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In this work, trace Cd addition (∼0.2 wt%) was exploited in Al–Cu alloys to improve the mechanical properties by introducing the hybrid θ″+θ′precipitates, as governed by the solid-solution temperature T. In detail, if the solid solution temperature is low (T = 500 °C), Cd microalloying merely initiates undesirable dual precipitates of θ″and θ′with similar size and a homogenous distribution. In such case, the Cd-microalloyed Al–Cu alloy suffers from limited optimization on the strength-ductility synergy in comparison to the Cd-free Al–Cu alloy. However, elevating Tto 530 °C results in the formation of dense Cd-rich nanoparticles, significantly promoting the hybrid θ″+θ′precipitation with a bimodal distribution by offering numerous heterogeneous Cd-rich nucleation sites. Such hybrid θ″+θ′precipitation imparts the architecture of microstructural heterogeneity, which was found to be responsible for the rapid age-hardening response and enhanced strength-ductility synergy in the Cd-microalloyed Al–Cu alloy.

The multilayer one-class classification (OCC) frameworks have gained great traction in research on anomaly and outlier detection. However, most multilayer OCC algorithms suffer from loosely connected feature coding, affecting the ability of generated latent space to properly generate a highly discriminative representation between object classes. To alleviate this deficiency, two novel OCC frameworks, namely: 1) OCC structure using the subnetwork neural network (OC-SNN) and 2) maximum correntropy-based OC-SNN (MCOC-SNN), are proposed in this article. The novelties of this article are as follows: 1) the subnetwork is used to build the discriminative latent space; 2) the proposed models are one-step learning networks, instead of stacking feature learning blocks and final classification layer to recognize the input pattern; 3) unlike existing works which utilize mean square error (MSE) to learn low-dimensional features, the MCOC-SNN uses maximum correntropy criterion (MCC) for discriminative feature encoding; and 4) a brand-new OCC dataset, called CO-Mask, is built for this research. Experimental results on the visual classification domain with a varying number of training samples from 6131 to 513 061 demonstrate that the proposed OC-SNN and MCOC-SNN achieve superior performance compared to the existing multilayer OCC models. For reproducibility, the source codes are available at https://github.com/W1AE/OCC.

ABSTRACT The effects of adding organic microcapsules having various particle sizes and composition on the permeability, carbonation resistance, pore structure, and self-healing efficiency of cementitious composite material were studied using [...]

Although the concept of the Luttinger liquid (LL) describing a one-dimensional (1D) interacting fermion system1,2collapses at higher dimensions, it has been proposed to be relevant to enigmatic problems in condensed matter physics including the normal state of cuprate superconductors3–5, unconventional metals6,7and quantum criticality8,9. Here we investigate the electronic structure of quasi-2D η-Mo4O11, a charge-density wave material, using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. We show a prototypical LL behaviour originating from the crossed quasi-1D chain arrays hidden in the quasi-2D crystal structure. Our results suggest that η-Mo4O11materializes the crossed LL phase10–12in its normal state, where the orthogonal orbital components substantially reduce the coupling between intersecting quasi-1D chains and therefore maintain the essential properties of the LL. Our finding not only presents a realization of a 2D LL, but also provides a new angle to understand non-Fermi liquid behaviour in other 2D and 3D quantum materials.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2008.02.002 Byline: W. Zhao, J.K. Liu Keywords: Product information model; OWL; SWRL; EXPRESS; Ontology representation Abstract: This paper presents an ontology-based approach to enable semantic interoperability and reasoning over the product information model. The web ontology language (OWL) and the semantic web rule language (SWRL) in the Semantic Web are employed to construct the product information model. The traditional modeling language called EXPRESS is discussed. The representation methodology for EXPRESS-driven product information model is then proposed. The key of the representation methodology is mapping from EXPRESS to OWL/SWRL. Some illustrated examples are presented. Author Affiliation: Department of Mechanics, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou 510275, China Article History: Received 19 September 2006; Revised 25 February 2008; Accepted 26 February 2008

