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A simplified column-buckling model is developed to understand the buckling mechanism of thin-walled strips restrained by uniform lateral pressure in the milling process. The strip is simplified as two rigid columns connected by a rotation spring, resting on a smooth surface, restrained by a uniform pressure and loaded by an axial force. Two loading cases are considered, i.e., the dead load and the follower load. Analytical solutions for the post-buckling responses of the two cases are derived based on the energy method. The minimum buckling force, Maxwell force and stability conditions for the two cases are established. It is demonstrated that the application of higher uniform pressure increases the minimum buckling force for the column and thus makes the column less likely to buckle. For the same pressure level, the dead load is found to be more effective than the follower load in suppressing the buckling of the system. The effect of initial geometric imperfection is also investigated, and the imperfection amplitude and critical restraining pressure that prevent buckling are found to be linearly related. The analytical results are validated by finite element simulations. This analytical model reveals the buckling mechanism of strips under lateral pressure restraint, which cannot be explained by the conventional bifurcation buckling theory, and provides a theoretical foundation for buckling-prevention strategies during the milling process of thin-walled strips, plates and shells commonly encountered in aerospace or automotive industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium wilt of banana (Musa acuminata) poses a significant threat to the banana industry globally. Salicylic acid (SA) serves as a crucial signaling molecule activating the plant's defense response against pathogen infections while also regulating various aspects of plant growth and development. High Expression of Osmotically Responsive Genes 15 (HOS15) acts as a transcriptional corepressor and an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex substrate receptor, playing an important role in regulating biological stress processes. However, the exact immune mechanism of MaHOS15 in the SA signaling pathway remains unclear. In this study, we utilized RT-qPCR, yeast two-hybridization, subcellular localization and allogeneic expression of Arabidopsis to explore MaHOS15's function against banana fusarium wilt. The expression changes of SA pathway-related factors MaNPR3, MaNPR4, MaNPR11, MaTGA8 and MaHOS15 in Foc TR4-resistant and Foc TR4-susceptible bananas infected with Foc TR4 were compared and analyzed. The results showed that the MaHOS15 expression trend in the two cultivars was opposite, while the expression trend of MaNPR4 and MaNPR11 was contrary to that of MaHOS15. Moreover, heterologous overexpression of MaHOS15 in Arabidopsis reduced the variance in SA-related signaling factors. The expression of MaHOS15 increased after defense activation, inhibiting the expression of SA-related immune factors, the immunoregulation of MaHOS15 and SA exhibited contrasting results. Collectively, these findings suggest that MaHOS15 negatively regulates plant immune defenses against banana Fusarium wilt via the salicylic acid pathway, offering potential applications in improving plant resistance to banana Fusarium wilt. • The transcriptional regulator MaHOS15 was discovered in bananas for the first time. • It was confirmed that MaHOS15 was involved in banana wilt by negatively regulating SA-related factors. • This study revealed defense mechanisms of banana against Fusarium wilt disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Assessing the invasiveness of pituitary adenomas (PAs) is critical to making the best surgical and treatment plan. However, it is difficult to determine the invasiveness of pituitary adenomas based on current clinical methods, such as imaging and histological methods. The present article aims to investigate noninvasive methods to discover viable biomarkers for invasive pituitary adenomas and provide a basis for early intervention of pituitary adenomas. Methods: E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Epcam, TGF-β, Smad3, and Smad7 were detected in the tissues and exosomes in 10 cases of invasive PAs and 10 cases of noninvasive PAs by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemical analysis. Results: Compared with that in the noninvasive group, the expression of N-cad in the exosomes of the invasive group was significantly increased, and the expression of E-cad and Epcam was reduced. In the invasive group, the expression levels of TGF-β 1 and Smad3 were reduced. These results were consistent across exosomes and groups. In further cell experiments, the EMT ratio in the SIS3 treatment group, and especially in the TGF-β 1 plus SIS3 treatment group (P < 0.001), was significantly increased, and the EMT ratio was significantly lower when one-half the dose of TGF-β and SIS3. Conclusion: The results indicate that EMT-related biomarkers in serum exosomes can be potentially used for assessing the invasiveness of pituitary adenoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buckling of a column under pre-load restraint has been found to differ from the conventional bifurcation problems and thus requires better understanding. To this end, a simple model consisting of two collinear rigid bars connected by a rotational spring, resting on a smooth surface, loaded by an axial force and restrained by a constant force at the common joint is investigated. The energy method is adopted to establish the equilibrium and stability conditions. The post-buckling response of the simple system indicates that the load-restrained buckling problem is a snap-through problem. The minimum possible buckling force and the buckling force based on the Maxwell construction are found to increase with the restraining force, and can be approximated by power-law functions. It is further shown that an energy barrier exists for the snap-through to occur and the buckling force depends on the perturbation energy. Sensitivity of this system to initial geometric imperfections is also investigated, and an energy barrier is also found to exist for the buckling of systems with imperfection amplitudes smaller than a certain critical value. The characteristic imperfection amplitude depends on the restraining force and, interestingly, transforms the snap-through problem into an eigenvalue problem identical to the conventional one, i.e., the one without imperfection and restraining force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inelastic response and failure of Al-6061-T6 tubes under combined internal pressure and tension is investigated as part of a broader study of ductile failure of Al-alloys. A custom experimental setup is used to load thin-walled tubes to failure under radial paths in the axial-hoop stress space. All loading paths achieve nominal stress maxima beyond which deformation localizes into a narrow band. 3D digital image correlation (DIC) was used to monitor the deformations in the test section and successfully captured the rapid growth of strain within the localization bands where they burst. The biaxial stress states generated are first used to calibrate the nonquadratic anisotropic Yld04-3D yield function (Barlat et al., 2005, "Linear Transformation-based