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Enhancing the support for inclusive finance in county economies is crucial in achieving the strategic goal of building financial power. Drawing upon the theoretical lens of county-level inclusive financial accessibility, this study examines the effect of the migration experience (ME) of county socialites on their risky financial assets investment (FAI) and the underlying mechanisms. We utilize data sourced from the County Consumption Survey, a nationwide effort by the Department of Sociology of Tsinghua University and the 58 Tongzhen Research Group. Our findings reveal that the ME of county socialites significantly boosts their likelihood of engaging in financial markets. Furthermore, housing inequality factors, such as housing property rights and housing loans, play a moderating role in the impact of individual ME on their FAI. Additionally, the financial concept has a masking effect rather than a mediating effect on the path of the ME affecting FAI. Notably, the promotion effect of ME displays heterogeneity. Specifically, ME has a stronger positive effect on FAI among college-educated groups, members of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and urban hukou residents than on those who have not completed college education, non-CPC members and rural hukou households. In light of these findings, we propose policy recommendations to optimize the distribution of financial services, adjust the housing equality policy, and enhance inclusive financial literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water drives the decay of road subgrades such as frost heave in cold areas and collapse in saline soil areas, which influences the safety and comfort of vehicle transportation. This paper proposes a novel geotechnical material, namely hydrophobized soil, as a subgrade fill material to mitigate water-induced degradation of subgrade. Hydrophobized soil has a low affinity to water and therefore can prevent the subgrade from water infiltration, enhancing the volume stability of subgrades. To demonstrate its feasibility, the hydrophobicity and its durability were investigated in this study. A one-year outdoor weathering test on hydrophobized soil columns was conducted, with the hydrophobicity measured. The results show that hydrophobized sand has different durabilities and exhibits different degradations depending on the chosen hydrophobizing agent and its concentration. Based on the testing results and capillary rise model, the design of hydrophobic hydraulic barrier in subgrade was discussed at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding accurately the influence of non-plastic fines on stress-dilatancy of coral sand mixture-packing is crucial for marine engineering in various geotechnical applications. This work experimentally examined the effects of non-plastic fines and initial test conditions on stress-dilatancy behavior of mixture. Based on test results, equivalent void ratio ( e ∗ ) was determined to quantify the global effect of fines on shear behavior across different shear stages. Test results show that e ∗ exhibits a reduction as the mean effective stress ( p ′ ) increases, following a power function relationship. Besides, e ∗ variation under phase transformation, peak state, and critical state can be described by a normalized curve. Reduced fines content and increased relative density can contribute to the enhancement of both peak strength and internal friction angle within the mixture. However, the smooth shape and lubrication function facilitated by fines actively contribute to initiation of shear contraction. Furthermore, the stress paths observed in the CD shear tests manifest as a sequence of parallel straight lines within the q - p ′ plane. The length of these lines progressively extends as the stress level escalates. Moreover, deviator stress in q - p ′ curves under character state presents lower and upper limits which are 0.334 and 0.639 corresponding to tested samples determined by fines content and relative density. Elevated fines content combined with reduced relative density can lead to a reduction in both peak-state friction angle and maximum angle of dilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active faults in the earthquake region are consistently regarded as a potential geological hazard to the construction and operation of railway engineering. However, the effects of normal faulting on railway embankments have not been investigated thoroughly. For bridging this knowledge gap, three-dimensional finite element analysis considering the influence of faulting offset, the soil layer's thickness, the fault dip angle and the embankment cross-fault angle are conducted to clarify the normal faulting effects on the railway embankment. Emphasis is given to the stress and strain characteristic in the fault rupture outcropping regions on the embankment, the deformation of the embankment centerline for design purposes, and the determination of the affected zones for railway embankment preservation. The analysis shows that the normal fault rupture outcropping regions on railway embankment are tensile yield in most cases. The existence of the soil layer and its thickening would widen the affected zones and the regions where the fault ruptures outcrops. The fault