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Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in magnetic thin films has attracted much attention due to its potential applications in spintronics devices. Here, we report the continuous strain-mediated PMA in epitaxial (111) CoFe 2 O 4 (CFO) thin films grown on (0001) LiTaO 3 substrates. A large variation in lattice strain (∼ 0.9 %) in a continuous way is realized in the CFO thin films by changing substrate temperature during deposition due to the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient between CFO and LiTaO 3. As a result, the PMA of the (111) CFO thin films can be continuously mediated by the strain with uniaxial magnetic anisotropy energy in the range of 0.12 - 14.69 × 10 6 erg/cm 3. Furthermore, the strain as well as the consequent PMA in the (111) CFO thin films can be maintained within the thickness of 25–205 nm, which is consistent with the scenario of the magnetoelastic effect. Our results reveal that the CFO/LiTaO 3 system can be regarded as an ideal platform to realize robust PMA and its continuous strain tuning in the (111) CFO thin films by virtue of strain-induced magnetic anisotropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zr37Hf16Ni12.5Cu12.5Al11Co6Nb5 bulk metallic glass (BMG) with strong glass-forming ability (GFA) and remarkable mechanical properties was designed, and its thermophysical properties were characterized simultaneously. The glass transition temperature reached up to 726 K, while the fragility index of 43 was derived by measuring alloy viscosity. The undercooled liquid of this BMG with such a low fragility index displayed a strong liquid behavior, corresponding to its small crystallization driving force and high GFA. The thermal expansion coefficient increased from 9.76 × 10−6 K−1 of glassy state to 2.71 × 10−5 K−1 of undercooled liquid, and the close-packed structure was evidenced by the low specific energy for free volume formation of 239.4 kJ/mol. Owing to its low free volume and high glass transition temperature, this BMG exhibited remarkable tensile and compressive yield strengths up to 1660.3 and 2042.3 MPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Immunosuppressed recipients of liver transplantation (LT) are more likely to develop coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and may have an increased risk of developing worse outcomes. Aim To assess the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in LT recipients. Design Adult patients (aged ≥ 18 years) who underwent LT between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2022 were included and categorized into two groups according to their use of UDCA. Methods The prevalence and severity of COVID-19 among transplantation patients between the UDCA and non-UDCA groups were estimated and compared. Results Among the 897 LT patients who met the inclusion criteria, infection rate of SARS-CoV-2 was 78.4%, and the rate of severe illness was 5.1% from January 2022 to January 2023 in China. In the multivariate analysis, only UDCA treatment (P  = 0.006) was found to be a protective factor against SARS-CoV-2 infection. After propensity score matching, the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate in the UDCA group was lower than that in the non-UDCA group (74.1% vs. 84.6%, P  = 0.002). This rate was further reduced to 62.1% (P  = 0.002) when the oral administration dose was >15 mg/kg/day. There was no difference in the rates of severe COVID-19 illness, ICU admission, or ventilation rate or length of hospital stay with or without UDCA treatment (all P  > 0.05). Conclusions The use of UDCA in LT patients significantly reduced the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate and showed a dose-dependent protective effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocular proton therapy is often delivered in a dedicated scattering beamline. This study reports multi-field PBS intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) for uveal melanoma (UM) in a regular clinical PBS gantry room. We hypothesize that volumetric modulated proton arc therapy (pArc) can offer superior conformity in comparison to IMPT Twelve consecutive UM patients were treated with IMPT to 50 Gy in 5 fractions. A customized gaze-fixation device attached to the thermoplastic mask was used to reproduce globe position for each patient. The delivered plan was robustly optimized with perturbations of 3mm setup and 3.5% range uncertainties using 3-4 fields without apertures. Each plan was robustly reoptimized (same perturbation parameters) using a single arc in a Monte Carlo-based TPS. Anterior beams were avoided to minimize dose to the anterior segment of eye, eliminate the use of an eye retractor and reduce potential range uncertainty induced by the eyelid. Plan quality was assessed with metrics including target coverage (D95%) and mean/maximum doses (Dmean/Dmax) to the adjacent organs. The plan quality of pArc plans was consistent with IMPT plans (p > 0.1). Similar target coverage was achieved by pArc and IMPT, with D95% equal to 100.8% ± 1.2% and 100.9% ± 1.1%, respectively. The pArc plans achieved an improved conformity index (RTOG) relative to IMPT plans from 2.48 ± 0.53 to 2.13 ± 0.48 (p < 0.05). Since most targets exhibit a concave shape and have a small volume (<1cc), the conformity index exceeds one in both plans. The pArc successfully met the clinical goals for critical organs-at-risk (OARs), and a comparison of dosimetry parameters can be seen in Table 1. The comparison of dose distribution between pArc and IMPT plan showed that pArc was more likely to accumulate higher entrance dose within the arc field, but the doses to adjacent organs were lower, resulting in a lower Dmean. Gantry-based multi-beam PBS proton treatment for ocular cancer was successfully delivered. This study demonstrated that single arc plans are capable of delivering comparable dosimetric metrics to those of IMPT plans, while achieving improved dose conformity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs), combining the mutually exclusive functionalities of high electrical conductivity and high optical transparency, lie at the center of a wide range of technological applications. The current design strategy for n-type TCOs, making wide bandgap oxides conducting through degenerately doping, obtains successful achievements. However, the performances of p-type TCOs lag far behind the n-type counterparts, primarily owing to the localized nature of the O 2 p -derived valence band (VB). Modulation of the VB to reduce the localization is a key issue to explore p-type TCOs. This Perspective provides a brief overview of recent progress in the field of design strategy for p-type TCOs. First, the introduction to principle physics of TCOs is presented. Second, the design strategy for n-type TCOs is introduced. Then, the design strategy based on the concept of chemical modulation of the valence band for p-type TCOs is described. Finally, through the introduction of electron correlation in strongly correlated oxides for exploring p-type TCOs, the performance of p-type TCOs can be remarkably improved. The design strategy of electron correlation for p-type TCOs could be regarded as a promising material design approach toward the comparable performance of n-type TCOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of growth rate and substrate temperature on the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) of LaVO 3 / SrTiO 3 interfaces has been investigated. It is found that both growth rate and substrate temperature can modulate the structural and electrical properties of the LaVO 3 / SrTiO 3 interfaces through oxygen