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Reducing the formation of large carbon clusters during the combustion of energetic materials (EMs) and improving their comprehensive performance hold great significance. With fluororubber (F2604) as a binder, this study prepared HNS/n-Al microspheres with different n-Al contents (5%, 10%, and 15%) using droplet microfluidic technology. Then, it characterized and tested the morphology, particle size distribution, dispersibility, crystal structure, thermal properties, mechanical sensitivity, and combustion behavior of the microspheres. The results show that the prepared microspheres had regular shapes, uniform particle sizes, and excellent dispersibility and contained more homogeneous components than physically mixed samples. Furthermore, the microspheres retained the crystal structures of the raw materials, enjoying high safety performance. The thermal analysis shows that HNS/n-Al microspheres had high heat resistance (thermal decomposition temperature: over 354 °C) and that a higher n-Al content was associated with more thorough thermal decomposition reactions of HNS (HNS: 83%, HNS/n-Al: 84%, 86%, and 93%). The ignition experiments show that the HNS/n-Al microspheres possessed excellent and stable combustion performance, as evidenced by more complete combustion reactions and significantly elevated energy release efficiency. Therefore, it is expected to achieve high-energy and high-speed responses of carbon-rich EMs and promote their practical applications.

Abstract RNA interactomes and their diversified functionalities have recently benefited from critical methodological advances leading to a paradigm shift from a conventional conception on the regulatory roles of RNA in pathogenesis. However, the dynamic RNA interactomes in adenoma-carcinoma sequence of human CRC remain unexplored. The coexistence of adenoma, cancer, and normal tissues in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients provides an appropriate model to address this issue. Here, we adopted an RNA in situ conformation sequencing technology for mapping RNA-RNA interactions in CRC patients. We observed large-scale paired RNA counts and identified some unique RNA complexes including multiple partners RNAs, single partner RNAs, non-overlapping single partner RNAs. We focused on the antisense RNA OIP5-AS1 and found that OIP5-AS1 could sponge different miRNA to regulate the production of metabolites including pyruvate, alanine and lactic acid. Our findings provide novel perspectives in CRC pathogenesis and suggest metabolic reprogramming of pyruvate for the early diagnosis and treatment of CRC.

To improve the plasticization quality and process safety of Modified Double-Base (MDB) propellants during the calendering process. This study, using actual physical parameters of MDB propellant, a three-dimensional thermo-fluid coupled model was developed to investigate the effects of process parameters on the heat and mass transfer behavior of MDB materials during the calendering process. By comparing the effects of different roller speed ratios, roller gaps, and roller speeds on the material's velocity, temperature, and viscosity distribution during the calendering process, it was found that the material forms an asymmetric vortex reflux movement during the calendering process. This unique flow characteristic is the primary reason for the material's asymmetric mass and heat transfer properties. Changes in the rotational speed ratio have a minor impact on the reflux movement but significantly affect process safety. A rotational speed ratio of 1.25 can effectively reduce the temperature of the material at the vortex center, thereby decreasing the risk of combustion. The smaller the roll gap, the higher the starting position of the material reflux. By selecting a roll gap of 0.8 mm, it's possible to effectively reduce the viscosity gradient while simultaneously decreasing the material's residence time. Increasing the rotation speed enhances the intensity of reflux. A speed setting of 20:15 not only reduces heat generated from shearing but also controls the temperature distribution range of the material, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the calendering production process. These adjustments in process parameters enhanced the safety and production efficiency of the MDB propellant calendering process, providing valuable insights for the safe production of MDB propellant calendering technology.

Boron/potassium nitrate (B/KNO3) is a type of critical energetic composite material (ECM). However, the inert oxide layer on the B surface of B/KNO3 hinders the contact between pure fuel and oxidant, thus limiting energy release This limitation could be eliminated by adding highly reactive Al powder. To discern the effects of Al powder size on the reaction process and reactivity of B/KNO3, this study prepared Al/B/KNO3/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) energetic sticks using the direct ink writing (DIW) technology. This study characterized the macroscopic morphology and structure of the energetic sticks using a laser scanning microscope and a scanning electron microscope, examined the reaction process of the composites using a differential scanning calorimeter and a thermogravimetric analyzer, and observed the flame propagation behavior of energetic sticks and energetic architectures using a high-speed camera. Furthermore, it tested the pressure output characteristics of the energetic composites using a closed volume tank. The results show that adding Al powder can improve the combustion efficiency of B/Al composite fuels and reduce the agglomeration of the combustion products. The Al powder with various particle sizes affects various reaction stages of the composite. The combustion and pressure output tests suggest that adding Al powder with a particle size of 1 μm yielded high reactivity and that flame jump propagation appeared in energetic architectures when the channel spacing was below 10 mm. These findings provide a guide for modifying the B/KNO3 energetic composites and regulating the reactivity of energetic sticks.

The metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) method is preferred for genotyping useful for the identification of organisms, illumination of metabolic pathways, and determination of microbiota. It can accurately obtain all the nucleic acid information in the test sample. Anthrax is one of the most important zoonotic diseases, infecting mainly herbivores and occasionally humans. The disease has four typical clinical forms, cutaneous, gastrointestinal, inhalation, and injection, all of which may result in sepsis or meningitis, with cutaneous being the most common form. Here, we report a case of cutaneous anthrax diagnosed by mNGS in a butcher. Histopathology of a skin biopsy revealed PAS-positive bacilli. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sample was confirmed the diagnosis of anthrax by mNGS. He was cured with intravenous penicillin. To our knowledge, this is the first case of cutaneous anthrax diagnosed by mNGS using FFPE tissue. mNGS is useful for identifying pathogens that are difficult to diagnose with conventional methods, and FFPE samples are simple to manage. Compared with traditional bacterial culture, which is difficult to cultivate and takes a long time, mNGS can quickly and accurately help us diagnose anthrax, so that anthrax can be controlled in a timely manner and prevent the outbreak of epidemic events.

