Search

As one kind of two-dimensional metamaterials, metasurface structures are widely applied in antennas due to the special abilities of manipulating the amplitude, phase, polarization states and the propagation modes of electromagnetic wave. This article briefly presents a series of combinations of metasurface and antennas from the perspective of design methods and innovative features, which are divided into three sections: performance improvement, function manipulation and other applications. In the section of performance improvement, three typical applications of metasurface are presented, including using non-periodic metasurfaces to raise aperture efficiency, introducing multi-mode resonance metasurfaces to expand bandwidth, and introducing capacitive loading metasurfaces for miniaturization. As for function manipulation, due to the high design freedom of metasurface, multi-polarization reconfigurability can be achieved by changing the surface impedance distribution. Moreover, it can be used as radiators and excited by traveling wave to achieve beam steering or combined with phase change materials to realize frequency reconfiguration. The last part is about the further applications of metasurface, including multi-folding reflectarray/transmitarray, wide-angle scanning phased array antenna, and filtering antenna. In conclusion, the researches of metasurface have overcome the shortcomings of conventional antennas and proposed some good solutions to realize innovative antennas.

Abstract In order to provide long-term anti-corrosion properties of the coatings on the substrate, a microcapsule self-healing coatings system was designed in this paper. Microcapsules were synthesized with ethyl cellulose and octadecyl amine, which were added to epoxy resin to prepare self-healing coatings. The shape of microcapsules was spherical, the average particle size of microcapsules was about 100–120 μm, and the average thickness of microcapsules was 4.43 μm, which was conducive to the preparation of the coatings. The initial evaporation temperature of the microcapsules was 165℃. The ethyl cellulose organic crosslinked shell enhances the strength of the microcapsules and improves the thermal stability of the microcapsules. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the impedance of the coatings with 6 wt% microcapsules was about 2.68 × 106 Ω/cm2, which was 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of the coatings without microcapsules (5.23 × 104 Ω/cm2). Scanning electron microscope was used to observe the artificial scratches of the coatings for 24 h, and it was found that the microcapsule could repair the artificial scratches of the coatings well. The results showed that the addition of microcapsules can improve the anti-corrosion properties of the coatings.

Abstract Tin-lead perovskites provide an ideal bandgap for narrow-bandgap perovskites in all-perovskite tandem solar cells, fundamentally improving power conversion efficiency. However, light-induced degradation in ambient air is a major issue that can hinder the long-term operational stability of these devices. Understanding the specifics of what occurs during this pathway provides the direction for improving device stability. In this study, we investigate the long-term stability problem of tin-lead perovskites under irradiation, counterintuitively discovering an irreversible phase reconstruction process. In-situ photoluminescence spectroscopy is used to monitor the reconstruction process, which involves the reaction of oxygen with photoexcited electrons to form superoxide. It is proposed that Pb-rich regions appear on the surface after Sn2+ oxidation, and these Pb-rich regions are reconstituted from the yellow phase of formamidinium lead iodide to the black phase with prolonged irradiation. This study highlights the phase reconstruction process during the degradation of tin-lead perovskites, providing valuable insights into the superoxide degradation mechanism and guiding further stability improvements for narrow-bandgap tin-lead perovskites and tandem solar cells.

The growth of communication demands have boosted the development of millimeter-wave technology, as the spectrum migrates to higher frequencies. And reconfigurable antennas emerge as a promising solution for complex communication systems. Nevertheless, the deployment of millimeter-wave reconfigurable antennas is impeded by the limitations of conventional switching devices like PIN diodes and varactors, which are unsuitable for millimeter-wave applications. Vanadium dioxide (VO2), as a phase-change material, possesses high isolation and low loss at millimeter-wave band, enabling it to function effectively as a switching device. Despite its advantages, traditional VO2 film fabrication methods are costly and time-consuming, greatly limiting its application. This paper presents a simple VO2 ink fabrication technique, which is cost-effective, stable, and easy to integrate. Based on the VO2 ink, a frequency-reconfigurable millimeter-wave antenna is designed and fabricated. The results confirm the feasibility of using VO2 ink for millimeter-wave applications and demonstrate its tolerance to fabrication inaccuracies, marking a significant advancement in the design of reconfigurable antennas and broadening the potential for future research and applications.

Trihelix transcription factors (TF) are photoresponsive proteins featuring a characteristic three-helix structure (helix-loop-helix-loop-helix) and contain the Myb/SANT-LIKE (MSL) domain. They perform crucial functions in the development and stress-response of plants. However, the function of the Trihelix TF in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) remains unknown. In the present study, forty-three StMSLs were characterized in the potato genome and named StMSL1 to StMSL43. Structural domain analysis revealed that motifs 1 and 2 may play a central role in the implementation of trihelix gene functions, and motifs 4 and 9 may be related to specific functions of StMSL. Phylogenetic analysis divided the StMSLs into six groups (SIP1, GT1, GT2, GTγ, SH4 and GT3). The GT3 group, which is rarely identified in the Trihelix TF family, contained three StMSLs. The 43 StMSLs were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes in potato and comprised two pairs of tandem duplication and five pairs of segmental duplication genes. Additionally, RNA-Seq analysis found that 36 out of the 43 StMSLs were expressed in at least one of the 12 tissues, with some exhibiting tissue-specific expression patterns. Trihelix transcriptional regulation network analysis identified 387 genes as potential targets of the 36 StMSL genes, and these genes have a wide variety of functions. Furthermore, RNA-Seq analysis revealed that at least 18 StMSLs were upregulated in response to osmotic stress. The induced pattern of eight StMSLs was subsequently validated using qRT-PCR. This study provides a detailed insight into the StMSLs of the potato and lays the foundation for further analysis of the functions of the Trihelix gene in plant development.

