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Mimicking nature is an effective strategy for designing high performance materials. However, artificially constructing biomimetic materials with complex hierarchical structures remains a great challenge. Herein, a biomimetic, anisotropic, robust, thermoconductive, and high temperature-resistant porous SiC ceramic is reported to be used as a high temperature filter. The unidirectional pore channel structure of poplar wood is accurately inherited in biomorphic SiC ceramic by an in-situ carbothermal reduction reaction between wood-derived carbon precursors and SiO vapor generated from SiO particles. Due to the anisotropic architecture with vertically aligned and densely interconnected pore channels, the light-weight and high purity biomorphic SiC ceramic exhibits an excellent flexural strength of 41.63 MPa at ∼78.6% porosity, a high thermal conductivity of 10.50 W m−1 K−1 with ∼77.6% porosity, an anisotropic thermal conductivity factor of 5.79, and good thermal stability at ∼900 °C. Meanwhile, it demonstrates a high gas permeability (k 1 = 11.83 × 10−12 m2, k 2 = 1.86 × 10−6 m) with ∼81.9% porosity and a good filtration efficiency of 89.81% for PM > 2.5 μm under an extremely low pressure drop (0.69 kPa). These results indicate that this approach could open a new avenue for the design and preparation of high performance porous ceramics suitable as filters in high temperature environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational preparation and development of efficient and stable non-precious metal catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction are an effective solution to solve the global energy shortage and the increasing environmental pollution problems. Herein, two Co-MOFs with similar structures were designed and synthesized, one based on sulfur-containing organic ligand and the other based on non-sulfur-containing organic ligand. The electrocatalytic performance results showed that the materials based on sulfur-containing organic ligand had a better electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance. The reasons of performance differentiation were analyzed by various characterization techniques. • Two similar Co-MOFs with different heteroatom were designed and synthesized. • Their derived carbon materials after pyrolysis contain Co 9 S 8 and Co respectively. • The material with S had a better HER performance and easier operation. • During pyrolysis process, the external doped S also optimize its HER performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel OSB-PD model considering large deformation is proposed. • Drucker-Prager criterion is included in the novel OSB-PD model. • Plastic and damage behaviors under large deformation are captured precisely. In this paper, an ordinary state-based peridynamic (OSB-PD) plastic model is proposed to simulate the large deformation of geomaterials. The PD dilatation, which is equivalent to the volumetric strain in terms of the logarithmic strain in classical continuum mechanics (CCM), is proposed. The PD material parameters are obtained by equaling the assumed PD energy density to the energy density in terms of the Kirchhoff stress and logarithmic strain in CCM. The PD force, which is obtained by calculating the Frechet derivative of PD energy density, is naturally collinear with the deformed bond. The OSB-PD plastic model with the Drucker-Prager criterion considering geometric nonlinearity is subsequently established. Benchmark problems including the plate under large deformation and the l -shaped panel test are simulated, which has verified the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • OGD/R-induced astrocytes damaged and released PRDX6. • The release of PRDX6 aggravated the neuroapoptosis suffering OGD/R. • The mechanism underlying PRDX6 release could be linked to aiPLA2 activities. • PRDX6's pro-apoptotic role in neurons may be associated with RAGE and JNK signaling pathways. Peroxiredoxin-6 (PRDX6), a member of the peroxiredoxin family, has progressively emerged as a possible therapeutic target for a variety of brain diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease and ischemic stroke. However, the role of PRDX6 in neurons under ischemic conditions has remained elusive. Here, we found that astrocytes could release PRDX6 extracellularly after OGD/R, and that PRDX6 release actually worsened neuroapoptosis under OGD/R. We discovered a unique PRDX6/RAGE/JNK signaling pathway that contributes to the effect of neuroapoptosis. We applied a specific inhibitor of the RAGE signaling pathway in a mouse MCAO model and observed significant alterations in animal behavior. Considered together, our findings show the crucial role of the astrocyte-released PRDX6 in the process of neuroapoptosis caused by OGD/R, and could provide novel insights for investigating the molecular mechanism of protecting brain function from ischemia-reperfusion injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An optimal pressure sensor placement method is proposed to serve multiple purposes. • Graph signal processing techniques are used to analyse the spatial status of nodal pressures. • The maximum information regarding the spatial distribution of pressures is provided. • Tests on different scenarios illustrated the effectiveness of the method. Many researchers have addressed the challenge of optimal pressure sensor placement for different purposes, such as leakage detection, model calibration, state estimation, etc. However, pressure data often need to serve multiple purposes, and a method to optimize sensor locations with versatility for various objectives is still lacking. In this paper, a graph-based optimal sensor placement (GOSP) framework is proposed, which aims to provide a robust and all-purpose approach to identify critical points for pressure monitoring. By analysing the spatial variation frequencies of WDN pressures, the relationship between measurements and the global variation of original pressures is established. On this basis, the D-optimality criterion is adopted to formulate the objective of GOSP, which aims to maximize the information on the spatial distribution of pressures that can be obtained from measurements. The new-proposed objective ensures that the sensor locations are compatible with various application scenarios. The proposed method was applied to a real-life distribution network, and was compared with other optimal sensor placement methods oriented towards burst detection and pipe roughness calibration. Based on comparative studies in different scenarios including unknown pressure estimation, burst detection, and model calibration, the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method have been proved. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the integration of solar energy via parabolic trough collectors (PTC) with the Goswami cycle, focusing on evaluating life cycle costs (LCC) and energy performance in both steady-state and transient conditions. A suitable system configuration of a single-turbine Goswami cycle is designed for integration with PTC. Then, in the system's steady-state, a parametric study is performed based on the change in the design components. Subsequently, a multi-objective optimization method using energy and lifetime cost objectives are defined to identify the best system performance. This optimization technique utilizes artificial neural network (ANN) and the grey wolf optimizer (GWO) algorithm. Accordingly, the transient performance of the system is investigated during its optimal operating point using the TRNSYS software. Suitable controllers are considered for regulating power production and cooling system. Annual transient performance graphs of the systems are obtained. Following these investigations, a novel multi-turbine system is proposed. This configuration aims to enhance system reliability and diminish the reliance on storage devices by optimizing performance. The proper configuration of the five-turbine system with the required controllers is also provided. Hence, the method of dividing the turbine into similar turbines with lower capacity is a new concept proposed in this study. In the optimal state, it is observed that for 100 kW of net power output, 161 kW of effective cooling load can be achieved. At this configuration, the system's LCC amounts to 2.91 M. Moreover, during transient operation, an average power of 90 kW is attainable with a cooling load of 120 kW. The findings indicate that modifying the system from single turbine to five-turbines incurs an additional cost of approximately 9.2 % and reduces power output by 6 %. However, this modification significantly mitigates the transient impact of solar fluctuations. • Solar cooling-power system is optimized through AI and Grey Wolf algorithm. • Transient performance of the proposed system is evaluated at optimum conditions. • Five-turbine modification is proposed to mitigate the sunlight intermittence effect. • At constant 100 kW power optimized 161 kW cooling and 2.91 m$ LCC were achieved. • Transient performance results confirmed the five-turbine modification reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New coumarin ruthenium(II) compounds QY1 – QY4 induced cisplatin-resistant A549/DDP cell apoptosis via mitochondrial dysfunction. [Display omitted] • Four new Ru(II) complexes bearing coumarin derivatives as ligands were prepared. • The Ru(II) complexes exhibited high anticancer activity against lung A549/DDP cancer cells. • The Ru(II) complexes showed low toxicity against embryonic kidney HEK293 normal cells. • The anticancer mechanism involved A549/DDP apoptosis via mitochondrial dysfunction. Toward the development of effective metal-based coordination drugs for the treatment of cisplatin-resistant cancers, we report four new ruthenium(II) coordination compounds, namely, [RuCl 2 (yc1) 2 (DMSO) 2 ] (QY1), [RuCl 2 (yc2) 2 (DMSO) 2 ] (QY2), [RuCl 2 (yc3) 2 (DMSO) 2 ] (QY3), and [RuCl 2 (yc4) 2 (DMSO) 2 ]·1.25H 2 O (QY4), which contain 3-pyridin-2-yl-chromen-2-one (yc1), 8-methyl-3-pyridin-2-yl-chromen-2-one (yc2), 7-methoxy-3-pyridin-2-yl-chromen-2-one (yc3), and 2-pyridin-2-yl-benzo[f]chromen-3-one (yc4) ligands, respectively. Complex QY4 possessing a more extended planar yc4 ligand showed the highest cytotoxicity against cisplatin-resistant A549/DDP lung cancer cells (R9LC), yielding a remarkably low micromolar IC 50 value of 5.02 ± 0.14 μM and low toxicity against embryonic kidney HEK293 (e293) normal cells under equal conditions (IC 50 = 88.04 ± 1.03 μM). Notably, QY4 exhibited higher cytotoxicity than QY1 – QY3 , yc1–yc4, and cisplatin. QY4 and QY1 , especially QY4 , induced R9LC apoptosis via mitochondrial dysfunction, which involved mitochondrial membrane potential (MP) damage, ROS/Ca2+ activation, and apoptosis protein up-regulation. Thus, these coumarin ruthenium(II) coordination compounds are promising mitochondria-targeting anticancer agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the task of weakly supervised audio-visual violence detection has gained considerable attention. The goal of this task is to identify violent segments within multimodal data based on video-level labels. Despite advances in this field, traditional Euclidean neural networks, which have been used in prior research, encounter difficulties in capturing highly discriminative representations due to limitations of the feature space. To overcome this, we propose HyperVD , a novel framework that learns snippet embeddings in hyperbolic space to improve model discrimination. We contribute two branches of fully hyperbolic graph convolutional networks that excavate feature similarities and temporal relationships among snippets in hyperbolic space. By learning snippet representations in this space, the framework effectively learns semantic discrepancies between violent snippets and normal ones. Extensive experiments on the XD-Violence benchmark demonstrate that our method achieves 85.67% AP, outperforming the state-of-the-art methods by a sizable margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The novel one-step reduction gel method is a simple and short-cycle strategy for powders of rutile TiO 2 doped with acceptor ions. • The defects and MA performances were regulated by the introduction of polyvalent copper ions and acceptor ions with a large electronegativity (Ag+ χ = 1.93 > Cu2+ χ = 1.90 > Ti4+ χ = 1.54). • The CT x =0.05 /paraffin composites show an optimum RL min of - 49.8 dB at 2.8 mm and an EAB of 4.20 GHz at 3.0 mm. • The defect complexes ( Ti Ti ′ , V O ∙ ∙ , Cu Ti ″ , Cu Ti ″ ′ , Ti 3 + → V O ∙ ∙ ← Ti 3 + , Ti 3 + → V O ∙ ∙ ← Cu 2 + + e , Cu 2 + + e → Cu + , Ti 4 + + e → Ti 3 + ) bind the electrons to produce stronger polarization relaxation processes. With an increase in electromagnetic (EM) pollution, inducing polarization loss using lattice defects has become one of the main strategies for the design and optimization of a new generation of microwave absorbers. In this study, point defects in TiO 2 absorbers are designed and controlled using a sol–gel method. The influences of the electronegativity difference and the ionic valence states of the dopant ions on the microwave absorption (MA) performance of rutile TiO 2 composites are investigated. The results show that the defects such as oxygen vacancy (V O ∙ ∙ ) and Ti3+ can be adjusted continuously at a high-temperature sintering process. Cu2+, which has a larger electronegativity than Ti4+ (Cu2+ χ = 1.90 > Ti4+ χ = 1.54) promotes the localization of electrons. Furthermore, compared with Ag+, which has a similar electronegativity (Ag+ χ = 1.93 ≈ Cu2+ χ = 1.90), polyvalent copper ions ( Cu 2 + + e → Cu +) enhance the electron-hopping process. The formed electron-pinning defect dipole clusters ( Ti Ti ′ , V O ∙ ∙ , Cu Ti ″ , Cu Ti ″ ′ , Ti 3 + → V O ∙ ∙ ← Ti 3 + , Ti 3 + → V O ∙ ∙ ← Cu 2 + + e , Cu 2 + + e → Cu + , Ti 4 + + e → Ti 3 + ) produce a stronger polarization relaxation process, which regulates the MA performance of TiO 2 absorbers. Therefore, this study provides an essential reference for refining the EM wave attenuation performance of simple oxide absorbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure the health of vulnerable coastal ecosystems, a transition to sustainable energy solutions is essential. Environmentally friendly systems powered by renewable sources offer not only a reduction in pollution but also the adaptability needed for a flexible and resilient energy future. This study proposes and comprehensively evaluates an integrated solar-based system designed to meet the daily needs of coastal cities. The proposed system incorporates key components such as dual-loop power cycles, parabolic trough solar collectors, liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification, reverse osmosis, and proton exchange membrane electrolysis. To optimize energy utilization, the inclusion of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) is considered, harnessing the thermal gradient among the LNG stream and the power cycle fluid. We conduct transient modeling, incorporating comprehensive scenarios that account for both thermal and economic aspects. The performance evaluation of the system focuses specifically on coastal regions, with San Francisco serving as a case study. The dynamic simulation results demonstrate the capability of the integrated system in fulfilling the urban needs for one year, delivering 1,134,207 cubic meters of potable water and generating 11,306 MWh of electricity. Financial analysis reveals that the solar unit accounts for over 46 % of the total cost, with an hourly cost rate of $69.61. The levelized cost of electricity is predicted at 4.61 cents/kWh, while the levelized cost of water is calculated at 30.54 cents/m3. These findings provide valuable insights into the cost-effectiveness and competitive advantage of the system in terms of energy and water production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• General particle dynamics is proposed to address the large deformation mechanics. • GPD for nonlinear elastic and plastic constitutive model is established. • Relationships between GPD and other mechanical theories are discussed. • Numerical examples verify GPD's ability in large deformation and fracture problems. This paper presents a detailed investigation on the General Particle Dynamics (GPD) method and its implications for addressing challenges in large deformation mechanics and fracture modeling. The GPD method integrates nonlocal interactions and nonlocal differential operators to overcome limitations of classical continuum mechanics in capturing long-range interactions and material behaviors under extreme deformation conditions. Through a systematic examination of the physical and mathematical foundations of GPD, including its governing equations and constitutive relations, we elucidate the robust and applicability of the proposed method in simulating complex deformation phenomena. Furthermore, the relationships among GPD, conventional mechanical theories (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics), nonlocal theory (Peridynamics) and Molecular Dynamic theories are discussed. Numerical examples related to large deformation and fracture problems are tested to verify the ability of the proposed method. The numerical results show that GPD inherits the advantages of the classical method and also has its unique properties in solid fracture mechanics and large deformation problems, making it a promising approach in computational mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A nonlocal energy-informed neural network is proposed to address the crack propagation. • Minimizing the peridynamic potential energy is considered as loss function. • Transfer learning is introduced to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Discontinuities, such as joints, faults and pores, are prevalent in rock formations, significantly impacting the fracture behavior of rocks. This paper proposes an energy-driven machine learning framework to address crack initiation and propagation in rock-like materials by considering long-range interactions. By leveraging the minimization energy principle, the displacement of physical system is determined by minimizing the peridynamic potential