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We report the detection of gravity (g) and Rossby (r) mode pulsations of four short-period eclipsing binaries, KIC 5439790, KIC 7501230, KIC 9350889, and KIC 9453192 based on the 4 yr Kepler high-precision photometry. Light-curve modeling reveals that the four binaries are all contact systems with small mass ratios. We study the short-term variability of the light-curve residuals after the removal of the binary model and attribute them to the g- and r -mode pulsations that stem from the primary stars. By introducing a new criterion, we attempt to identify period-spacing patterns in the Fourier spectra, which refers to the determination of the rotation rates of stellar interior and envelope as well as the asymptotic period spacings of the pulsating stars. It is interesting to find that the rotation rates of the stellar envelopes are all nearly equal to the orbits. The near-core rotations, however, are significantly slower by about 10%. Based on the derived asymptotic period spacings, stellar parameters were constrained from asteroseismology models. The pulsators are revealed to be evolved main-sequence stars with high metallicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a typical plasma-based optical element that can sustain ultra-high light intensity, plasma density gratings driven by intense laser pulses have been extensively studied for wide applications. Here, we show that the plasma density grating driven by two intersecting driver laser pulses is not only nonuniform in space but also varies over time. Consequently, the probe laser pulse that passes through such a dynamic plasma density grating will be depolarized, that is, its polarization becomes spatially and temporally variable. More importantly, the laser depolarization may spontaneously take place for crossed laser beams if their polarization angles are arranged properly. The laser depolarization by a dynamic plasma density grating may find application in mitigating parametric instabilities in laser-driven inertial confinement fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, for ϕ800mm round billet vertical continuous casting process, a computational study of the effect of Final electromagnetic stirring (F-EMS) at positions (7.5 m, 9 m, 10.5 m and 12 m) from the meniscus of mold on fluid flow and heat transfer has been carried out. Considering the influence of the solidified shell thickness on magnetic field. The thicker the solidified shell, the smaller the magnetic induction intensity and electromagnetic force inside the billet. Once the position is shifted down by 1.5 m, the thickness of the solidified shell increases by about 21 mm and the magnetic induction intensity at the center of the billet decreases by about 6mT. According to the velocity and the 3-D streamline distribution, at the position 7.5 m from the meniscus of mold, the flow velocity is 0.01158 m·s−1 and part of the molten steel has an obvious upward recirculation zone. Moving the position from 9 to 10.5 m, the stirring range and flow velocity are reduced. The flow velocity is 0.00206 m·s−1 at the position 12 m from the meniscus of mold and the molten steel has no effective flow. Electromagnetic stirring accelerates the heat transfer and uniform temperature. It has a great effect on the core temperature, but a little effect on the solidified shell temperature. After adding F-EMS, the core temperature decreased by 2–5 K. As the position moves down from 7.5 to 12 m from the meniscus of mold, the radial length of the action range decreases from 0.13 to 0.03 m. The effective action range of uniform temperature is basically equal to the radial length of liquid fraction fl ≥ 0.7. The industrial experimental results show that adding F-EMS at 9.3 m away from the meniscus of mold can improve the porosity, crack and segregation to a certain extent. [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]

Inkjet printing conductive ink was prepared with the as-prepared silver nanoparticles as conductive fillers and deionized water as the solvent and leveling agent (MY-3000) and silicone defoamer (NXZ) and wetting agent (TRITONX-405) and moisturizer (glycerol) as functional additives. We investigated the effects of viscosity and surface tension of conductive ink and the inkjet print parameters including number of nozzle, print speed, and ink droplet spacing on inkjet printability of conductive ink. The research results show that the inks with the viscosity range of 2.8–9.1 mPa·s and the surface tension of 33.4 mN·m−1 are suitable for inkjet printing. The printing accuracy of the print pattern is related to the number of nozzles and droplet space and the printing layer, but not to the printing speed, but can be changed appropriately to improve the print efficiency. When the mass content of silver nanoparticles is 6.91 wt%, the sheet resistance of the printing pattern with four layers is 2.71 Ω·cm−1, which is in appropriate printing conditions of the inkjet printing voltage of 21 V, printing speed of 60 m· S−1, ink droplet space of 20 μm, and nozzles