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Background: Young children appear to spend large portions of their waking time being sedentary. Understanding the correlates of sedentary time would assist in developing effective interventions among young children. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the current literature on the correlates of objectively measured sedentary time in young children aged 1-5.99y. Methods: This review was registered with PROSPERO (registration no. CRD42017081374) and aligned with the PRISMA Statement for systematic reviews. Five electronic databases (MEDline, CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, SportDiscus, Scopus) were searched up to October 26, 2017 for studies investigating correlates of sedentary time measured using objective devices. A semiquantitative approach was used to synthesize data. Results: Forty-five studies were retrieved comprising 13,430 participants, and 84 correlates of sedentary time in young children were evaluated. The associations between sex, sleep habits, daily patterns (childcare vs. non-childcare hours), childcare type and sedentary time were indeterminate. Thirty-nine correlates were consistently unrelated. Forty-one potential correlates were examined in too few studies (<4) to make confident conclusions. Parental sedentary behaviour was reported 3 times and maternal sedentary behaviour was reported once. Out of these four studies, three were positively associated with child sedentary time. Conclusions: Despite reviewing 45 studies that evaluated associations for 84 correlates, this review was unable to identify any consistent correlates of sedentary time in young children. Additional research is needed in this area to provide robust evidence of the correlates of sedentary time in young children, particularly for those examined in only a small number of studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sb distribution in the phases of SiO2 saturated Sb-Fe-O-SiO2-CaO system was determined for the first time through heightemperature experiment and quenching techniques, followed by Electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) in air (Ptot = 1 atm, PO2 = 0.21 atm). The phases were quantified in the temperature range of 900 °C-1200 °C and the effects of Fe/SiO2 (mass fraction) and CaO/SiO2 (mass fraction) on Sb2O3 content in the Sb-Fe-O-SiO2-CaO system were investigated at 1200 °C. The results indicated that the Sb-containing phase primarily existed in the solid solution phase at 1200 °C. With the increase of temperature from 1100 °C to 1200 °C, the Sb2O3 content in the solid solution phase increased drastically from 7.52 wt% to 17.36 wt%. Lowering the values of CaO/SiO2 and Fe/SiO2 in the smelting process effectively reduced Sb2O3 content in the slag. The verification of the experiment results suggested that the antimony content in slag was 0.57 wt%, the crude antimony yield rate was lower than 4%, and the crude antimony grade was beyond 94 wt%, which meant that the reduction of antimony content in the slag could be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grain uniformity of a 316L/EH40 composite plate during multipass forming was studied by numerical simulation and hot rolling tests. In view of the total fixed deformation with a different number of passes, grain size variations on the surface, in the center, and at the interface of the base layer, and those on the surface and at the interface of the clad layer after rolling were simulated and analyzed. The rolling schedule was established to meet the adequate uniformity level of the base and clad layers. The most effective process was verified by the vacuum hot rolling test of a four-layer symmetrical billet. The metallographic images were taken in different locations of the composite plate, and the grain sizes in the images were measured by the cut-point method. Experimental results were compared with simulation data, demonstrating their reliability; the error between them was maintained within 5.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-step phase-shifting compressive optical image encryption and hiding system based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) and verified with a He-Ne laser beam is proposed. The object image was first encrypted using two random-phase masks in the two-step phase-shifting optical image encryption and hiding part of the system. After the encrypted image was hidden in the host image, two encrypted holograms were generated via the interference of the reference and object lights. To reduce the number of measurements, the two interference holograms were then compressed and sampled into one-dimensional (1-D) data in the single-pixel camera part of the system. Lastly, once the two holograms were reconstructed using the two-step iterative shrinkage/thresholding (TwIST) algorithm, they were imported into a two-step phase-shifting optical image encryption and hiding reconstruction program, where the original object image before encryption was restored. The simulation results suggested that the system demonstrated both good security and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The planting of seedlings is the most effective measure for vegetation restoration. However, this practice is challenging in desert ecosystems where water and nutrients are scarce. Calligonum mongolicum is a sand‐fixing pioneer shrub species, and its adaptive strategy for nitrogen (N) deposition and drought is poorly understood.Thus, in a pot experiment, we studied the impacts of four N levels (0, 3, 6, 9 gN·m−2·year−1) under drought or a well‐watered regime on multiple eco‐physiological responses of 1‐year‐old C. mongolicum seedlings.Compared to well‐watered conditions, drought considerably influenced seedling growth by impairing photosynthesis, osmolyte accumulation and activity of superoxide dismutase and enzymes related to N metabolism. Nitrogen addition improved the productivity of drought‐stressed seedlings, as revealed by increased water use efficiency, enhanced superoxide dismutase and nitrite reductase activity and elevated N and phosphorus (P) levels in seedlings. Nevertheless, the addition of moderate to high levels of N (6–9 gN·m−2·year−1) impaired net photosynthesis, osmolyte accumulation and nitrate reductase activity. N addition and water regimes did not markedly change the N:P ratios of aboveground parts; while more biomass and nutrients were allocated to fine roots to assimilate the insufficient resources. Soluble protein in assimilating shoots might play a vital role in adaptation to the desert environment.The response of C. mongolicum seedlings to N addtion and drought involved an interdependency between soluble protein and morphological, physiological and biochemical processes. These findings provide an important reference for vegetation restoration in arid lands under global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the influence on immune cell infiltration and T cell effector function to explore the immune response evoked by carbon ion radiotherapy (CiRT) in prostate cancer-bearing mice, and explored the mechanisms underlying CiRT-induced anti-tumor efficacy, involved in cGAS-STING signaling pathway. C57BL/6 and BALB/c nude mouse tumor models were used to evaluate the efficacy of CiRT on tumor growth. Activation of cGAS-STING signaling pathway was performed by immunofluorescence analysis of cytoplasmic double-stranded DNA, western blot analysis of key factors involved in cGAS-STING pathway, and qRT-PCR analysis of the key downstream molecules like CCL5, CXCL10 and IFNβ1. Investigation of alterations of immunophenotypes including the quantification, memory status, exhaustion marker