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Herein, microwave plasma nitriding (MPN) was employed to fabricate a nanocrystalline tantalum nitride (Ta–N) layer with enhanced mechanical and tribological performance. The results revealed that the nitrogen content in the Ta–N layer appeared as a gradient distribution, resulting in a component gradient structure comprising Ta 2 N, a solid solution of N in Ta and superlattice TaN 0.04 from the top surface to the matrix, which was advantageous for relaxing the stress between the top Ta–N layer and the matrix. Nanocrystalline Ta–N layers (D (avg) = 45–55 nm) with dense and smooth surfaces were obtained at ≤950 °C, while grains grew and pores appeared on the surface of the Ta–N layers (D (avg) = 195–205 nm) at >950 °C. Consequently, the nanocrystalline Ta–N layer with gradient structure and desired thickness exhibited robust hardness and modulus of 26.89 and 247.64 GPa, respectively, which were considerably higher than those prepared by traditional gas/ion/liquid nitriding. The friction and wear test results showed that compared with pure Ta, the MPN-treated Ta matrix exhibited a shallower wear track, lower wear volume, and smaller superficial area, indicating that the Ta–N layer offered excellent surface protection for the matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skeleton editing has rapidly advanced as a synthetic methodology in recent years, significantly streamlining the synthesis process and gaining widespread acceptance in drug synthesis and development. This field encompasses diverse ring reactions, many of which exhibit immense potential in skeleton editing, facilitating the generation of novel ring skeletons. Notably, reactions that involve the cleavage of two distinct rings followed by the reformation of new rings through ring insertion play a pivotal role in the construction of novel ring skeletons. This article aims to compile and systematize this category of reactions, emphasizing the two primary reaction types and offering a thorough exploration of their associated complexities and challenges. Our endeavor is to furnish readers with comprehensive reaction strategies, igniting research interest and injecting fresh impetus into the advancement of this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental amalgams have been used by dentists for the restoration of posterior human teeth. However, there have been concerns about the release of mercury from amalgams into the oral cavity. The objective of the present research is to study the effect of titanium (Ti) nanoparticles on the microstructural mechanism of the release of mercury vapor in two commonly used brands of dental amalgam (the Dispersalloy: 11.8% Cu; the Sybralloy: 33% Cu). Ti powder was added to both the Dispersalloy and the Sybralloy in increments of 10 mg up to 80 mg. The addition of Ti powder to both brands of dental amalgam has been found to result in a considerable decrease in Hg vapor release. The decrease in the Hg vapor release due to Ti addition has been explained by the formation of strong Hg–Ti covalent bonds, which reduce the availability of Hg atoms for evaporation. The Ti atoms in excess of the solubility limit of Ti in Hg reside in the grain boundaries, which also reduces the evaporation of Hg from the amalgam. The binding of Hg with Ti via a strong covalent bond also results in a significant improvement in mechanical properties such as Vickers hardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has been retracted. A retraction notice can be found at https://doi.org/10.3233/JIFS-219433. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperative vehicle-infrastructure warning (CVIW) applications have great potential to relieve traffic congestion and improve traffic safety and mobility. To understand their public acceptance, we investigated Chinese drivers’ (N = 427) perceived importance and willingness to pay (WTP) for 11 CVIW applications, and their potential demographic determinants. Overall, the surveyed participants felt positive toward some of the involved CVIW applications. Among them, 32.6% (long downhill warning) to 79.2% (emergency brake warning) judged the CVIW applications as (very) important. “Emergency brake warning” application had the highest WTP, and “traffic jam warning” application had the lowest WTP. After negative binomial-logit hurdle regression analysis, we find that (1) perceived importance is a positive predictor of WTP; (2) driving mileage and driving experience impact WTP for most of the involved CVIW applications; (3) gender is not a significant factor on WTP. Our results can provide practical insights into predicting CVIW applications deployment and valuing them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin scarring is a frequent complication of the wound healing process. Bacterial contamination and prolonged inflammation in wounds are thought to play significant roles during scar formation, but little is known about their specific mechanisms of action. In this study, hypertrophic scar derived fibroblasts (HSFs) and paired normal skin derived fibroblasts (NSFs) were used to evaluate the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on inflammation-induced skin scarring and explore the inflammation-mediated mechanism of activity of LPS on dermal fibroblasts. LPS was found to significantly upregulate the expression of the proinflammatory molecules TLR4, Myd88, TRAF6, and p65, and the fibrosis-related proteins Col I, Col III, and α-SMA, in NSFs. Blocking Myd88 expression with T6167923 downregulated the expression of Col I, Col III, and α-SMA, whereas activating Myd88 expression with CL075 significantly upregulated their expression in LPS-treated NSFs. LPS was found to delay wound healing and increase skin scarring in cell and mouse models. These results showed that LPS could induce scar formation through the TLR4/Myd88 signaling pathway in dermal fibroblasts, suggesting that the downregulation of excessive inflammation in wound tissues inhibits skin scarring and improves scar appearance. • LPS-mediated fibroblast inflammation plays an important role during scar formation. • LPS activated NSFs to produce inflammation-, fibrosis-related molecules, and could transform NSFs into HSFs. • LPS induced scar formation through the TLR4/Myd88 inflammatory signaling pathway in dermal fibroblasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located in Dunhuang, northwest China, the Mogao Grottoes are a cultural treasure of China and the world. However, after more than 2000 years of weathering and destruction, many murals faded and were damaged. This treasure of human art is in danger. Mural inpainting through deep learning can permanently preserve mural information. Therefore, a digital restoration method combining the Deformable Convolution (DCN), ECANet, ResNet and Cycle Generative Adversarial Network (CycleGAN) is proposed. We name it DC-CycleGAN. Compared with other image digital inpainting methods, the proposed DC-CycleGAN based mural image color inpainting method has better inpainting effects and higher model performance. Compared with the current repair network, the Frechet Inception Distance (FID) value and the two-image structural similarity metric (SSIM) value are increased by 52.61% and 7.08%, respectively. Image color inpainting of Dunhuang murals can not only protect and inherit Chinese culture, but also promote academic research and development in related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental amalgam is an alloy consisting of a mixture of fine metallic powder of silver, tin, zinc, copper, and a trace amount of palladium in combination with about fifty percent elemental mercury that forms a matrix phase. Dental amalgams consisting of a high-copper content are the most common types of alloys currently utilized for the restoration of decayed, broken, and fractured posterior human teeth. The present research objective was primarily to improve the material properties by determining and analyzing the amount of mercury vapor released from dental amalgam received from eight different commercial brands. The mechanical hardness of the alloys was found to increase with an increase in copper content in the amalgam. The effect of copper addition on material aging was also studied. During the release of mercury vapor, the corresponding