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SINA (Seven in absentia) proteins in the subtype of E3 ubiquitin ligase family play a crucial role in plant growth and development. However, their functions in response to salt and osmotic stresses in oil crops are still largely unknown. In this study, a total number of 23 BnaSINAs were identified in the rapeseed genome. Chromosome location and collinear relationship analyses revealed that they were unevenly distributed on 13 chromosomes, and have gone through 22 segmental duplication events under purifying selection. Phylogenetic and gene structural analyses indicated that they belonged to five main groups, and those in the same subgroup showed similar gene structure. All BnaSINAs were predicted to form homo- or heterodimers. Except BnaSINA7, BnaSINA11, BnaSINA17 and BnaSINA18, which lacked the N-terminal RING finger, all BnaSINAs contained a conserved C-terminal SINA domain, a typical structural feature of the RING-type E3 ligase family. Transcriptional expression analyses demonstrated that most BnaSINAs were ubiquitously expressed in roots, stems, leaves, flowers, pods and seeds, and all were responsive to salt and osmotic stresses. Further, yeast two-hybrid and Arabidopsis mutant complementation analyses demonstrated that BnaSINA4 interacted with BnaSINA17 to form heterodimer, and expression of BnaSINA17 in the Arabidopsissina2 mutant restored its growth resistance to salt and osmotic stresses. Our findings provide an important genetic foundation for the functional elucidation of BnaSINAs and a novel gene resource for the breeding of new oil crop cultivars with improved abiotic stress resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising material for many industrial applications, Ti-15 V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn (commonly referred to as Ti-15–3) titanium alloy always suffers from non-uniform pitting corrosion in salt spray environment. Herein, based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), electrochemical noise (EN) tests, and surface analysis, we systematically evaluate the salt spray corrosion behaviors of Ti-15–3 alloy by a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution test. EN analysis based on Hilbert-Huang transform investigates corrosion types of Ti-15–3 alloy corroded by salt spray, combining with further electrode/solution interface behavior and corrosion resistance analysis from EIS. This combined investigation demonstrated that metastable pitting, passive state, and the stable pitting of Ti-15–3 alloy for a different salt spray time were successfully distinguished. Meanwhile, it was found that pitting resistance and corrosion types were closely connected with the corrosion attack morphology of the corroded samples, together with an investigation of the micrographs of the damaged surface. Finally, the salt spray corrosion mechanisms of Ti-15–3 alloy are discussed in detail. This work will provide significant insights into the service life and protection measures of tropical ocean facilities to avoid the attack of pitting corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Stress distributions in notch fatigue and fretting fatigue are compared. • The general path of the Point Method is analyzed considering stress distributions. • A rig with an accurate alignment is designed for fretting fatigue experiments. • Fretting fatigue tests of complete contacts are carried out for Ti-6Al-4V alloy. • The minimum life path is proposed for the fretting fatigue life prediction. With the improvement and success of the Theory of Critical Distances (TCD) in notch fatigue problems, the TCD, especially the Point Method (PM), combined with multiaxial fatigue criteria, has been used over the last few years to predict the fretting fatigue life. However, little attention is paid to the effect of different damage mechanisms, especially stress distribution, between the two conditions on the application of the PM. This paper aims to select a suitable path for the PM, considering various stress distributions, for the fretting fatigue life prediction of complete contacts. A new method is developed to select the suitable path of the PM for fretting fatigue life prediction. To validate the analysis, corresponding tests were carried out using an improved proving ring-like rig in a Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Predicted lives on all paths were calculated using the PM combined with different multiaxial fatigue criteria, without incorporating wear effects, and compared with experimental lives using an error bar graph. Results indicate that when the fretting wear is not considered, the minimum predicted life path is more suitable for the PM than the perpendicular and maximum predicted life paths. This suitable path is compared to the path selection in the uniaxial symmetric V-notch fatigue condition. Analysis shows that the conventional path (the notch bisector) of the PM produces the maximum predicted life for the notch fatigue condition. The cause of this different path selection of the PM in the two fatigue conditions is assumed to be the effect of the asymmetric stress distribution and fretting wear damage in the fretting fatigue condition. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorine‐containing moieties are widely used in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and material fields. Thus, these structures are of immense interest in the fields of organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry. Among various fluorinated groups, the difluoromethyl unit has drawn increasing attention due to its unique pharmaceutical properties. In recent years, several methods for the synthesis of difluoromethylated compounds have been rapidly developed. However, most of these methods treat aromatic compounds with excess difluoromethylating reagents, which often contain organometallic compounds, so these transformations are generally less environmentally friendly and atom‐economical. In this review, we summarize the recent development of new methods for the synthesis of difluoromethyl motifs or difluoroalkenes from trifluoromethylated aromatic compounds or trifluoromethyl alkenes via single C(sp3)−F bond cleavage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to explore the characteristics of surface electromyography (EMG) signal of golfers' low back pain and the effect of rehabilitation. Based on the time-varying parameter autoregressive model and artificial neural network, ARAN algorithm was constructed, which was compared with the autoregressive moving average (ARMA) algorithm and the convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm. Then, the established ARAN algorithm was employed to evaluate the characteristics of surface EMG signal of 106 golfers with low back pain. It was found that the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the ARAN algorithm were superior to those of the CNN and ARMA algorithms. The golfer's Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) score after treatment was less than that before treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, there was significant negative correlation between RMDQ score and the mean values of time-varying parameters a1 and a3 (P < 0.05). The RMDQ score had a very obvious positive correlation with the mean values of a2, a4, and a6 (P < 0.001) and had a negative correlation with the mean value of a5 (P < 0.05). To sum up, the time-varying parameters of the surface EMG signal can effectively evaluate the golfer's low back pain and the effect of treatment and rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare plant species often suffer less damage than common species because of positive density‐dependent herbivory, and it has been suggested that this 'rare species advantage' fosters plant species coexistence. However, it is unknown whether rare species have an advantage when pollination interactions are also considered.We hypothesized that a 'positive density‐dependent pollination success' across plant species would result in common plants experiencing higher seed set rates compared to rare species, and that positive density‐dependent effects would negate or even override the positive density‐dependent damage due to herbivory resulting in higher seed loss rates in common plant species.We tested this hypothesis by concurrently examining a plant–predispersal seed predator system and a plant–pollinator system for 24 Asteraceae species growing in an alpine meadow community (Sichuan Province, China). Having previously reported a positive density‐dependent