Search

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We construct the 3D Shear wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropy images in the southern Chuandian block using phase velocity dispersion of Rayleigh wave in the period of 5–45 s. The images show two extensive low-velocity zones with a depth range of 20–40 km. The west range of the low-velocity extends from the Lijiang-Xiaojinhe fault to the Red River fault, while its east range follows along the Xiaojiang fault. Two ranges of low velocities are merged at the southern inner belt of the Emeishan Large Igneous Provinces (ELIP). The observed fast directions of azimuthal anisotropy are consistent with the extension of low-velocity ranges at the lower crust. The findings reveal the presence of two potential weak channels in the lower crust, characterized by low-velocity zones, which align with the hypothesis of lower crustal flow. Meanwhile, the crust around the inner belt of ELIP exhibits a high-velocity body characterized by a northeast-trending and counter-clockwise azimuthal anisotropy. Combined with geological data, we attribute the high S-velocity to a mafic–ultramafic magma reservoir of the ELIP, which blocks the continuity of crustal flow within the southern Chuandian block, thus dividing the lower crustal flow into two branches. Additionally, we also find the fast directions of azimuthal anisotropy above 20 km align well with the strike-slip fault orientations. The above research results indicate that the crustal deformation in the southern Chuandian block is likely attributed to the joint action of the two deformation mechanisms. One involves a lower crustal flow model, while the other entails rigid extrusion controlled by the deep-seated, large-scale strike-slip faults in the upper crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a series of organic amine-intercalated α-ZrP were prepared. The crystal phase, structures and properties of these intercalated compounds were analyzed and characterized using several analysis methods. The interlayer distance of organic amine-intercalated α-ZrP has increased regularly along with the increase of chain elongation of organic amine. The composites were applied to adsorb phenol from wastewater. The adsorption equilibrium, kinetics, and dynamic adsorption of phenol onto intercalated α-ZrP were studied. Adsorption isotherms of phenol were determined at different temperatures, and they were well fitted to the Freundlich equation (R2 > 0.99), and the corresponding maximum adsorption capacity of phenol was 0.832 mmol/g. Batch kinetic experiments revealed that the adsorption process followed a quasi-second-order kinetic model. The dynamic adsorption revealed that the adsorption capacity for phenol increased with the increase in temperature. The adsorption process was rapid and equilibrium was reached within 30 min. When the adsorption dosage is 0.1 g/15 mL, the adsorption yield for 10 mmol/L phenol solution can reach 61.2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) is increasingly used in diagnosing clinical pathogens, but its effectiveness in cirrhosis patients with suspected ascites infection remains uncertain. Methods: The diagnostic performance of ddPCR was assessed in 305 ascites samples, utilizing culture and clinical composite standards. The quantitative value and potential clinical impact of ddPCR were further analyzed in patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Results: With culture standards, ddPCR demonstrated a sensitivity of 86.5% and specificity of 83.2% for bacterial or fungal detection. After adjustment of clinical composite criteria, specificity increased to 96.4%. Better diagnostic performance for all types of targeted pathogens, particularly fungi, was observed with ddPCR compared to culture, and more polymicrobial infections were detected (30.4% versus 5.7%, p < 0.001). Pathogen loads detected by ddPCR correlated with white blood cell count in ascites and blood, as well as polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) count in ascites, reflecting infection status rapidly. A positive clinical impact of 55.8% (43/77) was observed for ddPCR, which was more significant among patients with PMN count ≤ 250/mm3 in terms of medication adjustment and new diagnosis. ddPCR results for fungal detection were confirmed by clinical symptoms and other microbiological tests, which could guide antifungal therapy and reduce the risk of short-term mortality. Conclusions: ddPCR, with appropriate panel design, has advantages in pathogen detection and clinical management of ascites infection, especially for patients with fungal and polymicrobial infections. Patients with atypical spontaneous bacterial peritonitis benefited more from ddPCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pole-skipping refers to the special phenomenon that the pole and the zero of a retarded two-point Green’s function coincide at certain points in momentum space. We study the pole-skipping phenomenon in holographic Green’s functions of boundary operators that are dual to massive p-form fields and the dRGT massive gravitational fields in the AdS black hole background. Pole-skipping points for these systems are computed using the near horizon method. The relation between the pole-skipping points of massive fields and their massless counterparts is revealed. In particular, as the field mass m is varied from zero to non-zero, the pole-skipping phenomenon undergoes an abrupt change with doubled pole-skipping points found in the massive case. This arises from the breaking of gauge invariance due to the mass term and the consequent appearance of more degrees of freedom. We recover the gauge invariance using the Stueckelberg formalism by introducing auxiliary dynamical fields. The extra pole-skipping points are identified to be associated with the Stueckelberg fields. We also observe that, as the mass varies, some pole-skipping points of the wave number q may move from a non-physical region with complex q to a physical region with real q. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate a new proposal connecting the geometry at various radial scales in asymptotic AdS spacetime with entanglement structure at corresponding real-space length scales of the boundary theory. With this proposal, the bulk IR geometry encodes the long-scale entanglement structure of the dual quantum system. We consider two distinct types of IR geometries, namely the spherical case and the hyperbolic case, which are intimately related to the physics of differential entropy and brane-world holography separately. We explore the corresponding change in the dual long-scale entanglement structures, utilizing the tools of the Ryu-Takayanagi formula, conditional mutual information, and partial entanglement entropy. The results indicate that modifying the IR geometry leads to a redistribution of entanglement at scales longer than a critical length determined by the location of the IR region, with the two modified IR geometries corresponding to two opposite ways of redistribution. Furthermore, we establish the maximum amount of entanglement that can be modified, which is proportional to the area of the IR region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear energy sink (NES) is a device used for structural vibration reduction, which can not only achieve targeted energy transfer, but also has many advantages such as wide working frequency band, high reliability and strong robustness. In a fractional-order differential system, the historical memory of fractional-order differential operators enables us to more accurately simulate and study physical phenomena in actual systems. With this in mind, the vibration suppression performance of the fractional-order damping system coupled with NES is considered. However, random vibrations are everywhere and systems are susceptible to random excitations. Therefore, this paper conducts a numerical and analytical investigation into the dynamic response mechanism of a fractional-order damping system excited by random excitation, which coupled with a NES. Firstly, The Fokker–Planck–Kolmogorov equation and stationary probability density function expression are derived by using stochastic averaging method. Secondly, The effectiveness of this approach is confirmed by the concurrence between the analytical solutions and the numerical solutions obtained through Monte Carlo simulation. Subsequently, the effects of system parameters and noise intensity on the stationary response of the system are discussed, as well as stochastic P-bifurcation caused by system