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Background: Human lysozyme (hLYZ) is a natural antibacterial protein with broad applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. Recombinant production of hLYZ in Komagataella phaffii (K. phaffii) has attracted considerable attention, but there are very limited strategies for its hyper-production in yeast. Results: Here through Atmospheric and Room Temperature Plasma (ARTP)-based mutagenesis and transcriptomic analysis, the expression of two genes MYO1 and IQG1 encoding the cytokinesis core proteins was identified downregulated along with higher hLYZ production. Deletion of either gene caused severe cytokinesis defects, but significantly enhanced hLYZ production. The highest hLYZ yield of 1,052,444 ± 23,667 U/mL bioactivity and 4.12 ± 0.11 g/L total protein concentration were obtained after high-density fed-batch fermentation in the Δmyo1 mutant, representing the best production of hLYZ in yeast. Furthermore, O-linked mannose glycans were characterized on this recombinant hLYZ. Conclusions: Our work suggests that cytokinesis-based morphology engineering is an effective way to enhance the production of hLYZ in K. phaffii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper designed and developed an online digital imaging excitation sensor for wind power gearbox wear condition monitoring based on an adaptive deep learning method. A digital imaging excitation sensing image information collection architecture for magnetic particles in lubricating oil was established to characterize the wear condition of mechanical equipment, achieving the real-time online collection of wear particles in lubricating oil. On this basis, a mechanical equipment wear condition diagnosis method based on online wear particle images is proposed, obtaining data from an engineering test platform based on a wind power gearbox. Firstly, a foreground segmentation preprocessing method based on the U-Net network can effectively eliminate the interference of bubbles and dark fields in online wear particle images, providing high-quality segmentation results for subsequent image processing, A total of 1960 wear particle images were collected in the experiment, the average intersection union ratio of the validation set is 0.9299, and the accuracy of the validation set is 0.9799. Secondly, based on the foreground segmentation preprocessing of wear particle images, by using the watered algorithm to obtain the number of particles in each size segment, we obtained the number of magnetic particle grades in three different ranges: 4–38 µm, 39–70 µm, and >70 µm. Thirdly, we proposed a method named multidimensional transformer (MTF) network. Mean Square Error (MSE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) are used to obtain the error, and the maintenance strategy is formulated according to the predicted trend. The experimental results show that the predictive performance of our proposed model is better than that of LSTM and TCN. Finally, the online real-time monitoring system triggered three alarms, and at the same time, our offline sampling data analysis was conducted, the accuracy of online real-time monitoring alarms was verified, and the gearbox of the wind turbine was shut down for maintenance and repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The online monitoring of metal particles in lubricating oil plays an important role in equipment fault diagnosis technology. This paper designs an online wear monitoring warning sensor based on the electromagnetic induction of metal particles in lubricating oil. First, different from the traditional three-coil sensing and detection method, the sensor consists of two excitation coils and one detection coil. In addition, the parallel capacitance and detection capacitance parameters are obtained by COMSOL's scanning frequency, and the best detection capacitance is 7.53 nF. Second, according to the obtained optimal detection parallel capacitance value, the amplitude data of the particle signal, as well as the ferromagnetic particles above 60 µm and the non-ferromagnetic particles above 80 µm, are obtained. Third, according to the principle of three-coil induction, a mapping relationship model was established between the size range of metal wear particles in lubricating oil. Finally, we set up an oil wear particle platform to verify the sensor performance. The ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic particles are divided into multiple size ranges, and the peak-to-peak values of the output signal of different-sized wear particles are measured. We developed a prototype sensor and verified the signal consistency and repeatability of the sensor to wear metal particles. In addition, we used the sensor to test a large number of metal particles of different sizes (14 ferromagnetic particle standard samples with particle sizes ranging from 20.64 to 457.59 µm and ten non-ferromagnetic particle standard samples with particle sizes ranging from 40.52 to 348.07 µm). The experimental results show that the sensor can directly achieve monitoring sensitivity for ferromagnetic particles greater than 64.57 µm and non-ferromagnetic (copper) particles greater than 82.83 µm under the 4.2 mm aperture flow channel. The sensor can effectively realize the sensitivity on monitoring of small ferromagnetic particles and non-ferromagnetic particles, and it is particularly sensitive to small non-ferromagnetic particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a deadly disease with a poor prognosis. Thus, there is a pressing need to determine the mechanism of ATC progression. The homeobox D9 (HOXD9) transcription factor has been associated with numerous malignancies but its role in ATC is unclear. In the present study, the carcinogenic potential of HOXD9 in ATC was investigated. We assessed the differential expression of HOXD9 on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ATC and explored the interactions between HOXD9, microRNA-451a (miR-451a), and proteasome 20S subunit beta 8 (PSMB8). In addition, subcutaneous tumorigenesis and lung metastasis in mouse models were established to investigate the role of HOXD9 in ATC progression and metastasis in vivo. HOXD9 expression was enhanced in ATC tissues and cells. Knockdown of HOXD9 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT but increased apoptosis in ATC cells. The UCSC Genome Browser and JASPAR database identified HOXD9 as an upstream regulator of miR-451a. The direct binding of miR-451a to the untranslated region (3′-UTR) of PSMB8 was established using a luciferase experiment. Blocking or activation of PI3K by LY294002 or 740Y-P could attenuate the effect of HOXD9 interference or overexpression on ATC progression. The PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was involved in HOXD9-stimulated ATC cell proliferation and EMT. Consistent with in vitro findings, the downregulation of HOXD9 in ATC cells impeded tumor growth and lung metastasis in vivo. Our research suggests that through PI3K/AKT signaling, the HOXD9/miR-451a/PSMB8 axis may have significance in the control of cell proliferation and metastasis in ATC. Thus, HOXD9 could serve as a potential target for the diagnosis of ATC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variations in the solute carrier family 11 member 1 (SLC11A1) gene have been implicated in developing inflammatory disorders. However, it is still unclear whether such polymorphisms contribute to the pathogenesis of post‐traumatic osteomyelitis (PTOM). Therefore, this study investigated the roles of genetic variations of the SLC11A1 gene (rs17235409 and rs3731865) in PTOM development in a Chinese Han cohort. The SNaPshot method was used for genotyping 704 participants (336 patients and 368 controls) for rs17235409 and rs3731865. Outcomes revealed that rs17235409 increased the risk of PTOM occurrence by dominant (p =.037, odds ratio [OR] = 1.44) and heterozygous models (p =.035, OR = 1.45), implying AG genotype as a risk factor for PTOM development. In addition, patients with AG genotype had relatively higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers than those with AA and GG genotypes, especially for the white blood cell count