effect on seed loss rates due to seed predators, we here focus on the density‐dependent effects on pollination success by investigating pollinator species richness, visitation frequencies and seed set rates for each plant species. We also estimated the seed output rate of each plant species as the product of seed set rate and the rate of surviving seeds (i.e. 1 − the seed loss rate).Consistent with our hypothesis, a positive density‐dependent effect was observed for pollinator species richness, visitation frequencies and seed set rates across plant species. Moreover, the positive effect overrode the negative density‐dependent effect of herbivores on seed production, such that common species tended to have a higher seed output rate than rare species (i.e. we observed a 'rare species disadvantage').These results indicate that the low seed output rate of rare species might result from a pollination limitation, and that both mutualistic and antagonistic interactions should be examined simultaneously to fully understand plant species coexistence in local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical dressings are designed to promote wound healing and reduce infection. The aim of project is to investigate the effect of natural brown colored cotton dressings on the healing of infected wounds in E.coli animals. Materials and methods: In this study, degreased white cotton gauze was used as the control group, with degreased brown cotton gauze and degreased bleached brown cotton gauze as the experimental group 1 and experimental group 2, to investigate the effect on the repair of post‐infectious wound damage in animals by establishing an infected wound model in rats with E.coli as the infecting organism. Results: The ability to promote healing of infected wounds was investigated by analyzing the wound healing status, macroscopic wound healing rate, hematoxylin‐eosin staining, Masson staining, secretion of inflammatory factors by Elisa assay. The result showed that at day 14 of wound healing, the macroscopic wound healing rate was greater than 98% for all three groups of dressings; the collagen content reached 49.85 ± 5.84% in the experimental group 1 and 53.48 ± 5.32% in the experimental group 2, which was higher than the control group; brown cotton gauze promotes skin wound healing by shortening the inflammatory period in both groups. The expression of three inflammatory factors THF‐α, IL‐2, and IL‐8 and three cytokines MMP‐3, MMP‐8, and MMP‐9 were lower than that of the control group. Conclusions: It was found that natural brown cotton gauze has better repairing and promoting healing effect on infected wounds. It opens up the application of natural brown cotton gauze in the treatment of infected wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies show that plant defenses influence the host‐use of herbivores and tend to be evolutionarily more labile than herbivore traits (e.g. feeding preferences). However, all previous studies have focused exclusively on non‐volatile plant defenses thereby overlooking the roles of plant volatiles.We hypothesized that volatiles are equally important determinants of herbivore host‐use and are evolutionarily more labile than herbivore traits. To test these hypotheses, the following experiments were conducted.We identified the volatiles and non‐volatiles of 17 Asteraceae species and measured their relative contents. We also used a highly resolved bipartite trophic network of the 17 host species and 20 herbivorous (pre‐dispersal seed predator) tephritid fly species to determine the evolutionary interactions between plants and herbivores.The chemical data showed that interspecific similarity in volatiles—but not non‐volatiles and phylogenetic distance—significantly accounted for the herbivore community across the plant species; this implies that plant volatiles—but not non‐volatile compounds and species identity—dictate plant‐tephritid fly interactions. Moreover, we observed phylogenetic signal for non‐volatiles but not for volatiles; therefore closely related herbivores do not necessarily use closely related host species with similar non‐volatiles, but do tend to attack plants producing similar volatiles. Thus, plant volatiles are evolutionarily more labile than non‐volatiles and herbivore traits associate with host use.These results show that the interactions between plants and herbivores are evolutionary asymmetric, shed light on the role of plant volatiles in plant–herbivore interactions, and highlight the need to include data for both volatiles and non‐volatiles when investigating plant–animal interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents applications for the suppression of the open stopband (OSB) in various periodic leaky-wave antennas (P-LWAs) using a tapered half-wavelength line. With the adoption of a slightly tapered half-wavelength line for each unit cell, the OSB can be completely suppressed. The technique is very convenient for engineering application, without the calculation of the characteristic impedance of the line. It can be applied to various structures, including planar and nonplanar structures. The design rule is generalized. Three examples are illuminated to demonstrate the applications. The first example is a series-fed microstrip patch antenna. The second one is a coaxial cable leaky-wave antenna. The third demonstrated antenna is a new substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) P-LWA with trapezium slots. The SIW antenna owns the advantages of wide-angle scanning and high efficiency. A prototype of the SIW antenna is fabricated and measured, to validate the effectiveness of the technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing depth of mining, the disasters of water inrush above confined aquifers tends to increase annually, which seriously threatens the safe mining of coal seam, especially the extra-thick coal seam floor in deep mining. This research is to study the characteristics of deformation and failure of extra-thick coal seam floor in deep mining, the field measurement is carried out by the distributed fiber optic sensing technology (BOTDR) and the 3D resistivity method of studying coal field in China. The axial strain curves and resistivity distribution characteristics of the mining face at different depth under the coal seam floor are obtained by extending the working face. Through the comprehensive comparison and analysis of monitoring data in the monitoring boreholes, the characteristics of deformation and failure of extra-thick coal seam floor in deep mining can be ascertained. The results indicate that the comprehensive monitoring technology can effectively distinguish the characteristics of stress excess, distortion and failure of rock during the process of the working face mining. The influence range of mining advance stress is about 36 m, the failure depth of coal seam floor is about 12 m and the depth of mining disturbance deformation is about 26 m. The formation of the deformation and failure of the coal seam floor have obvious stratification, which are mainly influenced by the formation structure and the lithology of the rock strata. The comprehensive monitoring technology can effectively capture the fine features of the deformation and failure of the coal seam floor, which is valuable for extra-thick coal seam floor in deep mining. • In this paper, the distributed fiber optic sensing technology is used for the first time to monitor the deformation and failure of the coal seam floor. • The coal seam studied in the paper is an extra-thick coal seam and the buried depth of the coal seam is large, belonging to the extra-thick coal seam in deep mining. • The high frequency of data acquisition and the long duration of acquisition, so as to realize the dynamic monitoring research on the deformation and failure of extra-thick coal seam floor in deep mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Dovetail joint specimens manufactured from the Ti-6Al-4V alloy were designed and used to investigate the fretting fatigue behavior of the blade/disk interface in gas turbine engines. Shot peening was combined with plasma-sprayed CuNiIn coating to improve the fretting fatigue resistance of the specimens. The finite element models were used to analyze the contact stress distribution in the fretting area. A plastic layer was added to simulate the CuNiIn coating that was sprayed on the surface of the dovetail blade. The fretting cracks tended to initiate at the contact edge, where the high stress concentration existed, and severe fretting wear damage occurred. The CuNiIn