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Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) is known for its zero-strain characteristic in electrochemical applications, making it a suitable material for fast-charging applications. Here, we systematically studied the quasi-equilibrium and non-equilibrium lithium-ion transportation kinetics in LTO thin-film electrodes, across a range of scales from the crystal lattice to the microstructured electrodes. At the crystal lattice scale, during the non-equilibrium lithiation process, lithium ions are dispersedly embedded into the 16c position, resulting in more 8a → 16c migration compared with the quasi-equilibrium lithiation, and forming numerous fast lithium diffusion channels inside the LTO lattice. At the microstructural electrode scale, optical spectrum characterizations supported the "nano-filaments" lithiation model in polycrystalline LTO thin-film electrodes during the lithiation process. Our results reveal the patterns of lithium migration and distribution within the LTO thin film electrode under the non-equilibrium and quasi-equilibrium lithiation process, offering profound insights into the potential optimization strategies for enhancing the performance of fast-charging thin film batteries. Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) is an ideal battery material for fastcharging applications. The authors examine Li+ transport in LTO thin film electrodes, revealing that nonequilibrium processes result in unique Li+ occupation states that enhance Li+ diffusion. Findings suggests engineering Li+ occupations in LTO crystal lattice can improve battery performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To appropriately connect good simulation of rockfill material stress–strain behavior at element level with good simulation of dam deformation, a practical nonlinear elastic EBD constitutive model is developed by introducing dilatancy into the traditional Duncan–Chang EB model. Based on the dam deformation monitoring data of the 164.8 m high Aertashi concrete face rockfill dam and particle swarm optimization, five inversion cases are designed to obtain the optimal EB and EBD model parameters that achieve the best fit with monitoring data. The traditional EB model is shown to have difficulties in achieving good simulation for both settlement and horizontal displacement of rockfill dams, especially in terms of their distribution, whereas the EBD model can simulate both settlement and horizontal displacement well. More importantly, the EB model parameters that allow for acceptable simulation of dam deformation result in poor simulation of element level stress–strain behavior of the gravelly sand, rockfill, and overburden materials. In contrast, the EBD model can achieve good simulation of dam deformation and element level stress–strain behavior simultaneously, paving the way for accurate dam deformation prediction based on model parameters calibrated via triaxial tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enhancement of horizontal boundaries of potential field sources is of great significance for the study of geological structures. Most of the existing filters for horizontal edges enhancement are presented based on the derivatives of potential field data, but these filters often show some shortcomings, for example, the output edges are divergent, strong and weak anomalies cannot be balanced, or some extra false edges appear in the results. In this paper, the edges enhancement filter MMA based on mathematical morphology is first defined by the combination of the basic operators of mathematical morphology. In order to make the filter have the ability to balance different amplitude anomalies, MMAZ and MMAT are proposed, and both of them can be used to delineate the horizontal edges of the field sources by their maxima. The experimental results of synthetic data show that MMAZ and MMAT have good equalization and anti-noise performances. Compared with several traditional filters, the horizontal edges of geological bodies obtained by these two filters are clearer and more convergent, and there are no extra edges in the output results for the complex situations that positive and negative anomalies exist simultaneously. Finally, the two new equalization filters are applied to gravity anomaly data in a potash mine area in Vientiane basin of Laos and the aeromagnetic anomaly of a metal mine in northwest China, the obtained positions of the structures are more accurate and clearer, which further illustrates the effectiveness of the two filtering techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer cells-derived exosomal lncRNAs could modulate the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) via modulating macrophage M2 polarization. However, the clarified mechanism and function of lncRNA BANCR in CRC remains unclear. Exosomes were identified by TEM, NTA, western blot and fluorescent staining. M2 macrophages were identified by CD206 and CD163 expressions using by flow cytometry and RT-qPCR. In addition, the relation between IGF2BP2 and BANCR or RhoA were explored by RIP assay. The malignant behaviors of CRC cells were examined by CCK-8, EdU and transwell assays. Histopathological changes in mice were observed by H&E staining. Silencing of BANCR notably inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells. SW620 and HCT-15 cells-derived exosomal BANCR positively regulated the macrophage M2 polarization. In addition, exosomal BANCR remarkably enhanced the promoting roles mediated by M2 macrophages on proliferation and invasion in CRC cells. Meanwhile, exosomal BANCR promoted the M2 macrophage polarization via activation of RhoA/Rock pathway by recruiting IGF2BP2. Inhibition of RhoA/Rock pathway reversed exosomal BANCR-mediated macrophages M2 polarization and CRC malignant behaviors in SW620 and HCT-15 cells. Exosomal lncRNA BANCR derived from SW620 and HCT-15 cells promoted the metastasis of CRC via inducing the polarization of M2 macrophages. Thus, BANCR might be a new target for the treatment of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, Pb1−xMnxS (0, 0.04, and 0.06) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by chemical co-precipitation process. The effects of Mn doping on the structural, morphological, vibrational, optical, and electrical characteristics of the PbS nanoparticles were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and I–V characteristics respectively. XRD patterns confirm the face-centered cubic (fcc) structure without impurity phases. The average crystalline size, unit cell constant, and porosity were found in the ranges of 11.93–14.33 nm, 5.7250–5.6888 Å, and 4.80–2.35%, respectively. SEM analysis revealed the flower-like, stone-like, and rode-like shapes of the Pb1−xMnxS (0, 0.04, and 0.06) nanoparticles. SEM images show that the PbS with Mn doping has flower, stone, and rod-like shapes for the samples doped with 0%, 4%, and 6%, respectively, Raman spectra depicted that the 6% Mn-doped PbS nanoparticles have stronger, and sharper peak intensity and bands as compared to PbS nanoparticles doped with 0 and 4%. The energy band gap decreased from 1.48 to 1.42 eV by increasing Mn concentration as compared to that of pure PbS nanoparticles. The electrical studies show that the increase in Mn-doping contents enhanced the electrical characteristics of the PbS nanoparticles