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Hollow fan blades made of titanium alloy are widely used in turbofan engines, and the residual stress (RS) inside the blades directly affects the performance of the blades and even the engine. Therefore, it is crucial to measure and study the RS distribution of titanium alloy hollow fan blades. This paper aims to investigate the RS distribution on the cross-section of a wide-chord hollow fan blade made of Ti-6Al-4 V titanium alloy. The multiple-cut contour method is utilized to determine the RS. A theoretical model of the multiple-cut contour method for fan blades is established, and the specimen was cut three times, followed by contour measurement of the cut planes, data processing and elastic finite element analysis. The RS map of the three cut planes is finally presented. The normal RS on three cross-sections of the fan blade is uniformly distributed, ranging from -50 MPa to 50 MPa. The normal RS distribution at different positions for the hollow fan blade can be obtained by the proposed multiple-cut contour method. The findings of this research provide a comprehensive insight into the distribution of RS in wide-chord hollow fan blades made of Ti-6Al-4 V titanium alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study experimentally investigated the wave attenuation coefficient and wave number of the heated granite after water cooling (W-C) and air cooling (A-C) treatments. The granite specimens heated to five temperatures (25 °C, 100 °C, 200 °C, 300 °C and 400 °C) were subjected to the W-C and A-C treatments, respectively. The pendulum impact test was performed on the cooled granite at room temperature to obtain the separated stress pulse. The wave attenuation ratio in the cooled granite was investigated. Propagation coefficients (attenuation coefficient and wave number) were introduced to describe the harmonic wave attenuation in the cooled granite. The effects of W-C and A-C treatments on the attenuation coefficient and wave number were discussed. The results show that the P-wave velocity decreases as temperature increases, while the wave attenuation ratio increases as temperature increases. The P-wave velocity of the granite after the W-C treatment is smaller than that of the granite after the A-C treatment. The wave attenuation ratio, attenuation coefficient and wave number of the stress pulse in the granite after the W-C treatment are larger than those of the stress pulse in the granite after the A-C treatment. The differences of P-wave velocity, wave attenuation ratio, attenuation coefficient and wave number after two cooling treatments increase as temperature increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the spatiotemporal variation in carbon stocks under different vegetation coverages during the period 2001-2020 in Henan Province, China, was evaluated using the InVEST, PLUS, and geodetector models. The vegetation coverage patterns and corresponding carbon stocks were predicted under the three scenarios of natural trend, ecological degradation, and ecological restoration, the results show that: (1) Henan Province's vegetation area has been trending downward over the last 20 years, with losses in grassland, savanna, and farming vegetation. (2) The carbon stocks exhibited a low distribution pattern in the central and eastern parts of the country and a high distribution pattern in the northwest and southeast. The growth of total carbon stocks slowed. (3) The overall carbon stores exhibited a declining pattern throughout the three ecological scenarios. The carbon stocks experienced the least decline under the ecological restoration scenario. (4) Evapotranspiration, altitude, slope, distance from farmland and temperature were the main factors affecting the spatial differentiation of regional carbon stocks. Our results can aid in the sustainable management of ecosystems in Henan Province and provides a scientific basis and research concepts for the effective increase in carbon stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the development and construction of the power grid, the transmission line corridor inevitably passes through the area with dense vegetation. Forest fires are common in the dry season, seriously affecting the normal operation of the transmission line. Due to the sharp increase in air temperature and a large amount of smoke during combustion, the steel-core aluminum strand without a sheath is directly exposed to the air of the fire field. Due to the high temperature and adhesion, the structure of the wire changes and the tensile strength decreases accordingly, which can lead to serious damage to the wire, including broken strands and fractures, and it can no longer be used. To solve the problem that it is difficult to assess the operational characteristics of transmission lines after a fire, the mechanical characteristics of transmission lines under forest fire conditions are studied through theory and simulation so that the mechanical characteristics of transmission lines after a forest fire can be quantitatively expressed. It is proposed that a mechanical design manual for conductors under mountain fire conditions be created and the online monitoring system for transmission conductors under mountain fire conditions be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In high‐temperature geological engineering applications, cyclic loads induced by various factors (e.g., earthquakes, excavation, and blasting) can exacerbate the thermal damage of engineered rock formations. Therefore, this study investigates the mechanical properties and microstructure evolution of thermally treated granite subjected to cyclic loading. First, the mechanical property variations of thermally treated granite under cyclic loading were studied through cyclic loading experiments. Subsequently, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was employed to examine the microstructure evolution of thermally treated granite under cyclic loading. Lastly, the effects of cyclic loading on maximum strain, Young's modulus, pore size distribution, and porosity of thermally treated granite were discussed. Results indicate that at the same number of cycles, maximum strain increases with increasing temperature, while Young's modulus decreases. For granite subjected to the same thermal treatment, the maximum strain increases as the cyclic number increases, while Young's modulus decreases. Concurrently, porosity and fractal dimension initially decrease and then increase with a rising number of cycles. Highlights: Fatigue properties of thermal‐treated granite were studied under cyclic load.Deterioration of mechanical behavior increased as temperature increased.The effect of cycles on porosity and pore distribution of granite was studied.Porosity and fractal dimension decreased and then increased as cycles increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combined-wave method which can significantly reduce the length of the rock bar was proposed for investigating the stress wave propagation through micro-defected rock mass. A series of short-bar pendulum impact tests were carried out to obtain the combined waves. Subsequently, wave propagation coefficients (e.g. the attenuation coefficient and wave number) were derived based on the present combined-wave method. Finally, the present combined-wave method was validated using the traditional separated-wave method based on a series of long-bar pendulum impact tests. The results show that the wave propagation coefficients obtained by the present combined-wave method using a 0.6 m bar agree well with those obtained by the traditional separated-wave method using a 1.2 m bar. The present combined-wave method overcomes the disadvantage of the traditional separated-wave method, which requires a long bar to prevent wave superposition. Highlights: A series of short-bar pendulum impact tests were conducted. A combined-wave method based on short-bar pendulum impact tests