coating modified the local stress distribution under the fretting condition and mitigated the stress concentration degree of the contact edge. The surface strain hardening layer and the compressive residual stress were induced by the shot peening treatment, which promoted the wear and the fatigue resistance of the Ti-6Al-4V substrate under the fretting condition. The fretting fatigue property of specimens improved after the combined surface treatment. Highlights • Dovetail specimens were designed for fretting fatigue experiments of Ti-6Al-4V. • Shot-peening combined with plasma sprayed CuNiIn coating was used as the palliative. • Finite element analysis was used to evaluate the stress distributions of contact region. • Dominant fretting fatigue cracks tend to initiate in the contact edge of specimens. • Strengthening mechanisms containing factors of coating and shot-peening was concluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental investigation on the fretting wear of Ti–6Al–4V was conducted using a self-designed test machine. The wear morphologies and the cracking phenomena of as-received and shot-peened specimens were comparatively analyzed by the combining the applications of a laser scanning confocal microscope and a scanning electron microscope. The results showed that shot-peening exhibited an increase in the wear volume during the early fretting wear period, while it reduced the material loss in the long-term fretting wear process. The dominant wear mechanism was transformed from adhesion/peeling to delamination in both the as-received/shot-peened specimens. The wear rates under the peeling and delamination mechanism was explained by the equivalent friction coefficient of the contacting point and the thickness of cracked surface layer. The optimal strengthening effect was obtained under a moderate shot-peening intensity of 0.3 mmA, which produced a proper curvature radius of asperity and a good combination between hardness and toughness of the surface material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) is a life-threatening condition with a high mortality rate. Seasonal variations in the incidence of rAAA and the influence of atmospheric pressure have been studied throughout decades; however, the conclusions are contradictory. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a meta-analysis and systematic review of literature on seasonal variations in rAAA incidence and the influence of atmospheric pressure. Studies investigating seasonal variations in rAAA incidence and influence of atmospheric pressure were retrieved. For dichotomous data, we generated risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for rAAA incidence compared among seasons. The studies were subdivided according to latitude, elevation, and climatic types, for subgroup comparisons. Studies reporting monthly incidence and seasonal mortality were further investigated. For continuous data, standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% CIs were generated for atmospheric pressure comparisons. Twenty-four eligible studies were included, comprising a total of 38,506 patients with rAAA. Pooled rAAA incidence was 25% in spring, 23% in summer, 26% in autumn, and 26% in winter. Pooled analysis demonstrated a statistically significant higher rAAA incidence in winter than in summer (RR 1.10, P = 0.04) and in autumn than in summer (RR 1.11, P < 0.00001). However, there was no statistically significant difference among other seasons. In the study of the influence of atmospheric pressure, no statistically significant difference was observed. In conclusion, our study revealed a higher incidence of rAAA in autumn and winter than in summer; however, atmospheric pressure was found to exert no influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teak is a rare tropical tree with high economic value, and it is one of the world's main afforestation trees. Low temperature is the main problem for introducing and planting this species in subtropical or temperate zones. Low-temperature acclimation can enhance the resistance of teak to low-temperature stress, but the mechanism for this is still unclear. We studied the gene expression of two-year-old teak seedlings under a rapid temperature drop from 20 °C to 4 °C using RNA-seq and WGCNA analyses. The leaves in the upper part of the plants developed chlorosis 3 h after the quick transition, and the grades of chlorosis were increased after 9 h, with the addition of water stains and necrotic spots. Meanwhile, the SOD and proline contents in teak leaves increased with the prolonged cold stress time. We also identified 36,901 differentially expressed genes, among which 1055 were novel. Notably, CBF2 and CBF4 were significantly induced by low temperatures, while CBF1 and CBF3 were not. Furthermore, WGCNA successfully identified a total of fourteen modules, which consist of three modules associated with cold stress response genes, two modules linked to CBF2 and CBF4, and one module correlated with the CBF-independent pathway gene HY5. The transformation experiments showed that TgCBF2 and TgCBF4 improved cold resistance in Arabidopsis plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shorting vias loading in a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) periodic leaky-wave structure is investigated for suppressing the open stopband. The SIW periodic leaky-wave structure with transverse slots can have the beam scanned in the backward and in the forward directions, but suffers from a large open stopband in which the reflection coefficient is increased and the gain drops drastically. A set of shorting vias are adopted to load the structure in each unit cell for suppressing the open stopband. The working principle of the technique is explained, with approximate equivalent circuits. When the slot and the shorting vias are spaced by a quarter guided wavelength, the series inductance in the slot can be canceled out by the shunt inductance in the shorting vias, and therefore, the open stopband can be suppressed. An antenna based on the via-loaded periodic structure is designed for validation. Simulation and measured results validate that the open stopband is successfully suppressed with the loading of shorting vias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple technique is presented for the complete suppression of the open stopband in periodic leaky-wave antennas using two similar but nonidentical elements per unit cell. With the technique, one needs only to optimize the distance between the two elements and the dimension of the second element, starting with a quarter of the period and the dimension of the first element. With the simple design procedure, the technique is practical and effective for the open-stopband suppression for various periodic leaky-wave antennas. Two periodic leaky-wave antennas with the technique are demonstrated. The first one is a new developed substrate-integrated waveguide antenna with two nonidentical transverse slots per unit cell. The antenna has a wide scanning range from the backward endfire to the forward direction and does not suffer from blind scanning points at endfires (if it is placed on an infinite ground plane). The antenna is theoretically investigated. The simulation and measured results are consistent with the theoretical results. The second one is a microstrip combline leaky-wave antenna, in which each unit cell contains two nonidentical open-ended stubs. The two examples validate that the technique proposed in this paper can completely eliminate the open stopband in periodic leaky-wave antennas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-asbestos organic friction materials have historically been developed through a series of trial-and-error experimental procedure. But in this work, the friction theory was used to design and prepare a new composite friction material with excellent fade resistance. Oversized (3.0 ± 0.5 mm) SiO-based particles with the great thermal stability and large contact area against the disc were used to reinforce the resin matrix. The effectiveness of the oversized particles relative to particles of other sizes was evaluated using an established test procedure. The results showed that the oversized particles improve the fade resistance and wear resistance of materials, but not followed with excessive disc wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fretting fatigue initiation behavior in Ti–6Al–4V dovetail assemblies are investigated by the combining applications of experimental and theoretical methods. The evolution of fretting regime, fretting