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In this paper, the problem of identifying autoregressive-moving-average systems under random threshold binary-valued output measurements is considered. With the help of stochastic approximation algorithms with expanding truncations, the authors give the recursive estimates for the parameters of both the linear system and the binary sensor. Under reasonable conditions, all constructed estimates are proved to be convergent to the true values with probability one, and the convergence rates are also established. A simulation example is provided to justify the theoretical results.

A ratiometric fluorescent probe for hypoxanthine (Hx) detection was established based on the mimic enzyme and fluorescence characteristics of cobalt-doped graphite-phase carbon nitride (Co doped g-C3N4). In addition to emitting strong fluorescence, the peroxidase activity of Co doped g-C3N4can catalyze the reaction of O-phenylenediamine and H2O2to produce diallyl phthalate which can emit yellow fluorescence at 570 nm. Through the decomposition of Hx by xanthine oxidase, Hx can be indirectly detected by the generating hydrogen peroxide based on the measurement of fluorescent ratio I(F570/F370). The linear range was 1.70–272.2 mg/kg (R2= 0.997), and the detection limit was 1.52 mg/kg (3σ/K, n= 9). The established method was applied to Hx detection in bass, grass carp, and shrimp, and the data were verified by HPLC. The result shows that the established probe is sensitive, accurate, and reliable, and can be used for Hx detection in aquatic products.

More robust intelligent transportation systems including autonomous driving systems are in full flourish with the revolution of deep learning and the 6G wireless communication network. Vehicle Re-Identification, an indispensable branch of the intelligent transportation system, aims to retrieve specific vehicles captured from non-overlapping cameras. However, this is fundamentally challenging with the substantial inter-class similarity and substantial intra-class divergence. Embedding semantic information into vehicle re- identification task has gained ample interest, but the performance needs to be further improved. This work proposes a semantic-oriented feature coupling transformer (SOFCT) for vehicle re- identification as a solution. Specifically, the knowledge-based transformer is first embedded to model images with discriminative attributes. Second, original patches are divided into five semantic groups via semantics-patches coupling, and the feature extractions for different semantics are performed in the semantic feature extraction (SFE) transformer. Third, patch features are weighted via semantics-patches coupling in the patch feature weighting (PFW) transformer, the weighted feature is fed into subsequent encoders to excavate information. Finally, two groups of learnable semantics are embedded to automatically learn semantic features in the learnable semantic extraction (LSE) transformer. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed SOFCT method surpasses other state-of-the-arts with the mAP/Rank-1 of 80.7%/96.6%, 89.8%/84.5%, 86.4%/80.9%, and 84.3%/78.7% on VeRi776 and VehicleID.

Image super-resolution (SR) stands as a pivotal process in the domains of image processing and computer vision, finding diverse applications in film, television, photography, surveillance, medical imaging, and remote sensing. In the context of remote sensing images (RSIs), the inherent challenge arises from low spatial resolution caused by factors such as sensor noise, orbit height, and weather conditions, necessitating SR reconstruction. An evident limitation of prevailing methods lies in their dependence on idealized fixed degradation models, which fail to capture the intricate degradation processes unique to remote sensing scenes. In response to these constraints, this article introduces an innovative blind image super-resolution reconstruction method tailored for remote sensing images. The proposed approach integrates convolution with a transformer and incorporates an amplitude-phase learning module (ALM) to comprehensively capture local and long-range dependencies while enhancing frequency information. The iterative optimization strategy refines texture information by carefully balancing structural and detail elements. Key contributions include a holistic approach to remote sensing image SR, ALM integration for precise feature representation, and the introduction of a patch-based frequency loss mechanism for evaluating frequency-domain features. Rigorous experiments demonstrate that compared with other state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods, the proposed algorithm delivers SR results with exceptional visual perception quality across three distinct remote sensing datasets.

The modeling of the magnetic field, as well as the amplitude prediction and source analysis of torque ripple, are the theoretical basis to reduce the vibration and noise of electric motors. An analytical model of electromagnetic torque of surface permanent magnet motors considering current harmonics, which is capable of purely analytical calculation and theoretical analysis, is proposed in this paper. The open-circuit magnetic field solution considering the stator slot is performed by using the analytical conformal mapping along the deformed solving path, allowing more accurate prediction of the cogging torque. The armature reaction field is derived under any current condition with current harmonics. So far, the analytical model of electromagnetic torque is established, and the purely analytical calculation of torque value and the theoretical analysis of torque ripple characteristics are implemented in an 8-pole-24-slot surface permanent magnet motor used for the propulsion of light electric vehicles. The generation mechanism of constant torque and torque ripple is clarified both under sinusoidal current and harmonic current. Furthermore, the effect of the stator skew slot on the motor torque is well explained to demonstrate the utility of the proposed model. It is found that the skew slot is almost ineffective in mitigating the torque ripple caused by current harmonics.

With the increasing requirements of helical gears for high strength and low noise, it is significant to improve the accuracy of the load distribution ratio depending on the minimum elastic potential energy (MEPE) model. In this paper, an improved distribution model is developed to replace the theoretical contact ratio with the actual contact ratio and introduce the potential energy of the fillet foundation for comparison. Then, the operation process of the helical gear is divided into seven cases. Finally, combined with the finite element method, the accuracy of the improved model is confirmed. Results indicate that the load distribution model with fillet foundation energy is only effective under the front or the full tooth meshing. When the gear meshing includes the rear part of a tooth, the inclusion of the actual contact ratio and fillet foundation energy should be considered.

The Tianhui-2 02 (TH02-02) satellite formation, as a supplement to the microwave mapping satellite system Tianhui-2 01 (TH02-01), is the first Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) satellite formation-flying system that supports the tracking of BeiDou global navigation Satellite system (BDS3) new B1C and B2a signals. Meanwhile, the twin TH02-02 satellites also support the tracking of Global Positioning System (GPS) L1&L2 and BDS B1I&B3I signals. As the spaceborne receiver employs two independent boards to track the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellites, we design an orbit determination strategy by estimating independent receiver clock offsets epoch by epoch for each GNSS to realize the multi-GNSS data fusion from different boards. The performance of the spaceborne receiver is evaluated and the contribution of BDS3 to the kinematic and reduced-dynamic Precise Orbit Determination (POD) of TH02-02 satellites is investigated. The tracking data onboard shows that the average number of available BDS3 and GPS satellites are 8.7 and 9.1, respectively. The carrier-to-noise ratio and carrier phase noise of BDS3 B1C and B2a signals are comparable to those of GPS. However, strong azimuth-related systematic biases are recognized in the pseudorange multipath errors of B1C and B3I. The pseudorange noise of BDS3 signals is better than that of GPS after eliminating the multipath errors from specific signals. Taking the GPS-based reduced-dynamic orbit with single-receiver ambiguity fixing technique as a reference, the results of BDS3-only and BDS3 + GPS combined POD are assessed. The Root Mean Square (RMS) of orbit comparison of BDS3-based kinematic and reduced-dynamic POD with reference orbit are better than 7 cm and 3 cm in three-Dimensional direction (3D). The POD performance based on B1C&B2a data is comparable to that based on B1I&B3I. The precision of BDS3 + GPS combined kinematic orbit can reach up to 3 cm (3D RMS), which has a more than 25% improvement relative to the GPS-only solution. In addition, the consistency between the BDS3 + GPS combined reduced-dynamic orbit and the GPS-based ambiguity-fixed orbit is better than 1.5 cm (3D RMS).

