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Background: The intricate etiology of autoimmune liver disease (AILD) involves genetic, environmental, and other factors that yet to be completely elucidated. This study comprehensively assessed the causal association between genetically predicted modifiable risk factors and AILD by employing Mendelian randomization. Methods: Genetic variants associated with 29 exposure factors were obtained from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Genetic association data with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) were also obtained from publicly available GWAS. Univariate and multivariate Mendelian randomization analyses were performed to identify potential risk factors for AILD. Results: Genetically predicted rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (OR = 1.620, 95%CI 1.423–1.843, P = 2.506 × 10− 13) was significantly associated with an increased risk of AIH. Genetically predicted smoking initiation (OR = 1.637, 95%CI 1.055–2.540, P = 0.028), lower coffee intake (OR = 0.359, 95%CI 0.131–0.985, P = 0.047), cholelithiasis (OR = 1.134, 95%CI 1.023–1.257, P = 0.017) and higher C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR = 1.397, 95%CI 1.094–1.784, P = 0.007) were suggestively associated with an increased risk of AIH. Genetically predicted inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (OR = 1.212, 95%CI 1.127–1.303, P = 2.015 × 10− 7) and RA (OR = 1.417, 95%CI 1.193–1.683, P = 7.193 × 10− 5) were significantly associated with increased risk of PBC. Genetically predicted smoking initiation (OR = 1.167, 95%CI 1.005–1.355, P = 0.043), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (OR = 1.086, 95%CI 1.017–1.160, P = 0.014) and higher CRP (OR = 1.199, 95%CI 1.019–1.410, P = 0.028) were suggestively associated with an increased risk of PBC. Higher vitamin D3 (OR = 0.741, 95%CI 0.560–0.980, P = 0.036) and calcium (OR = 0.834, 95%CI 0.699–0.995, P = 0.044) levels were suggestive protective factors for PBC. Genetically predicted smoking initiation (OR = 0.630, 95%CI 0.462–0.860, P = 0.004) was suggestively associated with a decreased risk of PSC. Genetically predicted IBD (OR = 1.252, 95%CI 1.164–1.346, P = 1.394 × 10− 9), RA (OR = 1.543, 95%CI 1.279–1.861, P = 5.728 × 10− 6) and lower glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (OR = 0.268, 95%CI 0.141–0.510, P = 6.172 × 10− 5) were positively associated with an increased risk of PSC. Conclusions: Evidence on the causal relationship between 29 genetically predicted modifiable risk factors and the risk of AIH, PBC, and PSC is provided by this study. These findings provide fresh perspectives on the management and prevention strategies for AILD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackground and objective: Cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) for somatoform disorders (SFDs) is understudied in China. Western findings may not be applicable to Chinese culture. This preliminary study evaluated the efficacy of CBT for patients in China, relative to treatment-as-usual (TAU). Methods: Seventy patients with SFDs randomly received either combined CBT and TAU (CBT + TAU), or TAU alone between January 2018 to May 2019. The CBT + TAU group received 12 weekly individual 50-minute CBT sessions. Participants were blindly assessed at 4 timepoints (baseline, week 6, end of treatment: week 12; 12 weeks post-treatment: week 24) using the following outcome measures: SQSS (Self-screening Questionnaire for Somatic Symptoms); PHQ-15 (Patient-Health-Questionnaire-15) and the WI (Whiteley Index); GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7); HAMD-17 (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17); Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS); Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS); and the Short Form of Quality-of-Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-SF). The primary endpoint was the difference between the SQSS total score at week 24 and the baseline. A mixed model for repeated measures was used to analyze inter- and intra-group changes from the baseline. Results: At week 24, The least-squares mean (LSM) change of the total score on the SQSS was −18.87 points and −9.69 points, respectively in the CBT + TAU group and in the TAU group (LSM difference, −9.18 points; 95% confidence interval, −15.72 to −2.64; P = 0.0068). At week 24, the LSM changes from baseline in the WI, HAMD, PHQ15, FBIS and SDS total scores were significantly different between the two groups, however, there was no significant difference in the Q-LES-Q-SF. The SQSS of group effect sizes were 0.63 at 24 weeks. The dropout rates of the CBT + TAU and TAU groups were comparable (22.9% and 19.3%). Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that CBT may be helpful for improving the symptoms of patients with SFDs in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐nitrogen stainless bearing steel (HNSBS) is the most representative third‐generation aviation bearing steel, and the cleanliness and microstructure characteristics of bearing steel are crucial to its high performance and long service life. In this work, the effect of cerium addition on the cleanliness and microstructure characteristics of as‐cast HNSBS was systematically studied by combining microstructural characterization and thermodynamic analysis methods. The results show that with increasing Ce content, the cleanliness of steel first improved and then decreased, and Ce2O2S, Ce2O3 and CeN inclusions were generated successively. The Ce content should be controlled to ≈0.012 wt% to ensure that all Al2O3, MgO · Al2O3, and MnS inclusions were modified, and minimize the formation of large‐size Ce‐bearing inclusions. Furthermore, cerium addition refined the dendrite structure due to more nucleation sites for γ‐Fe and the enrichment of Ce in the liquid phase at solidifying front. The finer and more dispersed distribution in precipitates was ascribed to the reduction of growth space and Cr segregation, as well as the increase in effective nucleation sites. These results can offer theoretical guidance for inhibiting the formation of harmful inclusions in high‐nitrogen alloy systems and refining the microstructure of alloy systems containing M23(C, N)6 and M2(C, N) precipitates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The H9N2 subtype of the avian influenza virus (AIV) is one of the main subtypes of low pathogenic AIV, and it seriously affects the poultry breeding industry. Currently, vaccination is still one of China’s main strategies for controlling H9N2 avian influenza. In this study, we selected MW548848.1 on the current popular main branch h9.4.2.5 as the reference strain, and we optimized the amino acid sequence of HA1 to make it suitable for expression in Bacillus subtilis. The B. subtilis expression vector showed good safety and stress resistance; therefore, this study constructed a recombinant B. subtilis expressing H9N2 HA1 protein and evaluated its immunogenicity in mice. The following results were obtained: the sIgA level of HA1 protein in small intestine fluid and the IgG level of PHT43-HA1/B. subtilis in serum were significantly improved (P < 0.01); PHT43-HA1/B. subtilis can cause a special immune response in mice; and cytokine detection interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) (P < 0.05) and Interleukin 2 (IL-2) (P < 0.01) expressions significantly increased. Additionally, the study found that PHT43-HA1/B. subtilis can alleviate the attack of H9N2 AIV in the spleen, lungs, and small intestine of mice. This study was the first to use an oral recombinant B. subtilis-HA1 vaccine candidate, and it provides theoretical data and technical reference for the creation of a new live vector vaccine against H9N2 AIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied an Archean mafic dike in the Trans-North China Orogen of the North China Craton, which has a magmatic age of 2701 ± 83 Ma and is currently the oldest mafic dike in the North China Craton. Such an old dike is extremely rare in the world. The presence of mafic dikes indicates that the North China Craton was in a tensional tectonic environment at 2.7 Ga. Geochemical characteristics reveal that this mafic dike belongs to continental tholeiitic basalt. Results from Hf isotope analysis reveal that the mafic dike originates from a depleted mantle. The plate assembly in the North China landmass was realized during the Archean era (2.7 