was proposed. The present combined-wave method was validated. Wave propagation coefficient can be determined by the present method efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding sources of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) in the atmosphere still has large uncertainties. In this study, an improved OVOC source apportionment model was developed by principal component analysis and multiple linear regression based on the online monitoring of nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and OVOCs in a dense urban agglomeration in the winter. The modeled concentrations were in good agreement with the measured concentrations (R2 = 0.56–0.97). The concentrations of major OVOCs, except for 2‐methylacrolein, were greatly affected by anthropogenic sources (15.8%–76.8%) and secondary generation (0.0%–51.7%), while transport and natural sources contributed to 0.0%–26.8% and 0.0%–32.0%, respectively. The selection of isoprene as the natural tracer led to an underestimation of the OVOC species from primary emission and an overestimation from natural sources. In addition, photochemical reactions significantly reduced the simulation accuracy of the model for NMHCs in the afternoon, with the R2 of 0.60 ± 0.23, which was lower than the overall value of 0.82 ± 0.11. However, the R2 for OVOCs (0.83 ± 0.14) did not decrease significantly in the afternoon due to the compensation of secondary oxidation. Furthermore, the concentration gradient distribution of the species gradually changes from a normal distribution to an exponential normal distribution with a decrease in concentration, the accuracy of the model was influenced by the degree of matching between tracer and species concentration gradient as species concentration change. Developing models with additional tracers at different concentration levels may enhance the robustness of the OVOC source apportionment model without increasing its complexity. Plain Language Summary: The precision of oxygenated volatile organic compound (OVOC) source apportionment models is subject to external factors that affect the accuracy of the analysis. Thus, understanding their sources in the atmosphere still has large uncertainties. In this study by measuring the full spectrum of VOCs, we developed a source apportionment model. The model had good agreement with the measured concentrations (R2 = 0.56–0.97) and quantified main sources of OVOCs, except for 2‐methylacrolein, as follows: (a) anthropogenic sources (15.8%–76.8%), (b) secondary generation (0.0%–51.7%), (c) regional transport (0.0%–26.8%), and (d) natural sources (0.0%–32.0%). However, due to the selection of isoprene as the natural source tracer, the concentrations of OVOCs were higher in the natural source category and lower in the anthropogenic source category. In addition, the photochemical reaction can reduce the simulation accuracy of NMHCs with the R2 of 0.60 ± 0.23, but has little effect on the simulation accuracy of OVOCs (R2 = 0.83 ± 0.14). A downside of the model is that the predicted concentrations are higher at low concentration gradients and lower at high concentration gradients. Thus, we recommend implementing a model with more tracers at different concentration levels in order to improve the source apportionment results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, using laser cladding technology, three different coatings with varying contents of spherical tungsten boride (WB) were completed on the EH40 steel substrate. These coatings included the Co coating, Co+15%WB coating, and Co+45%WB coating. The electrochemical corrosion performance of these three coatings was investigated in a low-temperature environment. The findings indicated that the phases present in the WB-reinforced Co-based coatings are mostly Cr23C6 and Cr7C3, WB, and WO3, as well as γ-Co. The study showed that as the amount of tungsten boride in the coatings rose, their corrosion resistance increased and gradually dropped. Among them, the Co+15%WB coating exhibited the best corrosion resistance in a neutral solution. In the low-temperature (–20°C) immersion test, the main corrosion products for the Co+45%WB coating in simulated seawater solution were Co(OH)2 and Co3O4, along with the presence of WO2 and WO3 oxides. Overall, the spherical tungsten boride coatings significantly enhanced the corrosion resistance of the EH40 steel substrate, providing an effective approach to improving the steel's performance in low-temperature environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helvella is a widespread, frequently encountered fungal group appearing in forests, but the species diversity and molecular phylogeny of Helvella in China remains incompletely understood. In this work, we performed comprehensive phylogenetic analyses using multilocus sequence data. Six datasets were employed, including a five-locus concatenated dataset (ITS, nrLSU, tef1-a, rpb2, hsp), a two-locus concatenated dataset (ITS, nrLSU), and four single-locus datasets (ITS) that were divided based on the four different phylogenetic clades of Helvella recognized in this study. A total of 1 946 sequences were used, of which 713 were newly generated, including 170 sequences of ITS, 174 sequences of nrLSU, 131 sequences of tef1-a, 107 sequences of rpb2 and 131 sequences of hsp. The phylogeny based on the five-locus concatenated dataset revealed that Helvella s. str. is monophyletic and four phylogenetic clades are clearly recognized, i.e., Acetabulum clade, Crispa clade, Elastica clade, and Lacunosa clade. A total of 24 lineages or subclades were recognized, 11 of which were new, the remaining 13 corresponding with previous studies. Chinese Helvella species are distributed in 22 lineages across four clades. Phylogenetic analyses based on the two-locus concatenated dataset and four single-locus datasets confirmed the presence of at least 93 phylogenetic species in China. Among them, 58 are identified as known species, including a species with a newly designated lectotype and epitype, 18 are newly described in this paper, and the remaining 17 taxa are putatively new to science but remain unnamed due to the paucity or absence of ascomatal materials. In addition, the Helvella species previously recorded in China are discussed. A list of 76 confirmed species, including newly proposed species, is provided. The occurrence of H. crispa and H. elastica are not confirmed although both are commonly recorded in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is increasingly recognized as a chronic, progressive and fatal lung disease with an unknown etiology. Current studies focus on revealing the genetic factors in the risk of IPF, making the integrative analysis of genetic variations and transcriptomic alterations of substantial value. Aim This study aimed to improve the understanding of the molecular basis of IPF through an integrative analysis of whole-exome sequencing (WES), bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. Methods WES is a powerful tool for studying the genetic basis of IPF, allowing for the identification of genetic variants that may be associated with the development of the disease. RNA-seq data provide a comprehensive view of the transcriptional changes in IPF patients, while scRNA-seq data offer a more granule view of cell-type-specific alterations. Results In this study, we identified a comprehensive mutational landscape of recurrent genomic and transcriptomic variations, including single-nucleotide polymorphisms, CNVs and differentially expressed genes, in IPF populations, which may play a significant role in the development and progression of IPF. Conclusions Our study provided valuable insights into the genetic and transcriptomic variations associated with IPF, revealing changes in gene expression that may contribute to disease development and progression. These findings highlight the importance of an integrative approach to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying IPF and may pave the way for identifying potential therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study that identified a recurrent splicing mutation (c.2442 + 5G>A) of the Colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) gene in a Chinese family with leukoencephalopathy. The mutation was found to result in intron 12 not being cut, leading to a premature stop codon in the CSF1R gene. This mutation has previously been reported in a Japanese patient with diffuse leukoencephalopathy. The study confirms the pathogenicity of this mutation and provides further understanding of the genetic profile and clinical diagnosis of patients with leukoencephalopathy. [Extracted from the article]

