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Based on 16 years of magnetic field observations from CHAMP and Swarm satellites, this study investigates the influence of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) Bx component on the location and peak current density of the polar electrojets (PEJs). We find that the IMF Bx displays obvious local time, seasonal, and hemispherical effects on the PEJs, as follows: (1) Compared to other local times, its influence is weakest at dawn and dusk. (2) In the midnight sectors of both hemispheres, the IMF Bx tends to amplify the westward PEJ when it is 0 in the Southern Hemisphere; this effect is relatively stronger in the local winter hemisphere. (3) At noontime, the IMF Bx intensifies the eastward current when it is 0, it reduces the westward current; this effect is notably more prominent in the local summer hemisphere. (4) Moreover, the noontime eastward current shifts towards higher latitudes, while the midnight westward current migrates towards lower latitudes when IMF Bx is 0 in the Southern Hemisphere.

Abstract Using Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) observations, responses of ionospheric radial current (IRC) in F‐layer to sawtooth substorms in different magnetic local times are investigated. The zonal wind effect alone cannot entirely explain the variability of the substorm time disturbance IRC. When substorms commence amid stable southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), it induces an eastward (westward) equatorial electric field in the daytime (nighttime). This electric field induces an equatorward (poleward) Hall current at low latitudes, consequently generating an upward (downward) perturbation in IRC. Conversely, substorms with varying IMF Bz, where IMF is southward but with a reduced magnitude or turned north after the onset, induce a westward (eastward) equatorial electric field in the daytime (nighttime). This electric field induces a poleward (equatorward) Hall current at low latitudes, consequently generating a downward (upward) disturbed IRC. Notably, this effect is primarily attributed to the varying IMF Bz rather than solely to substorm onset.

BackgroundResearch has shown that gonadal hormones are involved in metabolic pathways relevant to metabolic syndrome (MetS). Nevertheless, no longitudinal study has been conducted on the association between SHBG and MetS in Chinese. The objective of our study was to determine whether there is any association between middle-aged and elderly males in China.MethodsA total of 531 eligible male subjects, aged above 40 years or older, without MetS at baseline, were recruited. Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), total testosterone (TT), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured. A harmonized definition and recommended thresholds for the Chinese population were used to determine metabolic syndrome.ResultsDuring 3.2 years of follow-up, 20.7% of subjects had developed MetS. Compared with the non-MetS group, subjects in the new-onset MetS group had significantly lower SHBG (43.5 nmol/L [28.8, 74.9] vs 53.7nmol/L [33.8, 115.0], P=0.0018), TT (18.1nmol/L [13.6–21.7] vs 19.5nmol/L[15.0–23.6], P=0.0204), and LH (5.13mIU/L [3.63–7.29] vs 5.87mIU/L [4.05–8.36]) at baseline. The incidence of MetS was decreased according to elevated SHBG quartiles (Q1:26.9%, Q2:22.7%, Q3:21.1%, Q4:12.1%, P for trend =0.0035), TT (Q1: 25.2%, Q2:23.7%, Q3: 17.3%, Q4: 16.7%, P for trend=0.0425), and LH (Q1:25.0%, Q2:21.8%, Q3: 21.8%, Q4: 14.3%, P for trend=0.0411). Compared with those in quartile 4, the OR[CI] of incident MetS for participants in Quartile 1 was 2.33[1.13–4.79] after multiple adjustments. But associations between incident MetS and different quartiles of LH, TT, and FSH were not observed after multiple adjustments. In the subgroup analyses, the significant association between SHBG level and Mets was detected in subjects over 60 years or older, with normal BMI, without insulin resistance, and with eGFR ≥90 mL/min per 1.73m2.ConclusionCompared with TT, LH, and FSH, a lower level of SHBG is significantly related to the incidence of MetS among middle-aged and elderly males in China.