Ga), and a thick and stable continental crust was formed. Therefore, the first cratonization of the North China Craton was completed before 2.7 Ga. The intrusion of the 2.7-Ga-old mafic dike from the deep lithospheric mantle of the continent indicates that the North China Craton has undergone a period of extensional tectonic activity. This event marks a significant extensional event that occurred after the cratonization of the North China Craton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the temporal and spatial evolution of the North China Craton (NCC) basement, formed by amalgamation, is a crucial issue in global geosciences. The Huozhou complex is situated at the core of the Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO) in the NCC and comprises a considerable number of Palaeoproterozoic granitic gneisses, providing valuable insights into the tectonic evolution of the TNCO. In this study, comprehensive field geological surveys, petrology, chronology, geochemistry, and Hf isotope analysis were conducted to investigate the genesis and tectonic context of the Xingtangsi and Zhengnangou granitic gneisses and elucidate the TNCO's tectonic evolution. The Xingtangsi granite gneiss yielded a magmatic zircon age of 2495±34 Ma, implying its Palaeoproterozoic or Archean origin, as previously suggested. Its protolith was I-type peraluminous granite, primarily generated through the partial melting of pre-existing continental crust materials with a small quantity of mantle-derived magma. The Zhengnangou granitic gneiss's protolith was A-type granite, and its magmatic zircon age was 2,190±11 Ma, indicating its Palaeoproterozoic origin rather than Archean. TDM1(Ma) for the Zhengnangou granitic gneiss ranged from 2,424 to 2,498 Ma, TDM2(Ma) varied from 2563 to 2684 Ma, and the εHf(t) value ranged from 1.3 to 3.3. These results suggest that it was primarily derived from newly formed crustal materials without any mantle-derived addition. Integrating our data with the literature, the ∼2.5 Ga magmatic activity in the Huozhou area may have formed in the tectonic setting of the continental arc, and ∼2.2 Ga A-type granite may have formed in a post-collisional extensional environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To confront the lack of robust and accessible models predicting diesel truck fuel consumption, this study develops an Engine-based Correction Model (ECM) using a sample containing vehicle operation and road data from heavy-duty diesel trucks (HDTs) along an urban arterial in Sichuan Province, China. This model is compared with two popular methods, the VT-Micro model and the CMEM model, in terms of goodness-of-fit and out-of-sample prediction performance. The results show that the proposed ECM models explain on average 89.7% of the variation in fuel consumption across the four modes and produce the smallest error, measured by MAPE and RMSE, for predicting each mode. Specifically, the MAPE values of the new ECM models are 7.95% to 25.59% lower than those of the VT-Micro models and 5.74% to 13.27% lower than the CMEM models. The improvement of RMSE values ranges from 0.1780 to 2.0940 cc/s and from 0.0171 to 0.7259 cc/s, compared to the VT-Micro model and CMEM model, respectively. In sum, the new ECM outperforms the other two existing models in both goodness-of-fit and predictive power across all modes. The enhanced performance of ECM can be attributed to the correction component and a model-building process powered by the simulated annealing (SA) algorithm that reliably and quickly weed out ineffective model forms. The results can inform driver training to foster energy-efficient driving behavior and assess the impact on fuel consumption of roadway design policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand erosion is usually severe for hydraulic turbine operated in sediment-laden river hydro-power plant. Continuous erosion and abrasion in hydro-turbine components not only deteriorate the turbine performance but also bring frequent maintenance work. Thus, special attentions should be paid to anti-erosion performance besides the efficiency and stability during the hydraulic design stage. In this paper, the performances of a prototype Francis turbine used for a high head heavy sediment power station were investigated by reducing the rotational speed and using splitter runner. The hydraulic performance, anti-erosion characteristics and cavitation performance were focused and analyzed. The results proved that the velocity in the runner can be effectively reduced by lower the rotational speed, but the rotational speed reduction was also limited by the efficiency and velocity near the guide vane. The splitter runner can significantly improve the disorder flow in runner by re-distributing the velocity field. The erosion resistance of guide vane can be improved by increasing the pitch diameter of the guide vane appropriately. 3100 h of operation after commissioning further confirmed the anti-erosion and stability performance of the designed Francis turbine. This research provide a good reference for the Francis turbine design operated in heavy sediment hydro-power plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Massively Parallel Quantum Chemistry (MPQC) program is a 30-year-old project that enables facile development of electronic structure methods for molecules for efficient deployment to massively parallel computing architectures. Here, we describe the historical evolution of MPQC's design into its latest (fourth) version, the capabilities and modular architecture of today's MPQC, and how MPQC facilitates rapid composition of new methods as well as its state-of-the-art performance on a variety of commodity and high-end distributed-memory computer platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to identify neuroimaging predictors to predict the response of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) based on indices of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).Methods: Fifty patients with OCD patients were enrolled and allocated to either high or low responder groups after CBT using a 50 % response rate as the delineator. The pre-treatment amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and degree centrality (DC) in each cerebrum region, defined by automated anatomical labeling atlas, were extracted. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and logistic regression were used to select features and establish models.Results: The combination of multilevel rs-fMRI indices achieved the best performance, with a cross-validation area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.900. In this combined model, an increase of interquartile range (IQR) in fALFF of right inferior orbital frontal gyrus (IOFG), and ReHo of left hippocampus and superior occipital gyrus (SOG) corresponded to a 26.52 %, 38.67 % and 24.38 % increase in the possibility to be high responders of CBT, respectively. ALFF of left thalamus and ReHo of left putamen were negatively associated with the response to CBT, with a 14.30 % and 19.91 % decrease per IQR increase of the index value.Conclusion: The combination of ALFF, fALFF and ReHo achieved a better predictive performance than separate index. Pre-treatment ALFF of the left thalamus, fALFF of the right IOFG, ReHo of the left hippocampus, SOG and putamen can be used as predictors of CBT response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Trans-North China Orogen is a major Neoarchean Paleoproterozoic collisional orogenic belt above the North China Craton, formed due to prolonged and complex processes. Even though many Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic magmatic and metamorphic activities have been reported, due to the Huozhou Complex's small outcropping range, little attention has been paid to the origin of various igneous rocks of the Huozhou Complex in the center of the Trans-North China Orogen. The Huozhou Complex, located south of the Lüliang, Wutai, and Hengshan complexes, is an important window into the Early Precambrian structure and evolution of the North China Craton. Its magma and metamorphism are crucial to understanding the development of the structural evolution of the Trans-North China Orogen. The Huozhou metamorphic complex area exposes a range of Precambrian metamorphic rocks, among which the most extensively dispersed is felsic biotite plagioclase gneiss. In this study comprehensive geological field survey, micropetrology, chronology, geochemistry, and