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The intricate geological characteristics of tight oil reservoirs, characterized by extremely low porosity and permeability as well as pronounced heterogeneity, have led to a decline in reservoir pressure, substantial gas expulsion, an accelerated decrease in oil production rates, and the inadequacy of traditional water injection methods for enhancing oil recovery. As a result, operators encounter heightened operational costs and prolonged timelines necessary to achieve optimal production levels. This situation underscores the increasing demand for advanced techniques specifically designed for tight oil reservoirs. An internal evaluation is presented, focusing on the application of molecular deposition film techniques for enhanced oil recovery from tight oil reservoirs, with the aim of elucidating the underlying mechanisms of this approach. The research addresses fluid flow resistance by employing aqueous solutions as transmission media and leverages electrostatic interactions to generate nanometer-thin films that enhance the surface properties of the reservoir while modifying the interaction dynamics between oil and rock. This facilitates the more efficient displacement of injected fluids to replace oil during pore flushing processes, thereby achieving enhanced oil recovery objectives. The experimental results indicate that an improvement in oil displacement efficiency is attained by increasing the concentration of the molecular deposition film agent, with 400 mg/L identified as the optimal concentration from an economic perspective. It is advisable to commence with a concentration of 500 mg/L before transitioning to 400 mg/L, considering the adsorption effects near the well zone and dilution phenomena within the reservoir. Molecular deposition films can effectively reduce injection pressure, enhance injection capacity, and lower initiation pressure. These improvements significantly optimize flow conditions within the reservoir and increase core permeability, resulting in a 7.82% enhancement in oil recovery. This molecular deposition film oil recovery technology presents a promising innovative approach for enhanced oil recovery, serving as a viable alternative to conventional water flooding methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demands of low-Curie-temperature (~−10 °C) positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistors are increasing in advanced precision integrated circuits and other industries. In this paper, the Nb-doped Ba0.55Sr0.45TiO3(BST)-based PTC resistivity materials are reported. The effects of the sintering process, especially the cooling rate on the PTC properties of the material, are investigated. The results indicate that the Ba0.55Sr0.45Ti0.9985Nb0.0015O3 composition of the prepared PTC ceramics demonstrates promising PTC characteristics. These include a Curie temperature as low as −13 °C, a high temperature coefficient of 0.296 at −3.4 °C, a large enough resistivity change of 3.1 over a narrow phase transition temperature range of approximately 38 °C, and moderate resistivity below the Curie temperature. Such properties suggest that the Ba0.55Sr0.45Ti0.9985Nb0.0015O3 ceramics are likely suitable for use in thermal management systems designed for low-temperature control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric aerosols affect climate change, air quality, and human health. The aerosol optical depth (AOD) is a widely utilized parameter for estimating the concentration of atmospheric aerosols. Consequently, continuous AOD monitoring is crucial for environmental studies. However, a method to continuously monitor the AOD throughout the day or night remains a challenge. This study introduces a method for estimating the All-Day AOD using ground air quality and meteorological data. This method allows for the hourly estimation of the AOD throughout the day in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region and addresses the lack of high temporal resolution monitoring of the AOD during the nighttime. The results of the proposed All-Day AOD estimation method were validated against AOD measurements from Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). The R2 between the estimated AOD and AHI was 0.855, with a root mean square error of 0.134. Two AERONET sites in BTH were selected for analysis. The results indicated that the absolute error between the estimated AOD and AERONET was within acceptable limits. The estimated AOD showed spatial and temporal trends comparable to those of AERONET and AHI. In addition, the hourly mean AOD was analyzed for each city in BTH. The hourly mean AOD in each city exhibits a smooth change at night. In conclusion, the proposed AOD estimation method offers valuable data for investigating the impact of aerosol radiative forcing and assessing its influence on climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium oxysulfate (MOS) cement features potential advantages, including light weight, green and environmental protection, low thermal conductivity, and high frost- and fire-resistance, but its poor mechanical strength limits the extensive utilization in the architectural engineering. In this study, low-cost quartz (Q) was used as a mineral admixture to increase the mechanical strength of MOS pastes. The impact of the filler Q on the early and later mechanical strength of MOS cement was investigated, in which also had an impact on fluidity, setting times, volume stability, hydration processes, phase transformations, and microstructure. The results show that hydration of periclase to form 5Mg(OH)2·MgSO4·7H2O (phase 5-1-7) in this system was a multi-stage reaction process. 3Mg(OH)2·MgSO4·8H2O was the first sediment in this system and was converted into phase 5-1-7. The dilution and dispersion effects of the filler Q increased the early hydration rate, shortened the setting time, and increased the content and crystallite size of phase 5-1-7, increasing the early mechanical strength of MOS cement, while the volume-filling effect of the filler Q reduced the content of large pore and total pore volume, and improved the pore structure of the MOS cement, improving the later mechanical strength of MOS cement. MOS cement containing 15 wt.% of filler Q exhibited the highest early and later mechanical strength, and the lowest volume shrinkage, which is more suitable for application in architectural engineering. Based on these results, filler Q can be used as an enhancer in MOS cement, however its enhancement mechanisms are effective only when the content of filler Q is no more than 20 wt.%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5) can be estimated using satellite data collected during the daytime. However, there are currently no long-term evening PM2.5 datasets, and the application of low-light satellite data to analyze nighttime PM2.5 concentrations is limited. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Day/Night Band (VIIRS/DNB), meteorology, Digital Elevation Model, moon phase angle, and Normalized Digital Vegetation Index were used in this study to develop a Deep Neural Network model (DNN) for estimating the nighttime concentrations of PM2.5 in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region from 2015 to 2021. To evaluate the model's performance from 2015 to 2021, a ten-fold cross-validation coefficient of determination was utilized (CV − R2 = 0.51 − 0.68). Using a high spatial resolution of 500 m, we successfully generated a PM2.5 concentration map for the BTH region. This finer resolution enabled a detailed representation of the PM2.5 distribution over the area. Interannual and seasonal trends in nighttime PM2.5 concentrations were analyzed. Winter had the highest seasonal spatial PM2.5, followed by spring and autumn, whereas summer had the lowest. The annual concentration of PM2.5 at night steadily decreased. Finally, the estimation of nighttime PM2.5 was applied in scenarios such as continuous day–night changes, rapid short-term changes, and single-point monitoring. A deeper understanding of PM2.5, enabled by nightly PM2.5, will serve as an invaluable resource for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Heat stress in dairy cows can be assessed based on induced responses from behavioral, physiological, and health aspects. We can use reaction norm models to quantify the individual responses of cows across the trajectory of THI during thermal environments to identify heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive cows. In this study, we investigated the effects of heat stress on blood, production, and physiological indicators of heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive cows. In conclusion, heat stress increased the cortisol in heat-sensitive cows. Additionally, heat-tolerant cows may improve their adaptability to thermal environments of cows by upregulating their respiration rate rapidly. Heat stress affects production and health in cows severely. Since it is difficult to define heat-tolerant animals, studies of response to heat stress are important for understanding dairy cows' health and production. However, information on the impact of heat stress on various indicators in heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive cows is sparse. This study aimed to investigate the effects of heat stress (HS) on blood, production, and physiological indicators in heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive cows. A total of 43 dairy cows were used from 9 May to 7 August 2021, under Temperature–Humidity Index (THI) measurements that ranged from 65.9 to 86.7. We identified cows that were tolerant or sensitive to HS based on the slope of the response of physiological and production traits against THI during the HS period by using a clustering method. After HS, serum glucose (Glu), cortisol (COR), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels of cows in the heat-tolerant group were lower than in the heat-sensitive group (p < 0.05). With THI as the predictor, the R2 for predicting respiration rate (RR) and body surface temperature (BT) in heat-tolerant cows was 0.15 and 0.16, respectively, whereas the R2 for predicting RR and BT in heat-sensitive cows was 0.19 and 0.18, respectively. There were low to moderate, positive correlations between RR, BT, and MY with THI, with Pearson correlation coefficients ranging from r = 0.11 to 0.4 in the heat-tolerant group, and from r = 0.24 to 0.43 in the heat-sensitive group. There was a low positive correlation between VT and THI, with a Spearman correlation coefficient of r = 0.07 in the heat-sensitive group. The heat-tolerant dairy cows had lower MY losses and had lower MY (p = 0.0007) in mixed models. Heat-tolerant cows with low-stress levels, through upregulating RR rapidly, increased their adaptability to thermal environments. They have better thermoregulation capability; the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis regulated the thermoregulatory in animals by releasing a variety of neurotransmitters and hormones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize is one of the most important food and feed crops in China due to the high demand for its use by both humans and animals. The Huang-Huai-Hai region is a major maize cultivation area in China, and the special cropping rotation system of wheat and maize requires a suitable reproductive period for maize. The AUX/IAA and ARF transcription factors are two key genes that regulate auxin signals in plants, which play an important role during the process of auxin regulation in plant growth and development. In this study, we obtained two overexpressed lines of ZmIAA29 belonging to the AUX/IAA transcription factor family. Compared with the Wide type, the overexpressed strains of ZmIAA29 were significantly regulated in maize during the flowering time and had increased ear weight. Moreover, ZmIAA29 was assayed via the yeast two-hybrid and BiLUC systems for interaction, and the results showed that ZmIAA29 interacted with several ZmARF transcription factors. Furthermore, RNA-seq and DAP-seq analysis revealed that ZmIAA29 regulates maize growth and development by influencing pathways such as those for plant signal transduction and the key genes related to maize flowering. Taken together, our results suggest that ZmIAA29 plays a key role in the development of maize flowering. This study provides new insight for better understanding the combined regulation of the AUX/IAA and ARF transcription factors during flowering time in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the feasibility of developing litchi leaves as silage, we determined the fermentation quality of four varieties of litchi leaves (including "Wanpu", "Wuyejiu", "Tongzai" and "Zhuangyuanhong") ensiled with or without Lactobacillus plantarum on day 3, 7, 14 and 30. The in vitro dry matter digestibility and gas production of litchi leaves silages were also determined after 30 days of ensiling. The results showed that Lactobacillus plantarum significantly reduced pH value (p < 0.01), inhibited coliform bacteria, and reduced the production of ammonia nitrogen (p < 0.01) in all the four kinds of litchi leaves silage. Moreover, Lactobacillus plantarum treated litchi leaves ("Wanpu" and "Zhuangyuanhong") had lower yeasts than the untreated litchi leaves during ensiling. The number of molds in Lactobacillus plantarum treated groups ("Tongzai" and "Zhuangyuanhong") was below the detected level after 30 days ensiling, which was lower than that of the untreated groups. The addition of Lactobacillus plantarum also contributed to improving IVDMD and markedly reduced (p < 0.01) gas production of all litchi leaves silages. Conclusions: Lactobacillus plantarum can improve the fermentation quality and in vitro digestion characteristics of litchi leaves silage. Developing litchi leaves as silage material is a feasible way to recycle litchi leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on morphological methods, MODIS satellite remote sensing data were used to establish a dataset of the local roughness length (Z0) of vegetation-covered surfaces in Guangdong Province. The local Z0 was used to update the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model in order to quantitatively evaluate its impact on the thermodynamic environment of vegetation-covered surfaces. The specific results are as follows: evergreen broad-leaved forests showed the largest average Z0 values at 1.27 m (spring), 1.15 m (summer), 1.03 m (autumn), and 1.15 m (winter); the average Z0 values of mixed forests ranged from 0.90 to 1.20 m; and those for cropland-covered surfaces ranged from 0.17 to 0.20 m. The Z0 values of individual vegetation coverage types all exhibited relatively high values in spring and low values in autumn, and the default Z0 corresponding to specific vegetation-covered surfaces was significantly underestimated in the WRF model. Modifying the default Z0 of surfaces underlying evergreen broad-leaved forests, mixed forests, and croplands in the model induced only relatively small changes (<1%) in their 2 m temperature, relative humidity, skin surface temperature, and the planetary boundary layer height. However, the average daily wind speed of surfaces covered by evergreen broad-leaved forests, mixed forests, and croplands was reduced by 0.48 m/s, 0.43 m/s, and 0.26 m/s, respectively, accounting for changes of 12.0%, 11.1%, and 6.5%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), an important oil crop of the world, suffers various abiotic stresses including salinity stress during the growth stage. While most of the previous studies paid attention to the adverse effects of high salinity stress on plant growth and development, as well as their underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms, less attention was paid to the effects of moderate or low salinity stress. In this study, we first tested the effects of different concentrations of NaCl solution on the seedling growth performance of two oilseed rape varieties (CH336, a semi-winter type, and Bruttor, a spring type) in pot cultures. We found that moderate salt concentrations (25 and 50 mmol L−1 NaCl) can stimulate