energy instead of directly solving the equilibrium equation, which serves as the neural network's loss function. An incremental form loss function and transfer learning technique are developed to account for the cumulative effects of all preceding loading steps. Furthermore, the critical strain energy density criterion is established from an energy perspective. A key advantage of the proposed neural network lies in evaluating peridynamic strain energy through spatial integration rather than spatial derivatives, thus bypassing the limitations of automatic differentiation encountered in original physics-informed neural networks at crack surfaces. Notably, the proposed approach inherits the ability of peridynamics to simulate spontaneous damage evolution and crack propagation without necessitating special crack treatment techniques. Finally, the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified via comparison with analytical solutions, experimental observations, or classical numerical methods in fracture analysis of rock-like materials subjected to various quasi-static loading conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In aquaculture, hypoxia poses a significant threat to fish growth and survival. Despite this, there is limited research on the impact of pantothenic acid (PA) in enhancing the anti-hypoxia stress capability of fish. The primary objective of this study was to explore the effects and potential mechanisms of PA in alleviating hypoxia-induced liver injury in sub-adult grass carp. To achieve this, six experimental diets containing varying levels of PA (0.08, 11.95, 24.95, 37.95, 50.95, and 63.95 mg/kg) were formulated and administered to grass carp (initial weight 696.22 ± 2.45 g) for 63 days. Following the dietary intervention, the fish were segregated into hypoxia and control groups and treated for 96 h. The findings revealed that optimal PA levels could enhance the growth performance of sub-adult grass carp and ameliorate the adverse impacts of hypoxia. First, optimal PA levels reduced serum levels of glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), as well as mitigated hepatocyte vacuolization, improved liver and mitochondrial morphology, thereby alleviating hypoxia-induced liver injury. Furthermore, optimal PA levels were associated with increased contents of serum cortisol, glucose, liver glycogen, pyruvate, and the activities of Pantothenate kinase 2 (PanK2) and coenzyme A (CoA), while liver lactate content and LDH activity were reduced, indicating improvements in energy metabolism and PA utilization, potentially mediated by the down-regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) mRNA level. Moreover, optimal PA levels decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, enhanced liver antioxidant capacity, down-regulated autophagy-related gene mRNA levels, and up-regulated autophagy receptor protein 62 (p62) protein level, suggesting a reduction in oxidative damage and autophagy. Finally, a rise in levels of mitochondrial quality control-related mRNAs such as mitofusin 1/2 (MFN1/2), dynamin-related protein-1 (DRP-1), and nuclear respiratory factor 1/2 (Nrf-1/2) was observed, together with increment in the protein levels of PTEN induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1), BCL-2 interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) and FUN14 domain-containing protein 1 (FUNDC1). These alterations hinted at the role of PA in preserving mitochondrial homeostasis. In conclusion, PA exhibited a protective role against hypoxia-induced liver injury by enhancing liver energy metabolism, bolstering antioxidant defenses, suppressing autophagy, and maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. Through an assessment of percentage weight gain (PWG) and liver ROS level, the requirements of PA for promoting growth and resilience to hypoxia-induced liver injury in sub-adult grass carp were determined to be 37.44 mg/kg and 42.57 mg/kg, respectively. • Optimal dietary PA levels alleviated hypoxia-induced liver injury of fish. • Optimal dietary PA levels helped ensure normal energy metabolism of fish under hypoxia. • Optimal dietary PA levels reduced liver oxidative damage and autophagy level in fish. • Optimal dietary PA levels helped maintain mitochondrial dynamic homeostasis in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous alloys have high strength, but softening can lead to room temperature brittleness, limiting their applications. Typically, soft means low hardness and yield strength, and the lower the yield stress, the higher the fracture toughness. Two amorphous/crystalline multilayer samples with submicron single layer thickness were prepared. The crystalline layer of one sample is composed of highly-textured (111) nanocrystalline grains, and the other sample is untextured. Indentation experiments proved that the samples were plastically deformed, while the amorphous layer did not form shear bands with decreased layer thickness. The thickness reduction of the amorphous layer in the sample with highly-textured crystalline layers is greater than in the sample with untextured crystalline layers. The strain-hardening ability of the textured crystalline layer is higher, while the corresponding amorphous layer is deformed more severely with free volume annihilation and greater flow with more compact atoms. The amorphous layer corresponding to the untextured crystalline layer absorbs dislocations, and activates shear transformation zones (STZs), increasing the free volume near the interface. The annihilation of the free volume is less than the sample with highly-textured crystalline layers. • The amorphous/crystalline multilayer samples with a single layer thickness of submicron have achieved plastic co-deformation. • The interaction and thinning phenomena during the deformation of amorphous/crystalline were studied by indentation method. • The highly-textured crystalline layer is more conducive to the strain hardening of the amorphous layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At present, the guidelines of the European Society of Urology regarding the use of adjuvant radiotherapy for patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) are not clear, and there are many contradictions in previous research. In addition, several studies on the effect of radiotherapy alone on UTUC patients have been published in recent years, but their results are still inconsistent. To address these problems, we conducted the current meta-analysis.Method: Articles were searched in 3 electronic databases: PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Studies were filtered according to a selection strategy, and data were extracted. Finally, Stata software was used for sensitivity analysis, and Egger's test was used to calculate the stability of the results and determine whether there was publication bias.Result: In total, 17 studies involving and 25906 patients were included, adjuvant radiotherapy had no significant effect on patients with UTUC (OS: HR = 1.38 [0.94, 2.03], = P 0.10; CSS: HR = 1.43 [0.92, 2.25], P = 0.11; LRFS: HR = 1.40 [0.99, 1.98], P = 0.06; RFS: HR = 1.19 [0.52, 2.73], P = 0.68; MFS: HR = 1.37 [0.35, 5.31], P = 0.65). Radiotherapy alone had adverse effects on patients with UTUC (OS: HR = 1.25 [1.09, 1.43], P = 0.001, CSS: HR = 1.47 [1.37, 1.59], P < 0.00001).Conclusion: Our results show that adjuvant radiotherapy has no significant effect on the prognosis of patients with UTUC, while radiotherapy alone will have an adverse effect on patients with UTUC. In the future, the determination of the tumor stage of patients receiving adjuvant radiotherapy may be an important research direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel kinematic-constraint-inspired bond-associated non-ordinary state-based peridynamics is proposed. • The linear and angular momentum conservation is firstly and rigorously proved. • The ability of the proposed model to prevent unphysical deformation is analytically characterized. • Bond-associated stress state-based failure criteria are proposed for fracture analysis. • The advantage of the proposed model over other existing control methods is discussed. The non-ordinary state-based peridynamics (NOSBPD) is attractive because of its ability to incorporate available constitutive models. However, conventional NOSBPD suffers from numerical oscillation induced by zero-energy mode. Although the recently proposed bond-associated deformation gradient performs well with controlling the issues, the size of the bond-associated horizon is undetermined. The work is aimed to introduce kinematic constraints to redefine the classical bond-associated deformation gradient. Based on the kinematic constraints imposed by the symmetry of the bond-associated deformation gradient and non-local kinematic measures, a well-defined bond-associated horizon is derived for 1D, 2D, and 3D structures. In this way, a novel kinematic-constraint-inspired non-ordinary state-based peridynamics (KC-NOSBPD) is proposed, which completely differs from the previous continuum-kinematics-inspired peridynamics (CPD) extended from classical bond-based