of 2. The systematic studies of printability and electrical conductivity of inkjet printing silver nanoparticles conductive ink prove the feasibility of the ink and provide some ideas for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of the electrical properties and spatial distribution of the ZnO:Al (AZO) thin films prepared by dc magnetron sputtering at low deposition temperature was presented, with emphasis on the origin of the resistivity inhomogeneity across the substrate. Various growth conditions were obtained by manipulating the growth temperature TS, total pressure PT, and ion-to-neutral ratio Ji/Jn. The plasma characteristics such as radial ion density and floating/plasma potential distribution over the substrate were measured by Langmuir probe, while the flux and energy distribution of energetic species were estimated through Monte Carlo simulations. The crystalline, stress and electrical properties of the films were found to be strongly dependent on TS and Ji/Jn. Under the low Ji/Jn (<0.3) conditions, the TS exerted a remarkable influence on film quality. The films prepared at 90 °C were highly compressed, exhibiting poor electrical properties and significant spatial distribution. High quality films with low stress and resistivity were produced at higher TS (200 °C). Similarly, at lower TS (90 °C), higher Ji/Jn (∼2) dramatically improved the film resistivity as well as its lateral distribution. Moreover, it indicated that the role of ion bombardment is dependent on the mechanism of dissipation of incident species. Ion bombardment is beneficial to the film growth if the energy of incident species Ei is below the penetration threshold Epet (∼33 eV for ZnO); on the other hand, the energy subimplant mechanism would work, and the bombardment degrades the film quality when Ei is over the Epet. The energetic bombardment of negative oxygen ions rather than the positives dominated the resistivity distribution of AZO films, while the nonuniform distribution of active oxygen played a secondary role which was otherwise more notable under conditions of lower TS and Ji/Jn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

InP self-assembled quantum dots (QDs) were deposited on Inx(Al0.6Ga0.4)1-xP matrices grown on GaAs (001) substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. By adjusting the indium concentration in the Inx(Al0.6Ga0.4)1-xP matrices, the effects of strain and its relaxation in the matrix on the cathodoluminescence (CL) properties and morphology of grown QDs were studied. We found that the CL intensity of the InP QDs increases with an increase in the indium composition in the Inx(Al0.6Ga0.4)1-xP matrix. For QDs grown on strain-relaxed matrices, CL imaging studies show that the CL of QDs close to dislocation lines in tensile-strained Inx(Al0.6Ga0.4)1-xP matrices is much weaker than in the surrounding strained areas, while in the compressively strained matrices, the CL of the QDs close to dislocations is much brighter. The morphology of uncapped QD samples shows that QDs on top of (or close to) dislocations are not well developed in the tensile matrices but are much larger and have a higher density in compressively strained matrices as compared to the surrounding strained areas. Details of the strain effect on the CL properties and on the nucleation of QDs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with cancer incidence and mortality. The underlying mechanism is unclear. This study aims to evaluate the influence of intermittent hypoxia (IH), a novel hallmark of OSA, on tumor and to access the anti-tumor effect of endostatin on a mouse model with OSA. Methods: The C57BL/6 J mice were randomly classified into four groups: control (normoxia) (CTL), control plus endostatin (CTL + ED), IH, and IH plus endostatin (IH + ED). Mice in IH and IH + ED groups were subjected to IH 8 h per day in 5 weeks. Lewis lung cancer cells were injected into the flank of each mouse after 1 week of IH exposure. Endostatin was also intraperitoneally injected after tumor volume reached about 200 mm3. The maximum standard uptake values (SUVmax) were detected by micro-positron emission tomography–computed tomography (micro-PET–CT) imaging prior and post-endostatin administration. Microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were determined for evaluating the anti-tumor effect of endostatin among the normoxia and IH conditions. Results: Mice had higher SUVmax in the IH group than the CTL group (p < 0.01). When compared with mice in the CTL group, those in the IH group had significantly greater MVD values (p < 0.001). The SUVmax can be attenuated by endostatin both in the CTL (p < 0.01) and IH conditions (p < 0.001). When compared with CTL group, mice in the IH group had increased MVD values (p < 0.001) and VEGF expression both at mRNA (p < 0.05) and protein levels (p < 0.001 in western blotting results). Treatment with endostatin attenuated serum and tissue VEGF levels, lowering the MVD values. As compared to normoxia condition, the endostatin-therapeutic effects were more significant under the IH condition (p < 0.05 in western blotting results). Conclusions: Micro-PET–CT imaging is a promising non-invasive technique to evaluate the tumor metabolic characteristics under IH condition in vivo. The anti-tumor effect of endostatin under IH condition is superior to that of the normoxia condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mini-channel heat exchangers draw significant attention due to their capability of dissipating high flux heat in a relatively controllable way. The properties of heat transfer and instability of the parallel minichannel heat exchangers were investigated on orbit. The heat exchangers were installed as the evaporators of a two-phaseflow loop in the first Chinese cargo ship (TZ1). R134a was selected as working fluid of the loop. The heat exchangers were designed to be gravitydominated, with the channels' cross section of 1 × 3 mm2, or larger. Small temperature fluctuation was found on the surface of one heat exchanger. It may be caused by the flow-rate fluctuation among the channels; and it could be more likely occur in microgravity. The necking at each entrance of the channels could suppress the fluid fluctuation inside the heat exchanger. For gravity-dominated channels, gravity plays a decisive role in the vapor-liquid distribution in the channels, which in turn affects the heat transfer coefficient of the heat exchanger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the growth of InP self-assembled quantum dots (SAQDs or simply QDs) on In0.5(AlxGa1-x)0.5P matrices grown on (001) GaAs substrates by metalorganic chemical-vapor deposition. We find that the size of InP QDs grown on the In0.5Al0.5P matrix decreases and the density increases when the QD growth temperature decreases. However, cathodoluminescence (CL) studies of the capped InP QDs show that the CL peak of InP QDs redshifts when the QD growth temperature decreases. These results suggest that there is a strong interface mixing during the growth of InP/In0.5Al0.5P QDs, in which some InAlP materials in the lower and upper barriers mix with the InP QDs and form InAlP alloy QDs. Postgrowth thermal annealing of these QDs in N2 shows that our QDs are quite stable after annealing at the growth temperature for a time equal to the upper In0.5Al0.5P barrier growth time. Combined with the thermal annealing study, we think the interface mixing between the InP QDs and In0.5Al0.5P layers happens mainly during the initial growth of InP and the initial capping of InP QDs with In0.5Al0.5P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An environment-friendly technique for depositing a Mg-Al hydrotalcite (HT) (Mg6Al2(OH)-COH2O) conversion film was developed to protect the Mg-Gd-Zn alloy from corrosion. The morphology and chemical compositions of the film were analyzed by scanning electronic microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy (RS), respectively. The electrochemical test and hydrogen evolution test were employed to evaluate the biocorrosion behavior of Mg-Gd-Zn alloy coated with the Mg-Al HT film in the simulated body fluid (SBF). It was found that the formation of Mg-Al HT film was a transition from amorphous precursor to a crystalline HT structure. The HT film can effectively improve the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloy. It indicates that the process provides a promising approach to modify Mg-Gd-Zn alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of carbon materials varying from 0D to 2D, i.e. 0D nanoparticles, 1D carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and 2D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are selected to in situ combine with Ni–Mn layered double hydroxide (LDH) to prepare electrode materials for supercapacitors. Through a simple solution method, hierarchical Ni–Mn LDH/carbon composites can be easily fabricated. A comparative study is carried out on the sandwich-like LDH/rGO, flower-like LDH/carbon black, turbostratic-structured LDH/CNTs and ternary LDH/CNTs/rGO for their structure, morphology, porous properties and electrochemical performances. The results show that the ternary Ni–Mn LDH/CNTs/rGO composite yields the highest specific capacitance of 1268 F g−1 in 2 M KOH electrolyte and a long lifespan, exhibiting great potential for supercapacitor applications. Meanwhile, investigation on the influence of the cation species of MOH (M = Li+, Na+ or K+) and the alkali concentration of the KOH electrolyte illustrates that increasing the concentration of the KOH electrolyte can benefit the capacitive performance of the electrode and that NaOH shows great advantages as an electrolyte for the Ni–Mn LDH/CNTs/rGO electrode due to its high capacitance and small resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the case of a 45-year-old Chinese man with bilateral reddish, palmoplantar hyperkeratotic lesions on his hands and feet. Topics covered include the results of his physical examination, the diagnosis of Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis (PPK) with underlying SERPINB7 mutation and the distribution of SERPINB7 in the stratum granulosum.