Anisotropic Yield Functions," Int. J. Plasticity, 21(5), pp. 1009-1039). The constitutive model is then incorporated through a UMAT into a finite element analysis and used to simulate numerically the experiments. The same calculations were performed using von Mises (VM) and an isotropic nonquadratic yield function. The material hardening responses adopted were extracted for each constitutive model from the necked zone of a tensile test using an inverse method. The use of solid elements captures the evolution of local deformation deep into the localizing part of the response, producing strain levels that are required in the application of failure criteria. The results demonstrate that the adoption of a nonquadratic yield function, together with a correct material hardening response are essential for large deformation predictions in localizing zones in Al-alloys. Including the anisotropy in such a constitutive model produces results that are closest to the experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The responses of the tubular specimens loaded under combined tension and torsion in Part I exhibited limit load instabilities followed by extensive localized deformation prior to failure. The present manuscript outlines an analytical framework that aims to establish the extent to which plasticity can reproduce the measured responses up to the onset of failure without the introduction of damage-induced softening effects. The analysis incorporates a suitably calibrated non-quadratic anisotropic yield function, a material hardening response extracted to large strains from a simple shear test, and a finite element model with refined 3-D elements. The analysis successfully reproduces the shear and axial stress levels during the homogeneous deformation parts of the response, the stresses and deformations at the load maxima, and the parts with decreasing stress associated with localized deformation. Furthermore, the geometry of the necked zones and the rapid growth of strain inside them are reproduced to levels that correspond to the recorded failure strains. Critical aspects of this successful effort are the non-quadratic anisotropic yield function and the material hardening adopted. It is concluded that the framework developed, combined with a suitable failure criterion based on results like those in Part I, constitute a viable tool for establishing the end of life of structures in engineering practice. • Simulated with finite elements the tension-torsion experiments in Part I. • Calibrated a non-quadratic anisotropic yield function. • Material hardening from a simple shear test accounting for material frame rotation. • Analysis reproduces all aspects of measured responses including the localization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This two-part series of papers presents complementary experiments and analyses of ductile failure of an aluminum alloy in the challenging regime of moderate to low stress triaxiality. Part I uses a custom tension-torsion experimental setup to establish the response and the onset of failure under proportional and non-proportional stress histories that form the basis for the numerical simulations in Part II. The test section of the adopted tubular specimen allows large localized strains to develop unimpeded, which were captured using high-resolution digital image correlation (DIC). The measured failure strains exhibit a monotonic decrease as triaxiality increases, similar to the results of Scales et al. (2016). A difference is that the present failure strains are calculated by integrating the work-compatible equivalent plastic strain increments over the loading history, which necessitates the use of a constitutive model. It is shown that for triaxialities greater than 0.2 the integrated failure strains are very close to the values measured directly from the last DIC image. Furthermore, the choice of constitutive model does not significantly affect the measured strains. For the four corner-path experiments, the state of stress and equivalent strain at failure were found to be close to the values of the corresponding radial paths. Microscopic evaluations indicated that the material exhibited limited void growth until just prior to rupture. Part II of this series investigates the extent to which properly-calibrated plasticity models can reproduce the high strains in the localized zones. • Conducted a set of tension-torsion experiments under proportional and non-proportional path. • All experiments resulted in limit load instabilities followed by localized deformation. • Localized deformation monitored with high-resolution DIC. • Failure strains decrease monotonically with triaxiality. • Failure strains reported much higher than previous values for this alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs the hydraulic bulge test in combination with analysis to extract the stress–strain response of an anisotropic Al-6022-T43 sheet metal. Tests are performed in a facility with a 150 mm aperture and the deformation of the bulge is continuously monitored via 3D digital image correlation. The relatively high ductility of this alloy enabled the bulge to deform well past a pressure maximum, reaching a strain of 0.66 at rupture. After the pressure maximum, deformation localized around the apex and the strain profile acquired an increasingly conical shape. Anisotropy is modeled with Barlat's Yld04-3D yield function, calibrated through a set of independent experiments. The measured strains and curvatures at the apex are used in conjunction with membrane equilibrium and Yld04-3D to extract the material stress–strain response. The procedure adopted does not assume an equibiaxial state of stress or strain. A finite element model of the bulge test that includes the draw bead and clamping hardware is used to simulate the experiments. The model accurately reproduces all aspects of the experiment including the strain profile and its localization after the pressure maximum. A parametric study of the problem revealed that the particular anisotropy of the analyzed sheet did not influence the overall behavior of the bulge, but affects the onset of failure in the presence of MK-type thickness imperfections. The amount of material slipping over the draw bead during pressurization, however, is shown to have a more significant impact on the bulge response and the extracted stress–strain response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the mechanical and forming behavior of pure niobium sheet, which has broad applications in low-temperature physics including the proposed International Linear Collider. An extensive suite of mechanical tests is performed on commercially-pure niobium (CP-Nb), including uniaxial tension, strain-rate-jump, biaxial tension and disc compression, which are used to characterize the plastic behavior of the CP-Nb sheet. The material is found to have significant plastic anisotropy, high R-values, significant ductility, and non-negligible rate-dependent behavior. Subsequently, two types of forming experiments, deep-drawing and stretch-forming, are conducted with CP-Nb blanks of different diameters. These two experiments subject the CP-Nb sheet to different modes of deformation and stress states, and are meant to highlight the strengths and deficiencies of constitutive models. To model the forming behavior of the CP-Nb sheet, the material hardening at large