peridynamics (BBPD). The linear and angular momentum conservation is firstly and rigorously proved. The novel proposed model is proved capable of avoiding unphysical deformation modes that typically beset conventional formulation through several analytical examples. In addition, bond-associated stress-state-based failure criteria are proposed for fracture analysis. Several benchmarking tests verify the effectiveness of the proposed formulation in eliminating spurious oscillation of numerical solution and highlight the significance of kinematic constraints. The final crack pattern of sandstone specimens coincides with experimental observation, illustrating its suitability for solving crack propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The full length of Rhododendron micranthum Turcz. RmCS was isolated and identified. • RmCS was preferentially expressed in stem, autumn leaf and initial flowering stage. • Overexpression of RmCS increased salt tolerance, alkali tolerance, drought tolerance and aluminum tolerance of transgenic tobacco, but decreased plant height and leaf area. • The roots of tobacco plants overexpressing RmCS secreted higher concentrations of malic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid. Citrate synthase (CS) is a rate-limiting enzyme in tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, which is related to numerous plant physiological events, like mitochondrial energy metabolism and stress resistance, and has a key function in aluminum (Al) stress response. Rhododendron micranthum Turcz. has been used as ornamental plants worldwide. This species prefers acidic soils, and thus its growth and ornamental quality are often limited by Al toxicity. In the present work, the full-length cDNA encoding a CS (here designated RmCS) was isolated and characterized. The RmCS contained the conserved CS domain and a N-terminal PWPN-box. RmCS protein was predicted to be localized to the cytoplasm and mitochondria. A neighbor-joining tree indicated that RmCS was similar to CS proteins of Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis and Vitis riparia the most. RmCS was highly expressed in stems; particularly, it shows predominant expression in flowers in the first flowering period, whereas in leaves peak expression levels were detected in September. Southern blotting analysis demonstrated that one to three copies of RmCS were successfully integrated in the genome of transgenic tobacco. Overexpression of RmCS significantly increased salt, alkali, drought, and Al tolerance, but reduced the plant height and leaf area, of transgenic tobacco. Roots of RmCS -overexpressing tobacco plants secreted higher concentrations of malic acid, citric acid, and tartaric acid. Decreased malonaldehyde while elevated proline contents in the leaf suggested that the improved abiotic stress tolerance conferred by RmCS was associated with decreased membrane damage and improved osmotic adjustment. The above findings indicated the potentially vital function of RmCS in abiotic stress responses of R. micranthum , and lays certain theoretical foundation for improving stress resistance of R. micranthum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A video-based driving simulation is established with video and IMU data recorded during on-road driving. • The signs of interest are integrated onto the video footage and adjusted to fit into the background. • The motion data are incorporated into the video sequence to yield a on-road-like experience of car movements. • The participants can operate throttle and brake to drive through the video sequence with control over the speed of video playback. • The simulation can be quickly established for testing multiple signs with relatively low costs of time and devices. Introduction: The driving simulator is a widely adopted experimental platform for investigating human-factors questions related to traffic signs and other traffic control devices in a safe environment. This paper presents a methodological framework for developing a video-based simulation program for traffic-sign evaluation. Method : We firstly collected video data and vehicle movement data from on-road driving. Secondly, the signs on the collected video footage were detected and tracked automatically using image processing techniques. Images of newly designed signs were integrated onto the video footage and placed onto the real-world sign locations. The inserted image properties were fused to fit into the video background to yield a natural visual effect. Thirdly, the vehicle-movement data collected during the drive-through were incorporated into the video sequence as well as the motion of the driving simulator. Using throttle and brake pedals of the driving simulator, participants drove through the video sequence with control over the video's playback speed and the simulator's movement to achieve a comparable visualization and motion experience as real-world driving. Results Conclusions: This framework was used to investigate drivers' visual attention and understanding of various newly proposed changeable message signs (CMSs). The results prove that this framework effectively engaged drivers in the driving task in the realistic traffic scene and successfully evaluated drivers' perception and understanding of the traffic signs. Practical Applications: With this methodological framework, a driving simulation program based on real-world video data from specified road environment and vehicle-movement information can be quickly established and used for testing a variety of traffic control devices, especially traffic signs, in the study of human–machine interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine-based salmon farming faces a significant challenge in the management of sea lice infestations, particularly in high-density production areas. Multiple strategies have been employed on salmon farms to prevent and treat sea lice infestations, but they have widely varied in their effectiveness in reducing infestations and their associated impact on the marine environment and fish welfare. Typically, cost and effectiveness are crucial considerations for salmon industries and researchers when determining which practice is optimal for reducing sea lice infestations, but the public's views on sea lice management have not yet been fully assessed. Therefore, an online survey was conducted to examine how the English and Scottish public evaluate different sea lice management practices. Participants were randomly assigned to one of eight conditions: four different types of sea lice management practices (medical treatment, mechanical treatment, cleaner fish treatment, or barrier technology) with two types of information formats (basic information or detailed information). The results showed that participants were more accepting of barrier technology and cleaner fish treatment than medical treatment and mechanical treatment, regardless of whether the presented information was basic or detailed. However, providing detailed information about mechanical treatment and cleaner fish treatment negatively affected the participants' acceptance and perceptions compared to the basic information condition. Specifically, when detailed information was provided, mechanical treatment was evaluated as less natural and less welfare friendly for farmed salmon, and the corresponding salmon products were considered to be less healthy than when basic information was provided. Similarly, when detailed information was provided, cleaner fish treatment was rated as less natural, less environmentally friendly, and less welfare friendly for cleaner fish than when only basic information was provided. This study has implications for salmon industries and policymakers: the public encourages a natural way of managing sea lice that has a minimum negative impact on the environment and farmed salmon, which might clash with the current realities of salmon farming. • The public's acceptance and perceptions of sea lice management were assessed. • Providing varying information influenced public evaluations of sea lice management. • Barrier technology and cleaner fish treatments were favorably rated than other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ordered interstitial complexes (OIC) are in the intermediate state between random interstitial solutes and chemical compounds, which can effectively improve the mechanical performance of multi-principle element alloys. Nevertheless, experimentally observing the complex atomic details of OIC formation and their interaction with dislocations remains challenging. Meanwhile, simulations of the OIC behavior faced the dilemma of lacking interatomic potentials for multi-component systems. In this work, we investigate the oxygen OICs in TiNbZr medium entropy alloys as a typical example to elucidate the strengthening and toughening mechanisms of OICs with a developed highly accurate deep learning potential. The formation mechanism, atomic packing of OICs and their interaction with dislocations, were then elucidated by molecular dynamics simulations with the developed potential. The interstitial atoms were found to aggregate energetically and increase the barrier of dislocation movement upon loading. It was found that the Nb content exerts a significant influence on the morphology and distribution of OICs. The decrease of Nb content favors the formation of larger cluster-like OICs. The existence of OICs can remarkably enhance the critical shear stress required for continuous dislocation movement. A pinning-cutting behavior was observed when an edge dislocation encounters an OIC, while a cross-slip behavior occurred when a screw dislocation encounters an OIC. The developed interatomic potential provides a valuable tool for elucidating the deformation mechanisms of TiNbZrO alloys, which highlights the significant effects of OICs on the mechanical performance of multi-principle element alloys. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Non-uniform discretization peridynamic method is proposed to investigate cracking behavior. • A novel volume correction method is proposed to eliminate unbalance force. • The force loading condition is modified to replace the displacement loading. • The relationship between the material points discretization form and cracking behavior is defined. The proposed non-uniform discretization peridynamics reduces computational costs. Cracking behavior investigation is very important in solid mechanics. In this study, a non-uniform discretization bond-based peridynamic (NUD-BBPD) method is proposed to investigate the cracking behavior, in which the new volume correction method for regenerative family material points is proposed based on Monte Carlo statistical approach. When computational domain non-uniform discretization (NUD) is employed, the proposed method eliminates the need to use the variational horizon, and naturally solves the issue of unbalanced force in NUD. Additionally, the force loading condition is revised based on the energy conservation in the proposed method. This revision eliminates the need for fictitious material points when the displacement loading condition is used in simulation, and the drawback of the conventional force loading condition, in which the force is constrained, is also solved. The proposed method is then used to analyze the static and dynamic fractures of solids. The effects of the material points arrangement on the cracking behavior are obtained via a comprehensive comparison, and the numerical results obtained by the proposed method are in good agreement with those obtained by the conventional uniform discretizational peridynamics. Moreover, NUD peridynamics with constant horizon has higher computational efficiency than traditional peridynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The nonisothermal crystallization of alloys exhibits obvious kinetic characteristics. • Co 7 Fe 3 and (Fe,Ni,Mo) 23 B 6 /Co 4 B/Co 2 Si precipitate during two crystallizations, respectively. • Cu and Nb would affect the precipitation of nanocrystals, while Mo will participate in the formation of crystalline phases. The crystallized behavior, microstructure and magnetic properties of Co 28 Fe 28 Ni 19 Si 13 B 8 Cu 1 Nb 1 Mo 2 high-entropy metallic glass are studied by DSC, XRD, TEM and VSM. The results show that two crystallization peaks occur with a difference of approximately 129–149 K, but the activation energy is different. The activation energy of the first peak is 175.3 kJ/mol and the second is that of 460.1 kJ/mol. After annealing, the Co 7 Fe 3 phase first precipitates with a feature of three-dimensional growth. When the annealing temperature is higher than the second crystallization temperature, the phases such as (Fe,Ni,Mo) 23 B 6 , Co 3 Mo 2 Si, Co 4 B, Fe 3 Mo precipitate sequentially, meanwhile Cu accumulates into small clusters to provide heterogeneous nucleation centers for the crystalline phase in the early stage of crystallization. Finally, the Hc increase with temperature, and the Ms first increasing and then decreasing with the maximum value of 93.11 emu/g at 893 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel trigeneration system for cooling, heating, freshwater, and electricity generation, driven by geothermal energy is evaluated from thermodynamics, thermoeconomic, and environmental perspectives. To gain a better understanding of the system's performance, energy and exergy analyses are conducted, and the outcomes are compared with other studies. The proposed structure includes a single-flash geothermal plant, a water desalination unit, the Goswami power and cooling cycle, and the Kalina power cycle. This analysis is conducted using Aspen HYSYS software, and the results demonstrated that the single-flash geothermal plant has the highest irreversibility (48 %), and the major sources of irreversibility among all equipment are the heat exchangers, contributing to 68 % of the total exergy destruction rate. Additionally, it is observed from the thermodynamic analysis results that the energy and exergy efficiencies and the total unit cost of products of the proposed process are 32.28 %, 51.71 %, and 5.66 $/GJ, respectively. According to the results, the production rate of the products is cooling (24.8 m3/h), steam (27.44 m3/h), domestic hot water (209.7 m3/h), fresh water (45.02 m3/h), and electric power (16260 kW). The environmental analysis shows that the new process has zero CO 2 emission and can save an annual consumption of petroleum equal to 4325160 L, and when compared to the power plants with natural gas and oil as fuel, CO 2 emissions are prevented equal to 5691000 kg/year and 13804740 kg/year, respectively. • Geothermal plant integrated to Goswami cycle booted by Kalian and desalination units. • Aspen HYSYS simulation and thermodynamic/economic/environmental analyses. • Energy and exergy efficiencies of the simulated process are 32.28 % and 51.71 %. • Total unit cost of products of the simulated process equals 5.66 $ / GJ. • Zero emission process, leading to saving annual petroleum consumption of 4325160 L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the risk of explosion, studying the dynamic structural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) slabs subjected to blast loads is crucial for enhancing their resistance. Conventional approaches, including costly experimental tests, highly hypothetical analytical methods, and time-consuming numerical simulations, have their limitations. This study presents two deep learning-based models for rapid and accurate prediction of explosion-induced responses in RC slabs. Available literature data and supplemented numerical simulation data are used for training and testing. First, a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) model is established to predict the maximum displacement of RC slabs subjected to explosions. The input features include 10 parameters. The training results show that the MLP model exhibits good prediction performance. Second, a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) model is constructed to predict the failure modes of RC slabs under explosive loads. The input features of the model are consistent with those of the MLP model. The 1D-CNN model outperforms the other five conventional machine learning models in classification. Furthermore, a permutation feature importance analysis is conducted to determine the effects of the 10 input features on the predicted outcomes. This analysis makes the predictions interpretable, thereby bolstering the credibility of the models. Results show that the proposed deep learning models offer an efficient and reliable method to predict the structural response of RC slabs under explosion loads. • This is the first study to develop deep learning models for rapid structural response analyses in RC slabs under blast loads. • The deep learning models are trained using literature data and simulation data based on validated numerical analysis. • The established models are accurate and efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Peptides were proved to contribute to umami taste of Douchi. • A total of 421 peptides were identified from Chinese Douchi. • A total of 93 potential umami peptides were selected via PLS-DA and RDA. • Seven umami peptides identified from Douchi had a lower threshold than MSG. Douchi is a kind of traditional Chinese fermented soybean product with outstanding umami taste. Besides the umami amino acids in Douchi, peptides were also considered as an important contributor for the umami taste of Douchi. Peptides with molecular weight below 0.66 kDa accounted for more than 50 % in all samples except for TongChuan Douchi, and a total of 421 peptides were identified from the ten kinds of Douchi samples by using LC-MS/MS. Combined with sensory evaluation results, 19 peptides containing Glu, Asp or known umami peptide sequences were chosen as potential umami peptides via PLS-DA and RDA analysis. Among them, 17 soluble peptides exhibited obvious umami taste and the threshold of 7 peptides were lower than MSG solution. Especially, the VD was detected with a minimum umami taste threshold at 0.16 mg/mL. The results indicated that the umami peptides might be the important components affecting the umami taste of Douchi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposing field-enriched finite element method to simulate interface crack. • Using different forms of M -Integral to calibrate stress intensity factor. • F -criterion is extended to simulate the interface crack propagation path. • Effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method are verified. • The proposed method has a relatively simple process of implementation. In this paper, a novel numerical method called field-enriched finite element method is proposed to investigate stress intensity factor, initiation angle and propagation path of interface crack. The features of the field-enriched finite element method are: (1) re-meshing is avoided during the process of crack propagation; (2) the physical position of crack can be located and the influence of crack on the physical field of whole model can be described by enriching the field variables; (3) the fracture criterion can be flexibly embedded in the field-enriched finite element method to predict the initiation angle and propagation path of interface crack. Some numerical examples are used to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of the field-enriched finite element method. The numerical results obtained by the field-enriched finite element method can be consistent with the theoretical solution, experimental observation and other numerical results obtained by traditional finite element method or extended finite element method. Therefore, the field-enriched finite element method can provide a new scheme to deal with the interface crack fracture problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the functional roles and mechanisms of arginine in improving the muscle quality of sub-adult grass carp. We divided 450 healthy fish (661.60 ± 1.00 g) into six groups and fed them separate diets with increasing levels of arginine (3.51, 7.01, 10.51, 14.01, 17.51, and 21.01 g/kg) for 63 days. The results showed that optimal dietary arginine levels promoted grass carp growth and improved muscle lipid content, shear force (hardness), pH, hydrolyzed amino acid contents, and the chemical score of essential amino acids (protein quality). Suitable dietary arginine levels also decreased the proportion of hypertrophic fibers and increased the proportion of hyperplastic fibers. Furthermore, appropriate arginine supplementation increased the expression levels of MyoD, MyoG, Myf5, MRF4, MyHC, cyclin D1, cyclin B, cyclin E, WNT1, WNT3a, and β-catenin and decreased the expression levels of MSTN and GSK3β. In conclusion, appropriate arginine levels in the diet (10.51–14.01 g/kg) may promote the growth and muscle quality of grass carp while increasing the proportion of hyperplasia fibers and decreasing the proportion of hypertrophic fibers probably by regulating the WNT/β-catenin pathway to increase the expression levels of MRFs and cyclins. This study offers novel insights into the regulatory role of arginine in muscle fiber growth, which can facilitate the improvement of grass carp muscle quality. • Arg has a positive effect on sub-adult grass carp growth and muscle quality. • Arg improves the amino acid contents of fillets, which could meet the needs of human. • Arg improves muscle hardness is associated with changes in muscle fiber diameter and density in grass carp. • Arg promotes muscle fiber proliferation and differentiation via WNT signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel fractional viscoelastic-viscoplastic (FVEVP) constitutive law is proposed. • A numerical implementation strategy of the FVEVP model by an explicit time integration scheme is proposed. • A unified progressive damage-rupture criterion is proposed. • A non-linear creep-damage-fracture kinematic-constraint-inspired non-ordinary state-based peridynamics (KC NOSBPD) formulation is proposed. • The time-dependent deformation and fracturing behaviors of intact, macrofractured, and surrounding rock mass around underground openings are reproduced. An in-depth understanding of the time-dependent deformation and failure behavior of rocks is essential for the long-term stability of surrounding rock mass around underground engineering. In this paper, the kinematic-constraint-inspired non-ordinary state-based peridynamic (KC NOSBPD) formulation is proposed to incorporate time dependence by adopting a fractional viscoelastic-viscoplastic (FVEVP) constitutive law to describe the non-linear creep deformation behavior and conjugating it with a time-independent progressive damage-rupture criterion to reproduce creep damage and subsequent creep fracture process. The FVEVP constitutive model is established by coupling a Hooke body, an Abel dashpot and a fractional viscoplastic body. Through the Grünwald-Letnikov (GL) definition of the fractional-order derivatives, finite increment formulations for the FVEVP constitutive model are derived to facilitate numerical implementation by an explicit time integration scheme. The unified progressive damage-rupture criterion is obtained by combining the damage criterion with the rupture criterion via a strain-dependent isotropic scalar damage variable. The novel model is employed to reproduce the time-dependent deformation and fracturing behaviors of intact salt rock, macrofractured sandstone specimens, and surrounding rock mass around the salt cavern gas storage. The proposed model agrees well with experimental data and numerical results from other published literature. To the authors' knowledge, the FVEVP model is first developed to simulate fracture behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 (BMP4) is crucial for bone and cartilage tissue regeneration, essential in medical tissue engineering, cosmetology, and aerospace. However, its cost and degradation susceptibility pose significant clinical challenges. To enhance its osteogenic activity while reducing dosage and administration frequency, we developed a novel long-acting BMP4 delivery system using poly(3-hydroxybutyrate- co -3-hydroxyvalerate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PBVHx) nanoparticles with soybean lecithin-modified BMP4 (sBP-NPs). These nanoparticles promote directed osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) through sustained BMP4 release. sBP-NPs exhibited uniform size (100–200 nm) and surface charges, with higher BMP4 entrapment efficiency (82.63 %) compared to controls. After an initial burst release within 24 h, sBP-NPs achieved 80 % cumulative BMP4 release within 20 days, maintaining levels better than control BP-NPs with unmodified BMP4. Co-incubation and nanoparticle uptake experiments confirmed excellent biocompatibility of sBP-NPs, promoting hBMSC differentiation towards osteogenic lineage with increased expression of type I collagen, calcium deposition, and ALP activity (> 20,000 U/g protein) compared to controls. Moreover, hBMSCs treated with sBP-NPs exhibited heightened expression of osteogenic genetic markers, surpassing control groups. Hence, this innovative strategy of sustained BMP4 release from sBP-NPs holds potential to revolutionize bone regeneration in minimally invasive surgery, medical cosmetology or space environments. To overcome the challenges of inactivation and degradation of the costly bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), extend its release duration, and maximize its clinical efficacy, we devised an innovative long-acting BMP4 release system utilizing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate- co -3-hydroxyvalerate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PBVHx, or PHBVHHx) nanoparticles (BP-NPs) with few copolymer of poly(lactic-glycolic acid) coupled polyethyleneimine (PLGA-PEI).With stable release of BMP4 over 20 days, this system aims to guide the osteoinductivity of human stem cells with high calcium deposition, high alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and upregulation of bone-related genetic markers. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel colorimetric sensor array is constructed for POCT of multiple bacteria. • Eleven species including two drug-resistance bacteria are well distinguished. • The sensor array can perform antibiotic susceptibility testing of bacteria. • The minimal inhibitory concentration of antibiotics to bacteria can be evaluated. • MIC was presented to facilitate the rational use of antibiotics. Simple and sensitive discrimination of multiple bacteria and antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) are significant for food safety, clinical diagnosis and treatment. Herein, based on different metabolic ability of bacteria on glucose, we presented a colorimetric sensor array for point-of-care testing (POCT) of multiple bacteria with methyl red (MER), bromothymol blue (BTB) and bromocresol green (BCG) as probes. Different bacteria resulted in different color changes of three probes, which was converted to RGB (Red (R)/Green (G)/Blue (B)) signals by the color recognizer APP loaded on smartphone. The sensor array performed differentiation of eleven species of bacteria, achieving the quantitative analysis of individual bacteria in tap water and differentiation of bacterial mixtures. Interestingly, the sensor array can be used for AST and evaluating minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antibiotics to bacteria. The research provided meaningful guidance for distinguishing multiple bacteria and evaluating MIC, presenting great potential in practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen-dislocation interactions have always been a crucial problem in understanding and predicting the long-standing hydrogen embrittlement (HE) phenomenon in structural metals. Particularly with respect to hydrogen diffusion, dislocations have often been assumed with the ability to facilitate hydrogen transport via dislocation pipe diffusion (DPD). Yet the experimental and theoretical studies supporting DPD remain elusive and even controversial. In this work, hydrogen kinetics at dislocations in two representative metal systems, fcc Ni and bcc Fe, were systematically investigated combining comprehensive atomistic and kinetic activation relaxation technique simulations to reveal atomic details while enabling long-time (i.e., microsecond to second) hydrogen diffusion analysis. The dislocations were found to favor hydrogen trapping and provide regions of low migration barriers for hydrogen. However, these regions of low barriers only lead to localized fast short-circuit H diffusion, but do not translate into DPD over long time, which is attributed to fast hydrogen diffusion pathways along the dislocation line direction being periodically bound by high hydrogen migration barriers. Using the polyhedral structural units (PSUs) as an effective tool, we further quantitatively analyzed the correlation between hydrogen diffusion behaviors and local dislocation structures, illustrating the structural origin leading to local short-circuit diffusion and inhibition of DPD at dislocations. The new mechanistic insights gained not only are critical for understanding hydrogen-dislocation interaction, but also advances the general knowledge on hydrogen-microstructure interaction in structural metals. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A MPNN based graph network is proposed to learn the rules of the physical system behind the data. • The pre-trained model has the ability of forward prediction by considering the predicted value as input. • The crack propagation prediction under loading condition is realized by introducing edge updating module. In this paper, the message passage neural networks (MPNN) based graph networks is proposed for learning and prediction of boundary loading problem in solid mechanics. As a learnable physics engine, the proposed model is designed to learn from historical data to understand the rules of the physical system behind the data, and then to make predictions. By learning the historical displacement field sampling data of 2D intact plate, the proposed model successfully realizes its continuous displacement field prediction. On this basis, the trained model also achieves a good prediction in a plate containing holes under the same loading condition but without training, which verifies the generalization ability of the proposed model. Finally, the crack propagation can be realized by learning the historical data of the plate with prefabricated cracks subjected to tension, which shows the excellent predict ability and exciting prospect of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal protective masks play critical role in preventing the disease epidemic and resisting pathogenic bacterial infestation. However, large quantities of masks were disposed during COVID-19 epidemic, which caused environmental problem and huge economic burden. Herein, we developed reusable masks with inherent antimicrobial and self-cleaning features under solar irradiation. With spun-bonded nonwoven fabrics (SNF) layer as substrate, copper sulfide@polydopamine nanoparticles are deposited on SNF layer (CuS@PDA NPs -SNF), which presents excellent photocatalytic activity. Under solar irradiation, CuS@PDA NPs produce abundant of singly linear oxygen (1O 2), which inactivates pathogenic bacteria with high efficiency over 99%. Interestingly, CuS@PDA NPs -SNF cannot cause high temperature to bring any uncomfortable to the person, which is suitable for human to wear in daily life. Such design effectively protect person from the transmission of viral aerosol. Meanwhile, CuS@PDA NPs -SNF masks are reusable and still maintain robust bactericidal ability after washing. The sunlight-mediated self-sterilization at low temperature endows CuS@PDA NPs -SNF masks as powerful personal protective equipment for daily protection, which also provides an instructive way for reducing the environmental impact. [Display omitted] • Self-sterilization masks were developed based on photocatalytic reaction. • The mask can inactive bacteria with high efficiency under solar irradiation. • The sterilization is reached at low temperature for real time personal protection. • The mask is reusable and has robust antibacterial effect after several times washing. • The investigation has potential for reducing economic loss and environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) substantially deteriorates the mechanical properties of metals. The HE behavior of nanograined (NG) materials with a high fraction of grain boundaries (GBs) may significantly differ from those of their coarse-grained counterparts. Herein, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to investigate the HE behavior and mechanism of NG α-Fe under creep loading. The effects of temperature, sustained stress, and grain size on the creep mechanism was examined based on the Mukherjee-Bird-Dorn (MBD) equation. The deformation mechanisms were found to be highly dependent on temperature, applied stress, and grain size. Hydrogen charging was found to have an inhibitory effect on the GB-related deformation mechanism. As the grain size increased, the HE mechanism transitioned from H-induced inhibition of GB-related deformation to H-enhanced GB decohesion. The current results might provide theoretical guidance for designing NG structural materials with low HE sensitivity and better mechanical performance. Image 1 • Creep tests were simulated under various temperatures and applied stresses. • The deformation mechanisms are dependent on temperature and stress. • Hydrogen charging inhibits the GB-related deformation mechanism. • With increasing grain size, the HE mechanism changes to H-enhanced GB decohesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanograined materials have much denser grain boundary (GB) networks than their coarse-grained counterparts, thereby the hydrogen (H) diffusion and trapping behaviors in nanograined materials, which are strongly influenced by GBs, may differ greatly from those in coarse-grained materials. In the present research, the grain-size dependent hydrogen diffusion coefficient in nanograined Fe is studied by theoretical analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A theoretical model based on thermodynamics is developed. The GB-related material parameters required by the model are then obtained by fitting the MD simulation results. Finally, the grain-size dependent diffusion coefficients are compared with model predictions to evaluate the validity of the model. It is found that the trapping effect of triple junctions that usually ignored in coarse-grained materials becomes increasing important as grain size and temperature decrease. Due to the strong trapping effect of GBs in nanograined Fe, H diffusion is slowed down by the GBs. • A theoretical model describing the effect of GBs on H diffusion is proposed. • GB-related intrinsic properties are obtained from MD simulation results. • GBs are strong traps for H atoms in nanograined Fe. • Triple junctions of GBs are found to be important trapping sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen (H) embrittlement in multicomponent austenitic alloys is a serious limitation to their application in many environments. Recent experiments show that the High-Entropy Alloy (HEA) CoCrFeMnNi absorbs more H than 304 Stainless Steel but is less prone to embrittlement while the HEA CoCrFeNi is not embrittled under comparable conditions. As a first step toward understanding H embrittlement, here a comprehensive first-principles study of H absorption, surface, and fracture energies in the presence of H is presented for 304 Stainless Steel, 316 Stainless Steel, CoCrFeNi, and CoCrFeMnNi. A collinear paramagnetic model of the magnetic state is used, which is likely more realistic than previous proposed magnetic states. All alloys have a statistical distribution of H absorption sites. Hence, at low concentrations, H is effectively trapped in the lattice making it more difficult for H to segregate to defects or interfaces. Agreement with experimental H solubilities across a range of chemical potentials can be achieved with minor fitting of the average H absorption energy. The (111) surface energies for 0, 50, and 100% H surface coverage are very similar across all alloys. The fracture energies for two representative thermodynamic conditions are then determined. SS304 and CoCrFeNi are found to have the lowest fracture