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Background: Metabolic reprogramming contributes to bladder cancer development. This study aimed to understand the role of SLC7A5 in bladder cancer. Methods: We systematically analyzed the correlation between SLC7A5 and bladder cancer through various approaches, including bioinformatics, western blotting, cell cycle analysis, cell proliferation assays, and invasion experiments. We also investigated the immunological features within the tumor microenvironment (TME), encompassing cancer immune cycles, immune modulators, immune checkpoints, tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIIC), T cell inflammation scores, and treatment responses. Additionally, for a comprehensive assessment of the expression patterns and immunological roles of SLC7A5, pan-cancer analysis was performed using cancer genomics datasets. Results: SLC7A5 was associated with adverse prognosis in bladder cancer patients, activating the Wnt pathway and promoting bladder cancer cell cycle progression, proliferation, migration, and invasion. Based on the evidence that SLC7A5 positively correlated with immunomodulators, TIIC, the cancer immune cycle, immune checkpoint and T cell inflammation scores, we also found that SLC7A5 was associated with the inflammatory tumor immune microenvironment. EGFR-targeted therapy, cancer immunotherapy, and radiation therapy were effective for patients with high SLC7A5 expression in bladder cancer. Low SLC7A5 patients were, however, sensitive to targeted therapies and anti-angiogenic therapy, such as blocking β-catenin network, PPAR-γ and FGFR3 signaling. Anti-SLC7A5 combined with cancer immunotherapy may have greater effectiveness than either therapy alone. Furthermore, we observed specific overexpression of SLC7A5 in TME of various cancers. Conclusion: SLC7A5 can predict therapeutic response to immunotherapy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in bladder cancer patients. Targeting SLC7A5 in combination with immunotherapy may be a potentially appropriate treatment option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectral lines of the magnetic-dipole transition between the 3 d 2 D 3 / 2 , 5 / 2 levels of K-like Kr17+, Zr21+, Nb22+, Mo23+, and Ru25+ ions were measured in a compact electron beam ion trap. By means of dedicated calibration methods, the transition wavelengths of Kr17+, Zr21+, and Mo23+ ions reduce uncertainties by at least one order of magnitude and the wavelengths of Nb22+ and Ru25+ ions are measured for the first time at a few ppm level. In addition, the fine-structure energy splittings were systematically calculated using the multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock method combined with the relativistic configuration interaction approach. The contributions of the core-valence and core-core electron correlations, the Breit interaction and QED effect were discussed in detail. The results show that it is essential to include deep core-valence correlation of L -shell and core-core valence correlation of 3 p subshell to obtain an agreement better than 0.15% with existing experimental values. The calculation model can be performed to predict the wavelength within a high accuracy for a wide range of potassium-like ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron, as the most prevalent critical trace element in the human body, is crucial for many basic physiological functions and has many environmental applications. Therefore, excellent chemosensors with high sensitivity and good selectivity toward iron are highly desired. Three new fluorescent colorimetric chemosensors (CS1, CS2, and CS3) were synthesized and prepared through a one-step reaction to selectively detect Fe3+ in aqueous media. To effectively coordinate metal ions, the sensors contain rhodamine derivatives with different "N, O" donor atoms. Of these sensors, CS2 and CS3 demonstrated sensing behavior and colorimetric "off–on" sensing for Fe3+ over various biologically important metal ions, rendering good selectivity. Fluorescent imaging was performed to confirm the possibility of applying the sensors in living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe Z-type manifold microchannel heat sinks are mostly used by researchers due to the simple structure and considerable heat transfer performance. In this study, a novel Z-type manifold microchannel heat sink with fins arranged at intervals in an arithmetic sequence is proposed to improve the thermo-hydraulic performance of the conventional Z-type manifold microchannel. The novel feature of the proposed design is the channel widths being in an arithmetic sequence with a negative common difference, which contributes to equalize the flow distribution among the channels. Various fin arrangements with different common differences under the same heat transfer area are numerically investigated to determine the thermo-hydraulic performance. The results show that the fins arranged at intervals in an arithmetic sequence have a great potential in mitigating the flow maldistribution. Compared to the conventional manifold microchannel, the proposed manifold microchannel has better thermal performance without a significant increase in pressure drop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The permeability of a rock mass affects the site selection and construction of underground high-pressure gas storage for compressed-air energy storage. This study investigates the permeability evolution of sandstone under high-pressure gas during the cycle of confining and axial pressures. Nitrogen permeation tests were conducted at different inlet pressures using the steady-state method. The initial steady-state flow, seepage in the circulation, and steady-state flow after circulation were measured continuously in three stages. The effects of the loading and unloading rates and load-holding time on the seepage flow were analyzed. The results indicate that the flow rate and displacement changed with periodic changes in the axial and confining pressures during the cycle. The higher the inlet pressure, the greater was the difference between the peak and trough of the flow in the cycle, and the greater was the difference between the flow after the cycle and the initial flow. When the inlet pressure was 10 MPa, the steady-state flow rate increased from 284 ml/min to 336 ml/min (18%). When the inlet pressure was 2 MPa, the evolution range of the seepage flow in the sample was similar for different load-holding times. The loading and unloading rates had a significant influence on the flow waveform in the circulation process but little influence on the wave height. With an increase in the number of cycles, the porosity of the samples first decreased rapidly and then increased slowly. This study provides a reference for construction and operation of compressed-air energy-storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a generalized formulation for vibration characteristics investigation of bi-dimensional functionally graded martial annular plates of variational thicknesses is built up using the dynamic stiffness method. The distributions of material attribute both in the radial direction and the thickness direction are in a power-law variation of the constituents' volume fraction. General solutions of the government equation of an annular plate are solved by a strong-formed algorithm, then the dynamic stiffness formulation is employed to present the vibration study of the bi-dimensional functionally graded annular plate. Various boundary constrains are considered in the modeling process. Results of present formulation are verified by comparison with existing literature and numerical examples. A systematic parametric study is performed to study the influences of boundary constrains, geometric parameters, and functional material distributions on the free vibration characteristic of the annular plate. Results shows that the natural frequency of radial functionally graded annular plate are the largest and the natural frequency of the bi-dimensional functionally graded annular plate are the minimum when the values of the power laws are both 1. When the power-law index is large, the change of frequency with the power-law index is more obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) show excellent stability, high porosity, and a designable skeleton, making them an ideal platform for gas capture. Here, two microporous COFs (M-COFs) were synthesized using short building blocks, which were advantageous for gas uptake through the pores. Additionally, the presence of abundant oxygen and nitrogen atoms on the walls of M-COFs further improved the gas uptake ability through weak interactions. Notably, the M-COFs exhibited high gas capture values (carbon dioxide: 72.5 cm3 g−1; methane: 35.2 cm3 g−1; iodine: 4.74 g g−1). This design has opened a new pathway for enhancing gas capture, hence addressing urgent environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly efficient late-transition metal based catalytic system of α-diimine FeCl3 for well-controlled ring opening polymerization of a cheap and biobased macrolactone, ethylene brassylate (EB), is described herein. Proceeding via a coordination–insertion mechanism, such a catalytic system is capable of demonstrating unprecedented higher activities than previously reported organocatalysts or main-group metal based catalysts. Moreover, benefiting from the bulky nature of the α-diimine ligands, transesterification