and C‐reactive protein. Despite no statistically significant differences achieved, rs3731865 may reduce the PTOM susceptibility, suggested by the results of dominant (p =.051, OR = 0.67) and heterozygous (p =.068, OR = 0.69) models. In short, rs17235409 confers an elevated chance of developing PTOM, with AG genotype as a risk factor. Whether rs3731865 involves in the pathogenesis of PTOM requires further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar‐driven water electrolysis has been considered to be a promising route to produce green hydrogen, because the conventional water electrolysis system is not completely renewable as it requires power from nonrenewable fossil fuel sources. This review emphasizes the strategies for solar‐driven water electrolysis, including the construction of photovoltaic (PV)‐water electrolyzer systems, PV‐rechargeable energy storage device‐water electrolyzer systems with solar energy as the sole input energy, and photoelectrochemical water splitting systems. The basic discussions of the above strategies for solar‐driven water electrolysis are first presented. Meanwhile, replacing the oxygen evolution reaction with the electrooxidation of organic compounds can effectively improve the efficiency of water splitting. Also, solar‐driven seawater electrolysis greatly broadens the practical applications due to the abundant reserves of seawater. Recent years have witnessed great development in the field of solar‐driven water electrolysis. The recent research development in the area is subsequently reviewed. Finally, perspectives on the existing challenges along with some opportunities for the further development of solar‐driven water electrolysis are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance thermally insulating aerogel with low density, high porosity, and low thermal conductivity characteristics was widely used in heat insulation. However, the large-scale application of aerogel was still limited by its brittleness and infrared radiation transparency at high-temperature. Fiber composite aerogel had achieved significant progress, but its anti-oxidation ability was poor, and its thermal insulation required further improvement at ultra-high temperatures. Herein, inspired by the structure of elytra, nanoparticle fiber (NF) was prepared by electrospinning of coaxial fiber loaded with opacifier and antioxidant nanoparticles. The NF was incorporated into the SiBCN aerogel to prepare NF/SiBCN ceramic fiber aerogel. The mechanical properties were improved by fiber networks. The shell structure increased the antioxidant properties. Heat conduction and heat convection were suppressed by the aerogel, while heat radiation was reduced by the coaxial fiber. The results showed that the ceramic fiber aerogel exhibited superior mechanical, antioxidant, and ultra-low thermal conductivity properties. • A novel 'particle/fiber/aerogel' composites were constructed for thermal insulation. • The composites exhibited fire resistance and ultralow thermal conductivity at 1300 °C. • The composites had low density and excellent mechanical properties. • Coaxial fiber had self-healing and anti-oxidation properties at ultra-high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging paradigm that offers remarkable opportunities for data mining and analysis. IoT envisions a world where all smartphones, vehicles, public services facilities, and home appliances that can be connected to the internet act as data sources. Even today, a significant portion of electronic devices, including watches, emergency alarms, parking doors, and many appliances can be linked to IoT systems and remotely controlled. Big data analysis and data mining methods can be utilized to improve the performance of IoT systems and address their challenges in the area of data storage, processing, and analysis. Extensive studies on IoT with big data can make it possible to accumulate tremendous data and transform it into valuable knowledge using data mining techniques. With this background, this paper provides a systematic survey of the literature on the use of big data analytics and data mining methods in IoT. This review aims to identify the lines of research that should receive more attention in future works. To achieve this goal, the articles published between 2010 and 2021 on the subjects of IoT-based big data and IoT-based data mining (60 articles) have been reviewed. These articles fall into four general categories in terms of focus: architecture/platform, framework, applications, and security. The paper provides a summary of the methods used in IoT-based big data analysis and IoT-based data mining in these four categories to highlight the promising avenues of research for future works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the advance of Artificial Intelligence, automatic music composition has been demonstrated. However, there are many music genres and music instruments. For a same piece of music, different music instruments would produce different effects. Invented some 2500 years ago, Guzheng is one of the oldest music instruments in China and the world. It has distinct timbres and patterns that cannot be duplicated by other music instruments. Therefore, it is interesting to see whether AI can compose Guzheng music or alike. In this paper we present a method that can automatically compose and play Guzheng music. First, we collect a number of existing Guzheng music pieces and convert them into Music Instrument Digital Interface format. Second, we use these data to train a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network and use the trained network to generate new Guzheng music pieces. Next, we use the Reinforcement Learning to optimize the LSTM network by adding special Guzheng playing techniques. Comparing to the existing AI methods, such as LSTM and Generative Adversary Network, our new method is more effective in capturing the characteristics of Guzheng music. According to the evaluations from skilled Guzheng players and general audiences, our Guzheng music is very close to the real Guzheng music. The presented method can also be used to automatically compose the music of other Chinese music instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bionic structures have garnered considerable attention due to their superior energy absorption capacity and light weight. This study proposes a group of bionic thin-walled tubes inspired by the microstructure of bamboo and beetle forewing. Experimental testing is conducted to validate the finite element model of bionic thin-walled tubes. The crushing performance of bionic thin-walled tubes and traditional thin-walled tubes is compared under the same weight. The bionic thin-walled tube with excellent crashing performance is further determined, that is, B-9-W. Then, parametric studies of the B-9-W tube are performed to reveal the effect of geometric parameters on crashworthiness characteristics. Finally, multi-objective optimization is carried out to seek the optimal design of B-9-W. Results show that, compared with two traditional thin-walled tubes, the specific energy absorption of the optimized B-9-W increases by 44.124% and 125.058%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halyomorpha halys has been recognized as a global cross-border pest species. Along with well-established pheromone trapping approaches, there have been many attempts to utilize botanical odorant baits for field monitoring. Due to sensitivity, ecological friendliness, and cost-effectiveness for large-scale implementation, the selection of botanical volatiles as luring ingredients and/or synergists for H. halys is needed. In the current work, botanical volatiles were tested by olfactometer and electrophysiological tests. Results showed that linalool oxide was a potential candidate for application as a behavioral modifying chemical. It drove remarkable attractiveness toward H. halys adults in Y-tube assays, as well as eliciting robust electroantennographic responsiveness towards antennae. A computational pipeline was carried out to screen olfactory proteins related to the reception of linalool oxide. Simulated docking activities of four H. halys odorant receptors and two odorant