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A large linearly graded structure on atomic scale up to 88 at. %/mm with oriented grown crystals was formed in selenium-tellurium (Se-Te) semiconductor using a strong gravitational field of one million G level at 260 °C. The lattice constants and the binding energies of Se and Te 3d electrons continuously changed along the direction of gravity accordingly, which indicated the formation of the graded band gap structure. The grown crystals showed the crystalline orientation with the c axis of hexagonal structure roughly perpendicular to the direction of gravity. It was found that the diffusion coefficient of sedimentation was larger than that of normal diffusion by more than 100 times, which suggested a different diffusion mechanism from the normal vacancy mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An atomic-scale graded structure has been formed previously in a Bi70Sb30 (at. %) alloy that is miscible in all proportions, by sedimentation of substitutional solute atoms under an ultrastrong gravitational field up to 1×106 G at 220–240 °C [T. Mashimo, T. Ikeda, and I. Minato, J. Appl. Phys. 90, 741 (2001)]. In this study, additional megagravity field experiments were performed on the Bi70Sb30 alloy and pure Bi at different temperatures below their melting points, to investigate the change in crystalline state under the ultrastrong gravitational field. For the Bi70Sb30 alloy ultracentrifuged at 191–205 °C, no change in composition was observed, and the grain sizes of the crystals decreased from several millimeters to tens of micrometers, while no distinct change in grain size was observed for the pure Bi ultracentrifuged under the same experimental conditions. The Bi70Sb30 alloy ultracentrifuged at 220–240 °C consisted of two regions with different morphologies–fine-grained crystals with grain sizes in the range of tens of micrometers in the low gravity region, and large crystals with grain sizes several millimeters long and hundreds of micrometers wide along the direction of gravity in the high gravity region, where sedimentation of atoms was confirmed. The large crystals with hexagonal structures were formed by preferential crystal growth roughly along the c axes, and a large strain that increased as the gravitational field increased existed inside these crystals. Formation of this anomalous crystal state might be correlated with the sedimentation of atoms. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influences of Al content on microstructure, mechanical properties, stretch formability and thermal conductivity of Mg-1.5Zn-0.3Ca-xAl-0.2Mn (x: 0.2, 0.5, 1, 1.25, 1.5, 2, wt%) alloys were investigated. With increasing the Al content from 0.2 wt% to 2 wt%, the texture changed from the TD-split texture to the quadrupolar texture at the Al content of 1.25 wt%, and finally became the RD-split texture with an increased texture intensity. The change of texture can be attributed to the formation of Al 2 Ca phase, which weakens the segregation of Ca at grain boundaries due to the decreased amount of Ca solute atoms in the α-Mg matrix. In addition, Al-Mn precipitates changed from a spherical shape to a rod shape accompanied by a largely increased Al/Mn ratio and a decreased amount of precipitates, when the Al content was increased to be larger than 1 wt%. The 0.2–1.5 wt% Al added alloys exhibited excellent stretch formability with the Erichsen values of 8.4–9.1 mm, which were much larger than that (6.8 mm) of the 2 wt% Al added alloy due to texture effect. The 1 wt% Al added alloy had the largest Erichsen value of 9.1 mm, while the 0.2 wt% and 2 wt% Al added alloys exhibited much higher yield strength (165 and 171 vs. 144 MPa). The thermal conductivity continuously decreased with increasing the Al content. Compared to the 2 wt% Al added alloy, the 0.2 wt% Al added alloy exhibited a much higher thermal conductivity (140 vs. 105 W/(m·K)) benefiting from the low concentration of Al solute atoms in the α-Mg matrix. Consequently, a combination of strong mechanical strength, excellent stretch formability and high thermal conductivity was achieved in the low Al-containing alloys with 0.2–0.5 wt% Al. • Mg-1.5Zn-0.3Ca-(0.2–2)Al-0.2Mn alloys with different Al contents were prepared. • High Al content caused texture change from TD-split to RD-split via quadrupole. • 1 wt% Al alloy with TD-split texture has the best formability but low strength. • Thermal conductivity continuously decreased with increasing Al content. • Excellent properties were simultaneously achieved in the low Al-containing alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Static recrystallization behavior of Mg-1.5Zn-0.2Ce (wt%) alloy rolled at 480 °C was investigated at different annealing stages using quasi-in-situ electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analyses, which were carried out repeatedly in the same region to trace microstructural evolution. In the as-rolled condition, double twins exhibit the highest fraction compared with tensile and compression twins. Double twins mostly exist in deformed grains with basal orientations, and statically recrystallized grains mainly nucleate at the intersections of double twins and pre-existing grain boundaries. Statically recrystallized grains tend to exhibit TD-tilted orientations and grow along double twins to consume adjacent basal-oriented grains. This is the main reason for inducing the change from a RD-split texture to a well-weakened TD-split texture during annealing. The residual unrecrystallized grains with TD-tilted orientations and the growth advantage of TD-tilted grains also enhance the formation of TD-split texture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and mechanical properties of flame-resistant AZX912 magnesium alloy extruded at different temperatures in the range of 250–400 °C were investigated. With decreasing extrusion temperature from 400 °C to 250 °C, the grain size of dynamically recrystallized grains significantly decreased from 13.6 to 1.8 µm, and the amount of fine Mg 17 Al 12 precipitates, with sizes of 50–200 nm, increased due to dynamic precipitation. The extrusion texture, with the basal plane and < 10 1 ¯ 0 > direction, mostly parallel to the extrusion direction, was remarkably strengthened as the extrusion temperature increased. This may be attributed to the enhanced activity of the prismatic slip. Nanoscale Mg 17 Al 12 precipitates significantly enhanced the mechanical strength, but deteriorated the ductility. The bar extruded at 250 °C exhibited the highest mechanical strength, which was due to the combined effect of the remarkably refined grain structure and the large amount of nanoscale Mg 17 Al 12 precipitates. The extrusion at 400 °C resulted in the lowest tensile elongation, which was attributed to both grain coarsening and basal texture strengthening. The bar extruded at 300 °C exhibited a good balance between mechanical strength and tensile ductility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dilute magnesium–aluminum–calcium–manganese alloys have a quick age-hardening response and thus show higher strength after short periods of artificial aging; however, their room temperature formability is rather low. Here, we report that the addition of a small amount of copper (Cu) could substantially increase the Erichsen value of a Mg–0.5Al–0.5Ca–0.3Mn (wt.