The aggregation of nano-aluminum powder seriously hinders the energy release of aluminized explosives. This study developed a strategy of using the droplet microfluidic technology to prepare HMX/15 ​wt% n-Al/2 ​wt% (NC and F2604) high-energy microspheres and systematically studied the effects of different binders on the morphology (i.e., roundness) and dispersion properties of microspheres. Moreover, it investigated the thermal decomposition, mechanical sensitivity, and combustion performance using TG, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and mechanical sensitivity and combustion experiments. Results show that all the prepared microspheres are regular spherical and enjoy excellent dispersion and high packing density. Using NC as a binder offers more advantages, including favorable roundness, angle of repose, and bulk density values, which were found to be 0.921, 27.1°, and 0.723 ​g·cm-3, respectively. Using fluorine rubber (F2604) as a binder promotes the oxidation of nano-aluminum and delays the decomposition of HMX. Meanwhile, the microsphere structure can effectively reduce the sensitivity, and the use of F2604 as a binder can significantly improve the safety performance. As a result, the obtained aluminum-containing explosives have impact and friction sensitivities of 60 ​J and 220 ​N, respectively. In addition, compared to physically mixed samples, the microsphere samples have significantly improved combustion performance, more intense combustion reactions, and a shorter burning time, all of which are attributed to their uniform structures and the interactions between components. These results indicate that the strategy using the droplet microfluidic technology provides a new method for preparing high quality aluminized explosives efficiently and safely.

Abstract Background Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a heterogeneous group of hereditary skin diseases characterized by skin fragility. Primary data on Taiwanese population remain scarce. Methods We gathered clinical information from EB patients at National Cheng Kung University Hospital from January, 2012, to June, 2021. Diagnostic tests including transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescence studies, and whole-exome sequencing (WES) were performed. The pathogenicity of novel splice-site mutations was determined through reverse transcriptase-PCR of skin mRNA followed by Sanger and/or RNA sequencing. Results Seventy-seven EB patients from 45 families were included: 19 EB simplex, six junctional EB, and 52 dystrophic EB. Pathogenic variants were identified in 37 of 38 families (97.4%), in which WES was used as a first-line tool for mutational analysis; RNA sequencing determined pathogenic variants in the remaining one family. A total of 60 mutations in EB-related genes were identified, including 22 novel mutations. The mutations involved KRT5, KRT14, PLEC, COL17A1, LAMB3, LAMA3, ITGB4, and COL7A1. Over one-quarter of DEB patients had EB pruriginosa. Conclusions The distinct clinical presentation and molecular pathology of EB in Taiwan expand our understanding of this disorder. WES was an effective first-line diagnostic tool for identifying EB-associated variants. RNA sequencing complemented WES when multiple potentially pathogenic splice-site mutations were found.

Three-dimensional (3D) micro-jet printing is a droplet deposition technique based on liquid-phase materials. To improve the deposition density and performance of energetic films with micro/nanoscale on an energetic chip, polydopamine (PDA) was utilized as a linker bridge to induce the in-situ self-assembly of CL-20-based energetic film via 3D micro-jet printing. The self-assembly was extensively characterized by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), SEM, power-XRD, XPS, and DSC. The performance of the self-assembled film was verified by the mechanical properties and detonation properties, and a possible self-assembly mechanism in the layer-by-layer micro-jet printing process was proposed. The results indicated PDA-induced self-assembly enhanced the physical entanglement between the binders and energetic crystal, reduced the porosity from 15.87% to 11.28%, and improved the elastic modulus and the detonation performance of the CL-20-based energetic film. This work proposes a novel and promising energetic film design and fabrication strategy to enhance the interaction between the energetic composite layers in the micro-jet printing process.

Abstract Background The incidence of postoperative delirium (POD) is high in elderly patients with one-lung ventilation, which is mostly related to the impairment of cerebral oxygen supply/demand balance during operation. (Surgical) stress can cause changes to normal physiological function and increase oxygen supply to the brain. When cerebral oxygen supply/demand is unbalanced, other organs may have already suffered from hypoperfusion or even hypoxic damages leading to increased release of inflammatory factors. Regional saturation of cerebral oxygenation (rScO2) monitoring can noninvasively monitor the variation of regional cerebral oxygen supply/demand balance in real time, and it has a good correlation with the occurrence of POD. S-100β is one of the markers commonly used to predict and diagnose POD, and lactate is one of the important indicators for the quality of tissue perfusion. The study explores whether the goal-directed therapy based on rScO2 monitoring can reduce perioperative inflammatory factor levels and POD incidence in elderly patients with one-lung ventilation and improve tissue perfusion. Methods The study is registered on Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100054888). A total of 159 patients scheduled for thoracoscopic lobectomy under general anesthesia were divided into the control group (n = 81) and the goal-directed therapy group (GDT group, n = 78). On the basis of the conventional management in the control group, the GDT group applied goal-directed rScO2 monitoring to maintain rScO2 at ±20% baseline level during one-lung ventilation. The levels of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and lactate; the intensity of postoperative pain; and the incidence of POD before anesthesia (T1), at the end of operation (T2), on day 1 after operation (T3), on day 3 after operation (T4), and on day 7 after operation or before discharge (T5) were compared respectively between the two groups. Results The incidence of POD at T3 and the awakening time in the GDT group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). During T2 to T4, the levels of inflammatory factors and lactate concentration in the control group were higher than those in the GDT group (P < 0.05). During T3 to T4, the levels of C-reactive protein and lactate in the control group were higher than those in the GDT group (P < 0.05). During T2 to T3, the levels of S-100β in the control group were higher than those in the GDT group (P < 0.05). The levels of inflammatory factors and lactate concentration in both groups during T2 to T4 were higher than those at T1 and T5 (P < 0.05), and there was no statistical difference at T1 versus T5 (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in postoperative pain intensity, the incidence of agitation during awakening, and postoperative hospital stays between the two groups. Conclusion Goal-directed therapy based on rScO2 monitoring can reduce perioperative inflammatory factor levels, postoperative delirium incidence, and postoperative awakening time and improve tissue perfusion in elderly patients with one-lung ventilation. Trial registration The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100054888 . Registered on 28 December 2021