In recent years, there has been notable progress in the development of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), marked by significant advancements in efficiency, stability, and scalability. Among different device architectures and technical routes, mesoporous perovskite solar cells (MPSCs) based on TiO2/ZrO2/carbon scaffold and screen-printing fabrication process have shown unique advantages for mass production and commercialization due to the low material cost and scalable fabrication process. Through efforts on material optimization, interface engineering, and device design, the power conversion efficiency of MPSCs has steadily increased from the initial 6.64 ​% in 2013 to current 22.22 ​%. Attributing to the screen-printing-based fabrication process, printable mesoscopic PSCs have enabled large-area devices, from mini-modules to modules, and solar panels. In this review, we discuss the development and latest advances of MPSCs, and provide outlooks for further improving the performance of this promising photovoltaic technology.

Plantation forests enhance carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems in China. Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carrière (Lamb.) (Larix olgensis Henry) is the main species for afforestation in the eastern Liaoning Province. Therefore, it is important to understand the correlation between the site class and carbon sink potential of Larix kaempferi plantations in Liaoning Province for afforestation and carbon sink in this area. The model was fitted using three classical theoretical growth equations: the Richards model, the Korf model, and the Hossfeld model. This study used the forest resource inventory data for management in Liaoning Province in 2011 to build six dynamic height-age models for a Larix kaempferi plantation in Dandong City regardless of base-age. The optimal model derived by the generalized algebraic difference approach (GADA) method was compared with the model derived by the algebraic difference approach (ADA) method. The superiority of GADA was demonstrated by comparison. The Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm was used to fit the model. The statistical and biological characteristics were considered synthetically when comparing the models. The best model was screened out by statistical analysis and graphic analysis. The results show that the differential height-age model derived from Richards equation can well explain the growth process of Larix kaempferi in Dandong City, Liaoning Province under different conditions. The site index model based on Richards equation and derived by GADA was used to calculate the site class of a Larix kaempferi plantation in Dandong City. The net primary productivity (NPP) value from the past ten years was extracted from the MOD17A3HGF data set. Spearman correlation analysis and Kendall correlation analysis were used to show that there is a significant positive correlation between NPP value and site class of Larix kaempferi plantation in Dandong City. Among them, the highest growth occurred in 2016; NPP increased by about 3.914 gC/m2/year for every two increases in height-age grade; the lowest increase in NPP was in 2014; NPP increased by about 2.113 gC/m2/year for every two increases in height-age grade; and for every two increases in height-age grade in the recent ten years, the average NPP value increased by about 2.731 gC/m2/year.

[Objective] Due to the diverse components, complex internal structures, and significant deformation risks of straddle monorail beam-switching turnout, issues such as improper component installation, welding-induced thermal deformation, and stress concentration may arise during the manufacturing process, leading the products failure in meeting the required design quality. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a systematic study on the manufacturing process of the straddle monorail beam-switching turnout. [Method] The overview of straddle monorail beam-switching turnout is presented. The structural characteristics and material properties of the straddle monorail beam-switching turnout are analyzed. Targeted research is conducted on manufacturing challenges, process route planning, process design, fixture design, and other aspects. A set of manufacturing processes suitable for the straddle monorail beam-switching turnout is proposed, and the implementation effects of the proposed manufacturing process are verified. [Result & Conclusion] The adopted fixture frame and welding process can control the dimensional accuracy of each component within the design requirements. Coupled with vibration aging treatment, it effectively improves the distribution state of structural stress and reduces the risk of residual deformation after welding, so as to ensure that the linear dimensions of the turnout meet the standards after assembly.

Abstract The time-domain inverse technique based on the time-domain rotating equivalent source method has been proposed to localize and quantify rotating sound sources. However, this technique encounters two problems to be addressed: one is the time-consuming process of solving the transcendental equation at each time step, and the other is the difficulty of controlling the instability problem due to the time-varying transfer matrix. In view of that, an improved technique is proposed in this paper to resolve these two problems. In the improved technique, a de-Dopplerization method in the time-domain rotating reference frame is first applied to eliminate the Doppler effect caused by the source rotation in the measured pressure signals, and then the restored pressure signals without the Doppler effect are used as the inputs of the time-domain stationary equivalent source method to locate and quantify sound sources. Compared with the original technique, the improved technique can avoid solving the transcendental equation at each time step, and facilitate the treatment of the instability problem because the transfer matrix does not change with time. Numerical simulation and experimental results show that the improved technique can eliminate the Doppler effect effectively, and then localize and quantify the rotating nonstationary or broadband sources accurately. The results also demonstrate that the improved technique can guarantee a more stable reconstruction and compute more efficiently than the original one.