without any structural distortions. The resistivity of the Pb1-xMnxS (0, 0.04, and 0.06) nanoparticles reduced from 1.3 × 106 to 2.1 × 103 Ω cm and conductivity increased from 7.69 × 10−7 to 4.76 × 10−4 Ʊ cm−1 with Mn content. Due to extraordinary characteristics and narrow band gaps, pure PbS and Mn-doped PbS nanoparticles are suitable for electronic devices operated at low temperatures. Highlights: Pure and Mn-PbS nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized by a chemical co-precipitation route. The crystalline size, lattice constant and porosity were 10.35–12.09 nm, 5.7250–5.6888 Å and 4.80–2.35%. SEM images confirmed the varied morphology and increasing grain size. Raman analysis exhibited the high intensity of bands with increasing the Mn-doping content. The energy band gap decreased from 1.48 to 1.42 eV by increasing Mn content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using hybrid density functional method, the structure stability, electronic, interfacial and optical characters of the SiS/BSe and SiS2/BSe heterojunctions as well as the effect of electric field and biaxial strain on their photocatalytic performance were systematically studied. The SiS/BSe and SiS2/BSe heterojunctions have structure and thermodynamic stability (at 300 K) and possess stagger band alignment structure and belong to type II heterostructure, which realizes separation of excited electrons and holes in space and prolongs the life time. The two heterojunctions can efficiently promote adsorption rate of solar energy and broaden optical response scope compared with the monolayer BSe. The biaxial strain and electric field can effectively tune the bandgap and the band edge positions of the two heterojunctions. In contrast to the monolayers BSe, the SiS/BSe and SiS2/BSe heterojunctions have much lower m e ∗ , showing much higher electron mobility and better photocatalytic activity. The STH efficiency of SiS/BSe and SiS2/BSe heterojunctions is 16.78% and 26.67%, which are higher than that of the monolayers SiS, SiS2 and BSe. The results indicate that SiS/BSe and SiS2/BSe heterojunctions can be used as promising candidates for photocatalytic water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A constitutive framework based on the concept of stress partition, referred to as SPF-MHBS (stress partition framework for methane hydrate-bearing sediment), is proposed to capture the mechanical behavior of methane hydrate-bearing sediments (MHBS) both with and without methane hydrate (MH) dissociation. Inspired by the effective stress principle, MHBS is treated as a composite material with the sediment matrix and MH as two individual components in SPF-MHBS. The effective stress of MHBS is jointly carried by the sediment matrix and MH under the assumption that the two components are subjected to the same strain. A significant advantage of this approach is that the deformation of MHBS caused by MH phase change can be naturally reflected due to stress transfer between the two components. Within SPF-MHBS, the choice of constitutive model for each of the two components is flexible, depending on test evidence and application purpose. A specific model developed within this framework is calibrated in this study based on a limited number of triaxial tests without MH dissociation. The calibrated model is then used to simulate the mechanical behavior of MHBS under a wide range of conditions, including different MH saturation, temperature, pore pressure, sediment density, and confining pressure, showing good agreement with test results. More importantly, the model is able to appropriately simulate the deformation of MHBS under both heating- and depressurization-induced MH dissociation conditions. All of the simulations of the tests on the same material are conducted using a same set of model parameters, highlighting the general applicability of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a tensile failure criterion for transversely isotropic rocks that distinguishes tensile fracturing mechanisms either through the anisotropic rock matrix or along the weak bedding planes. For failure through rock matrix, we extend the isotropic tensile failure criterion by constructing an augmented normal stress component based on the alternative stress concept. Failure governed by the bedding planes occurs along the bed-parallel direction once the corresponding normal stress component exceeds the strength of the interface. We then discuss the analytical solution of rock strength and failure plane orientation for transversely isotropic rocks in uniaxial tension tests, and investigate possible shapes of the curves describing the variation of these quantities with bedding plane orientation predicted by the proposed criterion. In the end, we validate the proposed failure criterion with experimental data on four different transversely isotropic rocks and elaborate that the proposed criterion can achieve unified reproduction of various types of rock strength and failure plane orientation variation curves with bedding plane orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the present paper, we study the thickness-dependent characteristics for non-ferromagnetic (LSMO)n/SrTiO3 ((LSMO)n/STO) (001) heterojunctions with n = 3, 6 and 9, using the first-principles method. Either ferrimagnetic or antiferromagnetic ground state is stabilized, depending on the interface stacking sequence and LSMO layer thickness. The estimated potential barrier at LSMO/STO (001) interface is insensitive to the thickness of LSMO layer, and nonstoichiometric La2/3Sr1/3O/TiO2 interfaces embrace a smaller interface barrier. Interestingly, the non-ferromagnetic (LSMO)n/STO (001) heterojunctions with La2/3Sr1/3O/TiO2 interface show a significant enhancement in visible-light absorption as the LSMO layer thickness increases. Our work is helpful for designing the non-ferromagnetic photomagnetoelectric systems and may be interesting for antiferromagnetic spintronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrogen storage properties of alkali metals (AM) atom decorated defective boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) are systematically investigated using First-principles calculations. AM atoms are well dispersed on the BNNSs with B vacancy and BN divacancy defects without the problem of clustering. There are up to four, six and six polarized H2 molecules adsorbed on per Li, Na and K atoms, respectively, with the average adsorption energy of 0.157–0.243 eV/H2. Electronic structure analysis reveals that the H2 molecules are adsorbed via polarization mechanism and orbital hybridization between AM atoms and H2 molecules. For double-sided AM atoms adsorption, the corresponding theoretical hydrogen gravimetric density reaches up to 6.65–9.00 wt%. Using van't Hoff equation and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, the thermal stability of the H2 adsorbed system is also investigated. Both the polarization mechanism and the orbital hybridization are responsible for the adsorption of hydrogen molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The requirement of the continuous reduction of the device size prompts the development of the low-dimensional materials. The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of CoS2-FeS2 interface thin films are studied by first principles calculations considering spin polarization. The