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Precipitates are crucial for crafting mechanically strong metallic materials. In this work, we report the dislocation cutting of B2 (ordered body-centered cubic) nanoprecipitates, typically considered nonshearable intermetallics, in a lightweight compositionally complex steel during cryogenic tensile loading. Shearing is enabled by the high strength level for dislocation glide within the austenitic matrix, attributed to the substantial strengthening from subnanoscale local chemical ordering zones and the pronounced solid solution strengthening from the multiprincipal elements in the matrix. This mechanism not only harnesses the intense strengthening and strain hardening provided by otherwise impenetrable brittle nanoprecipitates but also introduces ductility through their sequential shearing with ongoing deformation. Our steel thus showcases ultrahigh cryogenic tensile strength up to 2 gigapascal at a remarkable tensile elongation of 34%. This study reveals a new strategy for designing high-performance structural materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we study a humanitarian relief network design problem, where the demand for relief supplies in each affected area is uncertain and can be met by more than one relief facility. Given a certain cost budget, we simultaneously optimize the decisions of relief facility location, inventory pre-positioning, and relief facility to affected area assignment so as to maximize the responsiveness. The problem is formulated as a chance-constrained stochastic programming model in which a joint chance constraint is utilized to measure the responsiveness of the humanitarian relief network. We approximate the proposed model by another model with chance constraints, which can be solved based on two settings of the demand information in each affected area: (i) the demand distribution is given; and (ii) the partial demand information, e.g., the mean, the variance, and the support, is given. We use a case study of the 2014 Typhoon Rammasun to illustrate the application of the model. Computational results demonstrate the effectiveness of the solution approaches and show that the chance-constrained stochastic programming models are superior to the deterministic model for humanitarian relief network design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an experimental investigation on the time-dependent compression behavior of dredged clay samples at high initial water contents under lower effective stress. A series of laboratory one-dimensional consolidation tests with or without aging were conducted on dredged clay samples with various initial water contents. Test results showed that initial water content has a significant effect on the primary compression of dredged clay specimen. All dredged clay specimens follow the same decreasing trend in void ratio with time. Compared with the significant decrease in void ratio in the primary consolidation stage, void ratio decreases less significantly with time in the secondary consolidation stage and tends to level off. The aging strain will not continue increasing as the increase in initial water content more than two times the liquid limit. Aging strain of specimens at different initial water contents consistently increase linearly with the increasing time. The value of secondary compression index is influenced by both aging time and initial water content. It consistently reduces with increasing aging time yet increases with increasing initial water content. We should fully consider the effect of initial water content and aging time on the secondary compression index to predict the secondary compression settlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that the high-osmolarity glycerol mitogen-activated protein kinase (HOG MAPK) signaling pathway and its downstream transcription factor CsAtf1 are involved in the regulation of fludioxonil sensitivity in C. siamense. However, the downstream target genes of CsAtf1 related to the fludioxonil stress response remain unclear. Here, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) and high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) to identify genome-wide potential CsAtf1 target genes. A total of 3809 significantly differentially expressed genes were predicted to be directly regulated by CsAtf1, including 24 cytochrome oxidase-related genes. Among them, a cytochrome P450-encoding gene, designated CsCyp51G1, was confirmed to be a target gene, and its transcriptional expression was negatively regulated by CsAtf1, as determined using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), a yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) assay, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Moreover, the overexpression mutant CsCYP51G1 of C. siamense exhibited increased fludioxonil tolerance, and the CsCYP51G1 deletion mutant exhibited decreased fludioxonil resistance, which revealed that CsCyp51G1 is involved in fludioxonil sensitivity regulation in C. siamense. However, the cellular ergosterol content of the mutants was not consistent with the phenotype of fludioxonil sensitivity, which indicated that CsCyp51G1 regulates fludioxonil sensitivity by affecting factors other than the ergosterol level in C. siamense. In conclusion, our data indicate that the transcription factor CsAtf1 negatively regulates the cytochrome P450 gene CsCyp51G1 to increase fludioxonil sensitivity in C. siamense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental temperature is usually variable in the field and can significantly affect the mechanical behavior of cemented soil. However, how the initially low-temperature curing affects the strength behavior of cemented lean clay is still pending. To identify the influence of changing temperature on the strength behavior of cemented lean clay, a series of unconfined compression strength (UCS) tests were carried out in this