side reactions can be greatly suppressed, allowing the polymerization to proceed in a well-controlled living manner, as revealed from detailed kinetic studies. Additionally, such a catalytic system was also workable for ring opening copolymerization of EB and ε-caprolactone (ε-CL), giving the desired random copolymers with various compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although prior research has found outdoor activities to be an important effect on employee well-being, the mechanisms of their effect are understudied. This study integrated the Broaden-and-Build Theory, Attention Restoration Theory and Cognitive Assessment Theory to examine the relation between passion for outdoor activities (two dimensions, namely, harmonious passion, obsessive passion) and employee well-being (three dimensions, namely, life well-being, workplace well-being, psychological well-being) by the mediating role of nature connectedness and the moderating role of environmental identity.Participants and Methods: Data were collected from 403 employees of Guangxi enterprises in China. The structural equation model was constructed using AMOS and SmartPLS to test the hypotheses proposed in this study.Results: Our results confirm that harmonious passion for outdoor activities had a positive effect on employee nature connectedness, workplace well-being and psychological well-being. Obsessive passion for outdoor activities had a negative effect on employee nature connectedness, life well-being and psychological well-being. Natural connectedness has a positive effect on all three dimensions of employee well-being. Nature connectedness mediates between harmonious passion for outdoor activities and all three dimensions of employee well-being. Environmental identity positively moderated the relationship between nature connectedness and the three dimensions of employee well-being. Harmonious passion for outdoor activities has no direct effect on employee life well-being. Obsessive passion for outdoor activities had no direct effect on employee workplace well-being.Conclusion: This study reveals the mechanism of passion for outdoor activities on employee well-being from a new perspective and unveils that the two dimensions of passion for outdoor activities have different effects on employees' life well-being, workplace well-being, and psychological well-being. Business managers should give attention to the benefits of outdoor activities and nature connectedness for their employees, through which they can relieve stress at work, recover attention and improve well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical treatment strategies for musculoskeletal disorders have been a hot research topic. Accumulating evidence suggests that hydrogels loaded with MSC-derived EVs show great potential in improving musculoskeletal injuries. The ideal hydrogels should be capable of promoting the development of new tissues and simulating the characteristics of target tissues, with the properties matching the cell-matrix constituents of autologous tissues. Although there have been numerous reports of hydrogels loaded with MSC-derived EVs for the repair of musculoskeletal injuries, such as intervertebral disc injury, tendinopathy, bone fractures, and cartilage injuries, there are still many hurdles to overcome before the clinical application of modified hydrogels. In this review, we focus on the advantages of the isolation technique of EVs in combination with different types of hydrogels. In this context, the efficacy of hydrogels loaded with MSC-derived EVs in different musculoskeletal injuries is discussed in detail to provide a reference for the future application of hydrogels loaded with MSC-derived EVs in the clinical treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkali-activated grouts (AAGs) are increasingly used to replace ordinary portland cement owing to their several advantages. The mechanical properties and environmental aspects of AAGs are affected by the type of activator. In this study, the effects of sunflower stalk ash (SSA) and commercial alkaline reagents on the mechanical properties, microstructures, and CO 2 emissions of geopolymer grouts were investigated for the first time using blast furnace slag and black rice husk ash as precursors. The results indicated that the potassium and calcium salts in the SSA promoted the formation of C(K)-A-S-H and C–S–H. The compressive strength of the SSA-activated grouts was higher than that of the slurry prepared using commercial products (24.88 vs. 11.59 MPa). Using SSA instead of commercial reagents can reduce kg CO 2 -eq/t powder by 84.4 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DELLA proteins coordinate with the chromatin-remodeling complex subunit BRAHMA and NF-YC transcription factors to regulate flowering time in Arabidopsis by forming a gibberellin-sensitive module. Gibberellin (GA) plays a key role in floral induction by activating the expression of floral integrator genes in plants, but the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Here, we show that BRAHMA (BRM), a core subunit of the chromatin-remodeling SWItch/sucrose nonfermentable (SWI/SNF) complex that functions in various biological processes by regulating gene expression, is involved in GA-signaling-mediated flowering via the formation of the DELLA–BRM–NF-YC module in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). DELLA, BRM, and NF-YC transcription factors interact with one another, and DELLA proteins promote the physical interaction between BRM and NF-YC proteins. This impairs the binding of NF-YCs to SOC1, a major floral integrator gene, to inhibit flowering. On the other hand, DELLA proteins also facilitate the binding of BRM to SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS1 (SOC1). The GA-induced degradation of DELLA proteins disturbs the DELLA–BRM–NF-YC module, prevents BRM from inhibiting NF-YCs, and decreases the DNA-binding ability of BRM, which promote the deposition of H3K4me3 on SOC1 chromatin, leading to early flowering. Collectively, our findings show that BRM is a key epigenetic partner of DELLA proteins during the floral transition. Moreover, they provide molecular insights into how GA signaling coordinates an epigenetic factor with a transcription factor to regulate the expression of a flowering gene and flowering in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The snow physical parameters are closely related to the sizes, shapes, and chemical composition of light‐absorbing particles (LAPs). By utilizing a computer‐controlled scanning electron microscope software called IntelliSEM‐EPASTM, we first report the measured size‐resolved concentration of soot, dust, and fly ash particles in fresh (wet) and aged (dry deposition) snow samples collected at an industrial city in China during and after a snowfall at intervals of 6–8 days. Due to wet scavenging by seasonal snow, soot and dust particles in snow are absorbed by 69.7% and 30.3% at wavelengths of 550 nm, lowering snow albedo by 0.0089 and 0.0039, respectively. Soot particle size increases slightly during dry deposition, whereas size‐resolved mineral dust does not undergo a significant shift in particle size. These results indicate the essentiality to involve the effects of accurate size and composition of in‐snow LAPs for a better assessment of snow light absorption and reflectance. Plain Language Summary: A field survey was undertaken to collect freshly fallen (1) and aged surface (15) snow samples at 1‐day intervals in the center of Changchun city, China, which is surrounded by heavy industrial emission sources. We used an advanced computer‐controlled scanning electron microscope to determine particle size and number distributions of three major light‐absorbing particle types with diameters of 0.2–10 μm in seasonal snow, namely soot, dust, and fly ash. Soot and dust particles deposited in various ice‐grain sizes via wet and dry deposition were also examined in terms of their contributions to light absorption and snow albedo reduction. We report here a first attempt to detect a combination of log‐normal soot, dust, and fly ash in seasonal snow, as well as their potential effects on the reduction of snow albedo. Key Points: Computer‐controlled scanning electron microscopy was used to identify size‐resolved light‐absorbing particles in surface snowSoot particle size increases slightly during dry deposition, whereas size‐resolved dust doesn't undergo a significant shift in particle sizeSize‐resolved soot and dust are critical factors in the determination of snow light absorption and albedo [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The China's economy is developing rapidly, and it affects the environment on several levels. Therefore, this study examines the effect of environmental management accounting, green human resource management (HRM), on green organisational behaviour (OB). We collected 383 questionnaires completed by human resource managers and accounting managers in the Chinese hospitality industry. We used a covariance-based structural equation model to test the hypotheses in this study. The empirical evidence shows a positive and significant effect between environmental management accounting (monetary environmental management accounting, and physical environmental management accounting) and green HRM (β = 0.262, p < 0.01, β = 0.378, p< 0.01). Green HRM mediates the influence of environmental management accounting (monetary environmental management