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A combined method for measuring the thrust vector and roll torque of low-power Hall-effect thrusters is proposed, using a conventional torsional thrust pendulum, with a measurement accuracy of a few tens of micro-Newton meters. The 300–500 W class Hall-effect thruster is mounted horizontally on the pendulum, whose motion is determined only by the radial thrust vector and rolling torque of the thrusters. The contribution of the two components of a Hall-effect thruster is analyzed through the method of changing the position of accelerator and external hollow cathode, with the accelerator contributing a significant portion of the radial thrust vector and increasing linearly with thruster anode power. And the external hollow cathode contributing at a magnitude of one hundred micro-Newtons, in the direction opposite to the cathode. The combining method provides a way to measure the deviation angle of the stationary EP thrusters, an analysis of the contribution of the accelerator and the external hollow cathode, and a method for decreasing the deviation angle of a Hall-effect thruster by counteracting the effects of these two components. • Proposed a new direct measurement method of thrust vector and rolling torque for Hall effect thrusters with conventional torsional pendulum. • The first attempt to measure and analyze the thrust vector contribution of the accelerator and the external hollow cathode. • Firstly proposed a method for decreasing the deviation angle of a Hall-effect thruster by counteracting the effects of the accelerator and the cathode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel method of directly measuring the roll torque of low power Hall-effect thrusters is proposed. The measurement device uses an elastic pendulum with the thruster mounted on the same axis as the rotation axis of the pendulum, and the torque of the thruster is reflected in the rotation of the movement part and amplified by the pendulum arm with the measuring range of approximately 0–200 μN m with a resolution of less than 0.5 μN m. The roll torque measurement results of a Hall-effect thruster show that the rotational direction is consistent with the ion deflection direction by the magnetic field, and the roll torque ranges about 16–23 μN m at the anode power range of 300–450 W with cathode keeper, and the values is influenced by the cathode keeper currents. An empirical formula for the Hall-effect thrusters is proposed according to the reliable measurement results of the low power Hall-effect thruster, and the roll torque values are estimated for several low power to medium power Hall-effect thrusters. The method also provides a new idea to accurately evaluate the roll torque of other types of electric propulsion thrusters. • Firstly proposed a direct measurement method of roll torque for Hall-effect thrusters and other EP thrusters. • The first direct measurement to obtain the azimuthal force of a low power Hall-effect thruster. • Firstly proposed the roll torque estimation method of Hall-effect thrusters based on actual measurement results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the low flow field disturbances and fast response, thin-film thermocouples (TFTCs) are used to measure the service temperature of aero-engines. Indium tin oxide (ITO) and In 2 O 3 are widely used in high–temperature measurements. However, ITO undergoes phase transition and consequent thermoelectric failure at above 1300 °C. In this study, In 1.35 ZnO 2.11 /In 2 O 3 TFTCs were prepared on alumina substrates via screen printing method through introduction of ZnO nanopowder followed by annealing treatment. Results show that prepared TFTCs exhibited good thermoelectric properties at 1500 °C. The morphology, structure, and electrical coefficients of TFTCs were investigated. The average Seebeck coefficient was 39.8 μV/°C at 1500 °C with a drift rate (DT) of 0.84 °C/h, which was significantly improved with respect to that of ITO/In 2 O 3 , corresponding to 44.5 μV/°C at 1270 °C with a DT of 5.44 °C/h and failed at higher temperature. The result of lumped capacity method test show that the response time was 4.8 ms at 100 °C. Preliminary engine gas temperature measurements with a heat load of 1000 °C at 1 Mach show that these TFTCs are promising candidates for engineering applications. Finally, the structural reliability under high-magnitude vibration and impact tests (10–2000 Hz/20 g and 100 g/11 ms) was also investigated. As a result of the excellent bonding strengths of 47.36 and 59.83 N between the film and the substrate for both In 1.35 ZnO 2.11 and In 2 O 3 , respectively, destructive cracking and peeling of the film were not observed, and no change in the Seebeck coefficient of the sample occurred after impact and vibration tests. These results provide an important basis for the potential application of In 1.35 ZnO 2.11 /In 2 O 3 TFTCs in aero-engine high-temperature measurements of flow channel components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin-Film Thermocouples (TFTCs) are characterized by their high spatial resolutions, low cost, high efficiency and low interference on the air flow. However, the thermal stability of TFTCs should be further improved for application since their accuracy is influenced by joule heat and temperature time drift. In this paper, 3D molecular dynamics and finite element analysis are used for structural design. The effects of RF magnetron sputtering power and gas flow rate on conductivity and temperature time drift rate (DT) of high thermal stability tungsten–rhenium (95% W/5% Re vs. 74% W/26% Re) TFTCs were analyzed. According to the experimental results, the average Seebeck coefficient reached 31.1 µV/°C at 900 °C temperature difference (hot junction 1040 °C) with a repeatability error at ±1.37% in 33 h. The conductivity is 17.1 S/m, which is approximately 15.2 times larger than the compared tungsten-rhenium sample we presented, and the DT is 0.92 °C/h (1040 °C for 5 h), which is 9.5% of the old type we presented and 4.5% of compared ITO sample. The lumped capacity method test shows that the response time is 11.5 ms at 300 °C. This indicated an important significance in real-time temperature measurement for narrow spaces, such as the aero-engine combustion chamber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new configuration of a resonant-cavity electrode microwave discharge device is developed in this work. In the device, a hollow electrode antenna is used for microwave transporting, and a well-designed resonant-cavity could enhance the absorption of the microwave power. A quartz cover is adopted to seal the vacuum and insulate the antenna from plasma, which greatly reduces the heat accumulation on the antenna. A magnetic field coil made by multiple-turn enameled wires is designed which could generate a strong magnetic field based upon a low-current power supply. In the plasma chamber, a distinctive L-shape probe is designed to measure the parameter distribution, and the two-dimensional parameters can be measured with the simple structure. In addition, the characteristic parameters such as electron density and temperature are measured in the chamber with a single probe, and the electron density distribution and spectrum are compared in argon and xenon plasma, which suggests that the microwave plasma device has good adaptability and functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China Chang'E-3 performed soft landing at the plains of Sinus Iridum on lunar surface on December 14th 2013 successfully; it opened a new window for observing lunar surface with radiometric tracking which many lunar scientific researchers always pursue for. Since July 2014, OCEL (Observing Chang'E-3 Lander with VLBI) project has been conducted jointly by IVS (International VLBI Service of Geodesy and Astrometry) and BACC (Beijing Aerospace Control Center), a global IVS R&D network augmented with two China Deep Space Stations configured for OCEL. This paper presents the current status and preliminary result of the OCEL and mainly focuses on determination of the lander position, which is about 7 meter in height and 14 meter in plane of lunar surface with respect to LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter). Based on accuracy analysis, further optimized OCEL sessions will make use of this target-of-opportunity, the Chang'E-3 lunar lander, as long as it is working. With higher accurate radiometric observables, more prospective contribution to earth and lunar science is expected by combining with LLR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten-rhenium thin-film thermocouples (TFTCs) are designed by