Hf isotope analysis were carried out for the Qinggangping and Anziping gneiss in the north of the Huozhou Complex. The results show that the magmatic zircon age of the Qinggangping gneiss is 2196 ± 14 Ma, and its protolith is I-type granite, formed by partial melting of igneous rocks in the absence of weathering. Its source is mainly the juvenile crust from depleted mantle dating 2431–2719 Ma, with a small amount of mantle-derived material. The Anziping gneiss has a metamorphic zircon age of 1931 ± 13 Ma with an S-type granite protolith belonging to peraluminous granite. The Anziping gneiss is formed by recycling pre-existing crustal components at 2613–2848 Ma. A minor quantity of mantle-derived magma is also introduced to the crust simultaneously. The samples of Qinggangping gneiss and Anziping gneiss show the characteristics of obvious negative Nb, Ti, and P elements in the spider diagram of primitive mantle standardization. This implies that the rocks have the characteristics of magmatic rocks in an island arc or subduction environment, which could have formed in the tectonic environment of the continental margin arc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new reliability method combining relevance vector machine and subset simulation importance sampling is proposed. • The ability of surrogate model-based subset simulation importance sampling to handle multiple failure mode problems is achieved. • An efficient update strategy is employed to improve the prediction accuracy of relevance vector machine and avoid unnecessary iterations. • The proposed method improves computational efficiency while ensuring the accuracy of the result. Evaluating the failure probability of engineering structures involving implicit performance functions generally requires time-consuming finite element simulations. The computational effort is usually unbearable, especially for small failure probability. This paper proposes a new reliability analysis method combining relevance vector machine and subset simulation importance sampling, which guarantees the accuracy of results and improves the computational efficiency. In this method, relevance vector machine is first applied to approximate relatively coarse limit states. Then, subset simulation importance sampling is executed based on the constructed relevance vector machine. To improve the prediction accuracy, samples from first and last level are used to refine relevance vector machine. Since only the samples of last level are involved in the calculation of the failure probability, and the updated relevance vector machine has a very high prediction accuracy for the samples of last level, the obtained failure probability is extremely accurate. In addition, the samples are predicted by the well-constructed relevance vector machine rather than evaluated with real performance functions, which drastically decreases the calculation time. To reduce redundant iterations in the update process, a novel learning function based on the current design of experiment position and a stopping condition based on error estimation of reliability prediction are employed. Furthermore, the K-means clustering algorithm is utilized to implement the ability of surrogate model-based subset simulation importance sampling to handle multiple failure mode problems. The efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method are verified by four examples involving different types of features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite market-oriented reforms, China's energy sector is subject to energy price distortions, which are believed to be a crucial determinants of energy efficiency in China. This paper investigates the impact of energy price distortions on energy efficiency in China from the perspective of spatial correlation. Using the nonradial directional distance function approach, we first estimate the provincial-level energy efficiency in China. Paying attention to spatial correlation among the provinces of China, in stage two, we identify the determinants of energy efficiency. Our empirical results suggest that price distortions have a significant impact on energy efficiency in China. This impact holds when the cross-region effect is considered, i.e., besides its own energy price distortion, a region's energy efficiency is also correlated to the adjacent provinces' energy price distortions. Furthermore, we found that the levels of energy efficiencies in adjacent provinces are highly correlated. This spatial relationship can be decomposed into the 'spillover effect' and 'warning effect'. These two effects work together, determining the spatial relationship among the province-level energy efficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) varies in different patients at different stages, which makes predicting the time of disease conversions challenging.Objective: We established an algorithm by leveraging machine learning techniques to predict the probability of the conversion time to next stage for different subjects during a given period.Methods: Firstly, we used Kaplan-Meier (KM) estimation to get the transition curves of different AD stages, and calculated Log-rank statistics to test whether the progression rate between different stages was identical. This quantitatively confirmed the progression rates known in the literature. Then, we developed an approach based on deep learning model, DeepSurv, to predict the probabilities of time-to-conversion. Finally, to help interpret the deep learning model in our approach, we identified important variables contributing the most to the DeepSurv prediction, whose significance were validated with the analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results: Our machine learning approach predicted the time to conversion with a high accuracy. For each of the different stages, the concordance index (CI) of our approach was at least 86%, and the integrated Brier score (IBS) was less than 0.1. To facilitate interpretability of the prediction results, our approach identified the top 10 variables for each disease conversion scenario, which were clinicopathologically meaningful, and most of them were also statistically significant.Conclusion: Our study has the potential to provide individualized prediction for future time course of AD conversions years before their actual occurrence, thus facilitating personalized prevention and intervention strategies to slow down the progression of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex networks have become a center of interdisciplinary research. The robustness and reliability of complex systems can be determined by analyzing the characteristics of networks. The computer numerical control machine tool (CNCMT) is a typical complex system, and reliability is the key factor that affects the processing quality and performance of the CNCMT. The process of quantitatively determining the key functional components of CNCMT and carrying out reliability growth experiments on them remains difficult. A new importance-ranking method for the key functional components of the CNCMT is proposed in this study. First, the real characteristics of the CNCMT are analyzed, and the complex network of the CNCMT is constructed. Then, we study various indicators of the network and determine that the network has small-world characteristics. Finally, a variety of complex network characteristic indicators are fused, the weight of each indicator is determined based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the importance of each node is quantitatively determined, and the fused indicators are compared with a single indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A framework for the early warning of risks associated with urbanization is proposed. • Cyclical fluctuations of indicators are sensitive to policies and environmental changes. • Negative population growth, rising unemployment, and urban water shortage become the main risks in the next decade cycle. • Thresholds for early warning indicators help urbanization to cope with risks. China has focused on pre-warning risks in its national policies, under the pressure of increasing risks associated with urbanization. While developing restrictive indicators assists the government in risk management, tracking the risks associated with urbanization and identifying their critical points remains relatively rare. We addressed this gap by presenting a general framework to quantify the