strains is extracted from the uniaxial tension test, including the strain-rate effect. The plastic anisotropy of the CP-Nb sheet is modeled with the Yld2000-2D and Yld2004-3D non-quadratic yield functions. The friction coefficient of 0.25 is inversely identified from the deep-drawing experiments, by matching the predicted and measured punch force–displacement responses. While the features of the deep-drawing experiment are captured well using the constitutive framework described above, those of the stretch-forming experiment are not. Agreement with the latter is accomplished only after a targeted recalibration of the anisotropic yield function. This underscores the general conclusion that successful modeling of plastic deformation processes requires an accurately calibrated yield function which captures the dominant, process-specific stress states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydraulic bulge test provides a means for testing sheet metal under a nearly equibiaxial stress state. Failure is delayed, allowing measurement of the material response at significantly larger strains than in the traditional uniaxial test. This study uses experiment and analysis to develop a methodology for incorporating anisotropy in the extraction of the material stress–strain response from a bulge test. A custom six-inch bulge testing facility is used to test aluminum alloy discs to failure. The curvature and strains at the apex of the bulge are monitored via stereo digital image correlation (DIC). Anisotropy is modeled via the 18-parameter non-quadratic yield function of Barlat et al. (2005), which is calibrated through independent tests on specimens from the same sheet as the bulge test specimens. The extraction of the material response uses the measured deformation at the apex and a flow rule based on the calibrated yield function. An equibiaxial state of stress or strain at the apex is not assumed. The extracted material response and the anisotropic yield function are subsequently used to simulate numerically the bulge test using solid elements. The results illustrate the effect of anisotropy on the extracted material stress–strain response and on the onset of localization that precedes failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent genome-wide association studies reveal that chromosome 3q resides within the linkage region for diabetic nephropathy (DN) in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1D and T2D). The TRPC1 gene is on chromosome 3q22-24, and it has been demonstrated that TRPC1 expression is reduced in the kidney of diabetic animal models. Genetic association of TRPC1 polymorphism with T1D and DN has been reported in European Americans. However, there are no studies reporting the association of TRPC1 genetic polymorphism with T2D with and without DN in Chinese population. This study aimed to demonstrate the genetic role of TRPC1 in the development of T2D with and without DN in Chinese Han population. A genetic association study of TRPC1 was performed in T2D cases and in nondiabetic controls from Han population located in Northern Chinese areas. Six tag single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers derived from HapMap data were genotyped. Among the six SNPs, only rs7638459 was suspected as risk factor of T2D without DN, fitting the log-additive model. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the CC genotyping was 2.39 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.00-5.68), compared with the TT genotyping. In addition, rs953239 was found to be a protective factor of getting DN in T2D, also fitting the log-additive model. When compared with the AA genotyping for SNP rs953239, the adjusted OR for CC genotyping was 0.63 (95% CI = 0.44-0.99). To summarize, this study shows that TRPC1 genetic polymorphisms are associated with T2D and DN in T2D in the Han Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the inherent disadvantages of Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3‐based (BNT‐based) piezoceramics is that an increment of the depolarization temperature (Td) is generally accompanied by a deterioration of the temperature stability of the real‐time piezoelectric constant (d33), which severely restricts the practical applications of the materials. Herein, we propose a new strategy to mitigate the conflict between the elevation of Td and the temperature stability of the real‐time d33 in BNT‐based ceramics via integrating the pressure‐assisted sintering and quenching process. By this strategy, we not only increased the Td from 109 to 166°C but also improved the temperature stability of the real‐time d33 (the temperature coefficient Ttc = ± 13 pC/N) in 0.94Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3–0.06BaTiO3 ceramic. Both the built‐in field and the increment of the field‐induced R3c phase fraction play the significant role in enhancing the Td and the temperature stability of the real‐time d33. Thus, our work provides a simple and effective approach for designing piezoceramics with high Td and a superior temperature stability of the real‐time d33. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buckling of structures under lateral load restraint has been found to differ from the conventional bifurcation problems and cannot be handled with conventional analysis. Towards a better understanding of this type of unconventional buckling problems, this work investigates the upheaval buckling of an elastica resting on a smooth surface and restrained by a lateral constant force. Analytical solutions for the Mode-1 and Mode-2 post-buckling responses and configurations of the elastica are established. Stability of the post-buckling configurations under force-control are investigated via the energy method. An energy barrier is found to exist and the buckling load depends on the restraining force and perturbation energy. The imperfection sensitivity of the system is different from the conventional buckling ones, and a characteristic imperfection is found to exist that can transform a snap-through instability into a bifurcation buckling. As a first attempt to address the problem of flange wrinkling under a constant blank-holding force during the cup-drawing process, the fundamental solutions are extended to study the wrinkling of a shrinking elastic annulus under a constant lateral restraining force. The post-wrinkling responses are established and an energy barrier is found to exist for each wrinkling mode. A characteristic imperfection is also found to exist for each mode, which eliminates the energy barrier and enables bifurcation wrinkling. The linear relationship between the critical restraining force that prevents the wrinkling of the elastic annulus and the imperfection amplitude is established, which is also verified by numerical simulations. This study contributes to a better understanding of load-restrained buckling problems and is expected to shed light on the elastoplastic buckling of plates and shells under lateral load restraints in general, and on the wrinkling of a thin sheet during cup-drawing in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under tensile loadings, thin-walled structures such as sheet metal and tubes develop load maxima, or limit loads, beyond which deformation localizes leading to rupture. For uniform stress states, Considère-type estimates of limit loads can serve as forming limits in