seedling growth by a significant increase (10~20%, compared to controls) in both above- and underground biomasses, as estimated at the early flowering stage. We then performed RNA-seq analyses of shoot apical meristems (SAMs) from six-leaf-aged seedlings under control (CK), low (LS, 25 mmol L−1), and high (HS, 180 mmol L−1) salinity treatments in the two varieties. The GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) demonstrated that such a stimulating effect on seedling growth by low salinity stress may be caused by a more efficient capacity for photosynthesis as compensation, accompanied by a reduced energy loss for the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and redirecting of energy to biomass formation. Our study provides a new perspective on the cultivation of oilseed rape in saline regions and new insights into the molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance in Brassica crops. The candidate genes identified in this study can serve as targets for molecular breeding selection and genetic engineering toward enhancing salt tolerance in B. napus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, localised and non-uniform urban morphology (UM) and urban fraction (UF) parameters are implemented in a single-layer urban canopy scheme in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale meteorological model. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effect of the refined parameterisation scheme on the simulation of dynamic and thermal fields in the urban canopy of the Guangzhou metropolitan area. The results showed that, compared with the default urban canopy parameters of the WRF model, using the localised UM parameters resulted in the most significant improvement in the 10 m wind speed simulation. In urban districts, the mean bias between the observed and simulated 10 m wind speed was reduced significantly by 59% from 2.63 m/s to 1.09 m/s during the daytime. For the thermal environment simulation during the daytime, higher UF and UM values resulted in lower surface albedos and generated narrower street canyons compared with the default modelling setting, which caused more heat to be trapped in the urban canopy and ultimately led to an increase in the surface skin temperature (TSK) and a largely increased ground heat flux (GRD). As a result, at night, more heat was transferred from the ground to the surface, producing a higher TSK. The effect of the localised UF on the sensible heat flux (HFX) was closely related to the near-surface temperature gradient. The UM caused the HFX to increase during the daytime, which was related to the near-surface heat exchange coefficient in the lower model layers. As the high-resolution UM significantly altered the urban geometry, the dynamic environment simulation resulted in a large increase in friction velocity and a decrease in wind speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal mutations in the microbial structure of early-weaning mammals are an important cause of enteritis. Based on the multiple known beneficial functions of butyrate, we hypothesized that butyrate would alleviate the imbalance of intestinal homeostasis induced by early weaning in animals. However, the mechanisms of action between butyrate and intestinal microbes are still poorly explored. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether butyrate exerts beneficial effects on the structure of the intestinal flora of weanling rabbits and their intestinal homeostasis, growth and development, and we attempted to elucidate the potential mechanisms of action through a combined omics analysis. We found that dietary butyrate upregulated the transcription of tight junction-related proteins in the epithelial barrier and improved the intestinal microbial structure by suppressing harmful bacteria and promoting beneficial ones. Intestinal and plasma metabolomes were also altered. The bile acid secretion, α-linolenic acid, apoptotic, and prostate cancer pathways responded to the positive dietary butyrate-induced metabolic changes in the weanling rabbits, resulting in the inhibition of inflammation, improved antioxidant capacity, increased rates of cell proliferation and survival, and decreased levels of apoptosis. Additionally, dietary butyrate suppressed the release of pro-inflammatory factors and enhanced positive appetite regulation, which increased the average daily gain of the rabbits. These results demonstrated that dietary butyrate can help maintain the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier, improve the structural composition of the intestinal microflora, enhance organismal metabolism, inhibit inflammation, reduce post-weaning anorexia, and promote growth and development in early-weaning rabbits. These positive effects of dietary butyrate were exerted via the modulation of the microbe–gut–brain axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Mulberry leaves have been widely consumed due to their richness in bioactive substances and high antioxidant activity. The choice of storage method to ensure the quality of mulberry leaves is a challenge in the supply process. (2) Methods: The differences in primary metabolites of freeze-dried mulberry leaf powder after 30 days of storage under different storage conditions (i.e., vacuum or non-vacuum, 4 °C or room temperature) were investigated. (3) Results: A low temperature and vacuum had better preservation effects on the types and activity of the primary metabolites of mulberry leaves, with vacuum preservation being the best. However, the types of primary metabolites in mulberry leaves were significantly reduced after non-vacuum storage at room temperature compared to those with other storage methods. Among the metabolites detected, including dehydroascorbic acid, various phenolic acids, amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates showed a significant decrease in their contents of more than 40%, and there was a significant increase in the contents of various compounds of the muconic acid biosynthetic pathway compared to those in other storage methods. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of mulberry leaves stored at room temperature under non-vacuum conditions was also significantly reduced. (4) Conclusions: Vacuum storage is the most ideal storage method for preserving mulberry leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air-rib tents are widely used because they are lightweight and site adaptable, but the large deformation of these tents reduces their effective space. It is important to reduce the displacement of the air-rib tent by parameter optimization. The influences of external factors on the tent are studied in this paper. Four parameters of the tent's wind ropes are the angle of the wind ropes, the number of the wind ropes, and the initial prestress of the wind ropes on the side or end faces. The influence of the angle of the wind ropes and the number of the wind ropes on the displacement is larger than the other two parameters. The closer the wind ropes are to the center of the tarpaulin, the greater the displacement of the tent. Based on an analysis using response surface methodology, the optimal parameters are as follows: the angle of the wind ropes is 41°, the number of the wind ropes on the side is two, the initial prestress of the wind ropes on the end face is 800 Pa, and the initial prestress of the wind ropes on the side is 0 Pa. Under these optimal parameters, the maximum displacement decreases by 10.2%, and the maximum stress barely changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxin plays a critical role in organogenesis in plants. The classical auxin signaling pathway holds that auxin initiates downstream signal transduction by degrading Aux/IAA transcription repressors that interact with ARF transcription factors. In this study, 23 MoIAA genes were identified in the drumstick tree genome. All MoIAA genes were located within five subfamilies based on phylogenetic evolution analysis; the gene characteristics and promoter cis-elements were also analyzed. The protein interaction network