wear mechanism and fretting crack initiation behavior in as-received and shot-peened samples are developed and comparatively evaluated. The effect of shot-peening on crack initiation orientation is elucidated through an analytical approach using fracture mechanic concepts. The results highlight that shot-peening not only changes the fretting wear mechanism and crack initiation angle, but also reduces the crack number and prevents the crack propagation in Ti–6Al–4V dovetail joint specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel planar end-fire circularly polarized (CP) complementary Yagi array antenna is proposed. The antenna has a compact and complementary structure, and exhibits excellent properties (low profile, single feed, broadband, high gain, and CP radiation). It is based on a compact combination of a pair of complementary Yagi arrays with a common driven element. In the complementary structure, the vertical polarization is contributed by a microstrip patch Yagi array, while the horizontal polarization is yielded by a strip dipole Yagi array. With the combination of the two orthogonally polarized Yagi arrays, a CP antenna with high gain and wide bandwidth is obtained. With a profile of 0.05\lambda \mathrm{0} (3 mm), the antenna has a gain of about 8 dBic, an impedance bandwidth ( \vert S11\vert < -10 dB) of 13.09% (4.57–5.21 GHz) and a 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth of 10.51% (4.69–5.21 GHz). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Ti-6Al-4V dovetail joint specimens which highly simulate the attachment between the blade and disk of fan stages in a certain gas turbine engine were designed and used in fretting fatigue experiments. The fretting wear mechanism was characterized using a bench level experimental method. The effect of shot-peening on both fretting wear mechanism and fretting fatigue property was evaluated. The results indicated that shot-peening transformed the fretting wear behavior, altered the dominant crack initiation mechanism and dramatically promoted the fretting fatigue performance of Ti-6Al-4V dovetail joint specimens. Different reinforcement mechanisms of the multiple surface modifications created by shot-peening were also analyzed and summarized in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Magnetotelluric data is used to image three-dimensional resistivity structure of the Yanggao geothermal field in Datong Basin, describing components of a geothermal system, namely cap rock, reservoir and heat source. • The formation of the Yanggao geothermal field is related to the Datong Volcanic Group. • The Yunmenshan Fault acts as a channel to transfer heat for the shallow reservoir and the infiltration channel for meteoric precipitation. The Yanggao geothermal field, located in the north of the Datong Basin, and close to the Datong Volcanic Group, the geothermal field is affected by deep faults and vigorous tectonic activity. Yanggao has abundant geothermal resources, and contains a large number of hot springs. To explore the geothermal system and characterize the formation mechanism of the Yanggao geothermal field, we deployed 168 magnetotelluric (MT) sitesin the study area. MT phase tensor analysis is used to estimate the dimensionality of the subsurface. Furthermore, we conducted an inversion of the MT data to establish a 3D resistivity model of the study area. The results suggest that the Yanggao geothermal system can be divided into three layers. A low-resistivity layer (C1) exists at a depth of 2 km, which can be interpreted as the clay alteration layer (clay cap) and the reservoir of the geothermal system. Under the reservoir, the model indicates an additional low-resistivity zone (C3) at a depth of 8 km, which is presumed to be a heat source related to the Datong Volcanic Group. Moreover, a vertical low-resistivity zone (C2) between the reservoir and the heat source is related to the Yunmenshan Fault acting as a heat conduction path in the Yanggao geothermal field, controlling the infiltration and recharge of the hot springs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sm3+ doped (Ca,Mg,Zr)GGG crystal has been grown by Czochralski technique. Its optical absorption, fluorescence and lifetime were studied. The refractive index and absorption cross-section were calculated. Judd–Ofelt theory was used to calculate the intensity parameters (Ω t ), the spontaneous emission probabilities, the branching ratios, electric-dipole line strengths, magnetic-dipole line strengths and the radiative lifetime of the state 4G5/2. The stimulated emission cross-sections at 566, 613, 649, and 709nm were calculated. The decay curve of the 4G5/2 level of Sm3+ ions with relatively low concentration (0.27mol/L) was nearly single exponential and the experiment fluorescence lifetime (τ exp) was determined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The relationships among the hydrogen-induced phase transformation, grain refinement and improvement of mechanical properties of Ti–6Al–4V alloys are investigated. For this purpose, the decomposition of the α″ martensite and metastable β phase of hydrogenated Ti–6Al–4V alloys was investigated first. As a result, it is found that the key role leading to grain refinement is the decomposition of metastable phase. On the other hand, the precipitation of the TiH2 hydride under lower temperature aging shows no significant refining effect after dehydrogenation. Mechanical properties of the materials after dehydrogenation show that the decomposition of the metastable phase strengthens the materials. In particular, specimens containing 0.45wt% H in their fully martensites structures show a marked increase in strength. However, a fine grain and comprehensive mechanical properties are obtained only in specimens containing 0.8wt% H. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To achieve low-cost preparation of high-performance high-entropy oxide, ZrO 2 (3Y)-reinforced (MgCoNiCuZn)O matrix composite ((MgCoNiCuZn)O–ZrO 2 (3Y)) was prepared in a few seconds by ultrafast high-temperature sintering (UHS) technology in this work. Microstructure, phase composition, crystal structure, and mechanical properties of the (MgCoNiCuZn)O–ZrO 2 (3Y) composite were investigated systematically. The results indicated that, after UHS sintering with applied current of 22 A for 2 min, the enhancement of ZrO 2 (3Y) were well dispersed in the (MgCoNiCuZn)O matrix. The microhardness and fracture toughness of the UHSed (MgCoNiCuZn)O–ZrO 2 (3Y) were 6.43 GPa and 2.27 MPa·m0.5, which were much higher than those of the traditional sintered (MgCoNiCuZn)O–ZrO 2 (3Y) (1.65 GPa and 0.98 MPa·m0.5) and UHSed (MgCoNiCuZn)O without ZrO 2 (3Y) (4.06 GPa and 1.42 MPa·m0.5). The toughening mechanism of the UHSed (MgCoNiCuZn)O–ZrO 2 (3Y) was discussed in detail based on the microstructural feature and crack propagation behavior. In summary, this study provided insight into the advantages of incorporating ZrO 2 (3Y) and UHS technology to reinforce high-entropy oxides. [Display omitted] • Refined high-entropy composite (MgCoNiCuZn)O–ZrO 2 (3Y) was prepared using UHS method. • The microhardness and fracture toughness were increased by 58.37% and 59.86%. • The toughening mechanism mainly includes dispersion, phase transformation toughening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our work, 0.5 mol.% TiO2 was added to Ag‐xCuO (x = 2, 4, 8 mol.