binding proteins to linalool oxide and nerolidol were performed. Results showed that all tested olfactory genes were likely to be involved in plant volatile-sensing pathways, and they tuned broadly to tested components. The current work provides insights into the later development of field demonstration strategies using linalool oxide and its molecular targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perpendicular to grain compression behavior of wood is critical in designing timber structures. The finite element method has been widely utilized to investigate the behavior of wood. However, until now there is no suitable constitutive model of wood that can reasonably describe the behavior of the super-large deformation, volumetric compaction and the anisotropy of wood under perpendicular to grain compression. In this study, perpendicular to grain compression test on Masson pine wood was performed to investigate the structural behavior in three different stress states, namely uniaxial, lateral restrained, and circumferentially restrained. Further, a constitutive model considering the anisotropy of wood was developed where the governing functions are separately defined in longitudinal and transverse directions. The porosity of wood in the transverse plane was simulated by considering the volumetric compaction, whereupon the corresponding failure criteria, flow rules, and hardening rules were proposed and the equations were derived. The developed model was verified by comparing the predicted data with the test results. The developed model can simulate the super-large perpendicular to grain deformation and the anisotropy of wood simultaneously which is useful for the numerical analysis of wood members, connections, and structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely believed that the undoped Mott insulator is crucial to understand the origin of high-TC superconductivity and the complex phase diagram in cuprates. Tetragonal CuO, the simplest structure among cuprates, is regarded as an archetypal model to explore the ground state physics of Mott insulator. Here, we report on the epitaxial growth and surface characterization of tetragonal CuO thin film by combining ozone-assisted molecular beam epitaxy and multi-analytical techniques. In situ scanning tunneling microscopy measurement reveals two sets of Cu2+ square lattices with a reversed contrast of their apparent heights between neighboring domains. A spectroscopy study demonstrates an upper bound of the charge transfer gap as 3.68 eV, and quantitatively agrees with the previous photoemission and x-ray photoelectron results. Our work will deepen the understanding of high-energy electronic structures in parent cuprates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinematic and dynamic models of robots with complex mechanisms such as the closed-chain mechanism and the branch mechanism are often very complex and difficult to be calculated. Aiming at this issue, in this paper, the pose of the component in robots is represented by the Euclidean group and its subgroups with the proposed method. The component's velocity is derived using the relationship between the Lie group and Lie algebra, and the acceleration and Jacobian matrix are then derived on this basis. The Lagrange equation is expressed by the obtained kinematic parameter expressions. Establishing the model with this method can obtain clear physical meaning and make the expressions uniform and easy to program, which is convenient for computer-aided calculation and parameterization. Calculating by the properties of the Lie group can reduce the calculation and model complexity, especially for calculating the velocity and acceleration, which reduces the calculation error and eases the calculation. Therefore, the proposed modeling and calculation method of kinematics and dynamics of robots is especially suitable for robots with complex mechanisms. As an example, the kinematic and dynamic model of the manipulator developed in our laboratory is established and a working process of it is numerically calculated. Then, the results of the numerical calculation are compared with the results of virtual prototype simulation in ADAMS to verify the correctness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the problem that the traditional learning service recommendation does not fully consider the distinct differences between individuals, it is easy to lead to the contradiction between unchanging learning resources and learners' personalized learning needs that are constantly improving, so an adaptive learning service recommendation improvement algorithm based on big data is proposed. Idea is based on adaptive learning platform and function modules. We consider the individual differences between students, to students as the center, collect students' personalized learning demand data, and according to the data information to build student demand model. On the basis of using data mining methods for clustering recommendation service resources in learning, the adaptive recommend according to students' individual need is proposed. The experimental results show that the adaptive learning service recommendation algorithm based on big data has high recommendation accuracy, coverage rate and recall rate, which is of great significance in the actual learning service recommendation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we compute the derivations of the positive part of the two-parameter quantum group of type G2 by embedding it into a quantum torus. We also show that the first Hochschild cohomology group of this algebra is a two-dimensional vector space over the complex field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an inflammatory process involving lymphocyte-mediated immune response and orbital tissue damage. The anti-insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) antibodies produced by B lymphocytes are involved in the activation of orbital fibroblasts and the inflammatory process of orbital tissue damage in TED. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of IGF-1R in the mechanistic connection between orbital fibroblasts and B lymphocytes in TED. Methods: Orbital fibroblasts sampled from orbital connective tissues and peripheral B lymphocytes isolated from peripheral blood, which were obtained from 15 patients with TED and 15 control patients, were co-cultured at a ratio of 1:20. The level of IGF-1R expression in orbital fibroblasts was evaluated by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Transient B lymphocyte depletion was induced with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab, while the IGF-1R pathway was blocked by the IGF-1R binding protein. The expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in the co-culture model were quantified via ELISA. Results: IGF-1R expression was significantly elevated in TED orbital fibroblasts compared to that of controls. A 24-h co-culture of orbital fibroblasts with peripheral B lymphocytes induced elevated expression levels of IL-6 and RANTES in each group (TED patients and controls), with the highest levels occurring in TED patients (T + T group). Rituximab and IGF-1R binding protein significantly inhibited increased levels of IL-6 and RANTES in the co-culture model of TED patients. Conclusions: IGF-1R may mediate interaction between orbital fibroblasts and peripheral B lymphocytes; thus, blocking IGF-1R may reduce the local inflammatory response in TED. Rituximab-mediated B lymphocyte depletion played a role in inhibiting inflammatory responses in this in vitro co-culture model, providing a theoretical basis for the clinical application of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies in TED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular processes of immune responses in mucosal tissues such as fish gills under environmental stress are poorly understood. In the present study, pro-inflammatory response under hyposaline stress and its regulation by cortisol/corticosteroid receptors (CRs) in gill epithelial cells of the spotted scat Scatophagus argus were analyzed. The fish were transferred to freshwater for 6 days (144 h) of acclimation. Following freshwater exposure, the