A high-performance bismaleimide (BMI) resin blends containing the polyaryletherketone (PAEK) were prepared. The nanomechanical behaviors, viscoelasticity, and tribological properties of the bismaleimide resins were investigated by nanoindentation/scratch methods. It was established that the hardness (H) decreased, while the elastic modulus (E) increased, i.e., a reduction of plasticity index (H /E) values through the quasi-static nano-indentation testing. Meanwhile, the indentation response was mainly affected by the plastic deformation in response to a stress. The unmodified bismaleimide resins demonstrated better load-bearing capacity and indentation recovery ability, lower penetration depth than the other three specimens. Effects of angular frequency and average contact force on the viscoelastic properties were also investigated by the dynamic nanoindentation mode. The results revealed that variations of the loss tangent curves nearly were similar to each other, first increased then decreased gradually at contact force of 150 and 300 μN. Topography and profiles of the indentation and scratch surfaces were also discussed. Based on the results of the nanoscratching tests, when the PAEK content was 10 phr, the coefficient of friction during plowing was the lowest, exhibited the better scratch/wear resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper mainly studied the microscopic progressive fatigue deterioration of granite under cyclic loading. Firstly, a series of real-time computer tomography (CT) tests were conducted to investigate the microstructure morphology of granite under the multi-level cyclic loading. Two-dimensional (2D) analysis and three-dimensional (3D) analysis were carried out by the areal porosity and volumetric porosity to quantitatively study the progressive fatigue behavior of granite planarly and spatially, respectively. Then, the crack initiation stress of granite was determined according to the experimental results, which was used as the maximum cyclic stress of single-level cyclic loading performed subsequently. Finally, the effects of cyclic number of single-level cyclic loading on the microscopic fatigue properties of granite, such as areal porosity and volumetric porosity, were further discussed. The results show that for the granite under the multi-level cyclic loading, both of the areal porosity and volumetric porosity of granite keep constant approximately when the maximum cyclic stress is smaller than 46.04% of the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), then they increase rapidly as the maximum cyclic stress reaches 46.04% of UCS and above. Moreover, for the granite under the single-level cyclic loading, both of the areal porosity and volumetric porosity increase monotonously as the cyclic number. However, attentions should be paid that the increases of areal porosity and volumetric porosity mainly concentrate during the first twenty cycles. Besides, it is interesting that the present real-time CT technology can be used to investigate the microscopic fatigue deterioration of granite intuitively and continuously. Highlights: Multi-level cyclic loading and single-level cyclic loading were conducted. Real-time CT tests were performed on granite during cyclic loading. Real-time microscopic fatigue deterioration of granite was studied. The effects of single-level cyclic loading number on granite were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By integrating NGS and ddPCR results, BTK/PLCG2 mutation was detected in 49.0% (24/49) pts. ddPCR method may not available for the patients relapsed on the Ibrutinib, this may account for the low rate of acquired mutations detected in patients treated with Ibrutinib. At progression time, 46.9% (23/49) had TP53 mutation, 24.5% (12/49) had ATM mutation, 22.4% (11/49) had EGR2 mutation, 22.4% (11/49) had SF3B1 mutation, 16.3% (8/49) had NOTCH1 mutation, and 10.2% (5/49) had KMT2D mutation. [Extracted from the article]

In rock engineering, the weakening effects of water on the stressed rock are nonnegligible. This paper studied the microstructure deterioration processes of sandstones under stress and stress-water coupling by real-time computed tomography (CT) technology and compared the difference in these two processes. Firstly, the real-time CT tests were performed on the dry and saturated sandstones during the uniaxial compression to study the progressive deterioration of sandstones caused by stress and stress-water coupling, which were further quantitatively described by porosity. Then, the equivalent radius was introduced to analyze the real-time pore structure characteristics of sandstones under stress and stress-water coupling. Finally, the difference in failure patterns of sandstones under stress and stress-water coupling was compared. The results show that the real-time CT images intuitively present the continuous changes of spatial morphology of defects in sandstones under stress and stress-water coupling. During the uniaxial compression, the porosities of dry and saturated sandstones decrease at first, then increase slowly and finally increase rapidly. However, as the increase of stress, the variation in porosity, shifting of pore size distribution curve and change of maximum equivalent radius interval of saturated sandstone are more significant, indicating that even under the same stress state, the water aggravates the microstructure deterioration of sandstone, thus leading to the reduction of bearing capacity of sandstone. In addition, the failed region of saturated sandstone is mainly composed of multiple shear and tensile cracks, which presents the typical tensile-shear composite failure. Highlights: Real-time CT tests were performed on sandstone during uniaxial compression. Real-time progressive failure process of sandstone was observed. Real-time pore distribution characteristic of sandstone was studied. Stress-water coupling effects on failure of sandstone were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the stress wave propagates through rock mass with different wave impedances on two sides. It shows different reflection tendencies compared with the traditional study of wave propagation. A characteristic line method combined with the displacement discontinuity model was proposed to study the wave reflection through such rock mass. The effects of incident frequency, joint stiffness and wave impedance ratio on the reflection coefficient were discussed. The results show that the reflection coefficient increases as the wave impedance ratio increases. The traditional study of wave reflection can be regarded as a special case of the present study when the wave impedance ratio equals 1.0. Moreover, the difference of reflection coefficients decreases as the incident frequency increases, while increases as the joint stiffness and wave impedance ratio increase when the wave impedance ratio is larger than 1.0. When the wave impedance ratio is smaller than 1.0, the difference of reflection coefficients increases firstly and then decreases with the increase of incident frequency and joint stiffness, while decreases as the wave impedance ratio increases. For the cases of large incident frequency or small joint stiffness, the effects of wave impedance ratio can be neglected