between the MoIAAs with MoARFs was complex. The MoIAA gene family responded positively to NAA treatment, exhibiting different patterns and degrees, notably for MoIAA1, MoIAA7 and MoIAA13. The three genes expressed and functioned in the nucleus; only the intact encoding protein of MoIAA13 exhibited transcriptional activation activity. The shoot regeneration capacity in the 35S::MoIAA13-OE transgenic line was considerably lower than in the wild type. These results establish a foundation for further research on MoIAA gene function and provide useful information for improved tissue culture efficiency and molecular breeding of M. oleifera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neolamarckia cadamba (N. cadamba) is a fast-growing tree species with tremendous economic and ecological value; the study of the key genes regulating photosynthesis and sugar accumulation is very important for the breeding of N. cadamba. Fructose 1,6-bisphosptase (FBP) gene has been found to play a key role in plant photosynthesis, sugar accumulation and other growth processes. However, no systemic analysis of FBPs has been reported in N. cadamba. A total of six FBP genes were identifed and cloned based on the N. cadamba genome, and these FBP genes were sorted into four groups. The characteristics of the NcFBP gene family were analyzed such as phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, conserved motifs, and expression patterns. A cis-acting element related to circadian control was first found in the promoter region of FBP gene. Phylogenetic and quantitative real-time PCR analyses showed that NcFBP5 and NcFBP6 may be chloroplast type 1 FBP and cytoplasmic FBP, respectively. FBP proteins from N. cadamba and 22 other plant species were used for phylogenetic analyses, indicating that FBP family may have expanded during the evolution of algae to mosses and differentiated cpFBPase1 proteins in mosses. This work analyzes the internal relationship between the evolution and expression of the six NcFBPs, providing a scientific basis for the evolutionary pattern of plant FBPs, and promoting the functional studies of FBP genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: China is not only a huge meat rabbit consumer but also the largest meat rabbit producer in the world, contributing a large amount of rabbit meat products to the domestic and foreign markets every year. Therefore, it is important for the domestic and international rabbit meat market to improve rabbit breeding production efficiency and rabbit meat quality based on the good use of domestic feed resources in China. It is well known that dietary amino acid nutrition is of great importance to animal growth. Lysine and methionine are limited in the common domestic rabbit feed sources in China, but they play an important role in rabbit growth. Moreover, different lysine and methionine compositions of the diets respond differently to rabbit growth. Consequently, the search for a better composition of dietary lysine and methionine is the main objective of this study. In recent years, ensuring food security has been an important challenge for the world. It is important to make good use of China's domestic local feed resources to provide safe, stable, efficient, and high-quality rabbit meat products for China and the world. Lysine and methionine are the two most limiting essential amino acids in the rabbit diet. However, little is known about the rational composition of lysine and methionine in rabbit diets and the mechanisms that affect growth and development. Accordingly, in this study, we sought to address this knowledge gap by examining the effects of different compositions of lysine and methionine in rabbit diets. Subsequently, the growth status, nitrogen metabolism, blood biochemical indexes, muscle development, muscle quality, and the growth of satellite cells were evaluated in the animals. The results showed that diets containing 0.80% Lys and 0.40% Met improved average daily weight gain, feed conversion, nitrogen use efficiency, and muscle quality in the rabbits (p < 0.05). Additionally, it altered the amino acid transport potential in muscle by upregulating the expression of the SLC7A10 gene (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the cell viability and the rate of division and migration of SCs in the 0.80% Lys/0.40 % Met composition group were increased (p < 0.05). SLC38A2 and P–mTOR protein expression was upregulated in the 0.80% lysine/0.40% methionine composition group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, 0.80% Lys/0.40% Met was the most suitable lysine and methionine composition in all tested diets. SLC38A2 acted as an amino acid sensor upstream of mTOR and was involved in the 0.80% Lys/0.40% Met regulation of muscle growth and development, thus implicating the mTOR signaling pathway in these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of local adaptation in populations of chinaberry (Melia azedarach L.) are important for clarifying patterns in the population differentiation of this species across its natural range. M. azedarach is an economically important timber species, and its phenotype is highly variable across its range in China. Here, we collected M. azedarach seeds from 31 populations across its range and conducted a common garden experiment. We studied patterns of genetic differentiation among populations using molecular markers (simple sequence repeats) and data on phenotypic variation in six traits collected over five years. Our sampled populations could be subdivided into two groups based on genetic analyses, as well as patterns of isolation by distance and isolation by environment. Significant differentiation in growth traits was observed among provenances and families within provenances. Geographic distance was significantly correlated with the quantitative genetic differentiation (QST) in height (HEIT) and crown breadth. Climate factors were significantly correlated with the QST for each trait. A total of 23 climatic factors were examined. There was a significant effect of temperature on all traits, and minimum relative humidity had a significant effect on the survival rate over four years. By comparing the neutral genetic differentiation (FST) with the QST, the mode of selection acting on survival rate varied, whereas HEIT and the straightness of the main trunk were subject to the same mode of selection. The variation in survival rate was consistent with the variation in genetic differentiation among populations, which was indicative of local adaptation. Overall, our findings provide new insights into the responses of the phenological traits of M. azedarach to changes in the climate conditions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill.) I.M. Johnst is a multipurpose woody plant. In this study, an in vitro efficient propagation system of stem segment explants derived from field-grown C. aconitifolius plants was established for the first time. The sterilization effect, axillary bud initiation, and proliferation efficiency of stem segments were evaluated. The results showed that the sterilization time of 0.1% mercuric chloride, the concentration of Plant Preservative Mixture (PPM), the pretreatment method, and the sampling season had significant effects on the sterilization of stem segments (p < 0.05). The type of medium and plant growth regulators (PGRs) affected the initiation of axillary buds, and the proliferation efficiency was significantly affected by PGRs. The results showed that the best sterilization method for stem segment explants was as follows: a pretreatment by rinsing with running water for 120 min, soaking in 75% ethanol for 50 s, soaking in 0.1% mercuric chloride for 10 min, and medium supplemented with 3 mL/L PPM. When inoculated on the medium in spring, the contamination rate was as low as 25.56%. The optimal initiation medium for axillary buds in stem segments was half-strength Murashige and Skoog (1/2 MS) medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L 6-benzyladenine (6-BA). The induction rate was as high as 93.33%, and the mean length of