substrate-to-film transfer. When the LaVO 3 thin films are deposited at a low substrate temperature and a high growth rate, the LaVO 3 / SrTiO 3 interfaces exhibit weak oxygen substrate-to-film transfer and resultant low density of oxygen vacancies in the SrTiO 3 substrate. As a result, the intrinsic effect (polar discontinuity and/or dielectric screening) dominates the interfacial conduction, while the oxygen vacancies play a minor role. In contrast, the oxygen substrate-to-film transfer (oxygen vacancies in the SrTiO 3 substrate) can be enhanced (increased) by depositing the LaVO 3 thin films at lower growth rates and/or higher substrate temperatures. In this case, the contribution of oxygen vacancies to the interfacial conduction would prevail over the intrinsic effect. Our results elucidate the origins of 2DEG in the LaVO 3 / SrTiO 3 interfaces and may also be important for other SrTiO 3 -based heterointerfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the dynamics of sessile water drops during their detachment from a superhydrophobic surface induced by ultrasound. The superhydrophobic surface not only serves as a reflector of the ultrasound emitted from the source but also reduces the adhesive force between the drop and the solid surface. The drop is subject to an acoustic radiation force in the ultrasonic field due to the nonlinear effect of the latter. By shifting the reflector upward to approach the first resonance distance, the sessile drop is first elongated in the vertical direction, with its contact line and contact angle decreasing, and finally detaches from the superhydrophobic surface when the acoustic radiation force overcomes the sum of the gravitational and adhesive forces. The acoustic radiation pressure and acoustic radiation force are calculated by solving the acoustic field with the finite element method. The results indicate that the distribution of acoustic radiation pressure provides the upward force to make the drop detach. After its detachment from the reflector, the drop undergoes vertical vibration accompanied by shape oscillations. Oscillations of a water drop that is pinned on the reflector are also demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dendrite growth in both supercooled liquid pure W and binary W-Ta isomorphous alloys has been observed and measured by an electrostatic levitation technique. The liquid W and W-x%Ta (x=25, 50, 75) alloys were substantially supercooled by up to 733K (0.2 Tm) and 773K (0.23TL), respectively. The measured density and the ratio of specific heat to emissivity displayed a linearly increasing tendency versus supercooling. The thermal dendrites in supercooled liquid tungsten achieved a maximum growing velocity of 41.3m.s-1, and the concurrent recalescence process exhibited Johnson-Mehl-Avrami type kinetics. Liquid W-Ta alloys showed stronger supercoolability but a lower maximum dendrite growth velocity of only 35.2m.s-1. The dendritic growth kinetics was always characterized by a power function relation to liquid supercooling. The microstructure of equiaxed grains transforms to the well-developed dendrites with the increase of supercooling. The grain refinement effect resulting from dendrite fragmentation took place in a moderate supercooling regime in rapidly solidified W-Ta alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La2Mo2O9 (LMO) thin films have been deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates by pulsed laser deposition and the resistive switching (RS) characteristics of the Au/LMO/Pt devices has been investigated. The Au/LMO/Pt devices show excellent unipolar RS characteristics with high resistance ratio between high resistance state and low resistance state (LRS), good endurance, and retention performances. The results of temperature dependence of resistance and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggest that the observed RS characteristics can be explained by the formation and rupture of conducting filaments composed of oxygen vacancies. Furthermore, the plot of the reset current (IR) as a function of the third harmonic coefficient (B0) caused by Joule heating during the reset process shows scaling behavior with a power law of IR∝ B0-δ. The IR and reset power (PR) can also be scaled to the resistance in LRS (R0), i.e., IR(PR) ∝ R0-α(β). The observed scaling behaviors indicate the importance of the Joule heating for the RS characteristics of Au/LMO/Pt devices. These results demonstrate the potential application of LMO thin film in a nonvolatile memory device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An orthotropic adhesion model is proposed based on the bi-potential method to solve adhesive contact problems with orthotropic interface properties between hyperelastic bodies. The model proposes a straightforward description of interface adhesion with orthotropic adhesion stiffness, whose components are conveniently expressed according to the local coordinate system. Based on this description, a set of extended unilateral and tangential contact laws has been formulated. Furthermore, we use an element-wise scalar parameter β to characterize the strength of interface adhesive bonds, and the effects of damage. Therefore, complete cycles of bonding and de-bonding of adhesive links with the account for orthotropic interface effects can be modelled. The proposed model has been tested on cases involving both tangential and unilateral contact kinematics. The test cases allowed emergence of orthotropic interface effects between elastomer bodies involving hyperelasticity. Meanwhile, the model can be implemented with minimum effort, and provides inspiration for the modelling of adhesive interface effects in areas of applications such as biomechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the volatile compounds released from the nuts of Castanopsis hystrix Hook. & Thomson., Cs. orthacantha Franch., Cs. sclerophylla (Lindl.) Schott., Cs. fargesii Franch. and Castanea mollissima Blume. Hexane nut extracts were analyzed by GC-MS and 120 compounds were identified. These included esters, monoterpenes, oxygenated monoterpenes, hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, acids, phenylpropanoids and other derivatives. Esters constituted more than half of the nut volatiles. A clustering analysis indicated that volatiles of C. mollissima nuts differed from Castanopsis spp. For instance, 6-Penty-2H-pyran-2-one and 8,11-Octadecadienoic acid methyl ester are abundant in C. mollissima, but not detected in Castanopsis. Our results indicated that rodent preference is driven by the dominance of some volatiles which gave unique nut odour of C. mollissima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The A7N01-T5 aluminum alloy plates with the thickness of 12 mm were welded with the ER5356 and ER5087 welding wires, respectively, by the method of Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding. The mechanical properties and microstructures of the welded joints were investigated by micro-hardness measurement, tensile test, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the tensile strength and elongation of 7N01/5087 welded joint (the 7N01 aluminum alloy plate welded with ER5087 wire) were greater than those of 7N01/5356 welded joint (the 7N01 aluminum alloy plate welded with ER5356 wires), respectively. The high strength and the good elongation of 7N01/5087 welded joint were mainly attributed to the microstructure refinement in the weld zone through adding Zr element to promote the nucleation of Al grains around the Al3Zr sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermodynamic properties, including the density, volume expansion