accounting, β = 0.059, p < 0.01; physical environmental management accounting, β = 0.084, p< 0.01) on green OB. The analysis confirmed the importance of environmental management accounting (as opposed to green human resource management) in predicting green behaviour and the critical role of green human resource management in connecting environmental management accounting and green OB. Thus, this study extends the literature's perspective on green OB to environmental management accounting and green HRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic gluconeogenesis is crucial for maintaining blood glucose during starvation, and a major contributor for hyperglycemia. Cellular redox state is related to mitochondrial biology and regulates conversion of specific metabolites to glucose. General control of amino acid synthesis 5 (GCN5) like-1 (GCN5L1) is a mitochondria-enriched protein which modulates glucose and amino acid metabolism. Here we show a new regulatory mode of GCN5L1 on gluconeogenesis using lactate and glycerol. We observed GCN5L1 deletion dramatically inhibited glucose production derived from glycerol and lactate, due to increased cytosolic redox state. The underlying mechanism is that GCN5L1 directly binds to the key component of mitochondrial shuttle glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase 2 (GPD2) and modulates its activity. These results have significant implications for understanding the physiological role and regulatory mechanism of mitochondrial shuttle in diabetes development and provide a novel therapeutic potential for diabetes. • 1, Hepatic gluconeogenesis is a major contributor to hyperglycemia during starvation in type 2 diabetes. • 2, Cytosolic redox state controls glucose produced by glycerol, which is a main resource for gluconeogenesis in obesity. • 3, Mitochondrial protein GCN5L1 binds to and modulates the activity of mitochondrial shuttle GPD2. • 4, A new regulator of mitochondrial shuttle system modulates cytosolic redox homeostasis and gluconeogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tailoring surface carboxyl groups of mesoporous carbon boosts electrochemical H 2 O 2 production. [Display omitted] Oxygen-doped porous carbon materials have been shown promising performance for electrochemical two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e− ORR), an efficient approach for the safe and continuous on-site generation of H 2 O 2. The regulation and mechanism understanding of active oxygen-containing functional groups (OFGs) remain great challenges. Here, OFGs modified porous carbon were prepared by thermal oxidation (MC-12-Air), HNO 3 oxidation (MC-12-HNO 3) and H 2 O 2 solution hydrothermal treatment (MC-12-H 2 O 2), respectively. Structural characterization showed that the oxygen doping content of three catalysts reached about 20%, with the almost completely maintained specific surface area (exception of MC-12- HNO 3). Spectroscopic characterization further revealed that hydroxyl groups are mainly introduced into MC-12-Air, while carboxyl groups are mainly introduced into MC-12- HNO 3 and MC-12- H 2 O 2. Compared with the pristine catalyst, three oxygen-functionalized catalysts showed enhanced activity and H 2 O 2 selectivity in 2e− ORR. Among them, MC-12-H 2 O 2 exhibited the highest catalytic activity and selectivity of 94 %, as well as a considerable HO 2 − accumulation of 46.2 mmol L-1 and excellent stability in an extended test over 36 h in a H-cell. Electrochemical characterization demonstrated the promotion of OFGs on ORR kinetics and the greater contribution of carboxyl groups to the intrinsically catalytic activity. DFT calculations confirmed that the electrons are transferred from carboxyl groups to adjacent carbon and the enhanced adsorption strength toward *OOH intermediate, leading to a lower energy barrier for forming *OOH on carboxyl terminated carbon atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stress and the strain should be defined as statistical variables averaged over the representative volume elements for any real continuum system. It is shown that their nonlinear spatial distributions undermine the classical framework of solid mechanics and may cause non-ignorable errors to the solutions. With considering the high-order gradients of the stress and the strain, a two-step solution scheme is proposed to compensate for the influence. Through a revisit to three simple but typical problems, i.e., the hole size-dependence of the fracture strength of perforated plates, the indentation depth-dependence of the measured elastic modulus by micro-indentation tests, and the tensile necking of metallic materials as well as hyperelastic materials, the effect of the nonlinear spatial distribution of stress and strain on solving these problems is illustrated. The observed size effect and the instability of deformation can be quantitatively explained if the effect is properly considered by the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the influence of organizational learning and external cooperation configuration on enterprise technological innovation and constructs a comprehensive theoretical framework of "organizational learning-external cooperation-technological innovation" based on the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method. The results show the following. (1) A single episode of organizational learning or external cooperation cannot affect the enterprise's technological innovation, which requires the mutual linkage of the two to improve enterprise technological innovation performance. (2) The technological innovation model in which organizational learning and external cooperation interact is an effective way for enterprises to improve technological innovation performance. There are four technological innovation models that produce high technological innovation performance, namely consciousness-system synergy, consciousness-led, quasi-full, and all-around drive. (3) There are four models of non-high-tech innovation performance, which are not opposed to the technological innovation model of high-tech innovation performance. This research expands the technological innovation perspective of organizational learning and external cooperation matching, provides enterprises with effective technological innovation activities, and provides a theoretical reference and practical guidance for improving technological innovation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are small cysteine-rich basic proteins which play essential roles in plant growth, development and abiotic/biotic stress response. However, there is limited information about the nsLTP gene (BnLTP) family in rapeseed (Brassica napus). In this study, 283 BnLTP genes were identified in rapeseed, which were distributed randomly in 19 chromosomes of rapeseed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that BnLTP proteins were divided into seven groups. Exon/intron structure and MEME motifs both remained highly conserved in each BnLTP group. Segmental duplication and hybridization of rapeseed's two sub-genomes mainly contributed to the expansion of the BnLTP gene family. Various potential cis-elements that respond to plant growth, development, biotic/abiotic stresses, and phytohormone signals existed in BnLTP gene promoters. Transcriptome analysis showed that BnLTP genes were expressed in various tissues/organs with different levels and were also involved in the response to heat, drought, NaCl, cold, IAA and ABA stresses, as well as the treatment of fungal pathogens (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Leptosphaeria maculans). The qRT-PCR assay validated the results of RNA-seq expression analysis of two top Sclerotinia-responsive BnLTP genes, BnLTP129 and BnLTP161. Moreover, batches of BnLTPs might be regulated by BnTT1 and BnbZIP67 to play roles in the development, metabolism or adaptability of the seed coat and embryo in rapeseed. This work provides an important basis for further functional study of the BnLTP genes in rapeseed quality improvement and stress resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We established a dual-pathway model in which Taoism at work can shape employee low-carbon behavior via two mediating mechanisms: perceived value as a psychological mediator and guanxi as a social mediator. Patients and Methods: Data were collected from 788 Chinese enterprises employees. Results: Our results confirm the direct positive effect of Taoism on employee low-carbon behavior and the partial mediating effects of perceived value and co-worker guanxi. However, supervisor-subordinate guanxi does not mediate the relationship between Taoism and employee low-carbon behavior. Conclusion: Despite the key role of employee low-carbon behavior, the individual-level antecedent to employees' pro-environmental behavior remains underexplored. This study examines the influence of Taoism (an individual-level cultural value) on employee low-carbon behavior in the Chinese context. Theoretical and managerial implications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metamaterial (MM) based on double-split resonator and vanadium dioxide (VO2) in terahertz (THz) region is proposed in this paper, which integrates broadband absorption (ABS) and generation of vector beams. Simulation results show that by tuning the VO2 into metallic phase, the ABS of proposed MMs achieves over 90% in 1.35â€"2.18 THz. The physical mechanism of broadband ABS is clarified by introducing the impedance