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Although uranium oxide hydrate (UOH) minerals and synthetic phases have been extensively studied, the role of ammonium ions in the formation of UOH materials is not well understood. In this work, the stabilization of a synthetic UOH phase with ammonium ions and the inclusion of ammonium nitrate were investigated using a range of structural and spectroscopic techniques. Compound (NH4)2(NO3)[(UO2)3O2(OH)3] (U-N1) crystallises in the orthorhombic Pmn21 space group, having a layered structure with typical α-U3O8 type layers and interlayer (NH4)+ cations as well as (NO3)− anions. The presence of uranyl, (NH4)+ cations and (NO3)− anions were further confirmed with a combination of FTIR and Raman spectroscopies through characteristic vibrational modes. The roles of the (NH4)+ cations for charge compensation and facilitating the inclusion of (NO3)− anions via hydrogen bonding were revealed and discussed. The findings have implications for uranium geochemistry, reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and possible spent nuclear fuel alteration pathways under geological disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains a substantial challenge to balance treatment efficacy and toxicity in geriatric patients with multiple myeloma (MM), primarily due to the dynamic nature of frailty. Here, we conducted a prospective study to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of dynamic frailty-tailored therapy (DynaFiT) in elderly patients. Patients with newly diagnosed MM (aged ≥ 65 years) received eight induction cycles of bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (daratumumab was recommended for frail patients), with treatment intensity adjusted according to longitudinal changes in the frailty category (IMWG-FI) at each cycle. Of 90 patients, 33 (37%), 16 (18%), and 41 (45%) were fit, intermediate fit, and frail at baseline, respectively. Of 75 patients who had geriatric assessment at least twice, 28 (37%) experienced frailty category changes at least once. At analysis, 15/26 (58%) frail patients improved (27% became fit and 31% became intermediate fit), 4/15 (27%) intermediate fit patients either improved or deteriorated (two for each), and 6/30 (20%) fit patients deteriorated. During induction, 34/90 (38%) patients discontinued treatment, including 10/33 (30%) fit, 4/16 (25%) intermediate fit, and 20/41 (49%) frail; 14/40 (35%) frail patients discontinued treatment within the first two cycles, mainly because of non-hematologic toxicity (mostly infections). For fit, intermediate-fit, and frail patients, the overall response rate was 100%, 93%, and 73%, respectively; one-year overall survival was 90%, 75%, and 54%, respectively. Therefore, the individualized DynaFiT is feasible and promising for heterogeneous elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two uranium oxide hydrate frameworks (UOHFs) with either Dy3+ or Lu3+ ions, Dy1.36(H2O)6[(UO2)10UO13(OH)4] (UOHF‐Dy) or Lu2(H2O)8[(UO2)10UO14(OH)3] (UOHF‐Lu), were synthesized hydrothermally and characterized with a range of structural and spectroscopic techniques. Although SEM‐EDS analysis confirmed the same atomic ratio of ~5.5 for U : Dy and U : Lu, they displayed different crystal morphologies, needles for UOHF‐Dy in the orthorhombic C2221 space group and plates for UOHF‐Lu in the triclinic P‐1 space group. Both frameworks are composed of β‐U3O8 type layers linked by pentagonal bipyramidal uranium polyhedra, with the Dy3+/Lu3+ ions inside the channels. However, the arrangements of Dy3+/Lu3+ ions are different, with disordered Dy3+ ions well aligned at the centers of the channels and single Lu3+ ions well‐separated in a zigzag pattern in the channels. While the characteristic vibrational modes were revealed by Raman spectroscopy, the presence of a pentavalent uranium center in UOHF‐Lu was confirmed with diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The formation of two types of UOHFs with lanthanide ions, high or low symmetry, and the structure trend were discussed regards to synthesis conditions and lanthanide ionic radius. This work highlights the complex chemistry driving the formation of UOHFs with lanthanide ions and has implications to the spent nuclear fuel under geological disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightning is a major cause of tripping faults in overhead transmission lines. Multi-chamber lightning arresters are widely used to protect high-voltage lines from lightning because of their reliable arc-quenching performance. This paper analyzes the development and quenching process of an arc after a lightning breakdown arrester and studies the quenching mechanism of a multi-chamber arc structure based on its structural characteristics. We built an impulse-current test platform and carried out an impulse-current test for the multi-chamber arrester. The arc motion was captured by a high-speed camera, and the height, speed, and temperature of the arc ejection were obtained by signal processing. The multi-chamber arrester structure is optimized by using the maximum arc ejection height and the maximum ejection speed as metrics to find the optimal combination of the quenching-hole diameter and depth and the gap distance of the multi-chamber structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For addressing the limitations of traditional elastic metamaterials in opening wide bandgaps below 100 Hz, a tunable pneumatic metamaterial plate with airbag local resonators is proposed. Utilizing the characteristics of airbags, such as small volume, large load-bearing capacity, easy stiffness adjustment, and the ability to provide multi-directional restoring forces, a structured low-stiffness local resonator with a certain load-bearing capacity is designed. By varying the gauge pressure of the airbag, the bandgap can be moved toward lower frequencies, thereby achieving a broad low-frequency vibration suppression capability for various wave propagations. The low-frequency vibration bandgap characteristics of the tunable pneumatic metamaterial are analyzed and verified by applying the finite element method. The results illustrate that this tunable pneumatic metamaterial can attenuate bending waves in the range of 22–121 Hz by adjusting the air pressure. Moreover, increasing the gauge pressure will not only shift the complete bandgap toward lower frequencies but also significantly expand the bandwidth of the complete bandgap. For instance, increasing the gauge pressure from 0 to 50 kPa reduces the opening frequency of the complete bandgap from 36 to 22 Hz while enhancing the relative bandwidth from 0.52 to 0.85. Extending from this, a parametric study was conducted to examine the impact of the structural parameters of airbag-type resonant units on bandgap evolution, summarizing the general principles for achieving wide low-frequency bandgaps. Finally, the bandgap characteristics of the tunable pneumatic metamaterial are confirmed through the frequency response function of a finite periodic structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fracture phenomenon of fastener clips occurs frequently in the sections with serious rail corrugation of high-speed railway, which brings huge potential safety hazards to track service and driving safety. In order to prevent the vibration fatigue fracture of fastener clips in high-speed railway, a dynamic vibration absorber (DVA) for clips is proposed in this paper to suppress the primary sensitive frequency of the corresponding resonant of clips. Firstly, based on the optimal design theory of DVA, a parameters design method of ring-shaped DVA suitable for clips is proposed. Secondly, the vibration characteristics of the high-speed railway fastener system are investigated, and the main reason for the fastener clips fracture is analyzed by simulation analysis combined with filed test. Then, focusing on the primary resonant frequency of clips, the vibration reduction effect of the ring-shaped DVA is analyzed. The results show that the ring-shaped DVA can change the natural frequency of the clip system, reduce the vibration response in the range of the original resonant frequency, and avoid the resonance phenomenon. Finally, the influences of mass ratio, frequency ratio, and damping ratio on the vibration reduction effect are analyzed, and the effectiveness of the parameters design method of ring-shaped DVA proposed in this paper is further proved. The research results can provide methodological support for the anti-breakage design of high-speed railway fastener clips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphite films are frequently used in the thermal interface materials (TIM) of thermal dissipation due to its high thermal conductivity. However, accurately measuring the thermal diffusivity of graphite films requires careful consideration of key parameters. In this study, four typical graphite films were analyzed to identify these parameters. The results revealed that pulse width was the most important parameter in accurately measuring thermal diffusivity. Specifically, when the pulse width was less than 1.8% of the half-heating time, thermal diffusivity measurements were more accurate. Conversely, when the pulse width exceeded 1.8% of the half-heating time, heating curves were affected, resulting in a gradual decrease in thermal diffusivity. Additionally, pulse voltage had little effect on thermal diffusivity measurements. These findings provide important guidance