%) fillers whose compositions at 1050°C were in the L2 single liquid phase region, the boundary of the miscible phase region, and the L1+L2 miscible phase region, respectively. The role of TiO2 was derived by comparing the quenching microstructure of the fillers on the Al2O3 ceramics and the effect on the interfacial microstructure and shear strength of the joints before and after the addition of TiO2. The results showed that the TiO2 would dissolve into the CuO‐rich L1 liquid phase of the filler, leading it to spread outside the molten droplet. When brazing with Ag‐4CuO‐0.5TiO2 filler, the CuO at the joint interface almost completely disappeared, and the shear strength of the joint was significantly reduced. In contrast, the joint strength showed a small increase when using Ag‐8CuO‐0.5TiO2 filler, as the excess CuO at the interface of the brazed joint was reduced. When the filler composition was in the L2 single liquid phase region, CuO was diffusely distributed throughout the molten droplet. TiO2 was hardly contacted with CuO and its addition had no significant effect on the interfacial microstructure and the shear strength of the joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deformation behavior and mechanical properties of ZBHO x ceramic (ZrB 2 based ceramics with different amounts of (HfO 2 + 2 vol% CaO), x = 10 - 25 vol%) have been investigated. The results demonstrated that the flow stress of ZBHO x ceramic decreased with an increase in the (HfO 2 +2 vol% CaO) addition at the same strain rate. The flow stress decreased from ∼178 MPa for ZBHO 10 to ∼13 MPa for ZBHO 20 at 1700 °C and a strain rate of 2 × 10−4 s−1, representing a reduction of an order of magnitude. The intergranular deformation twinning and the amorphous phase contribute to the grain boundary sliding and grain rotation of the boride matrix grains, resulting in a significant reduction in flow stress. The matrix grains orientations on the P face (the face perpendicular to the extrusion direction) primarily tend to be along the {0001} plane, while that on the V face (the face parallel to the extrusion direction) tend to be along the {-12-10} plane or {01–10} plane. The textured ZBHO x ceramics exhibit distinct mechanical anisotropy because of the significant orientation difference in the microstructure. The hardness of textured ZBHO x ceramics on V face is higher than that on P face. And the fracture toughness of ZBHOx ceramics exhibits anisotropy on the V face, the fracture toughness in the V-o direction (the direction perpendicular to the P face) is higher than that in V-p direction (the direction parallel to the P face) of ZBHO x ceramics. The intergranular oxide twins synergistically collaborate with the grain rotation within the boride matrix, fostering favorable conditions for texture development. Besides that, the amorphous phase at the interface, characterized by a substantial presence of vacancies and defects, functions as a source of vacancies that facilitates diffusion deformation along the grain boundaries. Simultaneously, the emergence of an amorphous phase at grain boundaries or triple grain junctions further enhances grain boundary sliding and grain rotation of ZrB 2 and B 4 ZrHf grains. [Display omitted] • Mechanically anisotropic textured ZrB 2 ceramics were successfully prepared through the sintering-forging method. • By controlling the content of (HfO 2 +2 vol% CaO), the flow stress of ZrB 2 can be reduced by an order of magnitude. • The formation of oxide twins and amorphous phase facilitate grain boundary sliding and grain rotation of ZrB 2 grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Al 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 (Y 2 O 3) eutectics were prepared by the melt-grown and seeding melt-grown methods, two non-directional solidification methods. We identify the three-dimensional morphology and crystallographic orientations of the Al 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 (Y 2 O 3) eutectics using the focused ion beam milling with electron backscattered diffraction and the transmission electron microscopy. The results show that in the colony, there are three parts of the ZrO 2 (Y 2 O 3) phase composed of interconnected three-level rods. The crystallographic orientation of the colony axis is variable, but the growth directions of the rods show a commonality, < 2 ̅ 0 2 1 > A , in the Al 2 O 3 / ZrO 2 (Y 2 O 3) eutectics, which has been also clarified by the interface structure analysis. The analysis of the preferred growth orientation not only enlightens the growth mechanism of Al 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 (Y 2 O 3) eutectics but also provides a method for the design of novel eutectics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The audit point is to understand and use to perform the upgrade wearable innovation injuries in sports. Understanding the game's biomechanics is that damage response and performance upgrades are essential, and usually, investigation uses optical motion capture. In any case, this approach may be limited by the amount of limit catch climatic factors and the overwhelmed wearable research center of innovation. Ordered to make queries are used to study in seven information centers and sports car wearable innovation factors. This article was banned because they do not measure the program members on the sensor zero and the motor or motor factors or the application of an innovative set. Thirty-three incorporated into the collection of the full text of the survey carried out to identify members' dynamic development through observation and a slice of wearable progress in the game. Inertial sensors, the sensor and the flexible, attractive and precise speed field sensors are used in the game with more than 15 measured motion gadgets. The use of wearable innovation, the potential of these innovative practices, and the impact of competitors' training methods are still in the exploratory stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fretting wear mechanism of plasma-sprayed CuNiIn coating on Ti-6Al-4V substrate under plane/plane contact conditions was investigated systematically using a bench level test. The obtained experimental results showed that the fretting wear mechanism of the CuNiIn coating can be divided into three stages: (I) In the initial stage, the asperities on the rough surface were flattened to form debris and fill the nearby pits. The contact surface gradually flattened, which was accompanied by slight abrasive wear. (II) With increasing number of fretting cycles, the fretting wear process of the CuNiIn coating entered the delamination wear stage. Under the action of alternating shear loads, the lamellar structure and pores in the CuNiIn coating rapidly cracked and propagated to the surface. In addition, some fatigue cracks propagated into the matrix along the direction of maximum shear stress. (III) Eventually, the CuNiIn coating entered a stable wear state under the lubrication of a third body, which was accompanied by local delamination. The lamellar structure greatly enhanced the fretting wear resistance of the CuNiIn coating. In the process of fretting wear, the lamellar structure of the CuNiIn coating effectively hindered fatigue crack growth, guided crack deflection along the lamellar interface, and induced crack bifurcation. In addition, the pores can blunt the crack tip. • A new self-balancing device was developed to improve geometrical adaptation of friction pairs with plane/plane contact. • The fretting wear resistance of CuNiIn coating was better than that of Ti-6Al-4V. • The wear rate of the CuNiIn coating was non-monotonic with increasing number of cycles. • The lamellar structure of CuNiIn coating was conducive to delamination wear. • The lamellar structure of CuNiIn coating could induce crack deflection, stop crack propagation, and guide crack bifurcation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work focuses on the investigation of low‐cycle fatigue performance of gradient structured (GSed) 316 austenitic steels under high strain amplitude loading conditions. The results show that GSed steels exhibit inherently lower fatigue life than their coarse‐grained counterparts. The analyses using energy‐based criterion reveals that the fatigue life decrement for GSed steels is attributed to the reduced capability of damage accumulation and the lack of ability to effective damage diffusion. The former is due to the worsened plastic deformation potential and the latter to the degraded surface plastic deformation uniformity. Highlights: Fatigue life decrement is observed for GSed 316 steels under high strain–controlled mode.Hysteresis energy–based model is used for fatigue analyses.Dominant intrinsic factors responsible for fatigue life decrement are revealed.GSed surface layer degrades fatigue damage capacity and diffusion ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Datong Basin is a Cenozoic fault basin located in the central part of the North China Block with strong tectonic activity. The unique geological environment of Datong Basin is believed to have good conditions for the formation of geothermal resources. Based on the research of the classification, genesis and geothermal geological characteristics of geothermal resources, the geological conditions, seismic activity, volcanic activity, geophysical exploration results, terrestrial heat flow and hot springs in Datong Basin are analyzed. The possibility of the occurrence of geothermal resources in Datong Basin is determined, and the genesis and occurrence mechanisms of geothermal resources in Datong Basin are judged. The results show that Datong Basin satisfies the geological geothermal conditions of the formation of geothermal resources and is of great research