decays of tetraquark states Tcc[0+] and Tcc[1−−] to charmed mesons have also been studied. In the end, the doubly charmed tetraquarks decays to a charmed baryon and a light baryon have been studied in the SU(3) flavor symmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new type of electromagnetic actuator driven by a low voltage of 5.5 V for potential applications in insect scale Flapping-wing Micro Aerial Vehicles (FMAVs). The actuator can generate vibratory motions via cantilever-beam or cantilever-plate structures to drive artificial wings through flapping motion. The induced magnetic Lorentz force is analyzed by a simplified lumped mass model and the dynamic characteristics including resonant frequency and amplitude are investigated through experimental tests. In the prototype designs and tests, a peak amplitude of 29.8 mm from a 25 mm-long cantilever beam structure has been achieved. Furthermore, a prototype device with the cantilever beam actuator using small magnets of 197.2 mg has demonstrated 5.7 times higher output power density at 0.56 W/Kg as compared with that of another prototype device using larger magnets of 2409.2 mg. This implies the potential for further miniaturized systems toward FMAVs. Under a driving voltage of 5.5 V, a cantilever plate actuator has been shown to drive a pair of artificial wings to achieve 20° flapping amplitude at 101.4 Hz, which results in a high power density of 9.52 W/Kg. By applying AC current to a planar coil, the power density of the actuator can be further enhanced to 48.56 W/Kg. As such, the low-voltage electromagnetic actuators could broaden the driving mechanisms for insect scale FMAVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The α-In 2 O 3 monolayer possesses a direct bandgap, high electrons mobility, excellent optical absorption and out-of-plane piezoelectricity. [Display omitted] • The α-In 2 O 3 monolayer possesses good structural stability and environmental stability, such as oxidation resistance. • The α-In 2 O 3 monolayer is a promising field-effect transistor material with a suitable direct bandgap and high carrier separation efficiency. • The α-In 2 O 3 monolayer is a candidate material for optoelectronic devices due to the excellent optical absorptivity. • The asymmetric α-In 2 O 3 monolayer is a piezoelectric material with superior out-of-plane piezoelectric response ability. Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors have opened promising avenues for designing advanced functional devices due to their novel electronic features. In this work, the 2D α-In 2 O 3 monolayer is systematically studied using first-principles calculations. Our calculations show that the α-In 2 O 3 monolayer exhibits a stable configuration with good oxidation resistance. The electronic structure calculations identify that α-In 2 O 3 monolayer is a semiconductor with a direct bandgap of 1.41 eV, which makes the α-In 2 O 3 monolayer to be as a promising candidate in modern bottom/top gate technologies. Interestingly, the partial charge density shows that the valence band maximum and conduction band minimum locate at the different atomic region, and the electron carrier mobility of the α-In 2 O 3 monolayer is much larger than hole carrier mobility, indicating that the electrons and holes can be effectively separated. Additionally, the α-In 2 O 3 monolayer has excellent optical absorption coefficient among the infrared and visible range. Hence, the α-In 2 O 3 monolayer can be used as field-effect phototransistor. Moreover, the asymmetric atomic-layer configuration and strong inner covalent bond of the α-In 2 O 3 monolayer induce a superior out-of-plane piezoelectric response (e 31 = 1.81 × 10-10C·m−1, d 31 = -0.89 pm·V−1), make α-In 2 O 3 monolayer as a promising material as out-of-plane piezoelectric device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many authoritarian regimes use participatory political reform to maintain control over the societies under their rule and survive global waves of democratization. Recent studies of transitional governance have underscored the importance and intricacy of institutional reform; however, no consensus has been reached on an explanation of the dynamism that shapes institutional reforms under non-democratic systems. Why do authoritarian apparatchiks reform their institutions of governance? How can the varied pathways of these reforms be explained? Post-Deng China provides an ideal laboratory in which to study these issues. Since the 1990s, growing tensions between the Leninist polity and a gradually opened society have compelled local governments in China to test a vast set of participatory reforms. In an examination of three major local participatory budgeting reforms in China, this article maps the main pathways – representation, consultation, and transparency – of these recent sub-national participatory reforms implemented by the incumbent regime, and explores the driving forces that sculpt a reformist model over the alternatives. By introducing an “incentive-contingent framework”, this article sketches out the “repertoire” of participatory reforms in the authoritarian governance of China and suggests an explanatory framework for the variation in the strategies and forms of such institutional innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In modern mobile communication networks, such as 3G and 4G networks, sectorized antennas have been widely used to divide each cell into multiple sectors in order to improve coverage, spectrum efficiency, and quality of service. Large-scale