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Both orientational and geometrical characteristics of grains in tertiary oxide scales have been quantitatively investigated using the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique. Phase and orientation mappings demonstrate that the {001} planes of magnetite and the {0001} planes of hematite are parallel to the direction of oxide growth. Pole figures (PFs) as scattering plots clearly display the direct correlation between the orientations and microstructure sites of magnetite grains. Magnetite grains develop a strong rotated cube texture component that shifts to the {100}< 210 > component, whereas those with the grain size of 1–5 μm develop the {001}< 100 > cube texture component. The refined magnetite grains surrounding the abnormal ones can be a combined process, including magnetite pro-eutectoid during hot rolling and cooling and re-oxidation during air-cooling. Our findings offer insights toward further understanding of the link between the geometrical and orientation parameters of grains with respect to the deformation behaviour of oxide scales formed at elevated temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characters of grain boundaries in oxide layers formed on substrates influence adhesion and friction behaviour, surface fracture and wear during high temperature steel processing. In this work, an electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis was conducted to investigate the role of surface grain boundary and orientation in magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 )/haematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) scale during hot rolling, and further evaluate their effects on tribological properties of water-based nanoparticles lubrication. The results demonstrate that Fe 3 O 4 (100) plane is strongly sensitive to the surface characteristics as the minimisation of surface energy. Coincident site lattice (CSL) boundaries in microstructure is in presence of Σ3 in the Fe 3 O 4 and Σ13b in the Fe 2 O 3 of the substrates subjected to a thickness reduction of 28% and cooling rate of 28 °C/s. This is due in great part to the changes in crystal slip systems. These low-Σ CSL boundaries in oxide scale offer obstacles to the propagation of cracks, where some of nanoparticles collected would be trapped at the interface and thereby may cause high wear rates. A lubrication mechanism is proposed to explain the grain boundary effect on nanoparticles lubrication, and further to determine the dependence of frictional behaviour on surface energy, crystallographic preferred orientation (microtexture) and crystal structure. These results provide an intriguing new insight into the application of water-based lubricant with graphite nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis has been presented to investigate the microstructure and microtexture evolutions of deformed oxide scale formed on a microalloyed steel during hot rolling and accelerated cooling. Magnetite and wustite in oxide layers share a strong {0 0 1} and a weak {1 1 0} fibres texture parallel to the oxide growth. Trigonal hematite develops the {0 0 0 1} basal fibre parallel to the crystallographic plane {1 1 1} in magnetite. Taylor factor estimates have been conducted to elucidate the microtexture evolution. The fine-grained magnetite seam adjacent to the substrate is governed by stress relief and ions vacancy diffusion mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3D elastic-plastic finite element method (FEM) model of cold strip rolling for 6-high continuous variable crown (CVC) control rolling mill was developed. This model considers the boundary conditions such as accurate CVC curves, total rolling forces, total bending forces and roll shifting values. The rolling force distributions were obtained by the internal iteration processes instead of being treated as model boundary conditions. The calculated error has been significantly reduced by the developed model. Based on the rolling schedule data from a 1,850-mm CVC cold rolling mill, the absolute error between the simulated results and the actual values is obtained to be less than 10 μm and relative error is less than 1 %. The simulated results are in good agreement with the measured data. The developed model is significant in investigating the flatness control capability of the 6-high CVC cold rolling mill in terms of work roll bending forces, intermediate roll bending forces and intermediate roll shifting values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The oxidation behaviour of the Nb–V–Ti microalloyed steel is investigated. [•] The coarse-grained steel substrate has detrimental effect on adhesion properties. [•] High magnetite content is attributed to grain-boundary oxidation above 570°C. [•] Grain refinement mechanism is proposed to generate the tight oxide scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high incidence rate, complexity, and intractability of central nervous system (CNS) diseases drive significant interest in understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in the immune response. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the key biological fluid for the study of CNS diseases. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomics investigations benefit from the advantages of high sensitivity, high selectivity, and structural identification, and show the satisfactory capacity in CSF metabolome exploration. This work comprehensively summarized sample preparation and MS techniques for identifying CSF metabolomics, focusing on potential quantification methods. For application purposes, we emphasized the investigation based on CSF metabolomics in neurological disease mechanisms, biomarkers discovery, and drug development. Existing challenges and perspectives are proposed, like integration and sharing of CSF metabolite database, standardization of MS detection protocols and data mutual recognition, and data mining of multi-omics data. This work provides a multidisciplinary information about analytical chemistry, medical science and nanomaterials. • Discuss sampling and sample processes for CSF metabolomics. • Review MS and quantification methods. • Investigate the application of CSF metabolomics in neurological disease mechanisms, biomarkers, and drug discovery. • Propose existing challenges and perspectives of CSF metabolite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study intends to systematically study the influence rule and mechanism of low temperature cathode assisted plasma nitriding (LTCPN) on the corrosion and wear properties of 300M steel. The research results were as follows: LTCPN technology effectively improved the nitride efficiency by accelerating the ionization rate of the working medium and the activity of nitrogen ions, so that the 300M steel could obtain the nitrided layer of 4 μm, 10 μm, 60 μm, 170 μm and 210 μm at 250 °C, 300 °C, 350 °C, 400 °C and 450 °C. LTCPN technology effectively improved the corrosion resistance of samples at 250 °C ~ 450 °C. Among them, more excellent corrosion resistance could be produced on the sample surface by LTCPN-treated at 350 °C, which attributed to introducing more ε-Fe 3 N phases, higher residual compressive stress, and lower surface roughness. In addition, LTCPN technology also reduced the wear damage of 300M steel at different temperatures. LTCPN-treated sample at 300 °C achieved the best wear resistance due to the introduction of the higher hardness and surface compressive residual stress (CRS), deeper nitride layer, and lower surface roughness on the sample surface. The above results showed that LTCPN treatment had a great application prospect in synchronously