research. Based on test results, an overall detrimental influence on the unconfined compressive strength (qu) was found due to low-temperature curing. Compared with cemented lean clay cured at a constant low temperature, an increase in qu was observed when the curing temperature rose again to 20°C, and the recovery in qu depends mainly upon the initial low-temperature curing time. The improvement in cement hydration was the main source in strength gain for cemented lean clay cured initially at 5°C/10°C. However, for cemented lean clay once cured at 0°C, the formation and thawing of pore ice damaged the soil structure and resulted in permanent damage to the development of strength. Moreover, the failure strain εf and secant modulus E50 were consistent well with qu when the temperature was not less than 5°C. For cemented lean clay used in this study, a curing temperature range of 5°C–20°C would guarantee adequate qu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the analysis of the reaction process, the mechanism of the above abnormal phenomena was clarified. This study systematically studied the catalytic hydrogen reduction process and clarified the reaction mechanism, which is an important reference for the engineering application of this process. [Display omitted] • Uranium tetravalent (U(IV)) is the most important reductant in PUREX process of spent fuel reprocessing. • At present, hydrazine nitrate is usually used as reductant to achieve high conversion of uranium (Ⅵ) to uranium (IV) under the action of catalyst. • However, the existing studies show that the reaction kinetics is slow, and the organic impurities in hydrazine nitrate may reduce the life of the catalyst. • Here, we have developed a catalyst with hydrogen as sole reductant to achieve rapid reaction and high conversion from uranium(VI) to uranium(IV). • It was found that the particle size of catalyst support affected the diffusion of macromolecular uranium in the channel, thus affecting the reaction kinetics. • In addition, this study also found the abnormal phenomenon of the reaction system, that is, the reaction rate decreased with the increase of temperature. Using hydrogen gas as a sole reducing agent to catalyze the reduction of hexavalent uranium to prepare tetravalent uranium can avoid the problem of pollutant poisoning catalysts caused by hydrazine reducing agents. However, research using only hydrogen as the sole reducing agent is very scarce. Herein, catalyst has been developed for catalytic hydrogen reduction to prepare uranium(Ⅳ) and a systematic study of the influence of process parameters such as catalyst carrier particle size, temperature, pressure, and acidity on the catalytic hydrogen reduction process for the preparation of uranium(Ⅳ) is presented. The effect of catalyst carrier particle size is particularly pronounced due to the differing rates of molecular diffusion. Fine particle-sized catalyst carriers exhibit faster catalytic reaction kinetics. Temperature exhibits an unusual phenomenon in its impact on the reaction process. As temperature increases, the reaction rate decreases, and an upper limit reaction temperature is observed. Furthermore, at excessively high reaction temperatures, an anomalous occurrence of uranium(Ⅳ) formation followed by disappearance was observed. Through an analysis of the reaction mechanism, the underlying reasons for this abnormal phenomenon are elucidated. Additionally, this paper also reveals that reaction rates increase with increasing reaction pressure and decrease with decreasing raw material acidity. Process parameters such as reaction temperature, pressure, and acidity exhibit coupled effects on the reaction process. Different reaction upper limit temperatures are observed under varying pressures and raw material acidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrolysis behavior of U(IV) was preliminarily explored by experimental methods, and the hydrolysis characteristics of U(IV) were determined. The results show that the absorption characteristic peak of U(IV) hydrolyzed products is between 380 and 420 nm, the hydrolytic process is not linear and reversible, and the hydrolysis reaction of U(IV) includes multiple processes. There are 4 integer hydrolysis stability constants of U(IV) were experimentally analyzed. With the increasing of OH− concentration, the mean coordination number of OH− increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Austenitic 316 stainless steel flux thimble tubes (FTTs) removed from a commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR) were re-irradiated using nickel ions to evolve the irradiated microstructure to higher damage levels than those achieved in reactor. The microstructures of the neutron-plus-ion irradiated samples were compared with those of neutron irradiated only samples at the same doses to evaluate the effectiveness of ion irradiation to extend the damage range and match that created in reactor. Ion irradiations effectively captured, both qualitatively and semi-quantitatively, the evolution of dislocation loops, nanocavities, nanocluster size and density, and radiation-induced segregation (RIS) with dose. Only Ni-Si clusters were observed in ion irradiated FTT samples while Ni-Si-Mn clusters that were frequently observed in reactor irradiated samples above ∼41 dpa were absent in ion irradiated samples probably due to ballistic mixing at the high ion irradiation damage rate. Two samples were ion irradiated to ∼160 dpa to predict the irradiated microstructure that may develop due to an increase of the damage accumulation by extending a PWR life from 40 years to 60 years. The extended ion irradiation results indicated that significant microstructure changes were unlikely to occur even to very high doses near common PWR relevant temperature conditions. Overall, the microstructure resulting from ion irradiation following neutron irradiation matched that of neutron to the same