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Local control parameters such as instantaneous delay and instantaneous amplitude play an essential role in evaluating the performance and maintaining the stability of real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS). However, existing methods have limitations in obtaining this local assessment in either the time domain or frequency domain. In this study, the instantaneous frequency is introduced to determine local control parameters for actuator tracking assessment in a real-time hybrid simulation. Instantaneous properties, including amplitude, delay, frequency and phase, are then calculated based on analytic signals translated from actuator tracking signals through the Hilbert transform. Potential issues are discussed and solutions are proposed for calculation of local control parameters. Numerical simulations are first conducted for sinusoidal and chirp signals with time varying amplitude error and delay to demonstrate the potential of the proposed method. Laboratory tests also are conducted for a predefined random signal as well as the RTHS of a single degree of freedom structure with a self-centering viscous damper to experimentally verify the effectiveness of the proposed use of the instantaneous frequency. Results from the ensuing analysis clearly demonstrate that the instantaneous frequency provides great potential for local control assessment, and the proposed method enables local tracking parameters with good accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), although not all patients respond to traditional IL-17A antibody treatments. QX002N injection, as a new monoclonal antibody targeting IL-17A, has shown potential in treating AS, offering a new treatment option for patients who do not respond well to existing therapies. Methods: A randomized, open, parallel, single-center, phase I study was conducted to assess the pharmacokinetics, safety, and immunogenicity of single doses of QX002N injection administered intravenously (IV) or subcutaneously (SC) to healthy Chinese volunteers. Blood samples were collected at specified time intervals, and then serum concentrations of QX002N were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Pharmacokinetic analysis of the drug concentration–time data showed that the mean maximum observed serum QX002N concentration (Cmax) was 110 and 33.9 µg/ml, respectively. The average area under the drug concentration–time curves from 0 to the time of the last quantifiable concentration (AUClast) were 52,656 and 36,269 µg·h/ml, respectively and the average area under the drug concentration–time curves from 0 to infinity (AUCinf) were 54,867 and 38,194 µg·h/ml, respectively. The absolute bioavailability of QX002N after SC injection was 69.6%. Conclusions: Immunogenicity was assessed and all the subjects in this study were Anti-drug antibody (ADA)-negative, which means no subjects appeared to develop immunogenicity to QX002N. All the results testify to the safety of QX002N injection, which is satisfactory after IV or SC dosing in healthy subjects. Trial Registration: www.chinadrugtirals.org.cn, CTR20220430. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The autophagy-lysosomal pathway plays a critical role in the clearance of tau protein aggregates that deposit in the brain in tauopathies, and defects in this system are associated with disease pathogenesis. Here, we report that expression of Tau35, a tauopathy-associated carboxy-terminal fragment of tau, leads to lipid accumulation in cell lines and primary cortical neurons. Our findings suggest that this is likely due to a deleterious block of autophagic clearance and lysosomal degradative capacity by Tau35. Notably, upon induction of autophagy by Torin 1, Tau35 inhibited nuclear translocation of transcription factor EB (TFEB), a key regulator of lysosomal biogenesis. Both cell lines and primary cortical neurons expressing Tau35 also exhibited changes in endosomal protein expression. These findings implicate autophagic and endolysosomal dysfunction as key pathological mechanisms through which disease-associated tau fragments could lead to the development and progression of tauopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome negative effects of traditional masonry infilling walls (MIWs) on the seismic resilience of a self-centering prestressed concrete (SCPC) frame, a novel SCPC frame with sliding infill walls (SCPC-SIW frame) is proposed. This study compares the seismic performance of the SCPC-SIW frame and the SCPC frame with MIWs (SCPC-MIW frame) through quasi-static tests, fragility analysis, and risk assessment. To begin, quasi-static tests on single-story SCPC-SIW and SCPC-MIW frame specimens are performed to compare their failure characteristics, hysteresis response, energy dissipation, and self-centering ability. The numerical simulation methods for SCPC-SIW and SCPC-MIW frame specimens are then presented and validated. Subsequently, two four-story SCPC-SIW frames and two four-story SCPC-MIW frames are designed, and their dynamic response under MCE is preliminary analyzed. Finally, the fragility analysis and risk assessment of these multi-story SCPC-SIW and SCPC-MIW frames are conducted to determine the probability of their peak inter-story drift ratio (PIDR), residual inter-story drift ratio (RIDR), and peak floor acceleration (PFA) exceeding the specified limit states under any intensity earthquake and within 50 years. The results indicate that, except for cracks caused by fatigue damage appearing on the SIW at the end of loading, the SCPC-SIW frame specimen remains undamaged, whereas the SCPC-MIW frame specimen exhibits diagonal step cracks on the MIW. The hysteresis curve of the SCPC-SIW frame specimen exhibits an ideal and repeatable flag shape, whereas the stiffness and strength of the SCPC-MIW frame specimen degrade during the test. Besides, the probability of exceeding the 4% PIDR and exceeding 0.2% and 0.5% RIDRs within 50 years for the SCPC-SIW frame is significantly lower than that for the SCPC-MIW frame. The SCPC25-MIW frame has a higher probability of exceeding the 1 g PFA within 50 years than the SCPC25-MIW frame. In other cases, the SCPC-SIW frame has a lower probability of exceeding 1 g, 2 g, and 3 g PFA within 50 years than the SCPC-MIW frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslide susceptibility assessment is an essential tool for disaster prevention and management. In areas with multiple fault zones, the impact of fault zone on slope stability cannot be disregarded. This study performed qualitative analysis of fault zones and proposed a zoning method to assess the landslide susceptibility in Chengkou County, Chongqing Municipality, China. The region within a distance of 1 km from the faults was designated as sub-zone A, while the remaining area was labeled as sub-zone B. To accomplish the assessment, a dataset comprising 388 historical landslides and 388 non-landslide points was used to train the random forest model. 