This study investigates field-aligned currents (FACs) during strong magnetic storms in December 2023, analyzing variations in different local times and in the Northern (NH) and Southern Hemispheres (SH). Peak FAC densities were approximately 7.8 times higher than nominal values, with the most equatorward FACs reaching −52° magnetic latitude (MLat). In the summer hemisphere, the daytime FACs were stronger than the nighttime FACs, with the daytime westward Polar Electrojet (PEJ) surpassing nighttime levels. In the winter hemisphere, the nighttime FACs and westward PEJ were stronger than daytime. Generally, the FACs and westward PEJ were stronger in the SH than in the NH across most local time sectors, attributed to greater solar illumination. The NH pre-midnight currents were stronger than for the SH, indicating enhanced substorm currents during winter nights. The nighttime FACs occurred at lower MLat than daytime, with pre-noon FACs at a higher MLat than post-noon. The NH FACs were positioned more equatorward than their SH counterparts. In the NH, the mean FACs correlated most strongly with the merging electric field (Em) at pre-noon, post-noon, and post-midnight and with the SMU (SuperMAG Electrojet Upper Index) at pre-midnight. In the SH, the mean FACs correlated best with the SMU at pre-midnight/pre-noon, with the SML (SuperMAG Electrojet Lower Index) at post-midnight, and Em at post-noon. The mean MLat of the peak FACs show the strongest correlation with Em across most local times and hemispheres.

Hornet is a general term for insects of the genus Vespa (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Hornets are predatory insects distributed worldwide. They often appear at apiaries in groups to prey on honey bees, and cause incalculable losses in the honey bee industry. In the face of hornet intrusion, tracking a homing hornet to find its nest is the most efficient way to discover and eliminate the hornets around an apiary. Here, five hornet-tracking methods (hornet tag tracking, triangulation, thermal imaging technology, harmonic radar, and radio telemetry) are reviewed. The advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of each method are discussed to improve the strategies for tracking hornets. Therefore, this review provides ideas for the development of hornet-tracking technology and for improving honey bee protection.

Digital twin technology significantly enhances construction site management efficiency; however, dynamically reconstructing site activities presents a considerable challenge. This study introduces a methodology that leverages camera data for the 3D reconstruction of construction site activities. The methodology was initiated using 3D scanning to meticulously reconstruct the construction scene and dynamic elements, forming a model base. It further integrates deep learning algorithms to precisely identify static and dynamic elements in obstructed environments. An enhanced semi-global block-matching algorithm was then applied to derive depth information from the imagery, facilitating accurate element localization. Finally, a near-real-time projection method was introduced that utilizes the spatial relationships among elements to dynamically incorporate models into a 3D base, enabling a multi-perspective view of site activities. Validated by simulated construction site experiments, this methodology showcased an impressive reconstruction accuracy reaching up to 95%, this underscores its significant potential in enhancing the efficiency of creating a dynamic digital twin model.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a harmful fungal toxin, and its contamination in wheat flour poses a food safety concern globally. This study proposes the combination of fluorescence hyperspectral imaging (FHSI) and qualitative discrimination methods for the detection of excessive DON content in wheat flour. Wheat flour samples were prepared with varying DON concentrations through the addition of trace amounts of DON using the wet mixing method for fluorescence hyperspectral image collection. SG smoothing and normalization algorithms were applied for original spectra preprocessing. Feature band selection was carried out by applying the successive projection algorithm (SPA), uninformative variable elimination (UVE), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), and the random frog algorithm on the fluorescence spectrum. Random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) classification models were utilized to identify wheat flour samples with DON concentrations higher than 1 mg/kg. The results indicate that the SG–CARS–RF and SG–CARS–SVM models showed better performance than other models, achieving the highest recall rate of 98.95% and the highest accuracy of 97.78%, respectively. Additionally, the ROC curves demonstrated higher robustness on the RF algorithm. Deep learning algorithms were also applied to identify the samples that exceeded safety standards, and the convolutional neural network (CNN) model achieved a recognition accuracy rate of 97.78% for the test set. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the feasibility and potential of the FHSI technique in detecting DON infection in wheat flour.