expression, and effector function were assessed by flow cytometry. CiRT showed more powerful tumor growth control of immunocompetent syngeneic C57BL/6 mice than photon radiotherapy did at biological equivalent dose of 5Gy. CiRT induces cytoplasmic DNA and cGAS-STING activation, and is functionally responsible for the observed tumor growth suppression. CiRT exerts anti-tumor effect by triggering immune response, characterized by increased infiltration of CD4+ T cells and macrophages in tumor, enhanced frequencies of CD8+ T cells and CD8+ T effector memory cells in spleen, improved interferon (IFN)-γ production ability of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cells, and reduced expression of exhausted T cells in tumor and spleen. Our findings indicate that CIRT exerts excellent anti-tumor activity, which may be attributed to the induction of cGAS-STING activation and immune response, manifested by increased immune cell infiltration, improved T cell effector function and enhanced immune memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-arc hybrid direct lap welding offers an effective method for achieving high-performance welding of magnesium (Mg) alloys to steel. In this study, we optimized the mechanical properties of dissimilarly joined Mg and steel by controlling the offset of the laser heat source which directly affected the power delivered to the workpiece. We analyzed the variation of wetting angle and the mechanism of strengthening and tensile failure of the joints, with the results showing that under ideal processing conditions, the tensile strength of the direct lap welded joint without filler wire or any interlayers reached 295.7 N/mm, which is approximately 80% of the Mg alloy's nominal strength – an improvement that has not been previously reported in the literature. The laser improved the wettability of the joint and the laser keyhole played a critical role in pinning the weld seam, increasing the area of the interfacial reaction layer, and transferring the location of the crack source to strengthen the joint performance. [Display omitted] • Successful direct lap welding of Mg/steel without filler wire and interlayer was achieved. • The maximum tensile load per unit length of the weld seam reached 295.7 N/mm. • The heat provided by the laser improves the wettability of Mg on steel. • The keyhole generated by laser changes the stress state of the joint, transfers the crack source and strengthens the joint performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let R be any associative ring with 1, let n ≥ 3, and let A,B be two-sided ideals of R. In the present paper, we show that the mixed commutator subgroup [E(n,R,A),E(n,R,B)] is generated as a group by the elements of the two following forms: 1) zij(ab, c) and zij (ba, c), 2) [tij(a), tji(b)], where 1 ≤ i ≠ j ≤ n, a ∈ A, b ∈ B, c ∈ R. Moreover, for the second type of generators, it suffices to fix one pair of indices (i, j). This result is both stronger and more general than the previous results by Roozbeh Hazrat and the authors. In particular, it implies that for all associative rings one has the equality [E(n,R,A),E(n,R,B)] = [E(n,A),E(n,B)], and many further corollaries can be derived for rings subject to commutativity conditions. Bibliography: 36 titles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The Tibetan chicken, which is an indigenous breed living on the Tibetan Plateau, exhibits hypoxic adaptations to its high-altitude environment. However, the molecular mechanism behind this hypoxic adaptation is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate differentially expressed miRNAs involved in hypoxic adaptation through high-throughput RNA sequencing. 2. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the differentially expressed miRNAs and their target genes in chicken embryonic heart tissues and fibroblasts. Luciferase reporter assays were performed to confirm the relationship between miRNAs and target genes. 3. The study identified 37 differentially expressed miRNAs in Tibetan chicken embryonic heart tissues, including 20 up- and 17 down-regulated miRNAs, compared to those found in lowland chickens. Differentially expressed miRNAs were mainly involved in biological processes, such as cell cycle arrest, toll-like receptor signalling pathways, and I-kappa B kinase/NF-kappa B signalling. The data showed that gga-miR-34 c-5p was significantly upregulated in Tibetan chicken tissues and hypoxic fibroblasts, while EHHADH, a target gene of gga-miR-34 c-5p, was downregulated. Moreover, gga-miR-34 c-5p dramatically decreased the luciferase activity of the wild EHHADH, whereas no effect on the mutational EHHADH was found. 4. This study identified miRNA expression profiles in the Tibetan chicken and suggested that miR-34 c-5p acts as a novel miRNA associated with hypoxic adaptation. This facilitates the understanding of molecular mechanisms that underlie long-term exposure to hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stationary wing placed in the wake of a bluff body experiences lift enhancement. The quasi-periodic flow in the wake causes excitation of the separated flow in the poststall conditions. The increase in the time-averaged lift force is associated with the flow separation, leading-edge vortex formation, and subsequent reattachment in a process similar to the dynamic stall of oscillating wings. The lift enhancement is maximum for an optimal offset distance from the wake centerline. At the optimal location, potential flow oscillations, rather than the direct impingement of large vortices in the wake, provide the excitation. The smaller amplitude flow oscillations lead to a large separation bubble in the time-averaged sense in the poststall regime. The delayed flow separation in the wake has a similar mechanism and frequency to those of the active flow control methods for separation. The degree of the lift enhancement is remarkable, given that the wake at a Reynolds number of 50,000 is expected to be highly three-dimensional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to simplify the nitrogen removal process, reduce the cost and improve the efficiency has become an urgent problem to be solved. In this research, the isolated HNAD (heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification) bacteria were used to remove the nitrogen in wastewater. Modified absorbent stone was used as high-efficiency and low-cost immobilized material. The modification effect was determined by the changes in mechanical strength, Zeta potential, pore structure, micrographs and biomass. The practicability of the modified carrier was further proved by experiments of environmental effect and reuse. The modified carrier had excellent performance. By comparing the degradation effects of immobilized microorganism and free microorganism, it was proved that the immobilized microorganisms have broad application prospects and strong adaptability to environmental factors. Under the optimum conditions (temperature of 30 oC, pH of 7, dissolved oxygen of 3.5 mg L-1), the removal efficiency of ammonia nitrogen reached 100% in 40 hours, the removal efficiency of total nitrogen reached 60.11% in 50 hours, and the removal rate of total nitrogen was 2.404 mg-NL-1 h-1 by immobilized microorganisms with the treatment of simulated nitrogen-containing wastewater. This research provides new material for the immobilization of HN-AD bacteria and a new way for nitrogen removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been proved that the reactive elements improve the adhesion strength of the α-Al 2 O 3 /β-NiAl interface significantly, and Hf may be the best choice among the common doping elements, including