energies associated with the release of mercury vapor from each sample were determined for each successive measurement. The results indicated that increasing the copper content of the amalgam counters the release of mercury vapor from posterior teeth and improves the hardness properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assembly sequence planning is one of the most important processes in mass production. However, this process is currently impeded by the lack of feedback for the next process how to plan an excellent assembly line. In this paper, we introduce the priority graph model, develop the subassembly recognition method, and design the selection algorithm with feedback weights for assembly line design in topological sequencing. We show that the method can quickly plan a satisfactory sequence compared to heuristic algorithms. Due to the different weights from assembly line designers, satisfactory assembly sequences with different adaptability can be planned. This work has implications for co-design of assembly sequence planning and assembly line design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Automated agents’ errors will cause various negative influences on humans and their relationships with humans (e.g., reducing user experience). They are increasingly required to have social recovery strategies (e.g., human-like apology and explanation) to mitigate the negative impacts of their errors and maintain resilient human–automation relationships. However, the efficacy of these strategies in human–automation interaction (HAI) largely remains unknown, especially in less controlled environments. Here we conducted a test track experiment and designed a verbal recovery design (consisting of an apology, explanation, and promise) by an automated driving system (ADS) installed in a real automated vehicle after an ADS failure. We utilized a Wizard of Oz design to simulate the ADS’ failure and its verbal recovery attempt (through a voice by a human or Apple Siri). Participants (N = 389) were assigned to four groups: normal (without experiencing the ADS failure), fault (experiencing the ADS failure), Siri-voice-recovery, and human-voice-recovery. The major measures were positive experience and negative experience while riding in the automated vehicle and perceived ADS usability. Overall, we found that the human-voice-recovery can to some degree mitigate the negative impacts of the ADS failure on user experience. The Siri-voice-recovery worked on positive experience but cannot restore it to that in the normal group. It implies that more empirical efforts are needed to examine social recovery strategies in HAI in natural environments, develop strategies specific to HAI, and offer effective guidelines for social recovery design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with vancomycin (Fe3O4@SiO2@VAN) were synthesized. The Fe3O4@SiO2@VAN nanocomposite was used as a sorbent for the magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from environmental water, followed by GC-MS. The nanocomposite was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and nitrogen sorption. Various experimental parameters were optimized, including extraction condition and desorption condition. Results show that Fe3O4@SiO2@VAN combined the advantages of nanomaterials and magnetic separation technology, showing excellent dispersibility and high selectivity for PAHs in environmental water sample. Under the optimal extraction conditions, an analytical method was established with the sensitive limit of detection (LOD) of 0.03–0.16 μg L−1. The method was successfully applied for the analysis of environmental water samples. The relative standard deviations (%) were in the range of 0.50–12.82%, and the extraction recovery (%) was in the range of 82.48% and 116.32%. MSPE-coupled gas chromatography–mass spectrometry quantification of PAHs is an accurate and repeatable method for the monitoring of PAH accumulation in environmental water samples. It also provides an effective strategy for the tracing and quantification of other environmental pollutants in complex samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, powder compacts produced by mixed elemental Fe, Mn, Al and C powders without ball milling were sintered at 640∘C and 1200∘C, respectively. The results revealed that intermetallic phases belonging to Fe2Al5 and Al8Mn5 appeared after pre-sintered at 640∘C. When the temperature increased to 1200∘C, only α-Fe phase existed. The total porosities of the sintered samples were ∼60 vol.% at 640∘C and ∼70 vol.% at 1200∘C, and the peak compressive strength of the 1200∘C-sintered samples was ∼1.6 MPa at the strain of ∼11%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to increase its solubility in water and improve β-cyclodextrin combination with guest molecules, chemical modification of β-cyclodextrin is a feasible and effective method. A variety of β-cyclodextrin derivatives are designed and introduced for pharmaceutical complexation and analytical chemistry application. In this study, a series of β-cyclodextrin derivatives containing unsaturated bonds is designed and synthesized. The products are characterized by MS, FTIR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR. Some of the functional monomers may be used in the preparation of molecularly imprinted polymers, and preliminary studies have shown excellent molecular recognition ability. The prepared β-cyclodextrin functional monomers have potential application value in molecular recognition materials based on polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of droplets at increased environmental pressure is important in many industrial applications. Previous studies mainly considered the impact process at standard or reduced environmental pressure, and the effect of high environmental pressure is unclear. In this study, we experimentally investigate the impact of ethanol droplets on dry smooth surfaces at increased environmental pressure. The effects of the environmental pressure on the splashing and rupture of the crown during the impact process are analyzed. The results show that surrounding gas with high environmental pressure can lead to the splashing of the crown in a "thread rupture" mode and the sizes of the secondary droplets from the rim of the liquid crown increase with the environmental pressure. The threshold for the transition from spreading to splashing during the impact process is obtained based on the theory of aerodynamics analysis of the lamella. At increased environmental pressure, the threshold speed of the impact decreases with increasing the environmental pressure because the wedge of the lamella is prevented from moving forward and is driven to detach from the substrate by the air ahead, which has a higher density due to the higher environmental pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a multi-reflection heliostat to improve solar power tower plant performance. It can eliminate the significant cosine loss by keeping its aperture always facing the sun. The key structural parameters are specially designed for a superior solar image property. On its basis, a case study on the three-reflection heliostat is first conducted. By the field efficiency distribution comparison between the two types of heliostats, the multi-reflection heliostat is found to have an efficiency advantage in central region. Then in reference to the original Gemasolar field, the three-reflection heliostat field is generated by the proposed layout method. Its optical efficiency is 5.56% higher and the land area is 68.31% smaller, compared to the performance of the optimized Gemasolar field. For the purpose of practical application, the heliostat with ganged multi-reflection modules is developed. The occupied land area of its field is 51.28% less than that of the latter one. The prototype of five-reflection heliostat is developed for a further performance validation. In the outdoor test, the solar concentrating performance agrees well with the simulation result. • A novel heliostat with solar beam multi-reflected is proposed and designed. • Radiant flux distribution of the heliostat field is verified to be more uniform. • Optimized heliostat field shows excellent performances in efficiency and land area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Function of