Abstract Achieving satisfactory performance for a solid‐state Na‐metal battery (SSNMB) with an inorganic solid electrolyte (SE), especially under freezing temperatures, poses a challenge for stabilizing a Na‐metal anode. Herein, this challenge is addressed by utilizing a Natrium super ionic conductor (NASICON) NASICON‐type solid electrolyte, enabling the operation of a rechargeable SSNMB over a wide temperature range from −20 to 45 °C. The interfacial resistance at the Na metal/SE interface is only 0.4 Ω cm2 at 45 °C and remains below 110 Ω cm2 even at −20 °C. Remarkably, long‐term Na‐metal plating/stripping cycles lasting over 2000 h at −20 °C are achieved with minimal polarization voltages at 0.1 mA cm−2. Further analysis reveals the formation of a uniform Na3−xCaxPO4 interphase layer at the interface, which significantly contributes to the exceptional interfacial performance observed. By employing a Na3V1.5Al0.5(PO4)3 cathode, the full battery system demonstrates excellent adaptability to low temperatures, exhibiting a capacity of 80 mA h g−1 at −20 °C over 50 cycles and retaining a capacity of 108 mAh g−1 (88.5% of the capacity at 45 °C) at 0 °C over 275 cycles. This research significantly reduces the temperature threshold for SSNMB operation and paves the way toward solid‐state batteries suitable for all‐season applications.

Abstract A broadband circularly polarized (CP) dipole antenna with a backed cavity is presented in this letter. The proposed antenna consists of a pair of rotational symmetric short‐circuited branches and a Γ‐shaped feed structure. Each branch is designed to be axe‐shaped so that the antenna can achieve a broad 3‐dB axial ratio (AR) bandwidth. The coupled feeding method assures the antenna is wideband, and the shorting‐to‐the‐ground technique miniaturizes the lateral dimensions of the antenna. The profile of the proposed antenna is around 0.16λL (λL denotes the wavelength of the lower bound frequency). The introduction of a back cavity effectively enhances the boresight gain and improves the isolation level if the antenna is used to form an array. Finally, the design is prototyped, and the measurement results agree well with the simulation. The fractal voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR)

Abstract Concrete repair and rehabilitation prolong the effective service lives of structures and are important topics in the building field worldwide. Epoxy latex-modified cementitious materials have shown promise for a number of applications in building and construction, but the mix design processes remain arbitrary because their pore structures are not well understood. Porosity and pore size distributions are pore structure parameters that have direct effects on the mechanical properties and durability of concrete. In this paper, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) was used to analyze the porosities and pore size distributions of epoxy latex-modified mortars. The effects of the polymer-to-cement ratio on the pore structures of epoxy latex-modified mortars were investigated. Mortars with polymer-to-cement ratios of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% were cured for 7, 28, 60, and 90 days in this study. Images of specimen microstructures were obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed that increases in the amount of epoxy latex added caused the proportion of micropores in the mortar to decrease, while the proportion of macropores and gel pores increased. The pore size distribution of epoxy latex-modified mortar was described with a composite logarithmic model. Relationships between the pore size distribution and the polymer-to-cement ratio and the curing age were obtained. The method described herein might be sufficiently accurate and convenient to evaluate or predict the pore size distribution of an epoxy latex-modified mortar, i.e., by determining the statistical distribution and analyzing the probability. The process for design of the polymer concrete mix ratio will be facilitated by methods that accurately describe the structure of the epoxy latex-modified mortar.

Robots gradually have the ability to plan grasping actions in unknown scenes by learning the manipulation of typical scenes. The grasping pose estimation method, as a kind of end-to-end method, has rapidly developed in recent years because of its good generalization. In this paper, we present a grasping pose estimation method for robots based on convolutional neural networks. In this method, a convolutional neural network model was employed, which can output the grasping success rate, approach angle, and gripper opening width for the input voxel. The grasping dataset was produced, and the model was trained in the physical simulator. A position optimization of the robotic grasping was proposed according to the distribution of the object centroid to improve the grasping success rate. An experimental platform for robot grasping was established, and 11 common everyday objects were selected for the experiments. Grasping experiments involving the eleven objects individually, multiple objects, as well as a dark environment without illumination, were performed. The results show that the method has the adaptability to grasp different geometric objects, including irregular shapes, and it is not influenced by lighting conditions. The total grasping success rate was 88.2% for the individual objects and 81.1% for the cluttered scene.