parameters. Ultimately, the time histories of displacement and the energy transformation of the primary structure with changes in system parameters under the condition of coupled with NES and without NES are analyzed to verify that NES can achieve the desired goal of vibration reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the thermal stabilities and polymerization activities of α-diimine nickel catalysts, two asymmetric nickel complexes, Cat1 and Cat2, bearing large steric hindrance fluorine-containing diphenylmethyl substituents were designed, synthesized and used for ethylene polymerization. These two homogeneous catalysts exhibited good thermal stability, especially Cat2, which exhibited an activity of 2.04 × 106 gPE/molNi h at 80 °C. To control the polymer particle morphology and avoid the fouled reactor, these α-diimine catalysts were covalently bonded to modified silica supports, and two supported α-diimine catalysts, S-Cat1 and S-Cat2, were prepared for ethylene polymerization. The particle morphology of the polyethylene was substantially improved. Additionally, the melting point of the polyethylene was increased to approximately 110–120 °C. The molecular weight of the polymer prepared with the supported catalyst was nearly twice that of the polymer catalyzed by the corresponding homogeneous catalyst, and the molecular weight of the polyethylene prepared by S-Cat2 reached 1790 kg/mol. The substituents on the ligands affected the properties of the α-diimine nickel catalysts and the microstructure of the resulting polyethylene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a holographic model that exhibits a coexistence state of the Weyl semimetal and the topological nodal line state, providing us with a valuable tool to investigate the system’s behavior in the strong coupling regime. Nine types of bulk solutions exhibiting different IR behaviors have been identified, corresponding to nine different types of boundary states. These nine states include four distinct phases, namely the Weyl-nodal phase, the gap-nodal phase, the Weyl gap phase and the gap-gap phase, four phase boundaries, which are the Weyl-Dirac phase, the gap-Dirac phase, the Dirac-gap phase and the Dirac-nodal phase, and finally a double critical point. A phase diagram is plotted that exhibits qualitative similarity to the one obtained in the weak coupling limit. The anomalous Hall conductivity, which serves as an order parameter, and the free energy are calculated, with the latter showing the continuity of the topological phase transitions within the system. Our study highlights the similarities and differences in such a topological system between the weak and strong coupling regimes, paving the way for further experimental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central South University is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A single extremely halophilic strain was isolated from salt brine produced when a fresh water lake flooded a large salt mine located beneath the lake. The water that entered this mine contained less than 0.34 M NaCl, but over time, this sealed brine became saturated by Cenozoic age salt (121–125 million-year BCE). The isolated strain requires at least 1.7 M NaCl for survival and grows optimally in 3.1 M NaCl. Therefore, it could not have survived or been present in the waters that flooded this salt mine. The strain grows at a pH range from 6.5 to 9.0 and has a wide tolerance to temperatures from 25 ℃ to at least 60 ℃. The comparison of 16S rRNA and rpoB′ genes revealed that strain 1–13-28T is related to Halorubrum tebenquichense DSM 14210T showing 98.6% and 98.1% similarities, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA, rpoB′ genes and 122 concatenated archaeal genes show that the strain 1–13-28T consistently forms a cluster with Halorubrum tebenquichense of the genus Halorubrum. Strain 1–13-28T contained sulfated mannosyl glucosyl diether, and the polar lipid profile was identical to those of most Halorubrum species. Based on the overall combination of physiological, phylogenetic, polar lipids and phylogenomic characteristics, strain 1–13-28T (= ATCC 700083T = CGMCC 1.62627T) represents a newly identified species within the genus Halorubrum for which the name Halorubrum hochsteinianum is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid energy harvesting systems are broadly applied in various fields due to the advantage of improving energy harvesting efficiency. In actual environment, there are many complex phenomena exhibiting jump, flights, rare transition features, and intermittent features, which can be described by systems subjected to non-Gaussian Lévy process. Sometimes, it is difficult to build mathematical models of complex hybrid energy harvesting systems precisely, especially for those driven by non-Gaussian Lévy noise. With the development of simulation capabilities and observing techniques recently, massive noise measurement data or simulating data can be feasibly obtained and there are many existing techniques devoted to discovering governing laws from abundant data. In this paper, we aim to extract the system equations from observed data influenced by non-Gaussian Lévy noise via using a data-driven method. The expressions of drift term, diffusion term and Lévy term can be approximated with the help of Fokker-Planck equation and non-local Kramers-Moyal formulae, and the coefficients of the expressions are learned by utilizing a sparse regression approach in the least square sense. Three examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. Results show that the approach can well be applied to not only hybrid energy harvesting systems under Gaussian Brownian process but also the systems subjected to non-Gaussian Lévy process. Additionally, the relations between the demarcation parameter and an indicator denoted as Ratio for different time steps are analyzed, and results demonstrate that the indicator can be regarded as the criterion of selecting the appropriate demarcation parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell immobilization plays an important role in biocatalysis for high-value products. It is necessary to maintain the viability of immobilized cells for bioconversion using viable cells as biocatalysts. In this study, a novel polyester nonwoven chemostat was designed for cell immobilization to investigate biofilm formation and the dynamic balance between adsorption and desorption of cells on polyester nonwoven. The polyester nonwoven was suitable for cell immobilization, and the cell numbers on the polyester nonwoven can reach 6.5 ± 0.38 log CFU/mL. After adding the polyester nonwoven to the chemostat, the fluctuation phenomenon of free bacterial cells occurred. The reason for this phenomenon was the balance between adsorption and desorption of bacterial cells on the polyester nonwoven. Bacterial cells could adhere to the surface of polyester nonwoven via secreting extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to form biofilms. As the maturation of biofilms, some dead cells inside the biofilms can cause the detachment of biofilms. This process of continuous adsorption and desorption of cells can ensure that the polyester nonwoven chemostat has lasting biological activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A magnetic composite of CoFe2O4 and carbon nanotube (CNT) was prepared using the solvothermal approach and then employed for the activation of peroxydisulfate (PDS) to degrade reactive black 5 (RB5) and other organic pollutants. Characterization results of the composite catalyst revealed the successful loading of spherical CoFe2O4 particles on CNTs, possessing abundant porosity as well as magnetic separation capability. Under the degradation conditions of 0.2 g/L CoFe2O4-CNT dosage and 4 mM PDS dosage, the removal efficiencies of 10 mg/L RB5 and other pollutants were in the range of 94.5 to ~ 100%. The effects of pH, co-existing ions/humic acid, and water matrices as well as the reusability of the catalyst were also investigated in detail. Furthermore, the degradation mechanism and pathway were proposed based on quenching experiments, LC–MS analysis, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and the toxicity of the degradation products was evaluated in the quantitative structure–activity relationship approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To construct machine learning models based on radiomics features combing conventional transrectal ultrasound (B-mode) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to improve prostate cancer (PCa) detection in peripheral zone (PZ). Methods: A prospective study of 166 men (72 benign, 94 malignant lesions) with targeted biopsy-confirmed pathology who underwent B-mode and CEUS examinations was performed. Risk factors, including age, serum total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA), free PSA (fPSA), f/t PSA, prostate volume and prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD), were collected. Time-intensity curves were obtained using SonoLiver software for all lesions in regions of interest. Four parameters were collected as risk factors: the maximum intensity (IMAX), rise time (RT), time to peak (TTP), and mean transit time (MTT). Radiomics features were extracted from the target lesions from B-mode and CEUS imaging. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to construct the model. Results: A total of 3306 features were extracted from seven categories. Finally, 32 features were screened out from radiomics models. Five models were developed to predict PCa: the B-mode radiomics model (B model), CEUS radiomics model (CEUS model), B-CEUS combined radiomics model (B-CEUS model), risk factors model, and risk factors-radiomics combined model (combined model). Age, PSAD, tPSA, and RT were significant independent predictors in discriminating benign and malignant PZ lesions (P < 0.05). The risk factors model combing these four predictors showed better discrimination in the validation cohort (area under the curve [AUC], 0.84) than the radiomics images (AUC, 0.79 on B model; AUC, 0.78 on CEUS model; AUC, 0.83 on B-CEUS model), and the combined model (AUC: 0.89) achieved the greatest predictive efficacy. Conclusion: The prediction model including B-mode and CEUS radiomics signatures and risk factors represents a promising diagnostic tool for PCa detection in PZ, which may contribute to clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Ca-doped lithium manganese oxides Li0.98Ca0.02Mn2O4 were successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method followed by calcination. The evolution of the microstructures and electrochemical performance were investigated in detail. XRD identified that pure spinel phase with the enlarged lattice constants were observed in Ca-doped samples. SEM revealed that powders had a hollow hemispherical morphology composed of stacked nanoparticles. Ca doping can improve the electrochemical performance of LiMn2O4. Galvanostatic charge-discharge tests demonstrated that Li0.98Ca0.02Mn2O4 calcined at 550°C could deliver the initial discharge capacity of 108.6 mA h/g with the capacity retention of 91.4% after 100 cycles at 2 C. The results indicate that Ca-doped LiMn2O4 is a promising cathode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon quota allocation rules of China's pilot carbon emissions trading (CET) regions are various, which mainly include benchmarking, historical carbon intensity reduction and auctioning. When the allocation rules change, it is unresolved how to achieve the optimal product prices and effectively allocate the carbon emissions reduction profits of CET-covered enterprises in the cooperative supply chain. Thus, this paper uses the Stackelberg game, Nash equilibrium and the Shapley value based on cost modification to investigate these issues. The results indicate that: (1) The increasing carbon prices can always improve the retail prices only under the auctioning rule. Meanwhile, the growing low-carbon awareness of consumer cannot be always conducive to improving the wholesale and retail prices, and the similar product prices of non-CET-covered enterprises have greater impact on the wholesale prices than that on the retail prices. (2) Only under the free carbon quota allocation rules, can the optimal wholesale and retail prices under the Stackelberg game be always higher than those under the Nash equilibrium. Meanwhile, the auctioning rule can better reduce carbon emissions than the free allocation rules. (3) Improving carbon emissions reduction contribution and emission reduction costs can be conducive to increasing the carbon emission reduction profits of the supplier and retailer, while the impact of carbon emission reduction contribution on improving the carbon emission reduction profits is not always greater than that of the carbon emission reduction costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

γ-Aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs) play an important role in cognitive and emotional regulation and are related to the hippocampus. However, little is known regarding patterns of hippocampal GABAAR subunit expression in rat models of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This study investigated the above changes by establishing two PMDD rat models based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theories, namely, PMDD liver-qi invasion syndrome (PMDD-LIS) and PMDD liver-qi depression syndrome (PMDD-LDS). Behavioral tests were used to detect depression and irritability emotion. Western blot analysis was used to investigate protein levels of GABAAR α1, α2, α4, α5, β2, β3, and δ subunits, whereas ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis was performed to determine gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu) levels in the hippocampus across each group. Concurrently, behavioral data indicated that the PMDD-LDS and PMDD-LIS rat models had been successfully established. GABAAR α2, α5, β2, and δ subunit was significantly upregulated, whereas α4 was significantly downregulated (P < 0.05) in PMDD-LDS rat models relative to controls. On the other hand, GABAAR α1, α2, and β3 were significantly downregulated while α4 and β2 were significantly upregulated in PMDD-LIS rat models relative to the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, GABA levels significantly decreased, while Glu and the ratio of glutamate to GABA increased in PMDD-LIS rat models (P < 0.05). Conversely, GABA and Glu levels significantly decreased, whereas the ratio of glutamate to GABA increased in PMDD-LIS rat models (P < 0.05). Conclusively, our results revealed differential expression of GABAAR α1, α2, α4, α5, β2, β3, and δ subunits between PMDD-LIS and PMDD-LDS rat models, suggesting that they may be biomarkers in the pathogenesis of PMDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The n-partite information (nI) is formulated as a measure of multi-partite entanglement. Field theory computation revealed that the sign of nI is indefinite for n ≥ 3, while holographic studies conjectured a sign property that holographic nI is non-negative/non-positive for even/odd n, with tripartite information (TI, n = 3) proved. We investigate the aspects of nI with holographic duality in hyperscaling violating geometry. We confirm the conjectured sign property for strips of equal length with equal separation distance, and disprove this conjecture for n > 3 with general configurations. Therefore, nI in field theories and holography exhibits compatibility except for n = 3. We also discuss other properties of holographic nI with analytic computation: the monotonicity, linearity, relation to hyperscaling violating parameters, temperature and UV cutoff effects, and the physical implications. It is doubtful that nI is an effective measure of entanglement considering the indefinite sign, non-monotonicity, and quasi-linearity of its holographic dual. In this respect, we propose constraints on the multi-partite entanglement measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiFeO3-based ceramics is the high-temperature piezoelectric material with great potential applications. In this paper, the evolution of structure and properties of BiFeO3–(Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Ti0.9Hf0.1)O3 (BFO–BCTH) ceramics was investigated. XRD analysis showed that rhombohedral R3c phase and pseudocubic (PC) phase coexisted in all samples, and the content of PC phase increased with the increase of BCTH content. Two dielectric anomalies were observed for all BFO–BCTH samples. Among them, the dielectric relaxation at 300–500 °C exhibited a significant frequency dispersion. Besides, a frequency-independent dielectric anomaly was detected for all samples, accompanied with thermal hysteresis, indicating the primary ferroelectric phase transition, and the peak temperature slightly decreased with increasing BCTH content. The leakage current density significantly decreased with increasing doping BCTH content, and the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties were enhanced for x = 0.25–0.27 samples. The magnetic properties of the moderately doped ceramics were significantly