A three-dimensional (3D) lattice Boltzmann model and boundary method is developed to simulate electro-osmotic flow (EOF) with a charged spherical particle immersed in an electrolyte solution. The general governing equations for electro-osmotic transport are Navier-Stokes equations for fluid flow and the Poisson-Boltzmann equation for electric potential distribution around the particle. Two sets of D3Q19 lattice structure with curved boundary conditions are implemented. The simulation results are compared with analytical predictions and are found to be in excellent agreement. The potential distribution appears circularly symmetric and the flow velocity decreases with the cross-sectional area for flow passage increasing due to the mass conservation. The effects of the ionic concentration, the sphere radius, electric potential and external electric field on the velocity profiles are investigated. The flow velocity increases with both the electric potential and the external electric field. However, the variation in flow velocity with the ionic concentration and the sphere radius is complex due to the change in electrical double layer (EDL) thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to refine and homogenise microstructure and to improve mechanical properties of the magnesium alloys for biomedical application, the Mg–2.0Nd–0.1Zn–0.4Zr (wt-%, NZ20K) alloy with low amount of alloying elements was processed by double extrusion and aging processes (DEAP). Compared to the NZ20K alloy after once extrusion and aging processes (OEAP), the microstructure becomes finer and more homogeneous, and the elongation is raised up ∼121% by DEAP. Moreover, the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength are improved ∼27 and ∼16% respectively. Additionally, the corrosion rate of the NZ20K alloy by the DEAP is a little slower than that of the OEAP. It can be concluded that the mechanical properties, as well as the corrosion resistance of the NZ20K alloy, are able to be enhanced by the double extrusion and aging processes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Neodymium (Nd) ion implantation was conducted on the Mg-Gd-Zn-Zr alloy to improve its corrosion resistance in simulated body fluids for biomedical applications. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that a hybrid structure layer composed of Nd2O3, Gd2O3 and metallic Nd was formed in the implanted layer after Nd ion implantation. The electrochemical test and hydrogen evolution test demonstrate that the enhanced corrosion resistance of the implanted alloy was achieved under a proper dose. Nevertheless, the corrosion characteristics of the alloys obtained by the two test methods showed a different trend, and the hydrogen evolution test provided a greater reliability of evaluated result. It was found that the corrosion rate decreased first with increasing dose and then increased rapidly and even higher than that of the bare alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess any changes in the plasma concentrations of adrenomedullin ( ADM) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha ( HIF 1a) in patients with varicocele ( VC). Plasma concentrations of ADM and HIF 1a were measured in brachial vein ( BV) and internal spermatic vein ( ISV) of 30 fertile VC subjects and 35 untreated infertile VC patients. The results demonstrated that plasma levels of ADM and HIF 1a were significantly higher in ISV than those in BV in the fertile or infertile group respectively. The values of ADM and HIF 1a in BV or ISV of the infertile group were significantly higher than in BV or ISV of the fertile group respectively. Similar changes in values of reactive oxygen metabolites ( ROM) were observed. Plasma HIF 1a concentration positively correlated with ROM levels. Plasma ADM concentration positively correlated with ROM values and HIF 1a levels in the two groups. Moreover, remarkable improvement in clinical sperm parameters was observed 3 months after surgery for the infertile patients. It is concluded that ADM may participate, along with HIF 1a, in mechanisms that aid spermatogenic cells in adapting to hypoxia. These predictors may have potential in infertility development in VC patients. Furthermore, early surgical repair is extremely important for infertile VC patients with poor semen quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg-(4- x)Nd- x Gd-0·3Sr-0·2Zn-0·4Zr (wt.-%, x = 0, 1, 2, and 3) alloys with various Gd/Nd ratios were prepared by gravity casting, solution-treated and then hot extruded. The microstructures, mechanical properties at room temperature, corrosion behaviour in simulated body fluid of the as-extruded alloys were studied. The as-extruded alloys undergo partially dynamic recrystallisation, and the equiaxed grains become coarse with increasing Gd/Nd ratio. The strength of the alloys increases first and then decreases with increasing the Gd/Nd ratio; however, the elongation of the alloys increases apparently with increasing Gd/Nd ratio. Both immersion test and polarisation test indicate that the corrosion rate of the as-extruded alloys is reduced with increasing the Gd/Nd ratio, and the alloys exhibit relatively uniform corrosion morphologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 58-year-old male farmer presented with multiple lesions on the face, trunk and extremities for 10 years. It mentions novel non-frameshift deletion in MVK gene responsible for disseminated superficial actinic porokeratosis (DSAP) in Chinese family. His histopathological examination of the pigmented lesion showed an atrophic epidermis with the presence of rare cornoid lamellae and apoptotic keratinocytes.