Electronegative guest‐filled skutterudites (EN‐SKDs) are considered one of the most promising thermoelectric materials for next‐generation thermoelectric generators (TEGs). However, the practical application of EN‐SKDs in TEGs is still a huge challenge because of their unsatisfactory zT value (less than 1.0). Herein, Ge, Te‐codoped electronegative sulfur‐filled skutterudites of S x Co4Sb11Ge0.2Te0.8 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.25) are synthesized. The optimal zT value of as high as 1.45 at 823 K with a low room‐temperature lattice thermal conductivity of 1.98 W m−1 K−1 is achieved by S0.25Co4Sb11Ge0.2Te0.8. Such performance is competitive with those of traditional TE materials and among one of the best EN‐SKDs. The excellence is attributed to the synergistic effect of the disorder caused by Ge, Te co‐doping at Sb‐site and the “rattling” effect of electronegative element S. Furthermore, a novel EN‐SKD‐based TEG is prepared for the first time through an integrated welding process and exhibits a high efficiency of 6.0% at the temperature difference of 475 K. This work provides valuable guidance for designing advanced thermoelectric materials and paves a way toward high‐performance EN‐SKD‐based TEGs.

The coupling effect of mechanical and environmental loads is the main cause of deterioration in the performance of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. However, most studies on the durability of RC structures have focused only on mechanical or environmental loads. As a result, it is difficult to fully capture the effects of dry shrinkage and creep caused by temperature and humidity changes within the structure, as well as their impact on the overall deformation of the structure. To address this gap, this paper presents a numerical simulation of underground culvert projects using the durability concrete model-complex three-dimensional (DuCOM-COM3D) analysis software. The results of the simulation demonstrate that this approach offers a more precise characterization of the porosity, temperature, and humidity inside the concrete, resulting in improved accuracy in predicting the long-term deflection, crack width, and other macro-mechanical indices of the structure. Despite these advantages, some discrepancies were observed between the calculated and measured long-term deflection values. Additionally, a limit analysis was conducted to investigate the potential causes of the large deformation observed in the measurements. Overall, the results contribute to a better understanding of the complex mechanical and environmental loads affecting RC structures and provide a methodology for accurately simulating their long-term behavior.

Recently, experimental results have demonstrated that perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (p-MTJ) with the antiferromagnetic(AFM)/ferromagnetic (FM)/oxide structure can achieve field-free spin-orbit torque (SOT) switching since the AFM metal strip can not only generate the SOT, but also provide an exchange bias (HEX), making it suitable for practical applications. However, owing to that the HEX is weak, such field-free SOT switching is incomplete, thus resulting in severe switching reliability. In addition, a large SOT switching current (ISOT) is also required, leading to high switching energy dissipation. In this paper, to address these issues, the voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) is introduced to assist the SOT switching, and such novel switching method is referred as voltage-gated SOT (VGSOT). First, we develop a physics-based compact model for the three-terminal VGSOT-MTJ device, which includes three modules, i.e., the electrical module, the tunnel magnetoresistance module and the dynamic switching module. Then, the impact of the VCMA effect on the field-free SOT switching is investigated by solving a modified Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation with consideration of the VCMA, SOT and HEX. Simulation results show that thanks to the introduction of the VCMA effect, the critical ISOT can be reduced greatly, and the incomplete field-free SOT switching can be completed. With further analysis, we obtain a special switching condition, under which complete SOT field-free switching can be achieved with a shortest path and ultra-low power. Moreover, a novel write pulse scheme is proposed to achieve high speed and reliability.