%) alloy due to the formation of a weakened sheet texture and variation in the distribution of (0002) basal pole figure. Specifically, the 0.03 wt% (300 parts-per-million) Cu-containing alloy showed a large index Erichsen value of 7.4 mm, which was noticeably higher than that of the Cu-free alloy (5.2 mm). Further investigation of the microstructure by transmission electron microscopy revealed that Cu co-segregated with Al and Ca at the grain boundaries, which played a critical role for the formation of the weaker basal texture and finer microstructure in the Cu-containing alloys. Owing to the small amount of the Cu addition, the resultant Mg–0.5Al–0.5Ca–0.3Mn–0.03Cu alloy showed a large thermal conductivity of 131 W/(m·K) in a solution treated condition. Subsequent artificial aging at 170 °C for 8 h (T6) not only improved the thermal conductivity to 141 W/(m·K) but also increased the tensile yield strength from 127 to 181 MPa. The improvement in both thermal conductivity and tensile yield strength by the T6-treatment is associated with the precipitation of densely distributed single-atomic layer Guinier–Preston zones lying parallel to the (0002) basal plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discharge behaviors of rolled Mg–6 mass%Al–0.3 mass%Mn–2 mass%Ca (AMX602) and Mg–6 mass%Al–0.3 mass%Mn (AM60) alloys used as anodes for Magnesium–air batteries were investigated. The AMX602 alloy exhibited superior discharge properties compared to the AM60 alloy, especially at low current density. The discharge products of the AMX602 alloy were dense and thin, and many cracks were observed at all current densities. In addition, the discharge products were detached at some sites. These sites often corresponded to the positions of Al 2 Ca particles. The comparison of the discharge and corrosion tests indicated that the dense and thin discharge products of AMX602 were easily cracked by dissolution of the Mg matrix around Al 2 Ca particles, and the cracks promoted the penetration of the electrolyte into the discharge products, retaining the discharge activity. In contrast, concerning the AM60 alloy, thick discharge products were formed on the surface during discharge, and cracking of the discharge products hardly occurred, degrading the discharge properties. Localized and deeply corroded pits that could result from the detachment of metal pieces from the anode during discharge were partly observed in the AM60 alloy. It is suggested that these detached metal pieces are another reason for the low discharge properties of the AM60 alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of aging precipitation on microstructure, deep drawing formability and tensile properties, were investigated for Mg-6Al-1Zn (AZ61) alloy sheets. The alloy aged at 175 °C for 96 h with high strength exhibited a significant improvement in deep drawability with an increased limiting drawing ratio (LDR) from 1.5 to 1.9, when slightly increasing deformation temperature from room temperature to 100 °C. This LDR (1.9) was even larger than that (1.75) of the unaged alloy drawn at 100 °C. The improved deep drawability can be attributed to the prevention of cracking at the edge of drawn cup, which is closely related to the restrictions of growth of tensile twins and basal slip due to Mg 17 Al 12 precipitates, resulting in the delayed texture strengthening during deformation. The proposed idea of utilizing aging precipitation provides a new strategy for the development of Mg alloy sheets with superior deep drawing formability and high strength. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The finite element (FE) method was used to analyze the effect of coupling conditions between the actuator and the round window membrane (RWM) on the performance of round window (RW) stimulation. A FE model of the human ear consisting of the external ear canal, middle ear and cochlea was firstly developed, and then validation of this model was accomplished through comparison between analytical results and experimental data in the literature. Intracochlear pressure were derived from the model under normal forward sound stimulation and reverse RW stimulation. The equivalent sound pressure of RW stimulation was then calculated via comparing the differential intracochlear pressure produced by the actuator and normal ear canal sound stimulus. The actuator was simulated as a floating mass and placed onto the middle ear cavity side of RWM. Two aspects about the actuator coupling conditions were considered in this study: (1) the cross-section area of the actuator relative to the RWM; (2) the coupling layer between the actuator and the RWM. The results show that smaller actuator size can improve the implant performance of RW stimulation, and size requirements of the actuator can also be reduced by introducing a coupling layer between the actuator and RWM, which will benefit the manufacture of the actuator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a 3D finite element (FE) model of human cochlea is developed. This passive model includes the structure of oval window, round window, basilar membrane (BM) and cochlear duct which is filled with fluid. Orthotropic material property of the BM is varying along its length. The fluid-structure interaction (FSI) method is used to compute the responses in the cochlea. In particular, the viscous fluid element is adopted for the first time in the cochlear FE model, so that the effects of shear viscosity in the fluid are considered. Results on the cochlear impedance, BM response and intracochlear pressure are obtained. The intracochlear pressure includes the scala vestibule and scala tympani pressure are extracted and used to calculate the transfer functions from equivalent ear canal pressures to scala pressures. The reasonable agreements between the model results and the experimental data in the literature prove the validity of the cochlear model for simulating sound transmission in the cochlea. Moreover, this model predicted the transfer function from equivalent ear canal pressures to scala pressures which is the input to the cochlear partition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AZ61 and AM60 magnesium alloys, with higher mechanical strengths than that of the most commonly used AZ31 alloy, were subjected to high-temperature rolling. Although the basal textures of the as-rolled sheets of both alloys were significantly weakened by annealing, the texture weakening was more significant in the latter than in the former. In addition, splitting of the basal pole was not retained after annealing for the AZ61 alloy, but this type of texture was preserved in the case of the AM60 alloy. The