low-dimensional SS-Fe-terminated and SS-SS-terminated CoS2-FeS2 interfacial thin films are half-metallic and therefore are potential materials to be applied in spintronics. Both the partial density of states and Bader charge states of atoms are more affected by the surface effect than by the interface effect for all the interfacial thin films. The magnetic moment of the CoS2-FeS2 interface thin films is mainly distributed on Co atoms on the CoS2 side, and the changes of magnetic moment of the atoms near the surface are more obvious than those near the interface. The magnetic charge density of Fe atoms in the metallic interfacial thin films is more obvious than that in the half-metallic interface films. The individual CoS2 (FeS2) film and the SiO2 substrate affect the property of the corresponding CoS2-FeS2 interfacial thin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the newly discovered magnetic topological insulator MnBi 6 Te 10 has become a hot research topic in condensed matter physics because of its effects such as quantum anomalous Hall effect, axion insulation effect, and topological magnetoelectric effect. The magnetic topological insulator MnBi 6 Te 10 is a potential energy material with superlattice like stacking structure. Based on first-principles calculations, we computed the band structure and density of states of five unequal Te atomic vacancy defects in ferromagnetic MnBi 6 Te 10 and found that MnBi 6 Te 10 has defects and, like intrinsic MnBi 6 Te 10 , the band inversion occurs near the Γ -high-symmetry point, where the conduction band is mainly contributed by the p orbitals of Bi, but the valence band is mainly occupied by the p orbitals of Te. But with defective sites, MnBi 6 Te 10 changes from having a band gap to having no band gap. This implies that the defect of MnBi 6 Te 10 is transformed from the intrinsic topological phase of MnBi 6 Te 10 to the metallic phase. By calculating the density of states, we find that the Fermi level crosses the valence band in the V Te 1 and V Te 4 defect systems, while it crosses the conduction band in the V Te 2, V Te 3 and V Te 5 systems. The charge density difference calculations show that the Te vacancy defects at different equivalence sites mainly affect some atomic layers in their vicinity and exhibit different charge distribution characteristics for the neighboring atomic layers, respectively, essentially because of the different bonding environments in which the defects are located. Our results of different Te defect states in MnBi 6 Te 10 provides valuable theoretical guidance for the experimental synthesis of single-crystal materials and the regulation of defect states in practical applications, and in addition, it has an important impact on the exploration of new quantum materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT-D2 method) are employed to systematically investigate the adsorption behaviors of toxic gas molecules (H2S, SO2 and NO2) on pristine and metal (Li, Al, Ni and Pt) decorated blue phosphorene. The results for small adsorption energy, charge transfer and large adsorption distance reveal that the adsorption of H2S, SO2 and NO2 on pristine blue phosphorene is physisorption. It has been proved that the adsorption ability of pristine blue phosphorene to gas molecules can be improved by metal decorating, except for H2S adsorbed on Al decorated blue phosphorene. Our calculations show that the gas molecules absorbed on metal decorated blue phosphorene belong to chemisorption with relatively large adsorption energies and charge transfer, while the H2S adsorbed on Li and Al decorated blue phosphorene are still physisorption. Meanwhile, the significant conductivity changes of these systems mean the sensitivity of gas molecules improved. From the calculated recovery time, we find that gas molecules desorption from metal decorated blue phosphorene is possible. Therefore, these results indicate that metal decorated blue phosphorene could be ideal candidate for better adsorption or detection toxic H2S, SO2 and NO2 molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabric anisotropy has a significant influence on the mechanical behavior of sand. An anisotropic plasticity model incorporating fabric evolution is formulated in this study. Information on the overall stress–strain relationship and micromechanical fabric states from DEM numerical tests is used in the development of the constitutive model, overcoming the difficulties of fabric measurement in physical tests. The framework of the model and its formulations for fabric evolution, plasticity, and dilatancy enables it to capture the strength, shear modulus, and dilatancy of sand under both monotonic and cyclic loading. The model is validated against DEM numerical tests and physical laboratory tests on samples with different initial fabric, showing good agreement between the simulation and test results for the anisotropic stress–strain behavior of sand. The use of DEM test data also allows for the validation of the model on the micromechanical fabric level, showing that the model can reproduce the fabric evolution and its influence on key constitutive features reasonably well. The model is further applied to analyze the liquefaction behavior of sand, exhibiting the significant influence of fabric anisotropy on both liquefaction resistance and postliquefaction shear deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A constrained back propagation neural network (C-BPNN) model for standard penetration test based soil liquefaction assessment with global applicability is developed, incorporating existing knowledge for liquefaction triggering mechanism and empirical relationships. For its development and validation, a comprehensive liquefaction data set is compiled, covering more than 600 liquefaction sites from 36 earthquakes in 10 countries over 50 years with 13 complete information entries. The C-BPNN model design procedure for liquefaction assessment is established by considering appropriate constraints, input data selection, and computation and calibration procedures. Existing empirical relationships for overburden correction and fines content adjustment are shown to be able to improve the prediction success rate of the neural network model, and are thus adopted as constraints for the C-BPNN model. The effectiveness of the C-BPNN method is validated using the liquefaction data set and compared with that of several liquefaction assessment methods currently adopted in engineering practice. The C-BPNN liquefaction model is shown to have improved prediction accuracy and high global adaptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, electronic, magnetic, thermodynamic, and mechanical properties of the hypothetical quaternary Heusler alloys (QHAs) TiHfIrZ (Z = Al, Ga, In) have been investigated by first-principles calculations within generalized gradient approximation (GGA) method. Since the QHAs TiHfIrZ (Z = Al, Ga, In) are not studied experimentally and theoretically so far, we first research that the most stable configurations of the QHAs TiHfIrZ (Z = Al, Ga, In) are all Y-type (I) in ferromagnetic (FM) phase. The large absolute values of both negative formation energy and positive cohesion energy verify the thermodynamic stabilities of the QHAs TiHfIrZ (Z = Al, Ga, In). The higher than the room-temperature Curie temperatures TC, as large as 2 μB/f.u total magnetic