The hollow metal waveguides are attractive components for millimeter-wave circuits owing to low loss. To integrate with the front-end circuit, a transition from microstrip line to waveguide is required. In this article, a microstrip-to-waveguide transition is presented in the W-band by using an E-plane probe with a parasitic patch. The probe is embedded into the waveguide along the center of the broad wall to excite the TE10 mode. A backshort-circuited waveguide with a quarter wavelength is used to obtain sufficient energy coupling and achieve good impedance matching. The additional parasitic patch can introduce a new resonance at a low frequency to enhance the working bandwidth. Hence, the proposed transition achieves wide working bandwidth and low insertion loss. For verification, a back-to-back transition is constructed and measured. The measured results indicate that the proposed transition has a wide working bandwidth covering the entire W-band. The measured reflection coefficient is below −13 dB from 70 to 110 GHz and the average insert loss is 1.1 dB. Attributed to wide working bandwidth and simple structure, the proposed transition is attractive for W-band circuit systems.

Entity disambiguation aims to map mentions in text to the corresponding entities in a knowledge base, which is a basic task in natural language processing (NLP). The major challenge in entity disambiguation is how to extract key information in mention context and entity description that is discriminative for disambiguation. State-of-the-art entity disambiguation systems apply attention mechanism to identify the informative components, but most of the methods only focus on mention context, and neglect entity side. Besides, attention mechanism is employed in a single aspect, which may not be effective in difficult circumstances. In this work, we propose a neural network with multi-perspective attention to enrich the representation of mentions and entities in different perspectives. Specifically, we utilize intra-attention to aggregate internal pivotal information in mention context and entity description separately, and utilize inter-attention to interact their latent semantics in multiple directions and highlight the interrelated information, so as to capture more informative features and improve the disambiguation performance. The experimental results show that our proposed model outperforms other state-of-the-art entity disambiguation models and attain more improvements on hard datasets, which validates the effectiveness and superiority of our model, especially in complex situations.

Pin1 is the only known peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) that can specifically recognize and isomerize the phosphorylated Serine/Threonine-Proline (pSer/Thr-Pro) motif, change the conformation of proteins through protein phosphorylation, thus regulate various cellular processes in the body. Pin1 plays an important role in cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and autoimmune diseases. However, the specific mechanism of Pin1 regulation in LPS-induced septic shock is unclear. Here, we found that lack of Pin1 reduced shock mortality and organ damage in mice, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation also was reduced in this process. We further confirmed that Pin1 can affect the expression of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase1, and this process can be regulated through the p38 MAPK pathway. We analyzed that p38 MAPK signaling pathway was highly expressed in septic shock and showed a positive correlation with Pin1 in the Gene Expression Omnibus database. We found that Pin1 could affect the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, have no obvious difference in extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and Jun-amino-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling. We further found that Pin1 and p-p38 MAPK interacted, but not directly. In addition, Pin1 deficiency inhibited the cleavage of gasdermin D (GSDMD) and promoted the death of macrophages with LPS treatment, and reduced secretion of inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β and IL-18. In general, our results suggest that Pin1 regulates the NLRP3 inflammasome activation by p38 MAPK signaling pathway in macrophages. Thus, Pin1 may be a potential target for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as septic shock.

Background Immune checkpoint blockade has emerged as a potential cancer immunotherapy. The “don’t eat me” signal CD47 in cancer cells binds signal regulatory protein-α on macrophages and prevents their phagocytosis. The role of miR-340 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), especially in tumor immunity, has not been explored. Here, we examined the clinical and biological relevance of miR-340 and the molecular pathways regulated by miR-340 in PDAC.Methods CD47 and miR-340 expression and the relationship with cancer patient survival were analyzed by bioinformatics. The mechanism of miR-340 action was explored through bioinformatics, luciferase reporter, qRT-PCR and western blot analyses. The effects of miR-340 on cancer cells were analyzed in terms of apoptosis, proliferation, migration and phagocytosis by macrophages. In vivo tumorigenesis was studied in orthotopic and subcutaneous models, and immune cells from the peripheral and tumor immune microenvironments were analyzed by flow cytometry. Depletion of macrophages was used to verify the role of macrophages in impacting the function of miR-340 in tumor progression.Results miR-340 directly regulates and inversely correlates with CD47, and it predicts patient survival in PDAC. The restoration of miR-340 expression in pancreatic cancer cells was sufficient to downregulate CD47 and promote phagocytosis of macrophages, further inhibiting tumor growth. The overexpression of miR-340 promoted macrophages to become M1-like phenotype polarized in peripheral and tumor immune microenvironments and increased T cells, especially CD8+ T cells, contributing to the antitumor effect of miR-340.Conclusions miR-340 is a key regulator of phagocytosis and antitumor immunity, and it could offer a new opportunity for immunotherapy for PDAC.