Procambarus clarkii is an important economic species in freshwater culture. The secondary sexual characteristics of male crayfish have been studied, but little is known about female crayfish. In this study, it is found that cement glands appeared in the abdominal pleopods and telson of female crayfish during spawning period. The relationship between the appearance of cement glands and the ovarian development, mating behavior and spawning was studied, the histological change, proteome profiles of cement glands before and spawning were compared. The results are as follows: Cement glands was also a secondary characteristic of female crayfish. It had no significant promotion on mating behavior. Compared to crayfish without cement glands, female crayfish with cement glands had better developed ovary, manifested in higher gonadal index and oocyte diameter and significant lower VgR gene expression. The cement glands disappeared after the female crayfish spawned. The results of proteome profiles showed that about 312 proteins were identified in cement glands. These proteins possibly participate in maintaining the osmotic pressure of sperm and eggs, protecting and promoting the combination of fertilized eggs, and promoting the adhesion of eggs to the abdomen pleopods during the spawning period. Based on the characteristic of cement glands, it is inferred that the function of cement glands is mainly to prepare for spawning and egg hatching of female crayfish. The cement glands can be used as an indicator to help to evaluate the ovarian development and spawning period of female P.clarkii.

Abstract Background Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an antibody-mediated autoimmune disease and its pathogenesis is closely related to CD4 + T cells. In recent years, gut microbiota is considered to play an important role in the pathogenesis of MG. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) is one of the main active components extracted from Astragalus membranaceus and has immunomodulatory effects. To study the immunomodulatory effect of AS-IV and the changes of gut microbiota on experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) mice, we explore the possible mechanism of AS-IV in improving MG. Methods In this study, network pharmacology was utilized to screen the crucial targets of AS-IV in the treatment of MG. Subsequently, a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis was performed to identify potential pathways through which AS-IV acts against MG. Furthermore, experimental investigations were conducted to validate the underlying mechanism of AS-IV in MG treatment. Before modeling, 5 mice were randomly selected as the control group (CFA group), and the other 10 were induced to EAMG model. These mice were randomly divided into EAMG group and EAMG + AS-IV group, n = 5/group. In EAMG + AS-IV group, AS-IV was administered by gavage. CFA and EAMG groups were given the same volume of PBS. Body weight, grip strength and clinical symptoms were assessed and recorded weekly. At the last administration, the feces were collected for 16S RNA microbiota analysis. The levels of Treg, Th1 and Th17 cells in spleen and Th1 and Th17 cells in thymus were detected by flow cytometry. The levels of IFN-γ, IL-17 and TGF-β in serum were measured by ELISA. Furthermore, fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) experiments were performed for exploring the influence of changed intestinal flora on EAMG. After EAMG model was induced, the mice were treated with antibiotics daily for 4 weeks to germ-free. Then germ-free EAMG mice were randomly divided into two groups: FMT EAMG group, FMT AS-IV group, n = 3/group. Fecal extractions from EAMG and EAMG + AS-IV groups as gathered above were used to administered daily to the respective groups for 4 weeks. Body weight, grip strength and clinical symptoms were assessed and recorded weekly. The levels of Treg, Th1 and Th17 cells in spleen and Th1 and Th17 cells in thymus were detected at the last administration. The levels of IFN-γ, IL-17 and TGF-β in serum were measured by ELISA. Results The network pharmacology and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that AS-IV regulates T cell pathways, including T cell receptor signaling pathway and Th17 cell differentiation, suggesting its potential in improving MG. Further experimental verification demonstrated that AS-IV administration improved muscle strength and body weight, reduced the level of Th1 and Th17 cells, enhanced the level of Treg cells, and resulted in alterations of the gut microbiota, including changes in beta diversity, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio, and the abundance of Clostridia in EAMG mice. We further conducted FMT tests and demonstrated that the EAMG Abx-treated mice which were transplanted the feces of mice treated with AS-IV significantly alleviated myasthenia symptoms, reduced Th1 and Th17 cells levels, and increased Treg cell levels. Conclusion This study speculated that AS-IV ameliorates EAMG by regulating CD4 + T cells and altering the structure and species of gut microbiota of EAMG.

In the process of decarbonization, the configuration of renewable energy and energy storage plays a crucial role. In current research, there is often a singular focus on the isolated optimization of either renewable energy configurations or energy storage configurations, resulting in limitations within the optimized outcomes. Therefore, we propose a collaborative configuration approach for renewable energy and energy storage under fixed investment, considering the impact of uncertainty on optimization results. By employing the W/S (wind-to-solar ratio) and E/P (energy-to-power ratio) and constructing a model with an hourly granularity, we can obtain the configurations of renewable energy and energy storage at crucial time points. Using the UK as a case study, we calculate the configurations for renewable energy and energy storage from 2020 to 2050, offering effective recommendations for the decarbonization efforts in the UK.

ABSTRACTVibrio cholerae is a waterborne bacterium that primarily infects the human intestine and causes cholera fatality. Quorum sensing (QS) negatively regulates the expression of V. cholerae virulence gene. However, the primary associated mechanisms remain undetermined. This investigation identified a new QS regulator from the TetR family, LuxT, which increases V. cholerae virulence by directly inhibiting hapR expression. HapR is a master QS regulator that suppresses virulence cascade expression. The expression of luxT increased 4.8-fold in the small intestine of infant mice than in Luria-Bertani broth. ΔluxT mutant strain revealed a substantial defect in the colonizing ability of the small intestines. At low cell densities, the expression level of hapR was upregulated by luxT deletion, suggesting that LuxT can suppress hapR transcription. The electrophoretic mobility shift analysis revealed that LuxT directly binds to the hapR promoter region. Furthermore, luxT expression was upregulated by the two-component system ArcB/ArcA, which responses to changes in oxygen levels in response to the host’s small intestine’s anaerobic signals. In conclusion, this research reveals a novel cell density-mediated virulence regulation pathway and contributes to understanding the complex association between V. cholerae virulence and QS signals. This evidence furnishes new insights for future studies on cholerae’s pathogenic mechanisms.