moments per formula unit and the half-metallic (HM) characters, indicate the QHAs TiHfIrZ (Z = Al, Ga, In) can be used in the magnetoelectronics and spintronics fields. The QHAs TiHfIrZ (Z = Al, Ga, In) have mechanical stabilities, ductility, and high hardness. The lattice constant regions of maintaining the HM characters are 5.722–6.405 Å, 5.786–6.402 Å, and 5.839–6.589 Å for QHAs TiHfIrZ (Z = Al, Ga, In), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, electronic and optical properties in bulk and (100) as well as (110) surfaces of full-Heusler alloys X2CoGa (X = Ti, Hf) have been investigated by spin-polarized first-principles calculations. In spin-down channel of bulk X2CoGa (X = Ti, Hf) alloys, the conduction band minimum is contributed by XA-3d(t2g) and XB-3d(t2g), while the valence band maximum is contributed by XB-3d(t2g) and Co-3d(t2g) states. For bulk X2CoGa (X = Ti, Hf) alloys, the peak values of real part ε 1 (ω) and imaginary part ε 2 (ω) of dielectric constant ε (ω) , refractive index n (ω) , extinction coefficient k (ω) and absorption coefficient α (ω) , all present the blue shift characteristics with decreasing lattice constant induced by increasing pressure. The ideal TiGa (HfGa) termination of Ti2CoGa (Hf2CoGa) (100) surface and TiCoGa termination of Ti2CoGa (110) surface with the much lower surface energies have higher spin-polarizations of 97.9% (84.9%) and 94.0%, respectively, but the Ti2CoGa alloy has the superiority using for spintronic devices compared to the Hf2CoGa alloy in thin film form. Compared to the Hf2CoGa alloy, the ideal TiCoGa termination of Ti2CoGa (110) surface with much superiority optical property has the largest absorption coefficient α (ω) along c axis at about 7.5 eV and the α (ω) is almost zero when the energy is larger than 22.5 eV in all the six surface cases which is much different from the bulk alloy case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the serious valve top gap cavitation of Datengxia high head single-lift ship lock, the 1:1 scale slice experiment is carried out, to truly reveal the gap flow characteristics, as well as the valve top gap cavitation characteristics and the anti-cavitation mechanism of natural aeration. Three kinds of cavitation, namely, the throat cavitation, the mainstream inner cavitation, and the valve plate cavitation, are determined and they are found to occur step-by-step in the gap section in the development of the cavitation. According to the anti-cavitation mechanism of the natural aeration, the pressure of the gap flow through the ventilation is increased, to avoid the mainstream inner cavitation and the valve plate cavitation, and to weaken the throat cavitation. The negative pressure zone in the gap section gradually extends with the development of the cavitation until the gap section is filled with a stable −10 m water head. When the natural aeration measure is employed, the pressure in the gap section approximately reaches the −2 m water head, and the cavitation disappears. The systematic tests reveal the quadratic polynomial relationship between the pressure in the gap and the ventilation per meter width. The pressure, which corresponds to the maximum value of the ventilation at the beginning of the gap, approximately reaches the −2 m water head, and the pressure and the ventilation reach the equilibrium state limit. When the pressure in the gap increases when the valve is opened, the ventilation gradually decreases until the natural aeration stops. The gap section length for the high head valves has a great effect on the natural aeration and should be long enough to maintain the stable negative pressure in the gap, whereas the throat width has a minimal effect. Results can be used for the anti-cavitation design of the high head lock valve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of binary Heusler alloys ZCl3 (Z = Li, Na, K, Rb) with DO3-type structure have been studied by means of the first principle calculations. The calculated results reveal that all four alloys are half-metallic (HM) materials at the stable ferromagnetic ground state. The total magnetic moments (Mt) of LiCl3, NaCl3, KCl3, and RbCl3 alloys are all 2.000 μB/f.u., following the Slater-Pauling rule Mt = 24 − Zt for the former two alloys, while satisfying the Slater-Pauling rule Mt = 30 − Zt for the latter two alloys. The spin-up band gaps of the binary Heusler alloys ZCl3 (Z = Li, Na, K, Rb) are 5.598, 5.687, 6.744, and 6.745 eV at equilibrium lattice constants 7.076, 7.237, 7.588, and 7.819 Å, respectively. The positive cohesion energy and negative formation energy indicate that they are thermodynamically stable. Moreover, wide HM regions for binary Heusler alloys ZCl3 (Z = Li, Na, K, Rb) show their HM characters are robust when the lattices are expanded or compressed under uniform and tetragonal strains. Finally, the total charge density, magnetic charge density, and charge density difference of the (110) plane for LiCl3 alloy are analyzed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The half-metallic (HM), magnetic, and optical properties for the (001) surface of binary Heusler alloy MgCl3 were investigated by the first-principles method. The Mg*Mg*-term and Mg*Mg-term had the lower surface energies among the ClCl-term, Mg*Mg*-term, ClMg-term, ClCl*-term, and Mg*Mg-term (001) surfaces, thus, they were the more stable surfaces. The band decomposed charge density showed clearly the valence band maximum was contributed not only by the ClB-3p states but also the ClA-3p and ClC-3p states. The HM character was destroyed in all the five terminations of the (001) surface. The stable Mg*Mg*-term (001) surface had the largest spin polarization − 83.0%. The hydrogen-termination effect showed an effective method to enlarge the spin polarizations for the ClCl-term and ClCl*-term surfaces to produce thin films which had potential applications in spintronics. There were great changes of atomic magnetic moments for Cl atoms in any layer. In energy range of 1.6-3.1 eV for the visible light, the Mg*Mg*-term had superiority in the absorption for purple light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-principles calculations are used to investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of substitutional doping of transition metal (TM) atoms (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) on marcasite FeS2 (m-FeS2). It is energetically favorable to combine TM atoms into m-FeS2 under S-rich condition. The electronic properties of m-FeS2 are changed significantly due to the introduced impurity states by TM atoms. Simultaneously, TM atoms doping can induce magnetism in m-FeS2 except Cu and Zn. The magnetism stem from the localized unpaired 3d electrons of TM atoms, a small amount of magnetic moments are induced in the neighboring Fe and S atoms due to the p-d hybridization mechanism. V-, Mn- and Ni-doped m-FeS2 compounds exhibit magnetic semiconducting character, Cr-doped compound display a half-metallic property, while Cu-doped compound shows non-magnetic metallic property, Zn-doped compound behavior as a non-magnetic semiconductor. More interestingly, a single Co-doped compound shows magnetic semiconducting but double Co-doped compound shows half metallic character. In addition, Co- and Cr-doped compounds prefer ferromagnetic state which is important for spintronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of