dip angle and the cross-fault angle of the embankment have a complex effect on the behaviors of the crossing embankment. The depth of the subsidence zone of the embankment would increase with the decrease of the fault dip angle and the large fault dip angle would change the primary fault rupture to be a compressive one directly above the fault line. If the embankment crosses the fault line obliquely, the curvature radius of the centerline would hardly meet the design code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the potential utilization of MOF templates in hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of large sulfur-containing compounds, MOF-derived Ni2P was prepared and characterized by XRD, TG, SEM, TEM, XPS and Raman. The findings indicate that MOF-derived Ni2P catalyst exhibits significantly enhanced Hydrodesulfurization (HDS) activity compared to conventional unsupported Ni2P. A modified pyrolysis and phosphiding condition allowed the stacking of central Ni atoms to be aggregated loosely, and morphology of MOF-derived Ni2P can be controllably transmitted from polyhedral to petal-like. A lower pyrolysis temperature tends to reduce density of Ni aggregates and cluster size of Ni2P(111), thereby facilitating the phosphiding of Ni aggregates and enhancing the catalytic activity of MOF-derived Ni2P in HDS process. Increasing the duration time of pyrolysis at lower temperatures does not accelerate the aggregation of particles, but makes petals on surface of MOF-derived Ni become thinner and eventually disappear, until coral-like nanosphere aggregates with uniform size are formed. The gradually elimination of MOF framework renders nickel aggregates more susceptible to phosphiding. The collapse of pore structure of MOF template can impact HDS activity of MOF-derived Ni2P. Prolonging pyrolysis time causes the spacing between Ni2P clusters to diminish, thereby significantly decreasing reactivity of Ni2P-400-4-275 compared to Ni2P-400-2-275 in DBT–HDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal conductivity of frozen soil is a significant parameter in theoretical research and practice pertaining to surface environments and geothermal energy. This paper proposes a three-dimensional random model that improves the accuracy of predicting thermal conductivity in unsaturated frozen soil, thereby reducing the difficulty in determining its thermal parameters. To achieve this, a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyzer was used to determine the proportion of the four phases and the pore distribution of unsaturated frozen soil. A portable thermal property analyzer was also used to measure the thermal conductivity of frozen soil and assess the relationship between unfrozen moisture content and thermal conductivity. Using MATLAB, a three-dimensional stochastic porous medium model of unsaturated frozen soil was developed and then loaded into COMSOL simulation software, after which the pore ratios from the NMR results were inputted, and the steady-state solid heat transfer module automatically calculated the thermal conductivity of the simulation model. The calculated value was compared with experimental data, and the effectiveness and simulation accuracy of the model were analyzed. The study demonstrated that unfrozen water significantly affects the thermal conductivity of frozen soil, and pore water always maintains dynamic equilibrium with ice. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of soils increases with decreasing temperature, increasing moisture content, or increasing unfrozen moisture content. The calculated value of the simulation model and measured value of the test exhibited the same change trend, and the fitting effect was excellent, validating the reliability of the model. Thus, the results of this study provide valuable reference material for future developments related to soil thermodynamics and temperature prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HER2-targeted therapies have improved the outcomes of HER2-positive gastric cancer (GC), yet resistance remains a challenge. We sought to explore the effects of reversible and irreversible HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) alone or in combination with the HER2-targeting antibody drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-Dxd). Methods: The effects of HER2-TKIs on HER2 and downstream signaling were evaluated via Western blotting. Proteasomal inhibitors and co-immunoprecipitation assays were performed to explore the role of proteasomal degradation in HER2 expression modulation, and immunofluorescence assays were employed to explore mechanisms of HER2 internalization. The synergistic potential of the irreversible HER2-TKI pyrotinib in combination with T-Dxd was validated using growth and viability assays in anti-HER2-positive GC cell cultures and tumor growth and immunohistochemical staining assays in a mouse xenograft model. Results: Our study revealed that reversible HER2-TKIs elevated HER2 protein levels, whereas irreversible HER2-TKIs decreased them. Pyrotinib triggered HER2 degradation within the proteasome by promoting ubiquitination and dissociation from HSP90. Furthermore, pyrotinib substantially induced HER2 internalization, which led to improved cellular uptake of T-Dxd. The increased T-Dxd uptake was