for the approximated prediction of wave reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wave transmission properties in double-scale discontinuous rock masses subjected to both static prestress and dynamic loads are investigated. The double-scale discontinuous rock masses refer to rock masses that contain macrojoint and microdefect. The split three characteristic lines method is extended to predict wave propagation under combined static–dynamic loads by introducing the mechanical properties of macrojoints and microdefects under static prestress. The amplitude and energy transmission coefficients of wave propagation through rock masses under different static prestresses are investigated. A comparison between the results of the present study and those of a traditional study that does not consider microdefects is performed to evaluate the effect of microdefects on wave propagation. The results show that the proposed method can effectively analyze wave propagation through double-scale discontinuous rock masses under static prestress. The amplitude and energy transmission coefficients increase with an increase in static prestress. Under an arbitrary static prestress, the results obtained from the present study are always smaller than those obtained from the traditional study, because the effects of microdefects are considered in the present study. However, when the static prestress is small, the effect of microdefects on wave propagation is slight. When the static prestress is large, the effect of microdefects on wave propagation is relatively significant, and microdefects in the rock mass cannot be disregarded. Highlights: Wave propagation in a rock mass under combined static-dynamic loads is investigated. The split three characteristic lines method considering static prestress is proposed. The mechanical behaviors of the joint and microdefect under static prestress are introduced. The effects of static prestress on wave transmission are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning points for clinicians This study reported a late-onset hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) patients with a novel I interferon induced with helicase c domain 1 i ( I IFIH1 i ) variant (c.2161G>T/p.G721X). Introduction Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a group of rare neurodegenerative diseases with the incidence of 2/100 000-5/100 000.[1] Most HSP patients exhibit weakness, spasticity, tendon hyper-reflexia and gait abnormality. [Extracted from the article]

At admission, pure tone audiometry revealed significant hearing loss across low frequencies (i.e. 125, 250, 500 and 1000 Hz) in the right ear (as shown in Figure 1b), while acoustic impedance test and inner ear magnetic resonance imaging results were normal. (a) Schematic diagram for the locations of three periauricular acupoints; (b) pure tone audiometry before acupuncture treatment; (c) pure tone audiometry after nine acupuncture sessions. Learning points for clinicians Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) and tinnitus are prevalent among Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and post-COVID-19 individuals, yet not all of these patients exhibit favorable responses to steroid therapy. [Extracted from the article]

B Aims: b To evaluate the safety and efficacy of zanubrutinib, lenalidomide plus R-CHOP (ZR2-CHOP) as the first-line treatment for non-GCB DLBCL patients, we updated the results in our cohort. Molecular subtypes were determined in 18 patients as shown in Figure 2. ctDNA was dynamically detected in 18 patients. All patients were recommended to receive 6 cycles of ZR2-CHOP (R-CHOP or R2-CHOP were allowed in cycle 1 due to poor physical condition or inaccessible molecular characteristics at treatment) and patients older than 70 years old were administered ZR2-miniCHOP. [Extracted from the article]

As a typical type of natural disaster, landslides may result in injuries to humans, threats to property security, and economic loss. As such, it is important to understand or predict the probability of landslide occurrence at potentially risky sites. Using typically machine learning (ML) to estimate landslide susceptibility based on a landslide inventory and a set of factors that impact the occurrence of landslides is a common practice. However, in landslide susceptibility assessment, existing DL-based neural network methods use a fully connected layer to optimize the selection of factors, which limits their efficiency in extracting features of those contributing factors. In response to those problems, this study proposed a CNN-LSTM model with an attention mechanism (AM) to avoid the complex optimization of input factors while the same or even better prediction accuracy can be achieved. To compare our method with the existing ones, the historical landslide inventory and the remote sensing data of Kerala, India were used to produce the input variables needed in the methods considered. The results show that our method produced more accurate results, compared to those existing neural network methods (e.g. CNN, LSTM and CNN-LSTM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Point cloud registration is the process of transforming multiple point clouds obtained at different locations of the same scene into a common coordinate system, forming an integrated dataset representing the scene surveyed. In addition to the typical target-based registration method, there are various registration methods that are based on using only the point cloud data captured (i.e. cloud-to-cloud methods). Until recently, cloud-to-cloud registration methods have generally adopted a coarse-to-fine optimisation process. The challenges and limitations inherent in this process have shaped the development of point cloud registration and the associated software tools over the past three decades. Based on the success of applying deep learning approaches to imagery data, numerous attempts at applying such approaches to point cloud datasets have received much attention. This study reviews and comment on recent developments in point cloud registration without using any targets and explores remaining issues, based on which recommendations on potential future studies in this topic are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing solar energy to split water (photocatalytic water-splitting) is a good solution for global warming. However, it is difficult to find suitable materials for photocatalytic water-splitting. In this paper, through HSE06 and GW-BSE calculations, it is found that vdWHs with Se facing g-GeC (WSSe/g-GeC vdWHs) are an ideal photocatalytic material. The WSSe/g-GeC vdWHs can form a II-type band alignment, and the band gap exceeds the free energy of water splitting. The built-in electric field from Janus WSSe and vdWHs can effectively separate photo-generated electron–hole pairs and improve carrier lifetime. Compared with single-layer WSSe, WSSe/g-GeC vdWHs exhibit smaller exciton binding energy, especially for the WSSe/g-GeC vdWH I stacking (0.32 eV). Furthermore, WSSe/g-GeC vdWHs are of high absorption coefficient in the visible light regions, showing significant advantages of using solar energy. These findings imply that the WSSe/g-GeC vdWHs are promising as candidate material for photocatalytic water-splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, Listeria monocytogenes was used as the target strain to investigate the sterilising potential and mechanism of high power pulse microwave (HPPM). Results showed that the inactivation was positively correlated with the pulse frequencies and operating times. The count of Listeria monocytogenes was decreased by 5.09 log CFU/mL under 200 Hz for 9 min, which was used as the optimised condition to further explore the sterilisation mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the L. monocytogenes cells of untreated group presented intact surfaces, clear boundary, and its intracellular contents distributed uniformly in