In this study, we conducted field campaigns at two mountain‐top observatories on the Qilian Mountains (QLM) in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau of China, which plays a vital role in sustaining water resources for the downstream arid and semi‐arid regions. The two observatories, Waliguan Baseline Observatory (WLG) and Laohugou station (LHG), are situated on the eastern and western edge of the QLM, respectively. The objectives of this study were to examine the properties of atmospheric aerosols, CCN concentrations (NCCN) at varying supersaturation levels (SS = 0.2%–1.0%), and the hygroscopic nature of aerosols in the QLM, especially during the formation of orographic cloud. Notably, the average aerosol concentration and NCCNwas approximately 2–3 factors higher at WLG compared to LHG. The chemical compositions of aerosols were primarily dominated by sulfate and organic aerosol (OA) at these two sites. A very high hygroscopicity parameter of aerosol calculated using chemical composition was observed at these two sites (0.37 ± 0.03 at LHG vs. 0.30 ± 0.04 at WLG). Enhanced aerosol loading episodes impacted by anthropogenic emission were observed at these two sites. Exploration on high‐loading cases at each site, we found that the CCN activity was dominated by aerosol size, but the chemical processes of aerosol during the formation of orographic cloud could also be important in CCN activity, especially for low SS conditions. These findings collectively underscore the significant impact of anthropogenic air plumes on CCN concentrations in the QLM and their potential influence on precipitation patterns. The Qilian Mountains (QLM), situated in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau of China, have been constructed as a national park, dedicated to protecting its fragile ecological environment. Renowned for its “wet island” effect, the mountains serve as a crucial water resource for the downstream residents in northwest China. Orographic clouds, a primary source of precipitation in these mountains, heavily rely on the presence of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), typically dominated by natural mineral dust due to its arid and semi‐arid regions around. In recent years, rapid urbanization and heavy human activities around has introduced a significant influx of anthropogenic aerosols. However, the impact of anthropogenic aerosol on the orographic cloud is unclear, especially during summer season when natural mineral dust emissions are limited. To unravel this mystery, we conducted campaigns at two mountain‐top observatories to explore the impact of anthropogenic aerosol transport from low elevation regions during summer season to mountain areas. Our findings highlight the substantial impact of anthropogenic aerosols on CCN concentrations, which offer valuable insights into the understanding the interaction of aerosol and cloud, and potential impact on precipitation in this mountain region. Two mountain‐top studies were explored to characterize aerosol and CCN on the QLM in the northeastern TP of ChinaAn overall low NCCNvalues were observed in these mountain areas, but the concentration at the east was 2–3 times higher than the westElevated NCCNoccurred at these two sites when anthropogenic pollutants were transported upslope Two mountain‐top studies were explored to characterize aerosol and CCN on the QLM in the northeastern TP of China An overall low NCCNvalues were observed in these mountain areas, but the concentration at the east was 2–3 times higher than the west Elevated NCCNoccurred at these two sites when anthropogenic pollutants were transported upslope

The Gregg‐Henyey‐Polzin (GHP) finescale parameterization is widely employed to infer turbulent mixing when microstructure measurements are unavailable. However, the strain‐only GHP scaling is the only option when shear information is lacking, in which case the shear‐to‐strain ratio (Rω) is commonly treated as a constant. Since Rωhas been reported to vary spatiotemporally, using a fixed value of Rωmight result in a significant bias in inferring turbulent mixing. In this study, we present a global map of Rω, based on the microstructure database contributed by the Climate Process Team on internal wave‐driven ocean mixing, which covers the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans across both high and low latitudes. Then, we propose a parameterization of Rωby considering buoyancy frequency, Coriolis frequency, and topographic features. Compared to the GHP scaling with constant Rω, the turbulent dissipation rate values inferred from the GHP scaling with parameterized Rωare more accurate. In this manner, this study provides a reference for choosing optimal Rωwhen using the strain‐only GHP scaling to explore turbulent mixing in the open ocean. Although diapycnal mixing is the smallest‐scale motion in the ocean, understanding its global distribution is crucial because it can modulate large‐scale circulation and hence influence climate change. However, field observations of ocean mixing are costly and therefore limited in a global sense. Given that internal wave breaking is the dominant energy source for ocean mixing, estimating internal wave‐driven mixing using easily available temperature and salinity data becomes an effective way to understand its spatiotemporal variability. Here, we modify an essential parameter in such an estimation method by changing the constant to a variable that depends on stratification, latitude, and topography. This modification significantly improves the accuracy of the method for estimating internal wave‐driven mixing, making it more consistent with observations compared to using a constant. Shear‐to‐strain ratio varies significantly with spaceA parameterization of shear‐to‐strain ratio is proposed based on buoyancy frequency, Coriolis frequency, and topographic featuresBy using a parameterized shear‐to‐strain ratio, instead of a fixed value, we show the finescale parameterization performs better Shear‐to‐strain ratio varies significantly with space A parameterization of shear‐to‐strain ratio is proposed based on buoyancy frequency, Coriolis frequency, and topographic features By using a parameterized shear‐to‐strain ratio, instead of a fixed value, we show the finescale parameterization performs better