improving the wear and corrosion behavior of martensitic ultra-high strength steel. • LTCPN treatment effectively improved the nitride efficiency. • LTCPN treatment markedly improved the corrosion and wear resistance of 300M steel. • The introduction of nitride phases and CRS played a key role on the corrosion resistance. • High hardness and CRS, and low roughness were important to improve wear resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Study of roof cutting parameters for soft-rock coal pillar mining roadway. • A similar rock bolt-mesh-cable-strip-shotcrete roadway is built as a simulation model. • The protection mechanism of roof-cutting to the front roadways are studied. • The stability of mining roadway can also be improved without adding support members. In the confinement of traditional supports, reinforced supports are often used to control the deformation of roadways constructed in soft rock. Due to the failure to weaken the factors that induce deformation at the source, the roadway remains damaged after the restoration period. To this end, taking inspiration from roof cutting and pressure relief concepts, the protection mechanism of stress transfer in mining roadways constructed in soft rock of longwall remaining coal pillars was studied in the context of a typical coal mine. Unlike the technical scheme of gob-side entry retaining, no components are added in this study. The roof cutting and coal mining progress are consistent to ensure the integrity of the roadway in front of the longwall coal mining face (LCMF). The effect of the roof-cutting parameter on the roadway is studied via numerical simulations, and the optimal parameters are subsequently applied to similar material simulation experiments. It was found that roof cutting relieved the mechanical connection between the gob roof and the roadway roof, and the high-stress area was transferred from the roadway roof to the front of the LCMF. Roof cutting diminished the abutment stress in the surrounding rock in the area of intense dynamic pressure in front of the LCMF (average reduction of 12.57 %), which effectively improved the stability of the roadway. The roof cutting impaired the traction effect of the roadway roof deformation behind the LCMF on the strata ahead and effectively reduced the roadway deformation (27.3 % reduction) and coal pillar deformation (15.7 % reduction). On-site practice has demonstrated the effectiveness of this research, and the results of this research provide a new idea for preventing the destruction of roadways constructed in soft rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we developed an enhanced heterogeneous interface intelligent conductive hydrogel NH 3 sensor for individualized treatment of infected wounds. The sensor achieved monitoring, self-diagnosis, and adaptive gear adjustment functions. The PPY@PDA/PANI(3/6) sensor had a minimum NH 3 detection concentration of 50 ppb and a response value of 2.94 %. It also had a theoretical detection limit of 49 ppt for infected wound gas. The sensor exhibited a fast response time of 23.2 s and a recovery time of 42.9 s. Tobramycin (TOB) was encapsulated in a self-healing QCS/OD hydrogel formed by quaternized chitosan (QCS) and oxidized dextran (OD), followed by the addition of polydopamine-coated polypyrrole nanowires (PPY@PDA) and polyaniline (PANI) to prepare electrically conductive drug-loaded PPY@PDA/PANI hydrogels. The drug-loaded PPY@PDA/PANI hydrogel was combined with a PANI/PVDF membrane to form an enhanced heterogeneous interfacial PPY@PDA/PANI/PVDF-based sensor, which could adaptively learn the individual wound ammonia response and adjust the speed of drug release from the PPY@PDA/PANI hydrogel with electrical stimulation. Drug release and animal studies demonstrated the efficacy of the PPY@PDA/PANI hydrogel in inhibiting infection and accelerating wound healing. In conclusion, the gas-sensitive conductive hydrogel sensing system is expected to enable intelligent drug delivery and provide personalized treatment for complex wound management. • The detection limit of the sensor is 50 ppb at room temperature, and the theoretical detection limit of infected wound gas is 49 ppt. • Enhanced heterogeneous interface for constructing highly responsive ammonia sensors. • Development of an electrically stimulated drug release model for the PPY@PDA/PANI hydrogels. • A "smart" conductive drug hydrogel gas sensor for monitoring, self-diagnosis, and adaptive gearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature low cycle fatigue tests at various strain amplitudes (±0.5%, ±0.6%, ±0.8%, ±1.0%) and strain rates (0.5%/s, 0.05%/s, 0.005%/s) were performed at 550 °C. The stress decomposition method and microstructure characterization were used to analyze cyclic hardening and softening behavior. Results showed that increased back stress and the combined action of back and friction stresses were responsible for the pronounced cyclic hardening at the early and late stages of initial hardening, respectively. The decrease in friction stress resulted in cyclic softening until final fracture. Moreover, the evolution behavior of dynamic strain aging (DSA) activity was discussed, which showed a clear dependence on loading cycles and directions. Specifically, the DSA activity was firstly attenuated and then gradually intensified from the late stage of cyclic hardening, and it was stronger in the compressive plastic deformation regime of hysteresis loops than in the tension part. • The increase in intergranular back stress and friction stress causes cyclic hardening. •The decrease in friction stress contributes to the cyclic stress softening. •The DSA activity attenuates firstly and then gets enhanced during cyclic loading. •The DSA activity under compression loading is stronger than that under tension part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper/aluminum (Cu/Al) composites with multifunctional applications have been extensively applied in a variety of fields. Nevertheless, the formability of Cu/Al composite strips during micro flexible rolling (MFR) has not been fully investigated in the sub-millimetre range. In the present work, the microstructure, mechanical properties and formability of Cu/Al composite strips during MFR were studied. The microstructure of the annealed and rolled specimens were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and the thickness of Cu/Al composite strips with varying thickness (CSVT) was measured by laser scanning microscope. The results show that Cu/Al composite strips annealed at 400 °C exhibit the best ductility, and the CSVT with the best forming quality is obtained when the Cu layer is contact with the upper work roll. In addition, the microstructural evolution in the downward transition zone, thinner zone, upward transition zone and thicker zone with different reduction was discussed. When the plastic strain continues to increase from thicker zone to thinner zone, the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) layer generated during annealing breaks up, and subdivision and further refinement of Al grains occurs during MFR. • Optimized annealing and rolling processes improve the forming quality of Cu/Al CSVTs. • The downward rolling process is more stable and adjustable than the upward rolling process. • The reduction greatly affects fragmentation of IMCs layer and microstructure of the matrixes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma is the most common type of brain tumor and is associated with a high mortality rate. Despite recent advances in treatment options, the overall prognosis in patients with glioma remains poor. Studies have suggested that circular (circ)RNAs serve important roles in