the cytoplasm. Following treatment, the cell wall surfaces began to deform in small areas, and cell membranes were severely ruptured, thus resulting in the appearance of electron transmission areas. Extracellular protein and nucleic acid contents, represented by OD260 nm and OD280 nm, increased with the increase in operating time significantly. After treatment, SDS-PAGE profiles of whole-cell proteins displayed that the protein bands became lighter or even disappeared. Na+ K+-ATPase activities and intracellular ATP content decreased by 72.97 and 79.09%, respectively. This was consistent with the cell viability of L. monocytogenes observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Overall, the sterilisation mechanism of HPPM on L. monocytogenes may be caused by membrane damage, intracellular component leakage, and energy metabolism hindrance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the efficacy and safety of Yinzhihuang granule combined with phototherapy in neonatal pathological jaundice treatment. By searching China network knowledge infrastructure, Wan Fang database, Virtual IP address database, Virtual IP, PubMed, EmBase together with the Cochrane library until March 31st, 2022. Literatures on Yinzhihuang combined with phototherapy in neonatal pathological jaundice treatment were collected. Literatures were screened by the inclusion and exclusion criteria and data were extracted. A total of 19 literatures were included in this study, a total of 2221 neonates with pathological jaundice. The outcomes of metaanalysis demonstrated the total clinical effective rate of Yinzhihuang combined with phototherapy in neonatal pathological jaundice treatment was significantly higher than that of phototherapy. At the end of one course of treatment, the total bilirubin level was significantly lower than that of the phototherapy group. The recovery time and hospital stay were shorter than those in the phototherapy group. The occurrence rate of adverse reactions was reduced compared to that of phototherapy group and the difference was significant. Yinzhihuang granule combined with phototherapy in neonatal pathological jaundice treatment has better clinical effect and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient element that is involved in almost every aspect of a plant's physiological mechanism. Therefore, the current research aims to determine the optimal amount of N fertilizer for bamboo seedlings for better nutrient management practices to minimize N pollution in bamboo forests. We evaluated the physiological response of Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro grown under five varying levels of N fertilizer; such as N0, N1, N2, N3, N4, and N5 (0, 1.50, 3.00, 4.50, 6.00, and 7.50 g·pot-1, respectively). N4 treatment had a significant effect on the number of shoots, which was greatly correlated with net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and photosynthetic pigment including carotenoid (Car), total chlorophyll (Chls), and Chl a per b ratio (Chl a/b) as well as N-related indices [leaf N, leaf ammonium N (NH4+-N), and nitrate reductase (NR)]. N supply significantly increased soil carbon and N contents, which could be conducive to the accumulation of leaf chlorophyll content, improving leaf photosynthesis mechanism, and accelerating N metabolism and conversion through an enzymatic reaction. Overall, the N application of 6.00 g·pot-1 was advantageous to improving physiological characteristics and shoot production of seedlings, which provided a theoretical basis for improving bamboo nitrogen use efficiency and high-yield cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental investigation of wave propagation coefficients determination of the granite was presented in the present study. Firstly, a series of pendulum impact tests were performed to investigate the stress wave properties of the granite. High-speed digital image correlation (HDIC) was utilized to capture the displacement and velocity at the free end of the impacted granite bar. Subsequently, the HDIC-based non-contact method was introduced for the determination of wave propagation coefficients of the granite. Finally, experimental studies based on the traditional contact method using strain gauges were performed to validate the present HDIC-based non-contact method. The results show that both the attenuation coefficient and wave number increase as frequency increases. Moreover, the propagation coefficients (attenuation coefficient and wave number) determined by the present HDIC-based non-contact method agree well with that determined by the traditional contact method using strain gauges. The present HDIC-based non-contact method can be used to predict the stress wave propagation through the granite effectively. Highlights: A non-contact method by high-speed digital image correlation (HDIC) was proposed. The HDIC-based non-contact method was validated by traditional strain gauges measurement. The propagation coefficients can be determined by the present method efficiently. The HDIC-based non-contact method can predict the stress wave propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of freezing temperature on the failure modes of frozen sandstone under uniaxial compression loading conditions. First, the sandstone specimens were subjected to freezing treatments at different temperatures (e.g., 20, 0, − 5, − 10, − 15 and − 20 °C), and uniaxially compressed to failure in the frozen state. Subsequently, the real-time CT scanning was performed to observe the spatial three-dimensional and planar two-dimensional fracture morphology of the failed specimens. Next, the volumetric porosity and crack area were introduced to quantitatively describe the freezing temperature effects on the damage degree of specimens after compression failure. Finally, the box-counting dimension of cracks calculated by fractal theory and distribution images of crack orientation angle were used to quantitatively evaluate freezing temperature effects on the compression failure complexity of specimens. The results show that the tension-shear failure mode to shear failure mode occurs as temperature decreases, and the failure mode tends to be constant below − 10 °C. The volumetric porosity and crack area of the failed specimen decrease as temperature decreases. After specimen failure, the box-counting dimension of cracks decreases as temperature decreases, and the distribution range of crack orientation angle decreases, which indicates the failure complexity decreases. Highlights: Uniaxial compressive spatial failure modes of frozen sandstones were investigated. Tension-shear failure mode to shear failure mode occurred as temperature decreased. Failure mode tended to be constant as temperature decreased below − 10 °C. Compression failure complexity of specimens decreased as temperature decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propagation properties of stress waves in rock masses are of great importance for exploring the internal structure of the Earth and avoiding earthquake disasters. Based on the modified displacement discontinuity method, the non-attenuation behavior of stress wave propagation through a rock mass with a large wave impedance to a rock mass with a small wave impedance was studied. The results show that the non-attenuation propagation of stress waves can occur when stress waves propagate from rock with a large wave impedance to rock with a small wave impedance. The non-attenuation propagation of stress waves is related to the incident wave frequency, the joint stiffness and the wave impedance ratio. The non-attenuation propagation of stress waves is most likely to occur when the incident wave frequency is low and the joint stiffness and wave impedance ratio are large. According to the critical condition for the non-attenuation propagation of stress waves, a threshold surface was identified. The region corresponding to non-attenuation stress wave propagation exists below