10-fold cross-validation was utilized to select the training and testing datasets for the model. The results of the models were analyzed and discussed, with a focus on model performance and prediction uncertainty. By implementing the proposed division strategy based on fault zone, the accuracy, precision, recall, F-score, and AUC of both two sub-zones surpassed those of the whole region. In comparison to the results obtained for the whole region, sub-zone B exhibited an increase in AUC by 6.15%, while sub-zone A demonstrated a corresponding increase of 1.66%. Moreover, the results of 100 random realizations indicated that the division strategy has little effect on the prediction uncertainty. This study introduces a novel approach to enhance the prediction accuracy of the landslide susceptibility mapping model in areas with multiple fault zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Construction and operation of high-speed trains in railway stations can induce substantial vibrations, resulting in impermissible structure-borne noise (SBN), occasionally causing disruptions for passengers and staff. This issue poses serious challenges in the advancement of novel multi-story high-speed railway stations in large cities. Until now, limited methods have been introduced to predict and evaluate SBN for guiding station design and construction. Besides, the computational speed and accuracy of these methods often fall short of expectations. Objectives: In response to this need, a simulation method for SBN based on Auto CAD, Altair HyperMesh, and MSC Actran software was proposed. Methods: Firstly, numerical models were established for the elevated waiting hall and underground entrance hall of Beijing Fengtai Railway Station. Secondly, field measurements were conducted to validate the reliability of the simulation method by comparing the measured and simulated results. Subsequently, numerical analysis under different conditions was performed to study the transmission characteristics of SBN. Finally, the SBN in the elevated waiting hall and the underground entrance hall were evaluated accordingly. Results: The frequency of the simulated SBN at the elevated waiting hall prominent ranges from 20 to 40 Hz and 125 to 200 Hz, while frequencies at the underground entrance hall exhibit a significant band between 80 and 125 Hz. The peak A-weighted overall SPL under various conditions for the elevated waiting hall is 69.33 dB, while for the underground entrance hall is 71.63 dB. Conclusion: SBN in the elevated waiting hall primarily originates from the elevated track floor, which is different from the underground entrance hall where it stems from the ground track floor. The A-weighted overall sound pressure level (SPL) in the elevated waiting hall satisfies the SBN comfort criteria, whereas the A-weighted overall SPL in the underground entrance hall falls short of the chosen specification. This study enhances the prediction method and understanding of the transmission characteristics of SBN. Consequently, it provides valuable insights for constructing multi-story railway stations with improved comfort in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium alloy has been extensively used in various fields due to prominent physical and chemical properties. Nevertheless, the further application is still impeded by inferior corrosion resistance. Herein, a triethanolamine (TEA)-assisted phosphating coating strategy is presented to protect bare magnesium alloy and specifical optimization effect is investigated in detail. Electrochemical tests demonstrate that the addition of TEA significantly enhances the protective performance of phosphating coating. Further, surface analysis indicates that the modified phosphating coating primarily consisting of CaHPO4⋅2H2O is more uniform and denser owing to the excellent crystallinity of CaHPO4 crystals with the presence of TEA, which can be ascribed to the destructive effect of H2 bubbles evolution on the deposition of CaHPO4 crystals and the alleviated compactness of phosphating coating due to the inhibitive effect of TEA on the galvanic corrosion between α-Mg and β-Mg17Al12 phases. This work intensively reveals the modification mechanism of TEA on the corrosion resistance of phosphating coating, and provide a theoretical guidance for screening suitable organic additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of norfloxacin (NOR) is crucial because the overdoes and accumulation may result in residues in environment in animal-derived foods, which can destroy ecology and cause disease for people. A molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor based on g-C3N4/Cu-MOF was constructed for the selective detection of norfloxacin in this paper. The g-C3N4/Cu-MOF was synthesized by melamine pyrolysis and solvothermal method followed by ultrasonic mixing. After drop casting g-C3N4/Cu-MOF on glassy carbon electrode, the molecularly imprinted film was synthesized by electropolymerization. The composite was analyzed by powder X-ray diffractometer, field emission scanning and transmission electron microscope, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties of the sensor were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and pulse voltammetry. The results show that the composite of g-C3N4/Cu-MOF efficiently decreased the charge transfer resistance of electrode and improved the electron transfer kinetic between analyte and electrode with the improved current response and increased active area. After optimizing conditions of the ratio of functional monomers to template molecules, the number of polymerization cycles, accumulation time, electrolyte pH, and the sensor exhibits excellent response toward NOR with the linearity range of 0.02–0.1 μmol/L and 1–120 μmol/L and the limit of detection of 6.67 nmol/L. Moreover, it shows good selectivity, anti-interference, and reproducibility properties. In the real sample detection of pharmaceutical formulations, serum and milk, the sensor shows an acceptable recovery rate and standard deviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn/TiO2, Mn-Ce/TiO2, and Sb-modified Mn-Ce-Sbx/TiO2 catalysts were prepared by the impregnation method. The catalysts were characterized by BET, XRD, XPS, SEM, NH3-TPD, FTIR, TG-DSC, H2-TPR, and the SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) activity, and investigated by SO2, and H2O resistance between 90 °C and 220 °C. Results showed that the molar ratio of Sb/Mn is 0.2, the catalytic activity of Mn-Ce-Sb0.2/TiO2 can reach 94% of NO conversion rate at 120 °C. Meanwhile, Mn-Ce-Sb0.2/TiO2 has the best SO2 and H2O resistance. Characterization results demonstrated that the modification of Sb can decrease the crystallinity of the Mn element, while Sb can inhibit the formation of sulfate and reduce the poisonous effect of SO2 on the catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of H ∞ stabilization for delayed memristive neural networks with dynamic quantization is considered. The aim is to design a quantized sampled-data controller guaranteeing that the closed-loop system is globally asymptotically stable with a prescribed H ∞ disturbance attenuation level. By means of set-valued maps and the differential inclusion theory, the network under consideration is transformed into a dynamic model subject to time-dependent bounded uncertainty. Then, two different time-dependent two-sided loop functionals are constructed for the non-necessarily and necessarily differential time delay situations, respectively. Two sufficient conditions on the stability and H ∞ performance are derived via using these constructed functionals and a few inequality techniques. On the foundation of these conditions, co-designs of the needed feedback gain and dynamic quantization parameter are presented. Finally, three examples are provided to verify the applicability of the quantized sampled-data controller design methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ductile design principle has been widely adopted in seismic design of structures, so the main structural components are designed to have the dual functions of bearing and energy dissipation under the earthquake. In recent years, the intensity of major earthquakes occurred in China, Chile, New Zealand, and Japan had reached or exceeded the design level of the maximum credible earthquake. In most cases, the designed structures did not collapse and the casualties were small. However, many structures were seriously damaged and must be overhauled or rebuilt, resulting in huge economic losses. Therefore, researchers have paid more attention to the seismic resilient structures. The shear wall can provide an efficient lateral force resisting capacity and has a wide range of applications in building structures. This review firstly summarized the research advances of seismic resilient shear wall structures, mainly from three aspects: high-performance materials, replaceable components, and hybrid structural systems; then, the development of seismic performance analysis, design methods, and engineering applications of seismic resilient shear wall structures were presented; finally, the key issues that need to be explored in the future research were discussed, which was helpful for the wide application of seismic