For larger containments and higher operation parameters, characteristics of the outside cooling of the PCCS are very important for the analysis on the containment integrity. A preliminary analysis was made and a four-step experimental method was used to numerically analyze the falling water film evaporation for the advanced passive containment. Then, the water flow stability along the outside wall of the containment was studied. The results fit well with those correlations without airflow when the air velocity is less than 5.0 m/s. However, when the air velocity is larger than 5.0 m/s, the influence of the air velocity on the water film will appear and the mean water film thickness will be thicker. Based on the prototype operation parameters, experimental studies were carried and the results were compared with the Dittus-Boelter correlation within the operation ranges. A modification factor was proposed for the conservative application of this correlation for nuclear safety analysis.

Based on the recently developed localized radial basis function collocation method (LRBFCM) and exponential time differencing (ETD) method, we derive in this paper an accurate and efficient numerical method for solving neural field models with space-dependent delays formulated as system of integro-differential equations. This combined LRBFCM-ETD method inherits the advantages of these two methods in space and time, thereby offering high accuracy and efficiency for both uniform and non-uniform discretizations, extending the applicability of the method to multi-dimensions easily, and maintaining a good behaviour in a large time-step and long-time integration. Some numerical experiments are presented and numerical results show that the obtained simulations via the LRBFCM-ETD method are reliable and effective for approximating the solution of models investigated in the current paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single crystals of BaTiO3exhibit small switching fields and energies, but thin-film performance is considerably worse, thus precluding their use in next-generation devices. Here, we demonstrate high-quality BaTiO3thin films with nearly bulk-like properties. Thickness scaling provides access to the coercive voltages (<100 mV) and fields (<10 kV cm−1) required for future applications and results in a switching energy of <2 J cm−3(corresponding to <2 aJ per bit in a 10 × 10 × 10 nm3device). While reduction in film thickness reduces coercive voltage, it does so at the expense of remanent polarization. Depolarization fields impact polar state stability in thicker films but fortunately suppress the coercive field, thus driving a deviation from Janovec–Kay–Dunn scaling and enabling a constant coercive field for films <150 nm in thickness. Switching studies reveal fast speeds (switching times of ~2 ns for 25-nm-thick films with 5-µm-diameter capacitors) and a pathway to subnanosecond switching. Finally, integration of BaTiO3thin films onto silicon substrates is shown. We also discuss what remains to be demonstrated to enable the use of these materials for next-generation devices.

The femtosecond lasers were used to cut an ultra-sharp V-notch with a tip radius less than 0.5 μm on 3Y-TZP and Si3N4ceramic samples. The KIcwere measured accurately with the improved single-edge V-notched beam (SEVNB) method. The test results show that the true KIcof the 3Y-TZP is lower than that of the Si3N4ceramic. However, the KIcmeasured by SENB method and the bending strength show that the mechanical property of 3Y-TZP is better than that of Si3N4in the application without crack source.

The problems of stability and controllability of the finite deformation are investigated for a pre-stressed hyperelastic cylindrical tube subjected to the axial compression. The tube is assumed to be composed of an incompressible neo-Hookean material. Based on the theory of small deformation superposed on large elastic deformation, the mathematical model is formulated by a system of incremental equilibrium equations and incremental boundary conditions. Moreover, the general solutions describing the finite deformation of the tube are obtained by the form of Bessel functions. Finally, the system of nonlinear equations governing the stability of the tube are given, the criteria of the stability discussed in terms of the corresponding numerical simulations.

Different types of chromosomal changes may occur in cells infected with human T cell lymphotrophic virus (HTLV) or HIV. HTLV and HIV are both retroviruses, and they both infect T cells. A chromosomal study was done of cells infected with HTLV-I, HTLV-II, HIV-1 and HIV-2. Cells infected with HTLV had multiple types of chromosomal changes. A high incidence of abnormalities occurred in a specific region of chromosome 6. Cells infected with HTLV-2 had abnormalities that affected chromosomes 20 and 21. In the cells infected with HIV-1, chromosomal abnormalities occurred most often in chromosome 17. A high incidence of chromosomal changes also occurred in chromosomes 3 and 21 in the cells infected with HIV-1. Cells infected with HIV-2 did not have any unique chromosomal changes.