the development and progression of glioma and may have potential as therapeutic targets. However, the expression profiles of circRNAs and their functions in glioma have rarely been studied. The present study aimed to screen differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs) between glioma and normal brain tissues using sequencing data collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE86202 and GSE92322 datasets) and explain their mechanisms based on the competing endogenous (ce)RNA regulatory hypothesis. In total, 424 commonly downregulated DECs (with the Gene_symbol annotated in the circBase database) in these two datasets were identified. Using the CircInteractome and Starbase databases, 18 micro (mi)RNAs (miRs) were predicted to interact with DECs, while 22 glioma-related genes obtained from the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database were predicted to be regulated by 15 miRNAs via the miRwalk 2.0 database. A ceRNA network was established based on 115 DECs, 15 miRNAs and 22 mRNAs. LinkedOmics online analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data showed that hsa-miR-142-3p/hsa-miR-590-5p and their target gene adenomatous polyposis coli protein (APC) were all significantly associated with overall survival rate and their prognosis trend was opposite, revealing that high expression levels of hsa-miR-142-3p/hsa-miR-590-5 were associated with a poor overall survival rate, while high APC expression with a good overall survival rate. UALCAN analysis using TCGA data of glioblastoma multiforme and the GSE25632 and GSE103229 microarray datasets showed that hsa-miR-142-3p/hsa-miR-590-5p was upregulated and APC was downregulated. Thus, hsa-miR-142-3p/hsa-miR-590-5p-APC-related circ/ceRNA axes may be important in glioma, and hsa_circ_0005114 interacted with both of these miRNAs. Functional analysis showed that hsa_circ_0005114 was involved in insulin secretion, while APC was associated with the Wnt signaling pathway. In conclusion, hsa_circ_0005114-miR-142-3p/miR-590-5p-APC ceRNA axes may be potential targets for the treatment of glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AGS is formed successfully in pilot-scale by coupling of Fe-C microelectrolysis and SBR. • By-products generated in the Fe-C process promoted the granulation and stability of AGS. • Organic removal rate reached 2588.8 gCOD/m3d in two AGS SBRs. • Nutrient removal rate reached 62.6 gTN/m3d in two AGS SBRs. • A novel coupling synergy system is advantageous to AGS forming and reduce by-products. A novel pilot-scale system based on aerobic granular sludge (AGS) as a biological treatment step was proposed to treat refractory wastewater from a membrane manufacturer. The components of the system included a microelectrolysis Fe-C filter, a hydrolysis acidification bioreactor (HA), sequence batch reactor 1 (AGS SBR1), sequence batch reactor 2 (AGS SBR2), and a membrane bioreactor (MBR). The Fe-C filter effectively improved the biodegradability of the wastewater components and introduced some byproducts (such as Fe2+, Fe3+, and Fe minerals) that are beneficial for the cultivation and stability of the AGS. Ideal conditions for aerobic granulation were maintained in the SBR, such as alternating feast and famine conditions. A selection pressure, including a hydraulic shear force and settling time, was also created therein. The results showed that the AGS was formed successfully in both SBR1 and SBR2, the sludge volume index after 30 min (SVI 30) and mean particle size reached 34.2 mL/g and 720 µm, and 36.7 mL/g and 610 µm, respectively, and a satisfactory nutrient removal capacity was achieved in the system. During the entire experimental period, the microbial community changed significantly; enrichment of microbes with the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), granule stabilization functions in the AGS, and the differentiation of microbes corresponding to the function of each unit were observed. The use of Fe-C, application of SBRs, and use of dewatered sludge as an inoculant played key roles in the cultivation and stability of the AGS. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an efficient and regioselective Rh(III)‐catalyzed [4+2] annulation/lactonization cascade of indoles with 4‐hydroxy‐2‐alkynoates at room temperature to access the furo[3′,4′:4,5]pyrimido[1,6‐a]indole‐1,5(3H,4H)‐diones is described. This method features mild reaction conditions, operational simplicity, excellent regioselectivity, broad substrate scope with good functional group tolerance, and good to excellent yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled trial.Objective: To compare robot-assisted and conventional implantation techniques by evaluating the accuracy and safety of implanting screws in cervical vertebrae.Summary Of Background Data: Cervical spinal surgery is difficult and dangerous as screw misplacement might lead not only to decreased stability but also neurological, vascular, and visceral injuries. A new robot-assisted surgical procedure has been introduced to improve the accuracy of implant screw positioning.Methods: We randomly assigned 135 patients with newly diagnosed cervical spinal disease and who required screw fixation using either robot-assisted or conventional fluoroscopy-assisted cervical spinal surgery. The primary outcomes were the discrepancies between the planned trajectories and the actual screw positions.Results: Altogether, 127 patients underwent the assigned intervention (61 robot-assisted and 66 conventional fluoroscopy-assisted). The baseline characteristics including the screw types, were similar in the two groups. Altogether, 390 screws were planed and placed in the cervical vertebrae, and 94.9% were acceptable. The robot-assisted group had a better screw placement accuracy than the conventional fluoroscopy-assisted group with associated P values <0.001 (0.83 [0.44, 1.29] vs. 1.79 [1.41, 2.50] mm). The Gertzbein and Robbins scales also showed a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the robot-assisted group experienced significantly less blood loss during surgery than the conventional fluoroscopy-assisted group (200 [50, 375] vs. 350 [100, 500] mL; P = 0.002) and shorter length of stay after surgery (P = 0.021). These two groups did not differ significantly regarding the duration of the operation (P = 0.525). Neurological injury occurred in one case in the conventional fluoroscopy-assisted group.Conclusion: The accuracy and clinical outcomes of cervical spinal surgery using the robot-assisted technique tended to be superior to those with the conventional fluoroscopy-assisted technique in this prospective, randomized, controlled trial.Level Of Evidence: 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world, but their shoot buds develop very slowly. Information about the sugar storage and metabolism during the shoot growth is lacking. In the present study, we determined the activity of sucrose and starch metabolizing enzymes during the developmental period of Fargesia yunnanensis from shoot buds to the young culms that have achieved their full height. The soluble sugars and starch contents were also determined and analyzed in shoot buds and shoots at different developmental stages. The results showed that there were higher sucrose contents in shoot buds than shoots, which coincides with the sweeter taste of shoot buds. As the shoot buds sprouted out of the ground, the starch and sucrose were depleted sharply. Coupled with this, the activity of soluble acid invertase (SAI), cell wall‐bound invertase (CWI), sucrose synthase at cleavage direction (SUSYC) and starch phosphorylase (STP) increased significantly in the rapidly elongating internodes. These