The plasmon-exciton interaction between gap-mode nanocavities and A excitons of MoS2 is investigated, and the longitudinal distribution of the plasmon-exciton interactions is obtained at ~1 nm spatial resolution.

A new type of explosive ink formulation that can be quickly cured was prepared with unsaturated polyester as binder, styrene as active monomer, 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl-diphenylphosphine oxide as photoinitiator, and hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) as the main explosive. Then the explosive ink direct writing technology was used to charge the micro-sized energetic devices, the curing mechanism of the explosive ink was discussed, and the microstructure, safety performance and explosive transfer performance of the explosive ink molded samples were tested and analyzed. Results indicate that the composite material has a fast curing molding speed, its hardness can reach 2H within 8 min. The crystal form of CL-20 in the molded sample is still ε type. The CL-20 based UV-curing explosive ink formulation has good compatibility, its apparent activation energy is increased by about 3.5 kJ/mol. The composite presents a significant reduction in impact sensitivity and its characteristic drop height can reach 39.8 cm, which is about 3 times higher than the raw material. When the line width of charge is 1.0 mm, the critical thickness of the explosion can reach 0.015 mm, and the explosion velocity is 7129 m/s when the charge density is 1.612 g/cm3.

The core-shell 2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane/2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (CL-20/TNT) composite was prepared by spray-drying method in which sensitive high energy explosive (CL-20) was coated with insensitive explosive (TNT). The structure and properties of different formulations of CL-20/TNT composite and CL-20/TNT mixture were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Laser particle size analyzer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), impact sensitivity test and detonation performance. The results of SEM, TEM, XPS and XRD show that ϵ-CL-20 particles are coated by TNT. When the ratio of CL-20/TNT is 75/25, core-shell structure is well formed, and thickness of the shell is about 20–30 nm. And the analysis of heat and impact show that with the increase of TNT content, the TNT coating on the core-shell composite material can not only catalyze the thermal decomposition of core material (CL-20), but also greatly reduce the impact sensitivity. Compared with the CL-20/TNT mixture (75/25) at the same ratio, the characteristic drop height of core-shell CL-20/TNT composite (75/25) increased by 47.6% and the TNT coating can accelerate the nuclear decomposition in the CL-20/TNT composites. Therefore, the preparation of the core-shell composites can be regarded as a unique means, by which the composites are characterized by controllable decomposition rate, high energy and excellent mechanical sensitivity and could be applied to propellants and other fields.

Recent research has shown that visual–text pretrained models perform well in traditional vision tasks. CLIP, as the most influential work, has garnered significant attention from researchers. Thanks to its excellent visual representation capabilities, many recent studies have used CLIP for pixel-level tasks. We explore the potential abilities of CLIP in the field of few-shot segmentation. The current mainstream approach is to utilize support and query features to generate class prototypes and then use the prototype features to match image features. We propose a new method that utilizes CLIP to extract text features for a specific class. These text features are then used as training samples to participate in the model’s training process. The addition of text features enables model to extract features that contain richer semantic information, thus making it easier to capture potential class information. To better match the query image features, we also propose a new prototype generation method that incorporates multi-modal fusion features of text and images in the prototype generation process. Adaptive query prototypes were generated by combining foreground and background information from the images with the multi-modal support prototype, thereby allowing for a better matching of image features and improved segmentation accuracy. We provide a new perspective to the task of few-shot segmentation in multi-modal scenarios. Experiments demonstrate that our proposed method achieves excellent results on two common datasets, PASCAL-5i and COCO-20i.

In the paper, the authors find and apply necessary and sufficient conditions for a bivariate mean of two positive numbers with three parameters to be Schur convex or Schur harmonically convex respectively.

Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (HBNNSs) have huge potential in the field of coating materials owing to their remarkable chemical stability, mechanical strength and thermal conductivity. Thin-layer hBNNSs were obtained by a liquid-phase exfoliation of h-BN powders and incorporated into EVA coatings for improving the safety performance of 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX). HBNNSs and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) were introduced to HMX by a solvent-slurry process. For comparison, the HMX/EVA and HMX/EVA/graphene (HMX/EVA/G) composites were also prepared by a similar process. The morphology, crystal form, surface element distribution, thermal decomposition property and impact sensitivity of HMX/EVA/hBNNSs composites were contrastively investigated. Results showed that as prepared HMX/EVA/hBNNSs composites were well coated with hBNNSs and EVA, and exhibited better thermal stability and lower impact sensitivity than that of HMX/EVA and HMX/EVA/G composites, suggesting superior performance of desensitization of hBNNSs in explosives.