This case study seeks to make evident the imperative of better stakeholder management for contemporary competition by examining the evolving corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a world leading sports entertainment firm, over its 29-year history. Specifically, this case study illuminates that while CSR is becoming increasingly understood as indispensable for a firm’s overall strategy, corporate strategists need to design and implement CSR with dual vigilance that, (1) stakeholders’ expectations on CSR would heighten over time and (2) internal stakeholders’ needs, though often trivialized in many CSR strategies, need authentic accommodations that move beyond lip service. In addition to unpacking the issues of CSR (and) authenticity for the UFC’s stakeholder management, this case study also draws on insights gleaned from mainstream stakeholder management and CSR research and provides evidence-based analysis and recommendations for enhancing firms’ CSR strategies.

‘UI Bronze Jade’ (Reg. no. CV‐1160, PI 691501) hard white winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) was developed and released by the Idaho Agricultural Experimental Station in 2019. It was developed from the cross ‘UI Silver’(PI 658467)/IDO660 using a modified bulk breeding method and selected in F4:6yield plots. UI Bronze Jade was tested as the experimental number A0709W‐44 from 2014 to 2017 and as IDO1706 in 2018 and 2019. Compared with the known high‐quality hard white check cultivar UI Silver in Idaho and in the Pacific Northwest, UI Bronze Jade had significantly higher grain yield, shorter plant height, and better resistance to stripe rust. UI Bronze Jade is adapted to irrigated and dryland production environments in southeastern Idaho and in rainfed environments in northern Idaho.

Complex builds make wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) difficult to control the uniformity of deposit shapes and sizes. Here we develop, test and combine a three-dimensional heat transfer and fluid flow model of WAAM with corresponding experiments to get the control points location to form ideal deposit shape and size in the circle route and triangle route. The heat and fluid flow model of complex build is established by considering the circle route and triangle route in the top surface boundary conditions. The deposit progress, deposit shape and thermal cycles of circle route and triangle route are calculated for various arc powers, travel speed and wire feed rate. The results agree well with the corresponding experimental results. The well tested model provides a calculation method to find the control points during the complex build additive manufacturing. Combining with simulation results, the control points of the circle route and triangle route are obtained to improve the uniformity of deposit. The control points for circle route are set within 0.4 mm from the positions where the tangent is horizontal or vertical. The control points for triangle route are set within 0.2 mm from the inner corner.

Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) is a debilitating disease characterized by generalized pruritis and hives for more than 6 weeks. CSU is associated with significant impact on quality of life. Current treatment of CSU includes maximizing second generation anti-histamines as well as immunomodulatory agents such as omalizumab, glucocorticosteroids, cyclosporine, dapsone, hydroxychloroquine, and colchicine.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare but life-threatening condition. Overall, outcomes have improved significantly due to the availability of on-demand and long-term prophylactic treatment. However, starting prophylaxis is a management option for which the decision requires individualized decision-making between the patient and physician. One area within this is determining whether to start prophylaxis on patients with diagnosed HAE but without symptoms.

The ultra-sharp V-notch with tip radius smaller than 0.5 μm was cut by femtosecond laser on the fine-grained alumina ceramic bars to measure the fracture toughness by single-edge V-notched beam (SEVNB) method. In order to relieve the effect of thermal stresses induced by laser on fracture toughness testing, the samples with V-notch were annealed before measurement. The morphologies of the notch tip were analyzed by SEM and micro-Raman spectra. Results reveal that the fracture toughness value of this fine-grained alumina with thermal stresses on the V-notch is equal to that after annealing, and the effect of thermal stresses induced by laser on the fracture toughness can be ignored.

Novel ɑ-Sr2V2O7: Sm3+phosphors with color-tunable performance were prepared in this work. The crystal structure, photoluminescence properties, and potential applications were introduced. The efficiency of the energy transfer from the [VO4]3-tetrahedral to Sm3+was 22.67% at a low doping content of Sm3+(9 mol%), driven by the dipole-dipole interaction. Interestingly, the ɑ-Sr2V2O7: Sm3+phosphors emitted a full-spectrum (400–800 nm) emission, and the corresponding chromaticity coordinates were located in a near-warm light region. In the potential applications, the warm-white lighting-emitting diode (warm-WLED) based on ɑ-Sr2V2O7: 0.03Sm3+phosphor was fabricated and further exhibited high-quality performances with the beneficial color rendering index (CRI = 78.67) and low correlated color temperature (CCT = 2257 K) for indoor illumination. Moreover, the low-temperature (38–298 K) optical thermometry performance was also analyzed with the help of Struck and Fonger's theory. Remarkably, the relative sensitivity has an outstanding value of 3.12% K−1at 98 K. All the above results evidence that the full-spectrum ɑ-Sr2V2O7: Sm3+phosphors are expected to apply in full-spectrum warm-WLED devices and low-temperature luminescence lifetime thermometry.