The Oriental Fruit Moth Grapholita molesta (Busck) causes substantial damage to stone and pome fruit crops worldwide. Light-based traps offer a potential means for pest monitoring and management. In this study, we tested the preference of G. molesta for the following light sources: monochromatic light produced from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and white), specific wavelengths of light produced from filters (405, 450, 480, 512, 540, 576, and 610 nm), and polychromatic light produced by different numbers (0, 12, 24, and 36) of green, blue, and violet LEDs. The arrangement of polychromatic lights was based on an orthogonal design matrix of L16 (43). Based on the results of former studies, we further determined the optimal number of green and violet LEDs. The results showed that: 1) G. molesta strongly preferred the green, violet, and blue LEDs; 2) G. molesta significantly preferred light at 405 nm, followed by 540 nm, and showed no phototaxis to 480 nm; 3) for the polychromatic light configuration, violet and green were the factors that determined the preference of G. molesta, and the lamp with 12 violet LEDs captured the most moths; and 4) for the lamps with different light intensities, 36 violet LEDs or 12 green LEDs attracted the most moths, with the former performing better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a bilinear interpolation finite-difference scheme is proposed to handle the Neumann boundary condition with nonequilibrium extrapolation method in the thermal lattice Boltzmann model. The temperature value at the boundary point is obtained by the finitedifference approximation, and then used to determine the wall temperature via an extrapolation. Our method can deal with the boundaries with complex geometries, motions and gradient boundary conditions. Several simulations are performed to examine the capacity of this proposed boundary method. The numerical results agree well with the analytical solutions. When compared with a representative boundary method, an improved performance is observed. The results also show that the proposed scheme together with nonequilibrium extrapolation method has second-order accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg-2·2Nd- xSr-0·3Zr alloys (wt-%, x = 0, 0·4, 0·7 and 2·0) were prepared by gravity casting to study the effects of Sr addition on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of Mg-Nd-Zr alloys in simulated body fluid (SBF). Phases were identified by X-ray diffraction, and microstructure was observed with optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Corrosion resistance of the alloys was determined by evaluating mass loss and hydrogen evolution during immersion in SBF. Mg17Sr2 phase was formed, and the grain size decreased with additional Sr addition. For the grain refinement and more continuous second phase, which could improve the corrosion resistance, the alloy with 0·7 wt-%Sr showed the slowest corrosion rate, whereas the alloy with 2·0 wt-% showed the fastest corrosion rate due to the increased volume fraction of Mg17Sr2, which led to severe local microgalvanic corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2 nanomaterials have many promising applications in environmental and energy areas due to their advantages of physical and chemical stability, high activity, non-toxicity and low price. In the present paper, the hierarchical TiO2 nanomaterials with thickness >10 μm were synthesised using Ti-Cu amorphous alloy as the starting material. The field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterise the morphology and structure of the TiO2 nanomaterials. The hierarchical TiO2 nanomaterials exhibited high specific areas of >100 m2 g−1. The phase composition of TiO2 was controlled by adjusting the concentration of SO42− in the immersing solution. The influence mechanism of SO42− on phase composition of TiO2 nanomaterials was discussed. The mixed phase of anatase and rutile had higher photocatalytic efficiency than single phase in degradation of rhodamine B under visible light. The hierarchical TiO2 nanomaterials had potential applications in photocatalyst and solar cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg-(4- x)Nd- xGd-0·3Sr-0·2Zn-0·4Zr (wt-%, x = 0, 1, 2 and 3) alloys were prepared by gravity casting. Microstructure was analysed by X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy respectively. The α-Mg and Mg41Nd5 phases existed in the as cast alloys with 4% and 3% Nd addition, while the new Mg3Gd was found in the alloys with 3% Gd addition. The volume fraction of the second phase reduced with increasing Gd addition and the microstructure was refined by the Gd addition. The corrosion resistance of the alloys was evaluated by mass loss, hydrogen evolution and Tafel polarisation tests. The results showed