improved, but the magnetic dilution due to the increase in doping content led to a decrease in magnetization intensity instead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N, O self-doped hierarchical porous carbon has been successfully synthesized through a facile chemical activation method using corn silk as raw material, where the texture properties of the samples can be tailored via changing the quantity of the Na2CO3 activator. The optimal sample with a BET surface area of 1269.79 m2 g−1 and a nitrogen content of 2.48 at% exhibited the highest specific capacitance of 158.2 F g−1 and 196.3 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 in basic and acidic solution, respectively. In addition, the high capacitance contributions (86.2% in basic solution and 72.6% in acidic solution at 10 mV s−1) imply a capacitive controlled mechanism. These results indicate that the synthesis of heteroatom-doped porous carbon from biomass can be a potential approach for developing effective materials in supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Layered lithium-rich oxide materials are regarded as one of the most promising cathode materials. However, inferior cycling stability and poor rate performance hinder their practical application prospect. In this study, Li3PO4-coated Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2 cathode materials have been synthesized by sol–gel method together with a facile liquid-evaporation process. The results suggested that the Li3PO4 coating layer, which could not only facilitate the lithium-ion diffusion rate and accelerate the diffusion kinetics but also act as a protective layer to protect it from corrosion by HF and other side reactions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed the essence effect on lithium-ion diffusion coefficient and electronic conductivity. After modifying with an appropriate amount of Li3PO4, the Li-rich layered oxides showed enhanced electrochemical performance. Especially, the capacity retention of 5 wt% Li3PO4-coated Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2 was significantly enhanced from 17.7% of the bare Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2 to 73.8%. In terms of rate capabilities, 5 wt% Li3PO4-coated Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2 retained capacities of 181.0, 165.9, 128.8, and 107.8 mAh g−1, while the bare Li1.2Ni0.2Mn0.6O2 were only 137.4, 109.3, 75.6, and 45.9 mAh g−1, respectively, at rates of 0.5 C, 1 C, 2 C, and 5 C. Our research findings show that coating with an appropriate amount of lithium-ion conductor material is one of the effective measures to obtain improved performance of Li-rich and Mn-rich layered oxide materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MiRNAs can affect the radiosensitization of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We aimed to analyze the function of miR-125 family members in HNSCC using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and determine their effect on radiation in laryngeal squamous cell cancer (LSCC). Methods: First, we systematically analyzed the role of the miR-125 family in HNSCC using the TCGA database and found that miR-125a-5p is associated with radiotherapy. We then performed comprehensive enrichment analysis of miR-125a-5p and predicted target genes. Then, we performed transfection, cell proliferation assays, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, apoptosis assays, micronucleus tests, and western blotting on hep-2 cells selected with puromycin. Results: MiR-125 family members exhibited significantly different expression in HNSCC. They were significantly associated with tumor–node–metastasis staging, clinical stages, and histological grades. Radiation therapy had a statistically effect on miR-125 family members, except miR-125a-3p. Moreover, miR-125a-5p was related to overall survival in LSCC. Thus, we predicted 110 target genes and seven hub genes of miR-125a-5p. The proliferation rate of cells transfected with lentivirus vector expressing miR-125a-5p was significantly reduced compared to the other groups. The radiation effect was enhanced in cells transfected with miR-125a-5p. The ratio of apoptotic cells transfected and exposed to X-rays (10 Gy) was distinctly higher than that of the Ad-control group. Western blotting analysis revealed that miR-125a-5p upregulated the apoptotic regulators P53 and rH2AX. Thus, miR-125a-5p may increase radiosensitivity in LSCC via upregulation of pro-apoptotic genes. Conclusions: MiR-125 family members could be prognostic biomarkers of HNSCC and improve HNSCC sensitivity to radiotherapy by activating P53. Upregulating miR-125a-5p via lentivirus vectors may be a novel strategy to strengthen the effect of radiotherapy on LSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating distiller's grains (DG) into poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) has not been investigated because DG is not suitable for processing at high temperatures. Hence, in this study, DG was treated with methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) to prepare reinforced DG (RDG), which was then used as a biological filler that was melt-mixed with a PET resin to produce PET/DG and PET/RDG composites. The composite mechanical properties were investigated. Compared with PET/DG composites, PET/RDG composites exhibited improved mechanical properties. When the RDG content was 12.5%, the elongation at break reached the maximum. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the structure of composites filled with MDI-modified DG at the tensile section, and the compatibility between RDG fillers and the PET matrix was analyzed; RDG dispersed and adhered well in the matrix. The FTIR results showed the appearance of new characteristic peaks, indicating the possibility of DG reacting with MDI after the blending with PET, as well as providing clues about the probable reaction mechanism. Through X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and water absorption tests, the crystallinity, thermal stability, and water absorption for the composites were analyzed. The results of TGA showed that RDG had a higher thermal stability than DG. Adding DG could significantly increase the crystallinity and rate of crystallization of PET, and at the same time, it could also improve the water absorption performance of the composites. But in the case of DG modification or treatment with MDI, the water absorption was slightly reduced. The results of contact angle analysis showed that the surface of PET/RDG composites had higher hydrophobicity than that of PET/DG composites because of the tighter structure. Relative to DG, RDG also effected improvement in the thermal stability of PET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quercetin (QR) has significant anti-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) effects. However, its therapeutic mechanism has not been thoroughly explored. In this study, a lung inflammatory injury model caused by RSV was established in mice. Untargeted lung tissue metabolomics was used to identify differential metabolites and metabolic pathways. Network pharmacology was used to predict potential therapeutic targets of QR and analyze biological functions and pathways modulated by QR. By overlapping the results of the metabolomics and the network pharmacology analyses, the common targets of QR that were likely to be involved in the amelioration of RSV-induced lung inflammatory injury by QR were identified. Metabolomics analysis identified 52 differential metabolites and 244 corresponding targets, while network pharmacology analysis identified 126 potential targets of QR. By intersecting these 244 targets with the 126 targets, hypoxanthine–guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT1), thymidine phosphorylase (TYMP), lactoperoxidase (LPO), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and cytochrome P450 19A1 (CYP19A1) were identified as the common targets. The key targets, HPRT1, TYMP, LPO, and MPO, were components of purine metabolic pathways. The present study demonstrated that QR effectively ameliorated RSV-induced lung inflammatory injury in the established mouse model. Combining metabolomics and network pharmacology showed that the anti-RSV effect of QR was closely associated with purine metabolism pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An accurate recurrence risk assessment system and surveillance strategy for hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach (HAS) remain poorly defined. This study aimed to develop a nomogram to predict postoperative