Accumulating data show that platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil to monocyte ratio (NMR) undergo changes during inflammation in various diseases; however, the clinical features remain unclear in knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients. The purpose of our study was to evaluate PLR and NMR in knee OA patients, and assess their relationship to knee OA’s radiographic grades. A retrospective study on 132 adult knee OA patients and 162 healthy controls (HC) was performed. All clinical characteristics of the knee OA patients were obtained from their medical records. PLR and NMR were compared between knee OA patients and HC by non-parametric tests. Correlations of PLR and NMR with Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) classification (KL grade 2, KL grade 3, and KL grade 4) were also analyzed through a Spearman correlation test. Ordinal polytomous logistic regression was used to determine independent factors influencing radiographic grades of knee OA patients. PLR was increased significantly in knee OA patients, while a statistical difference in NMR was not observed. However, PLR was not relevant to KL grades, while NMR was negatively correlated with these (r = −0.330, P< 0.01) and was independently associated with KL grades of knee OA. PLR could reflect the inflammation response of knee OA. NMR emerged as an independent factor and could be used as a potential marker indicating the severity of knee OA. Bisher vorhandene Daten zeigen, dass der Thrombozyten-Lymphozyten-Quotient („platelet to lymphocyte ratio“, PLR) und der Neutrophilen-Monozyten-Quotient („neutrophil to monocyte ratio“, NMR) im Entzündungsprozess bei verschiedenen Erkrankungen Änderungen durchlaufen, dabei bleiben die klinischen Manifestationen der Gonarthose jedoch unklar. Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, PLR und NMR bei Gonarthosepatienten zu untersuchen und ihren Zusammenhang mit dem radiologischen Grad der Gonarthose zu ermitteln. Es wurde eine retrospektive Studie mit 132 erwachsenen Gonarthrosepatienten und 162 gesunden Kontrollen durchgeführt. Sämtliche klinischen Daten der Gonarthosepatienten wurden den Krankenakten entnommen. PLR und NMR wurden mittels nichtparametrischer Verfahren zwischen Patienten und Kontrollen verglichen. Die Korrelationen von PLR und NMR mit der Kellgren-Lawrence(KL)-Klassifikation (KL-Grad 2, KL-Grad 3 und KL-Grad 4) wurden auch mit einer Korrelationsanalyse nach Spearman ermittelt. Zur Erfassung unabhängiger Faktoren, die Einfluss auf den radiologischen Grad der Gonarthrose haben, wurde die ordinale polytome logistische Regression verwendet. Der PLR war signifikant bei Gonarthrosepatienten erhöht, während beim NMR kein statistischer Unterschied beobachtet wurde. Allerdings erwies sich der PLR nicht als relevant für den KL-Grad, während der NMR negativ damit korreliert (r = −0,330; p< 0,01) und unabhängig mit dem KL-Grad der Gonarthose assoziiert war. Der PLR erwies sich als Spiegel der entzündlichen Reaktion bei Gonarthrose. Der NMR stellte sich als unabhängiger Faktor heraus und könnte als potenzieller Marker für den Schweregrad der Gonarthrose Verwendung finden.

AbstractThe thermal performance of the divertor Langmuir probe conceptual design developed for the ITER divertor, which consists of a shielded probe bolted to a copper heat sink, has been predicted by the finite element analysis package ANSYS to have a high risk of damage due to poor heat transfer ability. In order to mitigate this risk, three alternative designs focusing on improving heat conduction have been proposed, and the power-handling abilities, damage risk, and interface challenges of the three designs have been compared. First simulation results indicate that a design involving casting a tungsten probe sensor into a copper heat sink could provide adequate heat-handling capacity. Elasto-plastic stress analysis will be needed to evaluate the thermal stresses at W/Cu interface in our future work. Langmuir probe prototypes will be prepared and high heat flux tests will be performed on electron beam facilities at the Southwestern Institute of Physics to verify the probe functionality once analysis has identified a suitable candidate design.