formation of statically recrystallized grains with dispersed orientations resulted in the aforementioned change in texture. The difference in the static recrystallization behavior could be attributed to the solute effect of zinc atoms. The annealed AZ61 and AM60 alloy sheets exhibited excellent stretch formability at room temperature, with Erichsen values of 7.8 and 8.5 mm, respectively, comparable to those of aluminum alloys. The higher Erichsen value for the AM60 alloy compared to that of the AZ61 alloy resulted from the more weakened basal texture and the splitting of the basal pole with an inclination angle of ±20° in the rolling direction, which are favorable for basal slip during sheet forming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fabrication of magnesium (Mg) alloy sheets with both high mechanical strength and superior cold formability was sought by optimizing the aluminum (Al) content of the alloy sheets. We investigated the influence of varying Al content from 3 wt% to 8 wt% on the texture, mechanical properties, and stretch formability of AM series Mg alloys, processed by high-temperature rolling. The ultimate tensile strength improved steadily from 247 MPa to 303 MPa with an increase in Al, due to solid solution strengthening. The basal texture intensity decreased with increasing Al content, reached a minimum value at 6 wt% Al, and then increased as more Al was added. The weakest basal texture led to the smallest Lankford value and the largest strain hardening exponent in the AM60 (6 wt% Al) alloy. The alloys with lower Al contents of 3–5 wt% exhibited a high fracture elongation of 27%, which continuously decreased to 23% as the Al content increased to 8 wt%. The AM50 alloy exhibited excellent stretch formability with the largest Erichsen value of 9.1, while the AM30 and AM80 alloys showed much smaller Erichsen values of 5.6 and 6.0, respectively. This can be attributed to a good balance among the decreased r -value, increased n -value, and enhanced tensile ductility in the AM50 alloy, despite its basal texture being slightly stronger than that of the AM60 alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A moving target detection method based on tracking interest points is proposed. [•] A novel clustering method named as R-means is proposed. [•] These interest points are divided into target points and background points. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The microstructural and textural evolution of pure titanium during differential speed rolling (DSR) at 500 °C and subsequent annealing were investigated using electron backscattered diffraction analysis. Twinning only occurs in the initial stage of DSR, and further deformation is dominated by dislocation slip. The as-rolled microstructure is characterized by large deformed grains, which form a major component of the material, and some dynamically recrystallized (DRXed) grains mainly existing in shear band regions. A dramatic change in the rolling texture, from the transverse direction (TD) split texture with basal poles largely tilted at ±40° to the single-peak basal texture, occurs during DSR. This change in texture is accelerated during the late stage of DSR and may be attributed to the gradual lattice rotation of deformed grains caused by enhanced basal slip activity. The basal texture changes back to the TD-split texture with basal poles tilted at ±25° after annealing due to consumption of deformed grains with basal orientations from DRXed grains with the TD-split texture. Subsequent extensive grain growth changes the orientation of the a-axis from parallel to the TD to parallel to the rolling direction, which is the result of the preferential grain growth in that direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A matrix Kalman filter (MKF) has been implemented for a navigation system using point-based visual and inertial sensors. The observability conditions have been proved by the observability rank criterion based on Lie derivatives. The conditions are: (a) at least one degree of rotational freedom is excited and (b) at least three observed points are not collinear where any two points are linearly independent. Experimental results have demonstrated that the proposed algorithm obtains the same accurate as the line-based algorithm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] A novel method which is inspired by Human Visual System is proposed in this paper. [•] This method combines three mechanisms of HVS together. [•] DOG filter is used to simulate the contrast mechanism. [•] A Gaussian window is added at a point to simulate the visual attention. [•] The PID algorithm is first introduced to simulate the eye movement of human being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microstructural evolution and stretch formability of Mg–3Al–1Zn (AZ31) magnesium alloy sheets warm rolled at 225°C by a single differential speed rolling pass with two different initial microstructures were investigated. A cast ingot and that rolled by one pass at a high temperature of 550°C with average grain sizes of ~470μm and ~19μm, respectively, were used as starting materials. Both warm rolled sheets exhibit deformation microstructure in as-rolled condition and the occurrence of texture randomization during subsequent annealing as a result of static recrystallization. New recrystallized grains with a large orientation spread tend to persist in the original orientations of parent deformed grains and twin hosts. Regarding the nucleation sites at pre-existing grain boundaries and double twins, static recrystallization preferentially occurs at the sides of deformed grains and within double twins with their c-axes inclining toward the rolling direction (RD), resulting in a stable end annealing texture with a basal pole tilting toward the RD. For the sheet warm rolled from a cast ingot, incomplete recrystallization originating from less stored energy in the interiors of large deformed grains results in an insufficient texture weakening and an inhomogenous microstructure. Both sheets possess an improved stretch formability compared with conventional AZ31 alloy sheets due to the weakened textures. Benefiting from a weaker basal texture and a more homogenous microstructure, the sheet rolled at 550°C followed by warm rolling at 225°C exhibits a higher Erichsen value of 8.2 compared with that (6.1) of the sheet warm rolled directly from a cast ingot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As-explosive welded clad plates usually show poor ductility due to heavily deformed microstructures developed after explosive welding (EXW). In this study, the feasibility of improving mechanical properties of an EXWed Mg–6Al–1Zn–1Ca (AZX611)/Al–0.6Mg–0.6Si–0.1Fe (A6005C) (all in wt%) clad plate has been explored by subsequent hot-rolling. Increasing the thickness reduction per pass from 10% to 28% or decreasing the rolling temperature from 430 °C to 250 °C is shown to enhance tensile properties. The joint sheet rolled at 250 °C with a thickness reduction