resilient shear wall structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the effect of leaf scorch on chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of walnut leaves, we used the FMS-2 pulse-modulated chlorophyll fluorometer to measure parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence. Two walnut varieties were selected (Juglans regia 'Wen185' and 'Xinxin2') as test materials. During diurnal variation, the initial fluorescence (Fo) of symptom trees was significantly higher than that of symptomless trees (P < 0.05). While the non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) of 'Wen185' symptom trees was significantly higher than that of its symptomless counterpart (control) (P < 0.05), the NPQ of 'Xinxin2' symptom trees attained the same level as that of the control in the afternoon, with no significant difference. With the prolonged time of the stress and increased severity of the disease, the Fo of each symptom tree was higher than that of the control (P < 0.05). The maximum fluorescence (Fm), maximum fluorescence under light (Fm'), maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), and the potential activity of PSII (Fv/Fo) of symptom trees were all significantly lower than the corresponding values of the control (P < 0.05). The decline rate of 'Wen185' symptom trees was smaller than that of 'Xinxin2' plants. CONCLUSION: Leaf scorch damaged the photosynthetic mechanism in leaves of 'Wen185' and 'Xinxin2', reduced the electron transfer efficiency, destroyed the PSII reaction center, and even lost the potential activity, resulting in different degrees of photoinhibition in leaves of symptomatic walnut varieties. Compared to 'Xinxin2', 'Wen185' showed greater adaptability to leaf scorch and improved self-regulation, whereas 'Xinxin2' was more seriously affected by the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the issue of L 2 - L ∞ filtering for time-delay reaction–diffusion switched Hopfield networks. Our main focus is on the design of a Luenberger estimator so that the filtering-error system not only is exponentially stable in the absence of external disturbance, but also possesses a predefined L 2 - L ∞ disturbance rejection level under the zero initial condition. With the aid of Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals, several integral inequalities, and in conjunction with the free-weight matrix technique, both delay-independent and dependent design strategies are developed, where the required gains can be acquired through the feasible solution of linear matrix inequalities. To demonstrate the applicability and lower conservatism of the present design strategies, an example with numerical comparison is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic interaction between soil and structure group (SSGI) is of great significance to the seismic design and evaluation of structures in densely built areas. However, detailed three-dimensional parametric analysis of the SSGI effect using realistic modeling on both the superstructure and soil is still limited. This study develops a three-dimensional numerical method to account for the SSGI effect and validates it against the shaking table test result. Subsequently, parametric analyses are conducted to investigate the SSGI effect for a three-dimensional soil and structure group, where key parameters include the structure height, number, and spacing, material properties of the soil, and spectrum distributions of seismic records. Compared with the dynamic interaction between soil and a single structure, the SSGI can reduce the structural base shear and story drift (up to 17% and 24%, respectively) in most cases. However, the level of reduction is below 5% when (1) structure spacing is greater than 2.0 times the width of the structure foundation or (2) the shear wave velocity of soil is no less than 300 m/s. Essentially, the SSGI changes the seismic demand of the concerned structure mainly by altering its local ground acceleration input at the base. The SSGI effect is more significant when structure spacing is reduced, structure number is increased, or the height of the central structure equals those of the surrounding structures. In contrast, the influence of soil property on the SSGI effect is minor under medium-level earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the effects of temperature on the transport of chloride and sulfate in the nanopores of aluminum-doped cement-based materials (i.e., CASH gels) exposed to aqueous solutions of NaCl and Na2SO4 at 283, 293, 303, 333, and 363 K. It is shown that high temperatures increase the initial transport rates of water molecules and ions while weakening the hydration layer around ions. This increases the probability of ion–ion and ion–substrate contact and thus makes ions more likely to cluster in solution and be captured by the substrate. Both cluster formation and substrate capture can significantly restrict the free movement of ions in solution and thus gradually reduce the ion transport rate. In addition, since sulfate ions have four oxygen atoms that can capture other ions, large ion clusters form more readily in Na2SO4 solution than in NaCl solution. The capture of these large ion clusters at the interface can cause a "necking" phenomenon that hinders the subsequent transport of water molecules and ions into the nanopore. These results provide a nanoscale basis for designing aluminum-doped cement-based materials with enhanced durability at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Taiji program and the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) program are proposed to realize the gravitational wave detection within the frequency band of 0.1 mHz-1 Hz through space laser interferometry. As a key optical component of the interferometric system, the telescope are required the dimensional stability better than 1 pm / Hz and its deformation between the primary and the secondary mirrors needs to be small enough to reduce wavefront distortion. Therefore, in the case of satisfying the structural strength, the telescope supporting structural material also needs to meet the performance of the low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and high thermal conductivity. In this paper, we fabricate a telescope supporting frame using the carbon/silicon carbide (C/SiC) composite, and build a high-precision and multi-channel thermal deformation interferometry system. Using this system, the uniform thermal expansion experiment and the temperature gradient thermal expansion experiment are carried out on the telescope supporting frame. The results show that the axial CTE and the transverse CTE of the C/SiC composite is about - 8.3 × 10 - 7 /K and 3.3 × 10 - 5 /K, respectively, which indicate that the design and process of the C/SiC composite used may not be mature and need to be further studied. The high-precision multi-channel thermal deformation measurement interferometry system designed in this paper can be used for the subsequent thermal performance measurement of the telescope prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The optimal treatment of choledocholithiasis combined with cholecystolithiasis remains controversial. Common surgical methods vary among endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration (LTCBDE), laparoscopic transductal common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) with or without T-tube drainage. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of surgical methods and to determine the appropriate procedure for patients with cholecystolithiasis combined with choledocholithiasis. Methods: From January 2013 to January 2019, a total of 1555 consecutive patients diagnosed with cholecystolithiasis combined with choledocholithiasis who underwent surgical treatment in Tongji Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Total 521 patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones underwent LC + LCBDE + T-Tube were excluded from the analysis. At last, 1034 patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided into three groups according to their surgical methods: preoperative ERCP + subsequent LC (ERCP + LC group, n = 275), LC + LCBDE + intraoperative endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) + primary duct closure (Tri-scope group, n = 479) and LC + laparoscopic transcystic CBD exploration (LTCBDE group, n = 280). Clinical records, operative findings and postoperative follow-up were collected and analyzed. Results: There was no mortality in three groups. Common bile duct (CBD) stone clearance rate was 97.5% in ERCP + LC group, 98.7% in Tri-scope group, and 99.3% in LTCBDE group. There were no difference in terms of demographic characteristics, biochemistry findings and presentations, but the Tri-scope group had the biggest diameter and amount of stones and diameter of CBD, the LTCBDE group had the least CBD stones and the biggest diameter of cystic gall duct (CGD). ERCP + LC group have the longest hospital stay (14.16 ± 3.88 days vs 6.92 ± 1.71 days vs 10.74 ± 5.30 days, P < 0.05), also has the longest operative time than others (126.08 ± 42.79 min vs 92.31 ± 10.26 min, 99.09 ± 8.46 min, P < 0.05). Compared to ERCP + LC group, LTCBDE group and Tri-scope group had lower postoperation-leukocyte, shorter surgery duration and hospital stay (P < 0.05). Compared to the Tri-scope group, the LTCBDE group had the shorter hospital stay, extubation time and operation time and less intraoperative bleeding. There were less postoperative complications in LTCBDE group (1.1%) compared to the ERCP + LC group (3.6%) and Tri-scope group (2.2%). Follow-up time was 6 to 72 months. Four patients in ERCP + LC group and 5 in Tri-scope group reported recurrent stones. Conclusion: All the three surgical methods are safe and effective. Tri-scope approach and LTCBDE approach have superiority to preoperative ERCP + LC. LC + LTCBDE shows priority over Tri-scope approach, but should be performed in selected patients. LC + LCBDE + T-Tube can be an alternative management if the other three procedures were failed. The surgeons should choose the most appropriate surgical procedure according to the preoperative examination results and intraoperative situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep neural networks are the most widely used technology in many fields, but they are vulnerable to adversarial attacks which can manipulate their outputs by adding imperceptible perturbation to images. In this paper, we introduce the theory of adversarial examples and the well-known defense methods at present. Then, we propose a universal defense strategy based on weakly supervised object localization and regions recombination. We analyze the distribution of adversarial perturbations, finding that there are more perturbations in the foreground region. Therefore, we first propose a weighted heatmap extraction method based on weakly supervised object localization to label foreground region and background region. Then, we propose a boundary exploration method to separate these two regions. After that, we eliminate the adversarial perturbations in the foreground by bicubic interpolation filtering. Finally, we recombine regions to highlight the rectified foreground region and weaken the background region to get the rectification of adversarial examples which can be correctly classified. We perform comprehensive experiments indicating the proposed method provides better protection than other defense methods, and the average rectification rate is up to 92%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prospected a novel arylesterase LggEst from the probiotics Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG by genome mining strategy, and characterized the enzymatic properties in detail. Biochemical characterization revealed that arylesterase LggEst presented high activity at a wide range of temperatures from 25 to 65 °C with maximum activity at 50 °C. LggEst maintained high activity in the pH range from 5.5 to 7.5 with optimum pH of 6.5. LggEst might efficiently hydrolyze a series of aryl substrates p-nitrophenyl esters with different acyl chain lengths. LggEst displayed the Vmax from 2.8 to 77.3 μmol min−1 mg−1 protein and the kcat from 1.8 to 48.8 s−1 with the highest catalytic activity on pNPC6. The KM of LggEst on different substrates varied significantly from 4.9 μM to 5.6 mM with the highest affinity on pNPC10. LggEst exhibited the preference for medium- and long-chain p-nitrophenyl esters. LggEst showed remarkable thermostability at 45 °C. LggEst could be tolerant of several organic solvents at the concentration of 10% and DMSO and methanol at the concentration of 20%. Catalytic activity of LggEst was improved by 12% in the presence of 20% ethylene glycol. LggEst was resistant to high concentrations of sodium citrate and sodium chloride. Notably, enzymatic activity of LggEst was significantly enhanced in the presence of 0.1% sodium deoxycholate at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a controllable terahertz (THz) metamaterial switch by manipulating toroidal dipolar mode in simulation. The metamaterial switch consists of periodically patterned metallic split rings with photosensitive silicon stripes. The excitation of toroidal dipolar resonance is closely dependent on the transition between the dielectric and conductive phases of photosensitive silicon. The toroidal dipolar mode is exploited to modulate the ON/OFF-switching transmission of THz wave under wide incident angles. The operation mechanism and frequency tunability are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is mainly characterized by the progressive accumulation of drusen deposits and loss of photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Because amyloid β (Aβ) is the main component of drusen, Aβ-induced activated microglia most likely lead to neuroinflammation and play a critical role in the pathogenesis of AMD. However, the relationship between activated microglia–mediated neuroinflammatory cytokines and photoreceptor death has not been clarified. By subretinal injection of Aβ42 in mice, we mimicked an inflammatory milieu of AMD to better understand how activated microglia–induced neuroinflammatory cytokines lead to photoreceptor apoptosis in the AMD progression. We demonstrated that subretinal injection of Aβ42 induces microglial activation and increases inflammatory cytokine release, which gives rise to photoreceptor apoptosis in mice. Our results were verified in vitro by co-culture of Aβ42 activated primary microglia and the photoreceptor cell line 661W. We also demonstrated that the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway was involved in Aβ42-induced microglial activation and inflammatory cytokine release. Overall, our findings indicate that activated microglia–derived neuroinflammatory cytokines could contribute to photoreceptor apoptosis under the stimulation of Aβ42. Moreover, this study may provide a potential therapeutic approach for AMD. Key messages: Further explore the association between activated microglia–derived neuroinflammatory cytokine secretion and photoreceptor apoptosis under the stimulation of Aβ42. Subretinal injection of Aβ42 induces the activation of microglia and increases proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and COX-2 expression in the retina, which could give rise to the deterioration of visual function and aggravate photoreceptor apoptosis in mice. Primary microglial are activated and the levels of proinflammatory cytokines are increased by Aβ42 stimulation, which could increase the apoptosis of photoreceptor cell line 661W in vitro. The p38 MAPK signaling pathway is involved in microglial activation and photoreceptor apoptosis under Aβ42 treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether blood-brain barrier (BBB) served a key role in the edema-relief effect of bloodletting puncture at hand twelve Jing-well points (HTWP) in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the potential molecular signaling pathways. Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to the sham-operated (sham), TBI, and bloodletting puncture (bloodletting) groups (n=24 per group) using a randomized number table. The TBI model rats were induced by cortical contusion and then bloodletting puncture were performed at HTWP twice a day for 2 days. The neurological function and cerebral edema were evaluated by modified neurological severity score (mNSS), cerebral water content, magnetic resonance imaging and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Cerebral blood flow was measured by laser speckles. The protein levels of aquaporin 4 (AQP4), matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9) and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway (MAPK) signaling were detected by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot. Results: Compared with TBI group, bloodletting puncture improved neurological function at 24 and 48 h, alleviated cerebral edema at 48 h, and reduced the permeability of BBB induced by TBI (all P<0.05). The AQP4 and MMP9 which would disrupt the integrity of BBB were downregulated by bloodletting puncture (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 signaling pathways were inhibited by bloodletting puncture (P<0.05). Conclusions: Bloodletting puncture at HTWP might play a significant role in protecting BBB through regulating the expressions of MMP9 and AQP4 as well as corresponding regulatory upstream ERK and p38 signaling pathways. Therefore, bloodletting puncture at HTWP may be a promising therapeutic strategy for TBI-induced cerebral edema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/hypothesis: Microglial activation in diabetic retinopathy and the protective effect of erythropoietin (EPO) have been extensively studied. However, the regulation of microglia in the retina and its relationship to inner blood–retinal barrier (iBRB) maintenance have not been fully characterised. In this study, we investigated the role of microglia in iBRB breakdown in diabetic retinopathy and the protective effects of EPO in this context. Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were injected intraperitoneally with streptozotocin (STZ) to establish the experimental model of diabetes. At 2 h after STZ injection, the right and left eyes were injected intravitreally with EPO (16 mU/eye, 2 μl) and an equivalent volume of normal saline (NaCl 154 mmol/l), respectively. The rats were killed at 2 or 8 weeks after diabetes onset. Microglia activation was detected by ionised calcium binding adaptor molecule (IBA)-1 immunolabelling. Leakage of the iBRB was evaluated by albumin staining and FITC-dextran permeability assay. BV2 cells and primary rat microglia under hypoxic conditions were used to model microglial activation in diabetic retinopathy. Phagocytosis was examined by confocal microscopy in flat-mounted retina preparations and in microglia and endothelial cell cocultures. Protein levels of IBA-1, CD11b, complement component 1r (C1r), and Src/Akt/cofilin signalling pathway components were assessed by western blotting. Results: In diabetic rat retinas, phagocytosis of endothelial cells by activated microglia was observed at 8 weeks, resulting in an increased number of acellular capillaries (increased by 426.5%) and albumin leakage. Under hypoxic conditions, activated microglia transmigrated to the opposite membrane of the transwell, where they disrupted the endothelial cell monolayer by engulfing endothelial cells. The activation and phagocytic activity of microglia was blocked by intravitreal injection of EPO. In vitro, IBA-1, CD11b and C1r protein levels were increased by 50.9%, 170.0% and 135.5%, respectively, by hypoxia, whereas the phosphorylated proteins of Src/Akt/cofilin signalling pathway components were decreased by 74.2%, 47.8% and 39.7%, respectively, compared with the control; EPO treatment abrogated these changes. Conclusions/interpretation: In experimental diabetic retinopathy, activated microglia penetrate the basement membrane of the iBRB and engulf endothelial cells, leading to iBRB breakdown. EPO exerts a protective effect that preserves iBRB integrity via activation of Src/Akt/cofilin signalling in microglia, as demonstrated in vitro. These data support a causal role for activated microglia in iBRB breakdown and highlight the therapeutic potential of EPO for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning is bringing us self-driving cars, medical diagnoses, and language translation, but how can machine learning help marketers improve marketing decisions? Machine learning models predict extremely well, are scalable to "big data," and are a natural fit to analyze rich media content, such as text, images, audio, and video. Examples of current marketing applications include identification of customer needs from online data, accurate prediction of consumer response to advertising, personalized pricing, and product recommendations. But without the human input and insight—the soul—the applications of machine learning are limited. To create competitive or cooperative strategies, to generate creative product designs, to be accurate for "what-if" and "but-for" applications, to devise dynamic policies, to advance knowledge, to protect consumer privacy, and avoid algorithm bias, machine learning needs a soul. The brightest future is based on the synergy of what the machine can do well and what humans do well. We provide examples and predictions for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra-precision manufacturing is essential to the production of workpieces of the highest quality in terms of form accuracy, surface accuracy, and integrity. Compared with physical and chemical material removal methods, it has the advantages of high efficiency, high flexibility, and low cost. Because of the direct interaction between the workpiece and the tool during the process of ultra-precision manufacturing, the geometrical parameters of the tool directly affect the surface quality of the workpiece and need to be measured accurately and comprehensively. However, due to the large surface slopes of some tools, some three-dimensional measurement methods cannot measure their geometrical parameters because of limited maximum measurement angle. In this work, we build a focus variation system to make three-dimensional measurements of tools and extract their geometrical parameters. The data processing procedures and the selection of experimental parameters are analyzed in detail using simulations and experiments. Furthermore, we use a step height standard to verify the high accuracy of the measurement system and a roughened flat surface to evaluate the measurement noise and vertical resolution. Measurements of the parameters of a round nose cutting tool and the surface texture parameters of a grinding tool are conducted and indicate that the focus variation system is suitable for measuring the geometrical parameters of tools for ultra-precision manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is usually a tough trade-off between the mechanical property and the shielding performance in electromagnetic interference shielding (EMI) materials, especially for those ultrathin and porous film-based devices. Herein, we report an ultrathin and flexible RGO/CNF@Ag–Fe3O4 (RGCF) porous film for EMI shielding application by a vacuum-assisted filtration method and a hydrazine-induced foaming process. The RGCF-3 porous film exhibits outstanding mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 175.5 MPa. As expected, the EMI shielding effectiveness of the lightweight RGCF-3 porous film (21.0 dB) is much higher than that of the compact film (10.4 dB), due to the improved efficient wave attenuation within the cellular space. Therefore, the flexible and lightweight RGCF porous film with applicable EMI shielding and superior mechanical strength is highly promising for applications in wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold-rolling with subsequent annealing was carried out to produce recrystallized structures with different grain sizes in an Al0.5CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy to systematically investigate the grain growth behavior and varying properties. The results show that recrystallized microstructures can be achieved through an annealing process at 1200 °C for 75 min to 16 h, and the average grain size in this study ranges from 