accompanied by greater efficacy in suppressing the growth of GC cells and enhanced anti-tumor effects in an animal model. Conclusion: In summary, our research reveals the molecular mechanisms of irreversible HER2-TKIs in regulating HER2 protein expression by promoting HER2 internalization. These findings advance our comprehension of targeted therapy for GC and provide a promising therapeutic combination strategy with enhanced efficacy against HER2-positive GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dredged soil is widely adopted in coastal geotechnical engineering projects, yet its cyclic shear behavior has not been fully explored. In this study, we utilize the DJZ-500 shear apparatus to explore the influence of normal stress (125, 250, 375, 500 and 625 kPa), shear frequency (0.005, 0.01 and 0.04 Hz), and shear displacement amplitude (1, 3, 6 and 10 mm) on the cyclic shear behavior of coastal dredged soil. Our findings indicate that as normal stress increases, so does shear strength, while an increase in shear frequency does not correspondingly elevate shear strength. Furthermore, we observe that an optimal amplitude of shear displacement contributes to augmented shear strength, whereas larger or smaller amplitudes do not yield higher shear strengths. The shear strength is contingent upon a specific combination of shear cycle, normal stress and displacement amplitude. In addition, distinct from the shear strength variation law mainly determined by the normal stress level and the displacement amplitude, the damping ratio is solely affected by the shear displacement amplitude. We put forth an empirical formula considering normal stress, shear displacement amplitude, and shear frequency, which can forecast the cyclic shear behavior of dredged soil. This study provides substantial technical and theoretical aid for the design of coastal and offshore structures to withstand cyclical loads, such as those induced by waves and tidal forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatomaceous soils as a special soil containing diatom frustules are widely distributed in marine deposits. Although their soil properties have been partially tested and reported which exhibit high void ratio and compressibility, a thorough investigation is in lack. Moreover, the interpretation of the cone penetration test (CPTu), a widely-used in-situ test, to the properties of such soil is still unknown, hindering a proper estimation of the diatomaceous soils in engineering geology and geotechnical practice. This study reports the soil properties and mechanical behavior of the undisturbed diatomaceous soil obtained from Walvis Bay in Namibia, which shows that the soils had an extremely high void ratio (~ 4.39) and low specific gravity (~ 2.16), and consequently low density and high compressibility. Due to the porous property of diatom frustules, the diatomaceous soils also exhibited a high liquid limit and plastic limit. Although these properties provide an identification to super soft soils, the diatomaceous soils had discrepant mechanical properties, i.e., the values of strength parameters in diatomaceous soils were higher than those in typical soft soils. At the end, by comparing the results of strength parameters obtained from the laboratory tests on undisturbed soil samples and the in-situ CPTu records, this paper proposes the interpretation methods of CPTu results to the strength parameters (effective friction angle and undrained shear strength) in the diatomaceous soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurs' mental well-being has been a nascent research topic in the entrepreneurship domain, but it remains unclear whether and how entrepreneurship affects mental well-being in the context of emerging economies. Drawing on the self-determination theory (SDT), we developed a model in which entrepreneurship, compared to wage–employment, was identified as a career choice more conducive to work-related and socioeconomic status (SES)-related psychological functioning (i.e., work autonomy and subjective SES), which, in turn, produces mental well-being benefits. We tested this model in the Chinese context by providing evidence based on data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) between 2010 and 2021 (N = 28,419). We found that entrepreneurs had higher levels of positive mental well-being and lower levels of negative mental well-being than paid employees. Mediation analysis showed that subjective SES mediated the relationship between entrepreneurship and mental well-being and explained this relationship better than work autonomy. These findings indicated that the mental well-being benefits of entrepreneurship existed in emerging economies like China and highlighted the crucial role of SES-related psychological functioning in facilitating entrepreneurs' mental well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of infrastructure in cold regions requires an understanding of the mechanical characteristics of soils under unfrozen and frozen states. For investigating the constitutive behaviors of a coarse sand under unfrozen and frozen states, a critical state model considering the effect of particle breakage was developed, followed by the establishment of a mesomechanical-based frozen soil model based on homogenization theory. The relative breakage, defined