the seismic response of high CFRDs under non-uniform ground motion input is conducted using a novel non-uniform input motion calculation method combined with nonlinear FEM. The non-uniform input motion calculation method and its basic assumption are validated. The response of CFRDs under uniform and non-uniform input is compared to discuss the necessity of conducting seismic analysis of high CFRDs under realistic non-uniform ground motion input. When the acceleration at the surface of the free field for dynamic simulations with uniform and non-uniform input is kept consistent, the seismic response of CFRDs under non-uniform input is in general significantly smaller, while the dynamic tensile stress around the edges of the concrete face slab is greater. The simulation results suggest that non-uniformity of the ground motion input has important effects on the seismic response of high CFRDs and should be considered in the seismic design of CFRDs. The influence of the incident angle of seismic waves is also investigated, with results indicating that the influence is waveform dependent, while being frequency independent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of cobalt disulfide (CoS2) doped with oxygen (O), selenium (Se), or tellurium (Te) were investigated based on the spin-polarized first-principles calculations. Both the lattice constant and volume for CoO0.25S1.75 were smaller while those for CoSe0.25S1.75 and CoTe0.25S1.75 were larger than the corresponding values for CoS2. Both CoS2 and CoO0.25S1.75 were quasi-half-metallic, and both CoSe0.25S1.75 and CoTe0.25S1.75 were quasi-metallic. For CoS2, CoSe0.25S1.75, and CoTe0.25S1.75, the valence band maximums (VBMs) were contributed by Co-3d(t2g) states near the X-point, and the conduction band minimums (CBMs) were contributed by S-3p states at the Γ-point. For CoO0.25S1.75, the VBM was contributed by Co-3d(t2g) states at the M-point, and the CBM was contributed by Co-3d(eg) states near the R-point. Both O-S and Te-S dimers were strongly polarized, and the Se-S dimer was slightly polarized. CoS2 and CoX0.25S1.75 (X = O, Se, or Te) were magnetic, and Co atoms favoured ferromagnetic interaction. Except quasi-HM CoO0.25S1.75, quasi-metallic CoX0.25S1.75, CoX0.0625S1.9375, CoX0.03125S1.96875, and perfect metallic CoX0.25S1.75*, CoX0.125S1.875, were expected more suitable for use in supercapacitor and electrocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of centrifuge shaking table model tests are conducted on 4 × 4 pile groups in liquefiable ground in this study, achieving horizontal-vertical bidirectional shaking in centrifuge tests on piles for the first time. The dynamic distribution of forces on piles within the pile groups is analysed, showing the internal piles to be subjected to greater bending moment compared with external piles, the mechanism of which is discussed. The roles of superstructure-pile inertial interaction and soil-pile kinematic interaction in the seismic response of the piles within the pile groups are investigated through cross-correlation analysis between pile bending moment, soil displacement, and structure acceleration time histories and by comparing the test results on pile groups with and without superstructures. Soil-pile kinematic interaction is shown to have a dominant effect on the seismic response of pile groups in liquefiable ground. Comparison of the pile response in two tests with and without vertical input ground motion shows that the vertical ground motion does not significantly influence the pile bending moment in liquefiable ground, as the dynamic vertical total stress increment is mainly carried by the excess pore water pressure. The influence of previous liquefaction history during a sequence of seismic events is also analysed, suggesting that liquefaction history could in certain cases lead to an increase in liquefaction susceptibility of sand and also an increase in dynamic forces on the piles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the geometrical, electronic, and magnetic properties of nonmetal (N, F) atom doping g-ZnO monolayer supercell forming 6.25, 12.5, and 25% concentrations have been investigated comprehensively using the first-principles method. The structural optimization implies that N or F atom doping g-ZnO monolayer causes the structural distortion around the doping atoms. Doping g-ZnO monolayer with one N atom is FM semiconductor, and the total magnetic moment is 0.651 μB. The N-N-pair or two N-N-pair doping g-ZnO is AFM states. The total magnetic moments mainly originate from the spin polarization of the doping atom N, and the rest comes from the nearest Zn and O atoms. Doping g-ZnO with F atoms with the concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, and 25% all are nonmagnetic semiconductor. The F-doping can adjust energy band gap, which increases with the increase of F concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, elastic, electronic, magnetic and optical properties of the Zn0.75V0.25X (X = S, Se or Te) have been investigated by the spin-polarized first-principles calculations. The optimized lattice constant increases with the increasing anions radius of S2−, Se2− and Te2−. All the Zn0.75V0.25X systems show the ductile and half-metallic characters. The spin exchange splitting energy Δx(d) increases but the absolute value of the exchange splitting energy Δx(pd) decreases for Zn0.75V0.25S, Zn0.75V0.25Se and Zn0.75V0.25Te successively, and the p-d exchange constant N0β is greater than s-d exchange constant N0α. The static dielectric constants ε1(0), the maximum value of ε2(ω), static refractive indexes n(0) and the maximum value of k(ω) get the biggest values for Zn0.75V0.25Se among Zn0.75V0.25X (X = S, Se or Te). Compared with pure ZnX, the new absorption peaks occur in the energy range of 0-1.4 eV for Zn0.75V0.25X systems. The results provide a certain degree of helpful theoretical guidance for the application of the Zn0.75V0.25X in spintronics devices and optical detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the geometrical, electronic, and magnetic properties of nonmetal (B, C, N, F, Si, P, or S) atom doping of g-ZnO monolayer supercell have been comprehensively calculated using the first-principle method. The structural optimization implies that nonmetal atom doping of g-ZnO monolayer leads to the structural distortion around the doping atoms compared with pure g-ZnO sheet. We find that g-ZnO monolayer with one O atom per supercell substituted by one B or C atom is ferromagnetic half metal, and that substituted by one N, Si, or P atom exhibits a ferromagnetic semiconductor feature, while that substituted by one F or S atom appears to be nonmagnetic semiconductor. The total magnetic moments mainly originates from the spin polarization of the doping atom (B, C, N, Si, and P), and the rest comes from the nearest Zn and O atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) D] is associated with initial stroke severity and infarct volume, using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in patients with acute ischemic stroke.Methods: We studied a total of 235 patients who were admitted within 24 hours of acute ischemic stroke onset. Initial stroke severity was assessed using the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. Infarct volume was measured using DWI. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were used to test whether 25(OH) D represents an independent predictor of infarct volume and stroke severity (NIHSS score of ≥6).Results: Among 235 study patients, the median age was 64 years (IQR 56-75 years), and 125 (53.2%) were women. In multivariable models adjusted for other significant risk factors, 25(OH) D levels in the lowest and second interquartiles were associated with an increased risk of a NIHSS≥6 (with highest 25 (OH) D quartile as reference) with odd ratios (OR) 3.02(95% confidence interval [CI]:1.59-6.34) and 5.85(2.90-11.54). The median DWI infarct volumes for the serum 25(OH) D level quartiles (lowest to highest) were 12.35, 6.55, 2.44, and 1.59 ml. The median DWI infarct volume in the lowest serum 25(OH) D level quartile was larger than that in the other 3 quartiles (P<0.001). The median adjusted DWI infarct volume in the lowest serum 25(OH) D level quartile was statistically significantly larger than that in the other 3 quartiles (P<0.01).Conclusion: In conclusion, reduced serum 25(OH) D levels in acute ischemic stroke are an early predictor of larger volumes of ischemic tissue and worse neurological deficit (assessed by the NIHSS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To expand the potential application of monolayer WS systems, the structure, electronic, magnetic and optical properties of pure and Mn-X (X = B, C, N and O) co-doped monolayer WS systems are theoretically studied using first-principles methods based on the density function theory. The pure monolayer WS system is a nonmagnetic semiconductor with a direct band gap E of 1.82 eV, and the Mn-B and Mn-N co-doped monolayer WS systems remain of nonmagnetic semiconducting character with smaller band gaps $$ E_{\rm{g}} $$ of 1.09 eV and 0.84 eV, respectively. While the Mn-C and Mn-O co-doped monolayer WS systems exhibit magnetic semiconducting characters with a total magnetic moment $$ M_{\rm{tot}} $$ of 1 $$ \mu_{\rm{B}} $$ , and spin-up gaps $$ E_{\rm{g}}^{ \uparrow } $$ (spin-down gaps $$ E_{\rm{g}}^{ \downarrow } $$ ) of 0.54 (1.17) eV and 0.61 (1.44) eV, respectively. Although the pure monolayer WS system has the highest transmittance in the low energy region, the Mn-B co-doped monolayer WS system has the highest static dielectric constants $$ \varepsilon_{1} (0) $$ and $$ \varepsilon_{2} (0) $$ , reflectivity $$ r(0) $$ , refractive indices $$ n(0) $$ and $$ k(0) $$ . Meanwhile, the Mn-X (X = B, C, N and O) co-doped monolayer WS systems are more suitable to make infrared photodetector due to their red-shift phenomenon. In particularly, the Mn-B co-doped monolayer WS system becomes of great interest to researchers since the absorption edge shifts to the mid-infrared spectral region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science A 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.)

Hemorrhagic stroke which consists of subarachnoid hemorrhage and intracerebral hemorrhage is a dominant cause of death and disability worldwide. Although great efforts have been made, the physiological mechanisms of these diseases are not fully understood and effective pharmacological interventions are still lacking. Melatonin ( N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), a neurohormone produced by the pineal gland, is a broad-spectrum antioxidant and potent free radical scavenger. More importantly, there is extensive evidence demonstrating that melatonin confers neuroprotective effects in experimental models of hemorrhagic stroke. Multiple molecular mechanisms such as antioxidant, anti-apoptosis, and anti-inflammation, contribute to melatonin-mediated neuroprotection against brain injury after hemorrhagic stroke. This review article aims to summarize current knowledge regarding the beneficial effects of melatonin in experimental models of hemorrhagic stroke and explores the underlying mechanisms. We propose that melatonin is a promising neuroprotective candidate that is worthy of further evaluation for its potential therapeutic applications in hemorrhagic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to study the seismic pile moment induced by the combined structure-pile inertial and soil-pile kinematic effects for single piles and pile groups in liquefiable ground, an extensive series of 3D finite element simulations are conducted in this paper. The roles that lateral inertial and kinematic interactions play on the pile moment are found to differ in different soil-pile-structure systems. Inertial structure force and kinematic soil displacement of the same direction could cause pile head moments of the same or opposite directions depending on the rotational constraint at the pile head. Kinematic interaction has a dominating influence on the pile moment for pile foundations with pile head rotation constrained by the existence of a pile cap, while inertial interaction is strongly influential for free-head piles. The coupling of inertial and kinematic interactions depends on the soil-pile-structure system configuration and the magnitudes of the inertial structure force and the kinematic soil displacement. Many current pseudo-static methods for calculating the seismic pile moment through summing a percentage of the kinematic induced moment with another percentage of the inertial induced moment could produce very inaccurate results under certain conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using first-principles calculations based on density-functional theory, the stability, magnetic and electronic properties of Fe and Co monoatomic chains encapsulated into copper nanotube are systematically investigated. The binding energies of the hybrid structures are remarkably higher than those of corresponding freestanding TM chains, indicating the TM chains are significantly stabilized after encapsulating into copper nanotube. The formed bonds between outer Cu and inner TM atoms show some degree of covalent bonding character. The magnetic ground states of Fe@CuNW and Co@CuNW hybrid structures are ferromagnetic, and both spin and orbital magnetic moments of inner TM atoms have been calculated. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy energies (MAE) of the hybrid structures are enhanced by nearly fourfold compared to those of corresponding freestanding TM chains, indicating that the hybrid structures can be used in ultrahigh density magnetic storage. Furthermore, the easy magnetization axis switches from that along the axis in freestanding Fe chain to that perpendicular to the axis in Fe@CuNT hybrid structure. The large spin polarization at the Fermi level also makes the hybrid systems interesting as good potential materials for spintronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the pure quasi-P wave equation in transverse isotropic media with a vertical symmetry axis (VTI media), a quasi-P wave equation is obtained in transverse isotropic media with a tilted symmetry axis (TTI media). This is achieved using projection transformation, which rotates the direction vector in the coordinate system of observation toward the direction vector for the coordinate system in which the z-component is parallel to the symmetry axis of the TTI media. The equation has a simple form, is easily calculated, is not influenced by the pseudo-shear wave, and can be calculated reliably when δ is greater than ε. The finite difference method is used to solve the equation. In addition, a perfectly matched layer (PML) absorbing boundary condition is obtained for the equation. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation results with forward modeling prove that the equation can accurately simulate a quasi-P wave in TTI medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to study undrained post-liquefaction shear deformation of sand, the discrete element method (DEM) is adopted to conduct undrained cyclic biaxial compression simulations on granular assemblies consisting of 2D circular particles. The simulations are able to successfully reproduce the generation and eventual saturation of shear strain through the series of liquefaction states that the material experiences during cyclic loading after the initial liquefaction. DEM simulations with different deviatoric stress amplitudes and initial mean effective stresses on samples with different void ratios and loading histories are carried out to investigate the relationship between various mechanics- or fabric-related variables and post-liquefaction shear strain development. It is found that well-known metrics such as deviatoric stress amplitude, initial mean effective stress, void ratio, contact normal fabric anisotropy intensity, and coordination number, are not adequately correlated to the observed shear strain development and, therefore, could not possibly be used for its prediction. A new fabric entity, namely the Mean Neighboring Particle Distance (MNPD), is introduced to reflect the space arrangement of particles. It is found that the MNPD has an extremely strong and definitive relationship with the post-liquefaction shear strain development, showing MNPD's potential role as a parameter governing post-liquefaction behavior of sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The empirical relationship between electricity consumption and gross domestic product, population, the product of primary industry, second industry, and tertiary industry are investigated. The strong multicollinearity among EC's affecting factors does not meet the criteria of the ordinary least square regression (OLS) regression model. Principle component analysis is used to eliminate multicollinearity. Three principle components with no multicollinearity can explain 99.34 % of affecting factors' variance. The three principle components seemed as independent, and EC seemed as dependent variables when OLS regression is employed. The results show that: gross domestic product, primary industrial production value, second industrial production value, and tertiary industrial production value codetermined the trend of electricity consumption, while the proportion of primary industrial production value, second industrial production value, and tertiary industrial production value and population codetermined the starting point and fluctuation of electricity consumption; the economic scale is the mainly affecting factors on electricity consumption; as some parts of electricity consumed by primary industry are not included in the state grid, there is an illusion that the primary industry can produce electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymptotic behavior of soil under constant strain increment ratio is a topic of current research interest. In this paper, the effect of anisotropy on the asymptotic behavior of sand is investigated. A new device is developed for testing soil samples along paths with constant strain increment ratio. This triaxial test apparatus with hydraulic loading systems is particularly suitable to study the asymptotic behavior of soil. An extensive testing program was carried out on specimens prepared with different sedimentation directions. The effect of anisotropy on the asymptotic stress ratio is shown. Experimental results show that the inherent anisotropy of compressibility has a greater effect on the asymptotic ratio than the strength anisotropy. Finally, an equation is formulated to quantitatively determine the relation between the asymptotic stress ratio and strain increment ratio for anisotropic sand, and its effectiveness is confirmed experimentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the research on the first-principles calculations to determine the electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of ferromagnetic nanowires that was encapsulated inside a silicon carbide nanotubes (SiCNTs). Topics discussed include the changes on initial shapes of ferromagnetic for nanotube and nanowire, the magnetism of ferromagnetic nanowires, and the fermi level of spin polarization. Also mentioned is the use of density functional theory on the structure of SiCNTs.

Persistent proatlantal artery is one rare kind of persistent primitive anastomoses between carotid and basilar vascular system. This case firstly introduces a type I proatlantal artery with complex vascular anomalies of bilateral vertebral arteries and a ruptured aneurysm, which is extremely uncommon. A 43-year-old female was hospitalised for SAH and ventricular hematocele. The subsequent digital subtraction angiography and computed tomography angiography revealed a type I proatlantal artery which arises from left internal carotid artery, associating with a hypoplastic right vertebral artery, an aplastic left vertebral artery and a ruptured left posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm. An interventional procedure was taken later. The present case raises awareness on the incidence of persistent primitive anastomoses which combined other complex vascular anomalies before surgical or interventional procedures, especially in view of unique blood supply to posterior circulation from the primitive vessel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of paternal sleep disturbances on the biobehavioral development of offspring in rats. The biobehavioral characterization of adult offspring was detected by Morris water maze test, elevated plus maze, and forced swimming test. We report the presence of a significant decrease in the percentage of time spent in open arms (the time spent in the open arms/the time spent in the open arms + the time spent in the closed arms) and the percentage of entry into open arms (entry into the open arms/entry into the open arms + entry into closed arms) in elevated plus maze, and a significant increase in the immobility time in forced swimming test, following paternal sleep disturbances. Other aspects of neurobehavioral function, including locomotor activity, learning and memory were not affected by paternal sleep disturbances. Paternal sleep disturbances exert a long-term effect on the emotional behavior characterization of adult rat offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science B 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.)