path loss from a transmitting antenna to a receiving antenna should include: 1) propagation attenuation that depends on transmission distance; 2) shadowing that depends on surrounding environment; and 3) antenna loss that depends on a sectorized antenna pattern and transmission angle. An in-depth analysis of statistical characteristics of large-scale path losses involving with these three factors is crucial for the design, operation, evaluation, and optimization of modern sectorized wireless networks. In this paper, a sectorized antenna pattern is, for the first time, considered in the derivation of a closed-form expression of a probability density function (pdf) of large-scale path losses. Specifically, we first discover that the normalized pdf of propagation attenuation plus shadowing, which can be approximated by the Gaussian mixture model (GMM) with all system parameters, is fully determined by our newly defined metric 10/\ln 10\beta /\sigma s , namely, the attenuation exponent $\beta$ to standard deviation of shadowing \sigma _{s} ratio (ASR). The convolution of GMM and antenna loss statistics is elaborately transformed to a series of differential equations. A closed-form pdf of large-scale path losses with sectorized antenna pattern can be obtained by solving these differential equations. To reduce the computational complexity, we further prove that the exciting sources of these differential equations can be tightly approximated by weighted Gaussian functions, and thus, the final solutions (i.e., pdf of path losses) can be derived in the form of Gaussian and Dawson functions. Our analytical results are verified by extensive numerical computation and Monte Carlo simulation results, e.g., the impact of ASR on the shape of pdf of propagation attenuation plus shadowing. Compared with traditional Gaussian-fitting approach, our newly derived pdf of large-scale path losses with sectorized antenna patterns is at least two orders of magnitude more accurate in terms of Kullback–Leibler divergence under typical propagation attenuation and shadowing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cantilever beam's crack identification can provide critical information which is helpful to determine whether the structure be healthy or not. Among all crack identification methods, the methods based on measured structure's natural frequency changes own advantages of simplicity and easy for operation in practical engineering. To accurately identify multi-cracks’ characteristics for cantilever beam structure with variable cross-sections, a mathematical model, which is based on the concept of modal strain energy, is established in this investigation. And to obtain cantilever beam's natural frequency result with higher resolution, a signal processing method based on Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) is also proposed, which can overcome the disadvantage of fast Fourier transform (FFT) in the aspect of frequency resolution and incapability of handling nonlinear vibration caused by crack breathing phenomenon. Based on above mathematical model and signal processing method, the method of identifying multi-cracks on cantilever beam with variable cross-sections is presented. To verify the accuracy of this multi-cracks identification method, experimental examples are conducted, and the results show that the method proposed in this investigation can accurately identify the cracks’ characteristics, including their locations and relative depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Functional microtissues were made from mesenchymal stem cell loaded microcarriers. • Spontaneous microtissue self-assembly is induced by extracellular matrix deposition. • Microtissues maintain activity of cells within and improve their paracrine function. • Transcriptome sequencing reveals potential mechanisms in promoting neural repair. • Microtissues help induce neural repair in preclinical model of spinal cord injury. Current approaches for treating spinal cord injury (SCI) are mainly based on cell transplantation. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can help slow the progression of SCI due to their trophic function. However, SCI creates a complex microenvironment that reduces cell activity and hence cellular function, ultimately resulting in poor therapeutic outcomes. To help maintain function in transplanted cells, we produced functional tissue constructs by self-assembly of MSC microtissues comprising of porous gelatin microcarriers (GM) and MSCs. These microtissues maintained cellular activity without incurring an excessive amount of apoptosis and delayed senescence in vitro. The paracrine function of MSCs also improved within microtissues, shown by the increased secretion of nerve regeneration-related factors. Microtissues were transplanted in a rat model of complete spinal cord transection, and therapeutic effects were evaluated through behavioral measurements, imaging, histology, and western blot analysis. RNA-seq of spinal cord tissues using Gene Ontology analysis further revealed that the microtissues may have induced repair in SCI through mechanisms related to neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) regulation of response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) phosphorylation, and inhibition of inflammatory response through interleukin-17 (IL-17), Chemokine C-X-C motif Ligand 1 (CXCL1) axis. The gelatin microcarrier-based MSC microtissues we developed may be effective in providing a new treatment strategy for SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, with social protests a daily phenomenon in China, the Party-state’s survival hinges upon its institutional capacity to prevent, monitor, process information on, and overcome real and potential challenges. Over the past decade, the Communist Party has consistently stressed the critical importance of ‘stability preservation’ (weiwen) as central to ensuring the longevity of the authoritarian regime. Drawing upon intensive interviews and archival research, this article looks into the stability-preservation system in W County in North China. By exploring the institutional configuration, work mechanisms, daily activities and operational principles of the stability-preservation apparatus in the county, the author seeks to gain insight into the PRC regime’s mythical operations of ‘system maintenance’ and the ways in which the Party-state exerts control over society. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The statistical characteristics of the signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR) are closely related to many performance metrics of cellular networks. In this paper, the downlink average rate and SINR distribution are studied for orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based cellular networks subject to the distance-dependent path loss and shadow fading (SF). With the analytical approximate mean and moment generating function (MGF) of the SINR in the logarithmic domain, the closed-form approximation for the lower and upper bounds of the average rate is obtained. Then the distribution of the SINR in the logarithmic domain is proposed to be approximated as the normal inverse Gaussian (NIG) distribution whose parameters are computed explicitly through moment matching. Also, the closed-form expression for the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the SINR based on the NIG approximation is derived. Simulation results not only verify the tightness of the bounds, but also show that the NIG approximation is up to one order of magnitude more accurate than the Pearson type IV approximation and at least one order of magnitude more accurate than the lognormal approximation when the SF correlation coefficient is small or the standard deviations of the SF are large or different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a SMA (shape memory alloy) wire-based separation actuator with high-load capacity and simple structure. The novel actuator is based on a one-stage locking mechanism, which means that the separation is directly driven by the SMA wire. To release a large preload, a group of anti-friction rollers are adopted to reduce the force for triggering. In addition, two SMA wires are used redundantly to ensure a high reliability. After separation, the actuator can be reset automatically without any auxiliary tool or manual operation. Three prototypes of the separation actuator are fabricated and tested. According to the performance test results, the actuator can release a maximum preload of 40 kN. The separation time tends to decrease as the operation current increases and it can be as short as 0.5 s under a 7.5 A (the voltage is 5.8 V) current. Lifetime test indicates that the actuator has a lifetime of more than 50 cycles. The environmental tests demonstrate that the actuator can endure the typical thermal and vibration environment tests without unexpected separation or structure damage, and separate normally after these environment tests. C 2015 AIP Publishing LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of typical environmental factors in Zhoushan Fishery, including sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), and chlorophyll a (Chl-a), before and after Typhoon In-fa was analyzed using satellite data and reanalysis data in this study. Additionally, this study simultaneously elucidated the mechanism by which the typhoon affected these factors. The results showed that: (1) the strong vertical mixing caused by In-fa provoked a decrease in SST, while the asymmetric typhoon wind stress and vertical difference in temperature structure before the typhoon caused a more robust cooling of SST on the right side of the In-fa track; (2) despite the strong mixing and inflow of hypersaline seawater increasing SSS, the combined effect of intense rainfall and diluted water inflow caused an overall decrease in SSS after In-fa's landing; (3) In-fa caused the Chl-a concentration to decrease first and then increase. The high cloudiness and low Chl-a seawater inflow inhibited the phytoplankton growth during the typhoon, while the abundant light, rich surface nutrients under the upwelling effect, and transport of rich land-based substances induced rapid phytoplankton reproduction after the typhoon; and (4) the change in Chl-a concentration, current, temperature, and salinity induced by a typhoon are essential factors that affect fish behavior and community composition in fisheries. This study provides a point of reference to reveal the response of environmental factors to typhoons and their effects on fishery resources in fisheries located on nearshore estuarine shallow waters with intensive islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel as three-dimensional (3D) substrate has been employed in miniaturized high throughput protein detection platforms to increase the number of effective antibodies and signal augmentation. However, the high water content of the hydrogel can dilute samples and create barrier to mass transfer, limiting hydrogel height to several microns in most