energies, but experiments suggest rather different embrittlement tendencies. These results indicate that differences in H embrittlement across these austenitic alloys are not due solely to differences in H absorption or H-reduced fracture energy, thus requiring more sophisticated concepts than those recently found successful for fcc Ni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although hydrogen-induced fracture at grain boundaries has been widely studied and several mechanisms have been proposed, few studies of nanograined materials have been conducted, especially for grain sizes below the critical size for the inverse Hall-Petch relation. In this research work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to investigate the hydrogen segregation and hydrogen embrittlement mechanism in polycrystalline Fe models. When the same concentration of H atoms is added, the H segregation ratio in the model with the smallest grain size is the highest observed herein, showing the high hydrogen trapping ability of small-grain Fe, while the H concentration at the grain boundaries (GBs) is, on the contrary, the lowest. Uniaxial tensile test simulations demonstrate that as the grain size decreases, the models show an increased resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, and for small-grain models (d < 10 nm), the GB-related deformation modes dominate the plastic deformation, where the segregated H mainly influences the toughness by inhibiting GB-related processes. • HE mechanism of nanograined Fe is studied by molecular dynamics simulations. • The grain size effect on the deformation modes of nanograined Fe is revealed. • Hydrogen can inhibit grain boundary related deformation processes. • Grain refinement can alleviate HE by diluting hydrogen on grain boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Damage degree of the specimens decreased with the increase of dynamic frequency. • Main crack behavior of the specimens matches the distribution of AF-RA. • b -value decreases violently as the loading frequency decreasing. • Time series of acoustic emission impact rate have fractal characteristics. This paper described work initiated with two objectives in mind. First was to explore the influence of strain rate effects on the strength law and deformation characteristics of plate sandstone with combined flaws. Second objective was to analyze the breaking response law and acoustic behavior of flawed sandstone under the influence of disturbance frequency and prefabricated dip angle. Thus, a self-developed physical simulation test system combined with the real-time AE monitoring system, were conducted a series of dynamic cyclic loading tests on the flawed plate sandstone. The results indicated that the dynamic frequencies and dip angles had significant effects on the deformation, strength and failure mode of specimens. Additionally, the degree of specimen failure decreased with the increase of disturbance frequency under the same inclination angle; along with, the most severe failure occurred when the inclination angle was 45 ° under the same disturbance frequency. The main failure mode of specimens was shear failure from the distribution of AF-RA. Meanwhile, for specimens with small angles (30 °, 45 °) and low frequencies (0.1, 0.3 Hz), the failure types were more complex (tensile-shear mixed failure). On the other hand, the AE characteristics mainly included three stages: I-initial cycle, II-stable development, and III-damage & failure. The CNT and ENE were greatly influenced by the disturbance frequency and inclination angle. In addition, the b -value decreased and fluctuates violently, and the strength of the samples was reduced as the loading frequency decreased. The specimens with smaller inclination angles had larger internal activity scales and more frequent damage activities with smaller b -value. Furthermore, Correlation dimension D m was positively correlated with the change of disturbance frequency, and it was smaller when the inclination angle was 45 °. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional general particle dynamics (GPD) has been successfully applied in modeling fracture propagation, frictional contact and stick–slip problems in rocks. In this study, the updated Lagrangian nonlocal general particle dynamics (UL-NGPD) method is proposed to solve large deformation problems. In the UL-NGPD, the continuity equation and momentum equation are reformulated in the integro-differential formulation by introducing nonlocal theories in the updated Lagrangian framework. The artificial viscosity and artificial force state are utilized to enhance the numerical stability and accuracy in modeling large deformation. The nonlocal velocity gradient in the deformed configuration is used to update the Cauchy stress rate from the Drucker-Prager elasto-plastic constitutive model with strain-softening behaviour for solids. The UL-NGPD paradigm is numerically implemented through an explicit Predictor-Corrector scheme for high-performance computing. The stability and accuracy of the UL-NGPD are verified by numerical tests on compression test, slope stability analysis and aluminum bar collapse experiment. Thereafter, simulations of granular soil collapse and retrogressive landslide in sensitive clays are presented to demonstrate its efficacy and robustness in modeling challenging geotechnical problems involving large deformation. The numerical results show that the proposed UL-NGPD is powerful and suitable for analyzing large deformation problems in geotechnical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavobacterium columnare (F. columnare) is one of the deadliest fish pathogens causing bacterial gill rot disease in various freshwater fish species globally. Tea polyphenols (TPs) are an inexpensive product extracted from tea that have received much attention as a feed additive in aquaculture. The current study was designed to investigate the underlying mechanisms and protective effects of dietary TPs against F. columnare -induced gill injury via suppression of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation in grass carp. TPs were not supplemented to the diet (control) and were supplemented at 40, 80, 120, 160 or 200 mg/kg diet. The feeding experiment was carried out for 60 days, followed by a 3-Day F. columnare challenge test. The results showed that 120 mg/kg TPs in the diet exerted the following five protective effects in fish gill: (1) control gill-rot disease and improved histopathology, (2) inhibit excessive apoptosis, (3) enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes and upregulate related gene expression via the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, (4) increase the activity of immune enzymes, And (5) mediate inflammatory cytokine gene expression via the JAK/STAT3 pathway. Taken together, dietary supplementation with TPs is a compelling approach to protect the gill function of fish against F. columnare. • Tea polyphenols level reduced the incidence of rotten gill and protected gill morphology of grass carp. • Tea polyphenols attenuated the adverse effects induced by F. columnare of grass carp by enhancing antioxidant capacity, immunity and mediating excessive apoptosis and inflammatory response in gill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A hierarchical porous carbonaceous framework with abundant single-atom WN x active sites and numerous ultrafine WN nanoclusters was prepared. • The optimal W/N/C exhibits outstanding trifunctional catalytic activity and robust durability towards IOR/ORR/IDR. • Homemade rechargeable zinc-air/iodide batteries using the multifunctional W/N/C catalyst as cathode catalysts demonstrates a high peak energy density of 141.9 mW cm−2. Different from the conventional Zinc-Air batteries which only involves oxygen reduction and evolution (ORR/OER) in the cathode, the cathode of rechargeable zinc–air/iodide hybrid batteries (ZAIHBs), with the addition of I − species, involves I − electrooxidation (IOR) during charging and oxygen/iodate reduction (ORR and IDR) during discharging. This work reports the synthesis of a hierarchically porous tungsten-based nitrogen-doped carbon framework (W/N/C) with abundant WN x active sites and numerous ultrafine WN nanoclusters and explores their application as a trifunctional IOR/ORR/IDR electrocatalyst for ZAIHBs. The formation mechanism of ZIF-8-derived W/N/C framework as well as its structural and compositional features were investigated. The catalyst demonstrates high trifunctional catalytic activity and robust durability towards IOR/ORR/IDR in alkaline condition, owing to the uniform copresence of the numerous sub-nanometer-sized WN nanoclusters and the abundant single atom WN x sites in the hierarchically structured carbon framework. When applied in homemade ZAIHBs, it revealed a high peak energy density (141.9 mW cm−2) and remarkable cycling stability (65 h), outperforming the commercial Pt/C catalysts. This work demonstrates the multi-functional electrocatalytic activity of tungsten-based non-noble metal electrocatalyst for high-performance ZAIHBs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]