for accurately characterizing the thermal properties of graphite films and can inform the accurate measurement and development of efficient thermal interface materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese white pear (Pyrus bretschneideri) fruit carries a high proportion of stone cells, adversely affecting fruit quality. Lignin is a main component of stone cells in pear fruit. In this study, we discovered that a pear MYB transcription factor, PbMYB80, binds to the promoters of key lignin biosynthesis genes and inhibits their expression. Stable overexpression of PbMYB80 in Arabidopsis showed that lignin deposition and secondary wall thickening were inhibited, and the expression of the lignin biosynthesis genes in transgenic Arabidopsis was decreased. Transient overexpression of PbMYB80 in pear fruit inhibited lignin metabolism and stone cell development, and the expression of some genes in the lignin metabolism pathway was reduced. In contrast, silencing PbMYB80 with VIGS increased the lignin and stone cell content in pear fruit, and increased expression of genes in the lignin metabolism pathway. By screening a pear fruit cDNA library in yeast, we found that PbMYB80 binds to a RING finger (PbRHY1) protein. We also showed that PbRHY1 exhibits E3 ubiquitin ligase activity and degrades ubiquitinated PbMYB80 in vivo and in vitro. This investigation contributes to a better understanding of the regulation of lignin biosynthesis in pear fruit, and provides a theoretical foundation for increasing pear fruit quality at the molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing demand for sustainable energy and concerns about the scarcity of lithium resources, sodium and potassium ion batteries have emerged as promising alternative energy storage technologies. MXene, as a novel two-dimensional material, possesses exceptional electrical conductivity, high surface area, and tunable structural features that make it an ideal candidate for high-performance electrode materials. However, its limited theoretical capacity hinders its widespread application. To overcome this limitation, MXene has been combined with other materials through synergistic effects between different components to enhance the overall electrochemical performance and expand its application in sodium/potassium ion batteries. Recently, substantial advancements have been realized in the exploration of MXene-based composites as energy storage materials, encompassing their synthesis, design, and the comprehension of charge storage mechanisms. This paper aims to propose a comprehensive summary of the latest developments in MXene-based composites as electrode materials for sodium ion batteries and potassium ion batteries, with a particular emphasis on the enhanced physicochemical properties resulting from composite formation. Moreover, the challenges faced by MXene materials in sodium ion batteries and potassium ion batteries are thoroughly discussed, and future research directions to further advance this field are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkaline earth metal ions play an important role in the formation of secondary uranium minerals due to their abundance in the Earth's crust. Although uranium oxide hydrate (UOH) minerals and synthetic phases with calcium, strontium and barium ions have been investigated, their counterparts with magnesium ions are much less studied. In this work, synthetic UOH materials with magnesium ions have been investigated with three new compounds being synthesised and characterised. Compound Mg2(H3O)2(H2O)6[(UO2)3O4(OH)]2 (U-Mg1 with a U : Mg ratio of 3 : 1) crystallises in the monoclinic P21/c space group having a layered crystal structure, constructed by β-U3O8 layers with 6-fold coordinated Mg2+ ions as interlayer cations. Compound Na2Mg(H2O)4[(UO2)3O3(OH)2]2 (U-Mg2p with U : Mg : Na ratios of 6 : 1 : 2) crystallises in the triclinic P1¯ space group having a layered structure, constructed by a unique type of uranium oxide hydroxide layer containing both α-U3O8 and β-U3O8 features, with alternating layers of 6-fold coordinated Mg2+ and 6-/8-fold coordinated Na+ interlayer cations. Compound Na2Mg(H2O)4[(UO2)4O3(OH)4]2 (U-Mg2n with U : Mg : Na ratios of 8 : 1 : 2) crystallises in the triclinic P1¯ space group having a corrugated layer structure, constructed by a unique type of uranium oxide hydroxide layer with mixed 6-fold coordinated Mg2+ and 7-fold coordinated Na+ interlayer cations. The structural diversity in the UOH-Mg system was achieved by adjusting the solution pH using NaOH, highlighting the importance of solution pH control and the additional Na+ ions in the formation of UOH phases. The extra structural flexibility offered by the Na+ ions emphasizes the opportunity for synthesising UOHs with dual-cations to further improve our understanding of the alteration products of spent nuclear fuel under geological disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis has emerged as a highly promising, green, and efficient technology for degrading pollutants in wastewater. Among the various photocatalysts, Bismuth tungstate (Bi2WO6) has gained significant attention in the research community due to its potential in environmental remediation and photocatalytic energy conversion. However, the limited light absorption ability and rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers hinder the further improvement of Bi2WO6's photocatalytic performance. This review aims to present recent advancements in the development of Bi2WO6-based photocatalysts. It delves into the photocatalytic mechanism of Bi2WO6 and summarizes the achieved photocatalytic characteristics by controlling its morphology, employing metal and non-metal doping, constructing semiconductor heterojunctions, and implementing defective engineering. Additionally, this review explores the practical applications of these modified Bi2WO6 photocatalysts in wastewater purification. Furthermore, this review addresses existing challenges and suggests prospects for the development of efficient Bi2WO6 photocatalysts. It is hoped that this comprehensive review will serve as a valuable reference and guide for researchers seeking to advance the field of Bi2WO6 photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of pursuing financial inclusion to accelerate economic growth and enhance financial sustainability has been well noted. However, studies have provided few actionable insights into how financial institutions can balance the potential socioeconomic trade-off between profitability and equality. One major challenge arises from a lack of understanding of the impacts of various types of market information available on financial equality beyond economic profitability. Another challenge lies in how the socioeconomic trade-off under a large set of counterfactual policies in a real-world setting can be evaluated. Our motivation for the present study was the emerging sources of digitized user-behavior data (i.e., "alternative data") stemming from the high penetration of mobile devices and internet access. Accordingly, we investigated how alternative data from smartphones and social media can help mitigate potential financial inequality while preserving business profitability in the context of financial credit risk assessment. We partnered with a leading microloan website to design a novel "meta" experiment that allowed us to simulate various real-world field experiments under an exhaustive set of counterfactual policies. Interestingly, we found that profiling user financial risk using smartphone activities is 1.3 times more effective in improving financial inclusion than using online social media information (23.05% better vs. 18.11%), and nearly 1.3 times more effective in improving business profitability (42% better vs. 33%). Surprisingly, we found that using consumers' online shopping activities for credit risk profiling can hurt financial inclusion. Furthermore, we investigated potential explanations for financial inclusion improvements. Our findings suggest that alternative data, especially users' smartphone activities, not only demonstrate higher ubiquity but also appear to be more orthogonal to conventional sensitive demographic attributes. This, in turn, can help mitigate statistical bias driven by the unobserved factors or underrepresentative training samples in machine-based risk assessment processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although barium(II) ions play an important role in the natural weathering of the mineral uraninite (UO2+x) and are expected to therefore do the same for spent nuclear fuel in geological disposal, the detailed structural understanding of this role is rather limited. In this work, we report the synthesis and characterisation of two new uranium oxide hydrate (UOH) phases with barium(II) ions, a layer-structured UOH-Ba1 constructed with undulating uranyl oxide hydroxide layers incorporating hydrated interlayer barium(II) ions; and UOH-Ba2 forming a complex three-dimensional structure by linking six different types of uranium polyhedrons with barium(II) ions located in the narrow channels. Both crystal structures were revealed using synchrotron single crystal X-ray diffraction and confirmed with powder X-ray or electron diffractions. While vibrational modes were elucidated by Raman, electronic structures and the presence of pentavalent uranium were investigated using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. This work has provided insights into the complexity of uranium crystal chemistry in the presence of barium(II) ions and has implications to both uranium geochemistry in terms of the natural weathering of uraninite and the disposal of spent nuclear fuel in the underground repository. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manual image segmentation consumes time. An automatic and accurate method to segment multimodal brain tumors using context information rich three-dimensional medical images that can be used for clinical treatment decisions and surgical planning is required. However, it is a challenge to use deep learning to achieve accurate segmentation of medical images due to the diversity of tumors and the complex boundary interactions between sub-regions while limited computing resources hinder the construction of efficient neural networks. We propose a feature fusion module based on a hierarchical decoupling convolution network and an attention mechanism to improve the performance of network segmentation. We replaced the skip connections of U-shaped networks with a feature fusion module to solve the category imbalance problem, thus contributing to the segmentation of more complicated medical images. We introduced a global attention mechanism to further integrate the features learned by the encoder and explore the context information. The proposed method was evaluated for enhance tumor, whole tumor, and tumor core, achieving Dice similarity coefficient metrics of 0.775, 0.900, and 0.827, respectively, on the BraTS 2019 dataset and 0.800, 0.902, and 0.841, respectively on the BraTS 2018 dataset. The results show that our proposed method is inherently general and is a powerful tool for brain tumor image studies. Our code is available at: https://github.com/WSake/Feature-interaction-network-based-on-Hierarchical-Decoupled-Convolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke was always a disease that threatened human life and health worldwide. We reported the synthesis of a new type of hyaluronic acid-modified multi-walled carbon nanotube. Then, we produced hydroxysafflor yellow A-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin phospholipid complex water-in-oil nanoemulsion with hyaluronic acid-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes and chitosan (HC@HMC) for oral treatment of an ischemic stroke. We measured the intestinal absorption and pharmacokinetics of HC@HMC in rats. We found that the intestinal absorption and the pharmacokinetic behavior of HC@HMC was superior to that of HYA. We measured intracerebral concentrations after oral administration of HC@HMC and found that more HYA crossed the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in mice. Finally, we evaluated the efficacy of HC@HMC in middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R)-injured mice. In MCAO/R mice, oral administration of HC@HMC demonstrated significant protection against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). Furthermore, we found HC@HMC may exert a protective effect on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury through the COX2/PGD2/DPs pathway. These results suggest that oral administration of HC@HMC may be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Flowering cherry is a very popular species around the world. High‐quality genome resources for different elite cultivars are needed, and the understanding of their origins and the regulation of key ornamental traits are limited for this tree. Here, a high‐quality chromosome‐scale genome of Prunus campanulata 'Plena' (PCP), which is a native and elite flowering cherry cultivar in China, was generated. The contig N50 of the genome was 18.31 Mb, and 99.98% of its contigs were anchored to eight chromosomes. Furthermore, a total of 306 accessions of flowering cherry germplasm and six lines of outgroups were collected. Resequencing of these 312 lines was performed, and 761 267 high‐quality genomic variants were obtained. The origins of flowering cherry were predicted, and these 306 accessions could be classified into three clades, A, B and C. According to phylogenetic analysis, we predicted two origins of flowering cherry. Flowering cherry in clade A originated in southern China, such as in the Himalayan Mountains, while clades B and C originated in northeastern China. Finally, a genome‐wide association study of flower colour was performed for all 312 accessions of flowering cherry germplasm. A total of seven quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified. One gene encoding glycosylate transferase was predicted as the candidate gene for one QTL. Taken together, our results provide a valuable genomic resource and novel insights into the origin, evolution and flower colour variations of flowering cherry. Significance Statement: Genome assembly, resequencing and genome‐wide association analyses provide novel insights into the origin, evolution and flower colour variations of flowering cherry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal selenides are considered outstanding potential anodic materials of sodium ion batteries due to their large specific capacity. However, their actual application is heavily restricted because of the unfavorable volume expansion, inferior cycling stability, as well as inactive kinetics. To solve this problem, the structure of SnSe@f-Ti3C2 was rationally designed and synthesized via a simple one-pot solvothermal process for the first time in this work. The high-capacity 0D SnSe quantum dots grow in situ and are characterized as homogeneously distributed on the 2D conductive MXene sheet via the electrostatic attraction of Sn ions and MXene. The SnSe@f-Ti3C2 composite exhibits a remarkably increased capacity of 540 mA h g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 and excellent cycle performance of 97.79% retention ratio after 100 cycles at 0.5 A g−1. The outstanding electrochemical performance of the SnSe@f-Ti3C2 hybrid was mainly attributed to the synergy between 0D SnSe with high capacitance and the 2D MXene sheet with superior conductivity. On one hand, 0D SnSes act as pillars between MXene layers in order to prevent the stacking of MXene nanosheets. On the other hand, the fast electron/ion transport capability and large specific surface area provided by MXene as a conductive skeleton facilitates favorable transfer kinetics as well as close contact in the electrolyte/electrode interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a flux crystal growth of Ba2[(UO2)2Ti2O8] and subsequent structural and spectroscopic studies using multiple techniques. The layered crystal structure, built up with sheets of edge‐sharing dimeric uranyl pentagonal bipyramids and dimeric TiO5 square pyramids with interlayer Ba(II) ions, was revealed by synchrotron single crystal x‐ray diffraction and confirmed with electron diffraction using a transmission electron microscope. The presence of only hexavalent uranium was confirmed by both diffuse reflectance and x‐ray absorption near‐edge structure spectroscopies, consistent with the bond valence sum calculations. Its vibrational modes were revealed by Raman spectroscopy. In addition, its implications as a potential hexavalent uranium waste form for the immobilization of uranium‐rich radioactive wastes were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a comprehensive study on lanthanide monouranate–based glass–ceramic (GC) composites as potential waste forms for the immobilization of the lanthanide actinide fraction waste arising from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Although the crystalline LnUO4 precursor prepared via a nitrate route can be well stabilized in a sodium aluminoborosilicate glass, the in situ crystallization of EuUO4 in glass from oxide precursors (Eu2O3 and U3O8) is rather robust with regards to various processing conditions such as waste loadings, ceramic‐to‐glass ratios, and cooling rates. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy investigations revealed the detailed microstructures, where ∼1–5‐μm spheres for NdUO4 and EuUO4, and ∼1–5‐μm rectangular crystals for DyUO4 and HoUO4 were observed in residual glasses. As designed, the pentavalent uranium has been confirmed by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Overall, LnUO4‐based GC composite waste forms are chemically durable, offering flexible processing options with wide operating windows for SNF and process waste stream management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugar plays an important role in regulating the flowering of plants. However, studies of genes related to flowering regulation by the sugar pathway of Brassicaceae plants are scarce. In this study, we performed a comprehensive comparative genomics analysis of the flowering genes in the sugar pathway from seven members of the Brassicaceae, including: Arabidopsis thaliana, Arabidopsis lyrata, Astelia pumila, Camelina sativa, Brassica napus, Brassica oleracea, and Brassica rapa. We identified 105 flowering genes in the sugar pathway of these plants, and they were categorized into nine groups. Protein domain analysis demonstrated that the IDD8 showed striking structural variations in different Brassicaceae species. Selection pressure analysis revealed that sugar pathway genes related to flowering were subjected to strong purifying selection. Collinearity analysis showed that the identified flowering genes expanded to varying degrees, but SUS4 was absent from the genomes of Astelia pumila, Camelina sativa, Brassica napus, Brassica