AbstractThe icing wind tunnel can simulate the air flow at a high altitude; such an air flow contains supercooled droplets moving at certain velocities. An integrated experiment method was proposed, and it included the icing test and shear stress measurements in the simulated environment of the icing wind tunnel. The error caused by the change in experimental environments was completely eliminated with this novel method. Thus, there was no discrepancy between the real-time and experimental values of shear stress between the ice and substrate. The experiments of icing and shear stress measurements are carried out by varying the following parameters: icing temperature, mean volume diameter (MVD) of droplets, and surface roughness of the substrate. The results indicate that the shear stress between the ice and the substrate increases with the decrease in temperature provided the temperature is relatively high. When the MVD value is 22 μm, the liquid water content is about 1 g/m3and surface roughness is 2 μm. Under these conditions, the shear stress reaches its maximum value at a temperature of –15°C. The shear stress is also affected by the MVD values of droplets, and the surface roughness of substrate.

IL-37, a newly found anti-inflammatory cytokine of the IL-1 family, has both extracellular and intracellular functions. Accumulating evidences indicate that it is also involved in tumor progression. However, the mechanism and its intracellular target are unclear. In this study, clinical data from 84 patients showed that loss or reduced expression of IL-37 in lung adenocarcinoma tissues was significantly associated with tumor metastasis. We further provided evidence that IL-37 inhibited effectively tumor metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we uncovered a novel mechanism by which IL-37 suppressed tumor cell migration via its intracellular mature form (amino acids 46–218). Intracellular mature form of IL-37, but not its extracellular form, markedly inhibited migration of multiple kinds of tumor cells through inhibiting Rac1 activation. Mechanistically, intracellular mature IL-37 directly bound to the CAAX motif in the C-terminal hypervariable region of Rac1, and then inhibited Rac1 membrane translocation and subsequent downstream signaling. Our research identifies intracellular mature IL-37 as a novel endogenous inhibitor of Rac1. Given the crucial roles of Rac1 in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis, intracellular mature IL-37 might serve as a potential strategy for the control of Rac1 activity and tumor progression.

Chronic inflammation is the primary cause of gastric cancer (GC). NLRP3, as an important inflammasome component, has crucial roles in initiating inflammation. However, the potential roles of NLRP3 in GC is unknown. Here, we show that NLRP3 expression is markedly upregulated in GC, which promotes NLRP3 inflammasome activation and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion in macrophages. In addition, NLRP3 binds to cyclin-D1 (CCND1) promoter and promotes its transcription in gastric epithelial cells. Consequently, NLRP3 enhances epithelial cells proliferation and GC tumorigenesis. Furthermore, we identify miR-22, which is constitutively expressed in gastric mucosa, as a suppressor of NLRP3. MiR-22 directly targets NLRP3 and attenuates its oncogenic effects in vitro and in vivo. However, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection suppresses miR-22 expression, while enhances NLRP3 expression, and that triggers uncontrolled proliferation of epithelial cells and the emergence of GC. Thus, our research describes a mechanism by which miR-22 suppresses NLRP3 and maintains homeostasis of gastric microenvironments and suggests miR-22 as a potential target for the intervention of GC.

This paper presents a design methodology of multisine signals, so that they can be used as phase references or standards convenient for modulated measurements. To achieve an extendable measurement bandwidth, the spectrum of each multisine is designed with three successive segments, where the left (lower‐frequency) and right (higher‐frequency) ending ones have the same phase spectra. In this way several multisines, one by one overlapped at the ending segments, can jointly serve as an integrated phase reference/standard signal, which, in theory, has an arbitrarily extendable bandwidth. By the example of “Schroeder” phase relationship, the proposed method is experimentally verified for wideband‐modulated measurements, where the designed multisines are used as the phase references and standards, respectively, of a Nonlinear Vector Network Analyzer test bed. In this work, a phase measurement error less than ±1° is experimentally confirmed for 1,601 t measurements with 160 MHz modulation bandwidth around 2 GHz. Phase measurement techniques are reported for modulated RF signalsA multisine design methodology is proposed to achieve easily extended bandwidthMultisine‐based phase references and standards are used by a Nonlinear Vector Network Analyzer test bench

Tripartite motif (TRIM) 31 is a member of the tripartite motif-containing protein family, and TRIM family proteins are involved in a broad range of biological and pathological processes. However, the role of TRIM31 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression is not known. Here we demonstrated that TRIM31 expression was significantly upregulated in liver cancer tissues compared with paired distal non-cancerous liver tissues from HCC patients, and its overexpression was significantly correlated with advanced disease status. Both gain and loss of function assay verified that TRIM31 promoted the malignant behaviors of HCC cells through overactivation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex1 (mTORC1) pathway. We further demonstrated that TRIM31 exerted its oncogenic effect by directly interacting with the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) 1 and TSC2 complex, the upstream suppressor of mTORC1 pathway, and promoting the E3 ligase-mediated K48-linked ubiquitination and degradation of this complex. In conclusion, this study demonstrated TRIM31 could promote HCC progression by targeting TSC1–TSC2 complex for degradation and further overactivating mTORC1 pathway. Thus, it revealed a novel molecular mechanism of HCC progression and indicated a potential therapeutic strategy against HCC by targeting TRIM31.