finite element analysis (FEA) and fabricated based on radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technology to meet the requirement of high temperature measurement in narrow space. The changes with thickness and thermoelectric property (including Seebeck coefficient, repeatability error) of TFTCs are investigated under different heat treatment time and temperature by the result of morphology observation and heat recycling experiment analysis to optimize heat treatment process parameters. The repeatability error of tungsten-rhenium TFTCs with heat treatment at 300 °C for 6 hours can reach to ±1.028%. The electromotive force behavior (EMF) experiments shows the average Seebeck coefficient of heat treated tungsten-rhenium TFTCs reach to 18.92 µV/°C when the temperature difference is 1165 °C (hot junction temperature is 1327 °C) in inert gases protection environment. The thermoelectric service properties of tungsten-rhenium TFTCs sensor have been improved to be a viable replacement candidate for high temperature measurement in narrow space through this technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The E–H-mode-transition process in an inductively coupled argon–mercury mixture discharge plasma was investigated by an interferometer and a spectrometer. The transition powers upon different natural pressures and mercury content were studied. The electron density versus input power under several discharge conditions in the E mode and H mode was measured detailedly by the interferometer. These results suggested that the nonlinear effects of power absorption and dissipation play a significant role in the mode transition process. In addition, the optical emission system was employed to obtain the intensity ratios of spectral lines at different mercury proportions, which shed light on the mechanism of stepwise ionization and the variability of H-to-E-mode-transition powers in the argon–mercury mixture discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the experimental verification of the indirect thrust measurement method based on the plume of a low power Hall-effect thruster and its effect on the thruster is investigated. The Hall-effect thruster with permanent magnets was exhibited and the performance parameters and the plume parameters were introduced, and the thrust of the thruster was measured simultaneously using both direct and indirect measurement methods, which validate the effect due to thruster and the measurement devices. The experimental verification of the thrust amendment values was proposed considering the ion flux collection, the neutral atoms, and the additional momentum due to ion reflecting, and the corresponding amended thrust results were exhibited separately which show the contribution of each factor, and the modification method could provide reliable results for indirect thrust measurement. • The indirect thrust measurement method was firstly applied on a low-power Hall-effect thruster. • The Hall-thruster thrust was measured simultaneously and the interaction of the thrusters with the device was analyzed. • The most detailed experimental verification of the external factors influence on the measurement of ITM devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that the observations from current space geodetic techniques do not carry all the necessary datum information to realize a Terrestrial Reference System (TRS), and each of the four space geodetic techniques has limits, for instance: Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) ignores the center of mass and satellite techniques lack the TRS orientation, additional constraints have to be added to the observations. This paper reviews several commonly used constraints, including inner constraints, internal constraints, kinematic constraints, and minimum constraints. Moreover, according to their observation equations and normal equations, the similarities and differences between them are summarized. Finally, we discuss in detail the influence of internal constraints on the scale of VLBI long-term solutions. The results show that there is a strong correlation between the scale parameter and the translation parameter introduced by the combination model at the Institut National de l'Information Géographique et Forestière (IGN), and internal constraints force these two groups of parameters to meet certain conditions, which will lead to the coupling of scale and translation parameters and disturbing the scale information in VLBI observations. The minimum or kinematic constraints are therefore the optimum choices for TRF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is an inducible defence mechanism which plays a central role in protecting plants from microbial pathogen attack. Guided by bioassays, a new chemical inducer of SAR was isolated from the extracts of Strobilanthes cusia and identified to be 3-acetonyl-3-hydroxyoxindole (AHO), a derivative of isatin. Tobacco plants treated with AHO exhibited enhanced resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and to the fungal pathogen Erysiphe cichoracearum (powdery mildew), accompanied by increased levels of pathogenesis-related gene 1 ( PR-1) expression, salicylic acid (SA) accumulation and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity. To study the mode of action of AHO, its ability to induce PR-1 expression and TMV resistance in nahG transgenic plants expressing salicylate hydroxylase, which prevents the accumulation of SA, was analysed. AHO treatment did not induce TMV resistance or PR-1 expression in nahG transgenic plants, suggesting that AHO acts upstream of SA in the SAR signalling pathway. In addition, using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis combined with mass spectrometry, five AHO-induced plant proteins were identified which were homologous to the effector proteins with which SA interacts. Our data suggest that AHO may represent a novel class of inducer that stimulates SA-mediated defence responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SIRT6 has diverse roles in cells, and the role of SIRT6 in tumorigenesis is controversial. Considering the role of SIRT6 as an inducer of DNA damage repair, it might be involved in resistance to anti-cancer therapy. Methods: We evaluated the prognostic significance of SIRT6 in 37 osteosarcomas and investigated the therapeutic efficacy of SIRT6 on the anticancer effects of doxorubicin, olaparib, and ATM inhibitor. Results: Immunohistochemical expression of SIRT6 was significantly associated with shorter overall survival and relapse-free survival of osteosarcoma patients, especially in patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. In U2OS and KHOS/NP osteosarcoma cells, knock-down of SIRT6 significantly potentiated apoptotic effects of doxorubicin and SIRT6 overexpression induced resistance to doxorubicin. Moreover, SIRT6 induced the DNA damage repair pathway and SIRT6-mediated resistance to doxorubicin was attenuated by blocking the DNA damage repair pathway with olaparib and ATM inhibitor. Conclusions: This study suggests that suppression of SIRT6 in combination with doxorubicin might be an effective modality in the treatment of osteosarcoma patients, especially for osteosarcomas with shorter survival with high expression of SIRT6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The XIth International Symposium on Thysanoptera and Tospoviruses co-hosted by the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Nanjing Agricultural University was held from September 21-25 in Kunming, China (Figure 1). The conference was jointly chaired by Professor Zhongkai Zhang from the Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Resources of the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Professor Xiaorong Tao from the College of Plant Protection of Nanjing Agricultural University. Eighteen representatives, including academician Fang Rongxiang from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Emeritus Professor Thomas L. German from the University of Wisconsin, Professor Diane E. Ullman from the University of California, Davis, Professor Stephane Blanc from the University of Montpellier, Professor Li Yi from Peking University, Professor Zhou Xueping from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Professor Taiyun Wei from the Fujian Agriculture and Forest University, and other colleagues gave plenary presentations (Figure 2). [Extracted from the article]