by grain size distributions (GSDs) and evaluated by modified plastic work, was introduced into the elastic law and hardening rule of sandy soil. The deformation and relative breakage properties of sandy soil during the loading process were examined by the developed particle crushing model. Meanwhile, the behavior of the ice inclusion phase was described by a generalized hyperbolic model. On the basis of constitutive equations of the sandy matrix as well as ice inclusions, a mesomechanical-based model of the frozen sandy sample was established by introducing a simplified stress concentration tensor between meso and macro stresses. Compared with triaxial test data, the mesomechanical-based model developed in this study reproduced the constitutive behavior of frozen sandy sample at different temperatures and at various stress paths well. It is hoped that the results of this work can serve as a reference for the constitutive simulation of soils in cold regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral sand (CS) always contain different contents of fines and consequently cause some changes to shear behavior which is distinct from the regular silicious sand. To examine the effects of stress level (σ3), fines (FS), and relative density (Dr) on shear strength-dilation behaviors of CS, a series of consolidated drained tests and gray correlation analysis were conducted. Results show that peak strength of sandy soil improved by increasing σ3 and Dr but reduced as increasing FS content. However, the peak strength loss rate η increased with an increase of Dr or FS content but decreased as increasing σ3. In addition, strain softening of mixture was aggravated by increasing σ3, Dr, and FS percentage. Particularly, the shear dilatancy of mixture transformed to shear contraction as σ3 increased from 200 to 400 kPa. Maximum angle of dilation has an approximate linear relation with peak-state friction angle. Gray correlation analysis indicated that the influence of stress level and FS content on peak strength and strain-softening of sandy soil is more prominent than Dr. Furthermore, when Dr increased or FS content decreased, the internal friction angle of mixture increased linearly. The cohesion force of mixture has a positive linear relation with Dr while appears a hyperbolic relation with FS content. Based on the concept of equivalent void ratio, the grain contact and mixture phase were discussed. Finally, the modified Mohr-Coulomb criterion of mixture was proposed considering Dr and FS content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subgrade filler weakens its mechanical property after suffering from freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles, which threatens the trains' operation safety. It is essential to study the filler's mechanical property's evolution with the F-T cycles and reveal the test factors' incidence on the mechanical parameters. This study conducted a series of unconsolidated and undrained (UU) triaxial shear tests in the F-T and thermostatic-curing (T-C) groups, considering the temperature, confining pressure, and cycle times. As the control group, the T-C group can more prominently reflect the F-T effects on the soil's mechanical parameters, including the stress-strain curve, shear strength, and strength index. A piecewise and linear function can fit internal friction angle or cohesion's change with cycle times, respectively. The fitting parameters reflect the T-C and F-T effects on soil's mechanical properties. The absolute degree of incidence reveals the correlation between mechanical parameters and test factors. The −15°C has the most significant incidence than −5°C and 20°C in shear strength, while −5°C has the most considerable incidence than −15°C and 20°C in friction angle or cohesion. The water distribution and volume expansion due to the F-T cycles are the main reasons determining mechanical properties' evolution with the cycle times in different negative temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of the continuous development of subway construction, the safe evacuation of subway passengers has been paid much attention to. As the subway itself has the characteristics of limited space and high passenger density, once a fire emergency occurs, it can cause huge losses only by passive rescue. Therefore, it is important to actively plan for evacuation to reduce life and property losses due to fires in subways. This study aims to develop a fault tree analysis method for identifying scenarios that lead to evacuation failure in subways due to impassability incurred by fires. First, a virtual evacuation model is established using an agent modeling technique, with collected passenger characteristics to calibrate local evacuation behaviors. Then, fire impassability scenarios (e.g. fire(s) in the escalator(s), in emergency stairs, or the combination) are evaluated using the established agent model. Eventually, a fault tree analysis is constructed to identify scenarios that lead to evacuation failures. The research results show that the passability of escalator(s) is critical for subway fire resilience. It is important to use stationary escalator(s) as evacuation pathways for more evacuation capacity. Fire risk management around escalator(s) should be stricter. Passengers and staff are advised to