Hf, Zr, Dy, Y, La for the interface without impurity. However, when impurity sulfur has to be considered, it is found that La and Y enhance interface adhesion and mechanical stability strength of α-Al 2 O 3 /β-NiAl–S interface most obviously, rather than Hf. The fundamental mechanism of reactive elements tying up S in the interface and the selection of reactive elements have been studied via a combinational analysis of bond topology and electronic structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the narrow energy band of the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT), several urgent issues remain unsolved. We systematically study the properties of a refined sample of 283 Swift/BAT gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with well-measured spectral peak energy (Ep) at a high confidence level greater than 3σ. We find that the duration (T90) distribution of Swift bursts still exhibits an evident bimodality with a more reliable boundary of T90 ≃ 1.06 s instead of 2 s as found for previously contaminated samples, including bursts without well-peaked spectra, which is very close to the ∼1.27 and ∼0.8 s values suggested in the literature for the Fermi/Gamma-ray Burst Monitor and Swift/BAT catalogs, respectively. The Swift/BAT short and long bursts have comparable mean Ep values of and keV, similar to what was found for both types of BATSE bursts, which indicates that the traditional short–hard/long–soft scheme may not be tenable for certain detector energy windows. We also statistically investigate the consistency of distinct methods for Ep estimates and find that a Bayesian approach and BAND function (Band et al.) can always provide consistent evaluations. In contrast, the frequently used cutoff power-law model matches two other methods for lower Ep and overestimates the Ep by more than 70%, as Ep > 100 keV. Peak energies of X-ray flashes, X-ray-rich bursts, and classical GRBs could be an evolutionary consequence of moving from thermal-dominated to nonthermal-dominated radiation mechanisms. Finally, we find that the Ep and the observed fluence (Sγ) in the observer frame are correlated as keV, which might be a useful indicator of GRB peak energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of erbium addition at different ratios (0.2 wt.%, 0.4 wt.%, 0.6 wt.%) on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the Al−Si‐Mg−Cu alloy have been investigated. The results show that adding erbium can refine the primary α‐aluminum grains in the as‐cast alloys to a diverse extent. In addition, the coarse and long plate‐like eutectic silicon can be modified into a fine short rod‐like structure, and the distribution of eutectic silicon can be optimized. During the solidification of the alloy, erbium and other elements will form primary erbium‐rich precipitates of different sizes and shapes, including primary erbium‐silicon‐rich and erbium‐copper‐silicon‐rich precipitates, which can change the distribution of solute atoms and promote the evolution of microstructure. But the coarse primary precipitates will embrittle the alloys and consume more solute atoms (erbium, copper, magnesium), having a certain inhibitory effect. After heat treatment, the solid solution decomposes to form secondary Al3Er precipitates, which further strengthens the alloy. In particular, the alloy with the highest erbium content shows the best comprehensive tensile properties at as‐cast and heat‐treatment conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R)/β-catenin signaling axis in bone impairment induced by hyperglycemia in ovariectomized rats.Methods: Rats were divided into four groups. The sham group received sham operation and a single intraperitoneal administration of vehicle. The ovariectomy (OVX) group was subjected to bilateral OVX and vehicle injection. The streptozotocin (STZ) group received sham operation and a single STZ injection to induce hyperglycemia. The OVX + STZ group received bilateral OVX and a single STZ injection. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurement, bone biomechanics test, micro-computed tomography scan, and hematoxylin-eosin staining were performed to evaluate bone alteration in this model. The expression of relevant signals including IGF-1R, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), and β-catenin were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot.Results: The OVX, STZ, and OVX + STZ groups induced bone loss, attenuated bone strength, and impaired microarchitecture compared with the sham group, respectively. Compared with OVX, more serious bone damage was found in the OVX + STZ group, which showed enhanced phosphorylation of IGF-1R, GSK-3β, and β-catenin.Conclusion: OVX plus STZ induced more serious bone impairment than OVX alone, which involves the IGF-1R/β-catenin signaling axis in the pathogenesis. This may provide a potential target for treatment of postmenopausal diabetic osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There has a close relationship between the balance of T helper 17 (Th17) cells and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) and unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (URPL). The present study is to investigate the regulatory effect of daphnetin, which is extracted from Daphne odora Var, on the balance of Th17 and Treg cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with URPL. Material and methods: PBMCs were isolated from 35 pregnant women with URPL and 35 women with normal early pregnancies, respectively and treated with daphnetin for three days. Flow cytometry was performed to measure the proportions of Th17 and Treg cells. The level of expression of IL-6, TGF-β1 and IL-2 were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the level of expression of FoxP3, RORγt, signal transducers and activators of transcriotion 3 (STAT3) and STAT5 were detected by RT-PCR. Results: The concentrations of Th17-type cytokines IL-2 were significantly decreased in the URPL group after treatment (p < 0.01). Treg-type cytokines such as TGF-β1 and IL-6 were significantly increased after treatment (p < 0.01). At the same time, daphnetin may induce a decrease in the ratio of RORγt to Foxp3 and a Treg cell bias, which would be beneficial for pregnancy maintenance. Futhermore the expression level of STAT3 were higher in the URPL patients whereas STAT5 were lower than those in the control subjects. Conclusions: In conclusion, daphnetin may have regulatory effect on the balance of Th17 and Treg cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with URPL.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We established a theoretical framework in terms of the curl flux, population landscape, and coherence for non-equilibrium quantum systems at steady state, through exploring the energy and charge transport in molecular processes. The curl quantum flux plays the key role in determining transport properties and the system reaches equilibrium when flux vanishes. The novel curl quantum flux reflects the degree of non-equilibriumness and the time-irreversibility. We found an analytical expression for the quantum flux and its relationship to the environmental pumping (non-equilibriumness quantified by the voltage away from the equilibrium) and the quantum tunneling. Furthermore, we investigated another quantum signature, the coherence, quantitatively measured by the non-zero off diagonal element of the density matrix. Populations of states give the probabilities of individual states and therefore quantify the population landscape. Both curl flux and coherence depend on steady state population landscape. Besides the environment-assistance which can give dramatic enhancement of coherence and quantum flux with