Abstract Background RpoN, also known as σ54, first reported in Escherichia coli, is a subunit of RNA polymerase that strictly controls the expression of different genes by identifying specific promoter elements. RpoN has an important regulatory function in carbon and nitrogen metabolism and participates in the regulation of flagellar synthesis, bacterial motility and virulence. However, little is known about the effect of RpoN in Plesiomonas shigelloides. Results To identify pathways controlled by RpoN, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of the WT and the rpoN deletion strain was carried out for comparison. The RNA-seq results showed that RpoN regulates ~ 13.2% of the P. shigelloides transcriptome, involves amino acid transport and metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, ribosome biosynthesis, flagellar assembly and bacterial secretion system. Furthermore, we verified the results of RNA-seq using quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR, which indicated that the absence of rpoN caused downregulation of more than half of the polar and lateral flagella genes in P. shigelloides, and the ΔrpoN mutant was also non-motile and lacked flagella. In the present study, the ability of the ΔrpoN mutant to kill E. coli MG1655 was reduced by 54.6% compared with that of the WT, which was consistent with results in RNA-seq, which showed that the type II secretion system (T2SS-2) genes and the type VI secretion system (T6SS) genes were repressed. By contrast, the expression of type III secretion system genes was largely unchanged in the ΔrpoN mutant transcriptome and the ability of the ΔrpoN mutant to infect Caco-2 cells was also not significantly different compared with the WT. Conclusions We showed that RpoN is required for the motility and contributes to the killing ability of P. shigelloides and positively regulates the T6SS and T2SS-2 genes.

The KDR (karst development rate) of rocks and their PCR(porosity of carbonate rocks) are common research topics in Jinfo Mountain. The use of traditional carbonate research methods (TCRMs) for karst studies has been shown to be costly and time-consuming. Therefore, this study attempted to find a new, reliable, low-cost, and time-saving method for karst research. The Jinfo Mountain area is a typical carbonate rock area that is suitable for karst research. In this study, many images of rock samples from the Jinfo Mountain were obtained using rock-polarizing microscopes, which provided a good basis for the karst study of Jinfo Mountain. Furthermore, in this study, image analysis technology was used to find the karst development rate of rocks and their porosity. To ensure the accuracy of these research results, we compared the research results obtained using the image analysis techniques with those obtained using TCRM. The comparison showed that the image analysis technology is a feasible research techniques for studying karst in the Jinfo Mountain area. Furthermore, it has good reference significance for other karst study outside the Jinfo Mountain area.

Although the microbial ecology of integrated rice-crayfish farming systems is receiving increasing attention with the expanding application area in China, the effects of rice transplanting patterns on the microbial community of water, sediment and Procambarus clarkii intestine in rice-crayfish system has yet to be determined. This study explored the microbial community present in water, sediment and intestine samples from three transplant patterns (rice crayfish with wide-narrow row transplanting, rice-crayfish with normal transplanting and pond-crayfish, abbreviated as RC-W, RC, and PC, respectively) using high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that the dominant microbial taxa from sediment, surrounding water, and intestine at phylum level were Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes. The patterns of rice transplanting had significant effects on microbial biodiversity and species composition in surrounding water. The OTUs community richness of water under RC group was significantly higher than that of PC group and RC-W group. The OTU relative abundance of top 10 operational taxonomic units had significantly different (p

Persistent organic pollutant (POP) remediation is important for protecting the environment and human health but can be expensive. Here, the authors report on the creation of a plant-based remediation material which can absorb high levels of POPs and then provide the nutrients needed for fungal degradation and detoxification.

Abstract Background Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an acquired autoimmune disease with high heterogeneity. The disease is chronic, relapsing repeatedly and progressive with acute exacerbation occasionally. Although the treatment of MG has developed, it is still unsatisfactory and has some unexpected side effects. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown great potential in MG treatment, including relief of muscle weakness syndrome, improvement of patient’s quality of life, and reduction of side effects of western medicine. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of modified Buzhong Yiqi decoction (MBYD) as an add-on therapy for MG through a small series of N-of-1 trials. Methods Single-centre, randomized, double-blind, 3 crossover N-of-1 trials will be conducted to enroll patients with MG diagnosed as spleen-stomach deficiency syndrome or spleen-kidney deficiency syndrome in TCM. Each N-of-1 trial has 3 cycles of two 4-week periods containing the MBYD period and placebo period. The wash-out interval of 1 week is prior to switching each period. Primary outcome: quantitative myasthenia gravis (QMG). Secondary outcomes: the following scales: myasthenia gravis composite (MGC), myasthenia gravis activities of daily living profile (MG-ADL), myasthenia gravis quality of life (MG-QOL); the level of CD4+FoxP3+Treg cells and cytokines (IL-4, IL-17A, INF-γ, TGF-β) in the peripheral blood; the alterations of the composition of gut microbiota; reduction of the side effects of western medicine. Discussion Used by WinBUGS software, we will conduct a hierarchical Bayesian statistical method to analyze the efficacy of MBYD in treating MG in individuals and populations. Some confounding variables such as TCM syndrome type and potential carryover effect of TCM will be introduced into the hierarchical Bayesian statistical method to improve the sensitivity and applicability of the trials, and the use of prior available information within the analysis may improve the sensitivity of the results of a series of N-of-1 trials, from both the individual and population level to study the efficacy of TCM syndrome differentiation. We assumed that this study would reveal that MBYD is effective for MG and provide robust evidence of the efficacy of TCM to treat MG. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Register, ID: ChiCTR2000040477 , registration on 29 November 2020.