learn how to stop a running escalator to avoid evacuation failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the fractal dimension, particle shape, and particle breakage of calcareous sand (CS) under multi-level ending pressure, a series of one-dimensional compression experiments along with microscope image recognition tests were performed. Test results demonstrated that compression behavior of CS was similar to that of silt soil for the reason that considerable particle breakage occurred under high-stress level. In unloading process, rebound index of tested specimens was in the range of 0.0027–0.0052 which suggested that irrecoverable plastic deformation consists of the main part of compression. The shape index sphericity ( S C ), aspect ratio ( A R ), convexity ( C X ), and overall regularity ( O R ) increased as increasing axial stress or decreasing average grain size. Besides, there existed a turning point of axial stress of 3200 kPa; these shape indexes increased rapidly first and then approached to a stable value after that. At present study, the surface and mass fractal dimension of tested specimens were in the range of 1.12–1.93 and 2.14–2.92, respectively. Both fractal dimension and relative breakage ratio increased logarithmically as increasing axial stress from 0 to 6400 kPa. In addition, an increase in the average grain size led to an increase in the relative breakage ratio and a decrease in fractal dimension which indicated that larger particles are more easily broken for the reason that the stress concentration between granular grains. Furthermore, there existed approximate linear relations between surface or mass fractal dimension with relative breakage ratio which might be helpful to quantitate the particle breakage of granular materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Chinese corpus of Google Books Ngram in line with other macro-level socioeconomic data, this paper examines and analyzes the trend of change in public discourse about social structure in China from 1949 to 2008, as well as the mechanism that influences this trend. We find that since the reform and opening-up, the official discourse on "class," as constructed by the official ideology, has gradually declined, while the importance of a "stratum" discourse oriented toward the mass population has increased. Using principal component analysis, we generate an index for public attention on social strata and run it through a Granger causality test along with time-series data such as macro-level economic and political indicators. The results show that since the reform and opening-up, public attention to stratum has been influenced by the general trend of the economy, income disparity, and level of political participation. Income disparity influences public attention on stratum-related topics more than macro-level economic indicators do. Official intervention on public opinions does not affect public attention on the stratum, but the former is affected by the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfate attack–induced expansion of cement-treated aggregates is a well-known problem to be addressed causing remarkable heave in road and railway subgrades. The specific surface area (SSA) of the materials influences chemical reactions significantly. In this study, cement, sodium sulfate, and basalt powder were ground in a ball mill for 0 (without grinding), 5, 10, 30, and 60 min respectively to achieve different SSA gradients. Under the curing condition of a constant temperature of 10 °C and humidity of 70%, with 5% cement, the effects of sodium sulfate contents and SSA gradients on the expansion of sulfate attack in cement-treated aggregate (SACA) were investigated during 60 days in laboratory. Based on nitrogen absorption methods, microscopic tests, and swelling tests, the results show that, grinding within 60 min, the respective peak value of SSAs of cement, mixture of 3% (or 8%) sodium sulfate and basalt powder, and mixture of 3% (or 8%) sodium sulfate, cement, and basalt powder was 1.867 m2/g, 1.109 m2/g (or 1.393 m2/g), and 1.128 m2/g (or 1.404 m2/g), respectively. The SSAs increase as the aggregates refined, then decrease as the aggregates gathered. The strain variation can be generally divided into four stages with 3% sodium sulfate attack in cement-treated aggregate (3% SACA): rapid strain increase, short stagnation, continuous heave, and constant strain. Two stages of strain variation have been observed with 8% sodium sulfate attack in cement-treated aggregate (8% SACA): rapid strain increase, and a constant strain. Finer needle-like ettringite crystals (average length: 0.5–1 μm) filling in the smaller holes produce the greater expansion induced by SACA. Based on grey incidence analysis, the SSAs of cement, mixture of sodium sulfate and basalt powder (S+B), and the whole mixture of cement, sodium sulfate, and basalt powder (C+S+B) have a significant effect on strain. This work provides theoretical support for amending SACA at the SSA level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correction notice is for an article titled "Geotechnical characterization of the diatomaceous silty soil in Walvis Bay, Namibia: mechanical properties and interpretations of CPTu records" published in the Bulletin of Engineering Geology & the Environment. The correction updates the affiliation of Affiliation 2 from "Engineering Technology Research Co., Ltd. of CCCC Fourth Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd., Guangdong, China" to "CCCC-FHDI Engineering CO.,LTD, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China." The original article has been corrected, and Springer Nature, the publisher, remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