enzymes dominated the rapid elongation of internodes. The activities of SAI, CWI, SUSYC and STP and adenosine diphosphate‐glucose pyrophosphorylase were higher as compared to other enzymes in the shoot buds, but were far lower than those in the developing shoots. The slow growth of shoot buds was correlated with the low activity of these enzymes. These results complement our understanding of the physiological differences between shoot buds and elongating shoots and ascertain the physiological mechanism for the rapid growth of bamboo shoots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Graphene encapsulated SiC nanoparticles were incorporated into aluminium matrix composite (AMC) and its tribological behaviour was investigated under dry sliding wear. SEM, 3D-laser, TEM and Raman microscopies were employed to characterise the composite. It was found that the wear rate and coefficient of friction of the composite were 98.0% and 35.9% lower than that of the reference sample reinforced with solely SiC nanoparticles respectively. The improved tribological properties are probably attributed to the uniform distribution of graphene nanosheets in the bulk composite which smeared on the wear scar and formed graphene-rich micro tribofilms during the sliding wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,3‐unsubstituted 2‐(1H‐indol‐2‐yl)ethanamines were employed for the first time to react with alkynoic acids (AAs) to achieve gold‐catalyzed highly selective cascade reactions to furnish novel indole‐fused skeletons. Furthermore, with this powerful gold catalytic system, a library of indole/pyrrole/thiophene/benzene/naphthalene/pyridine‐based nitrogen‐containing heterocyclic compounds (NCHCs) with scaffold diversity and molecular complexity was constructed rapidly using various amine nucleophiles (ANs) and diverse AAs as the building blocks. This general protocol features excellent selectivity, extraordinarily broad substrate scope, readily available inputs, good to high yields, high bond‐forming efficiency, and step economy, thus providing a facile and efficient access to a variety of valuable nitrogen‐containing heterocycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract SiC-graphene nanosheets (GNSs) core-shell nanoparticles were incorporated into alumina matrix composites. The composites showed refined grain sizes, increased toughness and hardness. Ball-on-disk wear tests were conducted and the results demonstrated that the coefficient of friction was reduced by 29.4%, and the wear rate was reduced by 90.1% for the composite containing 5 vol % SiC and 1 vol % GNSs at 90 N in comparison to monolithic alumina. These results are superior to Al 2 O 3 -graphene composites documented in the literature. The microstructure and topography of the wear scars were examined to understand the wear behaviour. GNSs-rich tribofilms were observed on the wear scar. The contributing mechanism of the self-lubricating and wear-resistance performance was explored. Highlights • The composites showed excellent wear-resistant and self-lubricating performance. • The reduction effect of the nanofiller on friction tends to be more significant under higher loads. • The enhancement is attributed to the improved microstructure, mechanical properties and GNSs-rich tribofilms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aluminum-graphene nanosheets (GNSs) composite was fabricated and subjected to dry sliding wear tests. A protective and lubricious tribolayer was formed between the sliding interfaces. SEM, TEM and Raman microscopies were used to characterize the cross section and top surface of the tribolayer, for the purpose of understanding the effect of GNSs on the microstructure of the tribolayer and induced tribological performance. It was found that the incorporation of 1 vol% GNSs reduced the wear and friction by 85.0% and 39.1% respectively. GNSs strengthen the formation of the protective tribolayer by wrapping sliding surface debris particles and bridging subsurface cracks. Raman mapping results indicate that the GNSs-rich tribofilms are smeared on the wear scar along the sliding direction. GNSs are self-lubricating for their ease of interlayer sliding and formation of rollers during sliding wear, which enable the reduction in friction. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • The incorporation of graphene in the aluminum composite contributed to reduction in wear and friction. • The dispersion of graphene in the tribolayer and the interfaces was observed. • Graphene strengthens the formation of a protective tribolayer by wrapping and bridging mechanisms. • Graphene-rich tribofilms are smeared on the wear scar along the sliding direction and suppress the friction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Stir tools with different pin eccentricities were applied to the friction stir processing of Al-5052 alloy. Results show that pin eccentricity enhances material flow and refines grains of stir zone. The stir zone produced by a stir tool with 0.4 mm pin eccentricity performs the highest hardness and yield strength, attributing to the enhanced grain-boundary strengthening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wet ball milling route was used to synthesise SiC-graphene core-shell nanoparticles in situ from graphite and SiC nanoparticles. Graphite flakes were gradually exfoliated into fresh graphene nanosheets (GNSs) without significant defects, which is attributed to mechanical shearing and moderate impaction forces between graphite flakes, milling balls and SiC nanoparticles during the wet milling. The non-destructive exfoliation is characterised by Raman, Fourier transform infrared and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopies. The freshly produced GNSs are energetically unstable and thin enough to be flexible and this drives the in situ attaching and scrolling of GNSs on the SiC nanoparticles. The SiC nanoparticles and GNSs are well dispersed in the wet medium and the SiC nanoparticles are individually wrapped. It has been estimated that > 50% of the produced GNSs are wrapped around the SiC nanoparticles and these GNSs are generally ≤ 6 layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a self-piercing riveting (SPR) method which uses a flange pipe rivet. This joining technology can solve the problems of oblique rivet and incorrect rivet position which are usually found in the SPR with a pipe rivet. The lap shear strength of the joint with a flange pipe rivet is higher than that of a joint with a conventional rivet. In this research, a flange pipe rivet was placed between two sheets with a force applied to the top sheet by a punch riveting machine. The flange pipe rivet moved downward along with the top sheet to induce appropriate bending and form a mechanical interlock in both sheets. Finite element (FE) analysis of the SPR with a flange pipe rivet was done by DEFORM software. The simulated joint cross-section shapes were observed, and the influence of the flange pipe rivet parameters on joint quality was analyzed. Simultaneously, some riveting experiments on joining aluminum sheets were conducted taking into consideration different rivet heights and chamfer angles. The results show that the joining surface is smooth and the simulated joint cross-section shapes are in good agreement with the experimental results. The joining property with a chamfer angle of 45° and a rivet height of 5 mm is found to be the best in joining the Al6063 aluminum alloy sheets with a thickness of 2.4 mm by using the SPR with a flange pipe rivet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, wear and friction behaviour of high-speed steel (HSS) and indefinite chill (IC) material for rolling a