long non-coding RNA urothelial carcinoma antigen 1 (lncRNA UCA1) in regulating the proliferative and migratory abilities of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) by mediating matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) level were elucidated. After treatment with different concentrations of ox-LDL for different time points, lncRNA UCA1 level in VSMCs was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Subcellular distribution of UCA1 was analyzed. Proliferative and migratory abilities of VSMCs transfected with pcDNA-UCA1 were assessed. Protein level of MMP9 in HA-VSMCs treated with different concentrations of ox-LDL for different time points was also determined. The potential interaction between UCA1 and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) was identified by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Recruitment ability of EZH2 to MMP9 promoter region influenced by UCA1 was determined by Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. Finally, the potential function of MMP9 in UCA1-mediated cellular behavior of VSMCs was explored. UCA1 was time-dependently and dose-dependently upregulated in VSMCs by ox-LDL treatment. Proliferative and migratory abilities of VSMCs were enhanced by treatment of 100 mg/l ox-LDL for 48 h, which were further reduced after transfection of pcDNA-UCA1. Subcellular distribution analysis showed that UCA1 was mainly distributed in the nucleus. Protein level of MMP9 was gradually elevated with the treatment of increased concentrations of ox-LDL in VSMCs. Its level was downregulated by transfection of pcDNA-UCA1 in VSMCs. The interaction between UCA1 and EZH2 was confirmed by RIP assay. Transfection of pcDNA-UCA1 stimulated the binding of EZH2 on MMP9 promoter region. Finally, overexpression of MMP9 reversed the decreased proliferative and migratory abilities in ox-LDL-treated VSMCs overexpressing UCA1. Downregulated UCA1 accelerates VSMCs to proliferate and migrate through negatively regulating MMP9 level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most rapidly progressive and deadly malignancies worldwide. Current treatment regimens only result in small improvements in overall survival for patients with this cancer type. CPI-613 (Devimistat), a novel lipoate analog inhibiting mitochondrial metabolism, shows the new hope for pancreatic cancer treatment as an efficient and well-tolerated therapeutic option treated alone or in combination with chemotherapy. Methods: Pancreatic cancer cells growing in planar 2D cultures and 3D scaffold were used as research platforms. Cell viability was measured by MTT and alamarBlue, and apoptosis was assessed by JC-1 staining and flow cytometry with Annexin V-FITC/PI staining. The mechanism behind CPI-613 action was analyzed by western blot, transmission electron microscopy, and lipolysis assay kits, in the presence or absence of additional signaling pathway inhibitors or gene modifications. Results: CPI-613 exhibits anticancer activity in pancreatic cancer cells by triggering ROS-associated apoptosis, which is accompanied by increased autophagy and repressed lipid metabolism through activating the AMPK signaling. Intriguingly, ACC, the key enzyme modulating lipid metabolism, is identified as a vital target of CPI-613, which is inactivated in an AMPK-dependent manner and influences apoptotic process upon CPI-613. Blockade or enhancement of autophagic process does not increase or blunt apoptosis to CPI-613, but inhibition of the AMPK-ACC signaling significantly attenuates apoptosis induced by CPI-613, suggesting CPI-613-mediated lipid metabolism reduction contributes to its cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer cells. Conclusions: These findings explore the critical role of lipid metabolism in apoptosis, providing new insights into the AMPK-ACC signaling axis in crosstalk between lipid metabolism and apoptosis in CPI-613 treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To deal with the highly nonlinear and time-varying characteristics of Batch Process, a model named adaptive stacking approximate kernel based broad learning system is proposed in this paper. This model innovatively introduces the approximate kernel based broad learning system (AKBLS) algorithm and the Adaptive Stacking framework, giving it strong nonlinear fitting ability, excellent generalization ability, and adaptive ability. The Broad Learning System (BLS) is known for its shorter training time for effective nonlinear processing, but the uncertainty brought by its double random mapping results in poor resistance to noisy data and unpredictable impact on performance. To address this issue, this paper proposes an AKBLS algorithm that reduces uncertainty, eliminates redundant features, and improves prediction accuracy by projecting feature nodes into the kernel space. It also significantly reduces the computation time of the kernel matrix by searching for approximate kernels to enhance its ability in industrial online applications. Extensive comparative experiments on various public datasets of different sizes validate this. The Adaptive Stacking framework utilizes the Stacking ensemble learning method, which integrates predictions from multiple AKBLS models using a meta-learner to improve generalization. Additionally, by employing the moving window method—where a fixed-length window slides through the database over time—the model gains adaptive ability, allowing it to better respond to gradual changes in industrial Batch Process. Experiments on a substantial dataset of penicillin simulations demonstrate that the proposed model significantly improves predictive accuracy compared to other common algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, a direct-write 3D-printing method was utilized for the fabrication of inter-digitized solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) using ceramic materials. The cathode electrode was fabricated using the LSCF (La0.6Sr0.2Fe0.8Co0.2O3-δ) slurry loading and the Polyvinyl butyral (PVB) binder. The rheological parameters of slurries with varying LSCF slurry loading and PVB binder concentration were evaluated to determine their effect on the cathode trace performance in terms of microstructure, size, and resistance. Additionally, the dimensional shrinkage of LSCF lines after sintering was investigated to realize their influence on cathode line width and height. Moreover, the effect of the direct-write process parameters such as pressure, distance between the nozzle and substrate, and speed on the cathode line dimensions and resistance was evaluated. LSCF slurry with 50% solid loading, 12% binder, and 0.2% dispersant concentration was determined to be the optimal value for the fabrication of SOFCs using the direct-write method. The direct-write process parameters, in addition to the binder and LSCF slurry concentration ratios, had a considerable impact on the microstructure of cathode lines. Based on ANOVA findings, pressure and distance had significant effects on the cathode electrode resistance. An increase in the distance between the nozzle and substrate, speed, or extrusion pressure of the direct writing process increased the resistance of the cathode lines. These findings add to the ongoing effort to refine SOFC fabrication techniques, opening the avenues for advanced performance and efficiency of SOFCs in energy applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To deal with the highly nonlinear and time-varying characteristics of Batch Process, a model named adaptive stacking approximate kernel based broad learning system is proposed in this paper. This model innovatively introduces the approximate kernel based broad learning system (AKBLS) algorithm and the Adaptive Stacking framework, giving it strong nonlinear fitting ability, excellent generalization ability, and adaptive ability. The Broad Learning System (BLS) is known for its shorter training time for effective nonlinear processing, but the uncertainty brought by its double random mapping results in poor resistance to noisy data and unpredictable impact on performance. To address this issue, this paper proposes an AKBLS algorithm that reduces uncertainty, eliminates redundant features, and improves prediction accuracy by projecting feature nodes into the kernel space. It also significantly reduces the computation