applications. The paper explores the effect of anisotropy on such estimates for thin-walled Al-alloy tubes under combined tension and torsion. Anisotropy is modeled using Yld04-3D with an exponent of 8. Material hardening originates from a simple shear test using this yield function, taking into account material axes rotation caused by the shearing. A Considère formulation is developed for the problem, which also incorporates the effect of material frame rotation. The analysis is used to establish limit loads for a set of circumferentially constrained tension–torsion experiments tested under radial nominal tension-shear stress paths. The predictions reproduce the strains measured at the limit loads for the range of biaxiality ratios considered. By contrast, corresponding results produced using the isotropic yield functions of von Mises and Hosford(8) increasingly deviate from the measured results as the shear stress increases. Considère-type formulation is also developed for the same tension–torsion loadings for a uniform thickness tube. The results exhibit a similar trend but the limit strains for shear dominant paths are significantly lower, demonstrating the stabilizing effect of the circumferential constraint used in the experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the requirement of lighter weight and better performance in tube hydroforming, one of the most important tasks is to accurately predict the forming limit of thin-walled tubes under nonlinear loading paths. This work established the M-K+DF2012 model, a combination of the M-K model and the DF2012 ductile fracture criterion, for the forming limit prediction of thin-walled tubes under nonlinear loading paths. In this model, the failure of the groove is determined by the DF2012 criterion, and the corresponding strains in the uniform region are the limit strains. The limit strains of an AA6061 aluminum alloy tube under a set of linear loading paths and two typical nonlinear loading paths were tested. Parameter values of the M-K+DF2012 model for the tube were determined based on the experimental limit strains under linear loading paths, and the limit strains under the two nonlinear loading paths were predicted. Then the strain-based forming limit diagram (ε-FLD) and the polar effective plastic strain FLD (PEPS-FLD) of the tube under different pre-strains were predicted and discussed. The results show that the limit strains of the tube are obviously path-dependent, and the M-K+DF2012 model can reasonably capture the limit strains of the tube under both linear and nonlinear loading paths. The predicted ε-FLD shows a strong dependence on the pre-strain, while the predicted PEPS-FLD is weakly strain path-dependent and almost path-independent on the right-hand side for the AA6061 tube. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sheet metal forming, the material is usually subjected to a complex nonlinear loading process, and the anisotropic hardening behavior of the material must be considered in order to accurately predict the deformation of the sheet. In recent years, the homogeneous anisotropic hardening (HAH) model has been applied in the simulation of sheet metal forming. However, the existing HAH model is established in the second-order stress deviator space, which makes the calculation complicated and costly, especially for a plane stress problem such as sheet metal forming. In an attempt to reduce the computational cost, an HAH model in plane stress state is proposed, and called the HAH-2d model in this paper. In the HAH-2d model, both the stress vector and microstructure vector contain only three in-plane components, so the calculation is significantly simplified. The characteristics of the model under typical nonlinear loading paths are analyzed. Additionally, the feasibility of the model is verified by the stress–strain responses of DP780 and EDDQ steel sheets under different two-step uniaxial tension tests. The results show that the HAH-2d model can reasonably reflect the Bauschinger effect and the permanent softening effect in reverse loading, and the latent hardening effect in cross loading, while the predictive accuracy for cross-loading softening remains to be improved. In the future, the HAH-2d model can be further modified to describe more anisotropic hardening behaviors and applied to numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-dimension complex integral thin-shell components are widely used in advanced transportation equipment. However, with the dimensional limitations of raw blanks and the manufacturing process, there are inhomogeneous geometric and mechanical properties at welded joints after welding, which have a significant effect on the subsequent forming process. Therefore, in this paper, the microstructure of welded joints with a sharp property change was accurately characterized by the proposed isothermal treatment method using the BR1500HS welded tube as an example. In addition, an accurate constitutive model of welded tubes was established to predict the deformation behavior. Firstly, the heat-treated specimens were subjected to uniaxial tensile tests and the stress–strain curves under different heat treatment conditions were obtained. Then, the continuous change in flow stress in the direction of the base metal zone, the heat-affected zone and the weld zone was described by the relationship between the microhardness, flow stress and center angle of the welded tube. Using such a method, a continuous constitutive model of welded tubes has been established. Finally, the constitutive model was compiled into finite-element software as a user material subroutine (VUHARD). The reliability of the established constitutive model was verified by simulating the free hydro-bulging process of welded tubes. The results indicated that the continuous constitutive model can well describe the deformation response during the free hydro-bulging process, and accurately predicted the equivalent strain distribution and thickness thinning rate. This study provides guidance in accurately predicting the plastic deformation behavior of welded tubes and its application in practice in hydroforming industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : To establish a comprehensive diagnostic model for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) based on laboratory indicators and clinical data. Methods: A retrospective method was used to query the medical records of patients with NMOSD from January 2019 to December 2021. At the same time, clinical data of other neurological diseases were also collected for comparison. Clinical data of the NMOSD group and non-NMOSD group were analyzed, and the diagnostic model was established based on these data. In addition, the model was evaluated and verified by the receiver operating curve. Results: A total of 73 patients with NMOSD were included, and the ratio of males to females was 1:3.06. The indicators that showed differences between the NMOSD group and non NMOSD group included neutrophils (P = 0.0438), PT (P = 0.0028), APTT (P < 0.0001), CK (P = 0.002), IBIL (P = 0.0181), DBIL (P < 0.0001), TG (P = 0.0078), TC (P = 0.0117), LDL-C (P = 0.0054), ApoA1 (P = 0.0123), ApoB (P = 0.0217), TPO antibody (P = 0.012), T3 (P = 0.0446), B lymphocyte subsets (P = 0.0437), urine sg (P = 0.0123), urine pH (P = 0.0462), anti-SS-A antibody (P = 0.0036), RO-52 (P = 0.0138), CSF simplex