‘UI Sparrow’ (Reg. No. CV‐1134, PI 680612) soft white winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) was developed and released by the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station in August 2016. Soft white winter wheat is an important wheat class grown in Idaho and the rest of Pacific Northwest. Resistance to stripe rust is critical for winter and spring wheat cultivars grown in the Pacific Northwest. Resistances to dwarf bunt and snow mold are also important traits for winter wheat cultivars produced in the dryland areas of the Pacific Northwest. UI Sparrow, tested under the experimental designations IDO1108DH, is a semidwarf cultivar with strong straw, brown chaff, and long awns. It has excellent resistance to dwarf bunt, all‐stage resistance to all tested predominant races of Puccinia striiformisf. sp. triticiexcept for PSTv‐40, moderate to high levels of high‐temperature adult‐plant resistance to stripe rust, and high level resistance to snow mold. UI Sparrow was released as an alternative to ‘Eltan’, ‘Otto’, and ‘Xerpha’ in the low‐rainfall regions (<300 mm) and to ‘Bobtail’, ‘SY Ovation’, and ‘UI‐WSU Huffman’ in the intermediate‐ (300–500 mm) and high‐rainfall regions (>500 mm) of Idaho and Washington.

Cone defect in rolls may be caused by bad grinding. Cone defect leads to shape defect in unilateral waves of the finished strip. By using a six-high mill as example and by considering the features of the devices and technology, an influence model of roll with cone defect and a suitable shape control technology of a six-high mill was established to guarantee good shape. This model was then applied to a production practice of 1220 cold continuous rolling units. Quantitative analysis of different kinds of roll with cone defect and its effect on shape control shows that the additional shape caused by cone defect are unilateral waves. In conclusion, optimising the amount of tilt settings can effectively control the additional shape caused by cone defect, which provides enterprises with a useful reference for the high-precision control of shape.

The coupling effect of hierarchical microstructural features at different length scales in a laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additively manufactured (AM) Ti-6Al-4 V alloy obfuscates the relation between microstructure and mechanical properties. In this study, the contributions of specific microstructures to the strength and plasticity are clarified by controlling hierarchical microstructures via two-stage heat treatments. It is interesting to find that the tensile strength is only determined by the content of fine α’ martensites and the lath thickness, while the plasticity is influenced by the prior β grain size and lath length. A synchronous improvement of strength and plasticity can be achieved by increasing the α’ fraction and refining the prior β grains and α laths. The present findings provide guidance for optimizing the overall mechanical properties of L-PBF AM fabricated titanium components.

Controversy exists on the relationship between serum thyrotropin (TSH) and blood pressure, and only a few prospective studies are available up to now. The study aimed to investigate the association between serum TSH within the reference range and blood pressure through a 5-year follow-up study. A total of 623 subjects with normal TSH were followed up for 5 years, including the measurement of demographic data, blood pressure, height, weight and serum TSH. Finally, 531 subjects were included in this prospective study. Body mass index (BMI), prevalence of hypertension, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were all higher at follow-up than at baseline. Adjusted for age, gender, smoking status, BMI and homoeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) at baseline, multiple linear regression analyses found no relationship between serum TSH at baseline and levels of blood pressure at follow-up, but the changes in serum TSH levels during follow-up was positively associated with the changes in systolic blood pressure (B=2.134, P<0.05), which became more significant in women but not significant in men. The change of systolic blood pressure in group of TSH increase >0.5 mIU l−1was significantly higher than in group of TSH decrease >0.5 mIU l–1within reference, after adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, BMI and HOMA-IR at baseline. This result became more significant in women, but no statistical significance was observed in men. Co-variation with serum TSH levels and blood pressure was observed during 5-year follow-up among people with normal TSH.