recurrence of HAS and guide individually tailored surveillance strategies. Methods: The study enrolled all patients with primary HAS who had undergone curative-intent resection at 14 institutions from 2004 to 2019. Clinicopathologic variables with statistical significance in the multivariate Cox regression were incorporated into a nomogram to build a recurrence predictive model. Results: The nomogram of recurrence-free survival (RFS) based on independent prognostic factors, including age, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen, number of examined lymph nodes, perineural invasion, and lymph node ratio, achieved a C-index of 0.723 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.674–0.772) in the whole cohort, which was significantly higher than those of the eighth American Joint Committed on Cancer (AJCC) staging system (C-index, 0.629; 95% CI, 0.573–0.685; P < 0.001). The nomogram accurately stratified patients into low-, middle-, and high-risk groups of postoperative recurrence. The postoperative recurrence risk rates for patients in the middle- and high-risk groups were respectively 3 and 10 times higher than for the low-risk group. The patients in the middle- and high-risk groups showed more recurrence and metastasis, particularly multiple site metastasis, within 36 months after the operation than those in the low-risk group (low, 2.2%; middle, 8.6%; high, 24.0%; P = 0.003). Conclusions: The nomogram achieved good prediction of postoperative recurrence for the patients with HAS after radical resection. For the middle- and high-risk patients, more active surveillance and targeted examination methods should be adopted within 36 months after the operation, particularly for liver and multiple metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extractive adsorption is an integrated separation method employing a novel resin with both particle and liquid characteristics in terms of adsorption and extraction. In this study, the novel extractive adsorption polystyrene-divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) macroporous resin was synthesized by suspension polymerization, in which n-octanol (OL-PS-DVB) or mixed alcohols of n-octanol, undecyl alcohol, and tetradecyl alcohol (MA-PS-DVB) were added as porogen and enclosed in the resin skeleton after the reaction. The characterization of the two novel resins of OL-PS-DVB and MA-PS-DVB showed that they have large specific surface areas of 48.7 and 17.4 m2/g, respectively. Additionally, the two synthesized resins have much higher static adsorption capacities of 1,3-propanediol (511 and 473 mg/g) and dynamic adsorption capacities (312 and 267 mg/g) than traditional resins, because extractants enclosed in the resin can increase the adsorption capacity. Through Langmuir equation, the theoretical static maximum adsorption capacity of the mixed alcohols resin is 515 mg/g at 298 K and Gibbs free energy change of adsorption was -3781 J/mol, indicating that the adsorption process was spontaneous. In addition, the sorbent concentration effect in the resin was generated at high 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) concentrations. The fitting of the Flocculation model can reveal that there is a possible relation between adsorption and flocculation. Compared to OL-PS-DVB, MA-PS-DVB showed better performance in the recovery yield of 1,3-PDO and other byproducts, the removal rates of the inorganic salt and protein, and the efficiency of recycled resin. For MA-PS-DVB, the recovery of 1,3-PDO, butyrate acid, acetic acid, and residual glycerol was 97.1%, 94.7%, 93.3%, and 90.3%, respectively. Simultaneously, the resin of MA-PS-DVB could remove 93.8% of inorganic salts and 90.9% of proteins in the concentrated fermentation broth. The two synthesized resins of OL-PS-DVB and MA-PS-DVB still had 90% or 92% of capacity for extractive adsorption of 1,3-propanediol after 10 times of recycling, which exhibited potential application in the separation of 1,3-propanediol from fermentation broth. Highlights: The novel extractive adsorption PS-DVB macroporous resin was synthesized The structure of the synthesized resins was characterized The static and dynamic adsorption behavior of synthesized resins was investigated The sorbent concentration effect was generated at high 1,3-PDO concentrations Synthesized resins showed excellent performance in separation 1,3-PDO from broth [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel filamentous halophilic archaea, strains DFN5T, RDMS1, and QDMS1, were isolated from the coastal saline soil samples of the intertidal zones located in different regions of Jiangsu Province, China. The colonies of these strains were pinkish-white due to the presence of white spores. These three strains are extremely halophilic and grew optimally at 35–37 °C and pH 7.0–7.5. Based on 16S rRNA and rpoB′ gene analysis, strains DFN5T, RDMS1, and QDMS1 gathered together in phylogenetic trees and then clustered with the current species of the genus Halocatena showing 96.9–97.4% and 82.2–82.5% similarities, respectively. Both the 16S rRNA gene-based and rpoB' gene-based phylogenies were fully supported by the phylogenomic analysis, and the overall genome-related indexes indicated that strains DFN5T, RDMS1, and QDMS1 should be a novel species of the genus Halocatena. Genome mining revealed that there are considerable differences in the genes related to β-carotene synthesis among these three strains and the current species of Halocatena. The major polar lipids of strains DFN5T, RDMS1, and QDMS1 are PA, PG, PGP-Me, S-TGD-1, TGD-1, and TGD-2. The minor polar lipids, S-DGD-1, DGD-1, S2-DGD, and S-TeGD may be detected. According to the phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis, genomic and chemotaxonomic features, strains DFN5T (= CGMCC 1.19401 T = JCM 35422 T), RDMS1 (= CGMCC 1.19411) and QDMS1 (= CGMCC 1.19410) were classified as a novel species of the genus Halocatena with the proposed name, Halocatena marina sp. nov. This is the first report of the description of a novel filamentous haloarchaeon isolated from marine intertidal zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The holographic superconductor is one of the most popular models in the context of applied holography. Despite what its name suggests, it does not describe a superconductor. On the contrary, the low temperature phase of its dual field theory is a superfluid with a spontaneously broken U(1) global symmetry. As already observed in the previous literature, a bona fide holographic superconductor can be constructed using mixed boundary conditions for the bulk gauge field. By exploiting this prescription, we study the near-equilibrium collective dynamics in the Higgs phase and reveal the characteristic features of the Anderson-Higgs mechanism. We show that second sound disappears from the spectrum and the gauge field acquires a finite energy gap of the order of the plasma frequency. We observe an overdamped to underdamped crossover for the Higgs mode which acquires a finite energy gap below ≈ Tc/2, with Tc the superconducting critical temperature. Interestingly, the energy gap of the Higgs mode at low temperature is significantly smaller than 2∆, with ∆ the superconducting energy gap. Finally, we interpret our results using Ginzburg-Landau theory and we confirm the validity of previously derived perturbative analytic expressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attapulgite (ATT) is a multi-purpose nanomaterial, which can be used as a reinforcing filler for polylactic acid (PLA) and improve its barrier performance. However, due to the high content of ATT, it is easy to cause agglomeration. In this study, acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) was used to improve the toughness of PLA, and the plasticizer could reduce the polymer viscosity and improve the processability, which may contribute to the dispersion of ATT in PLA. The results show that a small amount of ATBC can improve the fracture elongation, crystallinity, water absorption, hydrolysis, and biodegradability of PLA. On the other hand, when ATT is added to PLA/ATBC sample by 10%, the tensile strength, and thermal degradation temperature can be greatly improved and reach the maximum value. Compared with pure PLA, the tensile strength is significantly increased by 33.4% (60.3 MPa), the elongation at break increased by 177.56%, and the thermal degradation temperature increased significantly by about 20.1 ℃. According to the scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometer, when ATT ≤ 10%, the nanofiller has excellent dispersion