Aptamer-based detection and therapy have made substantial progress with cost control and easy modification. However, the conformation lability of an aptamer typically causes the dissociation of aptamer–target complexes during harsh washes and other environmental stresses, resulting in only moderate detection sensitivity and a decreasing therapeutic effect. Herein, we report a robust covalent aptamer strategy to sensitively detect nucleocapsid protein and potently neutralize spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD), two of the most important proteins of SARS-CoV-2, after testing different cross-link electrophilic groups via integrating the specificity and efficiency. Covalent aptamers can specifically convert aptamer–protein complexes from the dynamic equilibrium state to stable and irreversible covalent complexes even in harsh environments. Covalent aptamer-based ELISA detection of nucleocapsid protein can surpass the gold standard, antibody-based sandwich ELISA. Further, covalent aptamer performs enhanced functional inhibition to RBD protein even in a blood vessel-mimicking flowing circulation system. The robust covalent aptamer-based strategy is expected to inspire more applications in accurate molecular modification, disease biomarker discovery, and other theranostic fields.

In this article, a novel evaluation methodology for the reliability and lifetime of E-mode AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) has been proposed. A practical example of reliability evaluation is presented for commercial 100 V E-mode GaN-on-Si power HEMTs, which are fabricated on an industrial 200 mm Si CMOS compatible technology platform. First, wafer-level reliability test (WLRT), Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) qualification, and dynamic high-temperature operating life (DHTOL) test of 200 mm GaN-on-Si power HEMTs for mass production have been carried out. Second, the relationships of WLRT with JEDEC and DHTOL have been found; therefore, a fast evaluation method for the reliability of commercial 100 V E-mode GaN-on-Si power devices has been established. Finally, DHTOL and switching accelerated lifetime test have been carried out to demonstrate the validity of the fast evaluation method. In summary, it is proved that the novel evaluation methodology can better screen the robust GaN power devices and greatly simplify the reliability testing flow of commercial 200 mm GaN-on-Si power devices for mass production.

Nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4) is commonly used as an oxidizer for bipropellant liquid, and galvanic corrosion of its storage tanks was a serious problem. The immersion and electrochemical experiments of Al 6061-SS 304 galvanic pair were carried out in 30% nitric acid at different temperatures. The accelerated galvanic corrosion of Al 6061 and the effect of different temperatures on its corrosion behavior were studied. The surface morphology, number of corrosion pits and electrochemical parameters of Al 6061 before and after corrosion were measured and analyzed by means of SEM, EDS and electrochemical methods. The results show that when Al 6061 was coupled with SS 304 at 10 °C, the driving potential difference between them reached 366 mVSCE, and Al 6061 was used as the corrosion anode. In the SEM images, three kinds of galvanic corrosion phenomena can be seen obviously after coupling. When the temperature is between 10 °C and 30 °C, the corrosion pits are mainly composed of aluminum matrix coupled with second phase particles with positive or negative volt potential relative to it. When the temperature was between 40 °C and 50 °C, the corrosion pits showed mainly intergranular corrosion at the interface of different grains. At the same time, the increase in temperature led to the decrease in galvanic potential and the change in corrosion current. There was no simple linear relationship between galvanic current and temperature, but it satisfied a certain quantitative relationship, and the theoretical ratio was highly consistent with the actual ratio by the K–S test.

The sluggish Li-ion kinetics restrict the rapid charging capabilities and contribute to the structural deterioration of Ni-rich cathode materials. Notably, crack propagation during repeated charging cycles deteriorates the electrochemical stability, which hinders the further development of high-energy-density batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). In this paper, we proposed a simple yet effective method to enhance the Li-ion diffusion and mechanical properties of Ni-rich cathodes viastraightforward Zr doping. In-situhigh-rate XRD reveals that the detrimental uneven delithiation under the fast-charging process has been largely alleviated. Particularly, a robust structure with higher modulus and fracture strength is constructed owing to the higher Zr-O bond. By mitigating the kinetic hindrance and increasing the particle’s stiffness, the proposed Ni-rich cathode shows an impressive 97.6 % capacity retention under a 5 C rate current. This work provides a facile and efficient strategy for large-scale production of fast-charging Ni-rich cathode materials.

ABSTRACTReinforcement learning holds considerable promise to help address sequential decision-making problems, in which Q-learning is one of the most used algorithms. However, Q-learning suffers from overestimation errors, especially when action values in the same state are similar. To reduce such damages, we introduce an internal supplemental action measurement based on the variation of the expected state values between a state transition, which can measure the action causing the state transition. For the reason that the internal supplemental action measurement can increase or decrease the action values according to the action performance, it can increase the gap of the action values, thus reducing the sensitivity to the overestimation error. The experimental results in the Markov chain and the video games demonstrate the performance advantage of applying the internal supplemental action measurement, in which the mean evaluating scores with the internal supplemental action measurement are 131.6% in SpaceInvaders, 187.9% in Seaquest, and 176.6% in Asterixrespectively of that without the internal supplemental action measurement.

This paper investigates the average peak age-of-information (APAoI) in a cooperative wireless sensor network (WSN), which deploys non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) techniques. To assist the poor source–destination direct link, the relay can utilize the harvested energy to decode the superposition-coded signal sent by the source and send its decoded information to the remote destination. With the aim of minimizing APAoI for long-term transmission, we formulate an energy allocation policy problem to trade off rate, energy, and time under certain constraints. To overcome the difficulties caused by time-varying parameters and non-convexity constraints, we perform a quasi-static transformation to obtain a simplified optimization model and some energy allocation criteria. Based on this work, we propose a heuristic APAoI real-time adaptive optimization (APRAO) algorithm that decomposes the original problem into multiple sub-problems for each transmission. During the sub-problem solving process, we introduce the static energy allocation criteria, which let the obtained solutions help our APRAO algorithm track the optimal solution as the transmission number increases. Finally, we evaluate and verify the performance of the proposed algorithm through numerical experiments.

For the typical magnetically coupled wireless power transmission system, power consumption is often caused by the impedance effect of the primary and secondary sides, the loss and heat generation of the actual semiconductor devices and the change of the coupling coefficient caused by distance. The uncertainty of frequency tracking efficiency caused by high enough coil transmission with low load receiving efficiency and load impedance changes makes it difficult to stabilize the output of the optimal efficiency point of the system. In order to solve this problem, a wireless power transmission system is proposed based on the traditional wireless power transmission system a wireless power transmission system is proposed to predict and stabilize the variable impedance, so as to stably track the efficiency of the system in the resonant frequency range. It is not affected by load jitter, actual circuit parameters and environmental disturbance. The test results show that the transmission efficiency of tracking frequency and predicting impedance can be realized at a certain distance, and the difference between the prediction error and the actual efficiency is about 1%–3%.