coefficient, ratio of specific heat to emissivity of intermetallic Ni7Zr2 alloy, have been measured using the non-contact electrostatic levitation technique. These properties vary linearly with temperature at solid and liquid states, even down to the obtained maximum undercooling of 317K. The enthalpy, glass transition, diffusion coefficient, shear viscosity, and surface tension were obtained by using molecular dynamics simulations. Ni7Zr2 has a relatively poor glass forming ability, and the glass transition temperature is determined as 1026K. The inter-diffusivity of Ni7Zr2 alloy fitted by Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann law yields a fragility parameter of 8.49, which indicates the fragile nature of this alloy. Due to the competition of increased thermodynamic driving force and decreased atomic diffusion, the dendrite growth velocity of Ni7Zr2 compound exhibits double-exponential relationship to the undercooling. The maximum growth velocity is predicted to be 0.45m s-1 at the undercooling of 335K. Theoretical analysis reveals that the dendrite growth is a diffusion-controlled process and the atomic diffusion speed is only 2.0m s-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermophysical properties of refractory MoNbReTaW high-entropy alloy in both supercooled liquid and high-temperature solid states were explored by an electrostatic levitation technique. The maximum supercooling attains 504 K, and the hypercooling limit is derived as 571 K. The liquid density at liquidus temperature is measured to be 13.3 g cm−3, which increases linearly with decreasing temperature at a slope of 6.83 × 10−4 g cm−3 K−1. The liquid alloy exhibits 5.3% relative volume shrinkage during crystallization. The thermal expansion coefficient of liquid and solid alloy at liquidus temperature are determined as 5.0 × 10−5 K−1 and 3.6 ×10−5 K−1, respectively. The liquid specific heat at liquidus temperature is found to be 38.2 J mol−1 K−1, and basically displays a linear decreasing tendency with temperature. According to the calculated enthalpy of fusion 24.7 kJ mol−1 and measured specific heats, the temperature-dependent entropy and Gibbs free energy difference between supercooled liquid and crystalline solid are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the individual biology of endemic fish in China, lay a foundation for the conservation of its germplasm resources, and consolidate the basic biological data of endemic fish in the world. According to the ethical code and fishing permit, 21 samples of Schizothorax (Racoma) biddulphi (Günther, 1876) were collected from the Muzati River in Tarim River system from 2021 to 2022, and their morphological characteristics, age identification and anatomical observation were analyzed by classical biological methods. S. biddulphi has a long body, a conical head, a pointed snout and a lower mouth. Requires 2 pairs. The scales are small and neatly arranged; Bare or scaly chest; The lateral line scale is slightly larger. The lateral line is complete. The correlation equation between body length and body weight is: W = 4.148 × 10-5L2.791. There were 5 kinds of age identification materials: 15+ for lapillus and asteriscus, 14+ for vertebra, 11+ for opercular bone, and 9+ for anal scale. The peritoneal wall of S. biddulphi is black; The tooth type is 2·3·5-5·3·2; The gill harrow was 11~13 for laymen and 15~18 for experts. Diphysocyte; Gallbladder oval; The number of vertebrae is 4+42-43+1, and the number of ribs is 23 or 24. S. biddulphi is a special species in the Tarim River system, and its evolutionary adaptation is closely related to the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliability of a warm standby series-parallel system without adequate samples is studied based on the uncertainty theory. It is assumed that the lifetimes of system elements follow independent uncertainty distributions with uncertain parameters. Three different switch models, including absolutely reliable mode, discrete mode and continuous mode, are developed for the warm standby series-parallel system. Besides, the cold standby series-parallel system is discussed as a special case. The reliability function and mean time to failure of each developed model are analyzed. A numerical example for the system with different switches is implemented to illustrate the application and efficiency of the proposed models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To observe the efficacy and safety of local radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy ± bevacizumab in the treatment of patients with advanced or recurrent metastatic cervical cancer. A total of 53 patients with advanced and recurrent metastatic cervical cancer who had received local radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy ± bevacizumab in Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guizhou Medical University from July 2018 to October 2021 were collected. The recurrence types included 21 patients of pelvic recurrence, 7 patients of distant metastasis, 14 patients of complex pelvic recurrence and distant metastasis, and 11 patients of advanced stage (initial diagnosis stage IVB). The primary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). The secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and incidence of adverse reactions. (1) Complete response (CR) was achieved in 4 patients (7.5%), partial response (PR) in 34 patients (64.2%), stable disease (SD) in 12 patients (22.6%), and disease progression (PD) in 3 patients (5.7%), ORR was 71.7%, DCR was 94.3%. (2) The follow-up time was 5.3 to 45.7 months, the median OS was 29.3 months, the median PFS was 15.7 months, the one-year and two-year OS were 83.0% and 59.2%, and the 1-year and two-year PFS were 62.2% and 34.4%. (3) Recurrence type, tumor size at the time of recurrence, and efficacy after radiotherapy were significant factors for PFS and OS rates in multivariate analysis. (4) The main adverse reactions were myelosuppression, gastrointestinal reaction and urinary reaction. Grade IV leukopenia occurred at 13.2%, grade IV neutropenia at 11.3%, grade IV thrombocytopenia at 15.1%, and grade IV anemia at 5.7%, all of which were tolerable. The gastrointestinal and urinary reactions were mainly grade I-II, and the incidence of vesical or rectovaginal fistulas was about 7.5% (2 patients had rectovaginal fistulas and 2 patients had vesto-vaginal fistulas). Local radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy ± bevacizumab can improve the efficacy and survival of patients with advanced and recurrent metastatic cervical cancer. Adverse reactions are tolerable and may provide survival benefits in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Kinesiophobia, the fear of physical movement and activity related to injury vulnerability, has been linked to sub-optimal outcomes following total knee replacement (TKR). This systematic review has two aims: to define the relationship between kinesiophobia and functional outcomes, pain and range of motion following TKR, and to evaluate published treatments for kinesiophobia following TKR.Materials and Methods: A primary search of electronic databases, grey literature, and trial registries was performed in March 2020. English-language studies recruiting adult primary TKR patients, using the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) were included. Outcome measures were grouped into short (< 6 months), medium (6-12 months), and long term (> 12 months). Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale for cohort or case control studies, and the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool for randomised controlled trials.Results: All thirteen included papers (82 identified) showed adequately low risk of methodological bias. TSK1 (activity avoidance) correlated with WOMAC functional score at 12 months in three studies (r = 0.20 p < 0.05, R = 0.317 p = 0.001, and correlation coefficient 0.197 p = 0.005). TSK score significantly correlated with mean active range of motion (ROM) at 2 weeks [65.98 (SD = 14.51) versus 47.35 (SD = 14.48) p = 0.000], 4 weeks [88.20 (SD = 15.11) versus 57.65 (SD = 14.80) p = 0.000], and 6 months [105.33 (SD = 12.34) versus 85.53 (SD = 14.77) p = 0.000] post-operation. Three post-operative interventions improved TSK score vs control following TKR: a home-based functional exercise programme [TSK - 14.30 (SD = 0.80) versus - 2.10 (SD = 0.80) p < 0.001], an outpatient cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) programme [TSK 27.76 (SD = 4.56) versus 36.54 (SD = 3.58)], and video-based psychological treatment [TSK 24 (SD = 5) versus 29 (SD = 5) p < 0.01].Conclusions: Kinesiophobia negatively affects functional outcomes up until 1 year post-operatively, while active ROM is reduced up to 6 months post-procedure. Post-operative functional and psychological interventions can improve kinesiophobia following TKR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrite growth kinetics of Ni 3 Ti phase in Ni 75 Ti 25 and Ni 74 Ti 18 Al 8 alloys: (a-b) solid/liquid interface migration during recalescence; (c) dendritic growth velocity versus undercooling. • Rapid solidification of Ni 75 Ti 25 and Ni 74 Ti 18 Al 8 alloys are studied by ESL and LQ. • Dendritic growth velocities versus Δ T of Ni 3 Ti phase in two alloys are measured. • Ultrafine Ni 3 Ti dendrites in both alloys are obtained by LQ method. The rapid solidification mechanism of Ni 3 Ti intermetallic compound within undercooled Ni 75 Ti 25 and Ni 74 Ti 18 Al 8 alloys was investigated by electrostatic levitation(ESL) and liquid quenching(LQ) techniques. The dendritic growth velocity of Ni 3 Ti phase in these two alloys revealed power law relations versus liquid undercooling, whose maximum value was 138.9 mm s−1 for binary Ni 75 Ti 25 alloy at 255 K(0.15 T L) undercooling, while it was only 54.7 mm s−1 at 222 K(0.13 T L) undercooling for ternary Ni 74 Ti 18 Al 8 alloy. The crystalline structure of Ni 3 Ti phase in both alloys was characterized by fine dendrites under LQ state, whereas it displayed faceted growth mode under ESL condition. In addition, the Ni 3 Ti grains of Ni 75 Ti 25 alloy show a transition from incompletely to completely surrounded by the grain boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (FHR) development step is to design, build, and operate a test reactor. The uncertainties of the coolant thermophysical properties range between 2% and 20%. This study determines the effects of these high uncertainties by incorporating uncertainty propagation in a thermal-hydraulic safety analysis for test reactor licensing. A hot channel thermal-hydraulic model, Monte Carlo statistical sampling uncertainty propagation, and a limiting safety systems settings (LSSS) approach are combined to ensure sufficient margin to fuel and material thermal limits during steady-state operation while incorporating margin for high-uncertainty inputs. The method calculates LSSS parameters to define safe operation. The methodology is applied to two test reactors currently considered, i.e., China's first Solid Fueled Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR-SF1) pebble bed design and Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Transportable FHR prismatic core design; two candidate coolants, i.e., flibe (LiF-BeF2) and nafzirf (NaF-ZrF4); and forced flow and natural circulation conditions to compare operating regions and LSSS power (maximum power not exceeding any thermal limits). The calculated operating region accounts for uncertainty (2σ) with an LSSS power for forced flows of 25.37 ± 0.72, 22.56 ± 1.15, 21.28 ± 1.48, and 11.32 ± 1.35 MW for pebble flibe, pebble nafzirf, prismatic flibe, and prismatic nafzirf, respectively. The pebble bed has superior heat transfer with an operating region reduced ∼ 10% less when switching coolants and ∼ 50% smaller uncertainty than the prismatic. The maximum fuel temperature constrains the pebble bed while the maximum coolant temperature constrains the prismatic due to different dominant heat transfer modes. Sensitivity analysis revealed that (1) thermal conductivity and thus conductive heat transfer dominate in the prismatic design while convection is superior in the pebble bed and (2) the impact of thermophysical property uncertainties is ranked and should be considered for experimental measurements in the following order: thermal conductivity, heat capacity, density, and last, viscosity. Broadly, the methodology incorporates uncertainty propagation that can be used to evaluate parametric uncertainties to satisfy guidelines for nonpower reactor licensing applications, and its application shows that the pebble bed is more attractive for thermal-hydraulic safety. Although the method is developed and evaluated for coolant property uncertainties, it is readily applicable for other parameters of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presentation of exogenous antigens loaded on major histocompatibility complex class I molecules by antigen presenting cells, termed cross-presentation, is essential for the induction of CD8+ T cells and is performed mainly by specialized dendritic cell subsets. Research into this field has described two main mechanisms of cross-presentation, the cytosolic pathway and the vacuolar pathway. As the first step in cross-presentation, surface receptors relating to cross-presentation are required in the recognition and uptake of Ags, which include C-type lectin receptors, immunoglobulin γ Fc region receptor, chemokine receptor, scavenger receptor etc. After uptake by the cells, there are also many molecules that enable Ags to participate in cross-presentation pathways. By this approach, exogenous Ags can induce CD8+ T cells into cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which is of great significance to induce antitumor and antiviral immune responses, and the molecular mechanism would facilitate the development of related adjuvants. However, the detailed mechanisms of cross-presentation still remain unknown. In this paper, some latest researches, including two major pathways, DC surface receptors and application prospects are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate that the use of the direct, heat source/sink method for thermal conductivity determination via molecular dynamics simulation leads to diverging thermal conductivity with increasing simulation cell length when the cross section of the cell is kept constant. A phonon transport theory based analysis shows that this divergence arises due to discrete phonon phase space sampling leading to behavior characteristics of one-dimensional systems, which are known for size divergent thermal conductivity. We also show that the divergence is particularly strong for thermal conductivity along the elastically soft direction in anisotropic crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal history dependent photoconductivity has been observed in the thermal hysteresis region of Pr0.5Sr0.5MnO3 thin film. In the cooling process, the film shows an upward resistance relaxation in darkness. Under light illumination, the transient photoconductivity effect is observed. However, it exhibits a downward resistance relaxation without illumination and persistent photoconductivity (PPC) behavior with light illumination in the warming process. The PPC ratio is 18.1% at 110 K with a light density of 