per pass of 28% shows a large fracture elongation of 15%, which is significantly higher than that of the as-EXWed clad plate, 1.2%. Microstructure characterization by means of scanning electron microscope, electron backscatter diffraction and transmission electron microscope reveals that the substantial improvement in ductility is intimately related to a significant reduction of the accumulated strain in AZX611 and A6005C alloy sheets and an elimination of the interface delamination formed during EXW. A certain degree of anisotropic mechanical properties is observed in all sheets regardless of rolling conditions, which can be ascribed to the mechanical anisotropy originated from the AZX611 and A6005C alloy sheets. • Producing high performance lightweight Mg/Al joint sheets by explosive welding followed by conventional hot rolling. • Characterizing microstructure and evaluating mechanical properties of EXWed Mg/Al joint sheets rolled in different conditions. • Providing an in-depth understanding of the relationship between rolling condition, microstructure and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mg–3Al–1Zn magnesium alloy sheets rolled at 350°C, 450°C and 525°C, which exhibit approximately the same grain size but a significant decrease in basal texture intensity with increasing rolling temperature, were used for investigating the influence of initial texture on deep drawing behaviour at room temperature. The sheets rolled at 350°C and 450°C fracture at drawing ratios of 1.5 and 1.7, respectively, while the sheet rolled at 525°C can be successfully drawn at a large drawing ratio of 1.8. The fracture site changes from the shoulder of drawn cup to the edge of the flange with the weakening of initial basal texture. At the flange, the basal texture dramatically changes to the TD-texture with basal planes perpendicular to the sheet plane accompanied with sheet thickening. Both tensile twinning and basal slip contribute to this texture change due to compressive stress along the circumferential direction. In the case of weak initial texture, relatively restricted tensile twinning and more activated basal slip delay the development of the TD-texture, which is favoured for maintaining deformation capability at the flange and in turn enhances deep drawability. The deformation behaviour is discussed in terms of the change in Schmid factor for basal slip during deep drawing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The annealing behaviours of Mg–3Al–1Zn magnesium alloy sheets warm rolled at 225°C and 150°C using differential speed rolling, which are mainly characterized by dynamic recrystallized microstructure and deformation microstructure, respectively, were investigated at different annealing stages. Static recrystallization occurs for the sheet rolled at 150°C while only grain growth proceeds for the sheet rolled at 225°C. For the sheet rolled at 225°C, the grain growth of dynamic recrystallized grains eliminates the basal pole inclination in the rolling direction. In contrast, for the sheet rolled at 150°C, the grain growth after static recrystallization retains the basal pole inclination, which is favoured for sheet forming. This difference in texture evolution may be attributed to the dynamic or static recrystallization prior to grain growth, which results in residual dislocation densities for the former and thus leads to the preferential growth of harder oriented basal grains at the centre of (0001) pole figure with lower dislocation densities during annealing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Mg–3Al–1Zn magnesium alloy sheets rolled at 573 and 798K characterized by strong and weak basal textures, respectively, were further subjected by a single high temperature rolling pass at 798K. The sheet rolled only at 798K throughout rolling exhibits a double peak texture in both of as-rolled and annealed conditions. By contrast, for the sheet rolled at 573 and 798K, the reduction rate of basal texture intensity is larger and the single peak of the rolling texture changes to the double peak with basal poles largely tilting in the RD at ∼20° after annealing, which is rarely observed in wrought magnesium alloys. This phenomenon is resulted from static recrystallization and may be related to enhanced pyramidal 〈c+a〉 slip during high temperature rolling due to the initial strong basal texture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Poor formability of rolled magnesium (Mg) alloys extremely restricts applications in form of sheets originating from formation of strong basal texture. Recently, we found that increasing rolling temperature from 723 to 798 K for a AZ31 Mg alloy can significantly improve stretch formability due to remarkable texture weakening after annealing. In this study, static recrystallization behaviors of AZ31 alloy sheets rolled at 723 and 798 K were investigated by electron backscattered diffraction analyses at different annealing stages in order to understand the origin of high temperature rolling on texture weakening. For both sheets, similar deformation microstructures with approximately the same types and fractions of twins exist in the as-rolled condition and recrystallized grains are mainly formed at pre-existing grain boundaries due to discontinuous recrystallization during subsequent annealing. However, only the basal texture of the latter remarkably weakens due to the formation of new recrystallized grains with well-dispersed orientations. Non-basal slips enhanced during high temperature rolling at 798 K are most likely responsible for the texture randomization as a result of rotations of recrystallization nuclei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The microstructural and textural evolution during post-annealing as well as mechanical properties of a Mg–4Y–3RE magnesium alloy sheet processed by differential speed rolling at 823K were investigated. The as-rolled sheet exhibits deformation microstructure regardless of the high rolling temperature. Static recrystallization occurs around second-phase particles as a result of particle-stimulated nucleation and also at pre-existing grain boundaries due to solute effects of rare-earth elements, resulting in randomization of basal texture. Despite a large amount of second-phase particles, the weakened texture leads to a moderate stretch formability with an Erichsen value of 4.4. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of increasing rolling temperature from 723K to 828K at the last rolling pass on microstructure, texture, mechanical properties and stretch formability of a Mg–3Al–1Zn magnesium alloy previously rolled at 723K were investigated. In the as-rolled condition, the basal texture strengthens slightly with increasing the rolling temperature whereas it weakens more remarkably after static recrystallization during annealing for the sheets rolled at higher temperatures. Only by increasing the rolling temperature from 723K to 798K, the Erichsen value is significantly increased from 4.5 to 8.6 due to the weakened texture for the annealed sheets. Further increasing the last rolling temperature does not appear to further improve the stretch formability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Conclusion: Down-regulating human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression will significantly suppress the cell viability of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma Hep-2, which was mainly due to the inhibition of cyclin D1 and thus G1/S phase transition. Objective: Small-interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting hTERT can arrest the cell cycle of cancer cells, as well as inhibit telomerase activity and cell viability. However, the precise mechanisms still remain unclear. Here, we investigate the regulatory role of hTERT in cyclin D1 in laryngeal squamous carcinoma. Methods: Short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) specifically targeting hTERT were constructed and expressed in Hep-2 cells. Cell proliferation was measured by CCK-8 assay. Expression of hTERT, cyclin D1, cyclin E, c-myc, and GAPDH was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot; cyclin D1 and hTERT proteins in laryngeal squamous carcinoma tissue microarray were analyzed by quantum dots immunofluorescence. Results: hTERT silence by shRNAs decreased the proliferation of Hep-2 cells by 76.8% at day 4 (96 h). Furthermore, transfection with hTERT shRNA for 48 h also significantly reduced expression of hTERT, cyclin D1, and c-Myc, but not cyclin E. Quantum dots immunofluorescence analysis of 36 laryngeal squamous carcinoma tissue samples found that hTERT expression was highly correlated with cyclin D1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The recrystallization and grain growth behaviour of Mg–3Al–1Zn alloy sheets with a deformation microstructure, obtained by a combination of high-temperature rolling and subsequent warm rolling, was investigated at different stages of annealing. The basal texture was significantly weakened as a result of the formation of new grains with a largely altered c-axis orientation relative to the initial basal orientation owing to discontinuous static recrystallization during primary recrystallization. The new grains nucleated mostly at the pre-existing grain boundaries rather than at the intersections of twins or within the twins. Subsequent grain growth led to further progression of the texture weakening accompanied by an enhancement in the basal pole inclination. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The relationship between the Zn concentration and stretch formability of the rolled Mg–x wt.%Zn–0.2wt.%Ce (Mg–xZn–0.2Ce here after) alloys was investigated. Zn addition of a dilute concentration of more than 0.5wt.% effectively modified the basal plane texture, which was characterized by the splitting basal pole toward the TD. However, further Zn addition showed no strong effect on the distribution and intensity of the basal plane texture. The Mg–1.5Zn–0.2Ce alloy showed significant stretch formability. On the other hand, further Zn addition deteriorated the stretch formability of the Mg–xZn–0.2Ce alloys, although it showed no effect on the distribution and intensity of the basal plane texture. The deterioration of the stretch formability of the Mg–xZn–0.2Ce alloys with high Zn concentrations was suggested to be ascribed to solid solution hardening. Moreover, it was suggested that not only the texture but also solid solution softening plays an important role in the enhanced stretch formability of the Mg–xZn–0.2Ce alloys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Differential speed rolling (DSR) was carried out on commercial pure titanium at rolling temperatures from room temperature to 773K. The basal texture appears when the rolling temperature is higher than 573K and it lacks stability during annealing. Originating from texture effects, the DSRed sheet exhibits a larger Lankford value and a smaller planar anisotropy, which lead to a remarkable improvement in stretch formability regardless of a decrease in tensile elongation compared with symmetrically rolled sheet. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Mg–3Al–1Zn magnesium alloy sheets with initial extrusion and casting microstructures were symmetrically rolled at a high temperature of 823K, followed by a warm rolling at 498K. The initial texture plays a vital role in texture development and results in inclination angle of split basal pole varying from ±15° to ±40°. The sheet rolled perpendicular to extrusion direction exhibits a homogeneous microstructure with an inclination angle of ±25° and the highest Erichsen value of 9.7. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mg–3Al–1Zn alloy sheets were rolled at high temperatures up to 823K and subsequently rolled at 498K using differential speed rolling. The basal texture intensity dramatically weakens with a largely tilted basal pole after annealing. The Erichsen value significantly increases from 3.7 to 9.5 with an increase in the rolling temperature from 498 to 823K prior to warm rolling due to texture effects. This high Erichsen value is comparable to those of aluminum alloys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The microstructural and textural evolution of the hot-extruded AZ31 alloy plate during differential speed rolling (DSR) has been investigated. For the hot-extruded plate, a large texture gradient exists in the thickness direction while the grain size distribution is nearly homogenous. The textural evolutions at near-surface and mid-layer regions are different between the DSR processed and the normal symmetric rolled sheets. The inclination of basal pole at the mid-layer increases at an accelerating rate with progress of the DSR processing due to the enhancement of the unidirectional shear bands. The deformation tends to concentrate on the previously formed shear bands, which exhibit a favored crystalline orientation for further shear localization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The influence of reduction per pass over the range of 9–63% on the microstructure and texture of Mg–3Al–1Zn magnesium alloy sheets processed by differential speed rolling at the same total reduction of 63% have been investigated. With increasing reduction per pass, the number of unidirectional shear bands increases, resulting in a more homogeneous microstructure and a weaker basal texture at mid-layer. The inclination direction of the basal pole with respect to the rolling direction depends on the reduction per pass. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A heat-treatable AZ80 magnesium alloy has been subjected to differential speed rolling (DSR) at a large thickness reduction per pass of 33%, and microstructure, texture, mechanical properties, stretch formability as well as texture evolution during stretch forming have been investigated. The basal pole of the DSR-processed sheet tilts toward the rolling direction at 15°. The as-rolled sheet exhibits a combination of high strength (tensile strength: 329MPa) and high ductility (fracture elongation: 25%). The Erichsen value at room temperature improves from 3.7 to 4.5 compared with the normal-rolled sheet. The enhancement of the stretch formability can be attributed to the texture effects due to the same grain size of 7μm. The DSR-processed sheet exhibits a larger Schmid factor for basal slip and the inclination of basal pole retains during the stretch forming. The aging treatment remarkably enhances the mechanical strength further while it significantly deteriorates the formability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mg–6Al–1Zn magnesium alloy sheets were rolled at high temperatures of 723–793K using differential speed rolling. The Erichsen value remarkably increases about 1.5 times due to the weakened basal texture regardless of the coarser grains with increasing the rolling temperature from 723 to 793K. The sheet rolled at 793K exhibits a combination of a superior stretch formability with an Erichsen value of 7.0 and a high tensile strength of 300MPa at room temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The differential speed rolling (DSR) with a roll speed ratio of 1.167 was carried out on an AZ31B magnesium alloy in order to investigate its effects on the formability. Compared with the normal rolled sheet exhibiting approximately the same average grain size, the Erichsen values of the DSR processed sheet with an inclination of basal pole in the rolling direction significantly increased by about 1.5 and 1.9 times at room temperature and at 423K, respectively. The deep-drawing temperature limit for a drawing ratio of 1.5 was also lowered from 443K to 423K. The improvement of the press formability at low temperatures can be attributed to the texture modifications, which led to a lower 0.2% proof stress, a larger uniform elongation, a smaller Lankford value and a larger strain hardening exponent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Mg-3Zn-0.5Ca-0.5Al-xMn alloys with different Mn contents were investigated. • Mechanical strength significantly improved with increasing Mn content. • High strength and high formability were simultaneously achieved in 1 wt% Mn alloy. • 1 wt% Mn alloy also has high thermal conductivity regardless of high Mn content. • Excellent properties are related to dense Al-Mn nanoscale spherical precipitates. [Display omitted] Tensile properties, formability and thermal conductivity of Mg-3Zn-0.5Ca-0.5Al-xMn (x: 0.1–1.5 in wt%) sheet alloys with different Mn contents were investigated. Benefitting from dense Al-Mn nanoscale spherical precipitates, yield strength was significantly enhanced by 39 MPa with increasing the Mn content from 0.1 wt% to 1 wt%. In the meanwhile, excellent formability was maintained with Erichsen values larger than 8 mm. Further increasing the Mn content to 1.5 wt% did not contribute to strengthening due to the formation of coarse β-Mn particles. In spite of larger additive amount, thermal conductivity improved for the 1 wt% Mn added alloy compared to the 0.1 wt% Mn added alloy due to the increased amount of Al-Mn nanoscale spherical precipitates, which reduced a content of Al solute atoms. High strength (average yield strength: 180 MPa), high formability (Erichsen value: 8.5 mm) and high thermal conductivity (133 W/(m K)) were simultaneously achieved in the 1 wt% Mn added alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor formability at room temperature (RT) has been the main bottleneck for a wider range of applications of concentrated Mg–Al–Ca(–Zn) sheet alloys. Here, we report that RT stretch formability of concentrated Mg–Al–Zn–Ca alloy sheets can be improved substantially by increasing the final rolling temperature. A Mg–6Al–1Zn–1Ca alloy sheet subjected to 510 °C final rolling shows an index Erichsen (I.E.) value of 7.9 mm, which is significantly higher than that of the same sheet subjected to 450 °C final rolling (4.1 mm). More excitingly, 510 °C final rolled Mg–6Al–1Zn–2Ca (wt%) alloy sheet exhibits a large I.E. value of 8.0 mm which has never been achieved in 2 wt% Ca-containing Mg alloys. A systematic microstructural investigation indicates that the substantial improvement in stretch formability of Mg–6Al–1Zn–xCa (x=1, 2) alloy sheets is mainly associated with weakened basal textures. To clarify the mechanisms responsible for the weak basal textures developed in the high temperature rolled sheets, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) assisted slip trace analysis and quasi-in-situ EBSD method were employed. EBSD-assisted slip trace analysis on the side surface of as-rolled Mg–6Al–1Zn–1Ca alloy sheets indicates that the activity of pyramidal slip increases significantly by increasing the final rolling temperature from 450 to 510 °C. During subsequent annealing, grains deformed by pyramidal slip evolve into new recrystallized grains with a wide spectrum of orientations, which plays a key role in the development of the weaker basal texture. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The mechanical properties of the differential-speed-rolled Mg–3Al–1Zn alloy sheet with a basal pole tilted at about 15° in the rolling direction were systematically investigated at room temperature. Compared with the normal symmetrically rolled sheet exhibiting approximately the same average grain size, the uniform elongation and the strain hardening exponent increased while the proof stress and the Lankford value decreased especially in the rolling direction. The c-axis tilted texture activated the extension twinning at the early stage of tensile deformation, and depressed the dynamic recovery and in turn enhanced the uniform elongation. The initial texture had a significant influence on the deformation at the initial stage while it showed a much weaker effect on the deformation after reaching the strain instability condition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The microstructure and the texture of the Mg–3.10Al–1.06Zn–0.35Mn (in wt.%) alloy processed by differential speed rolling (DSR) were investigated by optical microscopy, X-ray texture analysis and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis. The DSR processed sheet exhibited the unidirectional shear bands with an inclination to the rolling direction. The macro-texture analysis results showed a large inclination of c-axis toward the opposite direction of the rolling direction at about 15°. On the other hand, the micro-texture analysis revealed that the inclination directions of c-axis were reverse between the shear bands and the remaining coarse grain regions, and the latter dominated the macro-texture. This anomalous texture can be attributed to the formation of the unidirectional shear bands. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