platforms. Moreover, these platforms cannot achieve widespread use in common laboratories as they usually rely heavily on expensive robotic liquid handlers and custom-built components. Here we developed a ready-to-use, easy to store and handle, versatile and multiplex-able 3D scaffold-based immunoassay chip (3D immunoChip) possible for high throughput protein quantification using bench-top equipment in common laboratories. Sample dilution, mass transfer, signal scattering and storage problems can be avoided by using dry scaffolds that regain transparency upon rehydration. When combined with hydrophilic–hydrophobic patterned reagent loading slides, manual high throughput handling of samples can be achieved. As these micro-scaffolds are patterned without barriers in between, simultaneous and effortless washing of all the reaction zones is possible in a Petri dish. Such features aid the 3D immunoChip in saving up to 100 times reagent and about 6 times labour. The 3D immunoChip is able to detect albumin (ALB), as a model analyte, from 5 ng mL−1 to 1000 ng mL−1, making it comparable to the commercialized ELISA kit based on a 96-well plate (0.22–400 ng mL−1). This thus enables the 3D immunoChip to directly detect ALB secreted by HepaRG cells cultured in a 3D cell culture array chip for high throughput drug hepatotoxicity evaluation, which could potentially accelerate drug screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-sintering Pd/TiO 2 catalysts have been prepared by different methods and systematically characterized. Compared with the catalysts prepared by the heterogeneous deposition precipitation (HDP) method and wetness impregnation (WI) method, the catalyst prepared by the deposition precipitation (DP) method could give higher content of Pd species. Pd/TiO 2 prepared by DP method shows much higher activity than other catalysts in liquid phase oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzyl aldehyde. The average particle size of Pd nanoparticles (NPs) is 15 nm. XPS results indicate that though Pd 2 + species have been reduced to Pd 0 after use, the activity of catalyst is not affected, which has never been reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two kinds of foam/fiber sandwich structures were prepared by using Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) process, on which the low-velocity impact tests were carried out. The force response, specific energy absorption and failure mode of the two sandwich structures under different impact energies, hammer shapes and impact positions were studied. From the force response and energy absorption curves, it can be seen that the corrugated sandwich structure outperformed the flat sandwich structure in terms of low-velocity impact resistance, and showed the best impact resistance when the impact was applied at the corrugated trough position. According to the observation of the impact profile of sandwich structure, the main failure modes of the sandwich structures include foam cracking, fiber breaking, fiber delamination, and debonding between fiber and foam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given their critical influence on society and politics, university students are one of the key target groups for authoritarian political control around the world. To further our understanding of the endurance and resilience of authoritarianism in post-Deng China, it is necessary to examine one of the Party-state's most crucial control frameworks: the institutional mechanism through which it preserves social stability in the nation's 2,358 university campuses, and maintains control over its more than 22 million college students. Drawing upon intensive field research conducted in 2011, this article attempts to map out the structures and measures deployed by the post-Deng regime to nurture political compliance and consolidate its domination of university campuses. By deciphering an essential component of the state's political control apparatus, this article aims to shed new light on the internal operations of the authoritarian system that is running China today. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Despite recent progress in localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) based bio-sensing, it remains challenging to achieve sensitive and high throughput LSPR detection with facilities available in common laboratories. Here we developed a wall-less LSPR array chip for facile, label-free and high throughput detection of biomolecules using a normal microplate reader. The wall-less LSPR array chip was fabricated by immobilizing plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) on a hydrophilic–hydrophobic patterned glass slide, enabling high throughput detection. The wall-less configuration simplifies chip fabrication and sample processing, and enables miniaturization to significantly reduce sample and reagent consumption. A double-gold NPs enhanced system comprising of 13-nm-gold NPs conjugated to aptamer modified 39-nm-gold NPs on glass substrate was adopted to constitute competitive replacement assay for signal amplification in small molecule (i.e. ATP) detection. Upon enhancement, the detection sensitivity of ATP was augmented by 5 orders of magnitude from 0.01µM to 100µM measured by the laboratory microplate reader. The wall-less LSPR sensor chip can be widely applied for miniaturized and high throughput detection of a variety of targets in biomedical applications and environmental monitoring using facilities available in common laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrostatically-driven, cantilever-shaped resonators under a pair of parallel-plate electrodes with the ‘pull–pull drive’ scheme have been demonstrated and characterized. Theoretical analyses have been established based on the force balance among the electrostatic excitation, the mechanical elastic restoring force and air damping reactions. It is found that the ‘pull–pull drive’ setup can exhibit nonlinear characteristic in the output response, and consequently achieve about 3.8 times the maximum resonance amplitude as compared with the conventional single electrode setup. Furthermore, by adjusting the position of the cantilever between the parallel-plate electrodes, the magnitude of pull-in voltage as well as the maximum resonance amplitude can be changed. As such, the ‘pull–pull drive’ scheme provides an easy and alternative way to increase the response of the electrostatically-actuated resonators for various potential applications in resonator-based sensors and actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The behaviors of SMA under superelastic cycling are simulated. [•] The evolution of various strains are considered simultaneously. [•] The cumulated martensites in forward and reverse transformations are simulated. [•] The plastic strain are assumed to evolve only in the forward transformation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Changes in membrane lipid composition play multiple roles in plant adaptation and survival in the face of chilling and freezing damage. The ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-TOF-MS (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS)-based approach was developed for investigating the lipid changes during cold exposure in Stephanodiscus sp. followed by multivariate statistical analysis including principal components analysis, partial least squares discriminant analysis and orthogonal projection on latent structure discriminant analysis for data classification and potential biomarkers selection. The analysis demonstrated dramatic lipid alterations take place in both extraplastidic and plastidic membranes. Thirty-eight lipid molecules were selected and identified as putative biomarkers, including chlorophyll a degradation products, triacylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol, sulfo-quinovosyldiacylglycerol, monogalactosyldiacylglyceroll, lyso-phosphatidylglycerol, lyso-phosphatidylcholine, lyso-monogalactosyldiacylglycerol and lyso-sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol. These metabolites have been shown previously to function in energy storage, membrane stability and photosynthesis efficiency. This study is the first one using UPLC/Q-TOF-MS-based lipidomic profiling with multivariate statistical analysis to explore the lipidomic changes of microalgae in response to stress conditions, which promotes better understanding of their physiology and ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A metal beam is fixed on an insulated base between parallel-plate electrodes. [•] The beam can be excited to maintain autonomous impact oscillation only by DC input. [•] This resonator can achieve small operating current and more stable frequency output. [•] The beam's motion trajectory can be tunable by adjusting the electrodes placement. [•] A simplified model has been established to support the experimental behaviors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Due to their excellent impact resistance, fibre-metal laminates have been successfully applied in modern engineering industries, the construction of aircraft, vehicles, and ships. In this study, a ballistic impact test was performed on a basalt fibre/steel hybrid laminate using a 19 mm diameter steel ball fired by a one-stage gas gun. This is to analyse how lay-up structure, fibre volume fraction, laminated surface density, and laminate impact angle influence the ballistic impact performance. The results showed that, under normal penetration action, the ballistic limit velocity values for laminates with different lay-up structures were 3/2, 2/1 and 4/3 respectively, from high to low lay-up. For the 3/2 lay-up structure, when the fibre volume fraction increased, the ballistic limit velocity decreased, and when laminated surface density was increased, the specific energy absorption also increased, after the projectile penetrated the target plate. The results of the oblique penetration experiment showed that energy loss improved with penetration angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fibre metal laminates based on basalt fibres have been manufactured and their response to low velocity impacts assessed. • Impactor shape and impact energy significantly affected the impact response of hybrid laminates. • Damage modes and energy absorption rules were obtained under different impact condition. Due to their excellent impact resistance, fibre-metal laminates are widely utilised in modern engineering industries such as the construction of aircraft, vehicles and ships. In this study, the low-velocity impact characteristics of basalt fibre/steel hybrid laminates with different lay-up structures were studied with a drop hammer. This was done through a series of low-velocity impact experiments with different hammer head shapes and impact energies. It can be seen from the results that the impact behaviour of hybrid laminates largely depends on the shape of the hammer head, impact energy and lay-up structure. The sharper the hammer head, the smaller the peak impact load and the greater the displacement. When