potential risks of urbanization. Within this framework, early warning indicators were selected from four risk dimensions associated with urbanization in China, which include population development, economic growth, resource sustainability, and environmental protection. We then analyzed the historical characteristics of these indicators from 1980 to 2020 using the Hodrick-Prescott (HP) filter method and predicted the trend from 2021 to 2030 using the Auto-Regressive Moving Average (ARMA) model. The findings were as follows: (1) A complete cycle was observed for most indicators within 10 years, and cyclical fluctuations were sensitive to changes in national policies and the external environment, with tipping points after 1–2 years. (2) Certain indicators showed risk warning signals in the next cycle, including total fertility rate, urban unemployment rate, and urban water consumption. The prediction results of these indicators provided thresholds for policy intervention. (3) As indicated by the warning signals, negative population growth, rising unemployment, and the gap between supply and demand of water resources were the main risk factors for urbanization in China. Some policy suggestions were provided for risk response, including dealing with women's job security and work-life balance, ensuring employment opportunities for vulnerable groups, accelerating the upgrading of the tertiary industry to expand domestic market demand, and strictly controlling the consumption of limited resources. These results present contribute to the formulation of national urbanization policies and development plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lagrangian particle-based smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is increasingly widely used in landslide modelling. This paper investigates four important issues not addressed by previous studies on SPH modelling of large-scale landslides, i.e., convergence property, influence of constitutive parameters, scale effect and friction reduction, and influence of different treatments of the viscous effect. The GPU-acceleration technique is employed to achieve high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) modelling. The Baige landslide is investigated by comparing numerical results with field data, and detailed analyses on the four issues are provided. Suggestions on particle resolution, constitutive parameter, and formulations of viscous discretization are also presented for future SPH modelling of large-scale landslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SiO2 and organosilicon dielectric films are deposited at low temperature. • SiO2 and organosilicon dielectric films are deposited from the same reactant. • H in organosilicon film diffused into the active layer and acts as a shallow donor. • The multilayer dielectric films have potential in transparent flexible devices. In this article, a 5-pair SiO 2 /organosilicon stacked film fabricated by inductively coupled plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition from hexamethyldisiloxane /O 2 at low temperature was introduced as InGaZnO thin film transistor (IGZO TFT) gate dielectric for transparent flexible displays. The dielectric film has the flexibility of organosilicon while maintaining the high dielectric strength of SiO 2. Due to the introduction of organosilicon, which connects with the IGZO active layer, the deep-state electron traps formed by oxygen vacancies are reduced, and moderate hydrogen diffused into IGZO layer becomes a shallow donor. Under the premise of high transmittance of the dielectric film, a high-performance TFT with mobility of 15.60 cm2/Vs was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that affects thinking, memory, and behavior. Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE) is a recently identified common neurodegenerative disease that mimics the clinical symptoms of AD. The development of drugs to prevent or treat these neurodegenerative diseases has been slow, partly because the genes associated with these diseases are incompletely understood. A notable hindrance from data analysis perspective is that, usually, the clinical samples for patients and controls are highly imbalanced, thus rendering it challenging to apply most existing machine learning algorithms to directly analyze such datasets. Meeting this data analysis challenge is critical, as more specific disease-associated gene identification may enable new insights into underlying disease-driving mechanisms and help find biomarkers and, in turn, improve prospects for effective treatment strategies. In order to detect disease-associated genes based on imbalanced transcriptome-wide data, we proposed an integrated multiple random forests (IMRF) algorithm. IMRF is effective in differentiating putative genes associated with subjects having LATE and/or AD from controls based on transcriptome-wide data, thereby enabling effective discrimination between these samples. Various forms of validations, such as cross-domain verification of our method over other datasets, improved and competitive classification performance by using identified genes, effectiveness of testing data with a classifier that is completely independent from decision trees and random forests, and relationships with prior AD and LATE studies on the genes linked to neurodegeneration, all testify to the effectiveness of IMRF in identifying genes with altered expression in LATE and/or AD. We conclude that IMRF, as an effective feature selection algorithm for imbalanced data, is promising to facilitate the development of new gene biomarkers as well as targets for effective strategies of disease prevention and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A smoothed particle hydrodynamics code based on micropolar continua for geomaterials is developed for problems involving large deformation and shear strain localization. Two typical geotechnical problems, i.e., biaxial compression test and sand column collapse, are simulated using classical and micropolar model to demonstrate the performance of the newly proposed method. A parameter study is given on the scale effect in the micropolar continua. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study on fluid-solid interaction in heterogeneous suspensions is essential for theoretical research and engineering practice. In this paper, a three-dimensional fully resolved SPH-DEM method is presented to model suspensions with non-Newtonian fluids and solid particles of arbitrary shape. The fluid phase is modelled using SPH with a regularized Bingham model, whereas aggregates with irregular shapes is modelled using a DEM method based on surface mesh representation. A simple unified hybrid contact method is proposed to model the SPH-boundary, SPH-DEM, DEM-DEM, and DEM-boundary interactions in a generalized fashion. Furthermore, GPU parallelization is employed to increase the numerical efficiency. The coupling method is validated using numerical examples including: (1) water-entry of a sphere, (2) Poiseuille flow of a Bingham material, (3) collapse of columns of irregular particles, and (4) gravity-driven heterogeneous flows with irregular particle shape. The simulation results indicate that the presented method is suitable for heterogeneous flows with irregular solid particles. [Display omitted] • A 3D fully resolved SPH-DEM coupling method is presented. • The surface mesh represented DEM (SMR-DEM) is employed to model solid particles of arbitrarily irregular shape. • A unified hybrid contact method is proposed for SPH-boundary, SPH-DEM, and DEM-DEM contacts. • Simulations of gravity driven concrete flows with irregular aggregates are carried out. • GPU parallelization is employed to improve the computational efficiency [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manual acupuncture (MA) can be used to manage high blood pressure; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown. To explore the mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of hypertension, Wistar Kyoto rats (WKYs) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were subjected to either MA stimulation or the corresponding sham procedure as a negative control (Sham-MA) for 1 week. PET-CT scans, transcriptomics and molecular biology were used to evaluate the effect of MA. The results show that MA can regulate blood pressure in SHRs, change the glucose metabolism of the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH), and affect the mRNA