time of the kernel matrix by searching for approximate kernels to enhance its ability in industrial online applications. Extensive comparative experiments on various public datasets of different sizes validate this. The Adaptive Stacking framework utilizes the Stacking ensemble learning method, which integrates predictions from multiple AKBLS models using a meta-learner to improve generalization. Additionally, by employing the moving window method—where a fixed-length window slides through the database over time—the model gains adaptive ability, allowing it to better respond to gradual changes in industrial Batch Process. Experiments on a substantial dataset of penicillin simulations demonstrate that the proposed model significantly improves predictive accuracy compared to other common algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although the relationship between the number of teeth and frailty has been extensively studied, the mediating role of nutrition status in the association between the number of teeth and frailty remains to be clarified. Methods: A number of 6,664 participants lived in the communities of West China were analyzed in our study. Physical frailty was determined based on the phenotype established by Fried. Nutrition status was evaluated using the Mini Nutrition Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) scale. Multiple linear regression was employed to evaluate the direct relationships between the number of teeth, nutrition, and frailty. Mediation models and structural equation model (SEM) pathway analysis were used to test the mediating role of nutrition status in the relationship between the number of teeth and frailty. Results: Among the 6,664 participants aged over 50 years old, the prevalence of frailty was 6.2%. Multiple linear regression analysis showed a significant total relationship between the number of teeth (β = −0.359, 95% CI: −0.473 to −0.244, p < 0.001) and frailty. After adjusting for MNA-SF scores, the relationship between the number of teeth and frailty remained significant (β = −0.327, 95% CI: −0.443 to −0.211, p < 0.001), indicating a partial mediating effect of nutrition. Mediation analysis verified that nutrition partially mediated the relationship between the number of teeth and frailty (indirect effect estimate = −0.0121, bootstrap 95% CI: −0.0151 to −0.0092; direct effect estimate = −0.0874, bootstrap 95% CI: −0.1086 to −0.0678) in the fully adjusted model. This mediating effect occurred through influencing weight loss, low level of physical activity, and debility. SEM framework pathway analysis confirmed the association between the number of teeth, nutrition, and frailty. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that frailty was correlated with the number of teeth and poorer nutritional status, with nutrition partially mediating the correlation between the number of teeth and frailty. Our results supported early nutritional evaluation and intervention in oral health to decrease the risk of frailty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A validated numerical UTSG model on CFD method is established and studied. • The influence of total mass flow rate of UTSG on inversion in UTSG is studied. • To do mechanism analysis of reversion，the impact of inlet initial flow rate of U-tube on reversion is studied. • It is more favorable to reduce reversion while increasing total inlet mass flow rate of UTSG. • The U tube with small inlet initial mass flow rate is more likely to happen reverse flow. In view of the phenomenon of reverse flow in partial inverted U-tubes of inverted U-tube steam generator (UTSG) under natural circulation condition, the numerical calculation method is used to study the flow and heat transfer in the primary side of UTSG. There are many factors influencing reverse flow in UTSG, such as the inverted U-tube length, coolant mass flow, operating pressure and temperature difference between primary and secondary side. However, in a specific UTSG, the lengths of different inverted U-tubes and the variations of internal mass flow rates are not uniform, so it is difficult to study the reverse flow mechanism. In this paper, we study the reverse flow of UTSG with identical tubes. Results show that under natural circulation condition, it is more favorable to reduce reverse flow as total inlet mass flow rate in UTSG increases. In addition, the critical value of reversion is calculated, which provides a reference for the engineering design and reactor safety analysis of UTSG. The spatial distribution of the reverse tubes is related to the inlet initial mass flow rate of U-tube and the U-tube with small inlet initial mass flow rate is more likely to happen reverse flow. U-tube with least inlet mass flow rate firstly triggers to the inflexion point of reversion, and the second least one happens reverse flow next while the total inlet mass flow rate in UTSG decreases gradually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Conducted a field study involving an automated vehicle (AV) • Tested a model for explaining public acceptance of SDVs based on the trust heuristic and affect heuristic. • Measured acceptance of road test (ART) for and behavioral intention (BI) to use SDVs. • Direct experience increased the model's explanatory power for ART. • Affective pathway (vs. cognitive pathway) played a more important role in forming BI and ART. We focus on the pathways (affective vs. cognitive) that guide people's acceptance of road tests (ART) for self-driving vehicles (SDVs) and behavioral intention (BI) to use SDVs, and propose and test a psychological model to explain these two behavioral responses (i.e., ART and BI) based on the trust heuristic and affect heuristic. These heuristics suggest that affective factors (social trust, positive affect, and negative affect) can directly determine ART and BI following the affective pathway or indirectly influence them through two cognitive responses (perceived benefit and risk) following the cognitive pathway. We conducted a field study involving a Level 3 automated vehicle (AV), invited 300 participants to experience how an AV works in the self-driving mode, and collected their affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses related to SDVs before and after the AV experience. The AV experience increased the psychological model's explanatory power for perceived benefit, perceived risk, and ART. The affective pathway (vs. cognitive pathway) played a more important role in forming BI and ART. BI was predicted by perceived benefit, social trust, and positive affect, while ART was predicted by social trust and positive affect. The predictive ability of the model for BI and ART was validated. We discuss implications of the results for theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A validated numerical UTSG model on CFD method is established and exploited. • The influence of secondary side temperature on inversion in UTSG is studied. • Flow inversion in inclined UTSG under natural circulation condition is studied. • The inclined angle of UTSG has a great effect on the reverse flow. • Along incline, inversions occur more easily in U-tubes with lower inlet locations. • The results are validated by the estimate code RELAP5/MOD3.3. Abstract The inverted U-tube steam generator (UTSG) is the key hub between primary side and secondary side in nuclear power plants. However, it is found that reverse flow occurs in UTSG under natural circulation condition, which has a negative effect on the reactor safety. Additionally, in barge-mounted nuclear power plants, the UTSG will incline due to the sea wave. The characteristics of heat and mass transfer in UTSG under the inclined condition will also differ from that on land-based equipment. It is meaningful to do research on reverse flow in U-tubes of UTSG in inclined under natural circulation condition. In this paper, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model is carried out to study the reverse flow in UTSG. Three inclined directions at different angles of UTSG are taken into consideration. Through some cases, the temperature profiles and mass flow rates in the primary side of the UTSG are calculated. The influence of secondary side temperature on the reverse flow is studied. The results are obtained that reverse flow most easily occurs in shorter tubes of vertical UTSG under natural circulation condition. As the temperature on the secondary side increases, the pressure drop between inlet and outlet of UTSG is negative, and its absolute value decreases, resulting in a decrease in the total number of reverse flow tubes. Under the inclined conditions, the inclined angle of UTSG has a great effect on the reverse flow. Along the inclined direction, reverse flow occurs more easily in the U-tubes with lower inlet cross-section locations. The results are validated by the estimate code Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program 5 (RELAP5/MOD3.3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study investigated the sublimation of Mn and microstructural evolution of binary Fe/Mn compacts sintered at various temperatures in a vacuum. A high sintering temperature or a lengthy holding time promotes powder densification. Due to sublimation of Mn, the weight loss of the compacts mainly occurs during the isothermal holding stage of the sintering process; it increases significantly from 1.5 wt.