cortisol concentration increased transiently before returning to the control level over time. mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-1b and IL-6) was stimulated by cortisol through CR signals at early stages of acclimation, but hyposaline stress inhibited their levels by the end of the experimental period. The transcriptional profile of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was quite different from these pro-inflammatory cytokines, and its value fluctuated within a narrow range during the experimental period. Full-length cDNAs of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor 1 (GR1) (different kinds of CRs) were cloned from the gills. Our results showed that MR and GR displayed mutually antagonistic effects during hyposaline stress. MR responded quickly at early stages, and its expression decreased with the drop of cortisol concentration. By contrast, GR expression was maintained at high levels after the acclimation of freshwater exposure. The tight coordination of GR and MR helps to shape the effects of stress on the immune system, which in turn, regulates the stress response. Our results confirm the interaction between endocrine and cytokine messengers and a clear difference in the sensitivity of GR and MR during the hyposaline challenge in gill epithelial cells of the spotted scat Scatophagus argus. • Gill epithelial cells of Scatophagus argus were isolated and purified. • MR and GR displayed mutually antagonistic effects during hyposaline stress. • mRNA abundances of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were tightly associated with MR and GR signals. • Pro-inflammatory response was ignited by environmental stress, and suppressed after longer exposure to freshwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmonic drive is the core component of the industrial robot, and its fault diagnosis is crucial to the reliability and performance of the equipment. Most machine learning methods achieve good results based on the assumption of data balance. However, the scarce fault data of harmonic drive is difficult to collect, resulting in various imbalanced health status samples, which has an adverse effect on fault diagnosis. In this article, we propose a data generation method based on generative adversarial networks (GANs) to solve the problem of data imbalance and utilize the multiscale convolutional neural network (MSCNN) to realize the fault diagnosis of the harmonic drive. First, the data collected from three vibration acceleration sensors are preprocessed by fast Fourier transform (FFT) to obtain the frequency spectrum of the vibration signal. Second, multiple GANs were adopted to generate various fault spectrum data and the data selection module (DSM) is elaborately designed to filter and purify these data. Third, the filtered generated data will be combined with the real data to form a balanced dataset, and then the MSCNN is used to achieve multiclassification of the health status of the harmonic drive. Finally, the experiments have been implemented on an industrial robot vibration test bench to validate the effectiveness of our approach. The results have shown the fault multiclassification accuracy as 98.49% under imbalanced fault data conditions, which outperforms that of the other compared methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerogel is widely used in the field of thermal insulation. However, aerogel exhibits brittleness and infrared radiation transparency at high temperatures. Fiber composite aerogel achieved great progress, but the homogeneous structure hardly allowed heat convection, heat conduction, and heat radiation to be controlled simultaneously. In this paper, inspired by bamboo's multilayer and gradient structure, SiC fiber loaded with TaSi 2 and WSi 2 antioxidant particles was prepared by electrostatic spinning. The fiber was incorporated into the silicoboron carbonitride (SiBCN) aerogel to prepare gradient multilayer SiC/SiBCN ceramic fiber aerogel. The fiber network enhanced the mechanical properties. Antioxidant particles improved antioxidant performance. Heat radiation was reduced through the fiber, while heat conduction and heat convection were decreased by the aerogel. The results showed that the ceramic fiber aerogel exhibited ultra-low thermal conductivity, excellent infrared radiation shielding, and antioxidation performance. This study is expected to provide new ideas for constructing high-temperature thermal insulation ceramic fiber aerogel. • Novel gradient multilayer composites were constructed for thermal insulation. • The "gradient multilayer" structure of ceramic fiber aerogel had an excellent ability to shield thermal radiation. • The composites exhibited fire resistance and ultralow thermal conductivity at 1400 K. • The composite with TaSi 2 and WSi 2 particles provides it the antioxidant property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To control and manipulate fluids in lab‐on‐a‐chip (LOC) devices, active components such as pumps, valves, and injectors are necessary. However, such components are often complex and expensive to fabricate, limiting integration in disposable LOCs. A new type of flexible, all‐polymer diaphragm actuator system, called Double Diaphragm Active Polymer Actuator (DDAPA), is presented as a single modular unit that can be repurposed to diverse active microfluidic components. To demonstrate the versatility of the DDAPA concept, the DDAPA devices are investigated in three different configurations: as a single operation microinjector, as a flow regulating element, and as a pump in a hybrid configuration with unibody‐LOC unidirectional systems. The working principle, fabrication process, and the three examples of microfluidic components are presented. The trilayer diaphragm actuator is realized using the conductive polymer poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate as the actuating material and thiol‐acrylate‐based ionogels as solid‐state electrolyte and base material. The three demonstrators show the feasibility of using the DDAPA module to inject liquids, regulate flow, and unidirectionally pump fluids up to 112 µL min−1 when coupled with a 3D printed unibody check valve. Hence, the presented concept with a simple mechanism and easy manufacturability, broadens the choice of disposable actuators compatible with fully disposable autonomous LOC solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmonic drive is a key component in industry robot. Its complex design is highly sensitive to the manufacturing and assembly errors. Even a small error could cause excessive vibration jeopardizing the performance of the robot. Moreover, the vibration is dependent on the operation conditions. As a result, it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive test to detect possible manufacturing and assembling faults. This article presents an intelligent approach that can automatically identify different health conditions of harmonic drives. First, the acquired data from multiple acceleration sensors are cascaded in sequence after several preprocessing steps. Then, the multiscale convolutional neural network (MSCNN) architecture is used for disposing the inherent multiscale characteristics of the harmonic drive vibration signal, which can simultaneously perform multiscale feature extraction and classification. Finally, a large number of experiments were conducted on a real industrial robot vibration test platform to evaluate our approach. Based on the experiment results, the fault detection classification accuracy is 96.79%, which is higher than the other compared methods. This demonstrates that the presented method is effective for shop floor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The robot kinematic model is the basis of motion control, calibration, error analysis, etc. Considering these factors, the kinematic model needs to meet the requirements of completeness, model continuity, and minimality. DH model as the most widely used method to build robot kinematic model still has problems in completeness, model continuity, and calculation, especially for robots with complex mechanisms such as closed chain mechanism and branch mechanism. In this paper, an