Person re-identification, one of the most challenging tasks in the field of computer vision, aims to recognize the same person cross different cameras. The local feature information has been proved that can improve performance efficiently. Image horizontal even division and pose estimation are two popular methods to extract the local feature. However, the former may cause misalignment, the latter needs much calculation. To fill this gap and improve performance, an efficient strategy is proposed in this work. First, a joint uneven channel information network consisting of an uneven channel information extraction network and a channel information fusion network is designed. Different from the traditional image division, the former can divide images horizontally and unevenly with strong alignment based on weak pose estimation, and extract multiple channel information. The latter can joint channel information based on channel validity and generate an efficient similarity descriptor. To optimize the joint uneven channel information network efficiently, this work proposes a blend metric loss. The extra image information is utilized to dynamically adjust the penalty for the sample distance and the distance margin based on the outlier of the hardest sample to construct i-TriHard loss. Besides, softmax loss and center loss are embedded in the blend metric loss, which can guide the network to learn more discriminative features. Our method achieves 89.6% mAP and 95.9% Rank-1 on Market-1501, 79.9% mAP and 89.4% Rank-1 on DukeMTMC. The proposed method also performs excellently on occluded datasets.

Groundwater storage anomaly (GWSA) can be estimated either at the large scale from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) or at the local scale based on in situ observed groundwater level (GWL) and aquifer storage parameters. Yet, the accuracy of GRACE‐based estimate is affected by leakage errors, while that of local GWL‐based estimate requires the reliable specific yield (Sy) data that are usually not available. Here, we developed a novel approach, the coordinated forward modeling (CoFM), based on the iterative forward modeling to improve GWSA estimation at the sub‐regional scale smaller than the typical GRACE footprint. It is achieved by solving Sy through iterative comparisons between GRACE‐based and observation‐based GWSA at 0.5° grid scale, and then re‐calculating GWSA using the updated Sy and observed GWL. The utility of CoFM is explored by using the hypothetical experiments and a real case study in the Piedmont Plain (PP, ∼54,000 km2) and East‐central Plain (ECP, ∼86,000 km2) of North China Plain. Results show that CoFM can detect GWSA at 0.5° grid scale in the hypothetical experiments given the large spatial variability of GWL. While in the real case study, the CoFM distinguishes between the divergent unconfined GWSA trends (2005–2016) in PP (−41.80 ± 0.55 mm/yr) and ECP (−7.57 ± 0.60 mm/yr) caused by the differences in hydrogeological conditions and groundwater use. The improvement made by CoFM can be attributed to the use of the distributed GWL information to constrain GRACE leakage errors. This study highlights a practical important solution for improving sub‐regional GWSA estimation through the joint use of large‐scale GRACE data and local‐scale well observations. A coordinated forward modeling (CoFM) is developed to utilize in situ groundwater level to constrain Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment leakage errorsCoFM enables the estimation of sub‐regional groundwater storage variations without requiring reliable specific yield dataCoFM estimates groundwater depletion rate in the piedmont unconfined aquifers of North China Plain (NCP) is ∼6 times of that in the east‐central area of NCP A coordinated forward modeling (CoFM) is developed to utilize in situ groundwater level to constrain Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment leakage errors CoFM enables the estimation of sub‐regional groundwater storage variations without requiring reliable specific yield data CoFM estimates groundwater depletion rate in the piedmont unconfined aquifers of North China Plain (NCP) is ∼6 times of that in the east‐central area of NCP

Background and Purpose: The comfort of electric vehicles (EVs) is closely related to the vibroacoustic performance of integer-slot permanent magnet synchronous motors (ISPMSMs). This study provides a detailed investigation on the radial electromagnetic force and vibroacoustic behavior of ISPMSMs considering current harmonics. Methods: First, the origin and order feature of dead-time current harmonics are introduced and validated through the phase current test. Subsequently, a theoretical model of radial force considering dead-time current harmonics is built, the spatial and temporal characteristics of radial force are analyzed and verified via the 2-D Fourier decomposition. Then, a multiphysics model including the control model, the electromagnetic model, the equivalent structural model, and the acoustic radiation model is established to calculate the vibration and noise of an ISPMSM used for EVs. Moreover, the orthotropic material parameters of the stator and the non-uniform distribution of the radial force are also taken into account. The accuracy of the multiphysics model is validated through the vibration and noise tests. Finally, the vibroacoustic mechanism of the ISPMSM is clarified based on the multiphysics model, the effect of dead-time current harmonics on the vibration and noise is also analyzed. Conclusions: It is found that the 0-order and 2-order modal responses, which are commonly caused by the 0-order and slot-order radial forces, are the roots of vibration and noise in ISPMSMs. By changing the amplitudes of corresponding radial force harmonics, the dead-time current harmonics have a certain impact on the vibration and noise peaks, but the specific influence depends on their amplitudes and phase angles. This study provides guidance for the development of low-vibration and noise ISPMSMs.

In this study, we demonstrate a colorimetric approach for the detection of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in water samples with high sensitivity. Firstly, copper-metal–organic frameworks (Cu-MOFs) were synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted hydrothermal method, presenting a maximum absorption peak at 700 nm. It was found that Cu-MOFs could react with H2S to form a copper–sulfur complex along with a decrease of the absorption peak at 700 nm and a visible color change from blue to tan. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the absorption intensity at 700 nm was linear with H2S concentration in a range of 0.05–2 mM (R2= 0.9928), providing a detection limit of 22 μM. Furthermore, the method was successfully applied to the detection of H2S in lake water samples with a recovery rate between 94.4% and 112.6%. In addition, a practical and portable device for on-site H2S detection was designed by using agarose hydrogels, and a simple colorimetric detection method based on a smartphone was developed. This analytical method showed good selectivity for H2S compared to other interfering substances, and the feasibility of the agarose hydrogel-based device was proved by the determination of H2S in real lake water samples.

Cryopreservation of human T lymphocytes has become a key strategy for supporting cell-based immunotherapy. However, the effects of ice seeding on the cryopreservation of cells under relatively slow cooling have not been well researched. The cryopreservation strategy with a nontoxic, single-ingredient, and injectable cryoprotective solution remains to be developed. We conducted ice seeding for the cells in a solution of normal saline with 1% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO), 0.1 M trehalose, and 4% (w/v) human serum albumin (HSA) under different slow cooling rates. With the positive results, we further applied seeding in the solution of 0.2 M trehalose and 4% (w/v) HSA under the same cooling rates. The optimal concentration of trehalose in the Me2SO-free solutions was then investigated under the optimized cooling rate with seeding, with control groups without seeding, and in a freezing container. In vitrotoxicity of the cryoprotective solutions to the cells was also tested. We found that the relative viability of cells (1% [v/v] Me2SO, 0.1 M trehalose and 4% [w/v] HSA) was improved significantly from 88.6% to 94.1% with ice seeding, compared with that without seeding (p< 0.05). The relative viability of cells (0.2 M trehalose and 4% [w/v] HSA) with seeding was significantly higher than that without seeding, 96.3% and 92.0%, respectively (p< 0.05). With no significant difference in relative viability between the solutions of 0.2 M trehalose or 0.3 M trehalose with 4% (w/v) HSA (92.4% and 94.6%, respectively, p> 0.05), the solution of 0.2 M trehalose and 4% (w/v) HSA was selected as the optimized Me2SO-free solution. This strategy could cryopreserve human T lymphocytes without any toxic cryoprotectant and boost the application of cell products in humans by intravenous injection, with the osmolality of the low-concentration cryoprotective solution close to that of human plasma.