Electric thrusters are considered to be the most promising propulsion system of choice for space gravitational wave detection. However, the requirement of high accuracy and drag-free control results in significant challenges in thrust measurements. To better understand the thrust noise characteristics, this work proposes a time-frequency-domain method for thrust noise analysis, i.e., a scalogram method attained through wavelet analysis. Unlike the conventional Fourier transform method, it can provide 3-D relationships for the time-frequency and thrust noise. A free-state thrust measurement experiment identified that the environmental temperature produces the dominant impact in the thrust noise. During a 70,000 s measurement, even without thruster operation, the thrust noise increased from 0.3 μN/Hz1/2 to 19 μN/Hz1/2 as the environmental temperature increased from −1 °C to 3 °C. The corresponding frequency of peak thrust noise for the entire period tends to be the same of 0.1 Hz. Additionally, a Hall thruster thrust measurement experiment was conducted to verify the method's time-varying analysis capability for thrust noise. The complete time-frequency thrust noise variation throughout the entire operating process of a Hall thruster was observed. The results at different stages of thruster operation indicate that thrust noise has the greatest influence 150–300 s after ignition. This is because the thrust stand will take hundreds of seconds to reach thermal equilibrium after ignition. Another finding during the Hall thruster operation is that the 0.1 Hz frequency corresponding to the peak thrust noise is highly consistent with the frequency of peak thrust noise in the free-state thrust experiment. This reveals the fact that the 0.1 Hz frequency should be the dominant frequency for thrust noise caused by temperature drift in our thrust measurement system. • A time-frequency-domain method for thrust noise analysis is developed for use with electric thrusters. • Time-varying and non-stationary features of thrust noise are analyzed using wavelet transforms. • The noise at 0.1 Hz is identified as the key frequency of thrust noise caused by zero drift. • Variations in the thrust noise during the entire operation process of a Hall thruster were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete genome sequence of a putative novel potyvirus, tentatively named “polygonatum kingianum mottle virus” (PKgMV; GenBank accession no. ON428226), infecting Polygonatum kingianum in China, was obtained by next-generation sequencing (NGS), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). PKgMV exhibits the typical genome organization and characteristics of members of the genus Potyvirus, with a length of 10,002 nucleotides (nt) and a large open reading frame (nt 108 to 9,746) encoding a polyprotein of 3,212 amino acids (aa) (363.68 kDa). Pairwise comparisons revealed that the PKgMV polyprotein shares 50.5–68.6% nt and 43.1–72.2% aa sequence identity with reported members of the genus Potyvirus. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis indicated that PKgMV is closely related to polygonatum kingianum virus 1 (PKgV1; accession no. MK427056). These results suggest that the PKgMV is a novel member of the genus Potyvirus of the family Potyviridae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, indium tin oxide (ITO)/indium oxide (In2O3) thin film thermocouples (TFTCs) were prepared based on screen printing technology for high temperature measurement. With terpilenol as solvent, epoxy resin and polyether amine as binders and glass powders as additives, the ITO and In2O3 slurries were printed onto the Al2O3 substrate to form thermocouples. The effect on thermoelectric properties of the TFTCs with heat treatment and different contents of additives was investigated through microstructure observation and thermal cycle test. The static calibration experiment shows that the annealed TFTCs with 7.5 wt. % glass powders additives have the maximum Seebeck coefficient. The thermoelectric voltage output of the TFTCs can reach 126.5 mV at 1275 °C while the temperature difference is 1160 °C and the sensitivity of the TFTCs was 109.1 µV/°C. The drift rate of the TFTCs was 8.34 °C/h at a measuring time of 20 min at 1275 °C. The TFTCs prepared via screen printing technology with excellent thermoelectric properties and thermal stability are aimed to be a viable replacement for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thin-film thermocouples (TFTCs) sensor based on silicon carbide substrate, 95 wt% tungsten–5 wt% rhenium (W-5Re) and 74 wt% tungsten–26 wt% rhenium (W-26Re) thermosensitive part with aluminum oxide protective coating layer was designed and fabricated by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. It exhibited a high thermoelectric voltage of 35.51 mV when the temperature difference was 1240 °C (the hot junction temperature was 1420 °C), with an average Seebeck coefficient of 28.63 µV/°C, which was 27% larger than the standard C-type thermocouple wires at the same temperature difference. The repeatability error was ±4.1%, the drift rate was 9.6 °C/h for 10 h and the laser response time was 0.36 ms. Compared to the traditional thermocouple, it could provide long-term temperature testing within 1420 °C for the requirement of high-temperature measurement and high response speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When high-speed trains operate under braking conditions, the wheel-rail interaction increases significantly, which can lead to more serious wear problems. To analyze the evolution of wheel wear and the dynamic characteristics of wheel-rail under braking conditions, this paper first carries out long-term monitoring of the service state of wheel-rail during the operation period. The study analyzed the matching characteristics of the measured wheel-rail profile and calibrated the wear model by using the collected data. The resulting wear prediction model was then used to examine the wheel wear characteristics under braking conditions. The research results indicate that during the operation period, the wheel experiences tread concave wear within a range of ±20 mm of the rolling circle, at a rate of approximately 0.05 mm per 10,000 km. Meanwhile, the rail experiences top surface wear at a natural rate of about 0.09 mm per year. Concave wear causes the contact point of the wheel-rail to appear in two zones, resulting in a sudden change of contact geometric parameters. The concave worn wheel and rail with a 60 N profile have better matching compared to the 60 rail profile. Increasing the braking torque and wheel-rail friction coefficient will significantly increase the wheel wear depth on straight sections. On small-radius curve sections, rail side lubrication can significantly reduce high rail side wheel flange wear. A worn concave wheel can lead to unfavorable wheel-rail contact geometry characteristics and increase low-frequency components in the vehicle's lateral dynamic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is a plant pathogen that causes devastating tomato yield losses worldwide. The Sw-5b gene is one of the most effective resistance genes for TSWV control in tomato plants, and has been widely used in resistance breeding. Molecular markers are specific DNA sequences with known locations on the chromosome; they are indispensable tools in marker-assisted selection, which detects the presence of target genes to expedite breeding. We developed gene-specific molecular markers for Sw-5b to facilitate the accurate distinction of resistance (Sw-5bR) and susceptibility (Sw-5bS) alleles of Sw-5b. Using these markers, we successfully detected Sw-5b and determined its genotype (homozygous Sw-5bR, heterozygous Sw-5bR/S, or homozygous Sw-5bS) in six tomato varieties. Then we successfully applied these markers to 46 commercial tomato cultivars to detect and determine the genotype of Sw-5b. The results revealed a striking absence of the Sw-5bR gene and high TSWV susceptibility among most of the analyzed commercial cultivars. With the assistance of the novel Sw-5b-specific molecular markers, we generated a TSWV-resistant and homozygous Sw-5bR Micro-Tom tomato line, demonstrating the practical application of these markers in plant breeding. In summary, we developed novel gene-specific molecular markers for Sw-5b, and applied them to distinguish Sw-5b alleles for TSWV resistance or susceptibility. This marker set provides a valuable tool for breeding TSWV-resistant tomato varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the electrical resistivity, Seebeck coefficient, and power factor of an indium tin oxide (ITO) and nickel‐chromium (NiCr) thermocouple are investigated. The thicknesses of the ITO and NiCr are varied between 10 and 430 nm. Seebeck coefficients between 12.8 and (21.4 ± 1.5) μV K−1 are measured, respectively. The results indicate that a reduction in thickness generally leads to an increase in the