high voltage at a fixed tunneling strength, the quantum flux is promoted by the coherence in the regime of small tunneling while reduced by the coherence in the regime of large tunneling, due to the non-monotonic relationship between the coherence and tunneling. This is in contrast to the previously found linear relationship. For the systems coupled to bosonic (photonic and phononic) reservoirs the flux is significantly promoted at large voltage while for fermionic (electronic) reservoirs the flux reaches a saturation after a significant enhancement at large voltage due to the Pauli exclusion principle. In view of the system as a quantum heat engine, we studied the non-equilibrium thermodynamics and established the analytical connections of curl quantum flux to the transport quantities such as energy (charge) transfer efficiency, chemical reaction efficiency, energy dissipation, heat and electric currents observed in the experiments. We observed a perfect transfer efficiency in chemical reactions at high voltage (chemical potential difference). Our theoretical predicted behavior of the electric current with respect to the voltage is in good agreements with the recent experiments on electron transfer in single molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the electronic properties of bilayer MoS2 exposed to an external electric field by using first-principles calculations. It is found that a larger interlayer distance, referring to that by standard density functional theory (DFT) with respect to that by DFT with empirical dispersion corrections, makes indirect-direct band gap transition possible by electric control. We show that external electric field effectively manipulates the valence band contrast between the K- and Γ-valleys by forming built-in electric dipole fields, which realizes an indirect-direct transition before a semiconductor-metal transition happens. Our results provide a novel efficient access to tune the electronic properties of two-dimensional layered materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There exist general conflicts between strength and toughness in crystalline engineering materials, and various strengthening and toughening strategies have been developed from the dislocation motion perspectives. Metallic glasses (MGs) have demonstrated great potentials owing to their unique properties; however, their structural applications are strictly limited. One of the key problems is that the traditional strengthening and toughening strategies and mechanisms are not applicable in MGs due to the absence of dislocations and crystalline microstructures. Here, we show that the strength and toughness, or equivalently the shear modulus and Poisson's ratio, are invariably mutually exclusive in MGs. Accordingly, the MGs can be categorized into four groups with different levels of integrated mechanical properties. It is further revealed that the conflicts originate fundamentally from the atomic bonding structures and the levels of strength-toughness combinations are indeed dominated by the bulk modulus. Moreover, we propose novel strategies for optimizing the mechanical properties of MGs from the elastic perspectives. We emphasize the significance of developing high bulk modulus MGs to achieve simultaneously both high strength and good toughness and highlight the elastic opportunities for strengthening and toughening materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous steels have demonstrated superior properties and great potentials for structural applications since their emergence, yet it still remains unclear about how and why their mechanical properties are correlated with other factors and how to achieve intended properties by designing their compositions. Here, the intrinsic interdependences among the mechanical, thermal, and elastic properties of various amorphous steels are systematically elucidated and a general trade-off relation is exposed between the strength and ductility/toughness. Encouragingly, a breakthrough is achievable that the strength and ductility/toughness can be simultaneously improved by tuning the compositions. The composition dependences of the properties and alloying effects are further analyzed thoroughly and interpreted from the fundamental plastic flow and atomic bonding characters. Most importantly, systematic strategies are outlined for optimizing the mechanical properties of the amorphous steels. The study may help establish the intrinsic correlations among the compositions, atomic structures, and properties of the amorphous steels, and provide useful guidance for their alloy design and property optimization. Thus, it is believed to have implications for the development and applications of the structural amorphous steels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We quantitatively investigated the fracture morphologies of Zr52.5Cu17.9Ni14.6Al10Ti5 and Pd78Cu6Si16 metallic glasses (MGs) under compression. The characteristic features of the compressive fracture morphology were captured, and the shear vein patterns were found to be not a one-to-one correspondence between two opposing fracture surfaces in an identical sample. This finding experimentally confirms that the compressive failure behaves in a fracture mode of pure shear (mode II). Quantitative measurements show that a ∼1 μm thickness layer with materials not only inside but also adjacent to the major shear band contributes to the formation of shear vein patterns. The critical shear strain to break a shear band was found to be more than 105% and higher in more ductile MGs under compression than tension. Estimation on the temperature rise at the fracture moment indicates that only ∼5% of the total elastic energy stored in the sample converts into the heat required for melting the layer to form the vein patterns. The mode II fracture toughness was also estimated based on the quantitative measurements of shear vein pattern and found larger than the mode I fracture toughness. Finally, the deformation and fracture mechanisms of MGs under tension and compression were compared and discussed. These results may improve the understanding on the fracture behaviors and mechanisms of MGs and may provide instructions on future design for ductile MGs with high resistance for fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear energy storage and dissipation of rocks are common in earthquake, tunnel, and mining engineering. To investigate the nonlinear energy characteristics of rocks, multi-level cyclic loading–unloading triaxial compression (CLTC) tests were performed on early Cretaceous granite and Permian red sandstone. The failure modes of the granite and sandstone specimens under CLTC tests were studied. The energy parameters, such as the input, elastic, and dissipated energy densities (IE, EE, and DE, respectively), of the two types of rocks under different confining pressures were calculated, and the nonlinear interrelations among the three energy parameters were investigated. The results indicated that in the CLTC tests, the failure modes of sandstone were all shear failure. The granite specimens in the CLTC tests failed via splitting. The confining pressure had no effect on the peak strength strain energy storage index at the failure of the rock specimens, which tended to be constant. The nonlinear evolution of the DE of the granite and sandstone with respect to the EE and IE in the CLTC process was divided into three stages: an initial stage, a linear stage, and an accelerated stage. Furthermore, according to the nonlinear energy-conversion mechanism, a self-inhibition energy-conversion model was established in consideration of the confining-pressure effects. Using this nonlinear