In this study, mesoporous TiO2with various hydrolysis rates were prepared and combined with H2O2for the photodegradation of unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) under VUV irradiation. Results showed that the mesoporous TiO2synthesized by the hydrolysis in water (MT100) exhibited a good mesoporous structure and the largest specific surface area (178.85 m2 g−1). Consequently, MT100 showed the best degradation efficiency, with the rate constant (k) for VUV/MT100 and VUV/MT100/H2O2of 0.0185 and 0.2595 min−1, respectively, which was 1.4 and 4.0 times of that of P25. The addition of H2O2significantly enhanced the degradation efficiency by photoactivation of H2O2and the synergistic effect. The rate constant and the mineralization rate (after a 3-h treatment) increased by 13 and 3.8 times when 40 mM H2O2was added into VUV/MT100. The weak alkaline condition (pH = 9) would facilitate the degradation of UDMH. The ⋅OH was the key oxidizing species in VUV/MT100/H2O2. Eight intermediates were detected during the degradation and the possible pathways of UDMH degradation in VUV/MT100/H2O2process were proposed. VUV/MT100/H2O2provides an efficient method to degrade UDMH.

The unique merits of aptamers, including specificity, high binding affinity, easy cell internalization, and rapid tissue accumulation abilities, have led aptamer–drug conjugates to evolve into one of the most attractive strategies for targeted drug delivery purposes. Nevertheless, the critical role of linkers in regulating anticancer efficacy of these conjugates, especially those engineered by automated modular synthesis techniques, has been rarely explored. In this work, we utilized Sgc8c aptamer and combretastatin A4 to develop three conjugates with either a phosphodiester bond linker, a disulfide bond linker, or a carbamate linker to study their payload release mechanisms and the influence on anticancer efficacy. These investigations allowed us to identify the unique activation pathway of the phosphodiester bond linker that is activated by both nucleophilic attack of glutathione and degradation caused by phosphodiesterase, which is highly associated with the higher cytotoxicity of the conjugate. Importantly, the understanding of the chemistry of phosphodiester bond linker activation allowed us to further design another XQ-2d-CA4 conjugate that can induce pancreatic cancer cells apoptosis in a more efficient manner.

Tetracycline (TET) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, which is frequently used in the prevention and treatment of animal diseases, feed additives, and so on. However, its residue and accumulation in animal-derived foods could cause several side effects to the human body. Herein, we fabricated TET aptamer-pendant DNA tetrahedral nanostructure-functionalized magnetic beads (Apt-tet MBs) as a probe to detect TET. In the presence of target TET, DNA primer was released from Apt-tet MBs since the TET aptamer could specifically bind TET. Next, the separated DNA primer could effectively initiate rolling circle amplification (RCA) reaction and generate a long tandem single-stranded sequence. Finally, with SYBR Green I as the fluorescence dye, the fluorescence signal could be detected by detection probes through hybridizing the RCA product. Under optimal conditions, the fluorescent signal increased with the increasing target TET concentration within the 5 orders of magnitude dynamic range from 0.001 to 10 ng mL–1. The detection limit was calculated to be 0.724 pg mL–1and the method showed high selectivity toward TET among different antibiotics. More impressively, this method was employed for TET determination in fish and honey samples. The as-obtained results were consistent with those of ELISA kits, holding great potential in the field of food analysis.

Hovering ability forms the basis for space operations of Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs). The problem of uneven load puts high demands on the wing design. In this paper, a new hovering-mode for MAVs, inspired by flapping flight in bees and hummingbirds but using high-aspect-ratio and low-stress wings, is proposed. Different from the flapping actuations that occur at the wing roots, the two wings are driven back and forth in a straight line. To simplify the design and control the angle of attack, passive wing rotation is employed. The numerical results and analysis show that the maximum stress of the oscillating wing is approximately 1/6 of that of the flapping wing when the lift of the oscillating wing is twice that of the flapping wing. A theoretical aerodynamic model of the kinematics of the vehicle’s driving mechanism was developed to fulfill its design. Force measurements indicate that the vehicle generates a sufficiently high cycle-averaged vertical thrust (71 g) for liftoff at a maximum frequency of 5.56 Hz, thereby validating the proposed aerodynamic model. Moreover, liftoff performance is presented to visually demonstrate the vertical take-off capabilities and hovering potential of the aeromechanical solution.

AbstractIn nuclear fusion reactor facilities, the multi-confinement system and the air detritiation system (ADS) are very important to prevent tritium leaking to the environment. A high-performance tritium oxidation catalyst is strongly required in the ADS. In this study, the air resistance and catalytic performance of honeycomb detritiation catalysts are investigated. Then, the honeycomb catalysts are applied in a glove-box detritiation system as well as in an ADS, and the detritiation performance is tested with tritium. Honeycomb catalysts have a much lower air resistance and an excellent scale-up effect due to the behavior of laminar flow. Thus, the honeycomb catalyst increases the reaction space velocity by nearly 100 times without decreasing the conversion rate of H2. Even at an extremely low tritium concentration, the honeycomb catalyst transforms tritium over 95% into tritiated water. In short, Pt-loaded honeycomb catalysts have a huge advantage in and broad potential for air detritiation.

ABSTRACTThe current study aimed to investigate the effects of sodium butyrate on the level of colonic protein IRAK1 (interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1) in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) models as well as revealing the relationship between IRAKI level and visceral sensitivity during the progression of IBS. IBS symptoms were induced using TNBS (2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid) in mice and using IL-33 in HT-29 cells, which were then hanlded with sodium butyrate (100 mM for each mice and 0.05 M for HT-29 cells). The threshold of visceral pain and the expression of IRAKI in mice, and the level of IRAKI in HT-29 cells were detected. The data showed that the level of IRAK1 in IBS mice was higher than that in the control group, while the pre-treatment with sodium butyrate could solidy suppressed the level of IRAK1. Morevoer, it was found that the level of IRAK1 was negatively correlated with the pain threshold. In in vitro assays, the level of IRAK1 was firstly induced by IL-33 stimulation and then suppressed by sodium butyrate pretreatment. Collectively, the level of IRAKI showed an obvioulty positive relation with visceral hypersensitivity in IBS models, and the treatment with sodium butyrate could alleviate visceral hypersensitivity by inhibiting the expression of IRAKI.

Herein, we report a facile method for cholesterol detection by coupling the peroxidase-like activity of polypyrrole nanoparticles (PPy NPs) and cholesterol oxidase (ChOx). ChOx can catalyze the oxidation of cholesterol to produce H2O2. Subsequently, PPy NPs, as a nanozyme, induce the reaction between H2O2and 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). Under optimal conditions, the increase is proportional to cholesterol with concentrations from 10 to 800 μM in absorbance of TMB at 652 nm. The linear range for cholesterol is 10–100 μM, with a detection limit of 3.5 μM. This reported method is successfully employed for detection of cholesterol in human serum. The recovery percentage is ranged within 96–106.9%. Furthermore, we designed a facile and simple portable assay kit using the proposed system, realizing the on-site semiquantitative and visual detection of cholesterol in human serum. The cholesterol content detected from the portable assay kit were closely matching those obtained results from solution-based assays, thereby holding great potential in clinical diagnosis and health management.