value. The formation of geothermal resources in the Datong Basin is affected by the uplift of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and the destruction of the North China Craton. The geothermal resources in Datong Basin are formed by the combination of modern volcanic activity and strong inner-plate tectonic activities. The geothermal system is a combination of convective hydrothermal systems and partial melt systems. At the same time, it is concluded that the key research areas for the occurrence of geothermal resources are mainly in the northeastern part of the basin. It is recommended to carry out detailed and comprehensive exploration of the northeastern part of Datong Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three different bonding couples assembled by two commonly used aerospace aluminum alloys were bonded within the temperature range of 460–520 °C under 6 MPa for 60 min in vacuum atmosphere. The interface microstructure and alloying elements distribution of the bonded joints were determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscope (EDS); the bond strength was evaluated by tensile-shear strength test. The results show the bond quality improved effectively as the bonding temperature increased. Compared with the 1420-1420 and 7B04-7B04 bonding couples, the 1420-7B04 couples obtained better interface integrity and higher bond strength, the highest shear strength for 1420-7B04 couple can be as high as 188 MPa when bonded at 520 °C. Special attention was focused on the 1420-7B04 couple, the diffusion coefficient of Mg at the original interface under different temperatures were investigated, the results show the diffusion coefficient increased obviously as the bonding temperature increased. A diffusion affected zone (DAZ) without continuous intermetallic phases formed due to the diffusion of alloying elements across the bonding interface. The combined action of temperature and alloying elements gradient resulted in the increase of alloying elements diffusion fluxes, which in turn promote the bonding quality through the accelerated shrinkage of interfacial voids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafast high - temperature sintering (UHS) based on Joule heating of graphic felt with a 103∼104 ℃/min heating rate enabled densification of ceramics in just a few seconds. The microstructure and electrochemical performance of (MgCoNiCuZn)O was systematically investigated. The equiaxed high - entropy grains were fully encapsulated in the Cu 2 O/Cu shell. This microstructure was a unique characteristic of (MgCoNiCuZn)O sintered by UHS and had not been found in materials prepared by other sintered methods. The Cu 2 O/Cu came from the reduction of CuO with the assistance of graphic felt, applied electric field and high temperature during UHS process. Because of this special microstructure, the discharge capacitance of the as-sintered material gradually increased as the cycles proceeded during the electrochemical experiment. After 10,000 cycles, the discharge specific capacitance ranged from 27.48 F/g to 39.84 F/g, which is an increase of 44.96 %. This work provides an idea for preparing electrochemical energy storage materials by using UHS technology. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in temperature during reactor operation may cause changes in physical parameters, leading to core overheating and accidents. It is essential to analyze and assess the safety parameters of the core under different operating conditions. This paper investigates the effects of fuel temperature, moderator density, boron concentration, and control rod state on AP1000 safety parameters. The study uses RMC and NJOY to calculate the changes in reactivity factor, effective delayed neutron fraction, and neutron generation time of the AP1000 reactor under different operating conditions. The changes in reactivity coefficients, neutron fluxes, and relative power densities of AP1000 reactors are analyzed for normal and accidental operating conditions. The results indicated that the reactivity coefficient remained negative under accident conditions, which ensured the safe operation of the reactor. The delayed neutron fraction, neutron flux, and power density distributions are affected by fuel temperature, moderator density, and control rod position. The control rod worth was sufficient for the emergency shutdown of the reactor under accidental conditions. It is demonstrated that the operation of the AP1000 reactor under study conditions is safe and controllable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyeing processes usually consume a large amount of water and toxic chemicals, thus inducing environmental pollution. Therefore, we have designed here an eco-friendly process of dyeing wool fibers using natural dyes extracted from henna leaves in decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane. In this process, traditional hazardous metallic mordants and heavy metal salts were substituted by safe chitosan to pretreat wool fibers. Decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane was used to reduce the consumption of the high amount of water needed in traditional dyeing. Chitosan-treated and untreated samples were dyed with different henna extract/decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane suspensions at 40 °C, 60 °C, 80 °C and 90 °C. Results showed that dye uptake, fixation rate and apparent color depth of the samples dyed in henna extract/decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane suspensions were higher than water-based dyed samples. The dye uptake of samples dyed using our system reached 80–98%, as compared with 70–75% for water-based dyed samples; accordingly, the color strength and fixation rate were increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The galvanic corrosion behavior of a 2A12 aluminum alloy and a Ti‐15‐3 titanium alloy in a salt spray environment was investigated. The results indicated that the galvanic effect accelerated the dissolution rate of the anodes significantly; however, the corrosion of the anode was not uniform. The region adjacent to the coupled joint experienced the most significant corrosion, with galvanic corrosive action emerging as dominant. The corrosion of the region distant from the joint was slight and was dominated by the self‐corrosion process. A new model for the current difference distribution of the galvanic couple was established to illuminate the nonuniform corrosion phenomenon of the anode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate the mechanism of an electric current-assisted superplastic deformation on 3Y-TZP in an oxygen-lean atmosphere. The experiments were performed with different electric currents in the range of 0~5 A. The results show that the flow stress of 3Y-TZP during the deformation was significantly decreased by the combination of Joule heating and the applied current effect. The microstructures of the deformed specimens were all equiaxed grains without an obvious preferential grain growth. The stress exponent n = 2.05~2.61 suggested that the dominant deformation of 3Y-YZP with/without the electric current was grain boundary sliding at 1400 °C. The activation energy of the deformation which decreased from 465 kJ mol−1 to 315 kJ mol−1 by the electric current indicated that the lattice diffusion of Zr cation during the deformation was enhanced. And the deformation rate of 3Y-TZP with the electric current may be controlled by the grain boundary diffusion of Zr cation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The role of long non-coding RNA in Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tumorigenesis and progression remains largely unknown. Here, we found that LINC01510 functions as a tumor suppressor in RCC tumorigenesis. We screened TCGA database and then found that LINC01510 is significantly down-regulated in malignant RCC tissues, and the lower expression of LINC01510 predicts poor prognosis. Moreover, the down-regulated LINC01510 was further confirmed in our fresh tissues and cell lines. Biological functions assays shown that Ectopic expression of LINC01510 not only inhibits RCC cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo, but also impairs cell invasion ability. Moreover, we found overexpression of LINC01510 inhibits the expression of CCND1 and CCNE1, as well as MMPs (MMP2, MMP7 and MMP9), and thus affecting RCC cell cycle and invasion. Meanwhile, Western blot assays revealed that the expression of β-catenin is regulated by LINC01510; overexpression of β-catenin could partly rescue the cell viability and invasion ability caused by ectopic expression of LINC01510. Taken together, we found that LINC01510 regulates cell proliferation and invasion by modulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling in RCC. Highlights • LINC01510 is down-regulated in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and predicts poor prognosis. • LINC01510 inhibits RCC cell proliferation and growth by affecting cell cycle transition from G0/G1 to S stage. • LINC01510 inhibits the expression of MMP2, MMP7 and MMP9, and then decrease the ability of RCC cell invasion. • LINC01510 regulates cell proliferation and invasion through Wnt/β-catenin signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The densification behavior and mechanical properties of ZrB2‐based composites were investigated. The results demonstrated that the fully dense ZrB2‐based composites could be obtained at lower sintering temperature (1600°C) and pressure (30 MPa) when the content of HfSi2 was above 20 vol.