% for sintering at 1000 °C to 8.6 wt.% at 1200 °C. For the first time, the phase evolution in the binary elemental compacts was clarified using in situ neutron diffraction. The γ-austenite phase emerges during temperature ramping to 536 °C, while β-Mn and α-Fe disappear at 774 °C and 881 °C. The neutron diffraction also revealed that single phase γ-austenite forms in the Fe-Mn compacts if the temperature is ≥ 881 °C. Highlights • In situ and real-time neutron diffraction was used to identify phase transition. • Sublimation behavior of Mn in Fe/Mn powder mixtures was investigated. • The sintered microstructure is related to sublimation of Mn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, cast Mg-1Zn-0.2Ca (wt%) was thermomechanically processed using a two-step procedure to identify the impact of both processing steps on the resulting microstructure and mechanical properties. Samples were first preprocessed via rolling or conventional extrusion (at 400 °C), followed by Equal Channel Angular Extrusion (ECAE), utilizing routes A or B c. ECAE was performed at 300 °C for the first pass, followed by 275 °C, 250 °C, and 225 °C for passes 2–4. Subsequent microstructures, textures, and quasi-static tension test results are presented to illuminate the effect of preprocessing and ECAE route on grain size refinement and mechanical behavior. Preprocessing via rolling yielded a smaller, more homogeneous initial grain size than the conventionally extruded material. After the second processing step, ECAE, the microstructural differences due to the preprocessing methods are reduced, but not eliminated, and mechanical properties show little variation between rolling and extrusion. The ECAE route did not impact the microstructural refinement, however, the 4B c route did lead to enhanced ductility (>36%) and higher average ultimate tensile strengths, compared to the 4A route, when tested in the normal direction (perpendicular to the ECAE extrusion direction). The relative importance of texture alteration versus grain refinement and homogeneity is highlighted herein. Lastly, we comment on the influence of processing routes on inclusions and voids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the robustness of skeleton data to human scale, illumination changes, dynamic camera views, and complex backgrounds, great progress has been made in skeleton‐based video anomaly detection in recent years. The spatio‐temporal graph convolutional network has been proven to be effective in modelling the spatio‐temporal dependencies of non‐Euclidean data such as human skeleton graphs, and the autoencoder based on this basic unit is widely used to model sequence features. However, due to the limitations of the convolution kernel, the model cannot capture the correlation between non‐adjacent joints, and it is difficult to deal with long‐term sequences, resulting in an insufficient understanding of behaviour. To address this issue, this paper applies the Transformer to the human skeleton and proposes the Spatio‐Temporal Enhanced Graph‐Transformer AutoEncoder (STEGT‐AE) to improve the capability of modelling. In addition, the multi‐memory model with skip connections is employed to provide different levels of coding features, thereby enhancing the ability of the model to distinguish similar heterogeneous behaviours. Furthermore, the STEGT‐AE has a single encoder‐double decoder architecture, which can improve the detection performance by the combining reconstruction and prediction error. The experimental results show that performances of STEGT‐AE is significantly better than other advanced algorithms on four baseline datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of aerospace, large and heavy cabin segments present a significant challenge in assembling space engines. The substantial inertial force of cabin segments' mass often leads to unexpected motion during docking, resulting in segment collisions, making it challenging to ensure the accuracy and quality of engine segment docking. While traditional manual docking leverages workers' expertise, the intensity of the labor and low productivity are impractical for real-world applications. Human-robot collaboration can effectively integrate the advantages of humans and robots. Parallel robots, known for their high precision and load-bearing capacity, are extensively used in precision assembly under heavy load conditions. Therefore, human-parallel-robot collaboration is an excellent solution for such problems. In this paper, a framework is proposed that is easy to realize in production, using human-parallel-robot collaboration technology for cabin segment docking. A fractional-order variable damping admittance control and an inverse dynamics robust controller are proposed to enhance the robot's compliance, responsiveness, and trajectory tracking accuracy during collaborative assembly. This allows operators to dynamically adjust the robot's motion in real-time, counterbalancing inertial forces and preventing collisions between segments. Segment docking assembly experiments are performed using the Stewart platform in this study. The results show that the proposed method allows the robot to swiftly respond to interaction forces, maintaining compliance and stable motion accuracy even under unknown interaction forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A field study was conducted to explain public acceptance of automated vehicles (AVs). • AV experience increased trust, PU, and PEU related to self-driving vehicles (SDVs). • AV experience led PU and PEU to be more predictive of intentions to use SDVs. • PU, trust, and perceived safety predicted intentions to use SDVs and willingness to re-ride in our AV. • PEU predicted BI only after participants experienced the AV. Abstract This field study aims at understanding the influence of direct experience of an automated vehicle (AV, Level 3) and explaining and predicting public acceptance of AVs through a psychological model. The model includes behavioral intention (BI) to use self-driving vehicles (SDVs, Level 5), willingness to re-ride (WTR) in our AV (Level 3), and their four potential determinants, namely perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), trust related to SDVs, and perceived safety (PS) while riding in our AV. The last two determinants are largely ignored, but we consider them critical in the context of AVs. Three-hundred students were invited as participants (passengers) to experience the AV. The trust, PU, PEU, and BI of the participants were recorded prior to their experiencing the AV; after this experience, all the constructs of the psychological model were recorded. The participants’ experience with the AV was found to increase their trust, PU and PEU (but not BI), the consistency between PU/PEU and BI, and the explanatory power of BI. The model explained 55% of the variance in BI and 40% in WTR. PU, trust, and PS were found to be steady and direct predictors of both the acceptance measures; PEU predicted BI only after the participants’ AV experience. Mediation analysis showed that trust also can indirectly affect AV acceptance through other determinants. Out-of-sample prediction confirmed the model’s predictive capability for AV acceptance. The theoretical contributions and practical implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroforming of nickel mesh was performed in bath with different concentration of 2-Aminoethanethiol and l -Cysteine to achieve a higher aspect ratio. Although 2-Aminoethanethiol and l -Cysteine have a similar part in their molecules, the optical observation on the cross section of mesh indicated that 2-Aminoethanethiol was an effective additive in improving the aspect ratio of nickel printing mesh whereas l -Cysteine was not. Electrochemical behaviors of 2-Aminoethanethiol and l -Cysteine in the electroforming bath were further evaluated by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and galvanostatic measurements using rotating disk electrode (RDE). Both 2-Aminoethanethiol and l -Cysteine could effectively reduce the cathodic polarization and promote deposition of nickel ions. The depolarization effect of 2-Aminoethanethiol which associated with convection is stronger in the high diffusion region than that in the low diffusion region in the present potential region. However, the depolarization effect of l -Cysteine which also associated with the convection is stronger in the low diffusion region than in the high diffusion region unless the potential is negative enough. The different depolarization behaviors under different convection conditions made significant influence on the deposition of nickel ions on the board surface and the internal surface, which finally leads to the high aspect ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this research, by taking advantage of dynamic fuel consumption–speed data from Internet of Vehicles, we develop two novel computational approaches to more accurately estimate truck fuel consumption. The first approach is on the basis of a novel index, named energy consumption index, which is to explicitly reflect the dynamic relationship between truck fuel consumption and truck drivers’ driving behaviors obtained from Internet of Vehicles. The second approach is based on a Generalized Regression Neural Network model to implicitly establish the same relationship. We further compare the two proposed models with three well‐recognized existing models: vehicle specific power (VSP) model, Virginia Tech microscopic (VT‐Micro) model, and Comprehensive Modal Emission Model (CMEM). According to our validations at both microscopic and macroscopic levels, the two proposed models have stronger performed in predicting fuel consumption in new routes. The models can be used to design more energy‐efficient driving behaviors in the soon‐to‐come era of connected and automated vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amplitudes and phase lags of tides or tidal currents, which are collectively known as tidal harmonic constants (THCs), cannot be interpolated linearly and separately. Mistreatment for the interpolations could occur, and indeed, it is seen even in the literature. This note clarifies this topic by providing correct formulas to interpret THCs. One has to perform a nonlinear and coupled interpolation of THCs to have equivalence to the liner interpolation in the time domain.Similarly, tidal current ellipse parameters (ep-parameters) cannot be interpolated linearly and separately. To interpolate ep-parameters, this note recommends that one should first convert them to amplitude and phase lag parameters (ap-parameters) and then use the nonlinear and coupled interpolants proposed herein to interpolate the ap-parameters, followed by converting the results back to ep-parameters.Examples are provided to illustrate the problems and MATLAB functions are provided in Appendix as interpolating tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Benzimidazoles and quinoxalinones are present in the core of many pharmacologically relevant compounds. Several combinatorial methods have been developed to attach ring systems to both scaffolds for derivatization at select positions. Herein, we describe the development of novel constrained heterocyclic compounds attached to the N1 position of both benzimidazole and quinoxalinone scaffolds. Utilizing robust post‐Ugi cyclization methods, including the Ugi‐deprotection‐cyclization (UDC) methodology, allows for efficient access to a new area of chemical space. Additionally, molecular modeling and in cellulo screening was employed to therapeutically validate the compounds formed with this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Coalescence can be delayed during the impact of hot droplets on liquid films. • Intervening gas layer during impact process is measured via color interferometry. • Hot droplet residence time increases by ∼ 400x to 820ms compared with room temperature. • Gas layer thickness increases with droplet temperature because of Marangoni effect. • Droplet residence time decreases with increasing We because of thinner gas layer. Coalescence may not occur immediately when droplets impact a liquid film. Despite the prevalence of the high-temperature condition during the impact process in many applications, the effect of droplet temperature on droplet coalescence is rarely considered. In this study, we experimentally investigate the droplet coalescence during the impact of hot droplets on a liquid film by using color interferometry, high-speed imaging, and infrared imaging. We find that the coalescence of the hot droplet with the liquid film can be delayed which is mediated by the intervening gas layer between the droplet and the film. Compared with droplets at room temperature, the residence time of hot droplets can increase by more than two orders of magnitude. We find that the thickness of the gas layer increases with the droplet temperature, explaining that the thermal delay of coalescence is due to the thicker gas layer. During the hot droplet impact, the temperature gradient at the bottom of the droplet induces Maranogni flow, which can delay the drainage of the intervening gas layer. The results also show that as the Weber number increases, the residence time of the droplet decreases because of the thinner thickness of the gas layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural deterioration after a period of service can induce the failure of prestressed concrete cylinder pipes (PCCPs), with microcracks in the coating leading to the corrosion of the prestressed wires. In this paper, we propose the use of Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDA) strain sensors for detecting the onset of microcracking in PCCP coating: the BOTDA strain sensors are mounted on the surface of the PCCP, and distributed strain measurements are employed to assess the cracks in the mortar coating and the structural state of the pipe. To validate the feasibility of the proposed approach, experimental investigations were conducted on a prototype PCCP segment, wherein the inner pressure was gradually increased to 1.6 MPa. Two types of BOTDA strain sensors—the steel wire packaged fiber optic sensor and the polyelastic packaged fiber optic sensor—were employed in the experiments. The experimental distributed measurements agreed well with the finite element computations, evidencing that the investigated strain sensors are sensitive to localized deterioration behaviors such as PCCP microcracking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a pH-responsive poly(ethyleneglycol)- b -poly(2-(diisopropylamino) ethyl methacrylate) block copolymer (MPEG-PPDA) that can self-assemble into micelles at very low critical micelle concentration. The formed micelles exhibit superior stability in physiological environment and pH-triggered transforming capability between self-assembly and disassembly. Moreover, the resulting micelles can load hydrophobic anticancer drug molecules such as doxorubicin in the core of micelles. The pH-triggered drug release kinetics matches the classical hydrazone bond model. The blank micelles demonstrate minimal cytotoxicity while the drug-loaded micelles exhibit significantly improved anticancer efficacy. These results indicate that this MPEG-PPDA block copolymer could be utilized as a universal pH-responsive delivery system for controlled release of hydrophobic anticancer drug in chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heavy reduction process of START (Solidification Terminal Advanced Reduction Technique) is developed mainly to improve the center porosity of