improved kinematic modeling method is proposed based on the cooperation of the DH model and the Hayati and Mirmirani model and considering the Lie group concept. The improved model is complete and continuous, and when combining with Lie group to calculate, it avoids numbers of trigonometric functions and antitrigonometric functions in the process so as to optimize the algorithm. With this method, the kinematic model of the closed chain cascade manipulator developed in our laboratory is established, and a working process of it is numerically calculated. The results of the numerical calculation are basically consistent with those of virtual prototype simulation, which means the established kinematic model is correct and the numerical calculation method can solve the problem correctly. The kinematic model and the results of the kinematic analysis provide a theoretical basis for the subsequent motion control, calibration, and error analysis of the robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, transition metal phosphate materials have attracted enormous interest for various functional devices. In addition to being low‐cost, earth‐abundant and environmentally benign, transition metal phosphates have several unique advantages including high stability, unique chemical/physical characteristics and tunable multifunctionality, making them ideally suited for advanced highly‐efficiency energy conversion and storage applications. In this Review, the synthetic strategies for transition metal phosphates are summarized, and the most recent advances in the development of transition metal phosphates are described for efficient electrocatalysis such as oxygen evolution, hydrogen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions, highlighting the impact of their morphologies and structures on the electrochemical performance and practical applications in overall water splitting and rechargeable metal‐air batteries. Finally, the challenges facing the development of transition metal phosphates in the field of energy conversion and storage are outlined, together with directions of further research and perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of digital integrated circuit (IC) design flow, some nets may still be left open due to engineering change order (ECO). Resolving these opens could be quite challenging for some huge nets such as power ground nets because of a large number of obstacles and greatly distributed net components. Existing studies on multilayer obstacle-avoiding rectilinear Steiner trees may not be applicable to solve this problem because they assume the pins of an input net is a set of points, while the discrete net components in this problem can be regarded as a set of rectilinear pins. In this paper, we develop an efficient open-net connector that can deal with rectilinear pins. The proposed algorithm flow minimizes the total connection cost based on precise estimation of the shortest distance between each pair of rectilinear net components with the presence of complex obstacles. The experimental results show that the proposed flow can outperform the top-three teams of 2017 CAD contest at ICCAD and a state-of-the-art work in terms of total connection cost or runtime efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on an action research project designed to develop and integrate a new conceptual learning and teaching approach into four language-related courses in an Australian university. Being named Curriculum 2.0 after Web 2.0, the approach places the production, sharing and learning of student content at the centre. In this paper, we recount the project, focusing on how its aims were methodically pursued through reflective experiments to incorporate student content-based pedagogy into the selected courses. Among others, three major actions will be discussed, namely segmenting content, building a content bank and developing an equitable system for assessing individually created content, which proved effective in implementing the new approach. The course and outcomes of the project, to be presented in this paper, will inform the continuing evolution of the scholarship of language learning and teaching. • Curriculum 2.0 is informed by Web 2.0. • Curriculum 2.0 is characterized by creation, sharing and learning of student content, which enable a transformational learning experience, thus modernising tertiary language courses and marking the next step in the evolution from teacher-centredness to student-centredness. • Systematic creation, segmentation and assessment of student content are instrumental to the institution of student content. • Through trial in real-life language and related courses in a reputable Australian university, Curriculum 2.0 proved effective and engaging for translation and interpreting courses and was well received by learners. Further research is required for it to work in dedicated language courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looks at a study which examined the impact of excitons on silicon solar cells. Identification of two key parameters of the cells; Influence of the excitons on the dark-saturation current; Methodology used to conduct the study; Results of the study.

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate a novel shape from focus (SFF) algorithm based on maximum correntropy Kalman filtering (SFF-MCKF) for solving the problem that traditional SFF methods are weak in de-noising and spatial continuity. Design/methodology/approach: To be specific, it was first assumed that the predicted depth of next pixel is equal to the depth of the current pixel according to spatial continuity. Besides, the observing data are derived from the estimation of traditional SFF and the corresponding covariance of noise is adaptively calculated by the entropy along the optical axis. Finally, to enhance robustness, we systematically conduct MCKF iteratively in four transfer directions that are 0°, 90°, 45° and −45°, respectively. Findings: The experimental results indicate that the robustness of SFF-MCKF facing noises as well as the spatial continuity is better than that of the existing representative ones. Research limitations/implications: As the proposed method is aimed at precision objects, high demand is for experimental device. Unstable device unregister the source images, which is unfavorable for observing data. Originality/value: SFF-MCKF can be applied to many precision object measurements without significant drifts, such as the surface reconstruction of metal objects and electronic components. Besides, the computation cost is low, and SFF-MCKF has a wide range of real-time industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Fe3+ ions play an important role in both biological and environmental field. In this work, two novel rhodamine-based colorimetric and fluorescent probes (RBA2 and RBA3) were designed and synthesized for the efficient detection of Fe3+. Upon the addition of Fe3+, the fluorescence intensity of RBA2 and RBA3 enhanced 108-fold and 222-fold, respectively. RBA2 and RBA3 exhibited a low detection limit which could achieve 12.8 nM and 11.0 nM. In addition, the binding modes of RBA2 and RBA3 with Fe3+ were proved to be 1:1 stoichiometry in the complexes by Job's plot, ESI-MS and 1H NMR results. The complexing ability of RBA3 with Fe3+ excessed to that of RBA2 that was determined by the binding association constants, and highly consistent with DFT calculations results. Furthermore, RBA2 and RBA3 were further utilized to detect Fe3+ in living cells and real water samples, indicating their promising prospects in biological and environmental field. Graphical Abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Two novel rhodamine-based fluorescent probes for naked eye detection of Fe3+ were synthesized and characterized. • The binding modes of RBA2 and RBA3 with Fe3+ were proved to be 1:1 stoichiometry by Job's plot, ESI-MS and 1H NMR results. • The binding abilities of RBA2 and RBA3 with Fe3+ were investigated, consisting with DFT calculations. • These two probes can be used in three water samples and the living systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four novel rhodamine-based fluorescent probes (RE1–RE4) were designed and synthesized for sensitive detection of Fe3+ in water. RE1–RE4 exhibited low detection limits in the range of 18.6 nM to 29.4 nM. In addition, the binding modes of the probes (RE1–RE4) with Fe3+ were proved to be 1 : 1 stoichiometry of the complexes by Job's plot and also their complexing ability was determined using the binding constants (RE2 ＞ RE4 ＞ RE3 ＞ RE1). RE2 was selected to study the proposed binding mechanism with Fe3+ by ESI-MS, 1H NMR and DFT calculations. Furthermore, RE2 was further utilized to detect Fe3+ in living cells and real water samples, indicating its promising prospect in biological and environmental fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristic strength is a key mechanical property index for structural wood materials used in building structures, which should be determined according to requirements of confidence level and number of specimens contained in sample. Due to lack of determination method and predicted calculation formula for characteristic strength in current GB 50005-2003 'Chinese code for design of timber structures', the coefficient or the order statistic value of characteristic strength is usually directly copied from foreign standard. In order to develop and improve the determination method for characteristic strength and to reasonably determine the characteristic strength, the confidence values under different coefficients of variation were analyzed by parametric and non-parametric methods in which the normal random sample was selected. Based on the analysis results by parametric method, relationships between the coefficient of characteristic strength and confidence level, number of specimens was obtained; while, based on that by non-parametric method, relationships between the order statistic value, confidence level and number of specimens were also obtained. The fitting formulas of the coefficient of characteristic strength and of the order statistic value were constructed. The analysis results of an example indicate that the calculation results by the fitting formulas are in good agreement with the actual results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The growing energy and environmental crisis calls for renewable systems for energy production and conversion. Herein, polyaniline‐derived porous carbon nanorods tri‐doped with N, P, and S (NPSC) are directly fabricated by the one‐pot polymerization of aniline and diphenylamine‐4‐sulfonic acid induced by organophosphonic acid and subsequent pyrolysis at 900 °C. The nanorods exhibit high‐efficiency electrochemical oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution activity in alkaline electrolyte, along with strong durability and methanol tolerance. The synergistic effect among the tri‐doped elements and the related porosity can account for the superior electrocatalytic capacity of the fabricated catalysts. Particularly, a Zn–air battery assembled with the fabricated NPSC as the cathode shows a peak power density of 122 mW cm−2 and superior stability, presenting a promising potential for sustainable energy devices, particularly regenerative metal–air batteries and fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen (H 2) is a category of green energy with high energy density, which can be prepared by water electrolysis. Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has received extensive attention. Nevertheless, it is urgent to solve the shortage of highly efficient catalysts. Platinum (Pt), the most excellent HER catalyst, is restricted in industrial promotion due to its high cost and scarcity. Amounts of low-price, earth-abundant catalysts with high efficiency and stability have been then studied, especially transition metal compounds that receive enormous interest as a replacement for noble metal-based catalysts. Furthermore, one-dimensional (1D) nanomaterials have been widely applied owing to their unique structures and properties. In this review, the latest research progress on the 1D transition metal compound nanostructures for electrocatalyzing HER is summarized. The improved strategies and weaknesses of 1D catalysts in HER are discussed. An outlook of future development trends toward highly efficient and stable electrochemical catalysts is also provided. [Display omitted] • Review on HER catalytic activity of 1D transition metal compounds. • Comparison of TMPs, TMCs, TMOs, TMSs, TMNs in HER catalytic activity. • Role of three improved strategies on electrochemical HER. • Strategies for preparing 1D nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arnebiae Radix (AR) has high economic and medicinal value, and it is used as Chinese herbal medicine in clinic for a long time. Nowadays, the quality assessment of AR is generally performed on expensive instruments with time-consuming and laborious methods. In this study, the near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy technique was applied to develop a rapid, simple and accurate method for quantifying five main chemical components including acetylshikonin, β -acetoxyisovalerylalkannin, isobutylshikonin, isovalerylshikonin and β , β -dimethylacrylalkannin in AR coupled with chemometrics, aiming at rapidly evaluating the quality of AR. NIR spectra of 110 batches of AR samples were collected to quantify the content of five chemical components. The partial least squares (PLS) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms were separately used to develop the calibration models. Different spectral pretreatment methods and feature selection methods were compared in details during the model development. As a result, the performances of PLS models for quantifying the five chemical components were superior to SVM models. The correlation coefficients of calibration set (r cal) of PLS models for acetylshikonin, β -acetoxyisovalerylalkannin, isobutylshikonin, isovalerylshikonin and β , β -dimethylacrylalkannin were 0.9972, 0.9973, 0.9927, 0.9981 and 0.9977, respectively, while the correlation coefficients of prediction set (r pre) were 0.9913, 0.9855, 0.9825, 0.9916 and 0.9825, respectively. Besides, the relative prediction deviation (RPD) of PLS models reached 7.0, 5.85, 4.92, 7.52 and 5.43, respectively. This study demonstrated that the NIR spectroscopy technique was a promising approach as routine analysis of AR, and it could be an alternative method for rapid quality assessment of AR. • Near infrared spectroscopy method was proposed for quality assessment of Arnebiae Radix. • The linear and non-linear algorithms were separately applied to build the model. • The performance of partial least squares was superior to support vector machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An improved method used to design high transmission efficiency microwave power transmission (MPT) antenna array is proposed in this article. In this method, the constraint of the transmitting element arrangement is removed by defining the power transmission efficiency different from previous works, and the coupling between transmitting elements is included completely. Two 4 × 4 antenna arrays working at 5.8 GHz are designed and fabricated to verify it. These two arrays are used in two MPT systems, in each system the transmitting array and receiving array have the same geometry. The measured transmission efficiencies of antenna array 1 and array 2 are 65% and 58% when the transmission distances are 10 cm and 20 cm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a robot fish with a wire-driven caudal fin and a pair of pectoral fins. First, the design of the robot fish is presented. The caudal fin is driven through wire-driven mechanism. The pectoral fins can perform two degrees-of-freedom motions, i.e. flapping (roll) and feathering (pitch). The pectoral fins can move in labriform mode for propulsion, or for other purposes such as turning and diving. Second, the propulsion analysis models for caudal fin propulsion and pectoral fins propulsion are derived. Finally, three types of experiments are conducted. Experiment results show that the swimming speed of caudal fin propulsion and pectoral fin propulsion match the model predictions. Moreover, with the caudal fin propulsion alone, the robot fish can swim up