the hammer head penetrates the laminate, apparent shear failure occurs under the impact of the flat hammer head. Petal-like fractures caused by tensile tear failure occur under the impact of the hemispherical and conical hammer head. Low-energy impacts may result in large plastic deformation, delamination and debonding in the layers. High-energy impacts may also lead to fibre and metal fractures as well as perforation damage. Consequently, the laminate absorbs the energy from overall deformation under low-energy impact, but mainly absorbs the energy generated by various fibre and metal fractures under high-energy impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of long-term excessive phosphorus (P) fertilization on the P fraction changes and P loss risk in orchard soils remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the concentrations of and relationships among the soil total P (TP), Olsen-P and P fractions in pomelo orchard (PO) soil during different fertilization periods. The PO soils were in a severe P overapplication state (905.4 kg P 2 O 5 ha-1 yr-1), with a high P surplus (773.5 kg P 2 O 5 ha-1 yr-1) and low P use efficiency (PUE, 14.7%). Such long-term excessive fertilizer P input significantly increased the TP, Olsen-P, and P fraction concentrations and significantly reduced the proportions of Org-P and reduction-P (Red-P) in both the surface (0–20 cm) and subsurface (20–40 cm) soils but increased the proportions of easily soluble P (Sol-P), aluminum-P (Al–P) and iron-P (Fe–P) rather than calcium-P (Ca–P). Furthermore, the P fractions exhibited a corresponding increasing trend and a significant linear (or two-stage linear) relationship with the soil P surplus. There is a serious risk of P loss when the P surplus in the surface soil exceeds 4128 kg P ha-1. Al–P had the highest correlation with Olsen-P (R = 0.984, p < 0.01), followed by Sol-P, Fe-P, Ca-P, Org-P and Red-P (R = 0.973, 0.908, 0.8783, 0.820 and 0.697, respectively, p < 0.01). However, only Sol-P and Al–P had a major direct impact on Olsen-P. In general, long-term excessive P application exerted a remarkable and differentiated impact on the soil P fractions. An increase in the Sol-P and Al-P fractions could lead to enhanced P bioavailability and environmental risk in acidic red soils. Therefore, P management in the PO production system needs to control the P fertilizer input and monitor the soil P fractions, which merits further investigation. [Display omitted] • Excessive P fertilizer accumulates in surface and subsurface layers of pomelo soils. • Iron-bound P and aluminum-bound P are impacted the most by P overfertilization. • Easily solution P and aluminum-bound P show high correlation with Olsen-P. • Soil P surplus exceed 4128 kg P ha-1 will steeply increase soil P loss risks. • The depletion of accumulated P in highly intensive orchard soil is worthy of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Most practical applications of NiTi shape memory alloys involve self-motivated shape recovery of the alloys associated with the reverse transformation. An increase of the reverse transformation temperature (martensite stabilization) implies a retardation, or complete avoidance, of the shape recovery, thus failure of the function. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of martensite stabilization in NiTi alloy is extremely important and still needs in-depth studies for its successful use. In the present paper the influence of annealing on martensite stabilization due to deformation via cooling under constant tensile stresses in cold-worked NiTi thin wires has been investigated. The annealed samples exhibit different degrees of martensite stabilization. The stabilization effect was much smaller in 550°C and 650°C annealed samples than that in 350°C and 450°C annealed ones. It increases with increasing annealing temperature up to 450°C and decreases when annealed above 450°C. The result implies that other mechanisms are involved apart from plastic deformation under such deformation mode. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to provide an effective way to evaluate structure strength margin of AAS (aircraft arresting system) barrier net and efficiency of its control scheme. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; A numerical method to deal with barrier net strength design of AAS by means of nonlinear finite element (FE) has been used in this paper. The key of the simulation is that a special technique is proposed to cope with the arresting forces exerted on the tapes as boundary conditions, so the time history of stress/force distribution of AAS key components can be obtained. Also some techniques measures are taken to ensure good numerical convergence for this complex nonlinear system. Findings |!|#8211; The simulation results cannot only provide the general important performance indexes of AAS, such as run-out distance and the maximum deceleration of the arrested aircraft, but also present stress or force contours of barrier net, tapes and aircraft, etc. therefore it is easy to evaluate the component|!|#39;s strength when a specific control scheme is adopted. Practical implications |!|#8211; From component/structure strength perspective, this paper gives a practical engineering design method to evaluate performance of AAS. Originality/value |!