slabs. According to the simulation results of heat transfer model, the distribution of solid fraction along the slab width can be equally divided into four parts, and the part in 1/4-1/8 width is the last solidifying region with the most serious porosity. START is implemented within two segments accounting for the uneven solidification. The heavy reduction is carried out in the first segment, which the optimum solid fraction ranges from 0.53 to 0.98 and the optimum reduction amount is 9 mm. The second segment is conducted with a 3 mm reduction amount to further improve the porosity of the slab from 1/4 to 1/8 width. Both the center porosity and segregation can be improved significantly by the START process, as well as the evenness of porosity and segregation along the slab width. In addition, the in-strand Electro-Magnetic Stirring (SEMS) is introduced to improve the internal cracks of slabs, and the results show that the cracks are greatly improved without deterioration of center porosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a new type of pH-responsive amphiphilic small molecular prodrug by conjugating folic acid with anti-tumour doxorubicin via a hydrazone bond. This prodrug is featured by high and precise drug loading (55.4 wt%), which can self-assemble into micellar nanoparticles in neutral environment while disassemble in the presence of tumour cells expressing folic acid receptors or the acidic tumoral endosomal environment. The prodrug nanoparticles can effectively improve anticancer efficacy due to the features of pH-triggered drug release and targeted delivery. Moreover, in vitro cell study further indicated that the resulting prodrug nanoparticles had enhanced cytotoxicity for folic-acid-positive cells (HeLa) compared to folic-acid-negative cells (MCF-7). More importantly, the induced disassembly of prodrug nanoparticles can “switch on” the inherent fluorescence of the internalized doxorubicin drug in the tumour microenvironment, which can be used for the detection of tumour cells. We believe that this strategy can pave a new way for designing small molecular drug delivery systems and facilitate tumour diagnosis and treatment simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Two-chiral capillary column tandem method used for 8 menthol enantiomers separation. • Menthol enantiomers can be used to discriminate natural and synthetic menthol products. • Mentha plants were discriminated on a molecular level. • The method could be used for quality control and source identification of menthol. The concentration and distribution of menthol enantiomers have great significance in discriminating natural mint varieties and evaluating the origin of foodstuffs containing menthol additives. However, the chiral separation of eight chiral menthol enantiomers in Mentha plants offers an easy approach to eliminating or reducing the identification technology problem. The application of derivatized β-cyclodextrin capillary chiral column coupled with derivatized γ-cyclodextrin capillary chiral column, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) technology, to isolate and analyze eight chiral menthol enantiomers in 23 natural Mentha plants was investigated. The results showed that the two-chiral columns tandem technology enabled the baseline separation of the eight menthol enantiomers. Four different menthol compounds were only detected in seven out of the 23 natural mint plants. (1R,3R,4S)-(−)-menthol and (1R,3S,4S)-(+)-neomenthol were detected in the seven mint plant samples, while (1S,3S,4R)-(+)-menthol and (1S,3R,4R)-(−)-neomenthol could not be detected in the seven mint plant samples. For the two enantiomer couples of (+/−)-isomenthol and (+/−)-neoisomenthol, only (+)-isomers were detected in field mint, candy mint, and peppermint. The Mentha plant samples were distinguished and identified by principal component analysis and radar chart statistical analysis based on the data of the menthol content and isomer ratio. Furthermore, the presence or absence of (1S,3S,4R)-(+)-menthol in the samples can be used as an identification factor for discriminating between synthetic menthol and natural sources of menthol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-ceramics are biocompatible ceramic materials that are widely used for biomedical engineering applications due to their excellent properties. Because of their inherent hardness and brittleness properties, bio-ceramics are difficult to machine. Abrasive machining such as diamond grinding is one of the most widely used machining for bio-ceramic materials. However, one of the key technical challenges resulted from grinding is edge chipping. The presence of edge chipping in a workpiece affects its dimensional accuracy, machining cost, and potential service time. It is, therefore, crucial to develop a new cost-effective manufacturing process relevant to control edge chipping in diamond grinding of bio-ceramics. In this paper, an ultrasonic vibration-assisted grinding (UVAG) system is developed to investigate the effect of ultrasonic vibration on edge chippings. Hertzian indentation tests are also conducted to validate the experimental results. Results reveal that edge chipping of bio-ceramic materials can be reduced significantly with the assistance of ultrasonic vibration. The results of this study can be applied to other manufacturing process when edge chippings of brittle materials are expected to be controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new method of storm surge modeling is proposed. This method is orders of magnitude faster than the traditional method within the linear dynamics framework. The tremendous enhancement of the computational efficiency results from the use of a pre-calculated all-source Green's function (ASGF), which connects a point of interest (POI) to the rest of the world ocean. Once the ASGF has been pre-calculated, it can be repeatedly used to quickly produce a time series of a storm surge at the POI. Using the ASGF, storm surge modeling can be simplified as its convolution with an atmospheric forcing field. If the ASGF is prepared with the global ocean as the model domain, the output of the convolution is free of the effects of artificial open-water boundary conditions. Being the first part of this study, this paper presents mathematical derivations from the linearized and depth-averaged shallow-water equations to the ASGF convolution, establishes various auxiliary concepts that will be useful throughout the study, and interprets the meaning of the ASGF from different perspectives. This paves the way for the ASGF convolution to be further developed as a data-assimilative regression model in part II. Five Appendixes provide additional details about the algorithm and the MATLAB functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study first validates the ASGS algorithm developed in part I with an analytical solution in a simplified dynamical system and with a real storm surge event. It then assesses the computational efficiency by the ASGF method compared to the traditional method. By analyzing a realistic case, the ASGF method is shown to be three orders of magnitude more computationally efficient than the traditional method. Using the singular value decomposition (SVD) and the fast Fourier transform and its inverse (FFT/IFFT), this study further demonstrates how to compress atmospheric forcing data and how to cast the ASGF convolution as a simple and efficient regression model for data assimilation. When tested with the real storm surge event, the output from the regression model can account for 98 % of the observed variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-defined star-like amphiphilic polymers composed of a β-cyclodextrin core, from which 21 hydrophobic poly(lactic acid) arms and hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) arms are grafted sequentially, form robust and uniform unimolecular micelles that are biocompatible and efficient in the delivery of anticancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy rapidly delivers dose to targets with steep dose gradients. This treatment method must adhere to prescribed treatment plans with high spatiotemporal accuracy and precision, as failure to do so may degrade clinical outcomes. One approach to achieving this goal is to develop imaging techniques to