1.25 mW mm-2. It is found that the external magnetic field plays a similar role as the light illumination. The persistent magnetoresistance ratio reaches 44.4% at 110 K with a low magnetic field of 0.25 T. The underlying mechanism is discussed based on phase competition and phase stability switch between ferromagnetic metal and charge- and orbital-ordered insulator states. The results may be important for practical applications in photo-/magnetic field sensitive and memory devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid eutectic growth of refractory liquid Re 72.5 W 27.5 alloy was realized under electrostatic levitation state, which attained a maximum undercooling of 510 K (0.16 T E). The active modulation of competitive nucleation was achieved by triggered nucleation and spontaneous nucleation respectively. For triggered nucleation between 107 and 454 K undercooling, anomalous eutectic grew primarily from the liquid alloy in the first recalescence, which was followed by lamellar eutectic growth epitaxially in the second recalescence. However, for spontaneous nucleation in the undercooling range of 366–510 K, σ dendrite became the primary phase in the first recalescence. The solidification mode of remaining liquid varied from lamellar eutectic to only (Re) phase as alloy undercooling increased beyond the critical value of 426 K. Once liquid undercooling exceeded 474 K, only σ phase prevailed in the whole solidifying process. It was found that the growth velocities for anomalous eutectic and σ dendrite both displayed power laws versus liquid undercooling. But anomalous eutectic exhibited a faster growth kinetics than σ dendrite in their coexistent undercooling regime of 366–454 K. Furthermore, the Vickers hardness decreased with undercooling in the case of triggered nucleation, whereas it increased for spontaneous nucleation because the harder σ dendrite had larger volume fraction with enhanced undercooling. The maximum Vickers hardness attained 1679 HV corresponding to the highest undercooling. • Ultra-refractory Re 72.5 W 27.5 alloy was rapidly solidified with the electrostatic levitation technique by triggered nucleation and spontaneous nucleation repectively. • For triggered nucleation, the liquid alloy would solidify with two recalescences, which corresponds to anomalous eutectic and lamellar eutectic growth respectively. • Under spontaneous nucleation, intermetallic σ dendrites would preferentially grow in the first recalescence. • The anamolous eutectic exhibited a faster growth kinetics than σ dendrite in their coexistent undercooling range of 366 and 454 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caffeoyl coenzyme A-O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) has a critical function in the lignin biosynthesis pathway. However, its role in pomegranate is not clear. In this research, we identified 11 members of the CCoAOMT gene family based on pomegranate genome-wide data. The 11 CCoAOMT genes were distributed non-uniformly on chromosomes 2, 3 and 4 of pomegranate. Phylogenetic analysis showed that pomegranate CCoAOMT9 and Camellia sinensis CCoAOMT genes clustered into one branch. Promoter cis-acting progenitor analysis revealed a role for the pomegranate CCoAOMT gene in the ABA/MeJA response. The expression of CCoAOMT8, CCoAOMT9 and CCoAOMT10 was higher in hard-seeded cultivars ('Hongyushizi' and 'Baiyushizi') than in soft-seeded cultivar (Tunisia) as detected and analyzed by q-PCR. The results suggested that CCoAOMT8, CCoAOMT9, and CCoAOMT10 might be related to lignin biosynthesis. The findings of this work provided a basis for further investigation of the role of the pomegranate CCoAOMT gene in lignin biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epitaxial BaSnO3 (BSO) thin films doped with different rare-earth elements (La, Pr, and Nd) were prepared by a simple solution deposition method. Grain size engineering through processing was achieved to tune both lateral and vertical grain sizes, resulting in obvious increments in carrier mobility. Improved performance with the room-temperature mobility exceeding 35 cm2 V−1 s−1 and resistivity as low as 0.55 mΩ cm was realized. The results will open a low-cost route for preparation of large-area BSO thin films with improved optoelectronic properties through the solution method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fragility of Ca 65 Mg 15 Zn 20 bulk metallic glass was evaluated from calorimetric kinetics by differential scanning calorimeter and viscosity measurement. From the thermal analysis, the glass transition width was carefully determined to estimate the fragility, and the obtained fragility parameter D ∗ is dependent on the pre-factor while the fragility index m keeps invariable, which indicates that m will be more reliable to display the fragility behavior. The viscosity in both the melt state and supercooled liquid region was measured and fitted using different equations as well. The fragility index m estimated from calorimetric method is smaller than that from viscosity in the supercooled liquid region which is ascribed to that the calorimetric evaluation of fragility corresponds to the glass state (non-equilibrium state) rather than supercooled liquid state (equilibrium state). The measured viscosity in the melt state is smaller than that predicted by VFT and Mauro equation when extrapolating the value from the supercooled liquid region to higher temperatures. This deviation implies that different regimes of dynamic behavior exists in the two states, and a dynamic crossover of viscosity may occur at the critical temperature T c as suggested by the mode coupling theory. • The fragility was evaluated from both calorimetric kinetics and viscosity measurement. • The fragility index m is more reliable than fragility parameter D * to display the fragility behavior. • The fragility index m obtained from DSC is lower than that from viscosity in the SCL region. • A dynamic crossover of viscosity lies in the glass formation upon cooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Artery calcification, as subclinical atherosclerosis, is attracting attention. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of artery calcification in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods 641 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus were enrolled in the study. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics were collected. Calcification score was quantified from the multi-detector computed tomography scan image using the Agatston Score method. Results The total incidence of artery calcification was 25.9% (166/641), of which the percentages of aorta calcium and coronary artery calcification were 23.1% (148/641) and 8.4% (54/641), respectively. In multivariate models, systemic lupus erythematosus patients with artery calcification had longer disease duration than patients without artery calcification (p < 0.05). Presence of serositis (OR 2.559, 95%CI 1.414–4.632), pneumonia (OR 2.022, 95%CI 1.102–3.711) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score (OR 1.049, 95%CI 1.004–1.095) were independently associated with increased risk of aorta calcium, while the duration of corticosteroids use (OR 1.039, 95%CI 1.002–1.078) and cyclophosphamide therapy (OR 8.251, 95%CI 2.496–27.279) were independently associated with increased risk of coronary artery calcification in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. In systemic lupus erythematosus patients, aorta calcium was prone to occur at a younger age compared to coronary artery calcification, and aorta calcium score was positively correlated with age. Conclusions Systemic lupus erythematosus