and protein expression levels of differentially expressed genes in the PVH. These genes may lower blood pressure by regulating angiotensin, endothelial function and inflammation. These findings reveal that MA regulates multiple biological processes and genes/proteins of the PVH, and provide a solid theoretical basis for exploring the mechanisms by which MA regulates hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most granular materials encountered in nature and industry lie either in the quasi-static regime or the intermediate dense flow regime. Debris materials are a typical granular material with viscous interstitial fluid and show solid-like behaviors before failure and fluid-like behaviors after failure. Based on Bagnold's pioneering work on granular–fluid flows, we propose a framework for constitutive model development, which has an additive form. Based on this framework, a unified constitutive model for granular–fluid material in the quasi-static and dense flow regimes is developed. The main intergranular interactions and granular–fluid interactions controlling the mechanical behaviors are taken into account using the Mohr–Coulomb model and a Bagnold-type relation. Dry granular flows in three simple configurations, i.e., plain shear, vertical chute flow and flow on an inclined plane, are studied. Analytical solutions based on the presented unified model are obtained. Comparisons between results from the presented model and the μ (I) model indicate that the explicit partition of frictional and collisional stress components provides insights into dense granular flows. In addition, the new model is used to predict the stress–strain relations in two annular shear tests. The applicability and advantages of the unified model are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deployment of many-body quantum chemistry methods onto massively parallel high-performance computing (HPC) platforms is reviewed. The particular focus is on highly accurate methods that have become popular in predictive description of chemical phenomena, such as the coupled-cluster method. The account of relevant literature is preceded by a discussion of the modern and near-future HPC landscape and the relevant computational traits of the many-body methods, in their canonical and reduced-scaling formulations, that underlie the challenges in their HPC realization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A surface mesh represented discrete element method (SMR-DEM) for granular systems with arbitrarily shaped particles is presented. The particle surfaces are approximated using contact nodes obtained from surface mesh. A hybrid contact method which combines the benefits of the sphere-to-sphere and sphere-to-surface approaches is proposed for contact detection and force computation. The simple formulation and implementation render SMR-DEM suitable for three-dimensional simulations. Furthermore, GPU parallelization is employed to achieve higher efficiency. Several numerical examples are presented to show the performance of SMR-DEM. It is found that on the particle level the method is accurate and convergent, while on the system level SMR-DEM can effectively model particle assemblies of various regular and complex irregular shapes. Unlabelled Image • A SMR-DEM for particlesof arbitrarily complex shapesis presented. • A hybrid contact method allowing simple and efficient contact detectionis proposed. • The SMR-DEMprovides results well corroborated byresults from the literature. • The computational cost of SMR-DEM is independent of the particle shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) is an infectious disease that emerged in China in 2010. It has caused serious economic losses to the poultry industry and may pose a threat to public health. We aimed to develop a new Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis)-based oral vaccine to control DTMUV transmission among poultry; to this end, we constructed a B. subtilis strain that can secrete DTMUV E protein. Ducklings were orally immunized, and serum antibodies, mucosal antibodies, and splenic cytokines were detected. The results showed that, in addition to high levels of specific IgG, there were also high levels of specific secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in ducklings orally treated with recombinant B. subtilis. In addition, the levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 in spleens were significantly boosted by recombinant B. subtilis. Recombinant B. subtilis could effectively enhance ducklings resistance to DTMUV and significantly reduce viral load (p <0.01), along with pathological damage in the brain, heart, and spleen. This is the first study to apply a B. subtilis live-vector vaccine platform for DTMUV disease prevention and control, and our results suggest that B. subtilis expressing DTMUV E protein may be a candidate vaccine against DTMUV. • A recombinant Bacillus subtilis expressing Duck Tembusu virus E protein was constructed. • Recombinant Bacillus subtilis induces high levels of intestinal specific sIgA. • Recombinant Bacillus subtilis can activate humoral and cellular immunity. • Recombinant Bacillus subtilis can reduce brain, heart, and spleen damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of existing nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) methods do not fully exploit global and local similarity information from data. In this paper, we propose a novel local similarity learning approach in the convex NMF framework, which encourages inter-class separability that is desired for clustering. Thus, the new model is capable of enhancing intra-class similarity and inter-class separability with simultaneous global and local learning. Moreover, the model learns the factor matrices in an augmented kernel space, which is a convex combination of pre-defined kernels with auto-learned weights. Thus, the learnings of cluster structure, representation factor matrix, and the optimal kernel mutually enhance each other in a seamlessly integrated model, which leads to informative representation. Multiplicative updating rules are developed with theoretical convergence guarantee. Extensive experimental results have confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NiMo/Beta(25) possessed high Brønsted acidity and high MoS 2 dispersion. • NiMo/Beta(25) can convert tetralin to mono-aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs). • A catalyst grading system composed of NiMo/A 30 Y 50 and NiMo/Beta(25) was developed. • This catalyst grading system can efficiently convert 1-methylnaphthalene to MAHs. • 52.7% and 63.8% MAHs selectivities were separately obtained with and without NH 3. Selective hydrocracking of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to mono-aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs) over zeolite-supported non-noble metal catalysts is an effective way to upgrade light cycle oil (LCO). However, it is still a challenge to increase the yield of MAHs. Herein, we report that a catalyst grading system consisting of NiMo/A 30 Y 50 (upper catalyst layer) and NiMo/Beta(25) (lower catalyst layer) can efficiently convert 1-methylnaphthalene (1-MN, representative of PAHs in LCO) into MAHs. Experimental and characterization studies reveal that NiMo/Beta(25) can facilitate the conversion of intermediates of 1-MN hydrocracking (mainly methyl tetralins and indanes) into MAHs, mainly due to its good textural property, high Brønsted acidity and high MoS 2 dispersion. Under the experimental condition of 400 °C, 6 MPa, H 2 /1-MN molar ratio = 6 and weight hourly space velocity of 1-MN (WHSV) = 1 h−1, the NiMo/A 30 Y 50 – NiMo/Beta(25) catalyst grading system can realize 99.9% conversion of 1-MN and 63.8% selectivity of MAHs, which outperforms the performance of most catalysts reported in the literature. Moreover, even if the presence of NH 3 in the reaction system, this catalyst grading system can give rise to 98.3% conversion of 1-MN and 52.7% selectivity of MAHs at 420 °C, 6 MPa, H 2 /1-MN molar ratio = 6 and WHSV = 1 h−1. The findings of this study offer new opportunities for the valorization of LCO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic brittle fracture is a numerically challenging problem that involves crack nucleation, formation, propagation, and material fragmentation. In this work, we use two forms of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), namely Eulerian SPH (ESPH) and Total Lagrangian SPH (TLSPH) augmented with the pseudo-spring or virtual-link analogy for seamless modelling of crack formation, subsequent propagation, and material fragmentation. Being particle-based in nature, SPH is naturally capable of capturing finite deformation in materials, and the pseudo-spring or virtual-link analogies provide modelling of multiple discrete cracks without any additional condition, such as visibility criteria. We simulate the crack branching and propagation in a brittle polymeric material subjected to biaxial tensile loading with a pre-existing central notch. The numerical results using ESPH and TLSPH agree with the previously published experimental and numerical results. We have also simulated the dynamic fragmentation of a cylinder and compared the results. This work shows the capability of both ESPH and TLSPH frameworks to model dynamic brittle fracture especially crack branching and curving. It is also observed that the ESPH and TLSPH frameworks present similar results for minor material deformation problems. However, the ESPH framework shows better stability and capability for finite material deformation problems. [Display omitted] • Numerical stability of Eulerian and Total-Lagrangian forms of SPH are compared. • Eulerian form (ESPH) is more stable than the Total Lagrangian form (TLSPH). • The loss of all virtual links of a particle leads to numerical instability in TLSPH. • Apriori prediction of this numerical instability in TLSPH not possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nonskeletal role of vitamin D in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) patients is not yet clear. The purpose of this study is to investigate the serum vitamin D level in patients with PBC and to explore whether serum vitamin D level is related to disease progression. The serum levels of 25(OH)D3 were measured in 185 PBC patients and 141 healthy controls. The association with vitamin D levels and disease progression, particularly natural course, was assessed. Serum vitamin D levels were measured in 185 patients with PBC. The mean level of vitamin D in advanced stage patients was lower than that in early stage patients (9.15 ± 5.33 ng/ml vs. 13.68 ± 6.33 ng/ml, p =.000). In the follow-up patients, the vitamin D level in the taken calcitriol patients showed an upward trend, while the un-taken calcitriol patients was opposite. Besides, vitamin D levels were correlated with the changes of bilirubin, albumin (ALB) and APRI (p<.05). PBC patients with vitamin D deficiency had higher bilirubin levels and lower ALB levels (p<.05). Moreover, there were differences in serum vitamin D levels between taken calcitriol patients and un-taken calcitriol patients (p =.027). Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in PBC patients. The decrease of vitamin D levels may indicate disease progression in PBC. PBC patients need to be regularly measured for serum vitamin D level and take appropriate vitamin D supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drainage channels with step-pool system are widely used to control debris flow. The blocking of debris flow often gives rise to local damage at the steps and baffles. Hence, the estimation of impact force of debris flow is crucial for designing step-pool channel. Existing empirical models for impact pressure prediction cannot consider the influence of baffle shape. In this work, a three-dimensional smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) study on the impact behavior of debris flows in step-pool systems is presented, where debris material is modeled using the regularized Bingham model. The SPH method is first checked using the results from two laboratory tests. Then, it is used to investigate the influence of baffle shape and flow density. Numerical results show that the impact pressure at the first baffle highly depends on the baffle shape; however, the largest impact pressure usually occurs at subsequent baffles due to the violent impact induced by jet flows. The peak impact pressure at the first baffle initially grows with increasing flow density; however, it starts to drop as density is beyond a threshold. Based on the numerical results, an empirical relation considering the influence of baffle shape is proposed for better prediction of debris impact pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) framework for three‐dimensional dynamic soil‐multibody interaction modeling is presented, where both soils and rigid bodies are discretized using SPH particles. In the framework, soils are modeled using the Drucker‐Prager model, while rigid bodies are considered with a multibody dynamics solver. A hybrid contact method suitable for three‐dimensional simulations is developed to model the soil‐body and body‐body frictionless and frictional contacts, where contact forces are calculated based on ideal plastic collision and the unit normal/tangential vectors of the actual surface. Owing to its simplicity in contact detection and accuracy in contact force calculation, the hybrid contact method can be easily incorporated into SPH. Furthermore, graphics processing unit (GPU) parallelization is utilized to improve efficiency. The presented numerical framework and the hybrid contact method are validated using several examples. Numerical results are compared with analytical solutions and results from the literature. Furthermore, two three‐dimensional simulations involving dynamic soil‐multibody interaction are included to demonstrate the application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-entropy carbides (HECs) are novel advanced materials composed of covalently bonded multicomponent transition metals and carbon. The transition metal atoms of all the precursor components are randomly distributed at the cation sublattice. Recently, a series of HECs with a non-stoichiometric compound (NSC) as one of the precursors have been synthesized. However, the effect of vacancies on the formation of HECs has not been addressed well. In this paper, NbC0.5 was selected as the NSC to study the interfacial diffusion behavior of NbC0.5 and other covalent transition metal compounds (MCs: M represents one of V, Ti, Ta, and W). The presence of vacancies resulted in a carbon concentration gradient, reduced the diffusion activation energy of metal atoms in NbC0.5–MC and increased the diffusion driving force. In addition, the diffusion process of WC in NbC0.5 was analyzed. Phase transformation of WC to W2C was found during diffusion. The experiment proves that HECs may be easily prepared with the participation of the NSCs, and this work provides the theoretical basis for the alloying of covalent transition metal compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chemokine receptor CXCR4 has been found to be associated with spinal neuron and glial cell activation during bone cancer pain. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Furthermore, the RhoA/ROCK2 pathway serves as a downstream pathway activated by CXCR4 during bone cancer pain. We first validated the increase in the expressions of CXCR4, p-RhoA, and p-ROCK2 in the spinal dorsal horn of a well-characterized tumor cell implantation-induced cancer pain rat model and how these expressions contributed to the pain behavior in tumor cell implantation rats. We hypothesized that spinal blockade of the CXCR4-RhoA/ROCK2 pathway is a potential analgesic therapy for cancer pain management. Methods: Adult female Sprague–Dawley rats (body weight of 180–220 g) and six- to seven-week old female Sprague–Dawley rats (body weight of 80–90 g) were taken. Ascitic cancer cells were extracted from the rats (body weight of 80–90 g) with intraperitoneally implanted Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells. Walker 256 rat mammary gland carcinoma cells were then injected (tumor cell implantation) into the intramedullary space of the tibia to establish a rat model of bone cancer pain. Results: We found increased expressions of CXCR4, p-RhoA, and p-ROCK2 in the neurons in the spinal cord. p-RhoA and p-ROCK2 were co-expressed in the neurons and promoted by overexpressed CXCR4. Intrathecal delivery of CXCR4 inhibitor Plerixafor (AMD3100) or ROCK2 inhibitor Fasudil abrogated tumor cell implantation-induced pain hypersensitivity and tumor cell implantation-induced increase in p-RhoA and p-ROCK2 expressions. Intrathecal injection of stromal-derived factor-1, the principal ligand for CXCR4, accelerated p-RhoA expression in naive rats, which was prevented by