The particle breakage of porous and angular calcareous sand (CS) at the high-stress level is essential on compression feature but less quantified. In this research, a series of compression experiments and laser particle size analyzer tests were conducted under different ending pressures considering relative compaction and fine-grained soil (FS) content to investigate compression behavior and particle breakage of CS. The results indicate that the rebound curves are almost horizontal with a rebound index are between 0.0021 and 0.0054, and the FS content (smaller than 10%) has a little impact on resilience behavior. The irreversible plastic deformation is the main part of compression deformation. Besides, there exist two pressure thresholds of 400 kPa and 100 kPa corresponding to void ratio change trend when FS contents are smaller than 10% and reach 10%, respectively. Moreover, with FS contents increase from 0 to 10%, the moving distance of grading curves to the right becomes shorter gradually which suggests that the quantities of particle crushability decrease. FS can relieve stress concentration among CS that leading to less particle crushability. The combination of these factors including FS content, relative compaction, and axial loading has a complex effect on the relative crushability ratio. Both FS content and relative compaction can restrain particle crushability while axial loading could promote particle crushing. In addition, the relative crushability ratio has a negative linear relation with FS content and relative compaction. But, the relation between particle crushability ratios with axial loading can be described as a logarithmic function well. However, when relative compaction increases to a certain degree of 0.7, the influence of pressure on the relative crushability ratio is weakened. Similarly, the effect of relative compaction on the void ratio is weakened when the FS content is increased. Furthermore, there is a good negative linear correlation between the void ratio and relative crushability ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steric hindrance of methyl on reaction pathway of hydrodesulfurization in presence of quinoline was investigated over a NiMo/Al2O3 catalyst at 4.0 MPa and 320 °C. The results show that steric hindrance of methyl changed the main pathway of HDS while presence of quinoline further exacerbated this transformation. Changes in inhibitory factor curve show that quinoline poisoning on DBT HDS is a relatively mild. When adjacent methyl is present, even at low concentration, the inhibitory factor of quinoline on 4,6-DMDBT HDS is still greater than 85%. At high levels, the inhibitory factor of quinoline on DDS pathway even exceeds 99%. Quinoline poisons HYD pathway of DBT HDS to a stable level in a short time (30 to 60 min). However, after 6 h of reaction, HYD pathway yield of 4,6-DMDBT HDS is still increasing. Quinoline simultaneously poisons HYD and DDS pathways of 4,6-DMDBT HDS to a stable level within 120 min, and then DDS pathway will continue to be poisoned, thereby increasing HYD pathway yield. Regardless of presence of adjacent methyl in sulfur-containing molecules, an increase in quinoline concentration will lead to an increase in HYD/DDS pathway yield ratio. Addition of quinoline inhibits conversion of hydrogenated intermediates to DDS products by poisoning C–S bond dissociation center (such as CUS active site) and leads to formation of deep hydrogenated products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leachate (pH = 14) from alumina production changes the mechanical properties of red clay, and the shear strength parameters of the system vary due to the multiple-dimensional interactions of the microscopic parameters. In this paper, the alumina production liquid and the concentrations of the NaOH solution were designed to contaminate the red clay during 80 days. The cohesion and friction angle of the alkaline-contaminated red clay were obtained from direct shear tests. Through qualitative and quantitative analyses using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the microstructure was observed. Based on the rock engineering systems (RES) theory, interactions among microscopic parameters were analysed, and the relationships between shear strength parameters and microscopic parameters of alkaline-contaminated red clay were established. Results show that both of the cohesion and friction angle of alkaline-contaminated red clay are increased in general; the adsorption in alumina production liquid and dispersing effect of 0.7% NaOH concentration are noticeable, and the interactions of the microscopic parameters are intense; the ratio of the intra-aggregate pore number, the probability distribution index and the number of particles can significantly influence cohesion; the particle morphology fractal dimension, aspect and probability entropy have a severe effect on friction angle. This