energy-conversion model, the EE and DE at any strain level can be determined. The peak strength strain energy storage index was calculated to evaluate the rockburst proneness of granite and sandstone. The results agreed well with those of the uniaxial compression test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we lay the foundations for a novel approach to simultaneously performing optical force spectroscopy and single-molecule fluorescence measurements by adapting techniques from wavefront engineering. Our method relies upon the axial displacement (i.e. along the direction of propagation of the trap laser) of an appropriately constructed Laguerre-Gaussian (LG), or 'donut' beam, to generate an optical force on a surface tethered microsphere. With this geometry, one maintains a region of near-infrared (IR) light below the microsphere, where a biomolecule of interest can be placed, that is low enough in intensity to not significantly interfere with fluorescence measurements. We are thus able to separate the fluorescence illumination from the trap light without having to physically separate the two by several micrometers, or employ long DNA linker molecules as handles. As a proof of principal, we show that within the region of low IR intensity, directly below the trap center, the photobleaching lifetime of the organic dye Alexa-647, which is highly sensitive to the intense trap light, is significantly extended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By employing a mixed-ligand strategy, two new coordination polymers with the chemical formulae [Co(4-bptzh)(1,3-BDC)] (1) and [Zn(4-bptzp)(1,3-BDC)]n (2) are hydrothermally synthesized using two flexible bis(pyridyl-tetrazole) ligands (4-bptzh = 1,4-bis(5-(4-pyridyl)tetrazolyl)hexane, 4-bptzp = 1,4-bis(5-(4-pyridyl)tetrazolyl)propane) and 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid (1,3-H2BDC). Both complexes are characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction along with the elemental analysis. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of compounds 1 and 2 against CNE-1 nasopharyngeal cancer cells are evaluated in vitro. Firstly, the antiproliferation activity of compounds 1 and 2 against cancer cells is assessed by the CCK-8 assay. Then, the cancer cell apoptosis is measured with the Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis assay by flow cytometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sinkhole ecosystem, as a refuge for plant diversity, has been subjected to intensive exploitation, leading to ecosystem destruction of sinkholes in China. Understanding the responses of bryophyte distribution to destruction of the sinkhole environment are crucial to implementing protection measures for bryophyte diversity. • Haolong sinkhole in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, the third largest sinkhole in the world, was selected as the study area. The Wilson Shmida index was used to analyse bryophyte species diversity; a Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was used to reveal species vertical distribution of bryophytes, the Single and Multiple Species Distribution Models (SSDM, MSDM) were used for analysis of the relationship between bryophyte species distribution, environmental factors and heavy metals. • A total of 183 species from 74 genera in 36 families of bryophytes were collected from Haolong sinkhole, of which 26 species are endemic to China. Bryophyte species diversity was ranked in the order: agricultural section < forest section < grassland. In the vertical direction, bryophyte distribution was divided into point, disjunctive and continuous distributions using the GLM. The SSMA and MSDM indicated that bryophyte species of each of these three distributions can be divided into a temperature-slope zone, light-depth-pH-humidity zone, Pb (B)-Hg (B) zone and mixed heavy metals zone according to the effect of environmental factors and heavy metals such as As. • Environmental factors or heavy metals, such as As, in Haolong sinkhole effectively cooperate in bryophyte distribution. An effective way to protect bryophyte diversity, in particular species endemic to China in the sinkhole environment, is through education and involvement of the local villagers to minimize further damage to the sinkhole environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements of postseismic deformation following the 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha (Nepal) earthquake, including previously unpublished data from 13 continuous GPS stations installed in southern Tibet shortly after the earthquake. We use variational Bayesian Independent Component Analysis (vbICA) to extract the signal of postseismic deformation from the GPS time series, revealing a broad displacement field extending >150 km northward from the rupture. Kinematic inversions and dynamic forward models show that these displacements could have been produced solely by afterslip on the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) but would require a broad distribution of afterslip extending similarly far north. This would require the constitutive parameter (a − b)σ to decrease northward on the MHT to ≤0.05 MPa (an extreme sensitivity of creep rate to stress change) and seems unlikely in light of the low interseismic coupling and high midcrustal temperatures beneath southern Tibet. We conclude that the northward reach of postseismic deformation more likely results from distributed viscoelastic relaxation, possibly in a midcrustal shear zone extending northward from the seismogenic MHT. Assuming a shear zone 5–20 km thick, we estimate an effective shear‐zone viscosity of ~3·1016–3·1017 Pa·s over the first 1.12 postseismic years. Near‐field deformation can be more plausibly explained by afterslip itself and implies (a − b)σ ~ 0.5–1 MPa, consistent with other afterslip studies. This near‐field afterslip by itself would have re‐increased the Coulomb stress by ≥0.05 MPa over >30% of the Gorkha rupture zone in the first postseismic year, and deformation further north would have compounded this reloading. Key Points: New GPS data show that postseismic deformation of the 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha (Nepal) earthquake extended far northward into southern TibetKinematic and dynamic models suggest that the northward reach of deformation likely reflects the influence of viscoelastic relaxationAfterslip likely dominated postseismic deformation in the near field, transferring stress back to the (relocked) Gorkha rupture zone [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a crucial regulator of calcium homeostasis and bone remodeling, and the parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R) belongs to a class II G‐protein‐coupled receptor. PTH activates PTH1R, which mediates catabolic and anabolic processes in the skeleton. However, the functional mechanism of PTH1R has not been thoroughly elucidated in organisms. This study identified a 51 bp indel mutation in the first intron of the PTH1R gene and elucidated the effect of this gene mutation on the growth and carcass traits in chickens. The results indicated that the 51 bp indel was significantly associated with subcutaneous fat thickness, abdominal fat weight, body weight and daily gain over 4–8 weeks. Furthermore, we found that PTH1R gene expression was highest in the kidney and liver tissues, and it showed a trend of decreasing in leg and breast muscle tissues at different embryonic stages. In addition, we examined the expression of the three genotypes of the PTH1R gene in the liver, breast muscle and abdominal fat and found that the II genotype was significantly higher than the DD and ID genotypes. In