postadministration of CXCR4 inhibitor Plerixafor (AMD3100) or ROCK2 inhibitor Fasudil. Conclusions: Collectively, the spinal RhoA/ROCK2 pathway could be a critical downstream target for CXCR4-mediated neuronal sensitization and pain hypersensitivity in bone cancer pain, and it may serve as a potent therapeutic target for pain treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliability of the computer numerical control (CNC) system affects its processing performance and is a major concern in the manufacturing industry today. However, existing reliability models to assess the reliability of the CNC system often exhibit relatively large errors due to inadequate treatment of small samples. In order to get around the constraint of limited lifetime failure data and take full advantage of existing reliability parameters in traditional reliability models, a multisource information fusion-based reliability model grounded on Bayesian inference is proposed to deal with the small sample size. The prior distributions are derived by using the probability encoding method and conjugate distribution based on the idea of multisource information fusion. Then, using the Jensen–Shannon divergence (JSD) to measure the similarity between prior information and field observation data, a constrained optimization problem is established to determine the respective weight of prior information and field observation data. Finally, by conducting the reliability analysis of repairable CNC systems, the validity of the proposed model and its prior distribution derivation method are verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qi-Ge decoction (QGD), which is derived from the Huangqi Gegen decoction, contains three traditional Chinese herbs: Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi), Pueraria lobata (Gegen), and Citri Reticulatae Blanco Pericarpium (Chenpi). Gastric mucosal damage caused by ethanol was prevented and alleviated by QGD. However, the role of QGD in protecting the liver from toxins has not been reported. High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection was used to qualitatively analyze QGD. Positive control (silymarin 100 mg/kg/day), QGD (20, 10, or 5 g/kg/day), and Nrf2 inhibitor brusatol (0.4 mg/kg/2 d) were administered to rats for 7 days, and then, liver injury was induced by injecting 2 mL/kg 25% CCl4. After 24 h, blood and liver were collected for analysis and evaluation. QGD was found to contain 12 main components including calycosin, puerarin, and hesperidin. QGD treatment significantly reduced liver damage and decreased serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities. QGD increased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, and glutathione levels, but decreased malondialdehyde levels in livers from CCl4-treated rats. Compared to rats treated with CCl4 alone, after QGD administration, mRNA and protein levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 were increased, while those of Kelch-like ECH-related protein 1 (Keap1) and cytochrome P450 (CYP)2E1 were decreased. However, these improvements in QGD were reversed by brusatol. In conclusion, QGD can achieve its hepatoprotective effect through an antioxidant mechanism by activating the Nrf2 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesh-free particle methods applied to continuum fluid dynamics still use fictitious, ghost or virtual particles, and/or molecular dynamics concepts in the treatment of the boundaries. The aim of this paper is to present the implementation of the physical reflective boundary conditions (RBC), based on Newton's restitution law and the foundations of analytical geometry, in the treatment of contours in a three-dimensional (3D) domain. In a previous paper [C. A. D. Fraga Filho, "An algorithmic implementation of physical reflective boundary conditions in particle methods: Collision detection and response," Phys. Fluids 29, 113602 (2017)], RBC validation tests and simulation results were presented for a two-dimensional (2D) domain. The current work presents the validation of the collision detection and response algorithm employed for the RBC and its application in two cases (hydrostatics and hydrodynamics) in a 3D domain. Following an analysis of the simulation results, the applicability of the RBC to 3D continuum fluid dynamic problems is verified. In the hydrostatics case, a still liquid (Newtonian, incompressible, uniform, and isothermal) inside an immobile reservoir is studied. The fluid flow is modeled using an improved Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) formulation utilizing a modified concept of pressure. The simulation results are excellent, showing complete agreement with the analytical solution and the nonmotion of the particles throughout the simulation time. In the hydrodynamics case, 3D dam break flow modeling is carried out using the standard SPH formulation. Results provided by the RBC and standard SPH modeling are compared with the literature data demonstrating good agreement with the experimental findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is a meshless method gaining popularity recently in geotechnical modeling. It is suitable to solve problems involving large deformation, free-surface, cracking and fragmentation. To promote the research and application of SPH in geotechnical engineering, we present LOQUAT, an open-source three-dimensional GPU accelerated SPH solver. LOQUAT employs the standard SPH formulations for solids with two geomechnical constitutive models which are the Drucker–Prager model and a hypoplastic model. Three stabilization techniques, namely, artificial viscosity, artificial pressure and stress regularization are included. A generalized boundary particle method is presented to model static and moving boundaries with arbitrary geometry. LOQUAT employs GPU acceleration technique to greatly increase the computational efficiency. Numerical examples show that the solver is convergent, stable and highly efficient. With a mainstream GPU, it can simulate large scale problems with tens of millions of particles, and easily performs more than one thousand times faster than serial CPU code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solution to the job shop scheduling problem (JSSP) is of great significance for improving resource utilization and production efficiency of enterprises. In this paper, in view of its non-deterministic polynomial properties, a multi-agent genetic algorithm based on tabu search (MAGATS) is proposed to solve JSSPs under makespan constraints. Firstly, a multi-agent genetic algorithm (MAGA) is proposed. During the process, a multi-agent grid environment is constructed based on characteristics of multi-agent systems and genetic algorithm (GA), and a corresponding neighbor interaction operator, a mutation operator based on neighborhood structure and a self-learning operator are designed. Then, combining tabu search algorithm with a MAGA, the algorithm MAGATS are presented. Finally, 43 benchmark instances are tested with the new algorithm. Compared with four other algorithms, the optimization performance of it is analyzed based on obtained test results. Effectiveness of the new algorithm is verified by analysis results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stabilized coupled total-Lagrangian and conventional Euler kernel based smoothed particle hydrodynamics (TL-CE SPH) method is presented to model three-dimensional granular flow-structure interaction with rigid and deformable structures. In the coupled TL-CE SPH, the granular material is simulated using CESPH with the Dracker-Prager model, while the structure solver is based on TLSPH. The stabilized TLSPH with corrected kernel gradient, Lagrangian kernel function and hourglass control technique overcomes the common deficiencies of inconsistency, tensile instability and hourglass mode in structure modeling. Based on the Adami boundary condition (Adami et al., 2012), a unified framework for modeling solid boundaries and the granular media-structure interfaces is presented. Furthermore, the advanced GPU-acceleration is employed to achieve high efficiency. The coupled method is employed to simulate problems of granular collapse, granular material-structure interaction at quasi-static regime and granular flows impact on rigid and deformable structures. The presented method can simulate granular flows, the flow-structure interactions, and the deformation and stress of the structures correctly. Furthermore, the