to 0.66 BL/s (body length/second); with the pectoral fin propulsion alone, the robot fish can swim up to 0.26 BL/s. The pectoral fins can significantly improve the maneuverability of the robot fish. Without using the pectoral fins, the turning radius of the robot fish is 0.6 BL; with the pectoral fins, the turning radius is reduced to 0.25 BL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halyomorpha halys, originating from East Asia, has become an important agricultural pest in northern temperate regions since its accidental introduction into North America in the mid-1990s and Europe in 2007. Trissolcus japonicus is the predominant egg parasitoid of this pest in its native range. Here, we tested the hypothesis that T. japonicus uses volatiles associated with H. halys adults during host location. The effects of these volatile compounds on H. halys adults were also assessed. Chemical analysis with GC-MS and electrophysiological analysis with GC-EAD revealed the presence of two bioactive volatile compounds from H. halys adults, n-tridecane and ( E)-2-decenal. In the Y-tube assays, female T. japonicus were attracted by n-tridecane but strongly repelled by ( E)-2-decenal. Furthermore, host searching time of female T. japonicus was significantly reduced when an H. halys egg mass was treated with n-tridecane and prolonged when treated with ( E)-2-decenal or a mixture of ( E)-2-decenal and n-tridecane. Male H. halys were significantly attracted by n-tridecane, whereas females had no response to this compound in the Y-tube assays. ( E)-2-Decenal strongly repelled male and female H. halys in the Y-tube assays. We discuss the multifunctional kairomonal and other possible roles of these semiochemicals at different trophic levels in the context of intra- and inter-specific chemical communication, in the H. halys- T. japonicus system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen, as a clean energy, has broad prospects in renewable energy and environmental protect in the future. Mo 2 N is a promising candidate in electrocatalyzing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to its low-cost and resembled electronic properties. In this work, mesoporous Mo 2 N/NC composite catalysts are synthesized by polymerizing p -phenylenediamine ( p -PDA) with ammonium heptamolybdate and following calcination under N 2 atmosphere. These catalysts show excellent HER performance in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 solution, allowing a low overpotential of 217 mV to produce H 2 at the electric current density of 10 mA cm −2 with catalyst loading of 0.5 mg cm −2 . After 1000 cycles of acceleration degradation tests, Mo 2 N/NC remains negligible overpotential losses. These stable electrochemical properties are mainly related to the strong interaction of Mo 2 N and NC materials, which accelerates the electron transfer further for hydrogen evolution, besides the unique mesoporous structures benefitting to the transmission of the electrolyte. This work also reveals the importance of amine’s structure in synthesizing high-performance Mo 2 N anchored on N-doped carbon materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolbachia can modulate the reproductive development of their hosts in multiple modes, and cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) is the most well‐studied phenotype. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is highly receptive to different Wolbachia strains: wCcep strain from the rice moth Corcyra cephalonica and wMel strain from the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster could successfully establish and induce CI in transinfected whiteflies. Nevertheless, it is unknown what will happen when these two exogenous Wolbachia strains are co‐transinfected into a new host. Here, we artificially transinferred wCcep and wMel into the whitefly and established double‐ and singly‐transinfected B. tabaci isofemale lines. Reciprocal crossing experiments showed that wCcep and wMel induced a complex of CI phenotypes in the recipient host, including unidirectional and bidirectional CI. We next sequenced the whole genome of wCcep and performed a comparative analysis of the CI factor genes between wCcep and wMel, indicating that their cif genes were phylogenetically and structurally divergent, which can explain the crossing results. The amino acid sequence identity and structural features of Cif proteins may be useful parameters for predicting their function. Structural comparisons between CifA and CifB provide valuable clues for explaining the induction or rescue of CI observed in crossing experiments between transinfected hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the material requirements of a large span structural beam, a newly designed reinforced bamboo scrimber composite (RBSC) beam combining the bamboo element and the reinforcement element was developed. The RSBC beam was compared with other un-reinforced beams to evaluate its bending properties. Results indicated that the reinforcement and the bamboo elements could firmly form an integrated composite cross-section. The failure modes, ultimate load and cross-section stiffness of the RBSC beams were significantly correlated to the diameter of reinforcement as well as the heat treatment of bamboo bundle. A simplified mechanical model was also proposed according to the superposition principle, and the predicted deflection and load capacity matched well with the experimental results. This preliminary study is beneficial for the design, manufacture and application of bamboo-based structural composite materials in practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to discuss the security and feasibility of the laparoscopic reversal of Hartmann's procedure (LRHP) on the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). The clinical data of 42 patients who underwent laparoscopic reversal of Hartmann's procedure was retrospectively analyzed, and the operative time, blood loss, intraoperative and postoperative complications, conversion to open surgery, postoperative hospital stay, and so on were observed. Twenty-nine patients (69.00 % of the study pool) received complete postoperative recovery courses as prescribed by enhanced recovery program (ERP). The postoperative length of stay (LOS) in the hospital was 5.6 (3-16 days). The overall and major (grades III to V) postoperative morbidities were 33.3 % ( n = 14) and 4.8 % ( n = 2), respectively. Our preliminary results showed that using the laparoscopic technology in reversal of Hartmann's colostomy on the concept of ERP is safe and feasible. Patients with intra- or postoperative complications were found to have statistically significant associations with greater risk of ERP failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Curcumin possesses significant anti-atherosclerosis properties. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is already known as one of the most promising biomarkers of atherosclerosis. However, research on the effect of curcumin on regulating LCN2 expression in atherogenesis is very limited. The aim of the study was to investigate whether curcumin could alleviate atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice by down-regulating LCN2 expression. METHODS: Fifty apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-/-) mice were fed with a western diet for 12 weeks and randomly divided into five groups: model group (Mod), positive control group (Lov, with 30 mg/kg/d lovastatin), three curcumin groups (CurL, CurM and CurH, with 40, 60 and 80 mg/kg/d curcumin), while 10 C57BL/6J mice were fed with a standard mouse chow diet as a control group (Con). LCN2 in serum and aorta, biomarkers of serum lipid and inflammation were determined and the plaque area of the atherosclerosis lesions was quantified. RESULTS: CurM and CurH group were significantly lower than Mod group in terms of serum LCN2, lipid and inflammatory cytokine levels, plaque area and LCN2 expression in atherosclerotic lesions, similar to lovastatin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that dietary curcumin ameliorates western diet-induced atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice, which is related to LCN2 