|#8211; The paper is probably the first to give a method which can evaluate AAS components strength considering their 3D geometry, and also its control scheme. The method has been validated through experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical cues and pheromones mediate fish reproduction, aggregation, risk assessment, and kin recognition. To better understand the chemical communication of conspecific fish, the behavioral responses to bile acids (BAs), their source, and reception investigated in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). Behavioral experimental results indicated that juvenile fish were attracted to intestinal contents (ICs) emanating from conspecifics, regardless of whether the fish were feeding. IC BA-targeted metabolomics revealed that cholic acid (CA), taurocholic acid (TCA), taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA), chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), and taurodeoxycholic acid (TDCA) were the top five categories. Tests with and without fasting yielded similar categories and proportions of BAs, indicating that the intestinal BA profiles were generally stable. At the nanomolar level, CA led to significant preference behavior (p < 0.01). The electrophysiological results supported the hypothesis that the top five BAs were potent odorants in L. crocea. Moreover, inhibition of adenylate cyclase–cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AC–cAMP) signaling and phospholipase C (PLC) signaling reduced the electro-olfactogram (EOG) responses to CA and CDCA. Collectively, the findings of this study indicate that conspecific individuals could be attracted by ICs unrelated to feeding. As a key intestinal BA, CA led to fish preference behaviors and olfactory responses relying on cAMP and PLC transduction cascades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the profound transformation market reforms have brought to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) rural grassroots organizations. Focusing on the political rise of private entrepreneurs and other economically successful individuals who recently obtained village Party secretary appointments in a north China county, the article explores their differing promotion channels, power bases, political resources and motivations to take up the CCP's grassroots leadership position. It demonstrates that the variety among the new entrepreneurial Party secretaries - from large factory owners to de facto farm managers - shaped the network resource, factional affiliation and socio-political capital they rely upon to exercise their newly attained power. It also shows the crucial role played by community-based endogenous forces in transmitting the power of economic liberalization into dynamics for the reshuffling of the Communist Party leadership at the grassroots level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fabrication and characterization of electrostatic oscillators based on carbon nanotube (CNT) bundles have been demonstrated. Experimentally, different sizes of CNT bundles have been transferred from as-fabricated, vertically aligned CNT forests on the growth substrate onto the tip of metallic probes by a “pick, stick and break” process. When placed under an electrostatic field generated by a fixed DC bias, these CNT bundles moved laterally in the direction of the electrical field. Under AC excitations, CNT bundles vibrated back and forth following the driving frequencies. Analytically, the static deformation-voltage behavior of these electrostatic oscillators has been modeled by electrostatic bending approximation. These CNT bundles could function as oscillators for various applications in the general field of NEMS (Nanoelectromechanical Systems). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The serum polar lipid metabolic changes for two common cage-cultured fishes, yellow coraker Pseudosciaena crocea and Japanese seabass Lateolabrax japonicus, after tropical storm attack have been studied by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-qTOF-MS). The full scan mass spectrometry combined with principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) indicated that yellow croaker underwent significant chemico-physiological changes during the recovery process, whereas Japanese seabass did not show such noticeable time-dependent consistent metabolites change patterns. Further identification of the metabolite biomarkers showed the increase of phosphatidylcholine with high unsaturated fatty acid and lysophospholipids, and the decrease of phosphatidylcholine with saturated fatty acids and plasmologens, which indicated the need of energy supplement and successive stressful inflammation. The increase of taurocholic acid and decrease of cortol could be regarded as the physiological alleviation measure during the recovery period. This is the first metabolomic study to tackle the fish physiological response for the complex environmental changes, and demonstrated that lipidomics is an effective analytical tool for predicting the stress resistance of fish to ultra uncontrolled environmental stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous studies indicated that fascaplysin derived from marine sponge can induce tumor cell death by apoptosis and possesses anti-angiogenesis activity. In order to verify these two effects in animal model and to identify action mechanisms, we established a sarcoma mice model, and treated mice with fascaplysin for 10days. The tumor tissues were examined morphologically and immunohistochemically. The differential gene expression was also investigated by mRNA array. Fascaplysin treatment resulted in a significant suppression of tumor growth. Typical apoptotic phenomena were observed by transmission