%. The as‐sintered composite was a special core–shell structure, with ZrB2 as the core and (Zr, Hf)B2 solid solution as the shell. The core–shell structure resulted from the diffusion of Hf atom into the boride matrix, which could accelerate the densification. In addition, the intergranular liquid phase induced by the HfSi2 addition filled the micropores of the composites effectively during the sintering. When the content of HfSi2 increased to 20 vol.%, its compressive strength, hardness, and fracture toughness all reached the maximum values, which were 1617 MPa, 15.99 GPa, and 2.44 MPa m1/2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have demonstrated clinical benefits in the treatment of several tumour types. However, the emergence of TKI resistance restricts the therapeutic effect. This study uses non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to explore the mechanisms contributing to TKI resistance in tumours.Methods: Biological phenotypes and RNA microarray expression data were analysed in NSCLC cells with and without TKI pretreatment. Specific inhibitors and siRNAs were used to validate the direct involvement of an AKT/FOXM1/STMN1 pathway in TKI resistance. Patients' tissues were analysed to explore the clinical importance of FOXM1 and STMN1.Results: In vitro and in vivo studies showed that TKIs induced the enrichment of cancer stem cells (CSC), promoted epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), and conferred multidrug resistance on NSCLC cells in a cell type- and TKI class-dependent manner. Mechanistically, TKIs activated an AKT/FOXM1/STMN1 pathway. The crucial role of this pathway in TKI-induced enrichment of CSC and drug resistance was verified by silencing FOXM1 and STMN1 or blocking the AKT pathway. Additionally, overexpression of STMN1 was associated with upregulation of FOXM1 in advanced NSCLC patients, and STMN1/FOXM1 upregulation predicted a poor outcome.Conclusions: Our findings elucidate an additional common mechanism for TKI resistance and provide a promising therapeutic target for reversing TKI resistance in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper and its alloys are used widely in marine environments, and anisotropic corrosion influences the corrosion kinetics of copper. Corrosion of copper in an electrolyte containing Cl − is described as a dissolution–deposition process, which is a prolonged process. Therefore, it is laborious to clarify the corrosion anisotropy in different stages. In this paper, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) following elapsed open circuit potential (OCP) test with 0 h (0H), 24 h (24H) and 10 days (10D) was adopted. To exclude interruptions such as grain boundary and neighbor effect, single crystal (SC) Cu (100) and Cu (111) were employed. After 10D OCP, cross-sectional slices were cut and picked up by a focused ion beam (FIB). The results showed that the deposited oxide was Cu2O and Cu (100) /Cu (111) experienced different corrosion behaviors. In general, Cu (100) showed more excellent corrosion resistance. Combined with equivalent electrical circuit (EEC) diagrams, the corrosion mechanism of Cu (100) /Cu (111) in different stages was proposed. In the initial stage, a smaller capacitive loop of Cu (111) suggested preferential adsorption of Cl − on air-formed oxide film on Cu (111) . Deposited oxide and exposed bare metals also played an important role in corrosion resistance. Rectangle indentations and pyramidal structures formed on Cu (100) /Cu (111) , respectively. Finally, a perfect interface on Cu (100) explained the tremendous capacitive loop and higher impedance (14,274 Ω·cm2). Moreover, defects in the oxides on Cu (111) provided channels for the penetration of electrolyte, leading to a lower impedance (9423 Ω·cm2) after 10D corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of shot peen forming on the corrosion-resistant of 2024 aluminum alloy in a salt spray environment was studied with an electrochemical workstation. The surface morphology and cross sectional morphology of the original and shot peen-formed sample were studied by a scanning electron microscope. After shot peen forming, the salt spray corrosion resistance of 2024 aluminum alloy was worsened (the corrosion rates of the original alloy and the shot peen-formed alloy were 0.10467 mg/(cm2·h) and 0.27333 mg/(cm2·h), respectively, when the salt spray corrosion time was 5 h). The radius of capacitive reactance arc of the sample subjected to shot peen forming was smaller than that of the original sample. When the salt spray corrosion time was 5 h, the doping density (NA) of the original alloy was 2.5128 × 10−13/cm3. After shot peen forming, the NA of the alloy increased to 15 × 10−13/cm3. For the shot peen-formed sample, pitting corrosion first occurred in the crater lap zone and became severe with salt spray time. The cross sectional morphology of both original and the shot peen-formed samples shows that severe intergranular corrosion occurred in the salt spray environment. However, for the original sample, the intergranular corrosion distribution was lamellar. For shot peen-formed sample, the intergranular corrosion distribution was network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The age when the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) transitioned to a bamboo dominant diet has not been well established due to the lack of fossil evidence. In particular, a radial sesamoid bone, which acts as a 'pseudo-thumb', has been used as evidence of giant pandas' adaptive evolution to bamboo specialised consumption, but no relevant fossil evidence has been reported thus far. Shuanghe Cave is the longest cave in Asia, and produced fossils of more than 20 giant pandas, including relatively intact fossil skeletons of two adult giant pandas. The uranium-series dating of the fossilised teeth of the two giant pandas indicates ages earlier than 102 ka and 49 ka. Tooth wear for both individuals is not apparent, indicating that they were young at the time of death. From the skeletal fossils, for the first time, a 'pseudo-thumb' fossil of a giant panda was discovered. Our morphological comparison indicated that as early as 100,000 years ago, giant pandas had evolved an enlarged radial sesamoid bone (pseudo-thumb) that is comparable to that of the modern pandas, suggesting that in the early Late Pleistocene at the latest, giant pandas possessed physical conditions allowing them to dexterously grab bamboo with their manuss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser shock processing is utilized to produce laser dimples by means of mechanical force, with local plastic deformation induced on the material surface. Based on this characteristic, array dimples are prepared to regularly distribute on the treated surface, to manufacture anti-friction surfaces fulfilling service requirements. In the current work, finite element method (FEM) served as an effective method for better understanding the deformation characteristics of the laser-shocked dimple under single-shot and overlapping shot laser shock processing and investigating the influence of laser parameters. The results indicate that the target material experienced unceasing deformation and dynamic elastic recovery during the dynamic response process. The ultimate dimple profile was significantly affected by diverse types of pressure spatial distribution. In addition, the pile-up appeared at the dimple edge, and the reverse deformation near the spot center was more prone to occur in the case of flap-top distribution, which also appeared in the overlapping