virus antibody I-IGG (P = 0.0103), anti-AQP4 antibody (P < 0.0001), and anti-MOG antibody (P = 0.0036). Logistic regression analysis showed that changes in ocular symptoms, anti-SSA antibody, anti-TPO antibody, B lymphocyte subsets, anti-AQP4 antibody, anti-MOG antibody, TG, LDL, ApoB, and APTT had a significant impact on diagnosis. The AUC of the combined analysis was 0.959. The AUC of the new ROC for AQP4- and MOG- antibody negative NMOSD was 0.862. Conclusions: A diagnostic model was successfully established, which can play an important role in differential diagnosis of NMOSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 6- and 9-substituted cleistopholine derivatives has been designed, synthesized and investigated to inhibit the aggregation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and β-myloid (A β). Results showed that these synthetic compounds had excellent AChE inhibitory activity and a significant in vitro inhibitory potency toward the self-induced A β aggregation. When SH-SY5Y cells were treated with these substituted cleistopholine derivatives during they overexpressed the Swedish mutant form of human β -amyloid precursor protein (APPsw), A β 42 secretion levels were significantly reduced. According to a parallel artificial membrane permeation assay for BBB, seven out of these sixteen synthetic compounds probably could cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to reach their targets in the central nervous system (CNS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial monosomy 21 results in a great variability of clinical features that may be associated with the size and location of the deletion. In this study, we report a 22-month-old girl who showed a 45,XX,add(12)(p13)dn,-21 karyotype. The final cytogenomic result was 45,XX,der(12)t(12; 21)(p13;q22.11) dn,-21.arr[hg19] 21q11.2q22.11(14824453_33868129)×1 revealing a deletion from 21pter to 21q22.11. Clinical manifestation of the patient included hypertonia, a long philtrum, epicanthic folds, low-set ears, and café-au-lait macules - a phenotype considered as mild despite the relatively large size of the deletion compared to patients from the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal cycling absorption process (TCAP) has been developed for years to support the separation of hydrogen isotopes, which has the characteristics of high separation efficiency and high recovery rate. The design of separation column structure, heating and cooling (H&C) system and technological parameters are the basis of TCAP technical process study and are the key points of TCAP engineering research. In this work, an improved separation system has been designed and built based on an oil bath H&C system for the first time. The separation column in this facility is 45 m long and the packing weight in the column is up to 8 kg. The separation experiments were carried out based on this facility, and the process parameters were adjusted according to the size of the separation column, which proved the superior performance of this facility. The separation experiments show that for 50% D 2 - 50% H 2 feed gas, the deuterium abundance can reach to 99% and the steady state extraction can be realized in production mode with the processing capacity over 400 standard L per day. Another experiment has been carried out with 1% D 2 - 99% H 2 feed gas, and the deuterium abundance exceeded 10%, verifying the separation ability at low abundance deuterium feed gas. Furthermore, the extraction rate can reach to 25% column capacity when the deuterium abundance in production gas is 5%. [Display omitted] • Oil bath heating and cooling circulation system was proposed for the first time. • Efficient separation is achieved on a large separation column. • For 50% D 2 - 50% H 2 feed gas, the deuterium abundance reached 99.9%. • Single 25% column capacity extraction was achieved for 1% D 2 - 99% H 2 feed gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simple shear test shows significant advantages when measuring the hardening and shear properties of thin sheet metal at large strains. However, previous shear tests had an end effect caused by local stress concentration and a boundary effect caused by deformation overflow, resulting in non-uniform strain distribution in the shear zone. Therefore, a unique V-shaped double-shear-zone specimen is proposed to measure the Bauschinger effect under cyclic shear loading conditions in this paper. Simple shear experiments and three different types of cycle shear experiments are conducted to analyze the uniformity of deformation in the shear zone and the effect of pre-strain and the number of cyclic loads on the Bauschinger effect of Q890 high-strength steel sheets. The results indicate that the proposed V-shaped double-shear-zone specimen can still maintain uniform shear deformation in forward/reverse cyclic loading experiments, even at large strains. Q890 high-strength steel exhibits a significant Bauschinger effect, which is more pronounced with the increase in shear pre-strain and loading cycles. The results of this paper provide a new approach for studying the hardening characteristics under large strain and the mechanical properties under cyclic shear loading for metal sheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an experimental method to identify anisotropic coefficients in non-principal axis directions of thin-walled tubes. The method involves extracting specimens from the parent tubes and machining a hole in the axial center. The specimens are then inserted into a tube without a hole. The inner diameter of the specimen is theoretically equal to the outer diameter of the inner tube. The double-layer tube undergoes free bulging under internal pressure in our self-developed experimental equipment, with the hole on the specimen expanding simultaneously. The stress states around the hole are uniaxial, and the hole deformation can reflect the anisotropic plastic flow characteristics of the tube. Furthermore, based on the information obtained from the proposed experimental method, a hybrid numerical–experimental method was used to identify the anisotropic coefficients of tubes. Through FE simulations, the relationships between the thickness, stress, and strain states around the hole, the hole shape, and anisotropic coefficients of non-principal axis directions are revealed, and the factors that affect the hole deformation are analyzed. Finally, the hole bulging experiments and FE simulations of AA6061-O extruded tube were conducted, and modeled with Hill48 and calibrated by uniaxial tensile and hoop tensile tests. Its in-plane anisotropy coefficients in any direction are given for the first time which first increase and then decrease from 0° to 90°, reaching a maximum of 1.13 in 60° and a minimum of 0.69 in 0°. This work can provide the key experimental data for establishing an accurate anisotropic plastic constitutive model of thin-walled tubes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An analytical model to predict the instability strains of bulge tests of anisotropic materials. • Effect of radial slipping on the instability strain of bulge test is investigated analytically. • Extension of Hill's bulge instability theory by introducing the effect of slipping. • Numerical and experimental validations of the proposed analytical model. • Validation of the general kinematic relationships and the