oleracea, and Brassica rapa. Tissue-specific expression of ApADG indicated functional differentiation. To sum up, genome-wide identification revealed the expansion, contraction, and diversity of flowering genes in the sugar pathway during Brassicaceae evolution. This study lays a foundation for further study on the evolutionary characteristics and potential biological functions of flowering genes in the sugar pathway of Brassicaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immunogenicity of haptens determines the performance of the resultant antibody for small molecules. Rigidity is one of the basic physicochemical properties of haptens. However, few studies have investigated the effect of hapten rigidity on the strength of an immune response and overall antibody performance. Herein, we introduce three molecular descriptors that quantify hapten rigidity. By using of these descriptors, four rifamycin haptens with varied rigidity were designed. The structural and physicochemical feasibility of the designed haptens was then assessed by computational chemistry. Immunization demonstrated that the strength of induced immune responses, i.e., the titer and affinity of antiserum, was significantly increased with increased rigidity of haptens. Furthermore, molecular dynamic simulations demonstrated conformation constraint of rigid haptens contributed to the initial binding and activation of naïve B cells. Finally, a highly sensitive indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed for detection of rifaximin, with an IC 50 of 1.1 μg/L in buffer and a limit of detection of 0.2–11.3 μg/L in raw milk, river water, and soil samples. This work provides new insights into the effect of hapten rigidity on immunogenicity and offers new hapten design strategies for antibody discovery and vaccine development of small molecules. [Display omitted] • Three molecular descriptors were introduced to quantify the rigidity of hapten. • Four novel haptens of RFs were designed and synthesized with varied rigidity. • Rigid haptens of RFs induce stronger immune responses. • The mechanism behind the immunological enhancement of rigid hapten was deciphered. • A highly sensitive icELISA was developed to detect rifaximin in raw milk samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of mRNAs in Eukaryote were matured after the removal of introns in their pre-mRNA transcripts. Serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins are a group of splicing regulators regulating the splicing processes globally. Expressions of SR proteins themselves were extensively regulated, at both transcription and splicing levels, under different environmental conditions, specially heat stress conditions. The pine genome is characterized by super-long and easily methylated introns in a large number of genes that derived from the extensive accumulation of transposons (TEs). Here, we identified and analyzed the phylogenetic characteristics of 24 SR proteins and their encoding genes from the pine genome. Then we explored transcription and pre-mRNA splicing expression patterns of SR genes in P. massoniana seedlings under normal and heat stress temperature conditions. Our results showed that the transcription patterns of SR genes in pine exhibited significant changes compared to other plant species, and these changes were not strictly correlated with the intron length and DNA methylation intensity of the SR genes. Interestingly, none of the long introns of SR genes underwent alternative splicing (AS) in our experiment. Furthermore, the intensity of AS regulation may be related to the potential DNA methylation intensity of SR genes. Taken together, this study explores for the first time the characteristics of significant variations in the transcription and splicing patterns of SR proteins in a plant species with an over-accumulation of super-long introns. • Compared to other plants, transcription patterns of SR genes in pine change significantly. • The influence of intron length and methylation on transcription and splicing regulation of pine SR gene is unclear. • Compared to other plants, alternative splicing regulation of SR genes in pine is less common. • None of the long introns of SR genes undergo alternative splicing under different temperature conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Process monitoring and control is an essential approach to improve additive manufacturing (AM) built quality. For the development of powder bed fusion (PBF) AM monitoring system, sensing process optical emission is a popular approach. This is because it provides rich information on melt pool condition which directly determines final part quality. However, the optical emission information is convoluted. And lack of full understanding of it limits the further development of an optimal monitoring system. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the correlations between the optical emission and the processing condition to help enhance PBF process monitoring. A high-speed camera was used to acquire the images of the optical emission in the waveband of 800–1,000 nm. Several typical features were extracted and analyzed with the increase of laser power. The K-means clustering method was used to identify the hidden patterns of these features. Five hidden patterns have been identified, and therefore the collected dataset was partitioned into five subsets. The extracted features in each subset were characterized. It is found that (1) plume area and plume orientation are the two most crucial features for processing condition monitoring; (2) number of spatters and spatter dispersion index are sensitive to some minor process vibrations which have little effect on built quality. Additionally, the SVM model was built for process quality identification. It is found that (3) the time sequence information of the features can help improve the quality identification performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Designing MnO functionalized Fe 3 C@nitrogen doped mesoporous Fe x Mn y @NC materials. • Mn boosts the formation of mesoporous structures along surfaces of Fe x Mn y @NC. • The HER E onset and E 10 values of Fe 3 Mn 1 @NC just 84.8 and 156 mV more negative than Pt/C. • The OER E onset and E 10 values of Fe 3 Mn 1 @NC just 8 and 18.7 mV more positive than RuO 2. • A low voltage of 1.6287 V at 10 mA cm−2 for Fe 3 Mn 1 @NC||Fe 3 Mn 1 @NC just 24.9 mV larger than 1.6038 V of Pt/C||RuO 2. In the development of water splitting, the sluggish electrocatalytic kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) have restricted their energy conversion efficiencies. Along with the continuous rise in the prices of noble metals and transition metals (such as cobalt and nickel), constructing high-efficiency HER/OER catalysts based on low cost transition metals, such as iron and manganese, is becoming more meaningful in developing industrialized water splitting devices. In this paper, in the absence of a template or active agent, three-dimensional, hierarchically porous Fe x Mn y nanoparticles (NPs) were embedded and nitrogen-doped carbon materials (denoted as Fe x Mn y @NC; x:y, representing the molar ratio of Fe:Mn) were successfully prepared via pyrolysis of corresponding precursors containing different metallic salt components. Various morphological, structural, and chemical characterization analysis demonstrate that at an Fe:Mn molar ratio of 3:1, the optimal Fe 3 Mn 1 @NC material shows high graphitization degree, rich mesoporous structures, a large surface area, and abundant carbon defects/edges, which promote the uniform dispersion of pyridinic-N (pyridinic- N -metal), graphitic-N, carbon oxygen bonds (C O), manganese oxide (MnO) nanocrystals, and Fe 3 C NPs-embedded, N -doped carbon sheet (Fe 3 C@NC) active sites. In alkaline conditions, the HER onset potentials (E onset) and potentials recorded at 10 mA cm−2 (E 10) of the optimal Fe 3 Mn 1 @NC are just 84.8 and 156 mV more negative than those of 20 wt% platinum carbon (Pt/C). Meanwhile, the OER E onset and E 10 values of the optimal Fe 3 Mn 1 @NC are just 8 and 18.7 mV more positive than those of RuO 2. Furthermore, optimized Fe 3 Mn 1 @NC catalysts were assembled into a water splitting cell, where the catalytic current density achieves 10 mA cm−2 at a low voltage of 1.6287 V (with superior catalytic stability), which is just 24.9 mV higher than that of the (-) 20 wt% Pt/C||RuO 2 (+) benchmark (1.6038 V) under the same conditions. This work describes the regulating efficiency of Mn toward growing mesopores and opens new possibilities for the development of novel carbonaceous catalysts with excellent hydroxide catalytic efficiencies based on low cost Mn/Fe elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceria (CeO2)–based materials are potential catalysts for the removal of the Hg0 and AsH3 present in reducing atmospheres. However, theoretical studies investigating the Hg0 and AsH3 removal capacity of ceria remain limited. In this study, the adsorption behavior and mechanistic pathways for the catalytic oxidation of Hg0 and AsH3 on the CeO2(111) surface, including the calculation of optimized adsorption configurations and energies, were investigated using density functional theory calculations. The results suggest that Hg0 and AsH3 are favorably adsorbed on the CeO2(111) surface, whereas CO is not, which is crucial for selective removal when CO is a desirable gas component. Furthermore, AsH3 is adsorbed more favorably than Hg0. In addition, the calculations