that the corrosion rate of the alloys decreased with increasing Gd addition even though the corrosion rates of the alloys obtained by different methods showed different values. Moreover, the corrosion morphologies of the alloys were uniform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A series of cases of symmetrical acral keratoderma have been described recently in China. However, no studies about its demographic information and epidermal barrier function have been documented. Objectives To describe the clinical manifestation, demographic information and clinicopathological features of 71 cases with symmetrical acral keratoderma. Patients and methods Seventy-one cases with symmetrical acral keratoderma were retrospectively reviewed. Their demographic information, clinical manifestations, histopathology and epidermal barrier function were analysed. Results Among these patients, there were 64 males and seven females, ranging in age from 4 to 53 years with an average age at onset of 27 ± 8·9 years. Clinical manifestation was characterized by brown hyperkeratotic patches over the dorsum of the hands, palms and feet, dorsal digits and wrists, elbows, knees and ankles. The lesions became dramatically whitish with mild swelling immediately after soaking in water and resolved spontaneously in winter. In patients, a moderate increase of transepidermal water loss ( TEWL) from 16·16 ± 6·15 to 9·9 ± 4·21 g m−2 h−1 ( P = 0·0054) and a moderate decrease of skin hydration from 65·9 ± 5·06 to 42·58 ± 10·73 ( P < 0·01) in comparison with the control group were observed. Histopathological examination revealed epidermal hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and papillomatous hyperplasia as well as dermal infiltration with a few lymphocytes. Conclusions Symmetrical acral keratoderma is characterized by symmetry, acra, keratinization and marked seasonal changes. The epidermal barrier function of the skin was negatively affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decadal covariability of northern wintertime land surface temperature and 500-hPa geopotential anomalies is examined using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research and the Twentieth-Century Reanalyses over the twentieth century and a 996-yr preindustrial climate simulation from the Canadian Earth System Model. Based on the reanalysis data, the covariability is dominated by two leading maximum covariance analysis (MCA) modes. MCA1 is characterized by temperature anomalies over most of Canada, the eastern United States, Mexico, and Eurasian mid- to high latitudes, accompanied by anomalies of opposite sign elsewhere over northern landmasses. MCA2 features temperature anomalies over most of North America, Eurasia, and Greenland with opposite anomalies elsewhere. In the upper troposphere the synoptic vorticity fluxes reinforce the anomalous circulation, while in the lower troposphere advection by the anomalous mean flow offsets the eddy forcing and maintains the decadal temperature perturbation. The MCA1-associated variability has a broad spectrum over decadal-interdecadal time scales, while the MCA2-related variability has a significant power peak around 20 yr. The change of temperature and geopotential trends around 1990 tends to be a decadal-scale shift in winter and has significant features of the leading mode of the decadal covariability. The climate model has broadly similar decadal covariability, including the leading MCA patterns as well as the temporal evolution of the patterns. The decadal temperature and geopotential anomalies primarily covary with the North Atlantic Oscillation but also with the variability of the North Pacific index, while the Southern Oscillation index variability tends to be the least important predictor for the northern decadal temperature and geopotential anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium hydrate is the absorbent in magnesia scrubbing wet flue gas desulfurization. Its dissolution rate has a great impact on the performance of SO2removal. Further, magnesia is the heat decomposition product of magnesite. The effect of magnesite heat decomposition temperature on the dissolution rate of magnesium hydrate is investigated in this study. As can be seen from the experimental results, magnesium hydrate dissolution rate increased with increasing heat decomposition temperature up to 700°C and then decreased with the increase of heat decomposition temperature. This is caused by the change of magnesite heat decomposition mechanism at a different heat decomposition temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Silver based composites with varying concentration of graphite and/or MoS2 were prepared by powder metallurgy method. Impacts of composition on the tribological performance of the composites in ambient air and vacuum were investigated. The lowest friction in air was achieved by Ag-20G (vol.