proportionalities of stresses, strains, and radii of curvatures in bulge tests of anisotropic materials. The hydraulic bulge test is widely adopted to characterize the mechanical properties of sheet materials under biaxial loading. The onset of bulge instability at pressure maximum reflects the formability of the materials. This paper develops an analytical model to predict the instability strains of bulge tests of anisotropic materials based on the general kinematic relationships in bulge tests. This model is further extended to include the effect of radial slipping near the draw-bead, which is found to decrease the instability strains of bulge tests. In addition, the effect of slipping is also introduced in Hill's bulge instability theory. A parametric study of the effect of hardening and anisotropy is conducted with the Swift hardening model and Hill48 yield criterion. The accuracy and robustness of the proposed model are validated by both numerical and experimental results for a broad range of anisotropic materials. Our model is found to be much more accurate than Hill's model in predicting the bulge instability strains of anisotropic sheets. The proposed theoretical model is expected to be helpful in evaluating the maximum hardening strain that can be extracted from the bulge test and the forming limits of anisotropic sheet metal under biaxial tension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the challenge of manufacturing NiAl intermetallic thin-walled components, an integrated manufacturing process using the preform prepared by laying/winding of metal foil strips was proposed. This method entails the initial fabrication of a stacked foil preform via the laying/winding of metal foil strips, followed by pre-sintering to prepare a laminated preform. Subsequently, precise shaping is achieved through hot bulging of the laminated preform, while the NiAl intermetallic phase is obtained through reaction synthesis of Ni and Al foils under hot pressing. The microstructure of Ni/Al/Ni laminated preforms under varied sintering parameters and different laminating methods were analyzed. Additionally, the deformation behaviors of these preforms at both room and high temperatures were investigated via tensile tests and bulge tests. Results show: (1) The micro-cracks and Ni-Ni interface delamination occurred in the brittle Ni 2 Al 3 layer of the laminated preform. The deformation capability of laminated plates decreased as the thickness of the brittle Ni 2 Al 3 layer increased with sintering time. (2) Tiny gaps between foils due to laying path and foil size deviations, causing reduced deformability and fractures when the tensile direction was perpendicular to these gaps. (3) These gaps and micro-cracks can be progressively eliminated through hot pressing sintering processes. The findings verify the preliminary feasibility of the proposed novel manufacturing process and provide a novel solution for manufacturing NiAl intermetallic thin-walled components. [Display omitted] • Propose a novel process for intermetallic thin-walled components using the preform prepared by metal foil strips. • Determine the optimal sintering parameters and deformation parameters of the Ni/Al/Ni laminates. • Clarify the relationship between the deformation behavior of Ni/Al/Ni laminates and their microstructures. • The viability of the integrated manufacturing process for intermetallic thin-walled components was validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Houttuynia cordata is a medicinal and edible plant with a wide biological interest. Many parts were discarded due to various modes of consumption, resulting in resource waste. In this study, a comprehensive study was conducted on various edible indicators and medicinal components of Houttuynia cordata to understand its edible and medicinal value. The edible indexes of each root, stem, and leaf were determined, and the metabolites of different parts were investigated using the headspace solid-phase micro-extraction technique (HS-SPME-GC-MS). The differential metabolites were screened by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and clustering analysis. The results of the study showed that the parts of Houttuynia cordata with high edibility values as a vegetable were mainly the roots and leaves, with the highest vitamin C content in the roots and the highest total flavonoids, soluble sugars, and total protein in the leaves. The nutrient content of all the stems of Houttuynia cordata was lower and significantly different from the roots and leaves (p < 0.05). In addition, 209 metabolites were isolated from Houttuynia cordata, 135 in the roots, 146 in the stems, 158 in the leaves, and 91 shared metabolites. The clustering analysis and OPLS-DA found that the parts of Houttuynia cordata can be mainly divided into above-ground parts (leaves and stems) and underground parts (roots). When comparing the differential metabolites between the above-ground parts and underground parts, it was found that the most important medicinal component of Houttuynia cordata, 2-undecanone, was mainly concentrated in the underground parts. The cluster analysis resulted in 28 metabolites with up-regulation and 17 metabolites with down-regulation in the underground parts. Most of the main components of the underground part have pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antiviral, which are more suitable for drug development. Furthermore, the above-ground part has more spice components and good antioxidant capacity, which is suitable for the extraction of edible flavors. Therefore, by comparing and analyzing the differences between the edible and medicinal uses of different parts of Houttuynia cordata as a medicinal and food plant, good insights can be obtained into food development, pharmaceutical applications, agricultural development, and the hygiene and cosmetic industries. This paper provides a scientific basis for quality control and clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let G be a finite group and e a positive integer dividing |G|, the order of G. Denoting Le(G) = {x ∈ G|xe = 1}. Frobenius proved that |Le(G)| = ke for some positive integer k ≥ 1. Let k(G) be the upper bound of the set {k||Le(G)| = ke, ∀ e ||G|}. In this paper, a complete classification of the finite group G with k(G) = 3 is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen isotopes are the main fuel in the fusion reactor, and the separation of hydrogen isotope gas mixture is the key process for the operation of fusion reactor. Cryogenic gas chromatography is an effective method which can be used for both separation and analysis of hydrogen isotopes. The chromatographic stationary phase determines the hydrogen isotopes separation performance. In this study, a series of pillared-layer MOFs Ni 2 (L) 2 (dabco) (H 2 L: 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H 2 bdc), 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (H 2 ndc), 9,10-anthracenedicarboxylic acid (H 2 adc); dabco: 1,4-diazabicyclo-[2.2.2]octane) were synthesized by changing the bridging dicarboxylate ligands with different steric hindrance. The effect of MOFs structure on hydrogen isotope interaction strength was studied by isothermal adsorption experiments of pure H 2 and D 2 at 77 K and 87 K, and programmed temperature desorption experiments of H 2 -D 2 mixture from 25 K to 120 K. The enrichment factor for D 