The North Himalayan gneiss domes provide a window for looking into the deeper crust and record abundant clues of continent collisional orogenesis. This study carried out detailed petrology, in situ LA–ICP–MS biotite Rb–Sr dating, and phase equilibrium modeling on garnet–staurolite–two-mica schist in the Ramba gneiss dome in order to constrain metamorphic P–T evolution and the timing of metamorphism. A clock-wise P–T path, involving an early prograde process that evolves from ∼540°C at ∼4.4 kbar to ∼630°C at ∼6.0 kbar, was constructed for garnet–staurolite–two-mica schist in the Ramba gneiss dome. In situ LA–ICP–MS biotite Rb–Sr analysis yielded two metamorphic ages of 37.17 ± 5.66 and 5.27 ± 3.10 Ma, corresponding to the timing of retrograde cooling and the cooling age of the dome following the thermal resetting by the emplacement of ca. 8 Ma leucogranite pluton in the core of the dome, respectively. The peak metamorphism is inferred to be older than ca. 37 Ma. Based on these results and the data previously published, the garnet–staurolite–two-mica schist recorded the Eocene crustal thickening, following the India–Asia collision and later the exhumation process.

3D-Honeycombed CL-20 structures with low critical size of detonation have been fabricated successfully for intelligent weapon systems using a micro-flow direct ink writing (DIW) technology. The CL-20-based explosive ink for DIW technology was prepared by a two-component adhesive system with waterborne polyurethane (WPU) and ethyl cellulose (EC). Not only the preparation of the explosive ink but also the principle of DIW process have been investigated systematically. The explosive ink displayed strong shear-thinning behavior that permitted layer-by-layer deposition from a fine nozzle onto a substrate to produce complex shapes. The EC content was varied to alter the pore structure distribution and rheological behavior of ink samples after curing. The deposited explosive composite materials are of a honeycombed structure with high porosity, and the pore size distribution increases with the increase of EC content. No phase change was observed during the preparation process. Both WPU and EC show good compatibility with CL-20 particles. Apparently high activation energy was realized in the CL-20-based composite ink compared with that of the refined CL-20 due to the presence of non-energetic but stable WPU. The detonation performance of the composite materials can be precisely controlled by an adjustment in the content of binders. The 3D honeycombed CL-20 structures, which are fabricated by DIW technology, have a very small critical detonation size of less than 69 μm, as demonstrated by wedge shaped charge test. The ink can be used to create 3D structures with complex geometries not possible with traditional manufacturing techniques, which presents a bright future for the development of intelligent weapon systems.

In this paper, the authors propose the notions of (α,s)-geometric-arithmetically convex functions and (α,s,m)-geometric-arithmetically convex functions, while they establish some new integral inequalities of the Hermite–Hadamard type for (α,s)-geometric-arithmetically convex functions and for (α,s,m)-geometric-arithmetically convex functions.

Swine influenza virus (SIV) circulates worldwide, posing substantial economic loss and disease burden to humans and animals. Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent SIV infection and transmission. In this study, we evaluated the protective efficacy of a recombinant, baculovirus-insect cell system-expressed bivalent nanoparticle SIV vaccine in mice challenged with drifted swine influenza H1N1 and H3N2 viruses. After a prime-boost immunization, the bivalent nanoparticle vaccine (BNV) induced high levels of hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) antibodies, virus-neutralization (VN) antibodies, and antigen-specific IgG antibodies in mice, as well as more efficient cytokine levels. The MF59 and CPG1 adjuvant could significantly promote both humoral and cellular immunity of BNV. The MF59 adjuvant showed a balanced Th1/Th2 immune response, and the CPG1 adjuvant tended to show a Th1-favored response. The BALB/c challenge test showed that BNV could significantly reduce lung viral loads and feces viral shedding, and showed fewer lung pathological lesions than those in PBS and inactivated vaccine groups. These results suggest that this novel bivalent nanoparticle swine influenza vaccine can be used as an efficacious vaccine candidate to induce robust immunity and provide broad protection against drifted subtypes in mice. Immune efficacy in pigs needs to be further evaluated.

Abstract is missing (Short communication)

Abstract Sarcopenia is a complex polygenic disease, and its molecular mechanism is still unclear. Whole lean body mass (WLBM) is a heritable trait predicting sarcopenia. To identify genomic loci underlying, we performed a whole‐exome sequencing (WES) of WLBM variation with high sequencing depth (more than 40*) in 101 Chinese subjects. We then replicated in the major findings in the large‐scale UK Biobank (UKB) cohort (N = 217,822) for WLBM. The results of four single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were significant both in the discovery stage and replication stage: SNP rs740681 (discovery p = 1.66 × 10–6, replication p = .05), rs2272303 (discovery p = 3.20 × 10–4, replication p = 3.10 × 10–4), rs11170413 (discovery p = 3.99 × 10–4, replication p = 2.90 × 10–4), and rs2272302 (discovery p = 9.13 × 10–4, replication p = 3.10 × 10–4). We combined p values of the significant SNPs. Functional annotations highlighted two candidate genes, including FZR1 and SOAT2, that may exert pleiotropic effects to the development of body mass. Our findings provide useful insights that further enhance our understanding of genetic interplay in sarcopenia.