5.33 to 30.03 µm. The hardness shown to be affected through grain coarsening was then measured as a function of the grain size, and it is found to follow the classical Hall–Petch strengthening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical free-form surfaces have been widely studied and applied because of their good performance, and ultra-precision manufacturing with round nose cutting tool is an effective method for machining such surfaces. Because of the direct interaction between the workpiece surface and the cutting edge, the geometrical parameters of the round nose cutting tool directly affect the shape accuracy and the surface topography of the workpiece and need to be measured accurately and comprehensively. At present, the main method to measure the geometrical parameters of round nose cutting tool involves the method using machine vision, but this imposes some limitations, such as the strong dependence on the measurement angle and the inability of measuring multiple parameters at the same time. In this work, we built a focus variation system to make three-dimensional measurement of round nose cutting tool and used this system to obtain multiple geometrical parameters in a single measurement. The types of geometrical parameters and the extraction process are discussed in detail. And a standard step height is measured to verify the high accuracy of the measurement system. The repeated measurement results show that the standard deviation of the nose radius measurement can reach hundred-nanometer scale and the relative standard deviation can reach 0.028%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correlation among the strength, ductility and precipitates in a dual-phase Al0.5CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy has been investigated. The property of plastic was improved in the recrystallized Al0.5CoCrFeNi HEA prepared as the master alloy. Formation of the stable nanosized L12 phases after aging at 650 °C was revealed, along with the lath-like BCC phases precipitated in the grain, as the primary contribution of the strength enhancement. Excellent balanced tensile properties at room temperature were achieved through aging treatment, as the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength show 2.68, 1.63 times higher in 650 °C/140 h aged condition than that in initial states, respectively, superior to many high-entropy alloys and conventional alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steam reforming of toluene, a model tar compound, was carried out at low temperature of 600 °C using Cu–Ni and Fe–Ni bimetallic catalysts with different molar ratios supported on activated carbon (AC). For the Cu–Ni/AC catalysts, the carbon conversion of toluene rose and then decreased with the content of Cu increasing, and the best performance was achieved at the molar ratio of 0.2. However, the Fe–Ni/AC catalyst with the optimum composition of Fe/Ni = 0.1 had a better catalytic performance for toluene steam reforming than the Cu–Ni/AC catalyst (Cu/Ni = 0.2). During the duration test of 20 h, the Fe–Ni/AC (Fe/Ni = 0.1) catalyst showed higher activity for the average carbon conversion of toluene (93.8% vs. 92.9%) and better resistance. to carbon deposition than those of Ni/AC catalyst. Moreover, the metal average sizes of the spent Ni/AC and 0.1-Fe–Ni/AC were estimated to be 30.0 nm and 19.0 nm, respectively. Based on a variety of physiochemical characterization results, it is demonstrated that the addition of iron into Ni/AC catalyst led to good dispersion of Ni, and few coke formation and limited aggregation of nickel particles during reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The electrocatalytic activity of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) is largely dependent on the exposed massive active sites and electrical conductivity of the catalysts. In this work, a tree-like nanocomposite (NiS2/MoS2-RGO) which is composed of bimetal sulfide (NiS2/MoS2) nanocomposites uniformly anchored on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was successfully synthesized. As a catalytic material for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the NiS2/MoS2-RGO composites exhibit significantly enhanced electrocatalytic activity and impressive long-term stability for the hydrogen evolution reaction over a wide pH range. The tree-like NiS2/MoS2-RGO nanocomposites afford a current density (η10) of 10 mA/cm2 at small overpotentials of 172, 144 and 229 mV, and have a small Tafel slope of 51, 82 and 103 mV/dec in acidic, alkaline and neutral solution, respectively. Further studies reveal that the effective activities benefit from the abundant active edge sites and defects of NiS2/MoS2 nanocomposites and the excellent conductivity of RGO.Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traveling is one of the most important entertainments in the modern society. In general, before traveling to an unfamiliar city, one of the possible ways of travel planning is to search travel information from travel-related websites. With the advances of mobile social networks, increasingly more people are willing to record and share their travel experience via social media, which provides abundant information for people who are going to make travel plans. Textual reviews and travelogues with large scale of photos are two kinds of popular social travel sharing. They are complementary to each other in terms of structure and content, forming a large amount of fragmented travel knowledge. Moreover, the ever-increasing reviews and travelogues may impose a huge burden on gaining and reorganizing travel knowledge. To address these issues, this paper proposes CrowdTravel, a multi-source social media data fusion approach for multi-aspect tourism information perception, which can provide travelling assistance for tourists by crowd intelligence mining. We first study the problem of discovering popular scenic spots over crowd contributed data. Second, we propose a cross-media multi-aspect correlation method to connect fragmented travel information. Then we mine popular travel routes from travelogues based on Sequential Pattern Mining Algorithm. Finally, we achieve cross-media information relevance based on the similarity between the reviews and image contexts. We conduct experiments over a dataset of several popular scenic spots in Beijing and Xi’an, which is collected from two major online travel websites, namely Dazhongdianping and Mafengwo. The results indicate that our approach attains fine-grained characterization for the scenic spots and delivers excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS), it is difficult if not impossible to completely erase the error in restoring force due to actuator response delay using existing displacement-based compensation methods. This paper proposes a new force correction method based on online discrete tangent stiffness estimation (online DTSE) to provide accurate online estimation of the instantaneous stiffness of the physical substructure. Following the discrete curve parameter recognition theory, the online DTSE method estimates the instantaneous stiffness mainly through adaptively building a fuzzy segment with the latest measurements, constructing several strict bounding lines of the segment and calculating the slope of the strict bounding lines, which significantly improves the calculation efficiency and accuracy for the instantaneous stiffness estimation. The results of both computational simulation and real-time hybrid simulation show that: (1) the online DTSE method has high calculation efficiency, of which the relatively short computation time will not interrupt RTHS; and (2) the online DTSE method provides better estimation for the instantaneous stiffness, compared with other existing estimation methods. Due to the quick and accurate estimation of instantaneous stiffness, the online DTSE method therefore provides a promising technique to correct restoring forces in RTHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold tolerance is the primary limiting factor affecting the quality and productivity of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema morifolium). However, few studies have investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the low temperature response in chrysanthemum. In the present study, we used RNA-Seq technology to compare the transcript profiles of chrysanthemum leaves exposed to two different temperatures (20 and −8 °C). A total of 13.54 Gb of clean reads were assembled into 71,971 unigenes with an average length of 694 bp, and 33,282 unigenes were annotated identified from five well-known protein databases. Of these, 9579, 24,252, 7123, 22,554, and 32,891 unigenes were separately identified in the COG, GO, KEGG, Swiss-Prot, and NCBI databases, respectively. Differentially expressed genes (1592 upregulated and 718 downregulated) were identified between the control (CK) and low temperature treatment (T) groups. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified 20 significantly different pathways. Many genes encoding important transcription factors (e.g. CBF/DREB, bHLH, MYC, and ZAT) as well as proteins (e.g. CCX, CBP, CML, and MAPK) involved in cold signal transduction were up- or down-regulated in the low temperature treatment group. Genes involved in ABA signal transduction and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids were also identified. The expression profiles of these genes were analyzed during the cold treatment stage. These results provide important information for further studies on gene discovery in chrysanthemum and suggest a potential molecular mechanism for the response to low temperature in this plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation and land use in terms of livestock grazing have been identified as two of the most important drivers structuring the vegetation composition of semi-arid and arid savannas. Savanna research on the impact of these drivers has widely applied the so-called plant functional type (PFT) approach, grouping the vegetation into two or three broad types (here called meta-PFTs): woody plants and grasses, which are sometimes divided into perennial and annual grasses. However, little is known about the response of functional traits within these coarse types towards water availability or livestock grazing. In this study, we extended an existing eco-hydrological savanna vegetation model to capture trait diversity within the three broad meta-PFTs to assess the effects of both grazing and mean annual precipitation (MAP) on trait composition along a gradient of both drivers. Our results show a complex pattern of trait responses to grazing and aridity. The response differs for the three meta-PFTs. From our findings, we derive that trait responses to grazing and aridity for perennial grasses are similar, as suggested by the convergence model for grazing and aridity. However, we also see that this only holds for simulations below a MAP of 500 mm. This combined with the finding that trait response differs between the three meta-PFTs leads to the conclusion that there is no single, universal trait or set of traits determining the response to grazing and aridity. We finally discuss how simulation models including trait variability within meta-PFTs are necessary to understand ecosystem responses to environmental drivers, both locally and globally and how this perspective will help to extend conceptual frameworks of other ecosystems to savanna research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral concrete materials, which refer to cement-based composites mixed with coral and seawater, have aroused interest worldwide since they were first used in reef engineering. This paper reviews the raw materials, mechanical properties, durability and microstructure of coral concrete, and describes the performances of fiber reinforced coral concrete. The microhardness of coral concrete in the interfacial transition zone is significantly higher than that of normal concrete, the compressive strength of normal concrete is greater than that of coral concrete, while the normal concrete is more durable than coral concrete. The flexural and splitting tensile strengths of coral concretes are improved remarkably by adding fibers to the mixture. The coral concrete performance is hindered by the poor cementation of the materials, as a result of the porous and brittle coral aggregates. Therefore, by modifying the coral aggregates and innovating the mixing methods in the preparation of high-performance coral concrete, further developments in marine structures and underwater engineering applications can be made using the material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertainties in structure properties can result in different responses in hybrid simulations. Quantification of the effect of these uncertainties would enable researchers to estimate the variances of structural responses observed from experiments. This poses challenges for real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) due to the existence of actuator delay. Polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) projects the model outputs on a basis of orthogonal stochastic polynomials to account for influences of model uncertainties. In this paper, PCE is utilized to evaluate effect of actuator delay on the maximum displacement from real-time hybrid simulation of a single degree of freedom (SDOF) structure when accounting for uncertainties in structural properties. The PCE is first applied for RTHS without delay to determine the order of PCE, the number of sample points as well as the method for coefficients calculation. The PCE is then applied to RTHS with actuator delay. The mean, variance and Sobol indices are compared and discussed to evaluate the effects of actuator delay on uncertainty quantification for RTHS. Results show that the mean and the variance of the maximum displacement increase linearly and exponentially with respect to actuator delay, respectively. Sensitivity analysis through Sobol indices also indicates the influence of the single random variable decreases while the coupling effect increases with the increase of actuator delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tau is well established as a microtubule-associated protein in neurons. However, under pathological conditions, aberrant assembly of tau into insoluble aggregates is accompanied by synaptic dysfunction and neural cell death in a range of neurodegenerative disorders, collectively referred to as tauopathies. Recent advances in our understanding of the multiple functions and different locations of tau inside and outside neurons have revealed novel insights into its importance in a diverse range of molecular pathways including cell signalling, synaptic plasticity, and regulation of genomic stability. The present review describes the physiological and pathophysiological properties of tau and how these relate to its distribution and functions in neurons. We highlight the post-translational modifications of tau, which are pivotal in defining and modulating tau localisation and its roles in health and disease. We include discussion of other pathologically relevant changes in tau, including mutation and aggregation, and how these aspects impinge on the propensity of tau to propagate, and potentially drive neuronal loss, in diseased brain. Finally, we describe the cascade of pathological events that may be driven by tau dysfunction, including impaired axonal transport, alterations in synapse and mitochondrial function, activation of the unfolded protein response and defective protein degradation. It is important to fully understand the range of neuronal functions attributed to tau, since this will provide vital information on its involvement in the development and pathogenesis of disease. Such knowledge will enable determination of which critical molecular pathways should be targeted by potential therapeutic agents developed for the treatment of tauopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the quality improvements on clinching joints using a servo press with a Radial basis function neural network and a sliding mode (RBFS) control strategy. Bottom thickness, which is affected by the press punch position, is usually used to monitor clinching joint quality. Traditional clinching presses are driven by pneumatic pistons or motors that provide feedback on punch force or motor position. However, this feedback is indirectly related to the joint bottom thickness. Clinching workers who set the control parameters on these presses depend on tests and statistics. Thus, this paper presents a servo press system that utilizes punch position feedback to directly control the joint bottom thickness. Transmission errors are considered for the movement accuracy of the servo press. A mathematical model of the servo press is established for analyzing. An algorithm, which combines RBF neural network and sliding mode, is proposed and applied for press position tracking. This algorithm adopts an RBF neural network to approximate the nominal model of the press system. The update law of the algorithm is based on the Lyapunov function used to prove the stability of a closed-loop system. The sliding mode controller compensates for the neural network error and disturbance. Finally, experiments are executed on the servo press with an RBFS controller. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, a fuzzy PID controller is also applied to the press for comparison. The results indicate that the servo clinching press system with RBFS efficiently and accurately control the clinching jointing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we used the multi-resolution graph-based clustering (MRGC) method for determining the electrofacies (EF) and lithofacies (LF) from well log data obtained from the intraplatform bank gas fields located in the Amu Darya Basin. The MRGC could automatically determine the optimal number of clusters without prior knowledge about the structure or cluster numbers of the analyzed data set and allowed the users to control the level of detail actually needed to define the EF. Based on the LF identification and successful EF calibration using core data, an MRGC EF partition model including five clusters and a quantitative LF interpretation chart were constructed. The EF clusters 1 to 5 were interpreted as lagoon, anhydrite flat, interbank, low-energy bank, and high-energy bank, and the coincidence rate in the cored interval could reach 85%. We concluded that the MRGC could be accurately applied to predict the LF in non-cored but logged wells. Therefore, continuous EF clusters were partitioned and corresponding LF were interpreted, and the distribution and petrophysical characteristics of different LF were analyzed in the framework of sequence stratigraphy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by night blindness, visual field constriction, and severely reduced visual acuity. Despite a number of genes being implicated in RP pathogenesis, the genetic etiology of the disease remains unknown in many patients. In this study, our aim was to identify the disease-causing mutation of a large Chinese family with autosomal dominant RP (adRP). Targeted exon capture sequencing was initially performed to screen mutations in known disease-causing genes, followed by exome sequencing. In doing so, a heterozygous mutation in ADIPOR1 (c.929A > G) that results in an amino acid substitution (p.Y310C) was identified to co-segregate with the disease phenotype in this family. Adipor1 is wildly expressed throughout the body, but appears to be enriched in the photoreceptor inner and outer segments. The p.Y310C mutation, predicted to affect the structure and function of the protein, was confirmed to affect protein folding and its subcellular localization in vitro. In addition, knockdown of adipor1 expression in a zebrafish model with morpholino (MO) preferentially reduced the number of rod photoreceptors, with no effect on the number of cones, a phenotype that is characteristic of RP. Furthermore, the knockdown phenotype was partially rescued by injecting wild-type, but not mutant, human ADIPOR1 mRNA. We conclude that ADIPOR1 is a novel adRP-causing gene and plays an important role in rod development and maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave velocities in haloanhydrites are difficult to determine and significantly depend on the mineralogy. We used petrophysical parameters to study the wave velocity in haloanhydrites in the Amur Darya Basin and constructed a template of the relation between haloanhydrite mineralogy (anhydrite, salt, mudstone, and pore water) and wave velocities. We used the relation between the P-wave moduli ratio and porosity as constraint and constructed a graphical model (petrophysical template) for the relation between wave velocity, mineral content and porosity. We tested the graphical model using rock core and well logging data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Sliding valve distribution radial piston pump (SVDRPP) is presented. In this pump, a new distribution method that uses sliding valves to distribute oil for the piston chambers is developed. With this design, the disadvantages brought by the distribution shaft and the check valves (traditional distribution mechanisms), such as the poor stress state of the shaft and the energy waste for opening the check valves, are expected to be eliminated. In addition, a method of using pressure oil to accomplish the returning stroke of the piston is also proposed, which could be used to replace the usage of springs along with their shortcomings. A pump with five pistons is designed as an example to elaborate the structure and the working principle of SVDRPP. Furthermore, the flow characteristics of SVDRPP are studied, and the formulas of the displacement, the average flow rate and the instantaneous flow rate are deduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic attributes have been widely used in oil and gas exploration and development. However, owing to the complexity of seismic wave propagation in subsurface media, the limitations of the seismic data acquisition system, and noise interference, seismic attributes for seismic data interpretation have uncertainties. Especially, the antinoise ability of seismic attributes directly affects the reliability of seismic interpretations. Gray system theory is used in time series to minimize data randomness and increase data regularity. Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) can effectively reduce extrinsic data tendencies. In this study, by combining gray system theory and DFA, we propose a new method called gray detrended fluctuation analysis (GDFA) for calculating the fractal scaling exponent. We consider nonlinear time series generated by the Weierstrass function and add random noise to actual seismic data. Moreover, we discuss the antinoise ability of the fractal scaling exponent based on GDFA. The results suggest that the fractal scaling exponent calculated using the proposed method has good antinoise ability. We apply the proposed method to 3D poststack migration seismic data from southern China and compare fractal scaling exponents calculated using DFA and GDFA. The results suggest that the use of the GDFA-calculated fractal scaling exponent as a seismic attribute can match the known distribution of sedimentary facies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a novel mild steel damper with non-uniform vertical slits. The influence of different shapes of vertical slits of the core energy plate on the energy dissipation and buckling resistance capacities is analyzed. Based on the theoretical analysis, formulas of key parameters of the dampers, including the elastic lateral stiffness, shear bearing capacity and yield displacement, are derived. The effectiveness of the proposed damper is demonstrated through pseudo static tests on four 0.25-scale specimens. Performance of these dampers, i.e. cyclic deformation, stress distribution, energy dissipation capacity, etc., are presented and discussed. Using the numerical models of dampers calibrated through test data, earthquake time-history analyses were conducted, and it is observed that the dampers significantly reduce the seismic responses of the prototype frame and have a desirable energy dissipation capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]