in the matrix, but when ATT > 10%, the nanofiller appears serious agglomeration and interfacial phase separation, which is caused by the incompatibility between PLA and ATT, so the performance of the nano composite is greatly reduced. From the results of soil burial and hydrolysis tests, the weight loss rate of PLA/ATBC samples increased with the increase of ATT nanofiller content. The influence of the internal and external tightness of the sample structure on the biodegradability was explained from the analysis results of water absorption and contact angle. The synergy of ATT and ATBC improves the comprehensive performance of PLA and increases its feasibility as a packaging material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the (d + 2)-dimensional Hyperscaling Violating (HV) geometries in the presence of both a finite temperature T and a UV cutoff rc. This gravitational system is conjectured to be dual to T T ¯ like deformed HV QFTs. We consider the representative quantum entanglement quantity in holography, i.e. the entanglement entropy S(A), and perform a complete analysis in all possible parameter ranges of the hyperscaling violation exponent θ and the critical dynamical exponent z to study the effect of the temperature and the cutoff. We find that the temperature has a universal effect independent of the parameters: it enhances S(A) in the small cutoff limit, while it is irrelevant in the large cutoff limit. For the cutoff effect, we find that the cutoff monotonically suppresses S(A) where its behavior depends on the parameter range. As an application of the finite temperature analysis, we study the first law of entanglement entropy, ST – ST =0 ~ ℓλ, in the small subsystem size ℓ limit. We find that λ interpolates between λ = 1 + z in the small cutoff and λ = 3 in the large cutoff, independent of the parameter range. We also provide the analytic holographic result at z = d – θ and discuss its possibility of comparison with the field theoretic result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the framework of holography, the Einstein-Maxwell action with Dirichlet boundary conditions corresponds to a dual conformal field theory in presence of an external gauge field. Nevertheless, in many real-world applications, e.g., magnetohydrodynamics, plasma physics, superconductors, etc. dynamical gauge fields and Coulomb interactions are fundamental. In this work, we consider bottom-up holographic models at finite magnetic field and (free) charge density in presence of dynamical boundary gauge fields which are introduced using mixed boundary conditions. We numerically study the spectrum of the lowest quasi-normal modes and successfully compare the obtained results to magnetohydrodynamics theory in 2 + 1 dimensions. Surprisingly, as far as the electromagnetic coupling is small enough, we find perfect agreement even in the large magnetic field limit. Our results prove that a holographic description of magnetohydrodynamics does not necessarily need higher-form bulk fields but can be consistently derived using mixed boundary conditions for standard gauge fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse experiences in early life have long-lasting negative impacts on behavior and the brain in adulthood, one of which is sleep disturbance. As the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)–corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) system and nucleus accumbens (NAc) play important roles in both stress responses and sleep-wake regulation, in this study we investigated whether the NAc CRH–CRHR1 system mediates early-life stress-induced abnormalities in sleep-wake behavior in adult mice. Using the limited nesting and bedding material paradigm from postnatal days 2 to 9, we found that early-life stress disrupted sleep-wake behaviors during adulthood, including increased wakefulness and decreased non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep time during the dark period and increased rapid eye movement (REM) sleep time during the light period. The stress-induced sleep disturbances were accompanied by dendritic atrophy in the NAc and both were largely reversed by daily systemic administration of the CRHR1 antagonist antalarmin during stress exposure. Importantly, Crh overexpression in the NAc reproduced the effects of early-life stress on sleep-wake behavior and NAc morphology, whereas NAc Crhr1 knockdown reversed these effects (including increased wakefulness and reduced NREM sleep in the dark period and NAc dendritic atrophy). Together, our findings demonstrate the negative influence of early-life stress on sleep architecture and the structural plasticity of the NAc, and highlight the critical role of the NAc CRH–CRHR1 system in modulating these negative outcomes evoked by early-life stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three halophilic archaeal strains, NEN8T, GDY88T and ZY14T, were isolated from a salt lake in Tibet and coarse sea salt samples from Guangdong and Hebei, China, respectively. These strains formed three separate clades (showing 94.4–95.8% and 87.1–89.4% similarities, respectively) and then clustered with the current Halorientalis members (showing 90.7–97.6% and 87.0–91.2% similarities, respectively), as revealed by phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA and rpoB′ genes. The overall genome-related index, average nucleotide identity (ANI), in silico DNA–DNA hybridization (DDH), average amino acid identity (AAI) and the percentage of conserved proteins (POCP) values, among the three strains and members of the genus Halorientalis were 76.0–88.0%, 21.3–37.2%, 69.0–88.3% and 57.7–78.1%, clearly below the threshold values for species demarcation. Strains NEN8T, GDY88T and ZY14T could be distinguished from current Halorientalis species according to differential phenotypic characteristics. The major polar lipids of the three strains were phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester (PGP-Me), sulfated mannosyl glucosyl diether (S-DGD-1) and disulfated mannosyl glucosyl diether (S2-DGD). In addition, mannosyl glucosyl diether (DGD-1) was detected in strain NEN8T and phosphatidic acid (PA), posssulfated galactosyl mannosyl glucosyl diether (S-TGD-1) and sulfated mannosyl glucosyl diether–phosphatidic acid (S-DGD–PA) were observed in strain ZY14T. These results revealed that strains NEN8T (= CGMCC 1.17213T = JCM 34155T), GDY88T (= CGMCC 1.18548T = JCM 34481T) and ZY14T (= CGMCC 1.17178T = JCM 34154T) represent three novel species of the genus Halorientalis, for which the names Halorientalis salina sp. nov., Halorientalis marina sp. nov. and Halorientalis litorea sp. nov. are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six novel halophilic archaeal strains of XZYJT10T, XZYJ18T, XZYJT40T, XZYJT49T, YCN54T and LT46T were isolated from a solar saltern in Tibet, a salt lake in Shanxi, and a saline soil in Xinjiang, China. Sequence similarities of 16S rRNA and rpoB′ genes among strains XZYJT10T, XZYJ18T, XZYJT40T, XZYJT49T, YCN54T, LT46T and current members of Halorussus were 90.6–97.8% and 87.8–96.4%, respectively. The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values among these six strains and current Halorussus members were in the range of 76.5–87.5% and 21.0–33.8%, respectively. These values were all below the species boundary threshold values. The phylogenomic tree based on 122 conserved archaeal protein marker genes revealed that the six novel strains formed individual distinct branches and clustered tightly with Halorussus members. Several phenotypic characteristics distinguished the six strains from current Halorussus members. Polar lipid analysis showed that the six novel strains contained phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, phosphatidylglycerol sulfate and two to three glycolipids. Phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic properties showed that the six strains represented six novel species within the genus Halorussus, for which the names Halorussusvallis sp. nov., Halorussusaquaticus sp. nov., Halorussusgelatinilyticus sp. nov., Halorussuslimi sp. nov., Halorussussalilacus sp. nov., and Halorussussalinisoli sp. nov. are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a series of amino functionalized magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MMWCNT-NH2) have been prepared by using a facile one-pot solvothermal method and the sorptive removal of anionic dye Congo red (CR) from water was investigated. The composite prepared with triethylenetetramine was found to have higher removal efficiencies due to higher content of amino groups. Characterization analyses confirmed its excellent magnetic separation property and the successful introduction of amino groups on MMWCNTs. The adsorption processes were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and a three-stage diffusion mechanism had been proved by the intra-particle diffusion model. The maximum adsorption capacities of CR on pristine MMWCNT and MMWCNT-NH2-3 were calculated to be 116.7 and 322.7 mg/g at 25 °C, respectively, indicating the great improvement of the adsorption performance after the amino functionalization. The adsorption of CR on MMWCNT-NH2-3 performed better under weak acidic conditions due to stronger electrostatic attraction. Several factors, including common anions, typical surfactants, and different organic matters, could suppress the adsorption of CR to varying degrees. Due to the electrostatic attraction and electron donor–acceptor interaction, the selective adsorption of anionic dye could be realized. The prepared MMWCNT-NH2-3 exhibited excellent reusability performance with five consecutive cycles. Therefore, MMWCNT-NH2-3 prepared in this study could be a promising adsorbent for the sorptive removal of anionic dye from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common in clinic. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play significant roles in ameliorating AKI. The purpose of this study was aimed to identify the role of circ_0074371 and the potential action mechanism in sepsis-induced AKI. Methods: AKI patients and healthy individual serum samples were collected and the relative expression of circ_0074371 was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). HK2 cells were treated with different dose (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 μg/ml) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish the AKI cell model. The cell viability and apoptosis of HK2 cells were detected using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry, respectively. The contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were evaluated using the relative commercial kits. The IL-1β and TNF-α levels in cell culture supernatants were measured by ELISA. The interaction relationship between miR-330-5p and circ_0074371 or ELK1 was predicted by Targetscan database and further confirmed by the dual-luciferase reporter assay system. Results: The circ_0074371 expression was up-regulated in sepsis patients and LPS-induced HK2 cells. Silencing circ_0074371 promoted HK2 cells viability and inhibited the HK2 cells apoptosis. miR-330-5p inhibitor weakened circ_0074371 inhibitor-induced cell viability, apoptosis and oxidative stress. Further mechanism analysis showed that circ_0074371 acted as a sponge for miR-330-5p to increase ELK1 expression level. Importantly, miR-330-5p downregulation or ELK1 upregulation reversed the action of circ_0074371 knockdown on LPS-induced HK2 cells. Conclusion: Knockdown of circ_0074371 ameliorated LPS-induced HK2 cells apoptosis, inflammation and oxidative stress via regulating miR-330-5p/ELK1, opening a new window into the pathogenesis AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is the 14th in the Fungal Diversity Notes series, wherein we report 98 taxa distributed in two phyla, seven classes, 26 orders and 50 families which are described and illustrated. Taxa in this study were collected from Australia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, French Guiana, India, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Mexico, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. There are 59 new taxa, 39 new hosts and new geographical distributions with one new combination. The 59 new species comprise Angustimassarinakunmingense, Asterinalopi, Asterinabrigadeirensis, Bartaliniabidenticola, Bartaliniacaryotae, Buelliapruinocalcarea, Coltriciainsularis, Colletotrichumflexuosum, Colletotrichumthasutense, Coniochaetacaraganae, Coniothyriumyuccicola, Dematipyriformaaquatic, Dematipyriformaglobispora, Dematipyriformanilotica, Distoseptisporabambusicola, Fulvifomesjawadhuvensis, Fulvifomesmalaiyanurensis, Fulvifomesthiruvannamalaiensis, Fusariumpurpurea, Gerronemaatrovirens, Gerronemaflavum, Gerronemakeralense, Gerronemakuruvense, Grammotheletaiwanensis, Hongkongmyceschangchunensis, Hypoxyloninaequale, Kirschsteiniotheliaacutisporum, Kirschsteiniotheliacrustaceum, Kirschsteiniotheliaextensum, Kirschsteiniotheliaseptemseptatum, Kirschsteiniotheliaspatiosum, Lecanoraimmersocalcarea, Lepiotasubthailandica, Lindgomycesguizhouensis, Martheasmiuspallidoaurantiacus, Marasmiustangerinus, Neovaginatisporamangiferae, Pararamichloridiumaquisubtropicum, Pestalotiopsispiraubensis, Phacidiumchinaum, Phaeoisariagoiasensis, Phaeoseptumthailandicum, Pleurotheciumaquisubtropicum, Pseudocercosporavernoniae, Pyrenophoraverruculosa, Rhachomycescruralis, Rhachomyceshyperommae, Rhachomycesmagrinii, Rhachomycesplatyprosophi, Rhizomarasmiuscunninghamietorum, Skeletocutiscangshanensis, Skeletocutissubchrysella, Sporisoriumanadelphiae-leptocomae, Tetraploadashaoensis, Tomentellaexiguelata, Tomentellafuscoaraneosa, Tricholomopsislechatii, Vaginatisporaflavispora and Wetmoreanablastidiocalcarea. The new combination is Torulasundara. The 39 new records on hosts and geographical distribution comprise Apiosporaguiyangensis, Aplosporellaartocarpi, Ascochytamedicaginicola, Astrocystisbambusicola, Atheliarolfsii, Bambusicolabambusae, Bipolarisluttrellii, Botryosphaeriadothidea, Chlorophyllumsquamulosum, Colletotrichumaeschynomenes, Colletotrichumpandanicola, Coprinopsiscinerea, Corylicolaitalica, Curvulariaalcornii, Curvulariasenegalensis, Diaporthefoeniculina, Diaporthelongicolla, Diaporthephaseolorum, Diatrypellaquercina, Fusariumbrachygibbosum, Helicomaaquaticum, Lepiotametulispora, Lepiotapongduadensis, Lepiotasubvenenata, Melanconiellameridionalis, Monotosporellaerecta, Nodulosphaeriadigitalis, Palmiascomagregariascomum, Periconiabyssoides, Periconiacortaderiae, Pleopunctumellipsoideum, Psilocybekeralensis, Scedosporiumapiospermum, Scedosporiumdehoogii, Scedosporiummarina, Spegazziniadeightonii, Torulafici, Wiesneriomyceslaurinus and Xylariavenosula. All these taxa are supported by morphological and multigene phylogenetic analyses. This article allows the researchers to publish fungal collections which are important for future studies. An updated, accurate and timely report of fungus-host and fungus-geography is important. We also provide an updated list of fungal taxa published in the previous fungal diversity notes. In this list, erroneous taxa and synonyms are marked and corrected accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop sensing materials, this study used cheap and readily available graphite, with decalin as solvent to disperse the graphite in low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Two methods of solvent removal (heat treatment at 100 °C and natural drying) were applied. Afterward, two kinds of composite LDPE/graphite films with different proportions of graphite were obtained. Different samples of the two films were compared in terms of the differences in appearance, thermal properties, and resistances. SEM showed that the appearance of heat-treated composite films presented a complete and smooth structure and good bendability relative to untreated films. Thermal gravimetric analysis and differential thermogravimetry showed that composite films with heat treatment had a higher thermal stability. Differential scanning calorimetry results showed that the melting points of the two composite films decreased with increasing graphite content. Finally, these composite films were used to measure the induced voltage values corresponding to changes in pH of different samples. The results showed that stable voltage values could not be obtained in the case of composite materials with very low conductivity, and that an appropriate amount of graphite mixed with LDPE could have better acid–base sensing properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotube-doped nano-zinc oxide (CNT-NZnO) was used to reinforce polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) by creating a network consisting of hydrogen and coordination bonding. Composite PVA/CNT-NZnO hydrogels were prepared through ultrasonic solution blending, freezing–thawing cycles, and their mechanical properties, water content, gel fraction, swelling ratio, crystallinity, thermal stability, and antibacterial activity were studied. The composites were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission electron scanning microscopy (FESEM), energy X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). When