revealed that the Hg atom is initially adsorbed on the surface and then oxidized by lattice oxygen to form HgO. Concerning AsH3 decomposition, the stepwise dehydrogenation of AsH3 followed by bonding with lattice O atoms to form the As-O bond seems the most plausible. Finally, the adsorbed As-O bond is further forms elemental As and As2O3. Therefore, CeO2 can adsorb and remove Hg0 and AsH3, making it a promising catalyst for the simultaneous catalytic oxidation of Hg0 and AsH3 in strongly reducing off-gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to develop a data fusion method for powder-bed fusion (PBF) process monitoring based on process image information. The data fusion method can help improve process condition identification performance, which can provide guidance for further PBF process monitoring and control system development. Design/methodology/approach: Design of reliable process monitoring systems is an essential approach to solve PBF built quality. A data fusion framework based on support vector machine (SVM), convolutional neural network (CNN) and Dempster-Shafer (D-S) evidence theory are proposed in the study. The process images which include the information of melt pool, plume and spatters were acquired by a high-speed camera. The features were extracted based on an appropriate image processing method. The three feature vectors corresponding to the three objects, respectively, were used as the inputs of SVM classifiers for process condition identification. Moreover, raw images were also used as the input of a CNN classifier for process condition identification. Then, the information fusion of the three SVM classifiers and the CNN classifier by an improved D-S evidence theory was studied. Findings: The results demonstrate that the sensitivity of information sources is different for different condition identification. The feature fusion based on D-S evidence theory can improve the classification performance, with feature fusion and classifier fusion, the accuracy of condition identification is improved more than 20%. Originality/value: An improved D-S evidence theory is proposed for PBF process data fusion monitoring, which is promising for the development of reliable PBF process monitoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of resource-exhausted urban land is an urgent problem for sustainable urban development in the world today. Obtaining the urban land use type and analyzing the changes in their land use can lead to better management of the relationship between economic development and resource utilization. In this paper, a residual-intelligent module network was proposed to solve the problems of low classification accuracy and missing objects edge information in traditional computer classification methods. The classification of four Landsat-TM/OLI images from 1993–2020 for Jiaozuo city (the first batch of resource-exhausted cities in China) was realized by this method. The results (overall accuracy was 98.61%, in 2020 images) were better than the comparison models (support vector machine, 2D-convolutional neural network, hybrid convolution networks; overall accuracy was 87.12%, 96.16%, 98.46%, respectively) and effectively reduced the loss of information on the edge of the ground objects. On this basis, six main land use types were constructed by combining field surveys and other methods. The characteristics and driving forces of spatial-temporal change in land use were explored from the aspect of social, economic and policy factors. The results showed that from 1993 to 2020 the cultivated land, forest land, water body and other land types in the study area decreased by 690.97 km2, 57.54 km2, 47.04 km2 and 59.43 km2, respectively. The construction land and bare land increased by 839.38 km2 and 15.57 km2, respectively. The transfer of land use types was mainly from cultivated land to construction land, with a cumulative conversion of 920.95 km2 within 27 years. The driving forces of land use in the study area were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) and regression analysis. The spatial-temporal evolution of land use types was affected by policy changes, the level of social development and the adjustment in the economy, industry and agriculture structure. The investment in fixed assets and per capita net income in rural areas were the top two influencing factors and their cumulative contribution rate was 94.62%. The findings of this study can provide scientific reference and theoretical support for land use planning, land reclamation in mining areas, ecological protection and sustainable development in Jiaozuo and other resource-exhausted cities in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive review of the current advances on titanate glass-ceramic composite materials as waste forms for actinide immobilization is given. Apart from providing a comprehensive summary of earlier works in the field, some technical analysis and perspectives are provided pointing to the potential future studies. [Display omitted] • A comprehensive review on titanate glass-ceramic waste forms for actinide immobilization is provided. • Current advances on the titanate glass-ceramic composite materials are summarised. As the emerging versatile waste forms for immobilizing actinide-rich radioactive wastes, glass-ceramic composite materials based on some durable ceramic phases are being developed. They have apparent advantages over the conventional borosilicate glasses and multi- or single- phase ceramics as they essentially combine the chemical and processing flexibilities of glasses to accommodate processing impurities and excellent chemical durability of ceramic phases to host actinides. More recently, some new advances have been made on scientific and technological aspects including new glass-ceramic systems; improved understanding of ceramic phase evolution in glass; actinide validation studies and simplified processing techniques. This review is intended to cover the current advances on the development of glass-ceramic composite waste forms focusing on titanate ceramic phases (zirconolite, pyrochlore and brannerite) for immobilizing various actinide-rich radioactive wastes arising from the nuclear fuel cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common gynecological endocrine disorders, with sporadic ovulation, excessive androgens, and polycystic ovarian changes as the main clinical manifestations. Due to the high heterogeneity of its clinical manifestations, the discussion on its pathogenesis has not been unified. Current research has found that genetic factors, hyperandrogenism, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and obesity are strongly associated with PCOS. Recently, when studying the specific mechanisms of the abovementioned factors in PCOS, the biological response process of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) has gradually come to researchers' attention, and several studies have confirmed the involvement of ERS in the pathogenesis of PCOS and the improvement of a series of pathological manifestations of PCOS after the application of ERS inhibitors, which may be a new entry point for the treatment of PCOS. In this article, we review the relationship between ERS and various pathogenic factors of PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to characterize the regulatory role of microRNA-29a (miR-29a) in myopia, providing support for potential biomarkers and new therapeutic targets of myopia in humans. The miR-29a expression level was detected in the aqueous humor and peripheral blood plasma of 21 high myopic patients and eight cataract control patients using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. iTRAQ analysis of proteomes was conducted to show the regulatory effect of miR-29a on human scleral fibroblasts (SFs) cultured in vitro. We also assessed proliferation, migration, and collagen I synthesis in SF cells, mediated by miR-29a. MiR-29a expression was significantly higher in the aqueous humor of highly myopic patients than in the cataract control patients (fold change: 4.861, p = 0.001). miR-29a inhibited the synthesis of type I collagen in human SF cells and enhanced cell migration, but had no significant effect on cell proliferation. MiR-29a was highly expressed in aqueous humor of myopia patients and inhibited the synthesis of type I collagen in human SF cells in vivo, thereby it may play an important role in myopia development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uranium oxide hydrate (UOH) materials, a group of minerals and synthetic phases, have attracted recent attention due to their high structural flexibility and diversity as well as their primary relationship with natural weathering of the mineral uraninite and the alteration of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in geological disposal. Due to the limited structural and chemical understanding of UOH minerals, synthetic UOH phases provide a unique opportunity to fill existing knowledge gaps through the exploration of further structural diversity and distinctive properties, as well as potential applications. Some of the latest developments of synthetic UOH phases include the incorporation of 3d transition metal and lanthanide ions, the evolution of uranyl oxide hydroxide layers driven by interlayer charge, the structural diversity of uranyl oxide hydrate frameworks, and the intrinsic driving force for the formation of diversified structural types. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the latest advancements of synthetic UOH phases with 3d transition and lanthanide metal ions, including their syntheses, structural diversities, microstructures, uranium valences, vibration modes, and structural and chemical complexities. It also highlights the subsequent implications of these advancements on uranium geochemistry and SNF alterations, amongst other potential applications. A further discussion on technical challenges and knowledge gaps is included to identify areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simplified strategy is implemented to obtain the comprehensive strength-ductility synergy in the Ni 40 Fe 30 Co 20 Al 10 medium-entropy alloy (MEA) through one-pass cold-rolling (∼80%) and annealing without pre-homogenization treatment. The MEA annealed at 800 ℃ (A800) consists of disordered face-centered-cubic (FCC) matrix (γ) with ordered FCC nanoscale precipitates (γ 1 ' and γ 2 '), displaying ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 895 MPa coupled with uniform elongation (UE) of 29%. It is found the selective distribution behavior of nanoscale γ 1 ' and γ 2 ' as full recrystallization (FR) precipitates within partial recrystallization (PR) and FR grains, exhibiting multiple nested-pattern heterostructure. The coarse-grained MEA annealed at 1200 ℃ (A1200) possesses a superior UE of ∼70% and an UTS higher than that of the as-cast sample, which can be rationalized by the interweaved stacking faults/nanoscale deformation-twins and the continuously generated twin boundaries. Moreover, a new parameter k involving both UTS and UE is designed to unveil the salience of strength-ductility synergy. As compared with the reported MEAs within a similar yield strength range, A1200 MEA reveals the optimized k , and can be considered as an outstanding candidate for further thermomechanical treatment. • Ni 40 Fe 30 Co 20 Al 10 is suitable for simplified processing to achieve good performance. • Novel nested-pattern heterostructure induces optimized mechanical properties. • Selective distribution of γ 1 ' and γ 2 ' precipitates in recrystallized grains are obtained. • Newly designed parameter k unveils the salience of strength-ductility synergy. • 1200 ℃-annealed alloy is an outstanding candidate for deep processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Early Carboniferous Epoch, the Earth's system is highly disturbed. Multiple dark shale successions developed in the Lower Carboniferous of northern Guangxi. The Lower Carboniferous Series can be divided into three third-order sequences, SQ 1 –SQ 3 , by analyzing the sequence stratigraphy from several sections. The dark shales are primarily developed in SQ 1 and SQ 2 , corresponding to shale-bearing lithostratigraphic units, such as the Luzhai, Yingtang, and Simen Formations (Fms). Moreover, three stratigraphic properties of the Luzhai Fm and its evolutionary relationship with the Yingtang and Simen Fms are discussed, and the sequence stratigraphic frameworks in three directions are established. The distribution ranges of dark shale are restored under the sequence stratigraphic framework, and the total organic carbon (TOC) values are evaluated by sampling in dark shales. The results indicate that basin and delta facies are favorable for forming organic-rich shales, followed by shelf facies, and the quality of ramp facies shales is relatively poor. According to the statistics of the TOC values in different genetic units (systems tracts), transgression is favorable for forming organic-rich shales, and the quality of dark shales developed in the transgressive system tract of SQ 1 (TST 1) is the best. • The Lower Carboniferous sequence stratigraphic frameworks in northern Guangxi are established. • The genetic connections of Lower Carboniferous shale-bearing formations are discussed. • The paleogeographic patterns during the Tournaisian–Visean Age in northern Guangxi are restored. • The spatial-temporal characteristics of Lower Carboniferous organic-rich shales are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benefitting from the molten CaCl 2 -MgCl 2 -NaCl system with high O2− solubility and in situ constructed MgO parclose avoiding silicon grains exposed in carbon matrix, high-quality silicon/carbon hybrid is synthesized by a short-flow molten salt electrolysis procedure, resulting in a low energy consumption of only 12,830 kWh t−1. The strategy successfully breaks through the longstanding difficulties on the silicon/carbon hybrid production, showing great potential for practical application. [Display omitted] • The Si/C hybrid is synthesize under just 12,830 kWh t−1 energy consumption indicating promising commercial application. • A MgO physical barrier is in-situ constrcut to isolate silicon from carbon matrix. • CaCl 2 is introduced into Mg-based electrolyte to promote the efficient transport of oxygen ions. The proximate cause postponing silicon/carbon hybrid commercialization is expensive fabricating cost. Herein, a low-cost preparation of silicon/carbon hybrid through a direct electrolytic strategy in molten salt is reported. The all-along existing challenges during the electrolysis of carbon doped silicon that always produces stable SiC phases containing sub-silicon oxide and carbon impurities instead of the desirable silicon/carbon hybrid is overcame by the in-situ constructed MgO physical isolation barrier. The framework of reaction boundary conditions involving the best electrolyte constituent, the silicon-to-carbon ratio and cell voltage range is optimized, achieving a significantly decreased energy consumption of 12,830 kWh t−1 as equivalent to about 902.2 USD per ton of electricity cost, which is merely 10 % of the current market price. The silicon/carbon hybrid exhibits excellent lithium storage capability, as reflected by the superior cycling stability and high reversible capacity (1612.7 mAh g−1 at 0.3 A g−1 after 200 cycles with only 0.17 % per cycle capacity-fading) in half-cells, and high energy density (571.5 Wh kg−1 after 400 cycles) in full cells pairing the as-prepared Si/C hybrid anode with commercial LiNi 0.6 Co 0.2 Mn 0.2 O 2 cathode. This work unravels new perspectives on the effective fabrication of silicon/carbon hybrid toward high-performance lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] This work unfolds a robust and interpretable strategy for evaluating the stability and potential photovoltaic application of 6526 multicomponent perovskite oxides, employing a synergetic methodology that intertwines advanced machine learning (ML) algorithms and symbolic regression based on genetic programming. Initially, ML algorithms, namely XGBoost, LightGBM, and random forest, were harnessed, with elemental oxidation state and electronegativity serving as input features, achieving R2 values of 0.98, 0.98, and 0.74, respectively, on the test set for predicting the formation enthalpy, a criterion for perovskite stability. Despite the amplified interpretability offered by SHAP analysis, the inherent "black-box" nature of ML obfuscates a transparent understanding of intrinsic relations between input features and performance. To surmount this, symbolic regression introduced not only elucidates a clear functional relationship between input features and perovskite stability but also achieves a commendable R2 of 0.79 on the test set. Subsequent high-throughput screening, based on perovskite stability ranking, designated the top 500 stable perovskites for band gap calculation using the PBE functional, wherein DyNdHf 2 O 6 , CeEuAl 2 O 6 , and CeSrAl 2 O 6 emerged as potential candidates for photovoltaic applications and were subjected to further electronic structure simulations employing the HSE06 functional, encompassing density of states, band structure, charge density, and optical absorption spectra. Ultimately, CeEuAl 2 O 6 , boasting an optical direct bandgap of 2.31 eV and minimal electron-hole wavefunction overlap, stands out as the prime choice for photovoltaic materials. This research not only pioneers the exploration of enhancing the interpretability of ML but also propels theoretical guidance for the evolution of photovoltaic cells by bridging predictive modeling with high-throughput screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mixed-valence uranium oxide hydrate framework with Sr2+ ions (UOF-Sr2) was synthesized hydrothermally and characterized with multiple structural and spectroscopic techniques. Compound UOF-Sr2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c, having a complicated three-dimensional structure with Sr2+ ions in the narrow channels. Both SEM and TEM characterization revealed a thin-plate crystal morphology, with the TEM-SAED pattern indexed to the crystal structure determined by synchrotron single-crystal XRD. Bond valence sum analysis indicated the possible presence of pentavalent uranium in octahedral coordination environments, subsequently confirmed with diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy revealed extensive splitting of uranyl vibrations due to the presence of various coordination environments for uranyl moieties. This work highlights the complexity and flexibility of the uranium oxide hydrate system in the natural weathering of uraninite, and sheds light on the possible alteration pathways for spent nuclear fuels under geological disposal conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on a novel type of ternary chiral porous hybrid particles (TCPHPs) constructed by alkynylated cellulose nanocrystals (A‐CNCs), helical substituted polyacetylene, and inorganic silica. The resulting TCPHPs combine the respective advantages of the three components. A‐CNCs serve as stabilizer, co‐monomer, and chiral source simultaneously and transfer their chirality to the resulting helical substituted polyacetylenes in the course of copolymerization with achiral acetylenic monomer following "sergeants and soldiers rule". Helical substituted polyacetylenes form chiral helical structures and thus endow TCPHPs with the anticipated optical activity. Inorganic silica constitutes the rigid framework and is covalently bonded with the organic components through hydrolysis of Si‐O‐Et groups. Phase separation between the organic and inorganic components renders TCPHPs with abundant pores. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images confirm the formation of spherical particles with porous structures. Circular dichroism spectra demonstrate the optical activity of the chiral hybrid particles. The as‐prepared TCPHPs exhibit capacity for enantio‐differentiating performance towards chiral naproxen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Workpiece sorting is a key link in industrial production lines. The vision-based workpiece sorting system is non-contact and widely applicable. The detection and recognition of workpieces are the key technologies of the workpiece sorting system. To introduce deep learning algorithms into workpiece detection and improve detection accuracy, this paper aims to propose a workpiece detection algorithm based on the single-shot multi-box detector (SSD). Design/methodology/approach: Propose a multi-feature fused SSD network for fast workpiece detection. First, the multi-view CAD rendering images of the workpiece are used as deep learning data sets. Second, the visual geometry group network was trained for workpiece recognition to identify the category of the workpiece. Third, this study designs a multi-level feature fusion method to improve the detection accuracy of SSD (especially for small objects); specifically, a feature fusion module is added, which uses "element-wise sum" and "concatenation operation" to combine the information of shallow features and deep features. Findings: Experimental results show that the actual workpiece detection accuracy of the method can reach 96% and the speed can reach 41 frames per second. Compared with the original SSD, the method improves the accuracy by 7% and improves the detection performance of small objects. Originality/value: This paper innovatively introduces the SSD detection algorithm into workpiece detection in industrial scenarios and improves it. A feature fusion module has been added to combine the information of shallow features and deep features. The multi-feature fused SSD network proves the feasibility and practicality of introducing deep learning algorithms into workpiece sorting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracellular Ca2+ ions as second messenger played key role in cell behaviour, which was often overlooked in traditional antitumor treatment. Disrupting Ca2+ ion homeostasis by Ca2+ overload might switch ions signal from 'regulating' to 'destroying'. Inspired by this, a biomimetic Ca2+ nanogenerator was constructed. Briefly, the curcumin (CUR) was loaded into mesoporous calcium carbonate nanoparticles (MCC NPs), and then coated with platelet (PLT) membrane. Upon reaching tumour cells by PLT membrane-mediated tumour targeting effect, PLT@MCC/CUR would instantaneously decompose in acidic lysosomes, concurrently accompanying with Ca2+ generation and CUR release. The CUR could further facilitate Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and inhibit Ca2+ efflux, aggravating Ca2+ overload to disrupt mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis for mitochondria apoptosis signalling pathway activation. Interestingly, such effect was ineffective in normal cells, realising the tumour-specific therapeutic therapy. Based on ions interference strategy, PLT@MCC/CUR herein offered synergistic combination of Ca2+ overload therapy and chemotherapy, which would pave the way towards more effective nanotherapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to improve the meshing effect of the gear teeth. It is recommended to analyze the deformation difference between the inner and outer surfaces of the flexspline. The purpose of this paper is to modify the profile of the flexspline based on the deformation difference to improve the transmission accuracy and operating life of the harmonic drive. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, ring theory is used to calculate the deformation difference of the inner and outer surfaces of the flexspline, and the actual tooth profile of the flexspline is corrected based on the deformation difference. Then, the flexspline is divided into multiple sections along the axial direction, so that the three-dimensional tooth profile of the flexspline is modified to improve the gear tooth meshing effect. Findings: This paper proves the effect of the deformation difference between the inner and outer surfaces of the flexspline on the tooth backlash, which affects the transmission accuracy and life of the harmonic drive. It is recommended to modify the tooth profile of the flexspline based on the deformation difference, so as to ensure the tooth meshing effect. Originality/value: This paper provides a new way for the optimization of the three-dimensional tooth profile design of the harmonic drive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As potential waste forms for immobilizing actinide‐rich radioactive wastes, Eu2Ti2O7 (Eu as a surrogate for minor actinides) pyrochlore glass‐ceramics were fabricated via hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) at 1200°C. The structure and microstructure at the reaction interface between the glass‐ceramic waste form and the stainless steel (SS) canister under HIPing conditions were carefully investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and synchrotron single crystal X‐ray diffraction (SC‐XRD). The interactions at the reaction interface led to the formations of a ~10‐µm‐thick Cr2O3 layer as the oxidation front of the SS and a layer of a mixed oxide phase (Eu1.25SiCr0.8Ti1.2O7.5) on the glass‐ceramic side of the reaction interface. The crystal structure of such a unique mixed oxide phase was revealed indubitably with a combination of synchrotron SC‐XRD and TEM assisted with a focused ion beam (FIB) SEM system. The improved structural understanding of the reaction interface will help to support the utilization of HIPing as a versatile hot consolidation process for the treatment of radioactive wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Pyrochlore glass ceramics have been fabricated via in-situ crystallization under reducing conditions by both sintering and hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) as candidate wasteforms for the acidic waste biproduct of Mo-99 radiopharmaceutical production. The tailored wasteform demonstrates flexibility in the wasteform design to receive the required waste variability, it also suitably passes high-level waste performance requirement, and successfully scales to 1 kg scale with 45 wt.% waste loading. U-rich pyrochlore as the major phase was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, with residual glass and minor secondary phases. The presence of both U4+ and U5+ valences in the wasteforms was revealed by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Addition of glass content had little influence on the pyrochlore composition but facilitated minor perovskite formation. The up-scaled dense, HIPed sample showed elemental releases of < 2 g/L for all elements in durability experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unreasonable actuation of electric vehicle's motor drive system usually results in a lot of unwanted energy consumption on a slope road. This paper proposes an eco-cruise control (ECC) scheme based on the driving condition estimation to decrease electric vehicle's energy consumption in the constant-speed cruise control mode. The eco-cruise control scheme is realized by reducing the unreasonable actuation of the motor drive system. The vehicle's total mass and pitch angle are estimated in real time by using an improved base-vector-based cross iteration estimator (BVCIE). Based on the estimated results, the required torque is predicted. Combining the speed deviation between the desired speed and the real speed, and the torque deviation between the required torque and the real torque, a three-power nonlinear controller of the ECC scheme is designed. The ECC scheme is validated on a slope road with different cruise speeds on a cosimulation platform, and the results indicate that the proposed strategy enjoys a better speed maintenance ability and energy efficiency compared with the benchmarked cruise control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the damping performance of the main structure with a concentrated mass and particle dampers at different particle filling rates and sinusoidal sweep amplitudes under the same mass ratio by means of a controlled experiment, with the concentrated mass and particle dampers attached to the free end of the cantilever beam. As the order increases, the effect becomes progressively weaker. For cantilevered beam structures, a reasonable design with only a small mass ratio of particle dampers can effectively suppress the