ferritic stainless steel were investigated on a tribometer. A disk specimen of the ferritic stainless steel-B445J1M was pre-oxidised at 1100 °C for 30 min, and then rotated against a pin at 500 °C for 30 min. The pin was made of HSS or IC material. It was found that the friction coefficient of the IC was lower than that of the HSS, but the mass loss of the HSS pin was less than that of the IC pin. The oxide scale of the disk was more easily worn out and attached on the HSS pin than that of the IC pin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The discrepancy of mechanical properties between ti and al layers evidences the slip bands with 45° to tensile direction in Al grains. • Morphology and/or crystallographic orientation changes in al grains of composite achieve a compatible deformation. • Heterogeneous deformation induced stress concentration facilitates the initiation of micro-crack and sequential failure at the interfacial zone. Laminated/bimetal composites can offer the advantage of combining constituent metals, but their heterogeneous microstructures exhibit different mechanical properties during subsequent remanufacturing process than those of the homogeneous counterparts. This study investigated the tensile properties, microstructural evolution and deformation behaviours of a new explosive welded TA1/5083 composite sheet using the in-situ characterisation. It is found that a wavy transition zone forms in the composite sheet, showing gradients in the element diffusion and micro-hardness adjacent to the interface. The slip bands with the tensile direction of 45° primarily occur in the 5083 side (rather than the TA1 side) with an increase in deformation. Although the dislocation density of the grains in the 5083 layer increases significantly, these grains are slightly elongated along the tensile direction without a significant orientation change. Three deformation stages and a subsequent crack initiation stage appear during the in-situ tensile process. The initiation of micro-cracks in the interfacial zone results from the internal stress concentration occurring at the bottom of interfacial wave structure. Once initial micro-cracks evolve into the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) of the interfacial zone, the high magnitude of stress concentrations of the TA1 and 5083 layers leads to necking and sequential fractures. This study can provide a reference for the design of high-quality Ti/Al composite components for industry. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of cermet-modified layers on the surface of titanium alloys using lasers is an effective method to improve their wear resistance. In this study, a typical Ti–TiN composite cermet layer was prepared in situ on the surface of a titanium alloy by laser melting under a N 2 atmosphere. The microstructure and wear behavior were characterized. The rapid cooling of the laser and the difference in the physical and chemical properties of the ceramics and metals led to the appearance of stacking faults in the TiN ceramic phase, dislocation cells in the Ti phase, and semi-coherent interfaces with stacking fault groups as transition structures. Friction test analysis shows that the formation of the Ti–TiN cermet layer significantly improves the surface wear resistance of the titanium alloy. In particular, the wear resistance is improved by approximately one order of magnitude at 500 °C. The accumulative strengthening and stable strain hardening were formed by the deformation dislocation network in the TiN phase, polycrystalline transformation and dislocation interaction in the Ti phase. These microstructural transformations improve the wear resistance of the cermet layer. The amorphous-crystalline nanocomposite friction glaze layer formed in the wear scar at high temperatures further improves the wear scar strength, and the uniform plastic deformation during friction shear inhibits wear and balances the force distribution on both the phases during the friction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The breakaway oxidation behaviour of ferritic stainless steels 430, 443 and 445 has been investigated at 1150 °C in humid air. The oxidation kinetics exhibited significant differences among the three ferritic stainless steels. A uniform and steady growing oxide scale was developed on the 430 steel with an even steel/oxide interface. Local breakdown of the initially protective oxide scale occurred and oxide nodules were developed on the 443 and 445 stainless steels, resulting in irregular and rough steel/oxide interfaces. The breakaway oxidation behaviour was significantly influenced by the microstructure and the composition of the oxide scale. The Mn-Cr spinel oxide formed on top of the Cr 2 O 3 scale in Mo alloying 445 steel can greatly minimise the Cr depletion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effect of transverse thickness difference and width-to-thickness ratio on the critical unstable shape of cold-rolled strip is studied computationally and experimentally. Firstly, the influence model under actual working conditions is developed by referring to the basic relationship between transverse thickness difference and shape under ideal conditions. After that, the combined influence of transverse thickness difference and width-to-thickness ratio on the critical unstable shape is analyzed based on the elastic sheet stability model. Experimental validations demonstrate that during the production of ultrathin strip steel with different width-to-thickness ratios, the loading roller shapes should be fine adjusted according to the transverse thickness difference of input strips. Therefore, the variation of transverse thickness difference of output strips can meet the requirement of shape stability, so as to obtain fine shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the isothermal oxidation of the indefinite chill (IC) roll is investigated by using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) from 550 to 700 °C under dry and humid atmospheres. It is found that the oxidation kinetics follow a linear trend and the oxide scale consists of two layers after the oxidation in dry air but three layers in humid air above 600 °C. In dry air, the graphite is covered by the oxide scale above 650 °C. The water vapor accelerates the oxidation of the matrix and the graphite. The graphite is covered by the extension of the oxide scale above 600 °C in humid air. The as-treated samples are examined with SEM and XRD, while the kinetics is based on TGA results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2 mm thick Al-7B04 alloy sheets under T6, T4 and O tempers were subjected to friction stir processing (FSP). The microstructure, Vickers hardness and tensile properties of the stir zone were characterized. The results show that the initial base metal temper has a significant impact on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the stir zone. FSP led to the formation of full recrystallized microstructure, the average grain size in the stir zone ranged from 2.1 to 2.2 μm when the base metal tempers were T6 and T4. On account of the relatively strong pin force of the precipitates, the grains in the stir zone became finer when O temper base metal was applied. Besides, the stir zones produced using the base metal under T6 and T4 tempers were softened, while a significant strengthening was observed when the base metal temper was O. The softening in the stir zone for T6 and T4 temper is attributed to the dissolution of fine strengthening precipitates during FSP, and the strengthening for O temper arises from the grain refinement caused by FSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samples with one