In this paper, climate change in the Jinping area is investigated. The climate change trend in the Jinping area is studied by plotting the porosity value of the carbonate rocks as a curve. By comparing the curve established using the climate change data from published articles, it is found that the B value curve obtained using the saddle line is the closest to the curve established using the climate change data from published articles. This shows that the carbonate porosity in the Jinping area obtained using an image analysis technique can be used for climate change research.

The family Parvoviridae comprises many major viral pathogens that can infect humans and multiple other species, causing severe diseases. However, knowledge of parvoviruses that infect equids is limited. In the present study, we found that three equine parvoviruses (EqPVs), namely, equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H), equine parvovirus-cerebrospinal fluid (EqPV-CSF) and equine copivirus (EqCoPV) cocirculated among horses in China. We examined the prevalence of these three EqPVs in 225 horse serum samples in China and found EqPV-H, EqPV-CSF and EqCoPV viremia in 7.6% (17/225), 2.7% (6/225) and 2.2% of samples (5/225), respectively. We also obtained the complete genomes of one EqPV-H strain, six EqPV-CSF strains and one EqCoPV strain. After phylogenetic analysis of the EqPVs, we found that EqPV-CSF and EqCoPV may have evolved from the same ancestor. The EqPV-CSF strains (E111 and A27) and EqCoPV strain (F124) were genetically similar to foreign strains, but the EqPV-CSF strains (B48, E96, C61 and F146) comprised unique clades. This study determined the prevalence of three EqPVs in Chinese horses and analyzed the genetic characteristics of EqPVs prevalent strains in Chinese horse herds. Our data provide a theoretical basis for follow-up research on the prevention and control of EqPVs.

Gearbox is one of the most critical and fault-prone components in a mechanical transmission system. Aiming at the fault diagnosis of gearbox，an Improved Local Mean Decomposition （ILMD） algorithm is proposed and applied to the extraction of fault features of gearbox. Firstly，in order to reduce the modal aliasing problem of the Local Mean Decomposition （LMD） algorithm，an optimized rational spline interpolation algorithm is introduced to the construction of the envelope curve. Then，the ILMD algorithm is used to decompose the measured vibration signal into a series of product functions （PF）. After that，the effective component which contains the most fault information among the decomposition results is selected based on the kurtosis. Finally，through the analysis of the envelope spectrum of the effective component，the diagnosis of gearbox fault is realized. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively suppress the mode mixing，and identify the gear wear failure precisely.

Though flexible microwave integrated circuits (MICs) are desirable for the construction of functional microwave amplifier circuits, realizing low cost III-V-based MMICs remains a challenge. Here, the authors report a heterogeneous integration strategy for the fabrication of flexible low-cost MICs.

Abstract Background Shenmai injection (SMI) has been used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as heart failure, myocardial ischemia and coronary heart disease. It has been found to have efficacy on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiomyopathy. The aims of this study were to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of SMI treatment on CVD by using network pharmacology and its protective effect on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by in vitro and in vivo experiment based on network pharmacology prediction. Methods Network pharmacology method was used to reveal the relationship between ingredient-target-disease and function-pathway of SMI on the treatment of CVD. Chemical ingredients of SMI were collected form TCMSP, BATMAN-TCM and HIT Database. Drugbank, DisGeNET and OMIM Database were used to obtain potential targets for CVD. Networks were visualized utilizing Cytoscape software, and the enrichment analysis was performed using IPA system. Finally, cardioprotective effects and predictive mechanism confirmation of SMI were investigated in H9c2 rat cardiomyocytes and DOX-injured C57BL/6 mice. Results An ingredient-target-disease & function-pathway network demonstrated that 28 ingredients derived from SMI modulated 132 common targets shared by SMI and CVD. The analysis of diseases & functions, top pathways and upstream regulators indicated that the cardioprotective effects of SMI might be associated with 28 potential ingredients, which regulated the 132 targets in cardiovascular disease through regulation of G protein-coupled receptor signaling. In DOX-injured H9c2 cardiomyocytes, SMI increased cardiomyocytes viability, prevented cell apoptosis and increased PI3K and p-Akt expression. This protective effect was markedly weakened by PI3K inhibitor LY294002. In DOX-treated mice, SMI treatment improved cardiac function, including enhancement of ejection fraction and fractional shortening. Conclusions Collectively, the protective effects of SMI on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity are possibly related to the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, as the downstream of G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway.

This paper compared the effects of air and nitrogen on the freezing characteristics, color, and cell structures of chestnut kernels at different rates of heat transfer and adopted liquid nitrogen spray quick-freezing (NF−40 °C/−60 °C/−80 °C/−100 °C) and still air freezing (AF−20 °C/−40 °C) as the freezing methods. The ratio of heat transfer coefficients in N2 groups was two times as high as those in air groups, and NF−100 °C and NF−80 °C showed better freezing characteristics, good protection for cytoskeletons, and the color was similar to those of the fresh group. Taking both Multivariate Analysis of Variance (Principal Components Analysis and Cluster Analysis) and economic factors, NF−80 °C can be used as a suitable method for chestnut kernel freezing. When the ambient freezing temperature was lower than Tg, both NF and AF treatment groups presented poor quality. The rate and medium of heat transfer jointly influenced the freezing characteristics and quality. The former had a greater effect than the latter, however.