summary, these findings suggest that the PTH1R gene can serve as a potential molecular marker for chicken breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For practical engineering design problems, random variables tend to follow multimodal probability distributions when working at multiple operating conditions. For example, the structural fatigue stress of a steel bridge carrying both highway and railway traffic obeys the bimodal distribution. The existing popular reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) methods are mainly used to treat random variables with only unimodal distributions, which, therefore, tends to result in relatively large computational errors when multimodal random variables are involved. In this paper, a sequential approximate RBDO method is firstly proposed for engineering design involving multimodal random variables. The probability density function (PDF) of the response function is firstly calculated to assess the reliability of each probabilistic constraint, due to the existence of multimodal random variables. Then, a deterministic optimization problem is established to calculate candidate design points, based on the approximation that the response PDF demonstrates only transitional deformation in the optimization process. Three numerical examples and one engineering application of a thermal laptop design are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the arsenic monolayer has been successfully fabricated by micromechanical stripping. However, it is a non-magnetic semiconductor, including its derivatives. Here, we theoretically explore how to induce magnetism for arsenene armchair nanotubes (AsANTs) with a low-concentration TM (TM = Co, Y, Rh, Ni, Mo, Ru) atom doping, especially focusing on their structural stability, magneto-electronic property, carrier mobility, and strain effects. The high stability of these doped tubes are confirmed by the calculated binding energy and formation energy, as well as Forcite annealing molecular dynamics simulations. The AsANT can act as bandgap narrowed non-magnetic semiconductors or highly spin-polarized magnetic semiconductors (half-semiconductor or bipolar magnetic semiconductor) depending on TM types, suggesting different promising applications such as developing infrared photodetectors with broadband detectionin or spintronic devices. The magnetic thermal stability beyond room temperature is predicted for doped tubes. Furthermore, the carrier mobility of AsANTs can be tuned into a wide region by TM doping, but it is enhanced in most cases. The carrier and spin polarity of mobility can also be clearly observed. Particularly, the applied strain can induce a rich magnetic phase transition among a half-semiconductor, half-metal, bipolar magnetic semiconductor and nonmagnetic state. Furthermore, the presented stepwise change of total magnetic moment between high magnetized and nonmagnetic states is highly desirable for engineering a mechanical switch which can reversibly work between magnetism and demagnetism to control spin-polarized transport by applying strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To eliminate the problems associated with leftover tank mixture in pesticide applications, a premixing in-line injection system was designed as an attachment to a laser-guided variable-rate orchard sprayer. The primary components of the system consisted of a chemical metering pump, a water pump, a two-stage static mixer, a premixing tank, a buffer tank, an electric shut-off valve, a chemical container, electronic control boards, a graphical user interface, and an embedded computer with a touch screen. Liquid level sensors were mounted in all tanks and the chemical container to control the fluid discharge and prevent overflows. The graphical user interface on the touch screen was designed for operators to communicate with the system and monitor the system status. During spray applications, the system performed with automatic loops in dispensing, mixing, and transferring the desired amounts of water and chemical concentrates to maintain the spray mixture at a constant concentration for use with variable-rate nozzles. The system was rinsed automatically when the spray application task was completed. Test results showed that simulated pesticide and water could be accurately delivered into the injection line and could be mixed well in the buffer tank before the spray mixture was discharged to the nozzles. The premixing in-line injection system is a potential technique to further reduce pesticide waste and improve environmental stewardship for both conventional and precision variable-rate orchard sprayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments using a THz pump and an X‐ray probe at an X‐ray free‐electron laser (XFEL) facility like the Linac Coherent Light Source II (LCLS II) require frequency‐tunable (3 to 20 THz), narrow bandwidth (∼10%), carrier‐envelope‐phase‐stable THz pulses that produce high fields (>1 MV cm−1) at the repetition rate of the X‐rays and are well synchronized with them. In this paper, a two‐bunch scheme to generate THz radiation at LCLS II is studied: the first bunch produces THz radiation in an electromagnet wiggler immediately following the LCLS II undulator that produces X‐rays from the second bunch. The initial time delay between the two bunches is optimized to compensate for the path difference in THz transport. The two‐bunch beam dynamics, the THz wiggler and radiation are described, as well as the transport system bringing the THz pulses from the wiggler to the experimental hall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the influences of reflow time and strain rate on interfacial fracture behaviors of the Sn-4Ag/Cu solder joints were investigated through in-situ observation. The interfacial microstructures of the solder joints reflowed for different times were first observed by scanning electronic microscope and measuring laser confocal microscope. Then tensile tests of the solder joints were conducted using in-situ tensile stage at different strain rates, and the interfacial fracture processes were in-situ observed. The observation results reveal that the thickness and surface roughness of the interfacial Cu6Sn5 layers increase linearly with increasing square root of the reflow time. Due to the serious strain concentration, fractures of the solder joints occur around the solder/Cu6Sn5 interface. The solder joints reflowed for a short time usually fracture inside the solder close to the joint interface, while the long-time reflowed solder joints are more apt to fracture in the interfacial Cu6Sn5 layer, because the stress applied on the Cu6Sn5 grains increases with increasing reflow time and grain size of Cu6Sn5. The solder joints reflowed for moderate time have the highest fracture resistance. At higher strain rate, the solder can apply a higher stress on Cu6Sn5 layer prior to its fracture, making the latter more apt to fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-021-05101-2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tailored voltage waveforms, formed by a fundamental frequency waveform superimposed with higher harmonics, show promise in realizing independent control and optimization of plasma parameters in conventional atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge systems (DBDs). In this paper, a self-consistent fluid model developed by a semi-kinetic treatment of electrons is applied to study the dependency of the electron energy and density distributions on the number of applied higher harmonics, applied fundamental frequency, and contributions from secondary electron emission—in a DBD system driven by tailored voltage waveforms. The mechanisms