axillary buds was 2.47 cm. The optimal proliferation medium was 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 4.0 mg/L 6-BA and 0.2 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). The induction rate was up to 80.00%, the total proliferation coefficient was 4.56, and the net proliferation coefficient was 5.69. The 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/L 6-BA and 1.5 mg/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was most conducive to the elongation of the adventitious shoot, and the adventitious shoot of approximately 1 cm reached 1.93 cm after culturing for 14 days. The best medium for adventitious shoot rooting was 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/L α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), the highest rooting rate was 82.00%, and the survival rate of transplanting was over 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent. has considerable economic and ecological value and a long history of use in China. In this paper, root cuttings were used as the material to establish an efficient vegetative propagation of B. papyrifera. The results revealed that root segments with a diameter of 1.5~2.0 cm and a length of 20~30 cm were most suitable for shoot regeneration, as these segments had the highest adventitious shoot induction rates (93.3%), strongest adventitious shoots, and highest multiplication coefficients (7.07). With regard to the methods used for root burial, a horizontal burial at a depth of 1~3 cm yielded the best results, in this case, the adventitious shoot induction rate can reach 86.7%. The best substrate combination was perlite: peat: coconut chaff = 1:1:1 (v/v/v), wherein the adventitious shoot induction rate can reach 75.6%. The best sterilization method was mixing soil with carbendazim and soaking the root sections in carbendazim for 30 min, wherein the adventitious shoot induction rate can reach 77.8%. Adding 0.2 mg/L naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) to 1/4 Hoagland nutrient solution significantly improved the rooting rate of adventitious shoots to 82.2%, and the survival rate of the acclimatized plants was more than 90.0%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing number of residential buildings that are installing distributed energy resources enforces the need for schemes to facilitate a local energy balance. With the continuing evolution of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, Peer-to-Peer (P2P) energy trading is becoming a viable solution to incentivize prosumers and promote efficient energy sharing in a community. This paper develops a model to quantitatively analyze the potential benefits of P2P energy trading for residential buildings that have installed photovoltaic battery systems. The integration of the bidding strategy into a residential energy-management system is feasible to realize cost savings for prosumers. However, the coordination between the bidding strategy and the optimal scheduling of energy has received far too little attention. To better participate in the P2P market, we propose a novel separate bidding energy-management system (SBEMS) that can realize rolling optimal energy scheduling while determining energy bids. The model's effectiveness is verified via case studies of 75 participants in a community. The results indicate that the prosumers can reduce their costs by up to 24% by employing the proposed SBEMS in the P2P market. In addition, the proposed method is found to offer better performance in terms of economic and technical indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent., a perennial deciduous tree, is used in feed, medicine, papermaking, environmental protection, and ecological restoration. This paper ttook 33 provenances from the natural distribution as the research objects, observes their growth and nutritional traits, and analyzes the laws of geographical variation. The repeatability was 0.80–0.88 and 0.48–0.91, respectively. The correlation was significant (the correlation coefficient was 0.764). The variation is greatly affected by the latitudinal direction. Through clustering, the 33 provenances were clustered into 4 groups and most provenances with relatively close geographical origins were clustered together, showing differences between different geographical regions. Using leaf biomass (0.4662 g) and crude protein content (14.39%) as the selection index, the Sichuan Mianyang (SCMY), Chongqing Kaizhou (CQKZ), Shanghai (SH), and Fujian Nanping (FJNP) provenances were selected as fast-growing, high-yield, and high-quality paper mulberry provenances. This study provides the basis for the selection of excellent paper mulberry trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broussonetia papyrifera has increasingly been used as a high-quality feedstuff for ruminants due to its advantageous characteristics. The storage temperature can influence the fermentation quality of silage; however, the effect of temperature on B. papyrifera leaves (BPL) silage has not been reported. In the present study, the fermentation quality and bacterial community of BPL, stored at 15 °C and 30 °C, were investigated during ensiling (day 3, 7, 14, 30) with or without Lactobacillus plantarum strain (LP) added. The pH and the coliform bacteria counts were significantly lower in silage stored at 30 than 15 °C (p < 0.01), while the lactic acid content increased significantly (p < 0.05). Adding LP decreased the dry matter loss, pH, coliform bacteria count, and ammonia-N and butyric acid contents at 30 °C. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus increased, while the bacterial diversity decreased in the silage stored at 30 °C when LP was added. During silage, the high abundance of Lactobacillus decreased gas and carbon dioxide (CO2) production, and the lowest gas and CO2 production were detected in silage stored at 30 °C when LP was added. In conclusion, adding LP and storing it at 30 °C could effectively improve the quality of BPL silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, ammonia nitrogen (NH4+) pollution gets more and more attention in drinking water sources. This study investigated the main behavior of biogeochemical NH4+ from groundwater to surface water in a hyporheic zone (HZ) sediment from a reservoir. The experiments were conducted using synthetic groundwater to investigate ammonium transformation. The results indicated that ammonium concentration decreased, apparently resulting from the influence of microbial oxidation and ion exchange with Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and Na+. However, all the ammonium in the sediment was oxidized, then the adsorbed NH4+ became bioavailable by being released back when NH4+ concentration decreased in the aqueous phase. The results showed NH4+ behavior in a HZ where the aerobic and anaerobic environments frequently exchange, with different hydrological conditions controlled by a strong coupling between microbial activities, geochemistry, hydrology, and ion exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding an appropriate amount of Er element to Al-Zn-In alloys can improve the electrochemical performance of Al alloys; it is convenient to study the electrochemical behavior of the alloy in the rest of our work. However, Er segregation in solid solutions which reduced the comprehensive properties of alloys was difficult to reduce and there was no report on the homogenization of Al-Zn-In alloys. We found that the ultra-high temperature treatment (UHTT) can obviously reduce Er segregation. To explore the better homogenization treatment and the microstructure evolution of Al-5Zn-0.03In-1Er alloy after UHTT, we carried out a series of heat treatments on the alloy and characterized the microstructure of the alloy by optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy spectrum analysis (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the main element Er of the Al-Zn-In-Er was largely enriched in grain boundaries after UHTT; the distribution Zn and In was almost unchanged. The as-cast Al-Zn-In-Er alloy consisted mainly