-%) composite, while Ag-20MoS2 exhibited the best lubricity in vacuum. XPS evaluation revealed the oxidation of MoS2 in air and a decrease concentration of graphite on the surface of the wear tracks under vacuum. As the proportion of graphite to MoS2 increased, the friction coefficient and the wear rates ascended gradually in air while decreased sharply under vacuum. As compared with other compositions, Ag-15MoS2-5G exhibited a comparable stable and good tribological performance as the environmental condition changed for its friction coefficient and wear rate remained around 0.14 and 5 x 10-6 mm³ N-1 m-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have deduced a theoretical relation between the pulsation and orbital-periods of pulsating stars in close binaries based on their Roche lobe filling. It appears to be of a simple linear form, with the slope as a function of the pulsation constant, the mass ratio, and the filling factor for an individual system. Testing the data of 69 known eclipsing binaries containing δ-Sct-type components yields an empirical slope of 0.020 ± 0.006 for the Ppul-Porb relation. We have further derived the upper limit of the Ppul/Porb ratio for the δ-Sct stars in eclipsing binaries with a value of 0.09 ± 0.02. This value could serve as a criterion to distinguish whether or not a pulsator in an eclipsing binary pulsates in the p-mode. Applying the deduced Ppul-Porb relation, we have computed the dominant pulsation constants for 37 δ-Sct stars in eclipsing systems with definite photometric solutions. These ranged between 0.008 and 0.033 days with a mean value of about 0.014 days, indicating that δ-Sct stars in eclipsing binaries mostly pulsate in the fourth or fifth overtones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyoxypropylene diamine has been used as shale hydration inhibitor in drilling fluid and exhibited outstanding performance. The authors describe the inhibition characteristics of KCl and polyoxypropylene diamine and provided a comparative assessment. Through bentonite inhibition test, bulk hardness test, hot-rolling dispersion test, slake durability test, fluid loss test, linear swelling test and X-ray diffraction test, the inhibitive properties of potassium chloride, and polyoxypropylene diamine were evaluated. The results indicate that polyoxypropylene diamine is superior to potassium chloride in shale stabilization, which can effectively suppress the hydration and swelling of clay and play an important role in permanent stabilization with a relatively low concentration. Moreover, the mechanisms of the two inhibitors are briefly analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Biodegradable magnesium alloy with proper yield strength, high ultimate strength and elongation is a potential candidate for cardiovascular stent. Nevertheless, magnesium alloy with high ultimate tensile strength always exhibits high yield strength, which is not suitable for the plastic deformation of cardiovascular stent during implantation. Solution treatment was conducted on the as extruded Mg-2·7Nd-0·2Zn-0·4Zr alloy in order to reduce the high yield ratio, and the biocorrosion behaviour of the alloy was also evaluated in artificial plasma. The results show that the grains of the alloy grow, and the second phase reduces with increasing solution treatment temperature. The yield strength decreases gradually, and the ultimate tensile strength still keeps a high level due to the remarkable workhardening. The yield ratio of the alloy reduces from 92 to 57%. The corrosion resistance of the alloy after solution treatment is improved slightly when the temperature is <475°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic micro/nanostructures with controlled morphology have drawn intensive attention due to their interesting physicochemical properties and potential applications in micro/nanodevices. In this study, one-dimensional nanochains with an average diameter of about 140 nm were prepared by a magnetic-field-assisted chemical reduction of with hydrazine hydrate free of any template or surfactant. It was found that the morphology and the size of the chains could be adjusted by changing the complexant used in the synthesis. The usage of surfactant in the synthesis would retard the firm connection of nanoparticles and thus resulted in the formation of nanochains consisting of loosely aggregated nanoparticles. The magnetic measurement at room temperature indicated that the coercivity of the sample reached 133.2 Oe, which was much higher than that of bulk metal. Ni nanochains were prepared by reduction of Ni2+ with N2H4 in the presence of an external magnetic field, which exhibit improved coercivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]