for achieving selective control over the modulated parameters are proposed, which allow for optimal selection of applied parameters for various downstream applications. This work exhibits dual-advantages for its novelty in presenting practical methods to modulate atmospheric plasma parameters, while in-depth analysis and discussions reveal underlying theoretical principles for the modulation of plasma parameters in atmospheric pressure discharges driven by tailored voltage waveforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sequentially coupled thermo-mechanical model was used to simulate the residual stresses and residual distortions in the directed energy deposition additive manufacturing by laser. The proposed models were validated by comparison with experimental data. Different sizes of components were used to study the scaling effects. Results indicate that the residual stress can be controlled by the component sizes. This phenomenon can be explained by the bending deformation and the temperature fluctuations, especially the cooling rate, in the directed energy deposition additive manufacturing process. Both the bending deformation and the temperature fluctuations can be controlled by the ambient temperature and the designed process parameters. Analytical model was established to show how the components' sizes affect the final residual states in combination with different design parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucin secretion by salivary mucous glands is mediated predominantly by parasympathetic acetylcholine activation of cholinergic muscarinic receptors via increased intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) and activation of conventional protein kinase C isozymes (cPKC). However, the parasympathetic co-neurotransmitter, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), also initiates secretion, but to a lesser extent. In the present study, cross talk between VIP- and muscarinic-induced mucin secretion was investigated using isolated rat sublingual tubuloacini. VIP-induced secretion is mediated by cAMP-activated protein kinase A (PKA), independently of increased [Ca2+]i. Synergistic secretion between VIP and the muscarinic agonist, carbachol, was demonstrated but only with submaximal carbachol. Carbachol has no effect on cAMP ± VIP. Instead, PKA activated by VIP releases Ca2+ from an intracellular pool maintained by the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase pump. Calcium release was independent of phospholipase C activity. The resultant sustained [Ca2+]i increase is additive to submaximal, but not maximal carbachol-induced [Ca2+]i. Synergistic mucin secretion was mimicked by VIP plus either phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate or 0.01 μM thapsigargin, and blocked by the PKC inhibitor, Gö6976. VIP-induced Ca2+ release also promoted store-operated Ca2+ entry. Synergism is therefore driven by VIP-mediated [Ca2+]i augmenting cPKC activity to enhance muscarinic mucin secretion. Additional data suggest ryanodine receptors control VIP/PKA-mediated Ca2+ release from a Ca2+ pool also responsive to maximal carbachol. A working model of muscarinic and VIP control of mucous cell exocrine secretion is presented. Results are discussed in relation to synergistic mechanisms in other secretory cells, and the physiological and therapeutic significance of VIP/muscarinic synergism controlling salivary mucous cell exocrine secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen substantial shifts in cultural attitudes towards cannabis for medical and recreational use. However, legalizing recreational marijuana may have adverse effects on individual and public health. As the most widely used illicit agent, cannabis is commonly reported to disrupt learning and memory. Unfortunately, the molecular mechanisms underlying behavioral impairment by cannabis abuse remain poorly understood. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a major component in cannabis, causes short-term effects on the visual system, but little is known about persisting visual disturbances. This study was to investigate the effects of systemic administration with THC on retina and explore its underlying mechanisms. BALB/c mice were treated with 1 or 2 mg/kg THC intraperitoneally daily for 2 months, mice treated with vehicle as negative control. The retinal function was tested by electroretinography after THC treatment. Morphology and pathology changes of retina were detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay was used to detect the apoptosis in photoreceptor cells. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to show the inflammatory responses and oxidative stress. mRNA and protein changes were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot to explore the underlying mechanisms. Results indicated that 2-month treatment with THC caused retinal damage, evidenced by its functional loss and increased apoptosis in photoreceptor cells through inducing inflammatory responses and oxidative stress. Our study demonstrated that systemic administration with THC caused toxic effects on retinas of BALB/c mice, suggesting the potential mechanisms for the retina damage caused by cannabis abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrations of heavy metals (HM) in water, bottom sediments and soft tissues of native bivalves were determined to indicate the level of anthropogenic pressure on the Songhua River near Harbin, China. It was found that concentrations of six HM (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn) ranged from 0.001 to 0.007 (mg/L) in water and from 0.07 to 5617.13 (mg/kg) in bottom sediments. At the study site of the river exposed to severe anthropogenic pollution, different bivalves exhibited different rates of HM accumulation in their soft tissues. The bioconcentration factors (BCF) were calculated for each metal and proved to be significantly different in the tissues studied (gills and hepatopancreas). The obtained data confirmed the existence of inter-species differences in metal accumulation in tissues of the native bivalves. This approach can be useful both in comparative physiological studies of the Bivalvia and in choosing optimal indicator organisms to assess anthropogenic pollution of natural waters of Northern China and the Russian Far East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bauxite mining on karst generates numerous ecological and environmental problems, including metal pollution, water and soil erosion and destruction of vegetation. Among these, the most important environmental problem is soil metal pollution. Higher plants have a great ability to adsorb metals and can be used as biological indicators. However, the study of bioindicators for soil contamination in karst bauxite is not clear.Plants and their soil were collected from an abandoned karst bauxite area at Shangdong, Guizhou Province, southwestern China. Plants were collected and identified as Pteris vittata, Pinus massoniana, Miscanthus floridulus, Coriaria nepalensis, Artemisia argyi and Senecio scandens.The content of metals in plant roots were in the order: P. vittata > M. floridulus > C. nepalensis, other plants roots had no consistent pattern. Concentrations of metal in plants (P. vittata and M. floridulus) and soil were: soil > root > leaf > stem. Levels of metals in soil samples easily exceeded background values, indicating that soil had been contaminated. Al and Fe were highest in soil samples of P. vittata, with a good correlation.Results show that the metal content determined in plants is relatively high, particularly in P. vittata. Data also suggest that P. vittata colonies were able to tolerate and accumulate