matching theory and distributions of electric field. Moreover, ABS characteristics of the designed MMs at different polarization angles and incident angles are also studied, respectively. While VO2 is in insulated state, simulation results indicate that the radial polarized beam and the angular polarized beam can be generated when the incident wave is x -polarization and y -polarization, respectively. The polarization conversion rate over 90% is realized between 1.37 THz and 2.20 THz within the incident angle of 10°. The bi-functional MMs proposed in this paper has promising applications in modulators, imaging and sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important water conveying structure, the seismic safety of the hydraulic aqueduct has attracted considerable interest. Different from the general bridge structure, the seismic analysis of the aqueduct structure needs to consider its fluid–structure interaction. The existing numerical simulation methods cannot truly reflect the fluid–solid coupling mechanism. Therefore, scholars began to use shaking table tests to study the fluid–structure interaction mechanism. However, the research is immature, and it is mostly focused on the seismic response analysis, and there are few studies on the model test similarity ratio and model material properties. Based on this, in this paper, according to the requirements of the test similarity ratio, the orthogonal experiment was used to explore the influence of barite sand content, water–cement ratio, fine sand ratio, and lime ratio on the mechanical properties of microconcrete. The performance indicators of microconcrete under different mix ratios vary widely, with a minimum variation of 19% and a maximum of 102%. Barite sand has the most significant control effect on the density, and the water–cement ratio has the most significant control effect on the compressive strength and elastic modulus. The density variation range is 2.37–2.81 g/cm3, the cube compressive strength variation range is 18.37–36.94 MPa, and the elastic modulus variation range is 2.11 × 104–3.28 × 104 MPa. This study will provide certain evidence for the similarity ratio design and material selection of the scaled model test of the fluid–solid coupling structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) are a unique class of materials that combine pre-designable π-conjugation with permanent micro-porosity. Here, two CMPs without pyridine units (CMP-1 and CMP-2) and pyridine-based CMPs (P-CMP-1 and P-CMP-2) were constructed via a pre-designable strategy. Interestingly, the P-CMPs anchored active pyridine groups in the backbone and possessed high micro-porosity. The P-CMPs exhibited high CO2 capture values via weak supramolecular interaction, which are much higher than those of CMPs without pyridine units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale oil is an unconventional oil resource that needs to be developed and utilized urgently. However, the Chang 7 shale in the Ordos Basin, as the most typical continental source rock in China, is limited by the study of organic matter (OM) enrichment factors in continental lacustrine facies, and there are still controversies about the controlling factors, which limit the progress of oil and gas exploration. This paper aims to reconstruct the paleoenvironment of Chang 7 shale in the southern margin of Ordos Basin and reveal the controlling factors of organic rich shale by organic and elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, thin section observation, and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS) analysis. The results show that during the deposition period of Chang 7 shale, the climate was warm and humid, the lake water has strong reducing, low salinity and rapid depth changes. Total organic carbon (TOC) is positively correlated with salinity and hydrothermal action and inversely proportional to terrigenous input. The high productivity, low consumption and low dilution result in high enrichment of shale OM in the southern margin of Ordos Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yiyi Fuzi Baijiang Decoction (YFBD), an ancient prescription developed by the ancient Chinese physician, Zhang Zhongjing, has shown remarkable effects in treating ulcerative colitis (UC). However, there are few studies on its mechanism. This study was designed to explore the potential mechanism of YFBD in treating UC. The principal ingredients of YFBD were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Dextran sulfate sodium- (DSS-) induced mice and lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated RAW264.7 cells were used in the study. The body weight and disease activity index (DAI) of mice were recorded and analyzed for 10 days. After sacrifice, the colonic tissues were harvested. The colon length was measured, and the histopathological changes were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The levels of inflammatory cytokines in mice colons and RAW246.7 cells were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence. The effects of YFBD on the TLR4-mediated PI3K/Akt and NF-κB pathways were determined by western blot analysis. HPLC identified five compounds in YFBD: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, benzoylmesaconine, benzoyl aconitine, and quercetin. YFBD alleviated weight loss, colon shortening, and colonic histopathological lesion in mice. Meanwhile, it decreased the DAI and histological score of mice with UC. In addition, YFBD remarkably decreased the levels of interleukin- (IL-) 6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the colons of DSS-induced mice and LPS-stimulated RAW246.7 cells. Furthermore, the expression of key proteins in TLR4-mediated PI3K/Akt and NF-κB pathways significantly decreased with YFBD treatment. In conclusion, YFBD had protective effects on mice with UC, which was in part related to its anti-inflammatory effects and downregulation of TLR4-mediated PI3K/Akt and NF-κB pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The positive outcomes of calling have been examined in a large and growing number of studies, yet little is known about how calling relates to the work-family interface. In this study, we adopted a person-centered approach using latent profile analysis to explore how living a calling relates to different work-family interface profiles. With a sample of 267 Chinese university counselors, we found three work-family interface profiles: slightly conflictual (51%), experiencing slightly higher than average levels of work-to-family conflict (WFC) and family-to-work conflict (FWC) and slightly lower than average levels of work-to-family enrichment (WFE) and family-to-work enrichment (FWE); work-to-family conflictual (15%), with higher levels of WFC and lower levels of FWC, WFE, and FWE; and enriched (34%), indicated by higher levels of WFE and FWE and lower levels of WFC and FWC. The results revealed that the greater the extent to which participants were living their calling, the more likely they were to be classified into the enriched profile. Our findings contribute to the literature on calling by offering person-centered insights on the relation between calling and the work-family interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trade-offs between tree growth and mortality are important indicators of the life-history strategies of species and have been demonstrated to be maintained by inherent fitness differences among species. There is a growing consensus that functional traits which inflect the ecological performances of individuals may be correlated with growth–mortality trade-offs within communities. In this study, the aforementioned trade-offs were detected and their relationships with the functional traits were examined, based on data collected in a typical temperate forested area in northeastern China. Principal components analyses were performed for growth–mortality trade-off relationships. The factor scores on the first principal component were used to represent the species' positions at an axis of life-history variations among different species. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed for the purpose of detecting the relationships between functional traits and the growth–mortality trade-off. The results showed that there were significant trade-offs between the tree growth and mortality rates in the examined plot. Among the six functional traits which were considered, the Hmax was found to have the strongest effects on the demographic rates and trade-offs. The observed negative effects on the tree growth and mortality rates suggested that the large species often grow more slowly and living longer, while species at small adult size grow fast but die easily. It was also observed that the specific leaf area and the leaf carbon content level were also very important to the growth and mortality trade-offs. The traits considered in this study explained 68% of interspecific variations in the species positions in the growth–mortality trade-off. In addition, wood density was found to show no effect on the trade-off. This was likely due to the fact that the density of the wood may influence the demographic rates more strongly during the early life stages of the trees. The results of discrimination analysis further confirmed the explanations abilities of the functional traits on the variations of life-history strategies among the species. Due to the fact that the relationships between the functional traits and the trade-offs were found to be relatively variable, it will be necessary to further consider other traits which are more closely and mechanistically linked to individual performances in future investigations, such as leaf life span, leaf tissue density, photosynthetic capacity, and dark respiration rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Job crafting can improve employees' performance and competitive advantage. This study integrated the self-determination and equity theories to examine the relation between an individual's Confucianism and job crafting by highlighting the mediating effect of psychological contract fulfilment and the moderating effect of distributive justice on this relation. Participants and Methods: Data were collected in two waves from 372 employees in numerous private companies in Guangxi, China. Results: The hypothesized model was supported in part. Specifically, as expected, psychological contract fulfilment mediated the positive relation between Confucianism and task crafting and cognitive crafting. Confucianism had a positive effect on psychological contract fulfilment and relational crafting, while psychological contract fulfilment had no mediating effect and its positive effect on relational crafting was not significant. Distributive justice moderated the relation between psychological contract fulfilment and cognitive crafting and task crafting positively. Conclusion: This study reveals the mechanism of Confucianism's effect on job crafting from a new perspective and confirms its differing effects on different types of job crafting. Business managers should give attention to Confucianism and maximize their organization's psychological contract fulfilment to improve employees' job crafting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic liquids are becoming widely applied in the extraction/separation of biological molecules. In this study, the solidification of ionic liquid 1-hydroxyethyl-3-vinylimidazole chloride ([HVIM]Cl) was achieved via one-pot free radical copolymerisation with divinylbenzene (DVB) as a cross-linking reagent, giving a mesoporous hydrophilic polymeric ionic liquid (PIL). Mesoporous PIL possesses a large surface area of 328.32 m2·g−1 and a high pore volume of 0.45 cm3·g−1. Owing to hydrophilic interactions and π–π stacking interactions, the PIL adsorbs ovalbumin (Ova) selectively with a theoretical maximum adsorption capacity of 2468.0 mg·g−1, and this Ova adsorption fit the Langmuir model well. The captured Ova was efficiently recovered using sodium dodecyl sulphate (0.4%, m·v−1) with an elution efficiency of 94.7%. Circular dichroism spectra indicated that the adsorption-elution process caused no conformational changes in Ova, indicating that the prepared PIL is highly biocompatible. The practicability of this mesoporous PIL was well demonstrated by the selective adsorption of Ova from protein mixtures and the efficient isolation of Ova from chicken egg white. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In plants, light signals trigger a photomorphogenic program involving transcriptome changes, epigenetic regulation, and inhibited hypocotyl elongation. The evolutionarily conserved histone variant H2A.Z, which functions in transcriptional regulation, is deposited in chromatin by the SWI2/SNF2‐RELATED 1 complex (SWR1c). However, the role of H2A.Z in photomorphogenesis and its deposition mechanism remain unclear. Here, we show that in Arabidopsis thaliana, H2A.Z deposition at its target loci is induced by light irradiation via NUCLEAR FACTOR‐Y, subunit C (NF‐YC) proteins, thereby inhibiting photomorphogenic growth. NF‐YCs physically interact with ACTIN‐RELATED PROTEIN6 (ARP6), a key component of the SWR1c that is essential for depositing H2A.Z, in a light‐dependent manner. NF‐YCs and ARP6 function together as negative regulators of hypocotyl growth by depositing H2A.Z at their target genes during photomorphogenesis. Our findings reveal an important role for the histone variant H2A.Z in photomorphogenic growth and provide insights into a novel transcription regulatory node that mediates H2A.Z deposition to control plant growth in response to changing light conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Our study aimed to determine the impact of genetic polymorphisms of ABCB1 and CES1 on the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of dabigatran in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Methods: We conducted a prospective study and enrolled NVAF patients treated with dabigatran. Blood samples were obtained from each patient and used for genotyping and determination of plasma dabigatran concentration (PDC) and coagulation parameters including activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin time. Patients' demographics and clinical outcomes from scheduled follow‐up visits were all recorded. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the impact of genetic polymorphisms on the PK/PD and bleeding risk of dabigatran. Results: A total of 198 patients were included in analysis. For the ABCB1 polymorphisms rs4148738 and rs1045642, no significant association was found with dabigatran PK/PD. For the CES1 polymorphism rs8192935, the minor allele(C) was associated with increased trough PDCs (ANOVA: P <.001; CC vs. TT genotype, P <.001; CT vs. TT genotype, P =.014) and with APTT values at trough level (P =.015). For the CES1 polymorphism rs2244613, the minor allele(A) carriers had higher levels of trough PDC than noncarriers (ANOVA: P <.001; AA vs. CC genotype, P <.001; CA vs. CC genotype, P =.004) and increased risk for minor bleeding (P =.034; odds ratio = 2.71, 95% confidence interval 1.05–7.00). Conclusion: Our study indicated that the minor allele(C) on the CES1 SNP rs8192935 was associated with PDCs and APTT values at trough level. The minor allele(A) on the CES1 SNP rs2244613 was associated with increased trough PDCs and higher risk for minor bleeding in NVAF patients treated with dabigatran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) via two-electron pathway is a sustainable way of producing hydrogen peroxide. Nanostructured carbon materials are proved to be effective catalysts for 2e− ORR. Herein, a series of mesoporous carbon with tunable nitrogen species and oxygen functional groups were synthesized by varying the added amount of dopamine hydrochloride as nitrogen and oxygen source. The modified catalysts exhibited higher content of pyrrolic-N and ether C–O groups which are confirmed by a series of characterization. Raman spectra and correlation analysis revealed that the increased proportion of defect sites in carbon materials are closely related to the introduced pyrrolic-N and ether C–O groups. And the rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) measurement carried out in 0.1 M KOH electrolyte showed the H 2 O 2 selectivity increased with the content of defect sites. Among them, the optimized catalyst (NOC-6M) exhibited a selectivity of 95.2% and a potential of 0.71 V vs. RHE at −1 mA cm−2. Moreover, NOC-6M possessed the high H 2 O 2 production rate of 548.8 mmol g cat −1 h−1 with faradaic efficiency of 92.4% in a two-chamber H-cell. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that the introduction of pyrrolic-N and ether C–O are likely to improve the binding energy of the defect sites toward ∗OOH intermediate, resulting in a more favorable 2e− ORR pathway for H 2 O 2 production. [Display omitted] • The defective carbon co-doped by N/O atoms was synthesized successfully. • The configuration of nitrogen and oxygen species was adjusted by varying the synthesis condition. • The modified catalyst exhibits excellent 2e− ORR performance in 0.1 M KOH. • A high H 2 O 2 yield and faradaic efficiency were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The un-resolved CFD-DEM method has been applied to the modelling of suffusion in gap-graded soil columns recently. However, a fundamental question that remains unanswered is whether the un-resolved CFD-DEM simulations can reproduce the reasonable critical hydraulic gradient and seepage failure pattern of suffusion in gap-graded soil columns packed under gravity. This research reveals that the un-resolved CFD-DEM models predict unreasonably greater critical hydraulic gradients for suffusion in the gap-graded soil columns packed under gravity. Meanwhile, the seepage failure presents an unreasonable pattern, i.e., the overall instability of fine and coarse particles, which is confirmed by variations of fine and coarse particle energies. It is distinct from the experimental observations. Further investigations with the aid of the authors' recently developed semi-resolved CFD-DEM method [Cheng et al., Compt Geotech, 100: 30–51(2018)] show that the above discrepancies are caused by the excessive locally-averaging and the relatively low resolution of the fluid flow in the un-resolved CFD-DEM method. Unlabelled Image • The un-resolved CFD-DEM method predict unreasonable critical hydraulic gradient. • The un-resolved CFD-DEM method predict unreasonable failure pattern of suffusion. • The inaccuracies are caused by the over-averaging in the un-resolved models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To accurately predict the prognosis of glioma patients.Methods: A total of 541 samples from the TCGA cohort, 181 observations from the CGGA database and 91 samples from our cohort were included in our study. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) associated with glioma WHO grade were evaluated by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Five lncRNA features were selected out to construct prognostic signatures based on the Cox regression model.Results: By weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), 14 lncRNAs related to glioma grade were identified. Using univariate and multivariate Cox analysis, five lncRNAs (CYTOR, MIR155HG, LINC00641, AC120036.4 and PWAR6) were selected to develop the prognostic signature. The Kaplan-Meier curve depicted that the patients in high risk group had poor prognosis in all cohorts. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the signature in predicting the survival of glioma patients at 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.84, 0.92, 0.90 in the CGGA cohort; 0.8, 0.85 and 0.77 in the TCGA set and 0.72, 0.90 and 0.86 in our own cohort. Multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that the five-lncRNA signature was an independent prognostic indicator in the three sets (CGGA set: HR = 2.002, p < 0.001; TCGA set: HR = 1.243, p = 0.007; Our cohort: HR = 4.457, p = 0.008, respectively). A nomogram including the lncRNAs signature and clinical covariates was constructed and demonstrated high predictive accuracy in predicting 1-, 3- and 5-year survival probability of glioma patients.Conclusion: We established a five-lncRNA signature as a potentially reliable tool for survival prediction of glioma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Question: Forest ecosystems are the most important global repositories of terrestrial biodiversity. The mixed temperate forests in northeastern China constitute one of the most biodiverse temperate regions globally and provide nearly one‐third of China's wood supply. We ask what are the spatial patterns and potential drivers of tree species diversity in mixed temperate forests. Location: Temperate, mixed forests of northeastern China. Methods: Using a large set of ground‐source forest inventory data (FIN) and geospatial covariates derived from published raster layers, we compared different machine‐learning and statistical models to study spatial patterns of tree species diversity and their underpinning drivers. Results: The spatial distribution of tree species diversity (species richness and evenness) varied greatly across northeastern China. Tree species diversity varied most with climatic (annual precipitation and annual mean temperature), topographic (elevation and slope), and anthropogenic factors. Anthropogenic factors affected tree species evenness (importance value = 13%) more than tree species richness (importance value = 9%). Based on these relationships, we mapped spatial patterns of tree diversity throughout the region at a 1 km × 1 km resolution. Conclusions: Our findings shed light on the processes behind community assembly and biodiversity patterns in mixed temperate forests in northeastern China, and provide a benchmark for future assessment of biodiversity. Our high‐resolution tree species diversity maps can be useful to landowners and land management agencies in their decision‐making processes about sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, and forest restoration — a priority task outlined by the recently implemented 2050 China National Forest Management Plan.Our findings shed light on the processes behind community assembly and biodiversity (species richness and species evenness) patterns, and provide a benchmark for future assessments of forest biodiversity, as all the forested areas in China are currently being protected from commercial harvesting under the newly implemented China National Commercial Harvest Exclusion Policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the development of calling is still in its infancy and rarely focused on how calling changes during a major career transition. The current study examined the developmental trajectories of calling and their relation with personality (i.e., conscientiousness, proactive personality) in the transition from university to work with a three-wave longitudinal study with 340 Chinese graduating university students. Results based on growth mixture modeling indicated three developmental trajectories of calling: high and stable calling (23% of sample), high but decreasing calling (74%), and low and increasing calling (3%). Moreover, higher conscientiousness related to a higher chance of being classified into the high and stable calling trajectory. These findings add notable insights to the literature by exploring the previously neglected developmental trajectories of calling and their association with personality in the transition from university to work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Effect of particle size on rheological properties is greater than that of particle shape. • Rheological parameters of small particle size is obviously affected by shear rate and time. • Yield stress obtained by Bingham model and Herschel-Bulkley model are the highest and lowest, respectively. • Plastic viscosity obtained by Bingham model is lower than that obtained by Modified Bingham model. • Rheological index (n) of Herschel-Bulkley model can well characterize the shear thinning degree. With the continuous development of mineral admixtures and additives, the influence of various factors on the rheological properties of cement-based slurry remains unclear. In this study, the effects of particle size, particle shape, shear rate, and time on the rheological properties were analyzed. The rheological curves were determined using an RST-SST rheometer and fitted with the Bingham model, Modified Bingham model and Herschel-Bulkley model, respectively. The rheological parameters were evaluated. The results showed that the effect of particle size on the rheological properties is much greater than that of the particle shape. The small particle size is evidently affected by the shear rate, and the rheological parameters increase with time. The three rheological models can well describe the samples containing microfine cement (MC), fly ash (FA) and calcium carbonate whisker (CaCO 3 whisker). The sample containing nano-silica (nano-SiO 2) requires special analysis. The yield stress predicted by the Bingham model is the highest, whereas that predicted by the Herschel–Bulkley model is the lowest. The plastic viscosity predicted by the Bingham model is lower than that predicted by the modified Bingham model. The rheological index (n) of the Herschel–Bulkley model can effectively characterize the degree of shear thinning. The three rheological models demonstrate their characteristics and advantages, and an appropriate rheological model should be selected to evaluate the rheological parameters according to the requirements. The research aims to provide theoretical support for the analysis of rheological properties and the selection of rheological models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The bleeding of cement pastes at different temperatures and rheology during bleeding were measured. • The bleeding of a slurry and density change characteristics caused by it are quite different at different temperatures. • The shear-thinning property at high temperatures is more evident in the bleeding period. • A constitutive equation is established based on the temperature and bleeding characteristics. The bleeding and rheology of a cement paste affect the grouting reinforcement effect in a high-temperature stratum. However, the effect of the slurry bleeding on the rheology at high temperatures is not clear. This research examined the bleeding characteristics of slurries in a high-temperature environment and changes in the density and flow pattern during bleeding. The material was ordinary Portland cement with a strength grade of 42.5. The water-cement ratio (W/C) ranged from 0.6 to 2.0. An environment of 20 °C–90 °C was simulated in a laboratory. The bleeding process was divided into six stages according to the total bleeding rate and rheological tests were conducted at each stage. The results showed that the total bleeding rate of the slurry increased with the increase of the W/C and decreased approximately linearly with the increase of temperature. The density change rate before and after bleeding decreased with the increase of temperature and increased with the increase of the W/C. The final density change rate of the cement paste at different temperatures was determined by the W/C. Newtonian and power law models were used to describe the rheological characteristics of slurries with W/Cs ranging from 1.5 to 2.0 and 0.8 to 1.2, respectively, during the bleeding period. As the bleeding rate increased, the R2 of the Newtonian model decreased from 0.98 to 0.9. A constitutive equation considering the temperature and bleeding characteristics was proposed. The relationship between the flow characteristic and consistency indexes at different bleeding stages changed from non-linear to linear with increasing temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a dynamic stiffness formulation for the free vibration analysis of truncated conical shell and its combinations with uniform boundary restraints. The displacement fields are expressed as power series, and the coefficients of the series are obtained as recursion formula by substituting the power series into the governing equations. Then, the general solutions can be replaced by an algebraic sum which contains eight base functions, which can diminish the number of degrees of freedom directly. The dynamic