A magnetic material, ${\rm Fe}_3{{\rm O}_4}@{{\rm ZrO}_{2}}$Fe_3O_4@ZrO_2, was used to enrich an organophosphorus pesticide, fenthion. After enrichment the ${\rm Fe}_3{{\rm O}_4}@{{\rm ZrO}_{2}}$Fe_3O_4@ZrO_2 was treated with NaOH to elute and hydrolyze fenthion. The hydrolysis products, orthophosphate ions, combine to molybdate ions to yield molybdophosphoric acid, which was further reduced with ${\rm SnCl}_2$SnCl_2 to obtain a blue phosphatemolybdate. The content of orthophosphate ions as well as fenthion can be determined through the spectrophotometric method. Adsorption and elution conditions were optimized to obtain an enrichment factor of 12.5. The proposed composite method was successfully used to analyze the fenthion residues on the skin of cucumber and apple samples. The limit of detection was as low as 0.037 mg/Kg, which was close to that of the gas chromatography–mass spectrometer method. The method was simple, rapid, and economic, suitable for the rapid screen of fenthion and the other organophosphorus pesticide in mass samples.

A pairwise coupling of 0D Super-P (SP), 1D carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and 2D graphene nanosheets (GNs) into binary carbon-based conductive additives was used here for the LiFePO4cathode in lithium-ion batteries. For comparison, the LiFePO4cathode with SP, CNT, or GN unitary conductive agent was also examined. Electrochemical test results suggest that the cathodes with binary conducting additives present greatly improved electrochemical performance than the traditional cathode system (only SP used). Especially, the LiFePO4cathode containing 3% CNT component exhibits the highest specific capacity and the best cycling stability among all the cathodes with binary conducting additives, indicating that an appropriate amount of CNTs is critical in enhancing the conductivity and practical capacity output. However, an excess of CNTs leads to entangling with each other, hampering the uniform distribution of active materials and resulting in poor electrode performance. Furthermore, the combination of CNT and GN can effectively improve the capacity and cycling stability of the LiFePO4cathodes due to the synergistic effect of 3D conductive networks constructed by the two.

This paper concerns the identification problem of scalar errors-in-variables (EIV) systems with general nonlinear output observations and ARMA observation noises. Under independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) Gaussian inputs with unknown variance, recursive algorithms for estimating the parameters of the EIV systems are presented. For general nonlinear observations, conditions on the system are imposed to guarantee the almost sure convergence of the estimates. A simulation example is included to justify the theoretical results.

ABSTRACTBackground: Breast reconstruction with fat grafting has an unstable retention rate due to insufficient revascularization. Tissue Engineering Chamber (TEC) model can promote tissue regeneration in the chamber by introducing ligated vessels around the tissue. We introduced ligated vessels with free fat graft to investigate the retention rate and revascularization of grafted fat that in TEC model.Methods: SD rats (n=24) was divided into 3 groups randomly. Group A: Standard TEC model was constructed; Group B: the epigastric vessel bundles were dissected from the fat flap and ligated, fat flap was cut into granules and planted into the chamber; Group C: Free fat was planted in the chamber. At week 6, samples in the chamber were harvested.Results: Significant volume increase was observed in group A and B, while the volume decreased in group C (P<0.05). Regeneration morphology could be found according to the histological observation in A and B. Micro CT results showed the ligated vessels into grafted fat sprouting robustly, coordinated with volume changes.Conclusion: Fat grafts in TEC model could not only survive but also regenerate. The combination of fat graft and TEC could fabricate a vascularized fat flap, which was a promising method in breast reconstruction.Abbreviations:VOI: Volumes of Interest; TEC: Tissue Engineering Chamber; CAL: Cell Assisted Lipotransfer.

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of deep learning-based cardiac ultrasound flow imaging for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) complicated by arrhythmias. Methods: The clinical data of 158 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were retrospectively collected from July 2019 to December 2021, and additionally divided into training group 106 cases, validation group 26 cases and test group 26 cases according to the ratio of 4:1:1, and divided into concurrent and non-concurrent groups according to whether they were complicated by arrhythmia or not, respectively. General data of patients (age, gender, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, HR) were collected, a deep learning model for cardiac ultrasound flow imaging was established, and image data, LVEF, LAVI, E/e', vortex area change rate, circulation intensity change rate, mean blood flow velocity, and mean EL value were extracted. Results: The differences in general data (age, gender, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, HR) between the three groups were not statistically significant, P> 0.05. The differences in age, gender, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, HR between the patients in the concurrent and non-concurrent groups in the training group were not statistically significant, P> 0.05. Conclusions: Deep learning-based cardiac ultrasound flow imaging can identify cardiac ultrasound images more accurately and has a high predictive value for arrhythmias complicating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and vortex area change rate, circulation intensity change rate, mean flow velocity, mean EL, LAVI, and E/e' are all risk factors for arrhythmias complicating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

ABSTRACTXylene is the main component of many volatile industrial pollution sources, and the use of biotechnology to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has become a growing trend. In this study, a biotrickling filter for gaseous xylene treatment was developed using activated sludge as raw material to study the biodegradation process of xylene. Reaction conditions were optimized, and long-term operation was performed. The optimal pH was 7.0, gas-liquid ratio was 15:1 (v/v), and temperature was 25 °C. High-throughput sequencing technique was carried out to analyze microbial communities in the top, middle, and bottom layers of the reactor. Characteristics of microbial diversity were elucidated, and microbial functions were predicted. The result showed that the removal efficiency (RE) was stable at 86%–91%, the maximum elimination capacity (EC) was 303.61 g·m−3·hr−1, residence time was 33.75 sec, and the initial inlet xylene concentration was 3000 mg·m−3, which was the highest known degradation concentration reported. Kinetic analysis of the xylene degradation indicated that it was a very high-efficiency-activity bioprocess. The rmaxwas 1059.8 g·m−3·hr−1, and Ksvalue was 4.78 g·m−3in stationary phase. In addition, microbial community structures in the bottom and top layers were significantly different: Pseudomonaswas the dominant genus in the bottom layer, whereas Sphingobiumwas dominant in the top layer. The results showed that intermediate metabolites of xylene could affect the distribution of community structure. Pseudomonassp. can adapt to high concentration xylene–contaminated environments.Implications:We combined domesticated active sludge and reinforced microbial agent on biotrickling filter. This system performed continuously under a reduced residence time at 33.75 sec and high elimination capacity at 303.61 g·m−3·hr−1in the biotrickling reactor for about 260 days. In this case, predomestication combined with reinforcing of microorganisms was very important to obtaining high-efficiency results. Analysis of microbial diversity and functional prediction indicated a gradient distribution along with the concentration of xylene. This implied a rational design of microbial reagent and optimizing the inoculation of different sites of reactor could reduce the preparation period of the technology.