2 over H 2 up to 6.8 was obtained for Ni 2 (adc) 2 (dabco) by static adsorption experiment of H 2 -D 2 mixture. Finally, the MOFs composites Ni 2 (L) 2 (dabco)@γ-Al 2 O 3 were obtained by in situ solvothermal reaction loading MOFs on γ-Al 2 O 3 , and cryogenic gas chromatographic separation performance of H 2 -D 2 and H 2 -HD-D 2 mixtures using three composites-packed columns at liquid nitrogen temperature was investigated. The optimum separation was achieved when Ni 2 (adc) 2 (dabco)@γ-Al 2 O 3 was used as stationary phase due to strongest interaction strength with hydrogen isotope. The separation resolution R (H 2 /HD) and R (HD/D 2) is up to 1.31 and 3.26 respectively. [Display omitted] • A series of pillared-layer MOFs were synthesized by changing the bridging dicarboxylate ligands. • The effect of MOFs structure on hydrogen isotope interaction strength was studied. • Composites Ni 2 (L) 2 (dabco)@γ-Al 2 O 3 is used for chromatographic separation of hydrogen isotopes. • Ni 2 (adc) 2 (dabco)@γ-Al 2 O 3 showed the optimum R (H 2 /HD) and R (HD/D 2), up to 1.31 and 3.26 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-pressure hydrogen recovery is crucial for the fusion reactor deuterium-tritium fuel cycle, and the usual treatment is achieved through multiple steps of enrichment and separation, which has the drawbacks of complex processes and high energy consumption. In this work, a membrane permeator including 12 sets of Pd 92 Y 8 at% alloy tubes has been investigated for the permeability and extraction of hydrogen in low-pressure mixtures. The hydrogen permeation through dense Pd-based membrane mechanism and corresponding Sieverts' exponents have been verified. The concentration polarization effect is deducted from the results. Through pure hydrogen permeation test, the cold-rolling 80 μm thick Pd 92 Y 8 at% membrane has hydrogen permeability at 400 °C of 3.43×10−8 mol∙ m −1∙ s −1∙Pa−0.5, which is higher than that of PdAg alloy membrane under the same conditions. Highly efficient recovery efficiency has been achieved for low hydrogen pressure mixtures, and the PdY alloy membrane permeator with 678 cm2 effective area could reach around 95% hydrogen extraction recovery for 0.1 mol% hydrogen-helium mixture and 97.74% recovery for 0.33 mol% at the rate of 21 standard liter per minute (SLM). It indicates that the PdY alloy membrane permeation can be an alternative solution for efficiently recovering low-pressure hydrogen isotopes in tritium extraction gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the laminar structure constructed by two-dimensional nanosheets, nanochannels are formed in the graphene oxide membrane (GOM), including capillaries formed by two closely spaced graphene sheets and nanopores in the nanosheets. These nanochannels have strong molecular sieving properties that can be tuned by various methods and applied in molecules separation. Such membranes are often used for the separation of different molecules or ions, but are rarely used for the isotope separation. In this work, superhydrophobic modification of the GOM was achieved by introducing layers of fluorinated silica nanoparticles on the membrane surface, combining the fluoro-containing resin to enhance the adhesion and decrease the surface energy. Using light/heavy water as a model, the hydrogen isotopic separating performance of this composite membrane was evaluated in an air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) apparatus. It was shown that the superhydrophobic coating of the membrane can effectively prevent the liquid water penetrating into the membrane, thus providing a pure vapor process in the membrane. Meanwhile, when compared to pure GOM and commercial polymeric membranes, the resultant membranes acquired superior isotopic selectivity in membrane distillation. The best performing membrane contains three layers of nanoparticles, of which the outermost surface was treated with 40 μL (heptadecafluoro-1, 1, 2, 2-tetrahydrodecyl) trimethoxysilane (17-FTMS) and 10 μL methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS). A mean separation factor value of 1.151 and a permeation flux of 0.036 kg m−2 h−1 were obtained. In addition, continuous test for up to 90 h showed a stable performance of the composite membrane, without compromising the selectivity and flux of the membrane. This study not only demonstrates the potential of superhydrophobic composite GOM for hydrogen isotopic sieving in membrane distillation, but also provides a facile and generic method for superhydrophobic modification of the hydrophilic membrane. [Display omitted] • A spraying method for hydrophobic coating of graphene oxide membrane is proposed. • An improved isotopic selectivity was obtained in air gap membrane distillation. • Transmembrane process affects the isotopic sieving capability of the membrane. • The combination of resin and nanoparticles enhances the stability of coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu2+ plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The dysregulation of Cu2+ can cause neuronal damage and aggravate development of AD. Moreover, a series of 4-substituted sampangine derivatives have been investigated as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase and β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation for the treatment of AD in our previous studies. In the present study, we reported that one of these derivatives SD-1 was able to modulate Cu2+-mediated multiple pathological elements in AD. The high selectivity of SD-1 for Cu2+ over other biologically relevant metal ions was demonstrated by ITC. Western blotting analysis, light-scattering study, DCF-DA assay and paralysis experiment indicated that SD-1 suppressed the formation of Cu2+-Aβ species, alleviated the Cu2+-Aβ species induced neurotoxicity and inhibited the production of ROS catalyzed by Cu2+-Aβ species in SH-SY5Y cells over-expressing the Swedish mutant form of human APP (APPsw SH-SY5Y) and Aβ42 transgenic C elegans (CL2020). Furthermore, SD-1 inhibited the expressions of NO, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 induced by Cu2+ in BV2 microglial cells. Collectively, these findings provided valuable insights into the design and development of potent metal-chelating agents for AD treatment. • Compound could selectively chelate Cu2+ in the presence of other metal ions. • Compound suppressed the formation of Cu2+-Aβ species. • Compound alleviated Cu2+-Aβ42 induced neurotoxicity. • Compound inhibited the production of ROS catalyzed by Cu2+-Aβ42 species. • Compound inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by Cu2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influences of various critical operation factors on the hydrogen isotope separation performance as well as long-term stability at high current density for practical use are systematically investigated based on the PEM electrolyzer, and a calculation model is proposed to clearly exhibit the deuterium enrichment process in liquid phase. [Display omitted] • Current density and temperature significantly influence the separation performance. • D content less than 2500 ppm in feeding water influences on the separation factor. • High current densities significantly promote the isotope enrichment process. • High durability and stable separation factor are achieved with high current density. • A calculation model was proposed to