Seebeck coefficient until a maximum value is reached. Among the measured samples, the optimal Seebeck coefficients are found with an ITO thickness of (111 ± 4) nm and NiCr thickness of (18 ± 2) nm. Finally, the power factor of the thermocouples is determined, with a maximum power factor of (84 ± 7) μW m−1 K−2 for the ITO thickness of (111 ± 4) nm and nickel‐chromium thickness of (42 ± 5) nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the use of fungicide and ensure food safety, it is necessary to develop fungicide with low toxicity and high efficiency to reduce residues. Azoxystrobin (AZOX), which is derived from mushrooms, is an excellent choice. However, conventional AZOX release is difficult to regulate. In this paper, a pH-responsive fungicide delivery system for the preparation of AZOX by impregnation method was reported. The Zinc metal–organic framework/Biomass charcoal (ZIF-8/BC) support was first prepared, and subsequently, the AZOX-ZIF-8/BC nano fungicide was prepared by adsorption of AZOX onto ZIF-8/BC by dipping. Gray mold, caused by Botrytis cinerea, is one of the most important crop diseases worldwide. AZOX-ZIF-8/BC could respond to oxalic acid produced by Botrytis cinerea to release loaded AZOX. When pH = 4.8, it was 48.42% faster than when pH = 8.2. The loading of AZOX on ZIF-8/BC was 19.83%. In vitro and pot experiments showed that AZOX-ZIF-8/BC had significant fungicidal activity, and 300 mg/L concentration of AZOX-ZIF-8-BC could be considered as a safe and effective control of Botrytis cinerea. The above results indicated that the prepared AZOX-ZIF-8/BC not only exhibited good drug efficacy but also demonstrated pH-responsive fungicide release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to achieve InAs quantum dots (QDs) with a long carrier lifetime, the effects of Sb component in cap layers on the band alignment of the InAs/GaAsSb QDs have been studied. InAs QDs with high density and uniformity have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy. With increasing Sb composition, the InAs/GaAsSb QDs exhibit a significant red-shift and broadening photoluminescence (PL). With a high Sb component of 22%, the longest wavelength emission of the InAs/GaAs0.78Sb0.22 QDs occurs at 1.5 μm at room temperature. The power-dependence PL measurements indicate that with a low Sb component of 14%, the InAs/GaAs0.86Sb0.14 QDs have a type-I and a type-II carrier recombination processes, respectively. With a high Sb component of 22%, the InAs/GaAs0.78Sb0.22 QDs have a pure type-II band alignment, with three type-II carrier recombination processes. Extracted from time-resolved PL decay traces, the carrier lifetime of the InAs/GaAs0.78Sb0.22 QDs reaches 16.86 ns, which is much longer than that of the InAs/GaAs0.86Sb0.14 QDs (2.07 ns). These results obtained here are meaningful to realize high conversion efficiency intermediate-band QD solar cells and other opto-electronic device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel probe-type thin film thermocouple has been fabricated successfully for high temperature measurement applications. WRe26 (tungsten–26% rhenium)–In2O3 thermoelectric materials were used in the thermocouples to achieve high thermoelectric output and high temperature resistance. The films were deposited on a cylindrical substrate by magnetron sputtering technology. The annealing process of the thermocouples was studied to achieve optimal performance. The calibration results showed the thermoelectric output of WRe26–In2O3 thin film thermocouples reached 93.7 mv at 700 °C, and its sensitivity was 165.5 µV/°C under the temperature of the cold junction, which was 133.8 °C. The thermocouples developed in this work have great potential for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In micro–nano manufacturing, the deposition rate is one of the most basic parameters for the preparation of the film. In this paper, we use the tungsten–rhenium (W-5Re and W-26Re) alloy thin films as the research object and choose direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering to fabricate films on the alumina substrate. With the help of three factors and three levels of an orthogonal table, nine orthogonal experiments are designed to study the influences of argon flow rate, sputtering power and vacuum degree on the deposition rate. Thickness and composition are measured by scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction respectively. In order to maintain the integrity of the film, the deposition thickness of the film is controlled by simulation so that the thermal stress is within the required range. In addition, the thermoelectric output is improved by comparing tungsten-rhenium thin film thermocouples (TFTCs) with different deposition rates. Experimental results show that sputtering power has a greater effect than other factors. The deposition rate of the W-5Re and W-26Re film can reach 24.911 nm min−1 and 25.756 nm min−1 at 600 W. The output of the TFTCs prepared at 600 W is about 10% higher than that at 200 W. TFTCs made with the fastest deposition rate parameters have excellent characteristics which could continuously work at 1273 K and the maximum EMF is 39.7 mV and the average Seebeck coefficient at 1273 K is 31.2 μV K−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant viruses are the main pathogens which cause significant quality and yield losses in tomato crops. The important viruses that infect tomatoes worldwide belong to five genera: Begomovirus, Orthotospovirus, Tobamovirus, Potyvirus, and Crinivirus. Tomato resistance genes against viruses, including Ty gene resistance against begomoviruses, Sw gene resistance against orthotospoviruses, Tm gene resistance against tobamoviruses, and Pot 1 gene resistance against potyviruses, have been identified from wild germplasm and introduced into cultivated cultivars via hybrid breeding. However, these resistance genes mainly exhibit qualitative resistance mediated by single genes, which cannot protect against virus mutations, recombination, mixed-infection, or emerging viruses, thus posing a great challenge to tomato antiviral breeding. Based on the epidemic characteristics of tomato viruses, we propose that future studies on tomato virus resistance breeding should focus on rapidly, safely, and efficiently creating broad-spectrum germplasm materials resistant to multiple viruses. Accordingly, we summarized and analyzed the advantages and characteristics of the three tomato antiviral breeding strategies, including marker-assisted selection (MAS)-based hybrid breeding, RNA interference (RNAi)-based transgenic breeding, and CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing. Finally, we highlighted the challenges and provided suggestions for improving tomato antiviral breeding in the future using the three breeding strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Extracting the group and phase delays of interferometric observations produced in the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) measurement concept requires a special fringe fitting and delay search algorithm for the recorded bandwidth. While fringe fitting is in use routinely for several megahertz wide channels in geodetic and astrometric VLBI with quasar observations, fringe fitting for artificial tones of very small bandwidth of artificial signals for Differential One-way Ranging (DOR) requires a different way of handling. In a project called Observing the Chang'E-3 Lander with VLBI (OCEL), the DOR tones emitted by the Chang'E-3 lander were observed in a standard geodetic VLBI mode with 8 or 4 MHz wide channels to maintain compatibility with the corresponding quasar observations. For these observations, we modified the existing fringe fitting program of the Haystack Observatory Processing Software (HOPS), fourfit , to properly handle narrow band DOR tones. The main motivations are that through this modification, the data of quasars and artificial radio sources can be processed in the existing geodetic analysis pipeline, and that the algorithm can be used for similar projects as well. In this paper, we describe the algorithm and show that the new algorithm produces much more reliable group delay results than using the standard fourfit algorithm. This is done by a simulation test and in particular by processing of real observations. It is shown that in many cases, systematic deviations of several nanoseconds, which are seen with the standard fourfit algorithm, can be avoided. The ultimate benefit of the new procedure is demonstrated by reducing the errors in delay triangle closures by at least a factor of 3, which, in the OCEL case, is from ∼300 to ∼100 ps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Tungsten-Rhenium (W-Re) thin films were grown on alumina ceramic substrate using the magnetron sputtering technique. The feasibility and reliability of the tungsten-rhenium thin film thermocouples application are largely dependent on the adhesion properties between the W-Re film and substrate. In order to get the good adhesion, we researched the effect of magnetron sputtering parameters on adhesion properties of tungsten-rhenium thin film thermocouples. With the help of three factors and three levels orthogonal table, nine orthogonal experiments were designed to study the influences of argon flow rate, sputtering power and vacuum degree on the performance of adhesion. The result showed that the effect of vacuum degree on adhesion properties was the largest, then come sputtering power, while the effect of the argon flow rate was the least and the optimal parameters combination was: argon flow rate 30 Sccm, sputtering power 400 W and vacuum degree 0.7 × 10−6 Torr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The official launch of the Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System with global coverage (BDS-3) presents significant opportunities for various applications, including precision agriculture and autonomous driving, among others. With its global spatial coverage and hybrid space constellation comprising geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO), inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO), and medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellites, BDS can significantly contribute to various GNSS remote sensing applications that require real-time, precise water surface height measurements with high temporal and spatial resolution, such as in tidal monitoring. In this paper, we propose a carrier-phase-based method for BDS Reflectometry (BDS-R) to precisely retrieve real-time water surface height. Firstly, the BDS-R altimetry method is introduced, along with a detailed explanation of the data processing procedures. Secondly, a quality control method tailored to the characteristics of low-cost BDS devices is developed. Thirdly, a land altimetry experiment is conducted to evaluate the precision of BDS-R and analyze the specific contribution of the BDS hybrid constellation. Finally, a water surface altimetry experiment validates the real-time monitoring capabilities for low-cost BDS-R. The results indicate that low-cost BDS-R can achieve real-time centimeter-level water level monitoring with a temporal resolution of 1 s in lakefront environments. The performance of BDS-R can be significantly improved by the BDS hybrid constellation, particularly IGSOs. It is concluded that low-cost BDS-R has great potential for promoting ground-based GNSS remote sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major threat to rice production is the disease epidemics caused by insect-borne viruses that emerge and re-emerge with undefined origins. It is well known that some human viruses have zoonotic origins from wild animals. However, it remains unknown whether native plants host uncharacterized endemic viruses with spillover potential to rice (Oryza sativa) as emerging pathogens. Here, we discovered rice tiller inhibition virus (RTIV), a novel RNA virus species, from colonies of Asian wild rice (O. rufipogon) in a genetic reserve by metagenomic sequencing. We identified the specific aphid vector that is able to transmit RTIV and found that RTIV would cause low-tillering disease in rice cultivar after transmission. We further demonstrated that an infectious molecular clone of RTIV initiated systemic infection and causes low-tillering disease in an elite rice variety after Agrobacterium-mediated inoculation or stable plant transformation, and RTIV can also be transmitted from transgenic rice plant through its aphid vector to cause disease. Finally, global transcriptome analysis indicated that RTIV may disturb defense and tillering pathway to cause low tillering disease in rice cultivar. Thus, our results show that new rice viral pathogens can emerge from native habitats, and RTIV, a rare aphid-transmitted rice viral pathogen from native wild rice, can threaten the production of rice cultivar after spillover. Author summary: Emerging and re-emerging dangerous viruses cause epidemics or pandemics to threaten human and economically important crops and animals. Some of the most dangerous human viruses have zoonotic origins from wild animals. Native plants may also host new endemic viruses that can spread to cause epidemics in cultivated rice, one of the most important staple plants in the world. In the research, we discovered Rice tiller inhibition virus (RTIV), a new insect-borne positive-strand RNA virus, from Asian wild rice plants through metagenomic sequencing, and demonstrated that RTIV could be transmitted by a wide-distributed specific species of aphids to cultivated rice and inhibited tillering, an important agronomic trait of rice plants. We further rescued RTIV by developing infectious clone and confirmed that it can be a dangerous aphid-transmitted viral pathogen of cultivated rice plants. Thus, not only a rare aphid-transmitted viral pathogen of rice plants was discovered in the research, our findings also indicate that novel pathogenic viruses could spread out from native plants to threaten important crop plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, optical diagnostics for the internal plasma of a low-power Hall thruster working on Xe/Kr mixtures is carried out. The emission spectroscopy results show that the atomic and ionic spectral lines reach the maximum at 5 mm and 3 mm upstream of the channel exit, respectively, indicating a spatial separation between atom excitation and ionization. The krypton atomic spectral intensity obtains the maximum closer to the channel exit than xenon. Presence of xenon is demonstrated to substantially increase the density of krypton atoms in metastable state and promote the ionization of krypton atoms. Both the enhanced mixture flowrate and Kr fraction push the ionization zone downstream. Increases in discharge voltage and discharge channel length shift the ionization zone upstream. For the overall performance, a longer discharge channel improves the thrust efficiency. It is mainly attributed to a more focused plume, an increase in the current efficiency from 80% to 84%, and a reduction in the electron current of about 28.57%. Therefore, under the condition of further optimized channel erosion issue, an extended discharge channel is recommended in the practical tests of Xe/Kr mixtures to compensate for the inefficiencies caused by krypton atoms. • Xenon and Krypton mixtures are tested and internal plasma is diagnosed within a low-power Hall thruster. • Spatial separation between the atom excitation and ionization is detected. • The addition of xenon to pure krypton gas promotes the excitation and ionization of krypton atoms. • A longer discharge channel improves the thrust efficiency and compensates for the inefficiencies caused by krypton atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study described molecular characterization of two potyviruses: wild tomato mosaic virus Dehong isolate (WTMV‐Dh) and chilli veinal mottle virus Dehong isolate (ChiVMV‐Dh) mix‐infection chilli pepper and assessed their mix‐infection on chilli pepper. Transcriptome next‐generation sequencing technology (NGS) and RT‐PCR were used to obtain the complete genome sequences of the abovementioned two viruses. The results showed that the complete sequence of WTMV‐Dh is 9675 nucleotides (nt) in length and encodes a complete polyprotein of 3075 amino acids (aa). The WTMV‐Dh polyprotein shares 76.1%–82.6% nt and 85.3%–89.5% aa identities with three previously reported WTMV isolates. The complete sequence of ChiVMV‐Dh is 9736 nt in length and encodes a complete polyprotein with 3, 089 aa. ChiVMV‐Dh polyprotein shares 80.8%–92.2% nt and 85.3%–95.6% aa identities with previously reported ChiVMV isolates. Following phylogenetic analysis based on the polyprotein sequences of potyviruses revealed that WTMV‐Dh clustered with the Vietnam strain WTMV‐Laichau, while ChiVMV‐Dh clustered with several ChiVMV Sichuan isolates. The mix‐inoculation experiment showed that the mix‐infection of these two viruses has more severe symptoms than single‐infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study viral infection, the direct structural visualization of the viral life cycle consisting of virus attachment, entry, replication, assembly and transport is essential. Although conventional electron microscopy (EM) has been extremely helpful in the investigation of virus–host cell interactions, three‐dimensional (3D) EM not only provides important information at the nanometer resolution, but can also create 3D maps of large volumes, even entire virus‐infected cells. Here, we determined the ultrastructural details of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV)‐infected plant cells using focused ion beam scanning EM (FIB‐SEM). The viral morphogenesis and dynamic transformation of paired parallel membranes (PPMs) were analyzed. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane network consisting of tubules and sheets was related to viral intracellular trafficking and virion storage. Abundant lipid‐like bodies, clustering mitochondria, cell membrane tubules, and myelin‐like bodies were likely associated with viral infection. Additionally, connecting structures between neighboring cells were found only in infected plant tissues and showed the characteristics of tubular structure. These novel connections that formed continuously in the cell wall or were wrapped by the cell membranes of neighboring cells appeared frequently in the large‐scale 3D model, suggesting additional strategies for viral trafficking that were difficult to distinguish using conventional EM. Summary statement: The infection of Tospovirus induces spectacular membrane modification in plant host. In present study, systematic analyses of the modification of membrane structures in tomato spot wilt virus (TSWV)‐infected plant cells were carried out by focus ion beam‐scanning electron microscopy method, of which results revealed the information on the viral life cycle. The assembly of virion was related to the modified Golgi apparatus. The intracellular traffic of virus was related to tubular shaped endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cisternae. Fusion of ER‐virus complex to plasma membrane was observed, which was related to the release of virion to extracellular matrix. A novel membrane packaged long tubular structure was observed in connecting the endocytic vesicles and the inner components of the cell, which may relate to the intercellular movement of virus. Based on these structural information, a working model was proposed on the morphogenesis and intracellular and intercellular transport of TSWV in infected plant cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy plays an important role in virus infection of the host, because viral components and particles can be degraded by the host's autophagy and some viruses may be able to hijack and subvert autophagy for its benefit. However, details on the mechanisms that govern autophagy for immunity against viral infections or benefit viral survival remain largely unknown. Plant reoviruses such as southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV), which seriously threaten crop yield, are only transmitted by vector insects. Here, we report a novel mechanism by which SRBSDV induces incomplete autophagy by blocking autophagosome-lysosome fusion, resulting in viral accumulation in gut epithelial cells of its vector, white-backed planthopper (Sogatella furcifera). SRBSDV infection leads to stimulation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway, which further activates autophagy. Mature and assembling virions were found close to the edge7 of the outer membrane of autophagosomes. Inhibition autophagy leads to the decrease of autophagosomes, which resulting in impaired maturation of virions and the decrease of virus titer, whereas activation of autophagy facilitated virus titer. Further, SRBSDV inhibited fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes by interacting with lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1) using viral P10. Thus, SRBSDV not only avoids being degrading by lysosomes, but also further hijacks these non-fusing autophagosomes for its subsistence. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism of reovirus persistence, which can explain why SRBSDV can be acquired and transmitted rapidly by its insect vector. Author summary: Reoviruses can cause serious harm to mammals and cereals in the world. Understanding their persistence mechanism can contribute to control strategies. Here, we reveal that a plant reovirus, SRBSDV can activate the JNK signaling pathway through interacting with integrin β3 in the plasma membrane, upregulate expression of autophagy-related genes, and increase autophagosome numbers. Once inside the insect cell, SRBSDV hijacks autophagosome for accumulation, further escape degradation by inhibiting fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes by the interaction of major outer capsid protein with LAMP1. This new mechanism explains why SRBSDV can survive in and be efficiently transmitted by a particular vector insect species and will help to design novel strategies to prevent virus transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional annular closed-loop E Ă— B drifting Hall thruster is limited by its compact structure. Two-dimensional (2D) distribution of the plasma parameters inside the discharge channel cannot be accurately measured, thus directly hindering further understanding of the discharge process. In this paper, we propose to employ an unclosed E Ă— B drift thruster with a visible (UDTv) ionization zone to conduct research into the effects of the crossed electric field and magnetic field on the plasma distribution inside the discharge channel. Experiments showed that the UDTv presented discharge similar to a Hall thruster, especially the low-frequency oscillation related to the discharge voltage. A 2D symmetrically crescent-shaped distribution of plasma inside the channel with a hollow zone located near the maximum of the magnetic field was clearly captured by optical imaging and an emission spectrometer. Correlation between the location of the maximal magnetic gradient and the 2D ionization zone configuration was verified. A decreased magnetic mirror effect at the location of the maximum magnetic field enhanced the electronâ€"wall interaction, inducing near-wall conduction and secondary electron emission. The electron temperature presented a canyon distribution, resulting in a bimodal configuration of the plasma density. Increased flowrate lowered the ionization inside the channel and transformed the plasma distribution into a unimodal structure because of enhanced electron conduction and the lower electron temperature. Generally, the ability to capture the correlation between 2D plasma distribution and the magnetic field inside the discharge channel was successfully demonstrated, thus proposing new ideas for further research into the internal plasma of Hall thrusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial data are not only characterized by time-domain correlations but also heavily influenced by numerous market factors. In stock price analysis, the prediction of short-term movements is of much interest to investors and traders. In this paper, we consider forecasting price movements based on ensembled machine learning models, which is generally viewed as a challenging task due to noise components inherent in the data and uncertainties in various forms of financial information related to stock prices. To enhance the accuracy of trend predictions, we propose to use wavelet packet decomposition (WPD) and kernel-based smoothing techniques to remove high-frequency noise from the data, based on which we further perform feature engineering to obtain a comprehensive list of multidimensional technical features. Subsequently, we employ the light gradient boosting machine (lightGBM) algorithm to classify the change in the direction of the price trend that occurs in ten trading days. Numerical results on the Shanghai composite index show that the proposed approach has noticeable advantages over traditional statistical and machine learning methods when predicting near term price trends. Index terms—ensembled machine learning, feature correlation, financial data, LGBM, and wavelet denoising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • MD simulations reveal distinct SiC microstructure evolution under H+ and Cu2+ implantation. • Cu2+ ions reach higher atomic temperatures, while H+ affects a larger volume. • An incident angle of 0° maximizes sputtering yield and promotes amorphous structure formation. • Cu2+ ions exhibit lower sputtering yield and energy increase compared to H+ ions. • The channeling effect is more pronounced in H+ implantation models. The microstructure evolution of 4H-SiC under the implantation of hydron ions and copper ions was investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experimental analysis. MD models were developed to simulate the implantation of single Cu2+ and H+ ions into SiC, analyzing lattice damage, amorphous