Introduction: The quantitative myasthenia gravis score is a commonly used scale for evaluating muscle weakness associated with myasthenia gravis (MG). It has been reported that some items used in the scale have low discriminative properties. However, there has been no research investigating the applicability of the quantitative MG score (QMGS) in Chinese patients with MG. In addition, the scoring method and ranges of grip strength items in QMGS need to be further evaluated.Methods: This study included 106 Chinese patients with MG, enrolled between September 2020 and February 2021, who were evaluated using the QMGS. Each item in the QMGS was analyzed for distribution. Three methods of evaluating grip strength, grip strength decrement, maximum grip strength, and relative grip strength, were compared. The correlation between the QMG total score minus grip strength score, and three evaluating methods, was analyzed.Results: The grip strength, swallowing, speech, diplopia, ptosis, and facial muscles items showed a clustered distribution. Most patients (94%) presented their maximum grip strength in the first four grip strength measurements. The QMG total score minus the grip strength score had a weak correlation with grip strength decrement (R grip r = 0.276; L grip r = 0.353, both p < 0.05) and moderate correlations with maximum grip strength (R grip r = −0.508; L grip r = −0.507; both p < 0.001) and relative grip strength (R grip r = −0.494; L grip r = −0.497, both p < 0.001).Conclusions: This study suggested that partial items in the QMGS have low discriminative properties for Chinese populations and the maximum grip strength value is the better method to evaluate grip strength compared to the other two scoring methods. Based on the quartiles of maximum grip strength, we propose new scoring ranges for the grip strength items.

University campuses are important components of cities, harboring the majority of urban biodiversity. In this study, based on monthly bird survey data covering 12 university campuses located either downtown or in the newly developed areas in Nanjing, China, in 2019, we studied the assembly processes of each campus’s bird population and their main drivers by modeling a set of ecological and landscape determinants. Our results showed that (1) bird abundance and species diversity in the newly developed areas were significantly higher than in those downtown; (2) the phylogeny of bird communities in all universities followed a pattern of aggregation, indicating that environmental filtering played a major role in community assembly; (3) specifically, grass, water, and buildings were the main factors affecting each campus’s bird community’s functional and phylogenetic diversity, with the areas of grass and water habitats having a significant positive correlation with phylogenetic diversity, while the size of building areas was negatively correlated. Our results emphasize that habitat features play a decisive role in determining urban bird population diversity and community assembly processes. We suggest that increasing landscape diversity, e.g., by reasonably arranging the location and area of water bodies and grasslands and improving the landscape connectivity, could be a powerful way to maintain and promote urban bird diversity.

Carbon foams have been prepared using Kraft lignin as the solely resource. No catalysts, foaming/blowing agents, surfactants, and/or crosslinking agents are used for the foam preparation. The process includes pressing carbon foam precursors into molds followed by formation of lignin foam through heating and carbonization/graphitization of the lignin derived foams. The resultant lignin carbon foam (LCF) has an open-cell structure with densities ranging from about 0.18 g/cm3 to 0.68 g/cm3. The compressive strengths of LCFs increase with increasing of bulk density, from 7.03 ± 1.25 MPa of LCF1 to 30.16 ± 2.41 MPa of LCF7, and thermal conductivity is strongly influenced by the bulk density with increase from 0.21 ± 0.02 W/(m·K) to 0.75 ± 0.01 W/(m·K). The bulk electrical conductivities of LCF samples increase with increasing of bulk densities from 701 S/m to 2031S/m. The LCF samples were evaluated for resistance to fire and native subterranean termites. LCF samples exhibit excellent fire resistance, no damage occurred when the LCF sample was exposed to an oxyacetylenic flame in air over 1050 °C for more than 3 min. Termite testing showed no degradation to the LCF samples after the evaluation.

A 60-day study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, nutritional quality of edible tissues (muscle and hepatopancreas) of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) cultivated using commercial diet feeding (diet group) and biofloc technology (biofloc group). The commercial diet used in the biofloc group was only 60 % of that in the diet group. Glucose and wheat bran were used as additional carbon sources in the biofloc group. The results showed bioflocs was characterized by sufficient protein content but lower lipid content, however, the growth performance of crayfish in the biofloc group were significantly better at the end of the experiment. Besides, the total lipid content in hepatopancreas of crayfish in the biofloc group was higher. Moreover, saturated fatty acid (STA) content in hepatopancreas and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) content in muscle were higher in the biofloc group, while MUFA content in muscle was significantly lower. No significant difference was observed in total amino acid (TAA), essential amino acid (EAA) and essential amino acids index (EAAI) in muscle in both groups. In conclusion, crayfish could be better cultivated using biofloc technology. However, the lipid deficiency and nutritional imbalance of bioflocs would affect the lipid nutritional composition in edible tissues of crayfish.