ObjectivesHypogonadism in men is related to the deterioration of general health. However, the association between lipid overaccumulation and ageing-related hypogonadism remains an undetermined concept. We aimed to provide an insight into the possible links between the lipid accumulation product (LAP) and late-onset hypogonadism (LOH).SettingSun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.ParticipantsWe included a population sample of 997 subjects aged 40 years or older.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe LAP was calculated by gender-specific equations using waist circumference (WC) and triglyceride (TG). LOH was defined by the presence of androgen deficiency symptoms and low serum total testosterone levels.ResultsThe prevalence of LOH was 9.4% in this population and gradually increased according to increasing LAP quartiles. Compared with subjects without LOH, ageing men with LOH had higher body mass index, WC, systolic blood pressure, percentage of subjects currently smoking, TG and follicle stimulating hormone and lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and sex hormone binding globulin. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the adjusted ORs of LOH for increasing LAP quartiles 1–4 were 1.00 (reference), 1.10 (95% CI 0.45–2.69), 2.15 (95% CI 0.93–4.94) and 3.83 (95% CI 1.73–8.45), respectively.ConclusionBody lipid accumulation evaluated by the LAP is independently associated with the prevalence of LOH in middle-aged and elderly Chinese men.

Waves generated by landslides into water cause great harm to wharfs. Hence, the surge wave pressure generated by the landslide serves as an important reference for the structural design of wharfs in reservoir areas. In this study, a series of hydraulic model tests were performed to study the energy and wave pressure produced by the surge. According to wave pressure-time curves, the extreme values of sudden transient changes in wave pressure are obtained. The mechanism and influencing factors of surge wave pressure on vertical wharf buildings are expounded. On this basis, a formula to calculate the wave pressure exerted by landslide surge on the pile foundation of an overhead vertical wharf is developed. A large number of experiments show that the empirical formula is in good agreement with the experimental data.

In the water resources allocation project in Pearl River Delta, in order to optimize the structural design, the deep buried tunnel adopts the composite lining structure. However, the weakest link in a complex structure is the connection between two different interfaces. This paper reports the findings of an experimental study that was undertaken to investigate the interface mechanical performance of steel self-compacting concrete composite structure subjected to cyclic loads. In this study, different shear connectors are considered, and six different specimens were designed and tested, respectively. The test is used to research the effect of the different shear connectors on the bearing capacity and interface mechanical properties of composite structure in an experimental study. According to these test results, a detailed analysis was carried out on the relationships, such as the stress-strain and load-displacement relationships for the specimen. These tests show that the shear connectors will significantly enhance the bearing capacity and interface mechanical properties of the composite structure. Among them, the comprehensive performance of the specimens using the stud-longitudinal ribs shear connectors is the best. Additionally, a finite element analysis (FEA) model was developed. The comparison of the simulation results with the experimental results shows that this FEA is applicable for this type of experiment.

Hydropower dams are subjected to soft water penetration during their service lives. Concrete deterioration due to calcium leaching will decrease the durability of concrete and affect dam safety. The long-term performance of concrete dams due to calcium leaching should be evaluated and predicted accurately to complete reinforcement work in a timely manner. In this paper, a methodology that combined microscopic tests and numerical analysis to evaluate the long-term performance of dam concrete due to calcium leaching is proposed. The current state of concrete is evaluated by analyzing the components of sediments and seepage water through microscopic and spectroscopic tests, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The long-term degradation of concrete was predicted by utilizing a multi-scale model of calcium leaching, which considered the micro-pore structure of cement hydrates flux with time. The simulated results using this calcium leaching model showed a good agreement with other experiments. Finally, a real case study including field inspection was performed and the long-term durability of dam concrete was predicted through microscopic tests and finite element analysis method. It implies that the proposed method could provide calculation and theoretical basis for the durability analysis of concrete dams due to calcium leaching.