electron microscope and histological detection. Tissue sections were stained with monoclonal antibody directed to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and CD31. The decreased PCNA and CD31 antigen staining indicate the reduction of tumor cell proliferation and tumor vasculature property of fascaplysin in vivo. Microarrays were used to examine the gene expression profiles of tumors on CapitalBio mouse genome oligo array. The regulated genes analyzed from the expression level showed overlapping gene ontology (GO) categories and pathway mapping. Our findings indicate that cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, and cell adhesion all play important roles in the onset of fascaplysin. Detailed analysis by real time PCR of key genes confirmed the experimental results of microarrays. From these findings, it can be considered that fascaplysin can inhibit the growth of S180 cell implanted tumor, and the action mechanisms may involve in apoptosis, anti-angiogenesis, or cell cycle arrest. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents an examination into the authoritarian regime characteristics of China since 1989, analyzing its "inclusive institutions" in order to demonstrate the organizational structure of the Party and its ruling practices. Particular attention is given to the question of why the Communist Party in China has been so resilient in the face of opposition and logistical difficulties. An in-depth exploration of the internal documents of Z County in Hebei Province is given in order to illustrate the Communist Party's daily operations and governing ideologies.

Abstract: The present research aims to understand the recovery stress of NiTi wires generated during heating and isothermal holding under constrained condition. Both pre-strain and isothermal holding temperature have significant effects on the evolution of recovery stress during heating and isothermal holding. In general, increasing isothermal holding temperature and/or pre-strain causes an increase of recovery stress reduction or relaxation. This effect can be attributed to different dislocation densities and mobility of dislocations generated in those conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Piezoelectric actuation of doubly clamped, electrospun poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fibers fabricated by a direct-write process has been demonstrated. Near-field electrospinning (NFES) has been utilized to fabricate PVDF fibers with good piezoelectric properties by means of the in situ electrical poling and mechanical stretching process. Experimentally, PVDF fibers have responded to both piezoelectric and electrostatic effects and a double-electrode approach has been used to minimize the electrostatic effect. An average piezoelectric coefficient d 33 of −57.6pm/V has been characterized from fabricated fibers and this value is about twice larger than the value reported in PVDF thin-films. Various complex patterns of PVDF fibers have been deposited using NFES, enabling possible array formats for fiber-based actuators with possible applications including artificial muscles and switches. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Summarized China's 7025 phosphorus (P) fertilizer field trials results on maize. • Average yield response to P (YR P) in China's maize was 16.58 %. • Average agronomic efficiency of P (AE P) in China's maize was 12.69 kg kg−1. • YR P and AE P are comprehensively affected by management and natural conditions. • Rational P fertilization should consider more on variety followed by soil fertility. Excessive phosphorus (P) fertilization in intensive agricultural areas in China has caused resource waste and serious environmental problems, resulting in a need to evaluate P use efficiency to develop reasonable, sustainable P use strategies. This study summarizes the yield response to P (YR P) and the agronomic efficiency of P (AE P) in maize (Zea mays L.) in the primary maize-producing regions of China. We collated data from 7025 field experiments performed between 2005 and 2010 in these regions to quantify the effects of different soil properties (soil type, pH, Olsen-P, organic matter, Ava-N, and Ava-K) and management practices (variety and planting system) on the YR P and AE P and to clarify their relative importance to the YR P and AE P. The average P fertilizer application rate, YR P and AE P of maize in China were 92.3 kg ha−1, 16.58 % and 12.69 kg kg−1, respectively. The YR P and AE P of maize in red soil were significantly lower than those in other soil types. In addition, the YR P and AE P of maize increased with increasing soil pH. At soil Olsen-P levels below 15 mg kg−1, the YR P and AE P decreased with increasing soil Olsen-P; however, the YR P and AE P remained relatively stable at higher soil Olsen-P levels. The YR P and AE P of 'Haiyu 6' and 'Xianyu 335' were higher than those of other maize varieties. Among the different planting systems, spring maize with irrigation achieved the highest YR P and AE P (23.52 % and 14.37 kg kg−1, respectively). In addition, random forest analysis indicated that the maize variety should be prioritized over soil fertility indicators and P application rates when integrated P management strategies are formulated for maize. It was suggested that YR P and AE P can be improved by altering such soil properties and management practices, furthermore, variety is the most important factor affecting YR P and AE P in maize production systems in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]