down-regulation, anti-hyperlipidemia effect as well as the inhibition of inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A topic that involves communities with different competing viewpoints or stances is usually reported by a large number of documents. Knowing the association between the persons mentioned in the documents can help readers construct the background knowledge of the topic and comprehend the numerous topic documents more easily. In this paper, we investigate the stance community identification problem where the goal is to cluster important persons mentioned in a set of topic documents into stance-coherent communities. We propose a stance community identification method called SCIFNET, which constructs a friendship network of topic persons from topic documents automatically. Stance community expansion and stance community refinement techniques are designed to identify stance-coherent communities of topic persons in the friendship network and to detect persons who are stance-irrelevant about the topic. The results of experiments based on real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of SCIFNET and show that it outperforms many well-known community detection approaches and clustering algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pairing mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates remains the biggest unresolved mystery in condensed matter physics. To solve the problem, one of the most effective approaches is to investigate directly the superconducting CuO layers. Here, by growing CuO monolayer films on BiSrCaCuO substrates, we identify two distinct and spatially separated energy gaps centered at the Fermi energy, a smaller U-like gap and a larger V-like gap on the films, and study their interactions with alien atoms by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. The newly discovered U-like gap exhibits strong phase coherence and is immune to scattering by K, Cs and Ag atoms, suggesting its nature as a nodeless superconducting gap in the CuO layers, whereas the V-like gap agrees with the well-known pseudogap state in the underdoped regime. Our results support an s-wave superconductivity in BiSrCaCuO, which, we propose, originates from the modulation-doping resultant two-dimensional hole liquid confined in the CuO layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The control of underwater vehicles is always challenging due to nonlinear dynamics, unmodeled dynamics, system uncertainty, and environmental disturbances. In this paper, a robust control scheme is designed for the tracking control of underwater vehicles with system uncertainty and time-varying environmental disturbances. First, the dynamic model of underwater vehicles is simplified to an explicit expression for the inertia matrix without the need for complex hydrodynamic coefficients. Then, according to the invariant manifold theorem, a single-parameter unknown input observer (UIO) is designed to estimate uncertainty. Based on the simplified model and UIO, a fast terminal sliding mode control with an inverse function (IFTSMC) is designed. The finite-time stability of the closed-loop system is proved. Finally, to evaluate the performance of the proposed control scheme, comparative numerical simulations are conducted with 20% dynamic uncertainty and time-varying interference. The results indicate that the proposed control scheme is effective and robust under dynamic uncertainty and time-varying disturbances. • Based on invariant manifold theorem, an unknown input observer is designed. • A reaching law with arctangent function and inverse hyperbolic function is designed. • A closed-loop controller considering measurement noises is designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and Trissolcus plautiae are solitary endoparasitoids in eggs of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). These two closely related parasitoids differ in their degree of host specificity. With the aid of scanning electron microscopy, we examined the external morphology, distribution, and abundance of the antennal sensilla of sexes of both species to gain insights into the olfactory mechanism in relation to host selection behavior. Seven types of sensilla were recorded in both species: basiconica, trichodea, groovedpeg, sickle-shaped, chaetica, papillary, and campaniformium sensilla. Sexual dimorphism of antennal structures occurred in both species. Male antennae possessed one more flagellomere and a larger number of olfactory sickle-shaped sensilla than female antennae, indicating that sensilla may be involved in mate or host location. There was a peg gland on the fifth antennomere of male antennae. Compared with males, females had a higher number of trichodea sensilla as well as papillary sensilla, which were not found in males. These sensilla might be involved in host recognition and acceptance during the drumming behavior of both species. No qualitative differences were recorded between the species in antennal structure, or sensilla types or topographical arrangement. However, the abundance of key sensilla was significantly different between species. T. plautiae females and males had larger numbers of trichodea sensilla than those of T. japonicus. T. japonicus females possessed fewer and larger sickle-shaped sensilla compared with T. plautiae females. These differences may provide a morphological basis for understanding the process of host habitat location and recognition in these parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a rare case of dextroversion accompanied with atrial septal defect (ASD), persistent left superior vena cava with absent right superior vena cava in a four-year-old male. A polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft as an extracardiac conduit was used to connect the persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) with the right atrial appendage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new chemosensor 7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole-4-allyl-N-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)carbamate ( NBDTC ) was synthesized and utilized for palladium detection based on the Tsuji–Trost reaction. NBDTC displayed specific and ratiometric fluorescent responses toward palladium species. The chemosensor showed more than 50-fold enhancement in fluorescence intensity with the presence of PEG400 and palladium because NBDTC can be transformed to NBDT under palladium-catalyzing Tsuji–Trost reaction. NBDTC displayed high selectivity and sensitivity for palladium species with the detection limit of 1.13 × 10 −9 M. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to obtain the design value of compression strength parallel to grain (UCS) for Larch 2 × 4 lumber based on full-size test results. A total of 1043 samples were tested by static compression. The results of reliability analysis indicated that the reliability index decreased nonlinearly as both the UCS design value increased and the live-to-dead load ratio decreased. To meet the requirements of the minimum reliability index, this study suggests that design values be set to 18.6, 15.4, 13.8, and 12.6 MPa for grades SS, No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogenated acrylic rosin (HAR)/polyacrylate composite emulsions were prepared by seeded semibatch emulsion polymerization method. The effect of HAR amount on monomer conversion rate, coagulum rate, and gel fraction of the composite emulsions as well as the water absorption ratio, adhesion properties, and thermal durability of the HAR/polyacrylate composite latex films was studied; the composites were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gel permeation chromatograph (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetry. The results showed that with the increase of HAR amount, the monomer conversion rate, gel fraction, molecular weight, and water absorption ratio were all decreased, and the coagulum rate and molecular weight distribution increased. HAR had good compatibility with polyacrylate, and when HAR amount was 4 wt%, the HAR/polyacrylate composite latex film had superior adhesion properties and thermal durability. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]