Background/Aims: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common inflammatory joint disease. miRNAs are associated with OA and functionally implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. In the present study, we investigated the role of miR-1246 in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory injury of ATDC5 cells. Methods: ATDC5 cells were cultured and treated with LPS in a series of concentration (0, 1, 5, and 10 µg/ml) for 5 h. The cells were transfected with miR-1246-mimic, inhibitor, si-HNF4γ or negative control, then were assessed for cell viability using CCK8 assay, apoptosis by flow-cytometry and expressions of miR-1246 and pro-inflammatory cytokines by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. Results: Cell viability was significantly reduced and cell apoptosis was added in ATDC5 cells injured with LPS at the dosage of 5 and 10 µg/ml. Relative mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α) were significantly increased. miR-1246 was up-regulated in ATDC5 cells treated with LPS. Moreover, miR-1246 overexpression aggravated LPS-induced decrease in cell viability, increase in apoptosis and overproduction of pro-inflammatory factors. mRNA and protein expressions of HNF4γ were significantly suppressed in cells transfected with miR-124-mimic. Further, miR-1246 knockdown alleviated LPS-induced inflammatory injury by up-regulating the expression of HNF4γ and activation of PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT pathways. Conclusions: Suppression of miR-1246 alleviated LPS-induced inflammatory injury in chondrogenic ADTC5 cells by up-regulation of HNF4γ and activation of PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT pathways. The findings of this study will provide a novel viewpoint regarding miR-1246 target for clinical.

It is difficult to differentiate pigs that have been injected attenuated vaccines from those that are infected by a virulent virus. In this study, a duplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was developed for simultaneous detection and identification of the pathogenic strain (Shimen-strain) and attenuated vaccine strain (C-strain) of classical swine fever virus (CSFV). A fragment of 438 bp or 265 bp was amplified from the genomic RNA of the Shimen-strain or the C-strain, respectively. Both types of viruses were simultaneously identified from the mixed samples of Shimen-strain and C-strain, while no PCR bands were obtained from the templates of some other porcine original viruses with the designed primers. The lowest limit of detection was 0.0616 pg for the C-strain RNA and 0.0844 pg for the Shimen-strain RNA. The developed RT-PCR was adopted to test CSFV from 65 collected samples. Compared with quantitative real-time PCR, the results indicated that the developed RT-PCR can not only be used to distinguish the virulent and attenuated CSFV, but also possesses high sensitivity for detecting CSFV. This is a convenient method to detect and differentiate pigs infected with virulent CSFV from the pigs immunized with the C-strain.

1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethene (FOX-7) is a novel explosive with low sensitivity and high performance. The compatibility of FOX-7 with nine common energetic materials including hexanitrohexazaisowurtzitane (CL-20), cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), 3,4-dinitrofurazanfuroxan (DNTF), 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO), hexanitrostilbene (HNS-II), 2,6-diamino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxide (LLM-105), 2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TATB), and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) were tested by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the vacuum stability test (VST) as the thermal technique and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) as a nonthermal technique. DSC measurements showed that the binary systems of FOX-7/CL-20, FOX-7/HMX, FOX-7/NTO, and FOX-7/TNT were compatible in grade of A, the systems of FOX-7 with heat-resistant explosives including HNS-II, LLM-105, and TATB were compatible as well in grade of A-B, and the binary systems of FOX-7/DNTF and FOX-7/RDX had poor compatibility. VST results indicated that FOX-7 was compatible with nine energetic materials. Besides, the compatibility results of the thermal analysis were confirmed by the XRD technique.

Utilizing renewable resources and accelerating thermal stabilization have been two main effective technical means to reduce the cost of poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) based carbon fibre (CF). In this work, cross-linked poplar lignin (CPPL) with higher carbon content and 15 times the weight-average molecular weight of poplar lignin (PPL) was formed by doping boron phosphate (BP) in situ composites, which was blended with poly(acrylonitrile-co-vinyl acetate) (PANVA) to prepare a low-cost partially bio-based composite PANVA/CPPL-BP. During thermal stabilization, the C1s curve-fitting of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra showed that the conjugated ladder structure of PANVA/CPPL-BP started to form at 230 °C, which was 20 °C lower than PANVA. And the acceleration in forming conjugated ladder structures was further confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric (TG), and TG-FTIR. During simulated low-temperature carbonization for composites stabilized at 230 °C in advance, the addition of CPPL-BP greatly improved the order of graphitic structure for PANVA. The mechanical property of CF mats has also been obviously improved by CPPL-BP. The possible mechanism that CPPL-BP accelerating the formation of conjugated ladder structures for PANVA/CPPL-BP during thermal stabilization was proposed. With such improvement on accelerating thermal stabilization and utilizing cheap bio-material at the same time, this PANVA/CPPL-BP composite has a great potential in developing low-cost CF.

For exploiting semantics implied in constructors and axioms in an ontology,a structural subsumption reasoning algorithm was extended to match ontologies.The implied semantics was first enabled to be read-off easily by rephrasing entities in an ontology into normal forms; then the syntactical structure of the normal forms were compared to infer correspondences between entities,one from each ontology.The prototype was evaluated over four in use ontologies and compared against twelve methods.The experiments show that its performance is higher than other solutions on average.

Suicide is a major public health concern and a leading cause of death around the world. How religion influences the risk of completed suicide in different settings across the world requires clarification in order to best inform suicide prevention strategies.A meta-analysis using search results from Pubmed and Web of Science databases was conducted following PRISMA protocol and using the keywords "religion" or "religious" or "religiosity" or "spiritual" or "spirituality" plus "suicide" or "suicidality" or "suicide attempt". Random and fixed effects models were used to generate pooled ORs and I2 values. Sub-analyses were conducted among the following categories: young age (