the threshold surface. Highlights: Non-attenuation behavior of stress wave propagation through a rock mass was explored. Effects of frequency, joint stiffness and wave impedance ratio on non-attenuation behavior was investigated. A threshold surface for non-attenuation behavior in the FKN space (frequency f0, joint stiffness kn and wave impedance ratio n) was identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study of the critical angles of obliquely incident stress wave through a single joint with different mediums on both sides. Based on the displacement discontinuity method (DDM) and Snell's law, the propagation characteristics of obliquely incident stress wave through the joint with the different mediums on both sides are investigated. The existence of critical angles is judged, and the reflection and transmission of the stress wave before and after the critical angles are analyzed. The effects of the frequency of the incident wave, joint stiffness, and mechanical properties of mediums on the critical angles are studied. The results show that the first critical angle exists in the cases of the P wave velocity of medium II is larger than that of medium I, and both the first and second critical angles exist in the cases of the S wave velocity of medium II are larger than the P wave velocity of medium I. The first and second critical angles are only affected by the mechanical properties of mediums, and not affected by the frequency of the incident wave and joint stiffness. Both the first and second critical angles increase as the density of medium II increases, while both the first and second critical angles decrease as the Young's modulus of medium II increases. It is noted that the first critical angle decreases while the second critical angle increases as the Poisson's ratio of medium II increases. Highlights: Critical angles of obliquely incident stress wave through a single joint with different mediums on both sides were studied. The method for judging the existence of critical angles was proposed. Reflection and transmission of stress wave before and after the critical angles were analyzed. Effects of the parameters of the mediums and joint on the critical angles were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Tuber (Tuberaceae, Pezizales) is an important fungal group of Ascomycota both economically and ecologically. However, the species diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution of Tuber species in China remains poorly understood, primarily because descriptions of many new species relied heavily on morphological features with molecular data either not sought or ignored. The misapplication of European and North American names further added to confusion regarding the taxonomy of Chinese Tuber species. In this study, we examined more than 1 000 specimens from China, and performed a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis for Chinese Tuber species using ITS sequences and multilocus sequence data. To infer the phylogeny of Chinese Tuber spp., 11 molecular datasets were assembled, including a concatenated internal transcribed spacers of the nuc rDNA (ITS), nuc rDNA 28S subunit (LSU), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1-a), and RNA polymerase II subunit (rpb2) dataset as well as 10 ITS datasets (totally including 1 435 sequences from 828 collections with 597 newly generated sequences, and 168 sequences from the types of 63 species). Our phylogenetic tree based on a concatenated multilocus dataset revealed that all Chinese Tuber species nested in nine phylogenetic clades (phylogroups), including Aestivum, Excavatum, Latisporum, Macrosporum, Maculatum, Melanosporum, Puberulum, Rufum and Turmericum. Of these, five phylogroups (Macrosporum, Maculatum, Melanosporum, Puberulum and Rufum) are shared across the continents of Asia, Europe and North America; two phylogroups (Aestivum and Excavatum) are shared by Europe and Asia; and the phylogroups Turmericum and Latisporum are endemic only to Asia. Phylogenetic trees based on 10 ITS datasets confirmed the presence of at least 82 phylogenetic species in China. Of these, 53 are identified as known species, including three new records for China, and 25 species are identified as new to science. Of the new species, nine are described and illustrated in this paper, and the others remain unnamed due to the paucity or absence of ascomatal materials. Accordingly, the confirmed, excluded and doubtful Tuber species in China are discussed. Tuber species showed high endemism. Of the 82 phylogenetic species found in China, 68 species occur only in China, six species are also found in other regions in Asia, and only eight species (T. anniae, T. excelsum-reticulatum, T. formosanum, T. maculatum, T. wenchuanense, Tuber sp. CHN-3, Tuber sp. CHN-10 and Tuber sp. CHN-11) are shared with other continents. Most Tuber species have a small and limited distribution in China, but a few, such as T. formosanum and T. parvomurphium, are widely distributed across China. Some phylogenetically closely related species, such as T. liaotongense and T. subglobosum, as well as T. xuanhuaense and T. lijiangense, show a pattern of allopatric distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: lncRNA ABHD11 antisense RNA 1 (ABHD11-AS1) acts as an oncogene involved in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) occurrence and progression. ABHD11-AS1 exerts biologic functions by some miRNAs and proteins to regulate multiple targets. Identification of novel mechanism of ABHD11‐AS1 could be helpful in therapeutic targeting for PTC treatment. Methods: Differentially expressed lncRNAs were selected from TCGA database. qRT‐PCR analysis was applied to examine the expression of ABHD11‐AS1 in PTC cell lines and tissues. The relationship of ABHD11-AS1 expression and clinicopathological features was analyzed by Kaplan–Meier analysis. Two PTC cell lines (TPC-1 and KTC-1) were transfected with pcDNA 3.1, pcDNA3.1-ABHD11-AS1, si-NC and si-ABHD11-AS1, respectively, to verify the ABHD11-AS1 oncogene-regulating capacity to promote tumor progression. The cell metastasis and proliferation had been evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Results: High expression of ABHD11‐AS1 was found in PTC tissues (P < 0.01), which was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). ABHD11-AS1 overexpression noticeably promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities, which were obviously decreased upon ABHD11-AS1 knockdown. ABHD11-AS1 positively regulated EGFR/EPS15L1 pathway, as EGFR, EPS15L1, STAT3, and p-STAT3 were activated. Conclusion: ABHD11‐AS1 promotes tumor progression in PTC by regulating EPS15L1/EGFR pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural non-point pollution is the biggest pollution source in China from 2009, the treatment of agricultural surface runoff is very important to mitigate the eutrophication of rivers and lakes because agricultural surface runoff is one key type of non-point source pollution. In this study, agricultural farmland surface runoff in Chengdu Plain was treated for one year (2017 ~ 2018) by the combination treatment technology of new material (waste fir and Hemlock sawdust as substrate) bioreactor for denitrification and Vertical-flow Constructed Wetland (VFCW, planting Cyperus alternifolius L.) combining zeolite and Lanthanum-modified activated Alumina (γ-Al2O3) as absorption agent for dephosphorization. This engineering application is successively joint three treatment processes (sedimentation unit → dephosphorization unit → denitrification unit) with 5 paralleling groups. The results show that the average removal rate of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) from agricultural surface runoff at farmland in the denitrification bioreactor (filled fir sawdust) were 29.64% and 66.56%, respectively. The average TP removal rate of VFCW with Lanthanum-modified γ-Al2O3 was 60.44%, while it was 51.66% in VFCW without Lanthanum-modified