Ras mutations and overexpression of the Ras protein, p21Ras, are main causes of cancer development and progression, which has made the Ras gene and p21Ras important targets for therapy of Ras-driven cancers. We previously prepared recombinant adenovirus KGHV100 based on replication-defective adenovirus type 5, which could intracellularly express anti-p21Ras single chain fragment viable antibodies (scFv) and repress tumor growth in vitroand in vivo. However, the anti-tumor effects of this anti-p21Ras scFv were limited by short-term scFv expression due to a replication defect of KGHV100. To enhance the anti-tumor efficacy and safety of anti-p21Ras scFv, the present study constructed a dual-promoter-regulated recombinant adenovirus KGHV300 that carried anti-p21Ras scFv. In KGHV300, the expression levels of the essential replication genes E1a and E1b, were controlled by the human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter and the hypoxia response element, respectively, and the anti-p21Ras scFv gene was controlled by the cytomegalovirus promoter. The conditional replication of KGHV300 and its antitumor efficacy were characterized in several tumor cell lines in vitroand in xenograft models of human breast cancer in nude mice. TCID50 assay demonstrated that KGHV300 could replicate in tumor cell lines but not in normal cell lines. 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay indicated that the growth of tumor cells was effectively inhibited by KGHV300 infection. In MDA-MB-231 tumor xenograft models, KGHV300 effectively and significantly inhibited tumor growth and induced apoptosis of tumor cells. We concluded that the recombinant adenovirus KGHV300 may be a more potent and safer antitumor therapeutic for Ras-driven cancer biotherapy.

It is well-known that the overall mechanical or chemical properties of the metallic material could be tailored by introducing either grain size gradient or chemical gradient. In this work, we, taking one of the widely used low cost 45 steel as a model material, demonstrated that both mechanical properties and corrosion resistance can be greatly upgraded by laser remelting a Cr film of ∼1 μm in thickness. The yield strength was increased by ∼110 MPa and the elongation was almost unchanged in contrast to the Cr-free substrate. The corrosion resistance was also enhanced with a higher self-corrosion voltage (increased by 0.1 V) and a lower self-corrosion current (decreased by 80 nA/cm2). The upgraded strength-ductility synergy derives from the laser induced rapid melting and solidification, where the top surface layer incorporates both grain size gradient and chemical gradient. Greatly refined grain size and micro-alloying of Cr in the form of both solid solution and nanoprecipitates contribute to the enhanced strength, while higher concentration of Cr resulting in the formation of passivation film, accounts for the superior corrosion resistance. The findings in this work provide a strategy for optimizing the mechanical and chemical properties through surface medications, making metallic materials multi-functional.

Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is involved in tumoral angiogenesis, hypoxia and metastases. Actually the Gal-1 expression profile in multiple myeloma (MM) patients and its pathophysiological role in MM-induced angiogenesis and tumoral growth are unknown. In this study, we found that Gal-1 expression by MM cells was upregulated in hypoxic conditions and that stable knockdown of hypoxia inducible factor-1a significantly downregulated its expression. Therefore, we performed Gal-1 inhibition using lentivirus transfection of shRNA anti-Gal-1 in human myeloma cell lines (HMCLs), and showed that its suppression modified transcriptional profiles in both hypoxic and normoxic conditions. Interestingly, Gal-1 inhibition in MM cells downregulated proangiogenic genes, including MMP9and CCL2, and upregulated the antiangiogenic ones SEMA3Aand CXCL10. Consistently, Gal-1 suppression in MM cells significantly decreased their proangiogenic properties in vitro. This was confirmed in vivo, in two different mouse models injected with HMCLs transfected with anti-Gal-1 shRNA or the control vector. Gal-1 suppression in both models significantly reduced tumor burden and microvascular density as compared with the control mice. Moreover, Gal-1 suppression induced smaller lytic lesions on X-ray in the intratibial model. Overall, our data indicate that Gal-1 is a new potential therapeutic target in MM blocking angiogenesis.

Among various kinds of materials, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are ideal candidates for targeting desired applications, as their conformations and topological structures can be precisely tuned by selection of appropriate building units and connection modes. Multifunctional COFs with integrated functions hold great promise for solving energy and environmental issues. A multifunctional COF (Por-BFBIm-COF) with dual active sites of imidazole ring and porphyrin was designed in this work. The Por-BFBIm-COF not only possessed the features of COFs such as crystallinity and porosity but also exhibited radical characteristics like high spin density (1.22E19 spin/g at 298 K). Selective ion capture, photocatalytic oxidative amine coupling, and photocatalytic α-terpinene oxidation were used as three model systems to demonstrate the capabilities of the Por-BFBIm-COF. In the presence of oxygen and visible light, the Por-BFBIm-COF exhibited very high activities in photocatalytic reactions with producing superoxide anion radical and singlet oxygen active species, respectively. The rational design of the multifunctional COF offered new insights for developing multifunctional materials in energy and environmental fields.