work is expected to serve as a reference for future research on the relationship between macroscopic properties and microcosmic structure of soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UV Raman, TG-MS (TPO) and nitrogen physisorption characterization were used to characterize deactivated Mo/HZSM-5 catalysts from coupling reaction of methane CO2 autothermal reforming (MCAR) and methane dehydroaromatization (MDA). The results show that MCAR/MDA maintains the Mo-oxo species throughout the process, reducing the maximum C6H6 yield, but extending the reaction life by at least 4 time. As O/CH4 increases, MCAR/MDA changes from oxygen-deficient to oxygen-rich state. For MCAR/MDA under oxygen-deficient condition, O2 can only delay the accumulation of aromatics. Grown of coke on Brӧnsted acid eventually leads to complete blockage of the micropores of the catalyst. Slowly deposited graphite coke in MCAR/MDA extended the critical time by nearly 4 times. For MCAR/MDA under oxygen-rich condition, a 70% C6H6 selectivity was maintained throughout the process. After 3700 min of operation, the remaining micropore volume and micropore surface of the deactivated catalyst remained above 1/3. The timely removal of graphite coke at the pore mouth by the MCAR/MDA reaction under oxygen-rich conditions can eliminate the limitation of C6H6 diffusion, thereby effectively preventing the acceleration of the coke deposit micropores which cause the MDA reaction to be rapidly deactivated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a model is proposed to simulate frost jacking performances of a pile foundation within an axisymmetric pile–soil system through a coupling strategy. We consider three diversified stages for frost heave of adjacent foundation soil below freezing point, where mathematical expressions for the volumetric strain are given in terms of volumetric ice content, negative temperature and porosity. A modified strain-softening model characterizing frozen soil–pile interactions is established based on experimental results, taking into account the effects of normal pressure, negative temperature and moisture content. The proposed computational approach is then illuminated and validated via the numerical example of a simplified bridge pile foundation under natural permafrost condition. Variation of temperature regime, volumetric ice content, displacement and stress over time is analyzed. This model can be further applied to evaluating effects of different countermeasures that mitigate frost jacking hazard of single pile subjected to cold climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epileptogenesis is a complex pathological process that occurs after an initial brain injury and involves a series of molecular events. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a flavonoid in licorice, is reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in various experimental models, but its specific roles and molecular mechanisms in the epileptogenic process following kainic acid (KA) treatment remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of ISL pretreatment in KA-induced epileptic rats and the underlying mechanisms. Our findings show that ISL pretreatment significantly attenuated the KA-induced expression of ionized calcium‐binding adapter molecule 1 (IBα1)-labeled microglia (F(3, 20) = 97.29, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.94) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes (F(3, 20) = 72.48, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.92), and the release of inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α (F(3, 20) = 133.14, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.95), IL-1β, and C–C motif chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3). ISL pretreatment given before KA also significantly prevented apoptotic neuronal injury by upregulating the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. It also significantly suppressed the protein levels of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) (F(3, 20) = 63.23, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.91) and its downstream molecules, myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MYD88), phosphorylated (p-)IκBα, and p-NF-κB. Blocking TLR4/MYD88 signaling also attenuated KA-induced neuroinflammation and neuronal damage in the hippocampus. Overall, our study demonstrates that ISL pretreatment plays neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory roles in KA-induced epileptogenesis, which may be mediated by the TLR4/MYD88 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding effect of freezing phenomenon in a fiber-reinforced soil structure is essential to foundation technology, road construction and earthwork application in cold region. This research aims to present the results of experimental investigation relative to the unconsolidated-undrained triaxial compression behavior of fine-grained soil as a function of freeze-thaw cycles and fiber volume fractions. All measurements were carried out for 3 selected glass and basalt fiber fractions (0%, 0.5%, and 1%) and 5 selected freeze-thaw cycles (0, 2, 5, 10, and 15). It has been observed that for the studied soil, strength of unreinforced soil reduced with increasing number of the freeze-thaw cycles while fiber-reinforced soil