high levels of metal elements, which evidences their suitability for use as bioindicatord of soil metal contamination caused by mining activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Microtia is a congenital malformation of the external ear that can be observed in many species including sheep. However, the genetic basis of microtia still remains unclear. Here, a GWAS was conducted to investigate the genetic basis underlying microtia. A total of 55 samples from 26 microtia and 29 normal animals were genotyped with Illumina OvineHD BeadChip. The strongest significant SNP was identified on OAR6, approximating the evolutionarily conserved region of the HMX1 gene, which is related to congenital malformations of the external ear in other species such as cattle and rats. Sequencing an evolutionarily conserved region surrounding HMX1 revealed a duplication of 76 bp, which is concordant with microtia, suggesting a dominant inheritance mode. Identification of this causal mutation in the HMX1 gene indicates the role of this particular gene in the development of the external ear and provides a genetic marker for selection against microtia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uridine diphosphate glucose dehydrogenase (UGDH) is a key enzyme in the hemicellulose and pectin biosynthesis pathway and participates in the regulation of growth and development in plants. In this study, we isolated a BpUGDH gene from paper mulberry (Broussonetia kazinoki × Broussonetia papyifera) and analyzed its function and expression characteristics. The results show that the BpUGDH was expressed in all organs of paper mulberry with a higher expression in stems than in leaves and roots. A pBpUGDH::GUS gene construct was highly expressed in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings, and its expression was induced by a low temperature, methyl jasmonate, gibberellin A3, ethylene, and auxin. The overexpression of BpUGDH increased the soluble sugar content, promoted the accumulation of hemicellulose, and enhanced the vegetative growth of transgenic plants. These results provide a basis for regulating the growth and adaptability of paper mulberry and improving its utilization value via genetic modification of the BpUGDH gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new immersed finite volume element method for solving second-order elliptic problems with discontinuous diffusion coefficient on a Cartesian mesh. The new method possesses the local conservation property of classic finite volume element method, and it can overcome the oscillating behaviour of the classic immersed finite volume element method. The idea of this method is to reconstruct the control volume according to the interface, which makes it easy to implement. Optimal error estimates can be derived with respect to an energy norm under piecewise $H^{2}$ regularity. Numerical results show that the new method significantly outperforms the classic immersed finite volume element method, and has second-order convergence in $L^{\infty }$ norm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral fluconazole is used to treat vulvovaginal candidiasis during pregnancy. However, there are concerns regarding the pregnancy outcomes following exposure to fluconazole.Objectives: To evaluate the pregnancy outcomes associated with exposure to oral fluconazole during the first trimester of pregnancy.Search Strategy: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies published from inception until April 2019.Selection Criteria: Relevant English-language citations using the terms oral fluconazole and pregnancy in humans.Data Collection: Two reviewers independently abstracted data and assessed study quality.Main Results: Oral fluconazole use during the first trimester of pregnancy was marginally associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations (odds ratio [OR] 1.09, 95% CI 0.99-1.2, P = 0.088; n = 6 studies), whereas in the subgroup analysis, this association existed only for high-dose users (>150 mg) (OR 1. 19, 95% CI 1.01-1.4, P = 0.039; n = 2). Exposure to fluconazole also increased the risk of heart malformations (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09-1.57, P = 0.003; n = 4), cardiac septal defects (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.67, P = 0.047; n = 3), and tetralogy of Fallot (OR 3.39 95% CI 1.71-6.74, P < 0.001; n = 2) in the offspring. In addition, exposure to fluconazole was significantly associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.38-2.88, P < 0.001; n = 3).Conclusions: Oral fluconazole use during the first trimester of pregnancy appears to be associated with heart malformations and spontaneous abortion, but a causal link cannot be proven.Tweetable Abstract: Oral fluconazole during the first trimester of pregnancy may be associated with unfavourable pregnancy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New analytical transient linear flow is rigorously modeled in heterogeneous fractured liquid-rich tight reservoirs with non-static properties. • Improved rate-transient analysis workflow is proposed to estimate reservoir/fracture properties. • Three liquid-rich shale field examples in North America are analyzed to demonstrate the practical applicability of new model. The industry is increasingly reliant on rate-transient analysis (RTA) to extract valuable information about the reservoir and hydraulic fractures. However, the application of current, commercially-available RTA models can lead to incorrect estimates of reservoir/fracture properties, potentially causing costly mistakes to be made in capital planning and reserve estimation. The root cause of these errors is that currently-available analytical solutions used in RTA models largely ignore reservoir heterogeneities, and assume static reservoir properties. In this work, a new transient linear flow is rigorously modeled in unconventional reservoirs with (1) pressure-dependent rock and fluid properties and (2) both continuous and discontinuous (heterogeneous) porosity and permeability. To achieve this, new transformations of pseudo-pressure, pseudo-time and pseudo-distance are first introduced to reduce the temporal and spatial non-linear diffusivity equation to that with approximately constant coefficients. Both a Laplace-domain solution and approximate analytical solution to the diffusivity equation are verified against a series of fine-grid numerical simulations for the assumption of fractal-based reservoir heterogeneity (over a wide range of stress-dependent rock and fluid properties). The results indicate that reservoir heterogeneity can result in nonlinear square-root-of-time plots. Further, rock and fluid pressure-dependencies act to decrease the slope of the square-root-of-time plot and affect reservoir/fracture property evaluations. Three liquid-rich shale (LRS) field examples in North America are analyzed to demonstrate the practical applicability of the new RTA models. Additional value of new RTA models over the sophisticated numerical simulation is to provide us an improved backforward-analysis workflow that can be used to quantify both effective fracture half-length and non-uniform permeability distribution around the fractures. The major contribution of this work is the introduction of a new analytical model for evaluating the transient linear flow period for the cases of arbitrary reservoir heterogeneity and non-static reservoir properties. This new approach is particularly useful for evaluating the effectiveness of hydraulic fracturing operations by extracting the spatial variability of reservoir quality within the stimulated reservoir volume (SRV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]