through three passes with 100% overlap were created using friction stir processing (FSP) in order to locally modify the microstructure and mechanical properties of a cold-rolled Al-5083 alloy. A constant traverse speed and two different rotational speeds were used for processing. The results indicated that single-pass FSP caused dynamic recrystallization in the stir zone, leading to equiaxed grains with high angle grain boundaries. The grain size increased with increasing the rotational speed. The product of ultimate tensile strength and total elongation of the stir zone was significantly enhanced compared with that of the base metal. During the annealing heat treatment, abnormal grain growth (AGG) occurred throughout the stir zone when a low rotational speed was adopted. The stir zone produced with a high rotational speed was found to be more resistant to AGG. The application of multiple process passes did not change the grain size and mechanical properties of the stir zone significantly. The expanding of AGG in the stir zone was inhibited as the number of passes was increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ni 53 Mn 23.5 Ga 23.5 ribbon was fabricated by a process of melt-spinning. The structure and magnetic properties of the as-spun and annealed ribbons were investigated. The magnetoresistance (MR) was evaluated at the magnetic field up to 30 kOe. A switch-like (negative and positive) MR (about 2%) obtained at a martensitic transformation (MT). Due to the lattice instability and magnetocrystalline anisotropy, the highly textured Ni 53 Mn 23.5 Ga 23.5 melt spun ribbons may be broadly applied in magnetic memory applications, also as a temperature and the magnetic sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the value of texture analysis of ADC in predicting the survival of patients with 2018 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIICr cervical squamous cell cancer (CSCC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).Methods: A total of 91 patients with stage IIICr CSCC treated by CCRT between January 2014 and December 2018 were retrospectivelyenrolled in this study. Clinical variables and 21 first-order texture features extracted from ADC maps were collected. Univariate and multivariate Cox hazard regression analyses were performed to evaluate these parameters in predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The independent variables were combined to build a prediction model and compared with the 2018 FIGO staging system. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used for comparison.Results: Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD), T stage, and the number of lymph node metastasis (LNM) were independently associated with PFS, while MAD, energy, T stage, number of LNM, and tumor grade were independently associated with OS. The C-index values of the combined models for PFS and OS, which were respectively 0.750 and 0.832, were significantly higher compared to 2018 FIGO staging system values of 0.629 and 0.630, respectively (P < 0.05).Conclusions: The texture analysis of the ADC maps could be used along with clinical prognostic biomarkers to predict PFS and OS in patients with stage IIICr CSCC treated by CCRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the influence of vacuum annealing temperature on the microstructure, mechanical properties and electrical resistivity of Mg–3Al–1Zn rapid solidification (RS) magnesium ribbons. The results indicate that when the annealing temperature is increased, the grain size of the ribbons is dramatically reduced from 10 to 1 μm. The highest break stress and micro-hardness is obtained at 673 K. These effects are ascribed to the dispersion strengthening caused by the high amount of fine nanoparticles distributed in the material. Electrical resistivity-temperature ( ρ–T ) curves have been used to provide useful information about the effects of the annealing temperature on the grain size, grain orientation and crystal structure of the ribbons. In this way, a new lightweight electric wire or connection cable line could be produced which would have good electromagnetic interference (EMI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidation kinetics of ferritic stainless steel 430 was studied in dry and humid air at 1090 °C by Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). Different atmospheres and heating times were adopted for reheating to obtain different compositions and thickness of the oxide scale. Hot rolling was performed on a 2-high Hille 100 experimental rolling mill at various reductions. Oxide scale thickness and composition were analysed with optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface profiles were examined by a digital microscope, and the topographic features of the thin oxide scale surface were examined with an atomic force microscope (AFM) before and after rolling. The oxide scale surface and steel/oxide interface roughness were measured after rolling. Inverse calculation of the coefficient of friction was employed to analyse and the effect of oxide scale on friction in hot rolling. The coefficient of friction depends not only on the thickness of the oxide scale, but also on its composition and surface topography before hot rolling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme pressure (EP) additives form reasonable hard films by reacting with metal surfaces and are a good alternative to protect the surface of metals exposed to various types of wear. In this paper, the chemical reactions between high-speed steel (HSS) roll material and various EP agents, such as those containing sulfur, chlorine and zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate (ZDDP), were investigated by dropping EP solutions on the heated HSS samples. The research results show that the sulfur element from the sulfur EP solutions was found in the substrate and the carbides. However, the chromium element could not be detected in the sample, and the decomposition products of the ZDDP covered the sample. The scratch tests were carried out to demonstrate that the ZDDP is more resistant to scratching than other EP agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to optimise the stainless steel oxidation behaviours during hot rolling. The high temperature oxidation behaviours of ferritic stainless steels B443NT and B445J1M were studied over the temperature range from 1000 to 1150 °C in a humid atmosphere containing 18% water vapour, as measured by a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA). The results indicate that breakaway oxidation occurs at 1090 °C for the B443NT steel, which is 60 °C lower than that for the B445J1M steel. The occurrence of iron oxide nodules on the steels marks the onset of breakaway oxidation; however, the breakaway oxidation phenomenon of B445J1M is different from that of B443NT due to a compact and continuous Mn–Cr spinel which is formed on the surface of B445J1M. The oxide nodules with regenerated Cr 2 O 3 scale underneath the Fe–Cr spinel display better adhesion without showing pores at the metal–scale interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new WSGG model is proposed for gas mixtures radiation in coal gasification. • The detailed parameters and developing method of new WSGG model are given. • Superiority of new model is illustrated through comparison with traditional model. • Provide reference for CFD simulation of coal gasifiers. This study develops a new weighted-sum-of-gray-gases (WSGG) model for the radiative characteristics of CO, H 2 O, and CO 2 mixtures in pulverized coal gasification plants under a typical high pressure (45 atm). This is significant for prediction of radiative heat transfer in computational