Shenmai injection (SMI), as a patented traditional Chinese medicine, is extracted from Panax ginseng and Ophiopogon japonicus. It commonly used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease and in the control of cardiac toxicity induced by doxorubicin (DOX) treatment. However, its anti-cardiotoxicity mechanism remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the underlying mitochondrial protective mechanisms of SMI on DOX-induced myocardial injury. The cardioprotective effect of SMI against DOX-induced myocardial damage was evaluated in C57BL/6 mice and H9c2 cardiomyocytes. In vivo, myocardial injury, apoptosis and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB/Akt)/glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β) signaling pathway related proteins were measured. In vitro, apoptosis, mitochondrial superoxide, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial morphology, levels of mitochondrial fission/fusion associated proteins, mitochondrial respiratory function, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity were assessed. To further elucidate the regulating effects of SMI on AMPK and PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway, compound C and LY294002 were utilized. In vivo, SMI decreased mortality rate, levels of creatine kinase, and creatine kinase-MB. SMI significantly prevented DOX-induced cardiac dysfunction and apoptosis, decreased levels of Bax/Bcl-2 and cleaved-Caspase3, increased levels of PI3K, p-Akt, and p-GSK-3β. In vitro, SMI rescued DOX-injured H9c2 cardiomyocytes from apoptosis, excessive mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production and descending mitochondrial membrane potential, which were markedly suppressed by LY294002. SMI increased ratio of L-OPA1 to S-OPA1, levels of AMPK phosphorylation, and DRP1 phosphorylation (Ser637) in order to prevent DOX-induced excessive mitochondrial fission and insufficient mitochondrial fusion. In conclusion, SMI prevents DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, inhibits mitochondrial oxidative stress and mitochondrial fragmentation through activation of AMPK and PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway.

In boundary control for Buck converters, the dynamic behavior characteristics are strongly influenced by some non-ideal factors. This influence is detailedly analyzed in this paper, and some design principles of the switching surface (SS) are proposed accordingly. First, by using the Adomian decomposition method, a general expression which can approximate the theoretically time-optimal SS with different degrees is obtained, and it can be seen as an extension of the existing second-order SSs. Second, the influences of load resistance, the ratio of capacitance and inductance, parasitic parameters, and the truncation order of SS are respectively shown by analyzing the behavior characteristics of the points along the SSs. For a specific SS, it is shown that the light load and low ratio of capacitance and inductance may cause overshoot of output voltage, which should be avoided in practical application. The simulation and experimental results are provided to confirm the correctness of theoretical analyses, which can give some instructions to determine the SS coefficients in the application of boundary control.

Global environmental changes have been dramatic recently, exerting substantial effects on the structures and functions of terrestrial ecosystems, especially for the ecologically-fragile karst regions. Southwest China is one of the largest karst continuum belts around the world, which also contributes about 1/3 of terrestrial carbon sequestration to China. Therefore, a deep understanding of the long-term changes of vegetation across Southwest China over the past decades is critical. Relying on the long time series of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies normalized difference vegetation index (GIMMS NDVI3g) data set, this study examined the spatial and temporal patterns of vegetation conditions in Southwest China from 1982 to 2015, as well as their response to the environmental factors including temperature, precipitation and downward shortwave radiation. Multi-year mean NDVI showed that except the northwestern region, the NDVI of Southwest China was large, ranging from 0.5 to 0.8. Meanwhile, nearly 43.7% of the area experienced significant improvements in NDVI, whereas only 3.47% of the area exhibited significant decreases in NDVI. Interestingly, the NDVI in karst area increased more quickly with 1.035 × 10−3/a in comparison with that in the non-karst area with about 0.929 × 10−3/a. Further analysis revealed that temperature is the dominant environmental factor controlling the interannual changes in NDVI, accounting for 48.19% of the area, followed by radiation (3.71%) and precipitation (3.09%), respectively.

Abstract Mongolian pine plantations (MPPs) composed of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (P. sylvestris) are used for desertification control and restoration of degraded land in arid and semi-arid regions. We studied soil changes associated with P. sylvestris by comparing top (0–20 cm) and sub-top (20–40 cm) soil properties across 8 stand density gradients of MPPs ranging from 900 ± 5–2700 ± 50 trees ha–1. The study was conducted in the uncovered Sandy Land in the southern Mu Us Desert, China. The relationships between the volume fractal dimensions (D) of soil particle size distribution and soil physicochemical properties were evaluated. D was determined using a laser diffraction technique and soil properties were measured. In the top layer, P. sylvestris significantly positively affected soil physicochemical properties except for bulk density and total nitrogen. These effects were not observed in the sub-top soil layer. D values ranged from 1.52 ± 0.29–2.08 ± 0.06 and were significantly correlated with stand density. Significant correlations were observed between D and soil properties (except total nitrogen) in the top soil layer. Given these results, we concluded that D is a sensitive and useful index because it quantifies changes in soil properties that additionally implies desertification in the studied area.

This paper aims at the power generation requirements of the fuze airflow-induced acoustic generator, analyzes the influence of structural parameters on the fluid power sound source, which is related to the power generation performance and use performance of the generator. In this paper, the orthogonal experiment method is used to study the sensitive parameters that control fluid dynamic sound sources. The results show that the annulus, the confronting distance, and cavity length can all have an impact on the sound pressure amplitude, and the sound pressure amplitude is most sensitive to the change of the confronting distance. However, the length of the resonant cavity has the most significant effect on the sound pressure frequency. The size of the annulus has a weak effect on the sound pressure frequency, and the confronting distance has almost no effect on the sound pressure frequency. The optimal combination scheme with the highest output power is selected according to the sensitive parameters. In addition, the empirical formula for the vibration frequency of the airflow-induced acoustic generator in the short resonant cavity was revised, and the influence of the annular gap on the vibration frequency was added, and the influence factor α = 0.3 was determined. The corrected frequency empirical formula has the smallest error between the theoretical value and the experimental value, and can be used as an effective method for estimating the vibration frequency. This provides a reference for the engineering design of the fuze airflow-induced acoustic generator, which has high military value and application prospects.