The micro-scale detonation sequence prepared by the inkjet printing using all-liquid 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro- 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazawurtzitan (CL-20)-based energetic inks enables the micro-space fine-scale assembly and stable propagation of detonation. However, the easy crystallization and high mechanical sensitivity of all-liquid CL-20 limit its applications to the microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based pyrotechnics. This study developed a simple micro-nano CL-20-based polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) colloidal suspension suitable for inkjet printing to control the crystal structures and mechanical sensitivities of energetic composites. The results show that the CL-20-based multilayer films formed by inkjet printing had dense microstructures, with the porosity decreasing to 13.81% and ε-type crystals. Compared with micro-nano CL-20 particles, the impact and friction sensitivities of CL-20-based multilayer films were reduced by 100% and 122%, respectively, and their apparent activation energy increased by 44.7 kJ mol-1, thus effectively improving the safety performance of micro-nano structured explosive agents. Therefore, CL-20-based multilayer films have great potential for application to the micro-scale detonation sequence of MEMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron/potassium nitrate (B/KNO3) is a type of critical energetic composite material (ECM). However, the inert oxide layer on the B surface of B/KNO3 hinders the contact between pure fuel and oxidant, thus limiting energy release This limitation could be eliminated by adding highly reactive Al powder. To discern the effects of Al powder size on the reaction process and reactivity of B/KNO3, this study prepared Al/B/KNO3/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) energetic sticks using the direct ink writing (DIW) technology. This study characterized the macroscopic morphology and structure of the energetic sticks using a laser scanning microscope and a scanning electron microscope, examined the reaction process of the composites using a differential scanning calorimeter and a thermogravimetric analyzer, and observed the flame propagation behavior of energetic sticks and energetic architectures using a high-speed camera. Furthermore, it tested the pressure output characteristics of the energetic composites using a closed volume tank. The results show that adding Al powder can improve the combustion efficiency of B/Al composite fuels and reduce the agglomeration of the combustion products. The Al powder with various particle sizes affects various reaction stages of the composite. The combustion and pressure output tests suggest that adding Al powder with a particle size of 1 µm yielded high reactivity and that flame jump propagation appeared in energetic architectures when the channel spacing was below 10 mm. These findings provide a guide for modifying the B/KNO3 energetic composites and regulating the reactivity of energetic sticks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energetic copper (II) compound was synthesized based on 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzoic acid (TNBA) and imidazole (IMI), which characterized by elemental analysis and FT‐IR characterization. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that [Cu(IMI)2(H2O)(TNBA)2] (1) belongs to monoclinic, pertains to P21/c space group, β=95.230(2)° and Dc=1.790 g cm−3. The five bonds formed by the central copper atom are derived from the two oxygen atoms and nitrogen atoms in the two TNBA and IMI ligands, and the oxygen atom in the water molecule, which present a novel five‐coordination model and a unique pyramid structure and show a typical single tooth coordination pattern. Catalytic effects on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP), RDX and HMX of complexe 1 were investigated in detail by employing the DSC technique. Complex 1 shows an outstanding catalytic activity. The non‐isothermal kinetics parameters were calculated by the Kissinger's, Ozawa's and Starink's method, respectively. In the end, impact sensitivity was also determined by standard method. All the experimental data results supported the potential applications of the energetic complexes as additives of solid rocket propellants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insensitive energetic materials are promising in the defense weapons field. However, energetic materials still suffer from great challenges and the concern about their safety limits their utilization. In this work, insensitive energetic explosive 3,30-diamino-4,40-azoxyfurazan/hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (DAAF/RDX) microspheres were fabricated by self-assembly method. Rod-like DAAF/RDX was prepared by mechanical ball milling for comparison. DAAF/RDX composites with different mass ratios (90:10, 80:20, and 70:30) were obtained. The morphologies and structures of as-obtained DAAF/RDX composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results showed that DAAF/RDX microspheres exhibited regular shaped microspheres with sizes from 0.5 to 1.2 mm. There was no crystal transition during the modification process. The thermal properties of as-obtained materials were then evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and materials studio software. DAAF/RDX microspheres showed an advanced decomposition peak temperature compared with rod-like DAAF/RDX. The binding energy and peak temperature values at zero βi (TP0) of DAAF/RDX (90:10) increased by 36.77 kJ/mol, 1.6 °C, and 58.11 kJ/mol, 12.3 °C compared to DAAF/RDX (80:20) and DAAF/RDX (70:30), indicating the better thermal stability of DAAF/RDX (90:10). The characteristic drop height (H50) of DAAF/RDX (higher than 100 cm) composites was higher than that of raw RDX (25 cm), suggesting significant improvements in mechanical safety. The preparation of DAAF/RDX microspheres is promising for the desensitization of RDX and useful for the formation of other materials and future wide applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two coordination compounds were synthesized based on 3-aminofurazan-4-carboxylic acid (AFCA) with copper(II) and nickel(II), and characterized by elemental analysis and FTIR characterization. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that [Cu(H2O)4(AFCA)2·H2O] (1) belongs to monoclinic, pertains to P21/c space group, β = 132.451(17)◦, Dc = 1.921 g·cm-3, and [Ni(H2O)4(AFCA)2·H2O] (2) belongs to orthorhombic, pertains to Pnnm space group, Dc = 1.913 g·cm-3. In 1 and 2, metal ion (Cu2+ and Ni2+) was hexacoordinated with four water molecules and two AFCA anions, which of furazan-ring presents typical monodentate coordination mode. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was applied to assess the thermal decomposition behavior of 1 and 2. The non-isothermal kinetics parameters were calculated by the Kissinger's method, Ozawa's method and Starink's method, respectively. In the end, impact sensitivity was also determined by standard method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 2D metal organic framework (MOF) coordination compound [Cd(H2O)2(AFT)2]n (1, HAFT = 4-amino-3-(5-tetrazolate)-furazan), combining the advantages of tetrazole and furazan rings, was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and FTIR spectroscopy. We design and synthesize 3D energetic MOFs based on 1. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that 1 belongs to monoclinic, pertains to P21/c space group, a = 7.857(3) Å, b = 9.409(3) Å, c = 9.046(3) Å and β= 93.560(4)°. In 1, Cd2+ was hexacoordinated with four AFT groups and two water molecules. Noticeably, tetrazole-ring of AFT group presents typical bidentate coordination mode and furazan-ring was not take part in coordination. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated that 1 was thermally stable with an onset decomposition temperature more than 250°C. The non-isothermal kinetics parameters were calculated by Kissinger's method, Ozawa's method and starink's method respectively. The critical temperature of thermal explosion, entropy of activation (ΔS≠), enthalpy of activation (ΔH≠), and free energy of activation (ΔG≠) were also calculated as 300.23°C, -0.67 J·K-1·mol-1, 183.46 kJ·mol-1, and 183.65 kJ·mol-1, respectively. In the end, impact sensitivity was also determined by standard method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonium 4-amino-3-(5-tetrazolate)-furazan (NH4AFT), one of furazan-functionalized tetrazolate-based energetic salts, was prepared by direct acid-base neutralization of 4-amino-3-(5-tetrazole)-furazan and ammonium hydroxide in aqueous solution. The crystal structure was characterized by X-ray single crystal diffraction, and the crystal belongs to triclinic system with space group Pı and a = 7.244(3) nm, b = 7.000(9) nm, c = 7.280(3) nm, α = 104.317(4)°, β = 108.266(5)°, γ = 92.67°, V = 348(433) nm³, and Z = 2. The thermoanalysis, based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), showes the temperature of extrapolated onset (Teo) is 234.8°C. The non-isothermal thermokinetics parameters were also obtained by Kissinger's method, Ozawa's method and Starink's method. And the critical temperature of thermal explosion (Tb), entropy of activation (ΔS ≠), enthalpy of activation (ΔH ≠), and free energy of activation (ΔG ≠) were also calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with the intriguing five-ligand coordination compound of [Cu(IMI)4Cl]Cl (IMI = Imidazole, 2), multi-ligand coordination compound of Cu(Trz)4Cl2 (1) was synthesized by using 1,2,4-Triazole (Trz) and characterized by elemental analysis and FT-IR spectrum. The crystal structure was determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction and the crystallographic data showed that the crystal belongs to tetragonal, pertains to I41/acd space group, =14.4013(4) A°, b = 14.4013(4) Å and c = 15.7049(10) A°. Furthermore, the copper(II) cation of 1 is six-coordinated with four atoms from four Trz molecules and two Cl atoms, however, the Cu(II) ion of 2 is infrequent five-coordinated with four N atoms from four IMI ligands and a chlorine atom. Thermal decomposition mechanism was determined based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the non-isothermal kinetics parameters were calculated by the Kissinger's method, Ozawa's method and Starink's method, respectively. The energy of combustion, enthalpy of formation, critical temperature of thermal explosion, entropy of activation (ΔS ≠), enthalpy of activation (ΔH ≠), and free energy of activation (ΔG ≠) were also measured and calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Newcastle disease (ND) is a devastating worldwide disease of poultry characterized by increased respiration, circulatory disturbances, hemorrhagic enteritis, and nervous signs. Sequence analysis shows several amino acid residue substitutions at neutralizing epitopes on the F and HN proteins of recent Shaanxi strains. Both Cross protection and cross serum neutralization tests revealed that the traditional vaccine strains were unable to provide full protection for the flocks. Methods: To better understand the epidemiology of Newcastle disease outbreak, a portion of the F gene and the full-length HN gene were amplified from Shaanxi isolates by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and then conducted sequence and phylogenetic analyzes. In pathogenicity analysis, both high intra-cerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) and mean death time (MDT) tests of chicken embryo were carried out. Furthermore, a cross-protection experiment in which specific-pathogen-free chickens vaccinated with a LaSota vaccine strain were challenged by the recent Shaanxi strain was also performed. Results: Nine Newcastle disease (ND) virus (NDV) isolates which were recovered from ND outbreaks in chicken flocks in China were genotypically and pathotypically characterized. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that all the recent Shaanxi-isolated NDVs have 112R-R-Q-K-R-F117 for the C-terminus of the F2 protein and exhibit high ICPI and MDT of chicken embryos, suggesting that they were all classified as velogenic type of NDVs. Phylogenetic analysis of these isolates showed that they belong to subgenotype VIId that have been implicated in the recent outbreaks in northwestern China. The percentage of amino acid sequence identity of F protein between recent Shaanxi stains and five vaccine strains was in the range of 81.9 %-88.1 %, while the percentage of amino acid sequence identity of HN protein between recent Shaanxi strains and vaccine strains was in the range of 87.4 %-91.2 %. Furthermore, a number of amino acid residue substitutions at neutralizing epitopes on the F and HN proteins of these isolates were observed, which may lead to the change of antibody recognition and neutralization capacity. A cross-protection experiment indicated that specific-pathogen-free chickens vaccinated with a LaSota vaccine strain was not capable of providing full protection for the flocks that were challenged by the recent Shaanxi strain. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings reveal that recent Shannxi NDVstrains exhibit antigenic variations that could be responsible for recent outbreaks of NDVs in northwestern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach to the stereospecific diiodination of alkynes under mild conditions has been developed. This protocol employs ammonium persulfate as an oxidant and iodide as an iodine source, and provides a highly efficient and general method for the preparation of a broad range of (E)-diiodoalkenes in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Growing evidences suggest that acute hyperglycemia is strongly related to kidney injury. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of acute hyperglycemia on kidney glomerular and tubular impairment in non-diabetic conscious rats. Methods: Non-diabetic conscious rats were randomly subjected to 6 h of saline (control group) or high glucose (acute hyperglycemia group) infusion. Blood glucose was maintained at 16.0-18.0 mmol/L in acute hyperglycemia group. Renal structure and function alterations, systemic/renal inflammation and oxidative stress markers were assessed, and apoptosis markers of renal inherent cells were evaluated. Results: Acute hyperglycemia caused significant injury to structure of glomerular filtration barrier, tubular epithelial cells and peritubular vascular endothelial cells. It increased urinary microalbumin (68.01 ± 27.09 μg/24 h vs 33.81 ± 13.81 βg/24 h, P = 0.014), β2-microglobulin, Cystatin C, urinary and serous neutrophil gelatinaseassociated lipocalin levels (< 0.05). Acute hyperglycemia decreased megalin and cubilin expression, activated systemic and renal oxidative stress as well as inflammation and promoted renal inherent cell apoptosis. Conclusions: Acute hyperglycemia causes significant injury to kidney function and structure. Compared with damages of glomerular filtration barrier, renal tubular injury may contributemore to acute hyperglycemia induced proteinuria. Activation of inflammation especially renal inflammation, oxidative stress and enhanced apoptosis may be the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a novel intermolecular oxidative C-H alkoxylation of aniline derivatives is described under metal-free conditions with high reaction rates at ambient temperature. In the presence of an I(III) oxidant, a range of aldehydes, anilines, and alcohol substrates undergo three-component coupling to produce synthetically useful alkoxyl-substituted N-arylimines. The preliminary mechanism investigations revealed that the transformation proceeds via imines as intermediates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome shuffling is an efficient way to improve complex phenotypes under the control of multiple genes. For the improvement of strain's performance in very high-gravity (VHG) fermentation, we developed a new method of genome shuffling. A diploid ste2/ ste2 strain was subjected to EMS (ethyl methanesulfonate) mutagenesis followed by meiotic recombination-mediated genome shuffling. The resulting haploid progenies were intrapopulation sterile and therefore haploid recombinant cells with improved phenotypes were directly selected under selection condition. In VHG fermentation, strain WS1D and WS5D obtained by this approach exhibited remarkably enhanced tolerance to ethanol and osmolarity, increased metabolic rate, and 15.12% and 15.59% increased ethanol yield compared to the starting strain W303D, respectively. These results verified the feasibility of the strain improvement strategy and suggested that it is a powerful and high throughput method for development of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with desired phenotypes that is complex and cannot be addressed with rational approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unusual π-halogen bond interactions are investigated between $$ \left( {\hbox{BNN}} \right)_3^{+} $$ and X1X2 (X1, X2 = F, Cl, Br) employing MP2 at 6-311 + G(2d) and aug-cc-pVDZ levels according to the 'CP (counterpoise) corrected potential energy surface (PES)' method. The order of the π-halogen bond interactions and stabilities of the complexes are obtained to be $$ \left( {\hbox{BNN}} \right)_3^{+} \ldots {{\hbox{F}}_2} < \left( {\hbox{BNN}} \right)_3^{+} \ldots {\hbox{ClF < }}\left( {\hbox{BNN}} \right)_3^{+} \ldots {\hbox{C}}{{\hbox{l}}_2} < \left( {\hbox{BNN}} \right)_3^{+} \ldots {\hbox{BrCl}}\quad { < }\quad \left( {\hbox{BNN}} \right)_3^{+} \ldots {\hbox{B}}{{\hbox{r}}_2}\quad { < }\quad \left( {\hbox{BNN}} \right)_3^{+} \ldots {\hbox{BrF}}{.} $$ at MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level. The analyses of the Mulliken charge transfer, natural bond orbital (NBO), atoms in molecules (AIM) theory and electron density shifts reveal that the nature of the π-halogen bond interaction in the complexes of ClF, BrF and BrCl might partly be charge transfer from the delocalized π-HOMO orbital of $$ \left( {\hbox{BNN}} \right)_3^{+} $$ to X1X2. This result suggests that the positive aromatic ring $$ \left( {\hbox{BNN}} \right)_3^{+} $$ might act as a π-electron donor to form the π-halogen bond. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To provide basis of reference values for relevant parameters of Chinese Reference Man. Methods: Eighteen kinds of major organ or tissue samples, including muscle, rib, liver, and so on, were obtained from 4 areas (Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangsu, and Sichuan provinces) with different dietary patterns in China in autopsy of 16 healthy adult men, who had just encountered sudden deaths. At the same time, whole blood samples were collected from 10 volunteers living in each of these areas. The concentrations of 56 elements in these samples were detected by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) , Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES), and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GF-AAS) techniques. Based on obtained concentrations and reference values of these organ or tissue weights for Chinese Reference Man, the relative elemental burdens in these organs or tissues as well whole body were also estimated. Results: The concentrations of 56 elements in 18 main organs or tissues were determined all together and their elemental organ or tissue and whole body burdens were estimated. Furthermore, the distributions of important elements for radiation protection in these organs or tissues were emphatically discussed. Conclusion: By summing with past related results, the total results obtained from the series of research may provide more reliable and better representative basis of these reference values for Chinese Reference Man than before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anatase TiO2 hydrosol was prepared by hydrolyzation of tetrabutyl titanate followed by acidic peptization of the precipitate under 70 °C. The method was highly simplified and the growth of TiO2 nanocrystallites that bothered traditional preparations was avoided. The photocatalytic activity of the hydrosol was confirmed through the photocatalytic degradation of methyl blue dye under visible light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]