patients had a much earlier onset and higher incidences of aorta calcium than coronary artery calcification. Presence of serositis, pneumonia, and higher SLEDAI score may predict increased risk of aorta calcium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals exhibit considerable and unpredictable variability in painful percepts in response to the same nociceptive stimulus. Previous work has found neural responses that, while not necessarily responsible for the painful percepts themselves, can still correlate well with intensity of pain perception within a given individual. However, there is no reliable neural response reflecting the variability in pain perception across individuals. Here, we use an electrophysiological approach in humans and rodents to demonstrate that brain oscillations in the gamma band [gamma-band event-related synchronization (γ-ERS)] sampled by central electrodes reliably predict pain sensitivity across individuals. We observed a clear dissociation between the large number of neural measures that reflected subjective pain ratings at within-subject level but not across individuals, and γ-ERS, which reliably distinguished subjective ratings within the same individual but also coded pain sensitivity across different individuals. Importantly, the ability of γ-ERS to track pain sensitivity across individuals was selective because it did not track the between-subject reported intensity of nonpainful but equally salient auditory, visual, and nonnociceptive somatosensory stimuli. These results also demonstrate that graded neural activity related to within-subject variability should be minimized to accurately investigate the relationship between nociceptive-evoked neural activities and pain sensitivity across individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we discuss the existence of solutions to a boundary value problem for differential equations of variable order. Our results are based on the Schauder fixed point theorem. Some examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports the structural phase manipulation and the enhancement of microwave absorption in WS2 nanosheets. Large-scale WS2 nanosheets (1T@2H WS2) containing mixed 2H and 1T phases were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process. The structural characteristics and concentration (∼60%) of the 1T phase in 1T@2H WS2 nanosheets were identified by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. With the emergence of the 1T phase, the permittivity of 1T@2H WS2 is more than three times higher than that of WS2 with a pure 2H phase (2H WS2). Moreover, the microwave absorption properties were remarkably enhanced due to the emergence of the 1T phase. Contrary to 2H WS2, in which microwave reflection loss (RL) is close to zero, the RL for 1T@2H WS2 can reach −47 dB with an effective bandwidth (<−10 dB) of 5.2 GHz. In addition, with the adjustment of the thickness of the absorber layer from 1.5 to 5 mm, 1T@2H WS2 can achieve strong absorption in a wide band from 4 to 18 GHz. This finding provides an effective strategy for designing and synthesizing the microwave absorption materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract The viscosity versus temperature of liquid Zr 2 Ni alloy measured both in the heating and cooling processes and the relation between dendritic growth velocity and undercooling of Zr 2 Ni alloy followed the diffusion-limited model. Highlights • Melt undercooling versus superheating follows a novel sigmoidal curve. • Liquid-liquid transition occurred based on density and viscosity measurement. • Zr 2 Ni compound phase exhibits a diffusion-limited growth mechanism. • Lath-like coarse Zr 2 Ni dendrites transform into fine dendrite versus undercooling. Abstract The liquid state property and intermetallic compound growth of Zr 2 Ni alloy were investigated by electrostatic levitation(ESL) technique. The relation between liquid undercooling and superheating followed a sigmoidal curve, which was probably attributed to the liquid structure transition. This assumption was supported by the density and viscosity measurement of liquid Zr 2 Ni alloy. Meanwhile, the diffusion-limited growth mechanism of Zr 2 Ni compound phase was demonstrated by the measured dendritic growth velocity. Within the undercooling range of 70–277 K(0.20 T L), the dendritic growth velocity displayed a parabolic relation versus undercooling, which achieved a maximum value of 27 mm s-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which examined crystal growth of a sillenite structure with a composition of Bi[sub12](Si[sub1-x]Ti[subx])O[sub20] and the corresponding optical characteristics. Characteristics of the sillenite family of single crystals of body-centered cubic structure; Materials and methods used; Result of the differential thermal technique applied to the calcining process; Description of the crystals grown.

Presents a study which aimed to grow a heavily magnesium oxide doped in LiNbO[sub3] crystal. Method used in the study; Information on the Raman spectra of the magnesium-doped LiNbO[sub3] powders; Measurement of the Curie temperature and the melting point.

The thermophysical properties of liquid Zr–V alloys covering a whole composition range were systematically measured by an electrostatic levitation technique. A series of maximum undercoolings from 150 to 386 K (0.2 TL) was achieved for 11 different liquid alloys under containerless state and radiative cooling conditions, where Zr83.5V16.5 and Zr20V80 alloys displayed the strongest undercooling ability. The densities of liquid Zr–V alloys were measured over a wide temperature range from overheated to undercooled states, and the results exhibited a linear dependence on temperature for all 11 compositions. Two typical solidification pathways were observed for hypoeutectic alloys. Except for a slowing down of decreasing tendency near a eutectic Zr57V43 alloy, the liquid densities of Zr–V alloys almost decrease linearly with increasing V content. Accordingly, the thermal expansion coefficients of Zr–V alloys were also derived from containerless measurements, and they showed an increasing tendency with V content. Since thermal radiative dominated the heat transfer process, the ratio of isobaric specific heat to hemispherical emissivity was directly deduced from the thermal balance equation, leading to a quadratic relationship with temperature. It was found that the increase of V content enhanced the ability of radiative heat dissipation below 16.5 at. % V content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some fire ants of the genus Solenopsis have become invasive species in the southern United States displacing native species by competition. Although the displacement pattern seems clear, the mechanisms underlying competitive advantage remain unclear. The ability of ant workers to produce relatively larger amount of alarm pheromone may correspond to relative greater fitness among sympatric fire ant species. Here we report on quantitative intra-specific (i.e. inter-caste) and inter-specific differences of alarm pheromone component, 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine (2E36DMP), for several fire ant species. The alarm pheromone component was extracted by soaking ants in hexane for 48 h and subsequently quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry at single ion monitoring mode. Solenopsis invicta workers had more 2E36DMP than male or female alates by relative weight; individual workers, however, contained significantly less pyrazine. We thus believe that alarm pheromones may serve additional roles in alates. Workers of Solenopsis richteri , S. invicta , and hybrid (S. richteri × S. invicta) had significantly more 2E36DMP than a native fire ant species, Solenopsis geminata. The hybrid fire ant had significantly less 2E36DMP than the two parent species, S. richteri and S. invicta. It seems likely that higher alarm pheromone content may have favored invasion success of exotic fire ants over native species. We discuss the potential role of inter-specific variation in pyrazine content for the relationship between the observed shifts in the spatial distributions of the three exotic fire ant species in southern United States and the displacement of native fire ant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor radial X-ray camera is designed to measure the poloidal profile of the plasma X-ray emission with high spatial and temporal resolutions and will be installed inside equatorial port 12. Due to the harsh environment of neutron and gamma radiations, nuclear radiation hardness of many components has to be considered in design and test, including silicon detector array, electronics, and cabling. As for electronics put in a port cell, a preliminary design of highly integrated preamplifier and program controllable mid-amplifier has been completed, and many tests have been done to investigate the radiation hardness performance of the amplifiers together with detectors. In the Cf-252 neutron test with flux of $\sim 2.23\times 10^{3}\,\,\text {n}\cdot \text {cm}^{-2}\cdot \text {s}^{-1}$ and fluence greater than $1.0\times 10^{10}\,\,\text {n}\cdot \text {cm}^{-2}$ , there was no performance degradation in detector and preamplifier. In the Co-60 gamma test with a dose rate of $0.5\,\,\text {Gy}\cdot \text {min}^{-1}$ and an accumulated dose of 200 Gy, the performance change was not found in preamplifier and mid-amplifier except for some radiation damage to the power module in the board of preamplifier. In the following accelerator neutron test where the neutron flux is $\sim 5\times 10^{7}\,\,\text {n}\cdot \text {cm}^{-2}\cdot \text {s}^{-1}$ and neutron fluence is $2\times 10^{12}\,\,\text {n}\cdot \text {cm}^{-2}$ , the functional problem was not found in preamplifier and cable, while there were occurrences of single-event effect in mid-amplifier. The detector underwent 10% decrease of sensitivity to visible light. In addition, shielding cabinet was designed to provide good protection for electronics inside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect herbivores depend on their host plants to acquire macro- and micronutrients. Here we asked how a specialist herbivore and damaging maize pest, the western corn rootworm, finds and accesses plant-derived micronutrients. We show that the root-feeding larvae use complexes between iron and benzoxazinoid secondary metabolites to identify maize as a host, to forage within the maize root system, and to increase their growth. Maize plants use these same benzoxazinoids for protection against generalist herbivores and, as shown here, for iron uptake. We identify an iron transporter that allows the corn rootworm to benefit from complexes between iron and benzoxazinoids. Thus, foraging for an essential plant-derived complex between a micronutrient and a secondary metabolite shapes the interaction between maize and a specialist herbivore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently regeneration of tooth and periodontal damage still remains great challenge. Stem cell‐based tissue engineering raised novel therapeutic strategies for tooth and periodontal repair. Stem cells for tooth and periodontal regeneration include dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), stem cells from the dental apical papilla (SCAPs), and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs), dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs), dental epithelial stem cells (DESCs), bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs), adipose‐derived stem cells (ADSCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). To date, substantial advances have been made in stem cell‐based tooth and periodontal regeneration, including dentin–pulp, whole tooth, bioroot and periodontal regeneration. Translational investigations have been performed such as dental stem cell banking and clinical trials. In this review, we present strategies for stem cell‐based tissue engineering for tooth and periodontal repair, and the translational studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liquid structures of undercooled Zr 90 Nb 10 , Zr 70 Nb 30 and Zr 50 Nb 50 alloys were studied by molecular dynamics simulation combined with electrostatic levitation experiments. The densities of three alloys were measured by electrostatic levitation to modify the Zr-Nb potential functions by adjusting parameters in potential functions. In simulation, the atomic packing in Zr-Nb alloys was more ordered at lower temperatures. The Voronoi tessellation analyses indicated Nb-centered clusters were easier to form than Zr-centered clusters although the Nb content was less than 50%. The partial pair distribution functions showed that the interactions among Zr atoms are quite different to that among Nb atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Soil microbes and enzymes play vital roles in the decomposition and transformation of soil material, nutrient cycling, energy flow and physicochemical properties. However, the responses of soil microbes and enzymes to warming remains poorly understood, which limits our ability to predict the consequences of future climate warming. To understand better how climate warming will alter the activity of soil microbes and enzymes, we established a field experiment to manipulate temperature in an alpine meadow in northwestern Sichuan, China. After 5 years of experimental warming, soil bacterial communities were assessed by MiSeq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. The results showed that the experimental warming treatments increased the soil acid phosphatase, invertase and urease activity, and available nutrients, but decreased the catalase activity and soil organic matter (SOM) at the 0–10‐cm soil depth. However, the warming treatment increased catalase activity, SOM, available nitrogen (AN) and available potassium (AK), but decreased invertase activity at the 10–20‐cm soil depth. Warming significantly increased the relative abundance of Chloroflexi at the 0–10‐cm depth, whereas it significantly increased the relative abundance of Cyanobacteria and decreased the relative abundance of Firmicutes at the 10–20‐cm depth. Similarly, warming altered the relative abundance of bacterial genera, for example Candidatus Solibacter increased, whereas Pseudomonas and Janthinobacterium decreased. Warming did not significantly affect diversity or structure of the soil bacterial community. The soil acid phosphatase and urease activity, and SOM, total potassium (TK), AK and total phosphorus (TP) contents were strongly correlated with the soil bacterial community. Overall, despite the pronounced changes in soil enzyme activity and plant nutrient contents under warming, composition and diversity of the soil bacterial community were not changed. This study helps to elucidate soil responses in grasslands to climate warming. Highlights: Warming promoted nutrient mineralization and altered soil enzyme activity. Warming decreased diversity of the soil bacterial community. Specific taxa responded differentially to experimental warming. Soil microorganisms regulated plant nutrient cycling under continuous climate warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change is accompanied by changes in the amounts of ice and snow. These changes have both a direct effect on the plant community structure, primary