WxAg100−x alloy powders and bulk alloys consisting of metastable solid solution and nanocrystals were prepared by mechanical alloying (MA) and shock compression. The MA-treated (21 h) powder for x=90 showed the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of a single phase of b.c.c. structure, and those for x≤80 showed the XRD patterns of two-phase mixtures of b.c.c. and f.c.c. structures. The lattice parameters of the b.c.c. structure phases increased with milling time and approached saturation values at about 15 h. The shock-consolidated bulk alloys for x=70 and 80 consisted of two-layer structures of a thick undecomposed layer and a thin decomposed one. The Vickers hardnesses of the undecomposed areas were much higher than those of the decomposed areas in the shock-consolidated bulk alloys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An ultracentrifuge apparatus, which can generate an ultra-strong gravitational field even >1 000 000 (1 million) G (1 G=9.8 m/s[SUP2]) over a wide temperature range up to >500 °C with high stability control, was developed for new materials science research. The system consists of an air turbine motor with ceramic ball bearings and dumper section, a sample rotor with an outer diameter of up to 160 mm, a vacuum chamber, and a heating system. The nonbored rotor and the double-structural dumper bushing are used to raise the maximum rotational speed and to improve the stability. The samples can be heated by radiant heat. A maximum rotational speed of 190 000 rpm using a 70 mm diam rotor was recorded despite a short time where the maximum gravitational field was &gt1 2000 000 G. Long and high-temperature ultracentrifuge experiments using 70 and 80 mm diam rotors made of titanium alloy with rotational speeds of up to 170 000 rpm even at temperatures of over 200 °C for 100 h with ripples of <0.05% and <1°, respectively, were successfully performed, where the maximum gravitational field of the sample was >1 000 000 G. The potential energy and sample volume were increased by factors of >2 and >4, respectively, compared with those in the Kumamoto University study [T. Mashimo, S. Okazaki, and S. Tashiro, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 67, 3170 (1996)]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ag and Ca atoms segregate to grain boundaries (GBs) in a solution treated state, which assists the earlier formation of GB precipitates compared to the grain interior during the early stage of aging. Prolonged aging leads to the growth of GB precipitates, which act as preferred initiation sites for microcracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low flame resistance and inferior mechanical properties are critical issues in widening applications of wrought magnesium alloys as a structural component. To address these issues, the present authors attempted to develop a flame-resistant magnesium–silver-based sheet alloy with excellent room temperature (RT) formability. It was found that the ignition temperature of Mg–1.5 wt%Ag–x wt.%Ca alloy was significantly increased with increasing the Ca content up to 2 wt%. The 2 wt% Ca-containing alloy exhibited a non-flammability characteristic upon 1000 °C due to the formation of compact and dense CaO film on the surface. Strength and in-plane yield anisotropy were enhanced with increasing the Ca content, which were mainly associated with a finer microstructure and a denser distribution of Mg 2 Ca second phase particles. In contrast, stretch formability was decreased with increasing the Ca content due to an increased number of the Mg 2 Ca particles. A compositionally optimized Mg–1.5Ag–1Ca (wt.%) alloy showed a high ignition temperature of 912.5 °C with a large index Erichsen value of 7.8 mm at RT. • The flame-resistance of Mg–1.5Ag–xCa alloys is significantly improved with increasing the Ca content. • Strength and in-plane yield anisotropy of Mg–1.5Ag–xCa alloys are enhanced with increasing the Ca content. • Mg–1.5Ag–xCa (x = 0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 wt%) alloys show weak and ring-like basal textures. • Mg–1.5Ag–1Ca (wt.%) alloy exhibits a high ignition temperature of 912.5 °C with a large index Erichsen value of 7.8 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigated effects of silver (Ag) content on the microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of magnesium–silver–calcium alloys by a combined experimental and numerical approach. A series of ternary magnesium–silver–calcium alloys with Ag concentrations between 0.3 and 12 wt% were prepared by hot-extrusion, hot-rolling followed by annealing. As-rolled sheets showed rolling direction split textures with double peaks irrespective of the Ag content. A new component where (0002) basal poles tilted from the normal direction toward the transverse direction (TD) appeared when the Ag content was increased to 1 wt% after annealing. The Mg–xAg–0.1Ca (x = 0.3, 1, 2 and 3) alloys showed excellent room temperature (RT) formability, which could be mainly ascribed to weak basal textures developed after annealing. When the Ag content was increased to 6 wt%, a weak TD-split texture with a homogeneous fine-grained microstructure was developed, which resulted in excellent RT formability and high strength. In contrast, the Mg–12Ag–0.1Ca alloy showed much lower RT formability and ductility in comparison with Mg–Ag–Ca alloys with lower Ag concentrations due to the presence of coarse AgMg 4 particles. Visco-plastic self-consistent simulation results revealed that the activity of prismatic slip was increased with increasing the Ag content and the enhanced activity of prismatic during rolling may partially lead to the formation of TD-split texture in the formable Mg–Ag–Ca alloys during annealing. • Mg–xAg–0.1Ca (x = 0.3, 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 wt%) alloys showed weak basal textures. • Mg–0.1Ca alloys with Ag no more than 3 wt% showed excellent formability. • A Mg–6Ag–0.1Ca (wt.%) alloy exhibited a high strength and excellent formability. • Activity of prismatic slip increased with increasing Ag content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of scandium (Sc) content on microstructures and mechanical properties of a Mg–1.5Zn (wt.%) alloy have been systematically investigated. Mg–1.5Zn alloys with Sc content no more than 0.3 wt% showed large index Erichsen (I.E.) values, an indicator of stretch formability, over than 8 mm due to weak basal textures. Further increase in Sc content up to 1.5 wt% led to a gradual decline in the stretch formability and a Mg–1.5Zn–1.5Sc alloy showed the lowest I.E. value of 4.2 mm. Detailed microstructural characterization of the Mg–1.5Zn–1.5Sc alloy revealed that the poor stretch formability was associated with a combined effect of strong basal texture, un-recrystallized matrix grains and a dense distribution of ScZn and Sc second phase particles. On the other hand, tensile properties, in particular tensile yield strength (TYS) and r-value were almost identical along the rolling direction (RD) and the transverse direction (TD) for a Mg–1.5Zn–0.1Sc alloy. Higher TYS and r-value along the RD than the TD were observed in a Mg–1.5Zn–0.3Sc alloy, while opposite results were obtained in Mg–1.5Zn–1.0Sc and Mg–1.5Zn–1.5Sc alloys. Different plastic anisotropy trends observed in Mg–1.5Zn–xSc (x = 0.1–1.5) alloys could be ascribed to their distribution of crystallographic orientations. • Microalloying addition of Sc to a Mg–Zn alloy led to the formation of weak texture. • Mg–1.5Zn alloys with Sc no more than 0.3 wt% showed excellent formability. • A Mg–1.5Zn–0.1Sc (wt.