Autophagy involves degradation of dysfunctional cellular components through the actions of lysosomes. Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death involving a series of characteristic cell changes. Autophagy and apoptosis, as self-destructive processes, play an important role in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases; and a crosstalk between 'self-eating' (autophagy) and 'self-killing' (apoptosis) plays an important role in pathological cellular adaptation. Expert knowledge of autophagy and apoptosis has increased in recent years, particularly in regards to cellular and molecular mechanisms. The crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis was partially uncovered and several key molecules, including Bcl-2 family members, Beclin 1, and p53 were identified. However, the precise mechanisms of such a crosstalk remain to be elucidated. This current review article aims to summarize key mediators of the autophagy-apoptosis crosstalk in pathological conditions, and to highlight recent advances in the field, as well as to discuss further investigations and therapeutic potentials of manipulating those mechanisms in central nervous system diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have performed the first-principles calculations on the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of 3d transition-metal nanowires (TMNWs), Fe, Co, and Ni, encapsulated inside GaN nanotubes (GaNNTs). The results show that, all three types of the TMNW encapsulated inside the narrower (6,6) and broader (8,8) GaNNTs are both exothermic. The spin polarization and magnetic moment of the TMNW@(8,8) systems are larger than those of the TMNW@(6,6) systems due to more weak restriction of the broader (8,8) GaNNT, but those of these two combined systems are smaller than those of the corresponding freestanding TMNW. Our results reveal that either the TMNW@(6,6) or TMNW@(8,8) systems have high spin polarization and magnetic moment and stably exist in atmosphere for long time and thus can be expected to have potential applications in building nanodevices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) can provide direct bidirectional communication between the brain and a machine. Recently, the BCI technique has been used in seizure control. Usually, a closed-loop system based on BCI is set up which delivers a therapic electrical stimulus only in response to seizure onsets. In this way, the side effects of neurostimulation can be greatly reduced. In this paper, a new BCI-based responsive stimulation system is proposed. With an efficient morphology-based seizure detector, seizure events can be identified in the early stages which trigger electrical stimulations to be sent to the cortex of the brain. The proposed system was tested on rats with penicillin-induced epileptic seizures. Online experiments show that 83% of the seizures could be detected successfully with a short average time delay of 3.11 s. With the therapy of the BCI-based seizure control system, most seizures were suppressed within 10 s. Compared with the control group, the average seizure duration was reduced by 30.7%. Therefore, the proposed system can control epileptic seizures effectively and has potential in clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural stability, vibrational and magnetic properties of hydrogen doped ZnO:Co have been studied by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. Bond-center (BC) sites were identified to be most stable sites for hydrogen, the corresponding vibrational frequencies including anharmonic contributions were calculated. Its magnetic properties were investigated as well. The calculated results reveal that hydrogen could induce the change of electronic transfer, leading to a decrease of magnetic moment. However, the magnetic coupling between Co atoms is greatly strengthen. The results simulated by Monte Carlo method indicate that hydrogen can induce the Curie temperature to increase from 200 to 300 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the dual effects of superovulation on the endocrine activity and susceptibility to carcinogenesis of uterine and mammary glands of female offspring in mice Method: The mice were superovaluted. The relative uterine weight, ERα protein expression, and endocrine activity of female offspring (F1 generation and F2 generation) were measured. Furthermore, proliferative lesion of uterine and mammary glands of female offspring (F1 generation and F2 generation) was assessed by histopathologic examinations. Results: There were no significant differences in relative uterine weight, ERα protein expression, incidence of proliferative lesion in mammary glands, and incidence of atypical hyperplasia, adenocarcinoma, and squamous metaplasia in uterine among the offspring (F1 generation and F2 generation) in each group. Likewise, there were no significant intergroup differences in the serum levels of sex related hormones. Conclusions: No significant alterations were found in the endocrine activity and susceptibility to carcinogenesis of uterine and mammary glands of female offspring in mice produced by superovaluted oocytes compared with those of naturally conceived offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low temperature, drought and salinity are major abiotic stresses that influence survival, productivity and geographical distribution of many important crops across the globe. The C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding transcription factors (CBF/DREB) are important proteins involved in response to abiotic stresses in plants. In this study, twenty-one CBF genes were identified in cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum) by bioinformatic approach. The twenty-one CBF genes (named as GhCBF1 - GhCBF21) were characterized to encode proteins that share high similarity with those plant cold stress-related CBF proteins, which contain the classic AP2 domain of 58 amino acid residues. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolated cotton CBF genes can be classified into 4 groups: GhCBF I, GhCBF II, GhCBF III and GhCBF IV. RT-PCR analysis indicated that GhCBF genes were up-regulated in cotton plants under cold stress. Furthermore, four GhCBF genes were up-regulated in cotton under salinity and drought treatments. Our data provided valuable information for further exploring the roles of the CBF genes in cotton development and in response to cold stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton aphid ( Aphis gossypii Glover) is one of the most important economic pests in the world. Long-term unreasonable usage of insecticides has made cotton aphid developing insecticide-resistance, which frequently leads to serious occurrences of cotton aphid in many regions. It is regarded effective and environmentally friendly to control aphids through utilizing plant resistance. In this study, a translationally controlled tumor protein gene, GhTCTP1, was isolated in cotton. It belongs to TCTP subfamily and encodes a protein of 168 amino acids. GhTCTP1 expression was suppressed in cotton plants under cotton aphid attack, but its expression level was up-regulated in the wounded cotton leaves. The choice test and no-choice test demonstrated that overexpression of GhTCTP1 in Arabidopsis enhanced plant resistance to green peach aphid ( Myzus persicae). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that the defense response genes related to salicylic acid signaling pathway were activated in the GhTCTP1 overexpressing transgenic plants. Content of total amino acids was decreased, and phenylalanine ammonialyase activity was altered in leaves of the transgenic Arabidopsis plants, compared with those in wild type. Furthermore, the callose amount in transgenic Arabidopsis leaves was more than that of wild type. These data suggested that GhTCTP1 might be involved in regulation of plant tolerance to aphids, and can be potentially applied in improving aphid-resistance of crops by genetic manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]