the CNT-NZnO content was increased from 0 to 0.6 phr, the tensile strength greatly increased from 1.1 to 2.3 MPa. Relative to pure PVA hydrogel, composite PVA/CNT-NZnO hyrogels showed increased tensile strength (by 109.1%). Their elongation at break increased from 191.1 to 373.9%, an increase by 182.8% with pure PVA hydrogel as reference. The results of FTIR analysis showed that PVA formed a coordination reaction with CNT-NZnO, synergistically improving the tensile strength of PVA. EDS test analysis showed that of all the filler content considered in this study, 0.6 phr CNT-NZnO was uniformly distributed in the PVA hydrogel the most. The results of XRD analysis showed that when the content of CNT-NZnO was ≤ 0.6 phr, the crystallinity decrased, indicating that the nanofillers were evenly dispersed. When the content was > 0.6 phr, the crystallinity significantly increased, indicating the the nanofillers were not be dispersed well, and agglomeration occurred. The results of SEM analysis showed that the addition of a small amount of CNT-NZnO changed the microstructure of the PVA hydrogel, making the three-dimensional network structure of the composite gel more compact. In addition, CNT-NZnO enhanced the hydrophobicity, dye adsorption, and gave good antibacterial properties to the hydrogels. The new antibacterial composite hydrogel with dye adsorption capacity had excellent mechanical properties and shape recovery ability, and had potential applications in the field of biomedical materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on previous work that topologically nontrivial gapless modes in relativistic hydrodynamics could be found by weakly breaking the energy momentum conservation, in this paper, we study the holographic system which produces the same hydrodynamic modes. In the hydrodynamic system, one possibility to obtain the energy momentum non-conservation is to couple the system to external gravitational fields, i.e. to observe the system in a special non-inertial frame. Similar to what happens in the hydrodynamic system, a non-inertial frame version of holography indeed produces the same topologically nontrivial gapless hydrodynamic modes. We also generalize the study of topological modes in relativistic hydrodynamics to the case with one extra U(1) current and find that more complicated topological phase diagrams could exist when we consider more possibilities of the mass terms. We also discuss the possible underlying mechanism for this topological change in the spectrum when being observed in a non-inertial reference frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of energy harvesting system have received explosive attention in the last few years, but investigations are restricted to energy harvesting system without viscoelastic term. The crucial difference of the present study and previous studies is that we consider the viscoelastic property and the random excitation simultaneously. The stochastic P-bifurcation problem of energy harvester with viscoelastic term driven by colored noise is investigated in this article. To successfully achieve this goal, the viscoelastic force can be equivalently converted to quasilinear damping and quasilinear stiffness by the aid of approximate conversion, and then, the original system can be transformed into a nonlinear stochastic system without viscoelasticity. Based on this work, combining the stochastic averaging method and decoupling method, one can obtain the Fokker–Planck–Kolmogorov equation and the stationary probability density function expression of vibration amplitude. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the consistency of Monte Carlo simulations and analytical results. Furthermore, the critical parameter conditions of the stochastic P-bifurcation are discussed by using singularity theory and extreme value principle. Meanwhile, the change of noise intensity, correlation time, and viscoelastic parameters can induce the occurrence of stochastic bifurcation phenomenon. Ultimately, the influences of various parameters on the stationary mean amplitude and mean output power are examined in detail, which has important practical significance for choosing control parameters to enhance the performance of energy harvesting system with viscoelastic term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately obtaining the spatial distribution information of fruit tree planting is of great significance to the development of fruit tree growth monitoring, disease and pest control, and yield estimation. In this study, the Sentenel-2 multispectral remote sensing imageries of different months during the growth period of the fruit trees were used as the data source, and single month vegetation indices, accumulated monthly vegetation indices (∑VIs), and difference vegetation indices between adjacent months (∆VIs) were constructed as input variables. Four conventional vegetation indices of NDVI, PSRI, GNDVI, and RVI and four improved vegetation indices of NDVIre1, NDVIre2, NDVIre3, and NDVIre4 based on the red-edge band were selected to construct a decision tree classification model combined with machine learning technology. Through the analysis of vegetation indices under different treatments and different months, combined with the attribute of Feature_importances_, the vegetation indices of different periods with high contribution were selected as input features, and the Max_depth values of the decision tree model were determined by the hyperparameter learning curve. The results have shown that when the Max_depth value of the decision tree model of the vegetation indices under the three treatments was 6, 8, and 8, the model classification was the best. The accuracy of the three vegetation index processing models on the training set were 0.8936, 0.9153, and 0.8887, and the accuracy on the test set were 0.8355, 0.7611, and 0.7940, respectively. This method could be applied to remote sensing classification of fruit trees in a large area, and could provide effective technical means for monitoring fruit tree planting areas with medium and high resolution remote sensing imageries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We revisit the magneto-hydrodynamics in (2+1) dimensions and confirm that it is consistent with the quasi-normal modes of the (3+1) dimensional dyonic black holes in the most general set-up with finite density, magnetic field and wave vector. We investigate all possible modes (sound, shear, diffusion, cyclotron etc.) and their interplay. For the magneto-hydrodynamics we perform a complete and detailed analysis correcting some prefactors in the literature, which is important for the comparison with quasi-normal modes. For the quasi-normal mode computations in holography we identify the independent fluctuation variables of the dyonic black holes, which is nontrivial at finite density and magnetic field. As an application of the quasi-normal modes of the dyonic black holes we investigate a transport property, the diffusion constant. We find that the diffusion constant at finite density and magnetic field saturates the lower bound at low temperature. We show that this bound can be understood from the pole-skipping point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the upper bound of charge diffusion constant in holography. For this purpose, we apply the conjectured upper bound proposal related to the equilibration scales (ωeq, keq) to the Einstein-Maxwell-Axion model. (ωeq, keq) is defined as the collision point between the diffusive hydrodynamic mode and the first non-hydrodynamic mode, giving rise to the upper bound of the diffusion constant D at low temperature T as D = ω eq / k eq 2 . We show that the upper bound proposal also works for the charge diffusion and (ωeq, keq), at low T, is determined by D and the scaling dimension ∆(0) of an infra-red operator as ω eq k eq 2 = 2 πT Δ 0 ω eq / D , as for other diffusion constants. However, for the charge diffusion, we find that the collision occurs at real keq, while it is complex for other diffusions. In order to examine the universality of the conjectured upper bound, we also introduce a higher derivative coupling to the Einstein-Maxwell-Axion model. This coupling is particularly interesting since it leads to the violation of the lower bound of the charge diffusion constant so the correction may also have effects on the upper bound of the charge diffusion. We find that the higher derivative coupling does not affect the upper bound so that the conjectured upper bound would not be easily violated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]