laser shock. The experimental profiles of laser shock dimples were consistent with the simulation results in the overlapping laser shock, showing that the finite element simulation can be effectively used to design surface textural dimples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combined shot peening and laser shock peening (CSP) can introduce high surface compressive residual stress (CRS) and deep CRS layer, and reduce the high surface roughness caused by shot peening. The relationship between CSP sequences and surface integrity, including CRS and surface roughness, is far from satisfying the actual demand. In this paper, we construct a finite element model considering initial surface profile features. The experimental results agree with the simulated results. Based on the simulation results, axial and longitudinal stress wave transfer effects on surface CRS and depth CRS are investigated. Compared with shot peening (SP) and laser shock peening (LSP) alone, CSP treatment can increase CRS depth and CRS magnitude by 1060 μm and 50 ∼ 80Mpa, respectively. In addition, the roughness following CSP treatment is lower than that observed after SP treatment alone, and the roughness varies depending on the sequence of CSP treatment. Specifically, the roughness values for SP, SP + LSP, and LSP + SP are 0.938 ± 0.031 μm, 0.982 ± 0.11 μm, and 1.168 ± 0.093 μm, respectively. The surface morphology, hardness, and simulation results are combined to reveal the reasons for the reduction of surface roughness after CSP treatment. The changes of peaks and valleys after CSP treatment compared with single SP treatment were studied, and the variation trend of surface roughness was further explained. • A three-dimensional finite element model with real initial surface roughness is constructed. • The axial and longitudinal stress wave transfer on surface CRS and depth CRS are investigated. • The variation mechanism of surface roughness after CSP treatment is revealed. • The changes of peak and valley after CSP treatment compared with single SP treatment are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The axial stress wave and surface stress wave are induced by laser shock. • The distribution of plastic deformation is uneven at the bottom of the overlapping dimple. • The non-homogeneity of the surface residual stress field is obvious in the dimple region. • The above inhomogeneity is related to the propagating process of surface stress wave. Laser shock peening is used to impart compressive residual stress and plastic deformation in the target material, to realize the surface strengthening and improve the service performance. In the current work, the array dimples were fabricated by using square-spot overlapping laser shock, with the distribution of compressive residual stress. The numerical model was established to simulate laser shock peening, to investigate deformation behavior and surface residual stress during laser shock peening. The results indicate that the axial stress wave and surface stress wave are induced by laser shock, which affect the deformation progress and the distribution of surface residual stress and plastic deformation. In the overlapping laser shock, the distribution of plastic deformation is uneven at the bottom of the overlapping dimple, with the appearance of the pile-up at the edge. Moreover, the non-homogeneity of the surface residual stress field is obvious in the dimple region. The above inhomogeneity is related to the propagating process of surface stress wave that is affected in the dimple region due to the boundary effect, but can be reduced by altering laser pulse duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few-shot class-incremental learning (FSCIL) is crucial and practical for artificial intelligence in the real world, which learns novel classes incrementally from few samples without forgetting the previously learned classes. However, FSCIL confronts two significant challenges: "catastrophic forgetting" and "overfitting new." We focus on convolutional neural network (CNN)-based FSCIL and propose a human cognition-inspired FSCIL method, in which the knowledge of novel classes is learned under the guidance of the previously learned knowledge. Specifically, we learn a discriminative and generalized CNN feature extractor from the base classes in the first task. We generate the representations of base and novel classes in unified feature space without training on novel classes, thus avoiding "forgetting old." For the novel classes in long sequential tasks, beyond the representation generation, we enhance the representation by exploring the correlations with the previously learned classes to alleviate overfitting new and ensure that the novel classes adapt to the feature space. Experimental results show that our proposed method achieves very competitive results on MiniImageNet and CIFAR-100 datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the method of "experimental gas content + multi logging parameters and coalbed methane (CBM) content fitting + exploration network" is commonly used to obtain the spatial distribution law of coal seam CBM content. When the heterogeneity of CBM content in coal reservoir is strong, the results obtained by traditional methods are obvious different from the actual results. In the present work, taking Shizhuang south block in Shanxi Province, China as an example, 26 key points controlling the CBM content in the 3# coal seam in the study area are identified by combination of inversion of structural features and use of gas–water differentiation theory. Which avoids that the traditional "exploration network" cannot accurately identify the maximum/minimum point of CBM content. The regression of isothermal adsorption parameters and logging curves were used to obtain CBM contents at key interpolation points. The spatial distribution characteristics of CBM content are obtained by "Kriging interpolation method." Randomly selected points, and intersection points on the exploration network, all with a same quantity of points were compared. The results show that the prediction results by key points are more approximate to those obtained with more points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the Newsvendor Model, this paper discusses distributor's financing and ordering decisions under stochastic inventory financing needs, then establishes profit maximization model and profit margin maximization model for distributors under risk-neutral and risk-averse conditions respectively and finally propose optimal solutions for the models. The main conclusions from the models are that with the increase in financing costs, the order quantity and financing amount increase, then the profit and profit margin decline; with the increase in financing costs, the order quantity and financed amount decrease, then the profits and profit margins are cut down;the corresponding order quantity and financed amount in these two models increase, then the profits and profit margins increase accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Double-layered perovskite oxides of Pr 1− y BaCo 2 O 5+δ (P 1− y BCO) with A-site Pr 3+ -deficiency contents of y = 0.00–0.10 have been studied with respect to phase structures, oxygen content, high-temperature chemical stabilities as well as electrical and electrochemical properties as cathode materials of intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). The Pr 3+ -deficiency content in P 1− y BCO is limited by ∼8 mol%, and the Pr 3+ -deficiency hardly changes lattice parameters of P 1− y BCO. Content of oxygen vacancies increases while that of Co 4+ decreases with the higher Pr 3+ -deficiency content. P 1− y BCO is chemically stable with the Gd 0.1 Ce 0.9 O 1.95 (GDC) electrolyte at 1100 °C and below in air. Introduction of Pr 3+ -deficiency decreases electrical conductivities and significantly improves electrochemical performance of P 1− y BCO. Among the studied oxides, P 0.95 BCO with 5 mol% Pr 3+ -deficiency shows the best electrochemical performance with low ASR values of 0.113 Ω cm 2 at 600 °C, 0.054 Ω cm 2 at 650 °C and 0.028 Ω cm 2 at 700 °C respectively, demonstrating it a promising cathode material of IT-SOFCs. The results of P 1− y BCO have also been compared with those of Ba 2+ -deficient PrBa 1− x Co 2 O 5+δ (PB 1− x CO, x = 0.00–0.10) oxides and major differences have been found in lattice parameters, oxygen content, chemical defects, electrical conductivities and ASR results. Factors contributing to these differences have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]