γ-Al2O3. The denitrification rate of fir sawdust bioreactor was better than both hemlock sawdust bioreactor and mixed hemlock-fir sawdust bioreactor. Overall, the combination of fir sawdust bioreactor for denitrification and VFCW filling some Lanthanum-modified γ-Al2O3 was the best treatment application for agricultural farmland surface runoff treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is an important oil, food and economic crop in the world. High salinity severely affects the growth and yield of soybean. Overexpressing a specific anti‐retroviral transcription factor by biotechnology is an effective way to cultivate new stress‐tolerant varieties of soybean. TGA transcription factor is a subfamily of bZIP and plays an important role in abiotic stress responses.A TGA subfamily gene GmTGA13 was cloned and the gene expression, subcellular localization and transcriptional activity were measured. Through the Ag. tumefaciens mediated flower dip method and the Ag. rhizogenes mediated transformation of soybean hairy roots, the transgenic Arabidopsis and the 'combination' soybean plants of overexpressing GmTGA13 were obtained. The two types of transgenic plants were treated with salt stress respectively, and the related physiological indexes were determined. Furthermore, the expression levels of five abiotic stress responsive genes were analyzed in GmTGA13 overexpression hairy roots.GmTGA13 gene was highly expressed in roots and significantly induced by saline stress in soybean. GmTGA13 encoded a nuclear localization protein and had transcriptional activation activity. Overexpression of GmTGA13 enhanced the saline stress tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis and the 'combination' soybean plants. Furthermore, overexpression of GmTGA13 enhanced the expression of the stress responsive genes in transgenic soybean hairy roots.In conclusion, overexpression of GmTGA13 is beneficial to the absorption of K+ and Ca2+ by the cell, thereby regulating the ion homeostasis in the cell balance. GmTGA13 enhanced salt resistance of plants by regulating the expression of many stress‐responsive genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many physiological traits are thought to play an important role in the low-light adaptation of plants. Therefore, we tested light intensity regulation of chlorophyll pigments, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and non-structural carbohydrates in Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) leaves under five varying light intensities; such as L0 (100%), L1 (40%), L2 (30%), L3 (20%), and L4 (10%). We found that Ma bamboo grown under low light conditions synthesized more chlorophyll [total chlorophyll (Chls) and carotenoids (Car)], whereas net photosynthetic rate (Pn) under 10-40% light treatments was lower than that of those established under full sunlight. The decrease in light intensities increased PSII actual photochemical efficiency (ΦPSII), electron transport rate (ETR), and PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm), while low radiation led to a reduction in photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) and an increase in non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) of the leaves. Low light intensity was more conducive to accumulating non-structural carbohydrates with higher soluble sugar and starch. These parameters analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) could be considered critical physiological traits to evaluate Ma bamboo’s adaptation to low light. Our findings implied that Ma bamboo had better adaptive strategies in low light conditions, which had substantial implications for the management and cultivation of Ma bamboo’s plantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high-performance ultraelastic metals with superb strength, a large elastic strain limit and temperature-insensitive elastic modulus (Elinvar effect) are important for various industrial applications, from actuators and medical devices to high-precision instruments1,2. The elastic strain limit of bulk crystalline metals is usually less than 1 per cent, owing to dislocation easy gliding. Shape memory alloys3—including gum metals4,5 and strain glass alloys6,7—may attain an elastic strain limit up to several per cent, although this is the result of pseudo-elasticity and is accompanied by large energy dissipation3. Recently, chemically complex alloys, such as ‘high-entropy’ alloys8, have attracted tremendous research interest owing to their promising properties9–15. In this work we report on a chemically complex alloy with a large atomic size misfit usually unaffordable in conventional alloys. The alloy exhibits a high elastic strain limit (approximately 2 per cent) and a very low internal friction (less than 2 × 10−4) at room temperature. More interestingly, this alloy exhibits an extraordinary Elinvar effect, maintaining near-constant elastic modulus between room temperature and 627 degrees Celsius (900 kelvin), which is, to our knowledge, unmatched by the existing alloys hitherto reported.A chemically complex alloy that exhibits a high elastic strain limit and low internal friction is described; it also has an Elinvar effect (invariant elastic modulus) over a large temperature range, up to 627 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the equivalent viscoelastic behavior of granite after different high-temperature treatments under stress waves. The equivalent viscoelastic behavior of granite after different high-temperature treatments under dynamic conditions was investigated by the pendulum impact test, while its quasi-static behavior was investigated by the uniaxial compression test. The attenuation coefficient, wave number, storage modulus and loss modulus of granite after high-temperature treatments were determined based on the pendulum impact test. A modified three-element model was proposed to describe the relationship between the equivalent viscoelastic behavior of granite and temperature. The proposed model was validated by comparing the storage modulus and loss modulus predicted by the proposed model and those based on the pendulum impact test. The results show that the attenuation coefficient and wave number increase as temperature increases. While the storage modulus and loss modulus decrease as the temperature increases. The proposed model could describe the storage modulus and loss modulus of granite after high-temperature treatment with acceptable accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a member of the interleukin 6 family of cytokines, is involved in skeletal metabolism, blastocyst implantation, and stem cell pluripotency maintenance. However, the role of LIF in tooth development needs to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Lif deficiency on tooth development and to elucidate the functions of Lif during tooth development and the underlying mechanisms. First, it was found that the incisors of Lif -knockout mice had a much whiter color than those of wild-type mice. Although there were no structural abnormalities or defective mineralization according to scanning electronic microscopy and computed tomography analysis, 3-dimensional images showed that the length of incisors was shorter in Lif −/− mice. Microhardness and acid resistance assays showed that the hardness and acid resistance of the enamel surface of Lif −/− mice were decreased compared to those of wild-type mice. In Lif −/− mice, whose general iron status was comparable to that of the control mice, the iron content of the incisors was significantly reduced, as confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Prussian blue staining. Histological staining showed that the cell length of maturation-stage ameloblasts was shorter in Lif −/− mice. Likewise, decreased expression of Tfrc and Slc40a1, both of which are crucial proteins for iron transportation, was observed in Lif −/− mice and Lif -knockdown ameloblast lineage cell lines, according to quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot. Moreover, the upregulation of Tfrc and Slc40a1 induced by Lif stimulation was blocked by Stattic, a signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) signaling inhibitor. These results suggest that Lif deficiency inhibits iron transportation in the maturation-stage ameloblasts, and Lif modulates expression of Tfrc and Slc40a1 through the Stat3 signaling pathway during enamel development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the experimental results of the commissioning phase in the 10 PW laser beamline of the Shanghai Superintense Ultrafast Laser Facility (SULF). The peak power reaches 2.4 PW on target without the last amplifying during the experiment. The laser energy of 72 ± 9 J is directed to a focal spot of approximately 6 μm diameter (full width at half maximum) in 30 fs pulse duration, yielding a focused peak intensity around 2.0 × 1021 W/cm2. The first laser-proton acceleration experiment is performed using plain copper and plastic targets. High-energy proton beams with maximum cut-off energy up to 62.5 MeV are achieved using copper foils at the optimum target thickness of 4 μm via target normal sheath acceleration. For plastic targets of tens of nanometers thick, the proton cut-off energy is approximately 20 MeV, showing ring-like or filamented density distributions. These experimental results reflect the capabilities of the SULF-10 PW beamline, for example, both ultrahigh intensity and relatively good beam contrast. Further optimization for these key parameters is underway, where peak laser intensities of 1022–1023 W/cm2 are anticipated to support various experiments on extreme field physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual-mesh three characteristic lines method was proposed for stress wave propagation through a microdefected rock mass containing a thin-layer filled macrojoint. The dual-mesh three characteristic lines are composed of five basic elements that are used to calculate stress wave propagation at the boundary and the interior of the microdefected rock mass and the left side, interior and right side of the filled macrojoint. The results of the present study were compared with that of available analytical results that do not consider microdefects and do not consider microdefects and macrojoint thickness. The results show that the proposed method can be used to efficiently investigate the effect of microdefects and filled macrojoints on wave propagation. The results also show that the viscosity coefficient in the equivalent viscoelastic model of the microdefected rock mass, the viscosity coefficient in the equivalent viscoelastic model of the filled macrojoint and the thickness of the filled macrojoint have significant effects on stress wave attenuation. The transmission coefficient initially decreases and then increases as the viscosity coefficient in the equivalent viscoelastic model of the microdefected rock mass increases. The transmission coefficient increases and then tends to flatten as the viscosity coefficient in the equivalent viscoelastic model of the filled macrojoint increases. The transmission coefficient decreases as the thickness of the filled macrojoint increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The suppressed hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis after successful surgery for Cushing's disease (CD) will recover in almost all patients. We aimed to identify the predictive factors for HPA axis recovery in CD patients with postoperative remission. Design and Methods. This observational retrospective cross-sectional study enrolled 69 CD patients with postoperative remission in Huashan Hospital from 2015 to 2019. All subjects had a detailed clinical evaluation. The low-dose ACTH stimulation test (LDT) was conducted as the gold standard for assessing the HPA axis function. Results. Peak cortisol in LDT was found only to be positively correlative with morning serum cortisol (MSC) (ρ = 0.451 , p < 0.001). The MSC was higher (p < 0.001), and the median postoperative course was significantly longer (p = 0.025) in the patients with the recovered HPA axis function compared with unrecovered patients. The AUC value of MSC for predicting the recovery of the HPA axis was 0.701, and the optimal cutoff was 6.25 μg/dl (sensitivity 85.19% and specificity 47.62%). Other useful cutoff values were 10.74 μg/dl (specificity 100%) and 4.18 μg/dl (sensitivity 100%). Besides, combined with the postoperative course, the AUC values were higher than MSC alone (0.935 vs. 0.701, p < 0.001). Conclusions. MSC is a viable first-step diagnostic predictor for HPA axis recovery in CD patients with postoperative remission. For the patients with cortisol levels between 4.18 and 10.74 μg/dl, a confirmatory test should be conducted. When the MSC level was 10.74 μg/dl or greater, the replacement therapy could be discontinued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to the studying of the weak Orlicz–Lorentz space Λ X φ , ∞ (w) , which can be regarded as an extension of weak Orlicz space L X φ , ∞ and weak Lorentz space Λ X p , ∞ (w) . Results are obtained on the basic properties of convergence, normability and embedding relationships. Some interpolation theorems of operators are also given in the final part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a complete, flux-density-limited sample of galaxies at redshift 0.8 < z < 1.3 selected at 16 μm. At the selection wavelength near 8 μm rest, the observed emission comes from both dust heated by intense star formation and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Fitting the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the sample galaxies to local-galaxy templates reveals that more than half the galaxies have SEDs dominated by star formation. About one-sixth of the galaxy SEDs are dominated by an AGN, and nearly all of the rest of the SEDs are composite. Comparison with X-ray and far-infrared observations shows that combinations of luminosities at rest-frame 4.5 and 8 μm give good measures of both AGN luminosity and star formation rate. The sample galaxies mostly follow the established star-forming main sequence for z = 1 galaxies, but of the galaxies more than 0.5 dex above that main sequence, more than half have AGN-type SEDs. Similarly, the most luminous AGNs tend to have higher star formation rates than the main-sequence value. Galaxies with stellar masses >1011M⊙ are unlikely to host an AGN. About 1% of the sample galaxies show an SED with dust emission typical of neither star formation nor an AGN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in‐situ V8C7‐V3B4/Fe45 composites were fabricated by vacuum sintering using ferrovanadium, carbon black and Fe45 alloy powders as raw materials. The microstructure, phase structure and hardness of sintered Fe45+x wt.% (FeV+C) composite specimens (x = 0, x = 5, x = 10, x = 15, x = 20) were investigated. The results show that the type and shape of in‐situ borides and carbides depend on the content of (FeV+C) mixed powders. When x = 5, the composite consists of α‐(Fe, Cr, V) solid solution, strip M7C3 carbides and block M2B borides. When x = 10, the V3B4 particles initiate inside the M2B borides by in‐situ precipitation, and the excess vanadium reacts with carbon to in‐situ form V8C7 particles. When x≥15, the M2B completely transform into V3B4. Furthermore, the V8C7 and V3B4 particles coarsened and tended to be spheroidal and rectangle shape respectively. The V3B4 particles coarsen possibly by contacting and merging of the small V3B4 particles. However, the V8C7 particles coarsen possibly by the Ostwald ripening. The hardness of the composites increases firstly and then decreases with the increase of (FeV+C) mixed powders. The Fe45+10 wt.% (FeV+C) composite has the highest hardness value (54.2 HRC), which is due to the fine boride and carbide reinforcement and little pore defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]