stiffness matrix is formulated based on the relationship between the force and displacement along the boundary lines. In the formulation, arbitrary elastic boundary restraints can be realized by introducing four sets of boundary springs along the displacement directions at the boundary lines. The modeling methodology can be easily extended to the combinations of conical shells with different thickness and semivertex angles. The convergence and accuracy of the present formulation are demonstrated by comparing with the finite element method using several numerical examples. Effects of the elastic boundary condition and geometric dimension on the free vibration characteristics are investigated, and several representative mode shapes are depicted for illustrative purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-label learning has attracted more and more researchers' attention. It deals with the problem where each instance is associated with multiple labels simultaneously. Some methods improve the performance by constructing label-specific features. Specifically, the LIFTACE method constructs label-specific features by clustering ensemble techniques, which ignores the importance of label vectors and does not explore label correlations when constructing the classification model. In this paper, we propose a multi-label learning method called LF-LELC, which considers the importance of label vectors and constructs the classification model by considering label correlations. Firstly, it performs clustering on the positive instances and negative instances respectively. The number of clusters is set by the information contained in the label vectors. After that, it employs clustering ensemble techniques that consider label correlations to make the clustering results more stable and effective. Then, it constructs label-specific features for each label. Finally, it builds the classification model by exploring label correlations. The label set for each test example is predicted by the classification model. Experiments show that LF-LELC can achieve better performance by considering the importance of label vectors and the correlations among labels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer‐related deaths worldwide. FAM225A is a novel lncRNA, only has been explored in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumorigenesis. This study aims to investigate the regulatory mechanism of FAM225A in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We discovered that FAM225A exhibited higher expression in ESCC. The silence of FAM225A attenuated cell viability, migration, and invasion, but facilitated cell apoptosis in ESCC. Exosome‐mediated transfer of lncRNA FAM225A could participate in ESCC progression. In addition, we found that miR‐206 bound to FAM225A. Moreover, we further demonstrated that FAM225A absorbed miR‐206 to upregulate NETO2 and FOXP1 expression, and FOXP1 acted as a transcription factor to enhance FAM225A expression. Eventually, it was revealed that the overexpression of NETO2 or FOXP1 rescued the effects of FAM225A repression on ESCC progression. Our results suggested that FAM225A upregulated NETO2 and FOXP1 expression by sponging miR‐206 to accelerate ESCC progression and angiogenesis. These results determined the biological role of lncRNA FAM225A in ESCC tumorigenesis, and FAM225A may be a promising biomarker for ESCC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZG06Cr13Ni4Mo martensitic stainless steel was nitric acid‐passivated to improve its corrosion performance. The effects of nitric acid passivation on the surface morphology, chemical composition, electrochemical properties, semiconductor behavior, and long‐term corrosion performance of the stainless steel were investigated using various analytical techniques. An in‐depth analysis of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that the passive film formed after the acid passivation process showed high thickness and a duplex character as it consisted of a hydroxide layer and an oxide layer. The oxide layer affected the corrosion resistance and thickness of the passive film. The thickness of the passive film was calculated theoretically as well as experimentally by fitting the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and XPS results. The electrochemical tests revealed that the dramatic increase in the corrosion resistance of the stainless steel after the passivation was due to the formation of a thick, low‐disorder passive film rather than Cr enrichment. The removal of inclusions resulted in higher pitting resistance, whereas the increased roughness showed a negative effect on the corrosion behavior of the stainless steel. During the wet–dry cyclic tests, the modification of the passive film was examined. The passivated stainless steel exhibited good corrosion resistance for up to 50 days of exposure in the simulated environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Our understanding of the mechanisms driving β‐diversity is still rather rudimentary. This study evaluates the influences of environmental filtering versus spatial scale of regional communities on β‐diversity across latitudes. Location: North‐eastern China. Methods: The β‐diversity was calculated in each regional community. The spatial extent of these "regional communities", which included five or 10 plots, was ≤ 140 km. A random assembly null model was used to assess the effects of species abundance distribution on the β‐diversity. Moreover, the deviation of observed β‐diversity from a null model (called β‐deviation) was also assessed. The variations of the β values were partitioned into environmental, latitudinal and their joint effects. Results: The observed β‐diversity declined with increasing latitude, although the β‐deviations showed a non‐monotonic pattern as the latitude increased at two studied scales. All the regional communities consisting of five or 10 local plots exhibited significantly positive β‐deviations. The total amount of variation in β‐deviations explained by environmental and latitudinal variables increased dramatically with increasing scale. A significant pure environmental effect was observed at both scales, explaining 30% of the variation in β‐deviation for regional communities consisting of five local plots and 58.7% for regional communities consisting of 10 local plots. The spatial variation in precipitation primarily accounted for the β‐gradient. Main conclusions: This is one of the few multiscale analyses to investigate latitudinal patterns and driving mechanisms of tree β‐diversity in temperate forests. The β‐deviation showed a similar trend of change with latitude, but the variation of β‐deviation explained by the environments and latitude was highly dependent on the scale of regional communities studied. Environmental filtering and the spatial scale of regional communities jointly accounted for the β‐gradient, with environmental filtering appearing to determine the high variation of species turnover along the latitudinal gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to reveal the mechanisms of ductile mode machining for AlON ceramics. The removal characteristics during machining were studied through ultra-precision grinding experiments. The machined surface consists of fractured and smooth areas, which were generated by brittle and ductile removal, respectively, of the individual AlON grains. The material removal mode has a determining effect on the surface/subsurface quality. The proportion of the fractured areas on the ground surface decreased gradually with a decrease in the depth of cut. The crystal indices of the grains most prone to brittle removal on the workpiece surface were determined using micro-area X-ray diffraction (μXRD) analysis performed using a beam with 50 μm diameter. The results showed that the ductile removal of the {111} planes is critical for the ductile mode machining of AlON. Nanoindentation tests based on electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) indicated that AlON shows strong anisotropy in its mechanical properties and machinability. The (111) plane has the highest hardness and lowest fracture toughness, at 22.91 GPa and 1.8 MPa m1/2, respectively. The material removal mechanism during the grinding of AlON was discussed in detail. The minimum and maximum d c(hkl) values must be known for classifying whether the removal mode of the workpiece is brittle or ductile. A damage-free surface could be obtained during ductile mode grinding by controlling h max to be less than d c(111). The subsurface deformation mechanism during ductile mode grinding was analysed. An amorphous layer was observed close to the ground surface. Further, dense dislocations with no particular orientation were present beneath this amorphous layer. As the crystal structure became clearer with an increase in the depth, the plastic deformation shifted to stacking faults parallel to the {111} planes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum oxynitride (AlON) can be effectively finished by ultra-precision grinding. In this work, the ultra-precision grinding experiment was conducted on AlON to investigate surface characteristics and material removal mechanism. The ground surface has an unusual non-uniform morphology resulted from the different material removal modes. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), nanoindentation and Electron Back-Scattered Diffraction (EBSD) were carried out to study the micro-properties of AlON. The results revealed that the micro mechanical properties vary with the grain orientation on the surface. The morphologies of ground surface are consistent in the twinned grains and change with the grain orientation. By comparing the relationship of machining size and grain size, the material removal modes of individual grains should be taken into consideration during ultra-precision grinding. Based on this, a simple theoretical model was proposed to explain the material removal mechanism of AlON under ultra-precision grinding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Since microcapsule technology has a good protective effect on unstable bioactive substances, many studies have focused on exploring the best technical conditions for forming microcapsules. Modified starch is a microcapsule wall material with good emulsifying and film‐forming properties. The objective of this work was to study the creep‐recovery behavior of modified starch pastes for various creep time, shear stress and temperature. Furthermore, the effect of creep‐recovery behavior on the morphology of microcapsules made of the modified starch was investigated. RESULTS: The maximum creep compliance (Jmax), instantaneous compliance (J0) and retardation compliance (J1) of modified starch increased proportionally with increasing creep time and shear stress but decreased with increasing temperature. The Newtonian viscosity (η0) increased with increasing creep time and temperature but decreased with increasing shear stress. The recovery rate of the modified starch pastes varied from 0.92 to 33.68% in the creep‐recovery test conditions. Creep‐recovery data could be well explained by a four‐parameter Burgers model (R2 > 0.918). CONCLUSIONS: Modified starch pastes exhibited time‐, stress‐ and temperature‐dependent creep‐recovery behavior. The Jmax values of modified starch pastes were low(<0.20 Pa−1) and the η0 values high (>3.5 × 103 Pa s) for all test conditions. The results revealed the modified starch pastes had a good rigid network structure to resist deformation but recovery was difficult once deformation occurred. Microcapsules produced using the modified starch exhibited a small deformation with regular spheres and some dents, consistent with the results of creep‐recovery tests. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold (Au) nanoclusters with diameters less than 2 nm are attracting increasing attention due to their unique size-dependent physicochemical properties which include strong luminescence and excellent biocompatibility. Accordingly, Au nanoclusters are now becoming essential in biomedical research for bioimaging, biosensing, quantitative analysis of protein and ion detection. In this mini review, the luminescence mechanism and biosynthesis of Au nanoclusters is systematically explored, followed by a brief survey of Au nanoclusters applications across the biomedical sector. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of biological molecules such as proteins, peptides and low molecular weight organic compounds in the synthesis of small luminescent Au nanoclusters, either as templates or surface capping agents. Successful strategies for applying luminescent Au nanoclusters in bioimaging and biosensing are also summarized. Future areas for Au nanocluster utilization in biomedical research are briefly discussed. fx1 • In this mini review, the luminescence mechanism and biosynthesis of Au nanoclusters is systematically explored. • Particular emphasis is placed on the role of biological molecules in the synthesis of small luminescent Au nanoclusters. • Successful strategies for applying luminescent Au nanoclusters in bioimaging and biosensing are also summarized. • Future areas for Au nanocluster utilization in biomedical research are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The self-healing effect is different between no-load and long-term constant loading curing. • There is a high correlation between compressive strength recovery and porosity. • The synergistic effect of PVA fibers and crystalline admixtures integrates crack control and repair. • It is meaningful to study the self-healing effect under long-term constant loading. Cracks in cement-based materials affect the strength and durability. This study explored the synergistic effect of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibres and crystalline admixtures on the self-healing properties under long-term constant loading conditions. First, specimens with varying degrees of pre-damage were obtained. The pre-damaged specimens were then cured with and without constant applied load. The self-healing efficiency was evaluated based on the compressive strength, and the self-healing mechanism was analysed based on the changes in porosity. When curing was performed without a load, the compressive strength increased to different extents. Conversely, when cured under constant loading conditions, the compressive strength increased under low-load conditions, and the compressive strength decreased under high-load conditions. The porosity exhibited a similar pattern of variation. The self-healing efficiency was found to be dependent on both the damage caused by long-term constant loading and the repairing effects achieved during the curing process. When subjected to external forces, PVA fibres inhibited crack propagation, and crystalline admixtures repaired the cracks after they appeared. This demonstrates the successful integration of "control-repair" in cracks. The curing conditions involving long-term constant loading better simulated real engineering scenarios, which distinguishes this work from those performed under no-load curing conditions. This study represents a valuable exploration of self-healing technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Improvement of hydrodynamic and thermal performance of in-line strip-fin MMHS. • For varying strip-fin arrangements studied, pressure drop decreases by 15 % to 25.5 %. • A minimum effective overall thermal resistance of 5.7 × 10 − 6 m 2 K/W is achieved. • The N u correlation that predicts the thermal performance of in-line strip-fin MMC. • The effect of fin arrangement on thermal performance is qualitatively revealed. In this work, an in-line strip-fin manifold microchannel heat sink is proposed to improve the hydrodynamic and thermal performance of the conventional manifold microchannel. The hydrodynamic and thermal performance of varying strip-fin arrangements with approximately the same heat transfer area are numerically investigated. The results show that the in-line strip-fin manifold microchannel has lower pressure drop and better thermal performance than that of the conventional manifold microchannel at the same inlet mass flux. For varying strip-fin arrangements studied in this work, the pressure drop decreases by 15 % to 25.5 % at the inlet mass fluxes between 600 kg / (m 2 s) and 1800 kg / (m 2 s) , compared with the conventional manifold microchannel. The effective overall thermal resistance of the in-line strip-fin manifold microchannel heat sink reaches the minimum value at one specific strip-fin arrangement, which is characterized by the optimal longitudinal number of strip-fins N L , o p t. A minimum effective overall thermal resistance of 5.7 × 10 − 6 m 2 K / W at an inlet mass flux of 1800 kg / (m 2 s) is achieved. The average temperature of the optimal strip-fin arrangement is about 6.8 K lower than that of the conventional manifold microchannel, when the heat flux is 300 W / cm 2. Heat transfer correlation considering microchannel geometrical parameters is proposed, which can be used to predict the thermal performance of the in-line strip-fin manifold microchannel. Based on the correlation, the effect of the in-line strip-fin array on the thermal performance is qualitatively revealed by thermal resistance analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two cruciform D–π–A–π–D phenothiazine derivatives with two ester groups as electron-withdrawing moieties (i.e., EPTD and BPTD, with ethyl and butyl groups, respectively) were synthesized, and their responses to mechanical force stimuli were investigated. EPTD was found to have two polymorphs, namely, EPTD-Y and EPTD-R, with yellow and orange-red fluorescence, respectively. Single-crystal analysis illustrated that strong π-stacking affirmed by a short interplanar distance of 2.98 Å existed in the EPTD-Y crystal, which caused a large red-shift of 72 nm in the absorption spectrum. Meanwhile, although the π-stacking distance reached 3.74 Å, the electrostatic attraction between ester and phenothiazine moieties as an acceptor and donor, respectively, existed in the EPTD-R crystal, which may be responsible for its long emission wavelength. EPTD-R maintained its π-stacking after applying a mechanical force stimulus because its absorption and emission bands only slightly shifted. A fluorescence change from yellow to red occurred for the EPTD-Y crystal after grinding. The spectral results suggested that similar π-stacking existed in EPTD-R and EPTD-Y ground powders and was identical to that in the EPTD-R crystal. In addition, the BPTD crystal emitted green fluorescence due to weak π-stacking induced by a large stacking distance of 4.15 Å. Interestingly, it also changed its fluorescence into red after grinding because of the presence of π-stacking similar to that of the EPTD-R ground solid. Thus, π-stacking can be determined in three amorphous solids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]