With the recent advances in surface fabrication technologies, condensation heat transfer has seen a renaissance. Hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces have all been employed as a means to enhance condensate shedding, enabling micrometric droplet departure length scales. One of the main bottlenecks for achieving higher condensation efficiencies is the difficulty of shedding sub-10 μm droplets due to the increasing role played by surface adhesion and viscous limitations at nanometric length scales. To enable ultraefficient droplet shedding, we demonstrate hierarchical condensation on rationally designed copper oxide microhill structures covered with nanoscale features that enable large (∼100 μm) condensate droplets on top of the microstructures to coexist with smaller (<1 μm) droplets beneath. We use high-speed optical microscopy and focal plane shift imaging to show that hierarchical condensation is capable of efficiently removing sub-10-μm condensate droplets viaboth coalescence and divergent-track-assisted droplet self-transport toward the large suspended Cassie–Baxter (CB) state droplets, which eventually shed viaclassical gravitational shedding and thereby avoid vapor side limitations encountered with droplet jumping. Interestingly, experimental growth rate analysis showed that the presence of large CB droplets accelerates individual underlying droplet growth by ∼21% when compared to identically sized droplets not residing beneath CB droplets. Furthermore, the steady droplet shedding mechanism shifted the droplet size distribution toward smaller sizes, with ∼70% of observable underlying droplets having radii of ≤5 μm compared to ∼30% for droplets growing without shading. To elucidate the overall heat transfer performance, an analytical model was developed to show hierarchical condensation has the potential to break the limits of minimum droplet departure size governed by finite surface adhesion and viscous effects through the tailoring of structure length scale, coalescence, and self-transport. More importantly, abrasive wear tests showed that hierarchical condensation has good durability against mechanical damage to the surface. Our study not only demonstrates the potential of hierarchical condensation as a means to break the limitations of droplet jumping, it develops rational design guidelines for micro/nanostructured surfaces to enable excellent heat transfer performance as well as extended durability.

Adipose flap expansion using a tissue engineering chamber (TEC) presents a promising candidate for soft tissue regeneration by activating in situ adipose tissue regeneration. However, foreign body reaction (FBR) and capsular contracture caused by a silicone chamber limit large tissue reconstruction. Here, a hydrophilic and biodegradable film made of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-da) with methacrylated gelatin (gelatin-MA) was presented between the host tissue and silicone chamber to tune the local wound and to prevent initiation of FBR. After a 60 day investigation, 6.1-fold-regenerated fat tissue was obtained from the PEG–gelatin group, whereas only 3-fold tissue was harvested from a silicone group. Histological staining demonstrated that the structure of the neo-formed adipose tissue in both groups was similar to mature adipose tissue. Noticeably, a more distinct and denser fibrous capsule was observed in the silicone group compared to the PEG–gelatin group. Immunohistochemistry of CD206 and TGF-β expression indicated less M2 macrophage infiltration and a minor inflammation reaction with PEG–gelatin assistance. Less collagen deposition and myofibroblast activation in the PEG–gelatin group were demonstrated via α-SMA and type I collagen staining. All these demonstrated that a biocompatible membrane supplement can attenuate capsule formation and contracture leading to a larger tissue regeneration through the TEC technique, which could lead to new perspectives to the relationship between materials-mattered FBR and tissue regeneration.

Weight-bearing exercise is a well-accepted physiotherapy to prevent osteoporosis for stroke patients. But the immobility of stroke patients limits the types and intensity of conventional interventions. Recent advances in robot-assisted therapeutic device provide an innovative way which could potentially overcome the above-mentioned limitations. However, the effects of robot-assisted physiotherapy on osteoporosis prevention have not been fully understood. The purpose of the present study is to develop an innovative theoretical framework to investigate the effects of static robot-assisted walking exercise on bone health. Through conducting a series of studies using a robot, force insoles and CT-image-based computational modeling, our results show that robot-assisted walking can significantly reduce the osteoporosis risk for stroke patients. However, the vertical peak ground reaction forces generated from static robot walking is generally lower than that from treadmill walking due to the fact that there are no heel strike and push-off effects in static robotic walking.

Superhydrophobicity has received significant attention over the past three decades owing to its significant potential in self-cleaning, anti-icing and drag reduction surfaces, energy-harvesting devices, antibacterial coatings, and enhanced heat transfer applications. Superhydrophobicity can be obtained via the roughening of an intrinsically hydrophobic surface, the creation of a re-entrant geometry, or by the roughening of a hydrophilic surface followed by a conformal coating of a hydrophobic material. Intrinsically hydrophobic surfaces have poor thermophysical properties, such as thermal conductivity, and thus are not suitable for heat transfer applications. Re-entrant geometries, although versatile in applications where droplets are deposited, break down during spatially random nucleation and flood the surface. Chemical functionalization of rough metallic substrates, although promising, is not utilized because of the poor durability of conformal hydrophobic coatings. Here we develop a radically different approach to achieve stable superhydrophobicity. By utilizing laser processing and thermal oxidation of copper (Cu) to create a high surface energy hierarchical copper oxide (CuO), followed by repeatable and passive atmospheric adsorption of hydrophobic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), we show that stable superhydrophobicity with apparent advancing contact angles ≈160° and contact angle hysteresis as low as ≈20° can be achieved. We exploit the structure length scale and structure geometry-dependent VOC adsorption dynamics to rationally design CuO nanowires with enhanced superhydrophobicity. To gain an understanding of the VOC adsorption physics, we utilized X-ray photoelectron and ion mass spectroscopy to identify the chemical species deposited on our surfaces in two distinct locations: Urbana, IL, United States and Beijing, China. To test the stability of the atmosphere-mediated superhydrophobic surfaces during heterogeneous nucleation, we used high-speed optical microscopy to demonstrate the occurrence of dropwise condensation and stable coalescence-induced droplet jumping. Our work not only provides rational design guidelines for developing passively durable superhydrophobic surfaces with excellent flooding-resistance and self-healing capability but also sheds light on the key role played by the atmosphere in governing wetting.

Coalescence-induced droplet jumping has the potential to enhance the efficiency of a plethora of applications. Although binary droplet jumping is quantitatively understood from energy and hydrodynamic perspectives, multiple aspects that affect jumping behavior, including droplet size mismatch, droplet–surface interaction, and condensate thermophysical properties, remain poorly understood. Here, we develop a visualization technique utilizing microdroplet dispensing to study droplet jumping dynamics on nanostructured superhydrophobic, hierarchical superhydrophobic, and hierarchical biphilic surfaces. We show that on the nanostructured superhydrophobic surface the jumping velocity follows inertial-capillary scaling with a dimensionless velocity of 0.26 and a jumping direction perpendicular to the substrate. A droplet mismatch phase diagram was developed showing that jumping is possible for droplet size mismatch up to 70%. On the hierarchical superhydrophobic surface, jumping behavior was dependent on the ratio between the droplet radius Riand surface structure length scale L. For small droplets (Ri≤ 5L), the jumping velocity was highly scattered, with a deviation of the jumping direction from the substrate normal as high as 80°. Surface structure length scale effects were shown to vanish for large droplets (Ri> 5L). On the hierarchical biphilic surface, similar but more significant scattering of the jumping velocity and direction was observed. Droplet-size-dependent surface adhesion and pinning-mediated droplet rotation were responsible for the reduced jumping velocity and scattered jumping direction. Furthermore, droplet jumping studies of liquids with surface tensions as low as 38 mN/m were performed, further confirming the validity of inertial-capillary scaling for varying condensate fluids. Our work not only demonstrates a powerful platform to study droplet–droplet and droplet–surface interactions but provides insights into the role of fluid–substrate coupling as well as condensate properties during droplet jumping.