vibration of the first order. For the second- and third-order bending vibration, particle dampers with high mass ratios show a better damping effect, and when the strength of the excitation reaches a certain value, the damping performance of the particle dampers is basically better than that of the concentrated mass under the same conditions. The reason for this is that particle damping not only dampens the vibration by tuning the mass but also dissipates the energy of the main structure by means of collisions, impacts, and friction between the particles or between the particles and the damper cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase formation, structures, microstructures, uranium valence and magnetic properties of LnUO 4 (Ln = Dy and Ho) were investigated. Cubic fluorite strucutres for both compounds were determined with X-ray diffraction data and confirmed with transmission electron miscroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The presence of pentavalent uranium was validated with a combination of diffuse reflectance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. The lack of long-range magnetic orders is believed to be associated with the extensive oxygen defects in the short distances. [Display omitted] The phase formation, structures, microstructures, uranium valences and magnetic properties of LnUO 4 (Ln = Dy and Ho) were investigated. Although sintering of the precursors in argon at 1450 °C for seven days and 1400 °C for six hours both resulted in the desired phase, sintering at higher temperature for longer duration led to the formations of well crystalized lanthanide monouranates with much better homogeneity. Cubic fluorite structures were determined using X-ray diffraction data, which was confirmed with transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The nature of pentavalent uranium was verified with a combination of diffuse reflectance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. The magnetic suseptability measurements revealed that they are paramagnetic with no long-range magnetic orders, likely due to the extensive short-range oxygen defects. Overall the improved structural and spectroscopic understandings of LnUO 4 have implications in nuclear materials especially for potential accident tolerance fuels and spent fuel management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological insulators (TIs) host spin-momentum locked surface states that are inherently susceptible to magnetic proximity modulations, making them promising for nano-electronic, spintronic, and quantum computing applications. While much effort has been devoted to studying (quantum) anomalous Hall effects in magnetic magnetically doped TIs, the inherent magnetoresistance (MR) properties in magnetic proximity-coupled surface states remain largely unexplored. Here, we directly exfoliate Bi2Se3 TI flakes onto a magnetic insulator, yttrium iron garnet, and measure the MR at various temperatures. We experimentally observe an anisotropic magnetoresistance that is consistent with a magnetized surface state. Our results indicate that the TI has magnetic anisotropy out of the sample plane, which opens an energy gap between the surface states. By applying a magnetic field along any in-plane orientation, the magnetization of the TI rotates toward the plane and the gap closes. Consequently, we observe a large (∼6.5%) MR signal that is attributed to an interplay between coherent rotation of magnetization within a topological insulator and abrupt switching of magnetization in the underlying magnetic insulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to improve the positioning accuracy of 6-Dof serial robot by the way of error compensation and sensitivity analysis. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, the Denavit–Hartenberg matrix is used to construct the kinematics models of the robot; the effects from individual joint and several joints on the end effector are estimated by simulation. Then, an error model based on joint clearance is proposed so that the positioning accuracy at any position of joints can be predicted for compensation. Through the simulation of the curve path, the validity of the error compensation model is verified. Finally, the experimental results show that the error compensation method can improve the positioning accuracy of a two joint exoskeleton robot by nearly 76.46%. Findings: Through the analysis of joint error sensitivity, it is found that the first three joints, especially joint 2, contribute a lot to the positioning accuracy of the robot, which provides guidance for the accuracy allocation of the robot. In addition, this paper creatively puts forward the error model based on joint clearance, and the error compensation method which decouples the positioning accuracy into joint errors. Originality/value: It provides a new idea for error modeling and error compensation of 6-Dof serial robot. Combining sensitivity analysis results with error compensation can effectively improve the positioning accuracy of the robot, and provide convenience for welding robot and other robots that need high positioning accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bearings-only filtering (BOF) is important in many practical applications. It is also a challenging nonlinear filtering problem due to limited information contained in highly nonlinear measurements. Researchers have proposed various nonlinear filters for BOF problems. We propose a new approach to nonlinear filtering using pseudomeasurement construction based uncorrelated conversion for BOF. This approach can more effectively utilize the measurement information than the original linear minimum mean square error estimator. The constructed pseudomeasurement is uncorrelated with the original measurement. Based on the recently proposed uncorrelated conversion based filter (UCF), we propose a UCF using pseudorange construction (UCF-PRC) for the BOF problem. An improved filter, the optimized UCF-PRC, is also proposed to minimize the mean square error. The effectiveness of the new filters is demonstrated by simulation results. Specifically, compared with the particle filter, the UCF-PRC has better estimation accuracy with nearly the same computational cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The short driving range per charge of electric vehicle is a critical shortcoming hindering its popularization and application. This article proposes an in-vehicle energy optimal control (EOC) to improve the efficiency of the motor drive system. This article first builds a vehicle's longitudinal dynamics model and a motor drive system's efficiency model. Then, a Lagrange–Euler-based optimal control theory is formulated with detailed proof. Based on the vehicle dynamics model, a cost function is constructed by considering the energy consumption and speed demand. Combining the cost function and the Lagrange–Euler-based optimal control theory, an in-vehicle EOC is proposed. The idea of the in-vehicle EOC is mainly to make the motor drive system operate in the high efficiency region as much as possible, which results in longer driving ranges. The in-vehicle EOC is validated on a co-simulation platform and the results show it outperforms the model predictive control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RpoN, an alternative sigma factor, plays a crucial role in response to changes in environmental cues and pathogenicity. Vibrio mimicus , a serious pathogen in both fresh and seawater aquaculture industries, has garnered considerable attention. Nevertheless, reports of rpoN in V. mimicus remain extremely scarce. In this study, we constructed the rpoN -RNAi strain to investigate the role of rpoN in V. mimicus using phenotypic and RNA-seq analysis. The data indicated that rpoN positively regulated the resistance of V. mimicus to H 2 O 2 , ethanol and acid, while negatively regulating the resistance to alkali and heat, and had no influence on the resistance to NaCl. Over the period of 12 to 72 h, the biofilm formation ability of rpoN -RNAi strain was decreased by 0.29 to 0.84-fold compared to wild-type strain. Compared to wild strain, the siderophore production was decreased from 85.9% to 60.3% in rpoN -RNAi strain. Furthermore, the LD 50 increased from 6.16 × 105 to 3.92 × 106 CFU/mL in Macrobrachium nipponense through artificial infection test after rpoN silencing. Transcriptome analysis revealed that several well-known virulence-related genes were down-regulated in rpoN -RNAi strain. These genes included the type VI secretion system genes (vipB , vipA , impI , and vasA), type IV pilus assembly protein (flpB - G), outer membrane proteins (ompU and ompA), and hemolysin. Additionally, stress-protective genes encoding heat shock protein, oxidoreductase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, quorum sensing system, etc., were also down-regulated by rpoN -RNAi. Transcriptome analysis was consistent with the observed phenotypes in rpoN -RNAi strain. These results revealed that rpoN is a critical determinant for bacterial fitness and pathogenicity, laying the groundwork for further characterization of RpoN regulatory networks. • RpoN influences V. mimicus resistance to various stressors. • RpoN impacts biofilm formation and siderophore production in V. mimicus. • RpoN silencing down-regulates virulence-related genes and stress-protective genes. • RpoN silencing shows promise in combating V. mimicus infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]