defects, and temperature distribution. H+ ion implantation resulted in a higher number of amorphous atoms compared to Cu2+ ions. The maximum atomic temperature during Cu2+ ion implantation was significantly higher (1635 K) than during H+ ion implantation (950 K), although the volume of the temperature rise region was larger in the H+ model. Cu2+ ions induced more severe lattice vibrations than H+ ions. Atom movement along regions of weak lattice binding energy was observed. The study also examined overlapping multiple ion implantations, considering ion type, initial energy, and incident angle. Cu2+ ions exhibited smaller sputtering yield, projection range, number of amorphous atoms, and energy increment compared to H+ ions. A 0° incident angle resulted in higher sputtering yield and increased amorphous structure formation due to the channeling effect, which was more pronounced in the H+ model. The experimental results demonstrate that compared to Cu2+ ions, H+ ions have a greater impact on the surface peak roughness, sub-surface damage depth, and surface damage of SiC samples. It can provide a reliable guidance for selecting process parameters and the types of ions to implant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high precision multimode fiber grating sensor (MMFBG) is studied. The developed multimode fiber Bragg grating based on waist-enlarged bitaper can excite stable multimode and keep multiple reflection peaks in the reflection spectrum. The virtual peak demodulation method based on MMFBG can reduce the temperature measurement error. When the light is introduced into the sensor, the waist-enlarged bitaper structure will excite high-order modes, and the multimode grating peak signal can be obtained by detecting the reflected signal. The sensing principle of the sensor is theoretically analyzed and simulated, which shows that the proposed sensor can realize high-precision temperature sensing, the temperature sensitivity is 0.012 nm/℃, and the measurement accuracy is optimized from 2.261 % F.S. to 0.876 % F.S. The sensor has the advantages of low cost, high accuracy and easy manufacturing, which has great potential in aero-engine health monitoring, voltage transformer safety control and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene fiber-based supercapacitor has aroused great interest as a flexible power source in future wearable electronics. However, the low electrochemical performance of graphene fibers (GFs) usually causes the serious limitation of use in practical applications due to the material stacking, hydrophobicity and fabrication process complexity. In this work, a facile and effective plasma-assisted strategy is put forward to increase specific surface area, tune hierarchically porous structure and promote wettability of nitrogen-doped graphene fibers (NGFs), resulting in the improvement of electrochemical performance. The supercapacitor assembled from plasma-treated NGFs shows superior capacitance (878 mF/cm2 at 0.1 mA/cm2 current density) and high energy density (19.5 μW h/cm2 at 40 mW/cm2 power density), which is 23.7% and 131.4% higher than that of NGFs and GFs, respectively. Additionally, the fiber-based supercapacitor based on plasma-treated NGFs exhibits high rate capability of 59.8% and excellent cyclic performance (95.8% retention over 10,000 cycles). These plasma-treated NGFs can be promising candidates for high-performance and flexible power sources in future wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System with global coverage (BDS-3) was officially launched on July 31, 2020. In addition to the legacy B1I and B3I signals from the regional system (BDS-2), BDS-3 provides several new signals, i.e., B1C, B2a, B2b and B2a + b, with advanced technologies and global availability, which brings new opportunities for ground-based BDS multipath reflectometry (BDS-MR) altimetry. Previous studies focused on the MR altimetry performance of the legacy signals using signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) observations, but the new BDS signals have not been investigated. In this contribution, all types of BDS-3 SNR data collected from seven International GNSS Service (IGS) stations are analyzed signal by signal in terms of SNR quality and altimetry performance, while the legacy BDS B2I and Global Positioning System (GPS) L2C signals are also selected for comparison. Seven globally distributed IGS stations are first investigated for the quality of SNR observations, and then two optimally selected land stations are used to assess BDS-MR based altimetry performance, while a coastal station is used to assess BDS-MR for sea level retrieval performance. It is found that the quality of SNR observations varied site by site due to the differences in environment and equipment, but in general, the new signals except B1C show a higher level of SNR. Then, no detectable biases among each signal are found for land altimetry, while new signals could yield higher amplitude when performing spectral analysis. In coastal sea level altimetry, only two new signals B1C and B2a are available at the selected IGS station, and it is observed that the retrieval performance of BDS B2a is comparable to that of B2I, B3I and GPS L2C with root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) of about 21 cm, while that for B1I and B1C is slightly poorer with RMSEs of 29.68 cm and 26.66 cm respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) with a molecular weight of 31 kDa induced by Cinchonaglycoside C (1) designated CIP31, was isolated from tobacco leaves. Analysis of this protein sequence indicated that it belongs to the RIP family and it was distinct from the other plant RIPs reported previously at its N-terminal amino acid sequence. CIP31 can directly impair synthesis of coat protein (CP) of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), which resulted in inhibition of TMV long distance movement and multiplication in tobacco plants at concentrations of ng/mL. Furthermore, no toxicity was shown to the growth and fertility of the plants. CIP31 was synthesized only in the presence of Cinchonaglycoside C (1) and was independent of the salicylic acid (SA) signal pathway. We provided evidence for the SA-independent biological induction of resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the genomic structure and variation of begomoviruses in China. Use of immunosorbent electron microscopy; Pattern of antigenic reaction; Identification of the nucleotide sequence.

Background: IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 are constituents of the type II IL4 receptor. Recently, IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 were reported to have roles in cancer progression and suggested as potential prognostic markers. However, studies on IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 in soft-tissue sarcomas have been limited. Methods: This study investigated the immunohistochemical expression of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 in 89 soft-tissue sarcomas of the extremities, superficial trunk, and retroperitoneum. Immunohistochemical staining for IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 were scored according to a combination of staining intensity and staining area in tissue microarray samples. Positivity for the immunohistochemical expression of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 were determined using receiver operating curve analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using regression analysis and a chi-square test. Results: In human soft-tissue sarcomas, immunohistochemical expression of IL4Rα was significantly associated with IL13Rα1 expression. Nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 were significantly associated with shorter survival of soft-tissue sarcoma patients in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis indicated that nuclear expression of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 were independent indicators of shorter overall survival (IL4Rα; p = 0.002, IL13Rα1; p = 0.016) and relapse-free survival (IL4Rα; p = 0.022, IL13Rα1; p < 0.001) of soft-tissue sarcoma patients. Moreover, the co-expression pattern of nuclear IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 was an independent indicator of shorter survival of soft-tissue sarcoma patients (overall survival; overall p < 0.001, relapse-free survival; overall p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study suggests IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 are associated with the progression of soft-tissue sarcoma, and the expression of IL4Rα and IL13Rα1 might be novel prognostic indicators of soft-tissue