Ultra-high-performance Concrete (UHPC) has a wide range of potential civil engineering applications, owing to its excellent mechanical properties and durability. To investigate the bending behavior of reinforced UHPC components, nine reinforced UHPC deck specimens were tested by conducting four-point bending experiments. The crack development, load-carrying capacity, and strain distribution were observed, and the tests results revealed that the introduction of steel fibers into UHPC obviously improved the structure's toughness and crack resistance. Based on the tests results, a theoretical formula was derived for calculating the bending stiffness of the UHPC decks during the entire loading process, which was divided into three representative stages based on the initial cracking and yielding. The results for the load-deflection response obtained by the formulas are in good agreement with the experimental results.

In this study, a three-dimensional finite element model was established to simulate the dynamic response of a large-scale steel-reinforced concrete composite high-pile wharf with a rock-socketed steel sheath. The model is based on the second phase of the Chongqing Orchard Harbor structure project in conjunction with the project “Research on the mechanism of interface damage and energy dissipation of the structure of the large-scale steel-reinforced concrete composite high-pile wharf in inland waters.” The stiffness of frame wharf is studied from the perspective of modal and transient dynamic analysis of structural dynamics. The distribution of the low-order modal frequency is more uniform. With the increase of the order, the modal frequency of the structure shows a periodical jump. The overall stiffness of the frame structure is larger with the steel sheath, and the longitudinal stiffness is less than the transverse stiffness. Under the action of transverse impact load, the members and joints of the steel-concrete structure exhibit synchronous mechanical response characteristics in the time domain. The peak values of displacement and stress of the structural joints occur 0.05 s after the peak value of the load-time history, and the peak value of reverse response of force occurs at 2.3 s, which is markedly smaller than the peak value of the response of load direction. Reducing the local positional stiffness of the load point is beneficial to improve the stress of the entire structure. The weak links of the frame structure appear at the joints of the members. Because of the hoop action of the steel sheath, the stress of the reinforced concrete pile core is more uniform. The peak value of the equivalent stress of the steel sheath member is generally larger than that of the reinforced concrete pile core, and the stress is highly concentrated at the joints of the steel tube longitudinal and transverse braces.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Endothelial cells (ECs) are mechanosensitive cells undergoing morphological and functional changes in space. Ground-based study has provided a body of evidences about how ECs can respond to the effect of simulated microgravity, however, these results need to be confirmed by spaceflight experiments in real microgravity. In this work, we cultured EA.hy926 ECs on board the SJ-10 Recoverable Scientific Satellite for 3 and 10 days, and analyzed the effects of space microgravity on the ECs. Space microgravity suppressed the glucose metabolism, modulated the expression of cellular adhesive molecules such as ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and CD44, and depressed the pro-angiogenesis and pro-inflammation cytokine secretion. Meanwhile, it also induced the depolymerization of actin filaments and microtubules, promoted the vimentin accumulation, restrained the collagen I and fibronectin deposition, regulated the mechanotransduction through focal adhesion kinase and Rho GTPases, and enhanced the exosome-mediated mRNA transfer. Unlike the effect of simulated microgravity, neither three-dimensional growth nor enhanced nitric oxide production was observed in our experimental settings. This work furthers the understandings in the effects and mechanisms of space microgravity on ECs, and provides useful information for future spaceflight experimental design.

The findings of an experimental study that was undertaken to investigate the performance of concrete-filled steel tubular members subjected to lateral loads are reported in this study. Columns of pure concrete, concrete with reinforcing bars, and two steel tube thicknesses were considered. Two different tests were conducted in this study. One test is used to research the performance of steel tube-reinforced concrete model piles under a lateral loading. The other test is used to research the effect of the depth of rock embedment for piles embedded in a foundation to simulate actual engineering applications in an experimental study. According to these test results, a detailed analysis was carried out on the relationships, such as the stress-strain and load-displacement relationships for the specimen. These tests show that the steel tube thickness and steel bars will significantly enhance the lateral bearing capacity and rigidity of the composite components. Additionally, the ultimate bending moment formula of a steel tube-reinforced concrete pile is deduced. The comparison of the calculated results with the experimental results shows that this formula is applicable for this type of pile foundation.