fluid dynamic (CFD) calculation. The new high-pressure WSGG model and its parameters are based on the statistical narrow band (SNB) model of EM2C Laboratory. The new model applies to the temperature range of 500–3000 K and the path length range of 0.1–20 m. Moreover, the model can calculate the radiation characteristics of gas mixtures under different partial pressures of three gases. Therefore, the new model can be applied to the radiation transfer in pulverized coal gasification under specific high pressure. The results of one-dimensional cases show that the new model can well predict the radiative heat transfer process of gas mixtures. The error of radiation heat flux is less than 5.38%, and the radiation source term error is less than 0.67%, while the accuracy of the traditional WSGG model is very low under gasification conditions, and the error is more than 25% compared with the benchmark. When the new model is embedded into the CFD simulation of a high-pressure gasifier, the maximum temperature difference between the new and traditional models is up to 300 K, while the calculated absorption coefficient and radiation source term of gas mixtures are noticeably different. In conclusion, compared with the traditional model, the new WSGG model has higher accuracy for calculating gas radiation heat transfer under the condition of coal gasification. This paper also provides the parameters of the new model, which can be used in the CFD engineering simulation of coal gasification plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by impaired mitochondrial function and decreased ATP levels. Aerobic glycolysis and lactate production have been shown to be upregulated in dopaminergic neurons to sustain ATP levels, but the effect of upregulated glycolysis on dopaminergic neurons remains unknown. Since lactate promotes apoptosis and α-synuclein accumulation in neurons, we hypothesized that the lactate produced upon upregulated glycolysis is involved in the apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons in PD. In this study, we examined the expression of hexokinase 2 (HK2) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the key enzymes in glycolysis, and lactate levels in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of a MPTP-induced mouse model of PD and in MPP+-treated SH-SY5Y cells. We found that the expression of HK2 and LDHA and the lactate levels were markedly increased in the SNpc of MPTP-treated mice and in MPP+-treated SH-SY5Y cells. Exogenous lactate treatment led to the apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells. Intriguingly, lactate production and the apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons were suppressed by the application of 3-bromopyruvic acid (3-Brpa), a HK2 inhibitor, or siRNA both in vivo and in vitro. 3-Brpa treatment markedly improved the motor behaviour of MPTP-treated mice in pole test and rotarod test. Mechanistically, lactate increases the activity of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and suppresses the phosphorylation of serine/threonine kinase 1 (Akt) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Together, our data suggest that upregulated HK2 and LDHA and increased lactate levels prompt the apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons in PD. Inhibition of HK2 expression attenuated the apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons by downregulating lactate production and AMPK/Akt/mTOR pathway in PD. [Display omitted] • Aerobic glycolysis has been shown to be upregulated in PD, but the effect on dopaminergic neurons remains unknown. • Upregulated HK2 and LDHA and increased lactate are involved in the apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons. • Pharmacological suppression or genetic ablation of HK2 alleviated the apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons. • Our findings provide new insight into the pathological mechanisms underlying the pros and cons of glycolysis in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report two donor-acceptor type blue luminophores based on an azaryl-ketone derivative, phenyl(3-phenylimidazo[1,2- a ]pyridin-2-yl)methanone (pBZ), as respectively emitter and host materials for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). The two new compounds pBZ-TPA and pBZ-DPA having varying lengths of phenylene linkers are prepared through a facile synthetic method and systematically investigated with thermal, photophysical, electroluminescent, and theoretical studies. They exhibit obvious aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characters. The electron-deficiency pBZ and the electron-rich arylamine (triphenylamine or diphenylamine) respectively serve as electron acceptor and donor, rendering bipolar electronic properties. The two AIE luminophores (AIEgens) exhibit obvious charge transfer character evidenced by positive solvatochromic effect in their photoluminescence. It is also found that the (bi)phenylene π-linker attached in donor would tune the molecular conjugation and degree of charge transfer. The versatility of pBZ-TPA and pBZ-DPA is demonstrated in blue OLEDs as emitters and in red phosphorescent devices as hosts with decent performance and mild efficiency roll-offs. Novel azaryl-ketone-based blue AIEgens are developed for blue OLEDs as emitters and for red phosphorescent devices as hosts with decent performance and mild efficiency roll-offs. [Display omitted] • Two novel azaryl-ketone-based blue luminophores with a D-A type structure were rationally designed and synthesized. • Charge transfer state can be modulated by modifying the π linker to realize blue emission. • The azaryl ketones provide rich intermolecular interaction and AIE properties, facilitating solid-state emission. • The new luminophores are employed as host materials for red phosphorescence OLEDs with EQE max near 20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The asymmetric hydrostatic support structure can automatically center the piston rod and reduce the friction of the servo cylinder. • When the piston rod is subjected to an eccentric load, the pressure in the oil chamber rises rapidly to effectively overcome the eccentric load. • As the pressure of the oil chamber of the asymmetric hydrostatic support structure increases, the friction of the servo cylinder gradually decreases. The heavy-duty servo cylinder is the main actuator of the full-hydraulic fixed-length shear. The cylinder requires horizontal articulated mounting for accurate curve forces. The output of the curvilinear force causes the piston rod to be subjected to a dynamic bias load, and the presence of the bias load adversely affects the servo cylinder seal structure. In this paper, an asymmetric hydrostatic support structure is designed in the guide sleeve for the bias load problem of the servo cylinder, and the anti-offset capacity of the structure is theoretically studied. The oil film characteristics and oil film stiffness of the structure are deduced and analyzed. Fluent software is used to simulate, and then analyze the influence of inlet pressure, piston rod speed, eccentricity and partial load on the performance of asymmetric static pressure bearing oil film. Asymmetrical hydrostatic support structure servo hydraulic cylinder test bench is built for anti-bias load performance and friction performance experiments. The research results show that the new asymmetric hydrostatic support structure has a good effect on balancing the dynamic partial load, effectively reducing the friction of the servo cylinder and making the automatic alignment of the piston rod and the guide sleeve, which proves that the technology can be effective, increase the service life of the servo