track HDR sources in vivo in reference to surrounding anatomy. This work investigates the feasibility of using an isocentric C‐arm x‐ray imager and tomosynthesis methods to track Ir‐192 HDR brachytherapy sources in vivo over time (4D). Methods: A tomosynthesis imaging workflow was proposed and its achievable source detectability, localization accuracy, and spatiotemporal resolution were investigated in silico. An anthropomorphic female XCAT phantom was modified to include a vaginal cylinder applicator and Ir‐192 HDR source (0.5 × 0.5 × 5.0 mm3), and the workflow was carried out using the MC‐GPU Monte Carlo image simulation platform. Source detectability was characterized using the reconstructed source signal‐difference‐to‐noise‐ratio (SDNR), localization accuracy by the absolute 3D error in its measured centroid location, and spatiotemporal resolution by the full‐width‐at‐half‐maximum (FWHM) of line profiles through the source in each spatial dimension considering a maximum C‐arm angular velocity of 30° per second. The dependence of these parameters on acquisition angular range (θtot = 0°–90°), number of views, angular increment between views (Δθ = 0°–15°), and volumetric constraints imposed in reconstruction was evaluated. Organ voxel doses were tallied to derive the workflow's attributable effective dose. Results: The HDR source was readily detected and its centroid was accurately localized with the proposed workflow and method (SDNR: 10–40, 3D error: 0–0.144 mm). Tradeoffs were demonstrated for various combinations of image acquisition parameters; namely, increasing the tomosynthesis acquisition angular range improved resolution in the depth‐encoded direction, for example from 2.5 mm to 1.2 mm between θtot = 30o and θtot = 90o, at the cost of increasing acquisition time from 1 to 3 s. The best‐performing acquisition parameters (θtot = 90o, Δθ = 1°) yielded no centroid localization error, and achieved submillimeter source resolution (0.57 × 1.21 × 5.04 mm3 apparent source dimensions, FWHM). The total effective dose for the workflow was 263 µSv for its required pre‐treatment imaging component and 7.59 µSv per mid‐treatment acquisition thereafter, which is comparable to common diagnostic radiology exams. Conclusions: A system and method for tracking HDR brachytherapy sources in vivo using C‐arm tomosynthesis was proposed and its performance investigated in silico. Tradeoffs in source conspicuity, localization accuracy, spatiotemporal resolution, and dose were determined. The results suggest this approach is feasible for localizing an Ir‐192 HDR source in vivo with submillimeter spatial resolution, 1–3 second temporal resolution and minimal additional dose burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a comparative study of a series of -- alloys proposed as degradable biomaterials for medical applications. Five -28wt.%-x (where x = 0 to 8 wt.%) alloys were fabricated by an arc-melting method. All the as-cast alloys were subsequently subjected to homogenization treatment and hot forging. The microstructure and phase constituents were investigated. It is found that the grain size of the as-forged alloys ranged approximately from 30 to 50 μm. The as-forged -- alloys containing from 2 to 6 wt.% was comprised of duplex martensitic ε and austenitic γ phases; however, the -free and 8 wt.% alloys only consisted of a single γ phase. After 30 days of static immersion test in a simulated body fluid (SBF) medium, it is found that pitting and general corrosion occur on the sample surfaces. Potentiodynamic analysis reveals that the degradation rate of the -- alloys increased gradually with content up to 6 wt.%, beyond which the degradation slows down. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study Fe–Mn–Si alloys with Si content up to 4 wt% were developed as a degradable biometal. Fe–Mn–Si alloys were fabricated by both powder metallurgy (PM) and wrought processes. In the PM route, mixtures of elemental Fe, Mn and Si powders were ball-milled, pressed under 400 MPa and subsequently sintered in a high vacuum furnace at 1200 °C for 3 h. In the wrought route, Fe–Mn–Si alloys were arc melted in high vacuum and subsequently hot forged. The PM alloys attain a relative density of 80.2–82.5% and the powder densification increases from 36% for the Si-free alloy to 53.1% for the Fe–28Mn–4Si alloy. The phase constituents depend on the Si content and forging process. Duplex ε-martensite and γ-austenite phases exist in the sintered Fe–28Mn– x Si (where x >3 wt%) and forged ternary alloys. The tensile strength of both sintered and forged alloys increases with increased Si content. The fracture strain for the powder sintered alloys is generally <4.2%, while the forged alloys demonstrate significantly high ductility, in the range of 13.6–40.4% depending on the Si content. The electrochemical measurements reveal that the corrosion rate of the powder sintered alloys decreases, whereas that of the forged alloys increases with Si. The discrepancy of corrosion behaviour in the powder sintered and the forged samples is attributed to the presence of duplex phases and also to the porosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study innovatively employed the microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) technique to fabricate Cr N coatings. The influence of preparation temperature on chemical composition, crystalline phase, morphology, and mechanical properties of the coatings were analyzed systematically. The increase of preparation temperature resulted in the structural transformation of the Cr N coatings from the duplex of Cr 2 N/CrN to the single-phased Cr 2 N. The coatings with dense and flat surface were obtained at ≤800 °C; however, the decomposition of CrN to Cr 2 N and N 2 led to the formation of pores at ≥850 °C and consequently an increase in friction coefficient and wear. The hardness and elastic modulus increased with increasing temperature because of the structural evolution of the Cr N coating and phase transformation. 800 °C was the optimal preparation temperature as the coating exhibited a dense surface and possessed the best overall mechanical properties. • The microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition technique was innovatively employed to fabricate Cr N coatings. • The influence of temperature on phase, morphology, and mechanical properties of the coatings were analyzed systematically. • Mechanical properties of Cr N coatings were enhanced by MPCVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel dual-template molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-coated stir bar was prepared and coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the analysis of environmental estrogens in complex samples. Dual-template MIP coating was homogeneous and porous with an average thickness of 5µm. Moreover, it could be used for at least 50 times and be kept for at least 12 months in a dryer without any damage. The MIP-coated stir bar showed excellent selectivity to bisphenols and steroids. The method for the determination of bisphenols and steroids in complex samples via MIP-coated stir bar sorptive extraction coupled with HPLC was developed. The method was successfully applied in the analysis of five estrogens in lake and river water samples with recoveries of 71.2- 96.4% and 62.8-98.0%, respectively. The method was also successfully applied to the analysis of five estrogens in three plastic samples with recoveries of 67.7-99.1%, 68.8-99.9%, and 74.8-101.8%. The limit of quantitation was 1.0-5.0µg/L. The proposed method is suitable for the simultaneous determination of multiple trace environmental estrogens in water and plastic samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This Letter reveals a unique, user-friendly, concise two-step, one-pot protocol for the synthesis of highly substituted quinoxalines. Conducting the Ugi reaction with appropriately functionalized classical Ugi reagents with subsequent acid treatment of the Ugi adduct affords collections of diversified quinoxalines in good to excellent yields. The methodology exploits what may be viewed as a ‘convertible carboxylic acid’, which in addition may be captured in an intramolecular sense to generate structurally complex 2-benzimidazolylquinoxalines in a mere two steps. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]