The behavior of concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns subjected to axial compression was experimentally investigated in this paper. Two kinds of columns, including CFST columns with foundation and columns without foundation, were tested. Columns of pure concrete and concrete with reinforcing bars as well as two steel tube thicknesses were considered. The experimental results showed that the CFST column with reinforcing bars has a higher bearing capacity, more effective plastic behavior, and greater toughness, and the elastoplastic boundary point occurs when the load is approximately 0.4–0.5 times of the ultimate bearing capacity. The change of rock-socketed depth and the presence of steel tube will affect the ultimate bearing capacity of rock-socketed pile. The bearing capacities of the rock-socketed CFST columns are lower than those of rock-socketed columns without a steel tube under a vertical load; besides, the greater the rock-socketed depth, the greater the bearing capacity of the rock-socketed piles. In addition, a numerical comparison between the ultimate load and the theoretical value calculated from the relevant specifications shows that the ultimate load is generally considerably greater than the theoretical calculation results.

To investigate the mechanical properties of dowel action under fatigue loads, 3 reinforced concrete specimens with different bar diameters (12 mm, 20 mm, and 25 mm) were subjected to the fatigue loading and were designed to investigate the attenuation character of dowel action and the fatigue failure modes. The load transfer mechanism of the bond was analyzed based on the 3D relative motions between reinforcing bars and subgrade concrete. Fatigue damage effects were considered in the model. A deterioration coefficient based on the deformation path was defined to represent the accumulation of fatigue damage. Verification of the model was conducted by comparing the analysis results with experimental data obtained in this study and from the literature, and satisfactory agreement was obtained.

Honeycomb cordierite-based Mn–Ce/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared by the impregnation method and used for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3, with and without SO2 and/or H2O in a homemade fixed-bed tubular reactor. The catalyst reached nearly 80% NOx conversion at 100 °C in the absence of SO2. However, SO2 reduces the catalytic activity (80% to 72%) of the honeycomb cordierite-based Mn–Ce/Al2O3 catalysts under identical conditions. This finding demonstrated that the catalyst exhibited high activity at low temperature and excellent SO2 resistance in the presence of 50 ppm SO2. The fresh and sulfated honeycomb cordierite-based Mn–Ce/Al2O3 catalysts were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), N2 adsorption–desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Characterization results indicated that the deactivation by SO2 was primarily the result of the deposition of ammonium hydrogen sulfate and sulfated CeO2 on the catalyst surface during the SCR process. The formed sulfates depressed the catalytic activity via the blocking of pores and the occupation of active sites. Additionally, the competitive adsorption between SO2 and NH3 always decreased the catalytic activity.

China's recent basic education reform followed and, in a certain way, imitated its economic reform. The economic reform merged the experimental dual (planned and market) price systems into a free market economy and yielded phenomenal success. Basic education reform, however, has not succeeded in transforming the introductory dual-track (key school and regular school) systems into a universal one. This article briefly examines the general process and outcomes of basic education reform. It discusses the following questions: Is basic education reform also a story of success? What significant lessons can the Chinese reform experience offer to other comparable developing countries?

With an introduction to the overall underdevelopment of higher education in China compared with the American counterpart, this article briefly examines the main trends of over two decades of development of the governance and financing systems of China's higher education sector. This article analyzes the resource allocation from governments and revenue generation in institutions under the reform policies of administrative decentralization and financing diversification. The new "Great Leap Forward" in higher education in 1999 and beyond, i.e., the radical and, to a certain extent, desperate mass higher education policy and practice of expanding enrollments in order to spur domestic consumption, is critically analyzed. By examining the ongoing institutional merging and "co-building" and the most recent enrollment expansion, the writer points out the economic significance for higher education of overcoming diseconomies of scale and inefficiencies. However, the long-range outcomes of the seemingly exciting investment in and consumption of mass higher education are difficult to predict.