%) alloy did not show a plastic anisotropy. • A Mg–1.5Zn–0.3Sc (wt.%) alloy exhibited a unique quadruple basal texture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A newly developed magnesium sheet alloy, Mg–1.5Ag–0.1Ca in wt.%, shows a large index Erichsen value of 8.6 mm with a large average elongation to failure of 33% at room temperature (RT). The excellent RT formability and ductility are associated with a weak ring-like basal texture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the microstructures, mechanical properties, and ignition temperatures of hot-rolled Mg-1.5Zn-X (X: Ca and/or Sr) alloys were investigated. The Mg-1.5Zn, Mg-1.5Zn–1Ca and Mg-1.5Zn–1Sr alloys had the mean grain sizes of 56.1 μm, 8.7 μm, and 18.5 μm, respectively. This indicates that Ca addition exerts a stronger effect on grain refinement than Sr addition. Both Ca and Sr additions significantly weakened the basal texture to approximately one-quarter in intensity for the annealed sheets. Ca-containing alloys exhibited texture splitting in the transverse direction, while Sr-containing alloys tended to maintain it in the rolling direction after annealing. The Ca and Sr additions improved the mechanical strength considerably due to grain refinement, which overcompensated for the influence of texture softening. Meanwhile, benefiting from the weakened textures, the 1% Ca and Sr additions remarkably increased the Erichsen values from 3.8 to 8.0 and 7.1, respectively. However, further addition resulted in the deterioration of both tensile ductility and stretch formability due to the cracking of secondary-phase particles. Ca addition had a better effect on enhancing the flame-retardant property than Sr addition, and 2% Ca and Sr additions increased the ignition temperature from 629 °C to 800 °C and 720 °C, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The stria vascularis (SV), located in the lateral wall of the cochlea, maintains cochlear fluid homeostasis and mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) activity required for sound wave conduction. The pathogenesis of a number of human inheritable deafness syndromes, age related hearing loss, drug-induced ototoxicity and noise-induced hearing loss results from the morphological changes and functional impairments in the development of the SV. In this study, we investigate the implications of intercellular communication within the SV in the pathogenesis of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). We aim to identify commonly regulated signaling pathways using publicly available single-cell transcriptomic sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets. Methods: We analyzed scRNA-seq data, which was derived from studying the cochlear SV in mice with SNHL compared to normal adult mice. After quality control and filtering, we obtained the major cellular components of the mouse cochlear SV and integrated the data. Using Seurat's FindAllMarkers and FindMarkers packages, we searched for novel conservative genes and differential genes. We employed KEGG and GSEA to identify molecular pathways that are commonly altered among different types of SNHL. We utilized pySCENIC to discover new specific regulatory factors in SV subpopulation cells. With the help of CellChat, we identified changes in subpopulation cells showing similar trends across different SNHL types and their alterations in intercellular communication pathways. Results: Through the analysis of the integrated data, we discovered new conserved genes to SV specific cells and identified common downregulated pathways in three types of SNHL. The enriched genes for these pathways showing similar trends are primarily associated with the Electron Transport Chain, related to mitochondrial energy metabolism. Using the CellChat package, we further found that there are shared pathways in the incoming signaling of specific intermediate cells in SNHL, and these pathways have common upstream regulatory transcription factor of Nfe2l2. Combining the results from pySCENIC and CellChat, we predicted the transcription factor Nfe2l2 as an upstream regulatory factor for multiple shared cellular pathways in IC. Additionally, it serves as an upstream factor for several genes within the Electron Transport Chain. Conclusion: Our bioinformatics analysis has revealed that downregulation of the mitochondrial electron transport chain have been observed in various conditions of SNHL. E2f1, Esrrb, Runx1, Yy1, and Gata2 could serve as novel important common TFs regulating the electron transport chain. Adm has emerged as a potential new marker gene for intermediate cells, while Itgb5 and Tesc show promise as potential new marker genes for marginal cells in the SV. These findings offer a new perspective on SV lesions in SNHL and provide additional theoretical evidence for the same drug treatment and prevention of different pathologies of SNHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: While patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) commonly develop residual dizziness (RD) after successful repositioning, the factors predictive of RD remain controversial. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors predictive of RD onset in patients with BPPV following successful repositioning. METHODS: This multi-center prospective cohort study enrolled 243 patients with idiopathic BPPV. Vestibular functional and psychological wellbeing assessments administered before repositioning provided the data used to identify factors predictive of RD with a log-binomial model. The endpoint was RD at 1 week after successful repositioning. RESULTS: Of the enrolled patients, 118 reported RD. After adjusting for cofounders, mild [risk ratio (RR), 2.06; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.39–3.04] or severe (RR, 3.08; 95% CI, 2.17–4.38) anxiety and abnormal vestibular ratio of sensory organization test (RR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.82–3.95) were identified as risk predictors. Presence of ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials responses, either unilateral (RR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.44–0.69) or bilateral (RR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.36–0.68), were protective factors. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety and abnormal balance are significant predictors of RD, while the presence of ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials responses predicts against it. These findings may help to improve BPPV outcomes by informing prognoses and guiding treatment strategies. Trial registration: ChiCTR1800018004 (date of registration: 26 August 2018) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]