GPU-acceleration gives hundreds times of speed-up over serial CPU implementation. The presented method can be applied to large scale three-dimensional cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A TLSPH based computational framework is proposed to model crack initiation, propagation and failure in solids. • The interaction of a particle is restricted to its immediate neighbouring particles only. • A set of virtual links are used to define the interaction between the modified neighbouring particles. • Predicted crack paths are compared with the experimental and numerical results available in the literature. An algorithm is proposed to model crack initiation and propagation within the Total Lagrangian Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (TLSPH) framework. TLSPH avoids the tensile instability encountered in conventional Eulerian kernel-based Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) by making use of the Lagrangian kernel. In the present approach, the support domain of a particle is modified, where it only interacts with its immediately neighbouring particles. The gradient correction is employed to avoid the inconsistency of SPH approximation induced by insufficient neighbouring particles. A virtual link is used to define the level of interaction between each particle pair. The state of the virtual link is determined by damage law or cracking criterion. The virtual link approach allows easy and natural modelling of cracking surfaces without explicit cracking treatments such as particle splitting, field enrichment or visibility criterion. The performance of the proposed approach is demonstrated via a few numerical examples of both brittle and ductile failure under impact loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an amorphous Ga2O3 metal–semiconductor–metal photodetectors passivated by the organosilicon layer were reported. Due to the excellent passivation property of the passivation layer and the diffusion effect of hydrogen, the responsivity of Ga2O3 photodetectors was improved effectively, while the dark state current is basically unchanged. The results of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy have proved that the amount of oxygen vacancy near the interface between organosilicon and Ga2O3 layer has been passivated and the surface chemisorption was suppressed via capping a foreign layer after the deposition of organosilicon passivation layer. The Ga2O3 photodetectors with organosilicon passivation layer exhibit a boosted performance, with a low dark current of 2.96 × 10−12 A, a responsivity of 11.82 A/W, and a specific detectivity of 9.01 × 1014 Jones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sinomenine (SIN) is the active ingredient of the Chinese herb Sinomenium acutum that has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for about 30 years in China. Marked expression of the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) in the joint synovium of RA patients suggested a relationship between α7nAChR and RA. This study investigated the relationship between α7nAChR and RA development and the effects of SIN on α7nAChR expression in vivo and in vitro. Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with complete Freund's adjuvant to induce arthritis and then treated with SIN or methotrexate (MTX) from day 0 to day 30. Four clinical parameters—paw volume, arthritic index (AI), serum TNF-α concentration, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)—were measured. Splenic lymphocytes were isolated for Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) stimulation. α7nAChR expression in tissues and cells was examined by RT-PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry. Cell proliferation was evaluated by the CCK-8 assay. The relationship between α7nAChR expression and the four clinical parameters was analyzed by single-factor correlation analysis. Our results showed that the paw volume, AI, TNF-α concentration, and ESR in adjuvant-induced arthritic (AIA) rats were reduced by SIN or MTX treatment. SIN decreased α7nAChR expression in tissues and cells compared to the model group, while MTX had no significant effect on α7nAChR expression. Moreover, there was a positive relationship between α7nAChR expression and paw swelling, AI, and TNF-α concentration. Splenic lymphocyte activation was accompanied by increased α7nAChR expression, while SIN treatment inhibited cell activation and downregulated α7nAChR expression. α7nAChR expression showed a positive correlation with the progression of RA in AIA rats that may involve lymphocyte activation. Different from MTX, the inhibition of SIN on α7nAChR expression might contribute to its antiarthritic effect, suggesting that SIN could be an important supplement to the treatment strategy for RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The modified SPH method in combination with the elastoplastic and hypoplastic constitutive models is employed to tackle the large deformation in 3D landmine detonations for the first time. • The modified continuity equation is applied to tackle multiphase interfaces with a high density ratio in soil explosion. • The accuracy of the SPH method is improved by using the Kernel Gradient Correction (KGC) technique. • The Open-MP programming interface is incorporated for the parallelization and computational efficiency of the in-house SPH code. • A wide range of validations are conducted against both fairly new experimental data and other numerical results. Abstract The simulation of the soil fragmentation under buried explosive detonation is an extremely difficult task. In this paper, the modified smoothed particle hydrodynamics method (SPH) in combination with the elastoplastic and hypoplastic constitutive models is introduced to simulate the three-dimensional (3D) landmine detonation for the first time. The modified continuity equation is incorporated to tackle the multiphase interfacial problems with high density ratios. The elastoplastic and hypoplastic constitutive models are employed to describe the soil mechanical behavior. Furthermore, the in-house SPH code is parallelized using the Open-MP program interface to solve problems with large number of particles efficiently. At the end, the simulation results are compared with the experimental data, which shows that the SPH method in conjunction with these two constitutive models can tackle landmine detonation problems involving large deformation very well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A coupled total Lagrangian (TL) and weakly compressible (WC) smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is presented to model three-dimensional fluid–structure interactions (FSI) with deformable structures. In the coupled TL–WC SPH, the fluid phase is simulated using WCSPH, while the structure solver is based on TLSPH. The three main deficiencies of solid simulation using conventional SPH, i.e. inconsistency, tensile instability and hourglass mode are circumvented in the stabilized TLSPH by means of corrected kernel gradient, Lagrangian kernel function and hourglass control technique, respectively. The resulted stabilized TLSPH is stable, accurate and has almost quadratic convergence rate in solid modeling. To increase the accuracy in FSI modeling, the δ − SPH technique is employed to improve the pressure results in the fluid phase. Based on the Adami boundary condition (Adami et al., 2012), a unified framework for modeling solid boundaries and the fluid–structure interfaces is presented. Furthermore, the GPU parallelization is employed to accelerate the proposed TL–WC SPH method for higher efficiency. The coupled method is employed to simulate problems of pure fluid flow, elastic solids with large deformation and fluid–structure interaction with deformable structures. The numerical results are compared with analytical solutions and results from literature. The GPU efficiency and speed-up compared with CPU implementations are analyzed. The novelty of this work consists: (1) three-dimensional SPH modeling of FSI problems with deformable structures, (2) stabilized structure simulation free of hourglass mode, (3) a unified framework for FSI problems taking advantages of δ -SPH, TLSPH, hourglass control, and GPU acceleration. Importantly, with the hourglass control technique proposed by Ganzenmüller (2015), stresses can be captured accurately in the TL–WC SPH-based FSI simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]