hydraulic cylinder and then improve the overall efficiency of the full hydraulic dividing shear, while broaden the application field of the heavy duty servo cylinder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, rates of ischemic stroke (IS) have been rising among young adults. This study was designed to identify risk factors associated with IS incidence in young adults unaffected by hypertension or diabetes.Methods: This was a retrospective case-control study of early-onset IS patients without diabetes and hypertension. Control patients were matched with healthy individuals based upon sex, age (±2 years), and BMI (±3 kg/m2) at a 1:3 ratio. Sociodemographic, clinical, and risk factor-related data pertaining to these patients was collected. The association between these risk factors and IS incidence was then assessed using conditional logistic regression models.Results: We recruited 60 IS patients and 180 controls with mean ages of 44.37 ± 4.68 and 44.31 ± 4.71 years, respectively, for this study. Relative to controls, IS patients had significantly higher total cholesterol (TG), homocysteine (HCY), white blood cell (WBC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels, and significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride cholesterol (TC), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and free thyroxine (FT4) levels (all P < 0.05). After controlling for potential confounding factors, HCY and ANC were found to be significantly positively associated with IS incidence (OR 1.518, 95%CI 1.165-1.977, P = 0.002 and OR 2.418, 95%CI 1.061-5.511, P = 0.036, respectively), whereas HDL-C and FT3 levels were negatively correlated with IS incidence (OR 0.001, 95%CI 0.000-0.083, P = 0.003 and OR 0.053, 95%CI 0.008-0.326, P = 0.002, respectively).Conclusions: In young non-diabetic and non-hypertensive patients, lower HDL-C and FT3 levels and higher HCY and ANC levels may be associated with an elevated risk of IS. Additional prospective studies of large patient cohorts will be essential to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To comprehend the role of water-based nanolubricant in micro flexible rolling, corresponding characterisation with respect to different concentrations of nanolubricants, surface roughness variation subjected to each micro flexible rolling phase and dispersion of nanoparticles (NPs) were studied systematically. The results reveal that increasing NPs get trapped into the surfaces from the thicker zone to the thinner zone. Downward transition zone with favourable deformation features leads to the smoother surface roughness. Nanolubricants can effectively decrease rolling traces due to the beneficial nanolubrication mechanisms. Notably, the maximum reduction for rolling force is around 18% for the case under 2.0 wt% nanolubricant rolling condition. The current study provides great potential insights in how nanolubrication takes effect in microforming areas. • Water-based nanolubricants distinctly reduce the rolling forces during micro flexible rolling. • Increasing NPs get trapped into the surfaces from the thicker zone to the thinner zone. • Downward transition zone with favourable deformation features leads to the smoother surface roughness. • More remained NPs are detected near the middle area along the transverse direction of the specimen. • Water-based nanolubricants can effectively decrease rolling traces due to the beneficial nanolubrication mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cinnabar, a traditional Chinese mineral medicine with sedative and tranquilizing effects, is known to be toxic to the neural system, but its detailed pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms are still unclear. This study aimed to explore the potential neuropharmacological and neurotoxicological mechanisms of cinnabar by investigating the differentially expressed proteins in cerebral cortices of mice exposed to therapeutic and toxic doses of cinnabar. Label-free quantitative proteomics and bioinformatics analysis were used to characterize the proteins, pathways, and potential targets associated with therapeutic (50 mg/kg) and toxic (1000 mg/kg) doses of cinnabar in cerebral cortices of mice. Proteomic analysis was verified by parallel reaction monitoring. A total of 6370 and 6299 proteins were identified in the cerebral cortices of mice after exposure to therapeutic and toxic doses of cinnabar, among which 130 and 119 proteins were differentially expressed, respectively. Functional/pathway enrichment analysis showed that both exposure doses of cinnabar could affect transport processes in the cerebral cortex through different proteins. The changes induced by the therapeutic dose included pathways involved in translation and sphingolipid metabolism. Interestingly, for the toxic dose, differentially expressed proteins were enriched for functions and pathways related to RNA splicing, transcription, synaptic plasticity regulation and developmental processes, among which RNA splicing was the most significantly affected function. ATP6V1D and CX3CL1 were shown to be possible key proteins affected by cinnabar, leading to multiple functional changes in the cerebral cortex at the therapeutic and toxic doses, respectively. Furthermore, Connectivity Map (CMap) analysis predicted LRRK2 to be a potential therapeutic target and FTase to be a potential toxic target for cinnabar. Our results suggest that the pathways and potential targets identified in the mouse cerebral cortex exposed to therapeutic and toxic doses of cinnabar are different, which provides novel insights into the potential molecular mechanisms underlying the pharmacological and toxicological effects of cinnabar. Image 1 ∙ The differentially expressed proteins, pathways in the mouse cerebral cortex exposed to therapeutic and toxic doses of cinnabar were identified. ∙The possible key proteins effected by therapeutic and toxic doses of cinnabar were speculated. ∙The potential therapeutic and toxic targets for cinnabar were predicted. ∙There might be different molecular mechanisms underlying the pharmacological and toxicological effects of cinnabar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mesoporous WN were prepared via an ammonolysis of Zn-containing ternary oxide. • WN was used to take the place of carbon materials for Pt loading. • The gas sensing performance of Pt/WN was firstly uncovered here. • Fuel cell sensor with room temperature detection and low energy consumption. Methanol detection is known to be a challenge using the normal Pt/C based gas sensor. This is primarily due to CO poisoning of the Pt active sites, resulting in an irreversible loss of sensor performance. In this paper, a novel fuel cell type gas sensor based on platinized mesoporous tungsten nitride (Pt/WN) is fabricated by employing a hot-press method. The device shows considerable performance for methanol detection at room temperature without external potential applied. The mesoporous WN is prepared through a simple solid-state method with subsequent ammonolysis. An ethylene glycol reduction method is applied to load Pt nanoparticles on WN or on carbon blacks. Results show that Pt/WN gas sensor has the sensitivity of 0.037 μA/ppm, which is four times higher than that of the Pt/C counterpart. In addition, replacing carbon with WN will increase the response to to methanol with excellent selectivity and stability. The synergistic effect between WN and Pt may play an important role. This investigation shows the potential of tungsten metal nitride in the gas sensor device reported; this offers a new way to change the selectivity of gas sensors using suitably chosen support materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]