of α(Al) solid solution and Al3Er phase. As the temperature of UHTT increased and the treatment time prolonged, the precipitated phase dissolved into the matrix, and there were dispersed Al3Er particles in the crystal. The proper UHTT for reducing the interdendritic segregation of the alloy was 615 °C × 32 h, which was properly consistent with the results of the evolution of the statistical amount of interdendritic phase, the line scanning analysis and the microhardness. Moreover, the microhardness of the alloy after treatment of 615 °C × 32 h was obviously higher than that of the as-cast alloy because of the anchoring effect of Al3Er nanoparticles on the movement of dislocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg2TiO4-doped Ca0.65Sr0.35Zr0.65Ti0.35O3 (CSZT) thin films with different Mg2TiO4 concentrations were deposited on the LaNiO3(LNO)/p-Si substrate using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering technology. The dielectric response of the prepared x% Mg2TiO4-CSZT thin films with frequency, voltage, and temperature was systematically studied. The tanδ and leakage current density of CSZT thin films were reduced effectively by introducing Mg2TiO4 content. The prepared 6% Mg2TiO4-CSZT thin film, due to its low loss (tanδ ~0.01 at 1 MHz), satisfied temperature stability (TCC ~−68 ppm/°C, from −55 °C to 205 °C), high withstand voltage (>160 V), and small leakage current density (about 3.34 × 10−6 A/cm2 at operating voltage of 160 V). This may be useful for capacitor materials in the next generation of portable electronic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of the spatial variation and influence factors of soil nutrients in mining areas can provide a reference for land reclamation and ecological restoration. Daliuta was used as the study area. The spatial variability of soil nutrients was analyzed using traditional statistics and geostatistics. The effects of topography, mining history, and soil erosion were discussed. The results indicate that the soil pH of the Daliuta mining area is slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, and the soil organic matter, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium belonged to the five levels (very low), six (extremely low), five (extremely low), and four (moderately low), respectively. The soil water and salt content indicated that the soil environment in the mining area is arid and has normal levels of salinity. The organic matter, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, and soil salt varied moderately, and the pH did not change much, while the soil water varied strongly. The organic matter, pH, and soil salinity are moderately spatially autocorrelated, and the available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, and soil water are weakly spatially autocorrelated. Each nutrient index had a certain spatial trend effect. The slope, aspect, elevation, and topographic wetness index are the primary topographic factors that control the spatial distribution of soil nutrients. The organic matter, pH, and soil salinity are moderately spatially autocorrelated, and the available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, and soil water are weakly spatially autocorrelated. Each nutrient index had a certain spatial trend effect. The slope, aspect, elevation, and topographic wetness index are the primary topographic factors that control the spatial distribution of soil nutrients. Soil erosion and mining history are also important factors that lead to the spatial variation of soil nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Er-rich precipitates on microstructure and electrochemical behavior of the Al–Zn–In anode alloy is investigated. The results showed that with the increase in Er content, the microstructure was refined, the amount of interdendritic precipitates gradually increased, and the morphology changed from discontinuous to continuous network gradually. With the addition of Er element, the self-corrosion potential of the Al–5Zn–0.03In–xEr alloy moved positively, the self-corrosion current density decreased, and the corrosion resistance increased. When the Er content was less than 1 wt.%, the addition of Er improved the dissolution state of the Al–5Zn–0.03In–xEr alloy, and increased the current efficiency of the Al–5Zn–0.03In–xEr alloy. When the Er content was more than 1 wt.%, the current efficiency was reduced. The major precipitate of the alloy was Al3Er. According to the element composition of Al3Er in the Al–Zn–In–Er alloy, the simulated-segregated-phase alloy was melted to explain the effect of Al3Er segregation on the electrochemical behavior of alloys, and the polarization curve and AC impedance spectrum of the simulated-segregated-phase alloy and the Al–Zn–In alloy were measured. The results showed that Al3Er was an anodic segregation phase in the Al–Zn–In–Er alloy, and the preferential dissolution of the segregation phase would occur in the alloy, but the Al3Er phase itself was passivated in the dissolution process, which inhibited the further activation of the dissolution reaction of the Al–Zn–In–Er alloy to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant embryogenic callus (EC) is an irregular embryogenic cell mass with strong regenerative ability that can be used for propagation and genetic transformation. However, difficulties with EC induction have hindered the breeding of drumstick, a tree with diverse potential commercial uses. In this study, three drumstick EC cDNA libraries were sequenced using an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 system. A total of 7191 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for embryogenic callus development were identified, of which 2325 were mapped to the KEGG database, with the categories of plant hormone signal transduction and Plant-pathogen interaction being well-represented. The results obtained suggest that auxin and cytokinin metabolism and several embryogenesis-labeled genes are involved in embryogenic callus induction. Additionally, 589 transcription factors from 20 different families were differentially expressed during EC formation. The differential expression of 16 unigenes related to auxin signaling pathways was validated experimentally by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) using samples representing three sequential developmental stages of drumstick EC, supporting their apparent involvement in drumstick EC formation. Our study provides valuable information about the molecular mechanism of EC formation and has revealed new genes involved in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser is a tropical evergreen broadleaf tree species that could play an important role in meeting the increasing demand for wood products. However, multi-level genetic variation and selection efficiency for growth traits in N. cadamba is poorly characterized. We therefore investigated the efficiency of early selection in N. cadamba by monitoring the height (HT), diameter at breast height (DBH), and tree volume (V) in 39 half-sib families from 11 provenances at ages 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 years in a progeny test. Age-related trends in growth rate, genetic parameters in multi-level, efficiency of early selection, and realized gain in multi-level for growth traits were analyzed. The result showed that genetic variation among families within provenances was higher than that among provenances. The estimated individual heritability values for the growth traits ranged from 0.05 to 0.26, indicating that the variation of growth traits in N. cadamba was subject to weak or intermediate genetic control. The age–age genetic correlations for growth traits were always positive and high (0.51–0.99), and the relationships between the genetic/phenotypic correlations and the logarithm of the age ratio (LAR) were described well by linear models (R2 > 0.85, except the fitting coefficient of genetic correlation and LAR for HT was 0.35). On the basis of an early selection efficiency analysis, we found that it is the best time to perform early selection for N. cadamba at age 5 before half-rotation, and the selection efficiencies were 157.28%, 151.56%, and 127.08% for V, DBH, and HT, respectively. Higher realized gain can be obtained by selecting superior trees from superior families. These results can be expected to provide theoretical guidance and materials for breeding programs in N. cadamba and can even be a reference for breeding strategies of other fast-growing tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fermentation quality of alfalfa silage is poor but can be improved with additives. This study investigates the effects of biochar on the fermentation quality and bacterial diversity of high-moisture alfalfa silage. Alfalfa was treated with: (i) control without additive (CK); (ii) 1% biochar (1% carbon C); (iii) 2% biochar (2% C), and fermented for 15 or 30 d. Mixing alfalfa with biochar significantly decreased (p < 0.05) pH, the number of coliform bacteria, nonprotein nitrogen content, and ammonia–nitrogen content, and significantly increased the contents of dry matter, lactic acid, and true protein. The addition of biochar also influenced bacterial community distribution. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Enterococcus increased while the abundance of Pantoea decreased with biochar treatment. In conclusion, alfalfa silage's fermentation quality and microbial community structure are improved by adding biochar from the pyrolysis of waste furniture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice false smut is a fungal disease distributed worldwide and caused by Ustilaginoidea virens. In this study, we identified a putative ester cyclase (named as UvEC1) as being significantly upregulated during U. virens infection. UvEC1 contained a SnoaL-like polyketide cyclase domain, but the functions of ketone cyclases such as SnoaL in plant fungal pathogens remain unclear. Deletion of UvEC1 caused defects in vegetative growth and conidiation. UvEC1 was also required for response to hyperosmotic and oxidative stresses and for maintenance of cell wall integrity. Importantly, ΔUvEC1 mutants exhibited reduced virulence. We performed a tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomic analysis to identify differentially accumulating proteins (DAPs) between the ΔUvEC1-1 mutant and the wild-type isolate HWD-2. Proteomics data revealed that UvEC1 has a variety of effects on metabolism, protein localization, catalytic activity, binding, toxin biosynthesis and the spliceosome. Taken together, our findings suggest that UvEC1 is critical for the development and virulence of U. virens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neolamarckia cadamba, a member of the Rubiaceae family, is widely distributed throughout South Asia and South China. In order to acquire reliable and repeatable results, the use of a suitable internal reference gene to normalize the RT-qPCR data is essential. In this study, we reported the validation of housekeeping genes to identify the most suitable internal reference gene(s) for normalization of qPCR data obtained among different tissues (bud, leaf, cambium region) under different hormone stresses. Here, ΔCt, geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper analyses were carried out to analyze the normalization of qPCR data of twenty-one reference gene families (ACT, CAC, CYP, EF1α, eIF, FPS1, FBK, GAPDH, RAN, PEPKR1, PP2A, RPL, RPS, RuBP, SAMDC, TEF, Tub-α, Tub-β, UBCE, UBQ, UPL) including 43 genes. The results showed that FPS1, RPL, and FBK were the most stable reference genes across all of the tested samples. In addition, the expression of NcEXPA8, one gene of interest that plays an important role in regulating cell wall extension, under different phytohormone stresses was used to further confirm the validated reference genes. Taken together, our results provide guidelines for reference gene selection under different phytohormone stresses and a foundation for more accurate and widespread use of RT-qPCR in N. cadamba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storm separation is a key step when carrying out storm transposition analysis for Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) estimation in mountainous areas. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has recommended the step-duration-orographic-intensification-factor (SDOIF) method since 2009 as an effective storm separation technique to identify the amounts of precipitation caused by topography from those caused by atmospheric dynamics. The orographic intensification factors (OIFs) are usually developed based on annual maximum rainfall series under such assumption that the mechanism of annual maximum rainfalls is close to that of the PMP-level rainfall. In this paper, an alternative storm separation technique using rainfall quantiles, instead of annual maximum rainfalls, with rare return periods estimated via Regional L-moments Analysis (RLMA) to calculate the OIFs is proposed. Based on Taiwan's historical 4- and 24-h precipitation data, comparisons of the OIFs obtained from annual maximum rainfalls with that from extreme rainfall quantiles at different return periods, as well as the PMP estimates of Hong Kong from transposing the different corresponding separated nonorographic rainfalls, were conducted. The results show that the OIFs obtained from rainfall quantiles with certain rare probabilities are more stable and reasonable in terms of stability and spatial distribution pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystalline Ba0.3Sr0.7Zr0.18Ti0.82O3 (BSZT) thin film was grown on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO2/Si substrate using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. Based on our best knowledge, there are few reports in the literature to prepare the perovskite BSZT thin films, especially using the RF magnetron sputtering method. The microstructure of the thin films was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and capacitance properties, such as capacitance density, leakage behavior, and the temperature dependence of capacitance were investigated experimentally. The prepared perovskite BSZT film showed a low leakage current density of 7.65 × 10−7 A/cm2 at 60 V, and large breakdown strength of 4 MV/cm. In addition, the prepared BSZT thin film capacitor not only exhibits an almost linear and acceptable change (ΔC/C ~13.6%) of capacitance from room temperature to 180 °C but also a large capacitance density of 1.7 nF/mm2 at 100 kHz, which show great potential for coupling and decoupling applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid economic and industrial development, the potentially toxic element (PTE) pollution of farmlands in China has become increasingly serious. Based on the Hakanson potential ecological risk index (RI) and national food pollutant limit standards (GB 2762-2017), the effects of exogenous potentially toxic elements (PTEs), i.e., arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg), on rice growth were studied. Common varieties of hybrid (YY 538, CY 84) and conventional (XS 134, JH 218) rice were grown in pots having representative paddy soil from Zhejiang Province, China. The results showed that As and Hg in soil significantly inhibited growth; however, the plant height of hybrid rice was less affected. Further, there were significant correlations between concentrations of PTEs in soil and rice grains; however, hybrid rice had a stronger ability to absorb and accumulate PTEs. The comprehensive potential ecological RI of soil PTEs was 39.4–89.9, which is below the level of 'minor ecological hazard', and the contribution rate of Hg was 79.9%–84.2%; as such, Hg posed the greatest potential ecological risk in the study area. The ecological risk limits of As and Hg in the safe production of different rice varieties decreased in the order XS 134 > JH 218 > YY 538 > CY 84. The ecological risk limits of As and Hg for conventional rice were higher, and the risk limits of As and Hg for hybrid rice were lower, than the limit of the soil environmental quality assessment index in the national "Soil quality