shows greater effect and the strength reduction amount reduces from 40% to 18%. Moreover, the reduction trend for cohesion of the fiber-reinforced soil decreased, this was seen more prevalent on 1% glass fiber-reinforced soil. The resilient modulus of all specimens reduced with increasing number of the freezethaw cycles. The experimental results demonstrated that different fiber fractions and their mixtures could be employed as supplement additive to improve the freeze-thaw performance of cohesive soils for road construction and earthworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slope stability has been a long-standing problem in geotechnical practice. The difficulty in analyzing slope stability may be attributed to geological complexity and versatile environments, but the limitations of analysis methods should not be ignored. In this work, the conventional limit equilibrium methods and the FE stress-based limit equilibrium methods with special emphasis on their limitations are reviewed, and the advantages of the finite element method with the capability of strength reduction are pointed out and illustrated by using some slope examples. Particularly, a flowchart of decision tree on selecting single-grid or two-grid search scheme is proposed for the shear strength reduction finite element method of slope stability analysis. Based on some slope examples, it is demonstrated that the automatic selection or switch between the single-grid scheme and the two-grid scheme can be remarkably superior to the single mesh scheme from the perspectives of computational cost and software development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oscillometric fixed-ratio method is widely employed for non-invasive measurement of systolic and diastolic pressures (SP and DP) but is heuristic and prone to error. We investigated the accuracy of this method using an established mathematical model of oscillometry. First, to determine which factors materially affect the errors of the method, we applied a thorough parametric sensitivity analysis to the model. Then, to assess the impact of the significant parameters, we examined the errors over a physiologically relevant range of those parameters. The main findings of this model-based error analysis of the fixed-ratio method are that: (1) SP and DP errors drastically increase as the brachial artery stiffens over the zero trans-mural pressure regime; (2) SP and DP become overestimated and underestimated, respectively, as pulse pressure (PP) declines; (3) the impact of PP on SP and DP errors is more obvious as the brachial artery stiffens over the zero trans-mural pressure regime; and (4) SP and DP errors can be as large as 58 mmHg. Our final and main contribution is a comprehensive explanation of the mechanisms for these errors. This study may have important implications when using the fixed-ratio method, particularly in subjects with arterial disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem cells have been shown to partly restore central nervous system (CNS) function after transplantation into the injured CNS. However, little is known about their influence on acute energy metabolism after spinal cord injury. The present study was designed to analyze regional changes in energy metabolites. Young adult mice were subjected to laminectomy with subsequent hemisection at the L2/3 vertebral level. Immediately thereafter a stable clone of murine neural stem cells (NSCs) was injected into the lesion site. After 4 and 24 h, spinal cords were removed and ATP, glucose, and lactate were analyzed by a bioluminescence approach in serial sections and compared to a laminectomized (intact control), hemisected-only or hemisected vehicle-injected control group. At both time points, ATP content of the hemisected group in the tissue segments adjacent to the lesion was increased when compared to the laminectomized control. At the lesion site ATP content decreased significantly at 24 h in the cell-transplanted group when compared to the laminectomized control group. Glucose content decreased at the lesion site and in segments adjacent to the lesion at both time points and in all experimental groups when compared to the laminectomized control group. Lactate content decreased significantly at 4 h in the caudal segments of the vehicle-injected group and in both adjacent segments of the transplanted group when compared to the laminectomized control. At the lesion site, lactate content decreased significantly at 4 and 24 h in the cell-transplanted group, when compared to the laminectomized control. The area of ATP decline at the lesion site 24 h postinjury was significantly lower in the vehicle control group as compared to the hemisected or transplanted group. The decrease in glucose combined with an increase in ATP in the lesion-adjacent segments may indicate that the tissue responds with an increased use of glucose to support itself with sufficient ATP. The significant decrease in glucose, lactate, and ATP in the cell-transplanted group at 24 h may indicate a high metabolic need of the stem cells. The lower area of ATP decline 24 h after vehicle administration suggests that the vehicle solution washes out toxic mediators, thus ameliorating hemisection-dependent secondary tissue damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]