productivity and carbon cycle and an indirect influence on the belowground ecosystem. However, the effects of changes in snowpack on the soil environment and belowground ecological processes, particularly in soil microbial communities are still poorly understood in alpine meadows. We conducted a field study of controlled snowpack in the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, where five treatments were set up, named as S0, S1, S2, S3, and S4 (S1: the amount of a natural snowpack; S2, S3, and S4 were twofold, threefold, and fourfold of S1, respectively; and S0: completely removed snow). Soil physicochemical properties, soil community structure and diversity measured by 16S rRNA gene amplicons were studied. The results indicated that 1) as snowpack increased, the average soil temperature decreased, but soil moisture and soil compaction increased; 2) soil chemical properties (pH, available nitrogen, available potassium, available phosphorus, total nitrogen, total potassium, total phosphorus and total soil organic carbon) all changed as snowpack changed; and 3) increasing snowpack led to a decrease in the relative abundance of Acidobacteria , but Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria did not decline in response to increasing snowpack. In summary, these results showed that soil bacterial communities are sensitive to changes in snowpack in alpine meadows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In classical mechanics, a nonrelativistic particle constrained on an N — 1 curved hypersurface embedded in N flat space experiences the centripetal force only. In quantum mechanics, the situation is totally different for the presence of the geometric potential. We demonstrate that the motion of the quantum particle is ”driven” by not only the centripetal force, but also a curvature induced force proportional to the Laplacian of the mean curvature, which is fundamental in the interface physics, causing curvature driven interface evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the association between pre-natal and post-natal exposure to pet ownership and lung function in children, a cross-sectional study named Seven Northeastern Cities ( SNEC) study was conducted. In this study, children's lung function including the forced expiratory volume in 1 second ( FEV1), forced vital capacity ( FVC), maximal mid-expiratory flow ( MMEF), and peak expiratory flow ( PEF) were measured by spirometers, and pet ownership situations were collected by questionnaire. Analyzed by multiple logistic regression and generalized linear modeling, we found that for all subjects, pet exposure in the first 2 years of life was significantly associated with lung function impairment of FVC<85% predicted (adjusted odds ratio [ aOR]=1.28; 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.01, 1.63). For current pet exposure, the increased odds of lung function impairment ranged from 35% ( aOR=1.35; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.62) for FVC<85% predicted to 57% ( aOR=1.57; 95% CI: 1.29, 1.93) for FEV1<85% predicted. The in utero exposure was not related to lung function impairment. Compared with other pets, higher odds were observed among children with dogs. When stratified by gender, girls with current pet exposure were more likely to have lung function impairment than boys. It implies self-reported exposures to pets were negatively associated with lung function among the children under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preliminary design of ITER Radial X-ray Camera (RXC) has been finished. The structure design is optimized and installation process is studied considering the simplification and easiness of maintenance. Remote handling procedures are designed for the system maintenance after being activated. For detector cooling against high environment temperature which can be up to 240°, a dedicated gas cooling system using heat exchanger is designed. The structure analysis indicates that the stresses and displacements of most of the components under load combinations are within the allowable limits and no Safety Important Component (SIC) boundary is damaged. Through putting B4C material in the front part of DSM and around detectors for neutron shielding, the detectors are expected to survive the whole D–D phase. As for electronics, preliminary design of highly integrated pre-amplifier and program controllable mid-amplifier has been completed, both with bandwidth greater than 100 kHz to meet time resolution requirement of 20 kHz. To protect the electronics from intensive neutron and gamma irradiation, shielding cabinet capable of attenuating neutron flux down to 0.0001 and gamma dose 0.01 is designed. Besides, many R&D has been done to support the design. The tests of pre-amplifier and mid-amplifier indicated the electronics had no functional problem when debugging together and generally passed preliminary ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) test and nuclear test. The highly-integrated compact pre-amplifier has been used in EAST and proved useful. To test the feasibility of dedicated gas cooling system for detectors, a cooling test platform was built and preliminary cooling test has been done, indicating that during 250°baking the detector temperature is promising to be cooled down to the detector temperature limit of 75°. To increase signal to noise ratio, large area detector with dark current less than 2nA has been manufactured and worked steadily in EAST experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Period2 (PER2), a core clock gene, encodes a circadian rhythm protein which has been shown to control mammary metabolism in rodents. Whether PER2 regulates milk component synthesis such as αs-casein protein in bovine mammary cells is unknown. Thus, we used gene silencing technology to determine if PER2 silencing could affect αs-casein synthesis and cell growth in cultured primary bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC). The BMEC were established by enzymatic digestion of mammary tissue from mid-lactation cows. A transient-transfection technique was used to insert a small interfering RNA (siRNA) oligonucleotide specific for PER2 to inhibit transcription. Control and siRNA-transfected cells were cultured for 48 h. qRT-PCR and ELISA analysis showed that PER2 silencing enhanced the synthesis of 2 kinds of αs-casein (P < 0.05) through upregulating the mRNA level of CSN1S1 and CSN1S2 (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)- 2, 5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) results demonstrated that cell proliferation was not affected (P > 0.05). These data led us to hypothesize that PER2 protein may potentially play an important role in the control of milk protein synthesis and, hence, represents a target that can be used to regulate protein synthesis rate during lactation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical mechanisms of crystal nucleation and dendritic growth within undercooled niobium were systematically studied by electrostatic levitation and molecular dynamics methods. The maximum undercooling was achieved as 454 K (0.16 T m ), while the hypercooling limit was determined as 706 K (0.26 T m ). The undercooling probability displayed Poisson distribution and indicated the occurrence of heterogeneous nucleation. The calculated critical nucleus size reduced rapidly with undercooling and the solid-liquid interface energy was deduced to be 0.367 J m −2 . In addition, the dendritic growth velocity of pure niobium exhibited a power relation versus undercooling, and reached 41 m s −1 at the maximum undercooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]