This paper aims to present a novel airflow-induced acoustic piezoelectric generator that can be used to solve the problem of insufficient power supply of modern intelligent fuzes. The sound waves induced by airflow are the key to power generation performance. It is proposed that an edge tone frequency equal to the acoustic mode frequency is a sufficient condition for evoked acoustic waves, and a design idea and scheme for a universal fuze power supply is provided. We establish the vibration model of the airflow-induced acoustic piezoelectric generator. According to the model, the experimental research on the power generation performance shows that the sound pressure frequency, vibration displacement frequency, and output voltage frequency are consistent. The model provides a design idea for a vibration sensor. At the flow rate of 100.8 m/s, the output power is 45.3 mW, which is much higher than the fuze power sources such as the magnetic backseat generator. Therefore, the airflow-induced piezoelectric generator can effectively solve the problem of the modern fuze less types of power supply and low output energy.

Mechanical analysis is presented for new high-strength sandwich panels made from wood-based phenolic impregnated laminated paper assembled with an interlocking tri-axial ribbed core. Four different panel configurations were tested, including panels with fiberglass fabric bonded to both outside faces with self-expanding urethane foam used to fill the ribbed core. The mechanical behaviors of the sandwich panels were strength tested via flatwise compression, edgewise compression, and third-point load bending. Panels with fiberglass exhibited significantly increased strength and apparent MOE in edgewise compression and bending, but there were no noticeable effects in flatwise compression. The foam provided improved support that resisted both rib buckling and face buckling for both compression and bending tests. Post-failure observation indicated that core buckling dominated the failures for all configurations used. It is believed that using stiffer foam or optimizing the dimension of the core might further improve the mechanical performance of wood-based sandwich panels.

Kraft lignin was catalytically graphitized to graphene-based nanostructures at 1000 °C under argon atmosphere with four iron catalysts, iron(III) nitrate (Fe-N); iron(II) chloride (Fe-Cl2); iron(III) chloride (Fe-Cl3); and iron(II) sulfate (Fe-S). The catalytic decomposition process of iron-promoted lignin materials was examined using thermalgravimetric analysis and temperature-programmed decomposition methods. The crystal structure, morphology and surface area of produced materials were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, Raman, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and N2 adsorption−desorption techniques. Experimental results indicated that iron nitrate catalyst had better iron dispersion three other iron salts. Iron nitrate was the most active catalyst among four iron salts. The low activity of iron in iron chloride-promoted samples was because the residual chlorine over iron surfaces prevent iron interaction with lignin functional groups.

The objective of this paper is to study systematically the bifurcation and control of a single-species fish population logistic model with the invasion of alien species based on the theory of singular system and bifurcation. It regards Spartina anglica as an invasive species, which invades the fisheries and aquaculture. Firstly, the stabilities of equilibria in this model are discussed. Moreover, the sufficient conditions for existence of the trans-critical bifurcation and the singularity induced bifurcation are obtained. Secondly, the state feedback controller is designed to eliminate the unexpected singularity induced bifurcation by combining harvested effort with the purification capacity. It obviously inhibits the switch of population and makes the system stable. Finally, the numerical simulation is proposed to show the practical significance of the bifurcation and control from the biological point of view.

The problem of impulse elimination for descriptor system by derivative output feedback is investigated in this paper. Based on a novelly restricted system equivalence between matrix pencils, the range of dynamical order of the resultant closed loop descriptor system is given. Then, for the different dynamical order, sufficient conditions for the existence of derivative output feedback to ensure the resultant closed loop system to be impulse free are derived, and the corresponding derivative output feedback controllers are provided. Finally, simulation examples are given to show the consistence with the theoretical results obtained in this paper.

The problem of dissipative output tracking control of linear systems with time delay is investigated. Firstly, an augmented system is constructed to describe dissipative output tracking control error, and the concept of dissipative output tracking is defined. Based on this, some sufficient conditions are derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) technique, which ensure that the augmented system is dissipative and stable; then design methods of dissipative output tracking state-feedback controller are provided, and the desired controller gain can be expressed through the solutions of LMIs. Finally, a numerical simulation example is given to illustrate the validity of the proposed results.

This paper is concerned with the delay-dependent H∞ control problem for continuous-time descriptor Markovian jump systems with time-varying delay. By constructing various Lyapunov-Krasovskii functionals for different subsystems, together with delay decomposition method, a new delay-dependent bounded real lemma (BRL) is derived, under which descriptor Markovian jump time-delay systems are regular, impulse-free, and stochastically stable and satisfy a prescribed H∞ performance level. Since the reciprocally convex combination approach is adopted to estimate the upper bound of the integral terms, the BRL obtained in this paper is less conservative than some existing ones. Based on the proposed BRL, a sufficient condition for the existence of state feedback controller is provided. Finally, three numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the validity of the proposed methods.