The effects of the secondary crystal orientations on the nickel-based single-crystal superalloy turbine blades were investigated. The stress concentration features were used for investigation of the optimal secondary crystal orientation leading to the higher strength of the single-crystal turbine blades. The crystal plastic finite element method coupled with micromechanics constitutive model is applied to study the effect of secondary crystal orientation on plastic deformation and mechanical behavior around the cooling holes and notches with the primary (load) orientation fixed at [001] direction. For nickel-based superalloy plates with holes or notches, the secondary crystal orientation effect on the strength needs to be clarified at various load levels. The maximum von Mises stress in the single-crystal alloy varies significantly with variation in the secondary crystal orientations. It was found that only two slip systems dominate the deformation process of the material owing to their favorable orientation with loading. The secondary orientation of 45° was identified with lowest resolved shear stress in the dominating slip systems and potential of producing higher strength for single-crystal turbine blades.

AimTo evaluate the diagnostic value of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and troponin (TnI) in sepsis.MethodsThis retrospective analysis included 117 patients with sepsis (patient group) and 92 subjects who attended regular physical examinations (control group). We compared IL-18 and TnI expressions before treatment (T1) and on day 5 (T2), day 10 (T3) and day 15 (T4) of treatment. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) guidelines were used to analyse the correlation between IL-18, TnI and APACHE II scores.ResultsAt T1, T2, T3 and T4, the IL-18 and TnI levels were all higher in the patient group than in the control group (p<0.001). In the patient group, peak IL-18 and TnI levels were noted at T1, followed by T2, T3 and T4 (p<0.001). The linear correlation analysis revealed positive correlations between IL-18 and TnI levels and APACHE II score (r =0.759, 0.866, p <0.001). The 3-year survival rates of subjects with high IL-18 or TnI expression levels were all lower than of those with low expression levels (p=0.047, 0.048). In patients with sepsis, the expression of TnI and IL-18 is high and is positively correlated with APACHE II scores.ConclusionsMonitoring TnI and IL-18 levels can effectively evaluate the severity and recovery of patients with sepsis.

Hepatectomy is currently routinely performed in most hospitals in China. China owns the largest population of liver diseases and the biggest number of liver resection cases. A nationwide multicenter retrospective investigation involving 112 hospitals was performed, and focused on liver resection for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 42,573 cases of hepatectomy were enrolled, and 18,275 valid cases of liver resection for HCC patients were selected for statistical analysis. The epidemiology of HCC, distribution of hepatectomy, postoperative complications and prognosis were finally analyzed. In the 18,275 HCC patients, 81% had hepatitis B virus infection and 10% had hepatitis C virus infection. 38% of the HCC patients had normal Alphafetoprotein (AFP) level, and other 35% had an AFP level lower than 400 ng mL−1. In the study period, 97% of the hepatectomy for HCC were treated with open surgery, and 23.81% had vascular exclusion techniques. The operation time was (191.7±105.6) min, the blood loss was (546.0±562.8) mL, and blood transfusion was (543.0±1,035.2) mL. The median survival for HCC patients was 631 days, with 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival of 73.2%, 28.8% and 19.6%, respectively. Liver cirrhosis, multiple nodules, tumor thrombosis and high AFP level were risk factors that affect postoperative survival.

AbstractTritium must be strictly defended in tritium systems because of its permeability and radioactivity. Detritiation devices are required in tritium systems, such as the glove box detritiation system, the vent detritiation system, and the air detritiation system in ITER. The method of catalytic oxidation and adsorption is widely used for air detritiation, and metal gas getter is used in glove box detritiation. Here, a Ce-based oxide-loaded honeycomb catalyst is prepared as a multifunctional detritiation catalyst. The properties of the Ce-based oxide and catalyst are characterized by X-ray diffraction, N2-adsorption/desorption (Brunauer-Emmet-Teller method), and H2temperature programmed reduction. The catalytic performance is tested under both O2-lean and O2-rich atmospheres. Results indicate that the Pt/Ce0.7Zr0.3O2honeycomb catalyst fully oxidizes H2at room temperature with high space velocity (3.2 × 104 h−1) when oxygen is sufficient. When oxygen is deficient, H2is also fully oxidized by the catalyst at 200°C, with the oxygen supplying from the support. A detritiation test using tritium as reactant is also carried out, and the results verify the feasibility for detritiation application. An improved detritiation reactor is designed and built based on the multifunctional catalyst.

The persistence and performance of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) in soil are considered critical features for effectiveness, yet they are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the colonization and activity of a new PGPM, phosphate-solubilizing Gluconacetobacter liquefaciensqzr14, in a pot culture experiment using cucumber as test crop for 20 days. The number of G. liquefaciensand bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere and bulk soil were monitored by real-time PCR and DGGE, respectively. Soil phosphorus and cucumber biomass were also examined. G. liquefaciensqzr14 effectively colonized the rhizosphere soil (bacterial density ranging from 2.70 × 108to 1.18 × 109copies per gram dry soil). G. liquefaciensqzr14 inoculation had significantly positive effects on bacterial diversity (BD) of the rhizosphere and bulk soil and the ratio of soluble phosphorus to total phosphorus (SP/TP). The number of G. liquefaciensin the rhizosphere soil was significantly related to SP/TP and the BD of the rhizosphere and bulk soil. BD in rhizosphere soil was significantly related to SP/TP and BD in bulk soil. Based on the results of correlation analysis, we inferred that the introduced G. liquefaciensqzr14 effectively colonized the rhizosphere of cucumber, and then expanded its bacterial community by solubilizing soil phosphorus. The expanded bacterial communities might promote cucumber growth by some new functions.

Regional evapotranspiration (ET) can be enhanced by human activities such as irrigation or reservoir impoundment. Here the potential of using Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) terrestrial water storage data in water budget calculations to detect human‐induced ET change is investigated over the Haihe River basin of China. Comparison between GRACE‐based monthly ET estimate (2005–2012) and Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS)‐modeled ET indicates that human‐induced ET due to intensive groundwater irrigation from March to May can only be detected by GRACE. GRACE‐based ET (521.7 ± 21.1 mm/yr), considerably higher than GLDAS ET (461.7 ± 29.8 mm/yr), agrees well with existing estimates found in the literature and indicates that human activities contribute to a 12% increase in ET. The double‐peak seasonal pattern of ET (in May and August) as reported in published studies is well reproduced by GRACE‐based ET estimate. This study highlights the unique capability of GRACE in detecting anthropogenic signals over regions with large groundwater consumption. TWS change estimated from GRACE is validated with in situ measurements of surface water, soil moisture, and groundwater levelET change due to intensive groundwater irrigation from March to May for wheat growth over the HRB can be detected by GRACE but not by GLDASHuman‐induced ET change is quantified and compared with published statistical information on Chinese Bulletin of Water Resources