control criteria for soil pollution in agricultural land (for trial implementation) (Trial)" (GB15618-2018). The health risk limit of soil As in the typical paddy soil of China decreased in the order XS 134 > JH 218 > CY 84 > YY 538. The health risk limit of Hg decreased in the order XS 134 > JH 218 > YY 538 > CY 84. The health risk limit of As was lower, whereas the risk limit of Hg was higher, than the limit of the soil environmental quality evaluation index in the national "Soil quality control criteria for soil pollution in agricultural land (for trial implementation) (Trial)"(GB15618-2018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, as-cast Mg-6 wt % Sn alloy is subjected to one-pass and two-pass friction stir processing (FSP). The effect of processing pass on microstructure and mechanical properties of FSP Mg-6Sn alloy is investigated. It is found that one-pass FSP leads to the breakage and partial dissolution of the Mg2Sn phase in the stir zone (SZ) and two-pass FSP leads to the further dissolution and dynamic precipitation of the Mg2Sn phase. Dynamic recrystallization (DRX) takes place in the SZ of an Mg-6Sn alloy undergoing FSP. Compared to one-pass FSP, two-pass FSP brings about further grain refinement in the SZ. A strong {0001} basal texture is developed in the SZ of a Mg-6Sn alloy from FSP and the change of the sample region or processing pass has little influence on the texture. Compared to an as-cast Mg-6Sn sample, one-pass FSP brings about significant improvement in mechanical properties. Two-pass FSP leads to the further increase in yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) but elongation (EL) is reduced. The continuous increase in strength is attributed to the grain refinement and the dissolution and dynamic precipitation of Mg2Sn phase achieved by FSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of Zn and Ca addition on microstructure and strength at room temperature of Mg-Sn alloys was investigated by comparison of Mg-6Sn, Mg-6Sn-2Zn, and Mg-6Sn-2Zn-1Ca alloys in as-cast and as-extruded states. In the as-cast samples, α-Mg and Mg2Sn phases were the main phases of Mg-6Sn and Mg-6Sn-2Zn alloys, while the CaMgSn phase was formed in Mg-6Sn-2Zn-1Ca alloy due to the addition of the Ca element. Mg2Sn phase dissolved into the matrix during homogenization while CaMgSn phase remained. Incomplete dynamic recrystallization (DRX) took place in these alloys during hot extrusion. Fine Mg2Sn precipitates were observed in α-Mg matrix of as-extruded samples. Zn showed little influence on microstructure, whereas Ca reduced the volume fraction of un-DRXed grains and increased the size of DRXed grains. As-extruded Mg-Sn alloys exhibited typical fiber texture. The strength at room temperature of Mg-Sn alloys improved significantly after hot extrusion. The addition of Zn element was beneficial to the strength at room temperature of the Mg-6Sn alloy, while the further addition of Ca element was harmful to the strength. Among these alloys, the Mg-6Sn-2Zn alloy exhibited the best strength at room temperature in both as-cast and as-extruded states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, as-cast Mg–6Sn–2Zn (wt.%) alloy was subjected to friction stir processing (FSP) and the microstructure and tensile properties of FSP Mg–6Sn–2Zn samples were investigated. It was found that, in the stir zone (SZ) of FSP Mg–6Sn–2Zn samples, α-Mg grains were significantly refined via dynamic recrystallization (DRX) and the Mg2Sn phase was broken and partially dissolved. The microstructure in SZ was nonuniform and DRXed grains in the SZ-up regions were coarser than those in the SZ-down regions. Coarse broken Mg2Sn particles were observed in the SZ-up regions, while only fine Mg2Sn particles were observed in the SZ-down regions. Strong {0001} basal texture developed in the SZ regions of Mg–6Sn–2Zn samples after FSP. The increase of travel speed had little effect on the texture of different SZ regions. The ductility of FSP Mg–6Sn–2Zn samples was obviously improved, while the improvement in strength was negligible when compared to the as-cast sample. The tensile properties of FSP Mg–6Sn–2Zn samples were influenced by grain refinement, texture modification, and the breaking up and dissolution of the Mg2Sn phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a layer house, the CO 2 (carbon dioxide) concentration above the upper limit can cause the oxygen concentration to be below the lower limit suitable for poultry. This leads to chronic CO 2 poisoning in layers, which manifests as listlessness, reduced appetite, weak constitution, decreased production performance, and weakened resistance to disease. Regulating ventilation may ensure a suitable CO 2 concentration in layer houses. Predicting the changes in CO 2 concentration and regulating the CO 2 concentration in advance are key to ensuring healthy large-scale breeding of layers. In recent years, machine learning and deep learning methods have been increasingly applied to this field. A CO 2 prediction model for layer house is proposed based on a GRU (gated recurrent unit) and LSTM (long short-term memory). The temperature, humidity, and CO 2 were determined as inputs to the model by the correlation coefficient. The datasets of the experimental layer house were continuously measured during June-July 2023, using a self-developed environmental monitor, and the monitored data were used as samples for model inputs. There were 22,000 time series data in the datasets. In this study, multivariate time series data were standardized via data pre-processing to improve model training. GRU and LSTM models were constructed. The models were trained using a training set. Then, these trained models were used to provide predictions on a test set. The prediction errors were calculated using the true values of the test set and the predicted values provided by the models. To test the performance of the model and accuracy of the predictions, predictions were made for different numbers of datasets. The results demonstrated that the combined prediction model had good generalization, stability, and convergence with high prediction accuracy. Due to the structure of the model, the stability of the LSTM model was higher than that of the GRU model, and its prediction accuracy and speed were lower than those of the GRU model. When the datasets of the GRU model were 15,000 to 17,000, The MAE of the GRU was 70.8077 to 126.7029 ppm, and the prediction time of the GRU is 16 to 24 ms. When the LSTM model's datasets were 15,000-20,000, the MAE of LSTM was 78.8596 to 136.0896 ppm, and the prediction time of the GRU was 17 to 26 ms.

(1) Background: Mulberry leaves have been widely consumed due to their richness in bioactive substances and high antioxidant activity. The choice of storage method to ensure the quality of mulberry leaves is a challenge in the supply process. (2) Methods: The differences in primary metabolites of freeze-dried mulberry leaf powder after 30 days of storage under different storage conditions (i.e., vacuum or non-vacuum, 4 °C or room temperature) were investigated. (3) Results: A low temperature and vacuum had better preservation effects on the types and activity of the primary metabolites of mulberry leaves, with vacuum preservation being the best. However, the types of primary metabolites in mulberry leaves were significantly reduced after non-vacuum storage at room temperature compared to those with other storage methods. Among the metabolites detected, including dehydroascorbic acid, various phenolic acids, amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates showed a significant decrease in their contents of more than 40%, and there was a significant increase in the contents of various compounds of the muconic acid biosynthetic pathway compared to those in other storage methods. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of mulberry leaves stored at room temperature under non-vacuum conditions was also significantly reduced. (4) Conclusions: Vacuum storage is the most ideal storage method for preserving mulberry leaves.