elucidate the deuterium enrichment process. The separation of heavy hydrogen isotopes is very important for nuclear energy, medical, research and environmental safety. Water electrolysis with proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer is a promising way for hydrogen isotope separation due to its high efficiency, compact structure, and easy operation. Although some works have investigated the hydrogen isotope separation performance based on PEM electrolysis, few studies involve the high operation current density and long-term stability for practical use, and the influences of various critical operation factors on the separation performance are not systematically elucidated. In this study, a large-current density and high-durability PEM electrolyzer was constructed for hydrogen isotope separation. The influences of the deuterium content in feeding water, operation temperature, and current density on the hydrogen isotope separation performance including the separation factors in hydrogen gas and water at both anode and cathode sides during the PEM electrolysis were systematically investigated. Besides, a long-term deuterated water electrolysis at a high current density of 1 A/cm2 for more than 700 h shows a very stable isotope separation performance, demonstrating the practicability for large-scale hydrogen isotope separation. In addition, a calculation model proposed in this work elucidates the influences of the current density and temperature on the deuterium enrichment performance, which lays a solid foundation for the application of the PEM electrolysis in practical hydrogen isotope separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A selective, sensitive and reliable UFLC-MS/MS method was developed. [•] Simultaneous determination of eight analytes in rat plasma. [•] LLOQ were 4.0, 0.5, 2.0, 0.1, 1.0, 2.0, 1.0, 2.0ng/mL for analytes. [•] The method was applied to a comparative pharmacokinetic study. [•] Pharmacokinetic profiles in normal and cholestatic liver injury rats are revealed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., a traditional Chinese medicine, has been clinically used for the treatment of insomnia for centuries. The insomnia mechanism and the possible active ingredients of S. chinensis remain largely unknown. The objective of this study was to develop a method to detect its components which could pass through the blood brain barrier (BBB) by determining the brain microdialysate and brain tissue homogenate samples and then obtain the pharmacokinetic profile in brain for comprehensive understanding of its hypnotic clinical efficacy. Therefore, an efficient, sensitive and selective ultra fast liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of six sedative and hypnotic lignans (schisandrin, schisandrol B, schisantherin A, deoxyshisandrin, γ-schisandrin and gomisin N) of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. in rat brain tissue homogenate and brain microdialysates has been developed and validated. The analysis was performed on a Shim-pack XR-ODS column (75 mm × 3.0 mm, 2.2 µm) using gradient elution with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid water. The method was validated in brain homogenate and microdialysate samples, which all showed good linearity over a wide concentration range ( r2 > 0.99), and the obtained lower limit of quantification was 0.1 ng · ml−1 for the analytes in brain microdialysate samples. The intra- and inter-day assay variability was less than 15% for all analytes. The study proved the six lignans, as sedative and hypnotic ingredients, could pass through the BBB with brain targeting, distributed mainly in the hypothalamus and possessed complete pharmacokinetics process in brain. The results also indicated that significant difference in pharmacokinetic parameters of the analytes was observed between two groups, while absorptions of these analytes in insomniac group were significantly better than those in normal group. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TGA transcription factor is a member of the D subfamily of the basic region-leucine zippers (bZIP) family. It is a type of transcription factor that was first identified in plants and is the main regulator in plant development and physiological processes, including morphogenesis and seed formation in response to abiotic and biotic stress and maintaining plant growth. The present study examined the sequence of the MaTGA8 transcription factor, the sequence of which belonged to subfamily D of the bZIP and had multiple cis-acting elements such as the G-box, TCA-element, TGACG-element, and P-box. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses showed that MaTGA8 was significantly down-regulated by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 (Foc TR4). Under the induction of salicylic acid (SA), MaTGA8 was down-regulated, while different members of the MaNPR1 family responded significantly differently. Among them, MaNPR11 and MaNPR3 showed an overall upward trend, and the expression level of MaNPR4, MaNPR8, and MaNPR13 was higher than other members. MaTGA8 is a nuclear-localized transcription factor through strong interaction with MaNPR11 or weaker interaction with MaNPR4, and it is implied that the MaPR gene can be activated. In addition, the MaTGA8 transgenic Arabidopsis has obvious disease resistance and higher chlorophyll content than the wild-type Arabidopsis with the infection of Foc TR4. These results indicate that MaTGA8 may enhance the resistance of bananas to Foc TR4 by interacting with MaNPR11 or MaNPR4. This study provides a basis for further research on the application of banana TGA transcription factors in Foc TR4 stress and disease resistance and molecular breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryogenic gas chromatography is one of the most extensively used methods for quantitative analysis of hydrogen isotopes gas mixtures. However, limitations such as long retention time or low separation resolution exist in the current chromatographic analysis for hydrogen isotope. Due to chemical affinity quantum sieving effect, MOFs materials with open metal sites show good separation performance for hydrogen isotopes. Herein, low loading composites Ni 2 Cl 2 BBTA@γ-Al 2 O 3 was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis, which has been subsequently employed as a stationary phase for gas chromatographic separations of ternary hydrogen isotope gas mixtures (H 2 -HD-D 2). Excellent separation resolution at liquid nitrogen temperature was realized, and baseline separation (R = 1.57) of H 2 /HD can be obtained within 11 min. Finally, quantitative analysis of hydrogen isotopes gas mixtures with the good accuracy and repeatability (RSD around 1%) was achieved. Compared with the traditional gas chromatography stationary phase, a shorter packed column of low loading MOFs modified composite showed high efficiency quantitative analysis for hydrogen isotopes gas mixtures. Image 1 • Low loading MOFs material Ni 2 Cl 2 BBTA with open metal sites loaded on γ-Al 2 O 3 is prepared. • Composites Ni 2 Cl 2 BBTA @γ-Al 2 O 3 is used for chromatographic separation of hydrogen isotopes. • Chromatographic separation of the ternary H 2 -HD-D 2 mixture can be completed in 11 min. • Quantitative analysis of hydrogen isotopes with high accuracy and repeatability has been achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]