A new approach combining groundwater storage change (GWSC) derived from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite data and baseflow was proposed to estimate groundwater recharge at large spatial scales but a short (monthly) time scale. This method was applied in two typical karst basins of southwest China, the Wujiang River basin (WRB, ∼87,900 km2, ∼70% karstification) and Xijiang River Basin (XRB, ∼360,000 km2, ∼44% karstification). The 2006–2012 monthly baseflow was first separated from in situ streamflow through multivariate regression analysis. Groundwater recharge was estimated using separated baseflow and GWSC estimated from GRACE data and observation‐based groundwater‐level data. The comparison between GRACE‐ and observation‐based recharge in the larger XRB shows better consistency, while that in the smaller WRB shows larger discrepancies. Considering the associated uncertainty (60–93 mm/yr), the 2006–2012 mean recharge in two basins, ranging 199–225 mm/yr (17%–19% of precipitation) is comparable to bulletin‐reported estimates (∼145 mm/yr). Both the degree of karstification and aquifer water table depth influence recharge and discharge processes in karst areas of southwest China. The more karstic WRB exhibits more rapid infiltration (due to more developed permeable epikarst zone) and higher discharge capability (due to more developed underground drainage systems), particularly during dry periods (2009, 2011, and winter). Baseflow exhibits a shorter time lag to recharge and GWSC in the XRB than WRB owing to more quick flow, lower storage with more rapid infiltration, and shorter mean groundwater residence time. Observation‐based monthly recharge reflects different rainfall‐infiltration‐runoff processes under different rainfall intensities, particularly in the WRB. Groundwater recharge is a critical water budget component. This study proposed a new method to estimate groundwater recharge at large spatial scales but on a short time scale. This method combines the groundwater storage changes estimated from gravity satellite data and baseflow (i.e., the main groundwater discharge component) separated from in situ streamflow through multiple regression analysis. We applied this method in two karst basins in southwest China, the Wujiang and Xijiang River Basins. We validated groundwater recharge estimates from gravity satellite data against those only from ground observations. At a larger scale in the Xijiang River Basin, the satellite‐ and ground‐based estimates of groundwater recharge showed better agreement. In the Wujiang River Basin, relatively more rainfall infiltrated into the subsurface to form recharge and more groundwater drained out during dry periods because this basin has a larger proportion of karst areas where the underlying rocks were eroded with large voids and spaces to transfer water. In the Xijiang River Basin, the groundwater storage requires less time to drain out to form baseflow because the flow velocity in this basin is faster. Compared to the gravity satellite data, the ground‐based estimates better reveal the runoff generation mechanism in karst areas. A new approach combining Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and baseflow is proposed for estimating groundwater recharge at large spatial scales but a short time scaleGRACE‐ and observation‐based recharge estimates are overall consistent, but they indicate different recharge processesGRACE reveals different behaviors of recharge and baseflow during dry periods between two basins with different degrees of karstification A new approach combining Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and baseflow is proposed for estimating groundwater recharge at large spatial scales but a short time scale GRACE‐ and observation‐based recharge estimates are overall consistent, but they indicate different recharge processes GRACE reveals different behaviors of recharge and baseflow during dry periods between two basins with different degrees of karstification

Few studies have applied the deep optical flows model to global friction measurements of aircraft wing. This study used an optimized FlowNet2.0 model to measure friction of wing based on fluorescent oil film, which achieved the first integration of deep learning and friction measurement. Two input images of the traditional FlowNet2.0 model were extended to multiple images so that more flow features and details could be with them. It is the specific part of optimization that will also further improve the measurement accuracy of FlowNet2.0. Simulation experimental results show that the optimized FlowNet2.0 model reduces the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) error by 8.51% and increases Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) by only 0.0138 when compared to the hybrid optical flow method, which indicate that the optimized FlowNet2.0 model has great potential for friction measurement. Measurements in continuous transonic wind tunnel tests demonstrate that FlowNet2.0 can calculate clearer and more accurate flow velocity than hybrid optical flow, and the solved friction magnitude distribution is consistent with the actual flow, which will be of great practical application in wind tunnel engineering.

Hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) tumors are common in China. However, these tumors are often diagnosed at intermediate/ advanced stages because of the lack of a systemic surveillance program in China. This situation creates many technical challenges for surgeons and increases the incidence of postoperative complications. Therefore, Dr. Xiao-Ping Chen has made many important technical improvements, such as Chen’s hepatic portal occlusion method, the anterior approach for liver resection of large HCC tumors, the modified technique of Belghiti’s liver-hanging maneuver, inserting biliary-enteric anastomosis technique, and invaginated pancreaticojujunostomy with transpancreatic U-sutures. These techniques are simple, practical, and easy to learn. Owing to these advantages, complicated surgical procedures can be simplified, and the curative effects are greatly improved. These improved techniques have been widely applied in China and will benefit many additional patients. In this review, we introduce our experience of surgically treating intermediate/advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC), and pancreatic carcinoma, mainly focusing on technical innovations established by Dr. Chen in HPB surgery.

This study explores the capability of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) to detect heterogeneous groundwater storage (GWS) variations in two subregions of the North China Plain: the Piedmont Plain (PP, ~54,000 km2, mainly exploiting shallow groundwater) and East Central Plain (ECP, ~86,000 km2, mainly exploiting deep groundwater). Results show that the GWS anomalies estimated from GRACE data (2003–2013) agree well with those estimated from in situ observations (2005–2010) for both PP (R2= 0.91) and ECP (R2= 0.75). The shallow GWS (2003–2013) in PP declines faster (−46.5 ± 6.8 mm/yr) than the deep GWS in ECP (−16.9 ± 1.9 mm/yr). However, the shallow GWS in PP recovered more quickly especially during the 2008–2011 drought period. Despite its lower magnitude, the GRACE‐derived GWS depletion in ECP reveals the overexploitation of deep GWS. This study demonstrated that the heterogeneous GWS variations can potentially be detected by GRACE at the subregional scale smaller than the typical GRACE footprint (200,000 km2). GRACE has the potential to detect subregional heterogeneous GWS depletion in NCPShallow GWS in the Piedmont Plain declines faster but also recovers more quicklyGRACE data reveal the overexploitation of deep GWS in the East Central Plain

Mammalian genomes commonly harbor endogenous viral elements. Due to a lack of comparable genome-scale sequence data, far less is known about endogenous viral elements in avian species, even though their small genomes may enable important insights into the patterns and processes of endogenous viral element evolution. Through a systematic screening of the genomes of 48 species sampled across the avian phylogeny we reveal that birds harbor a limited number of endogenous viral elements compared to mammals, with only five viral families observed: Retroviridae, Hepadnaviridae, Bornaviridae, Circoviridae, and Parvoviridae. All nonretroviral endogenous viral elements are present at low copy numbers and in few species, with only endogenous hepadnaviruses widely distributed, although these have been purged in some cases. We also provide the first evidence for endogenous bornaviruses and circoviruses in avian genomes, although at very low copy numbers. A comparative analysis of vertebrate genomes revealed a simple linear relationship between endogenous viral element abundance and host genome size, such that the occurrence of endogenous viral elements in bird genomes is 6- to 13-fold less frequent than in mammals. These results reveal that avian genomes harbor relatively small numbers of endogenous viruses, particularly those derived from RNA viruses, and hence are either less susceptible to viral invasions or purge them more effectively.