sarcoma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, the flexible temperature sensor based on polyimide is designed and fabricated by magnetron sputtering technology. The impact of vacuum degree, sputtering power, and argon flow rate on the roughness and deposition rate of two thermo-electrodes [indium tin oxide (ITO)/indium oxide (In2O3)] is investigated with orthogonal experiment. The thermoelectric properties of the sensor are greatly improved by low temperature heat treatment. The sensitivity of the ITO film and In2O3 film increases by 2.61 times and 2.89 times, respectively, after 1 h low-temperature heat treatment. According to the comprehensive evaluation, an innovative step annealing process is proposed to optimize the heat treatment of the prepared thermo-electrodes. The fabricated flexible thin film thermocouples exhibit great operating characteristics in the low temperature measurement range. When the hot end's temperature reaches 181.5 °C, the thermoelectric force can reach 7.84 mV and the average Seebeck coefficient can reach 50.55 µV/°C. The repeatability and hysteresis error of the sensor is ±0.88% and 1.90%, respectively. The sensor in this work shows great application potential for in situ real-time temperature measurement in robotic dexterous hands, electronic skin, and foldable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WRe26-In2O3 (WRe26 (tungsten-26% rhenium) and In2O3 thermoelectric materials) thin film thermocouples (TFTCs) have been fabricated based on magnetron sputtering technology, which can be used in temperature measurement. Many annealing processes were studied to promote the sensitivity of WRe26-In2O3 TFTCs. The optimal annealing process of the thermocouple under this kind of RF magnetron sputtering method was proposed after analyzing the properties of In2O3 films and the thermoelectric voltage of TFTCs at different annealing processes. The calibration results showed that the WRe26-In2O3 TFTCs achieved a thermoelectric voltage of 123.6 mV at a temperature difference of 612.9 K, with a sensitivity of up to 201.6 µV/K. Also, TFTC kept a stable thermoelectric voltage output at 973 K for 20 min and at 773 K for two hours. In general, the WRe26-In2O3 TFTCs developed in this work have great potential for practical applications. In future work, we will focus on the thermoelectric stability of TFTCs at higher temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is one of the most devastating plant viruses and often causes severe crop losses worldwide. Generally, mature plants become more resistant to pathogens, known as adult plant resistance. In this study, we demonstrated a new phenomenon involving developmentally regulated susceptibility of Arabidopsis thaliana to TSWV. We found that Arabidopsis plants become more susceptible to TSWV as plants mature. Most young 3‐week‐old Arabidopsis were not infected by TSWV. Infection of TSWV in 4‐, 5‐, and 6‐week‐old Arabidopsis increased from 9%, 21%, and 25%, respectively, to 100% in 7‐ to 8‐week‐old Arabidopsis plants. Different isolates of TSWV and different tospoviruses show a low rate of infection in young Arabidopsis but a high rate in mature plants. When Arabidopsis dcl2/3/4 or rdr1/2/6 mutant plants were inoculated with TSWV, similar results as observed for the wild‐type Arabidopsis plants were obtained. A cell‐to‐cell movement assay showed that the intercellular movement efficiency of TSWV NSm:GFP fusion was significantly higher in 8‐week‐old Arabidopsis leaves compared with 4‐week‐old Arabidopsis leaves. Moreover, the expression levels of pectin methylesterase and β‐1,3‐glucanase, which play critical roles in macromolecule cell‐to‐cell trafficking, were significantly up‐regulated in 8‐week‐old Arabidopsis leaves compared with 4‐week‐old Arabidopsis leaves during TSWV infection. To date, this mature plant susceptibility to pathogen infections has rarely been investigated. Thus, the findings presented here should advance our knowledge on the developmentally regulated mature host susceptibility to plant virus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A double flush-mounted probe method is proposed to analyze the characteristics of intermediate-pressure plasmas (10–100 Pa) by a sheath criterion. The analytical model mainly focuses on the effect of the ion drift velocity in the sheath edge and then provides a correction factor for the measured ion-collection current. The reduction of the ion current is attributed to ion–neutral collisions leading to the modified Bohm velocity. To validate this method, the ion density is calculated and compared with that measured by two types of cylindrical probes, and the results agree well with the data measured by other probes. On the basis of this work, the double flush-mounted probe can be adopted to diagnose plasma parameters accurately, without a reference electrode, in collisional and certain complex plasma environments, such as the reentry plasma sheath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin film thermocouples (TFTCs) are designed by finite element analysis and fabricated on the flexible substrate (polyimide) based on radio frequency magnetron sputtering technology, which can be used to measure the temperature of the curved surface. Various novel structures of TFTCs with several multi-junctions are designed to improve the stability and the reliability of measurement. The characteristics of its thermoelectric output are simulated by software. As the temperature range varies between 10 °C and 200 °C, the electromotive force behavior experiments show that the average Seebeck coefficient of the TFTCs can reach 25.8 µV/°C, the resolution of sensor is less than 0.1 °C, and the temperature drift is only 1.3%, 1.2%, 1.0% at 84 °C, 110 °C, and 142 °C, respectively. The maximum drift rate of TFTCs is 0.234 °C/min at 142 °C. The flexible TFTC temperature sensor shows great advantages in sensitivity, stability, reliability resolution, and measuring range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect transmission is obligatory for persistently transmitted viruses because the vector insect is the only means of virus spread in nature. The insect midgut is the first major barrier limiting virus acquisition, but the mechanisms by which viruses are able to cross the cell membrane and then infect the midgut epithelial cells of the insect have not been elucidated completely. Here, we found that the outer capsid or nucleocapsid protein (NP) of three viruses can interact and colocalize with sugar transporter 6 that is highly expressed in the midgut of Laodelphax striatellus (LsST6). In contrast, LsST6 did not interact with the NP of rice grassy stunt virus, which cannot be transmitted by the same planthopper. LsST6 not only altered the cellular location of viral proteins and then colocalized with them in the cell membrane, but also mediated the entry of rice stripe virus (RSV) particles into Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (Sf9) cells that expressed the heterologous gene LsST6. We further showed that RSV particles initially bound to the cell membrane of midgut epithelial cells where it colocalized with LsST6, and then invaded the cytoplasm. When LsST6 expression was knocked down, viral titre, acquisition percentage and transmission efficiency of the treated insect decreased significantly, but virus replication was not affected. This work thus uncovered a strategy by which LsST6 mediates viral entry into midgut epithelial cells and leads to successful transmission by the insect vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bipartite begomovirus was identified from a Boehmeria leiophylla plant sample exhibiting yellow mosaic symptoms collected in Nabanhe National Nature Reserve, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China. Five complete DNA-A and four DNA-B genome sequences were obtained by rolling-circle amplification (RCA), cloned, and sequenced. All DNA-A sequences were determined to be 2759 nucleotides in size, sharing 99.9%-100% nucleotide sequence identity with each other. The DNA-B sequences were comprised of 2673 nucleotides, sharing 98.6-100% nucleotide sequence identity with each other. Genomic organization of the begomovirus was typical of Old World bipartite begomoviruses. Sequence analysis revealed 81.84% nucleotide sequence identity to tomato leaf curl Hsinchu virus (ToLCHsV) from China for the DNA A component and 67.23% identity to the squash leaf curl China virus (SLCCNV) from India for the DNA B component. The sequence comparisons suggest that this bipartite begomovirus represents a novel species for which we propose the name “Ramie yellow mosaic virus”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]