dose reasonably well in most cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of severe plastic deformation applied through friction extrusion (FE) method on an Al-Ti composite billet is summarized. Formation of layered amorphous regions and specific atomic ratios (R) of Ti/Al, in addition to some crystalline Al-Ti intermetallic compounds (IMC), e.g., TiAl3 and TiAl forming et al./Ti interfaces, are noted after the deformation FE process. It seems that the amorphous regions form first and subsequently transform to corresponding Al-Ti IMCs. Semi-in situ heating demonstrated the thermal stability of such Al-Ti amorphous layered structures, with the phase transformation sequence being R = 1:3 (TiAl3, 250 °C) → R = 1:1 (TiAl, 400 °C) → R = 3:1 (Ti3Al, > 500 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to analyze the prevalence of Salmonella in multiple food commodities in the People's Republic of China by performing a meta-analysis. Accordingly, we screened studies that examined the prevalence of Salmonella in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Methodological quality assessment and heterogeneity analyses were performed for included studies. The prevalence rate with the 95% confidence interval (CI) was selected as the effect size. Subgroup analyses for each food type were conducted and then stratified by regions, food chain processing points, and seasons. In total, 49 studies were included in the meta-analysis, among them, 8 (16.3%) studies were deemed “high risk,” 13 (26.5%) studies were “unclear risk,” and 28 (57.2%) studies were “low risk.” The overall prevalence rate of Salmonella was 20.0% (95% CI: 15.9 to 24.4). The prevalence rate of Salmonella in raw meat products was 23.6% (95% CI: 19.8 to 27.6), which was higher than that in aquatic products, 13.7% (95% CI: 3.1 to 29.9), milk products, 0.9% (95% CI: 0.0 to 3.9), frozen convenience foods, 6.5% (95% CI: 4.4 to 8.9), ready-to-eat foods, 2.0% (95% CI: 1.1 to 3.2), vegetables and fruits, 0.9% (95% CI: 0.0 to 5.2), and shell eggs, 4.2% (95% CI: 3.0 to 5.7). Subgroup analyses revealed that prevalence rates of Salmonella in raw meat products from abattoirs, 26.3% (95% CI: 17.4 to 36.3) and retail stores, 30.0% (95% CI: 24.6 to 35.8) were higher than those determined from farms, 10.2% (95% CI: 7.0 to 13.9); P < 0.05); however, no significant difference was observed in the prevalence of Salmonella stratified by different geographical regions or seasons (P > 0.05). On the basis of these findings, high levels of Salmonella contamination could be detected in raw meat products in China, and the prevalence rate of Salmonella in raw meat products from abattoirs and retail stores was high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost all proxy-based temperature reconstructions for East Asia have hitherto been designed to resolve summer or annual temperature variability. Reconstruction for the winter temperature is still lacking. Here, we report an annually resolved, winter-season (December-February, DJF) temperature field reconstruction for East Asia covering the period 1300–2000 CE, based on 260 temperature-sensitive tree-ring records. The most striking feature of our new reconstruction is a significant long-term warming trend since the 14th century, which is associated with winter solar insolation at mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere and the global anthropogenic impact. The amplitude of reconstructed winter temperature change over the study period was ~4.7 times greater than that for summer temperature, and the rate of winter temperature increase was ∼6 times as much as that of summer temperature. The results from climate model simulations were consistent with the reconstruction, showing that the amplitude and rate of temperature change in winter were greater than those in summer. The reconstruction also suggests the possible influence of volcanic eruptions, anthropogenic activities and winter solar insolation on the winter temperature variations. Our result also suggests a long-term decrease in summer-to-winter temperature difference occurred in 1625 (±24 years) CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directed energy deposition (DED) provides the possibility of high-throughput synthesis by controlling the multi-channel powder feeders. However, the compositional accuracy of the targeted alloy is of concern due to the difficulty of adjusting the proportions. In this work, we present a method to improve the adjustment accuracy of the high-throughput DED technology by replacing the elemental powder with pre-alloyed powder, and binary Al–Mn alloys with different compositions were synthesized with a composition step of 1 wt.%. The effect of Mn content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloys was characterized and analyzed, and the relationship between the Al6Mn phase and the yield strength was established. The results showed that the microstructures of DED-ed Al–Mn alloys are composed of Al and Al6Mn phases with Mn contents in the range of 2–10 wt.%. The Al–Mn alloy reaches a tensile strength of 165 MPa and maintains an elongation of 9% at Mn content of 4 wt.%. The improved controlling accuracy of composition step to 1 wt.% by pre-alloyed powder in this work provides a paradigm for high-throughput discovery of high-performance alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process is an effective way to fabricate highly pure ultra-fine powders; however commercial fabrication of high quality TiC powders through conventional CVD (TiCl 4 –H 2 –CH 4) system remains a great challenge. The main obstacle is that the conversion of chemically stable TiCl 4 to TiC is too low (theoretically 13.3% at 1000 °C) to provide sufficient supersaturation to form powders but only coating. To tackle this problem, relatively unstable TiCl 3 was proposed as a novel precursor, which is easier to achieve homogeneous nucleation due to the higher conversion of TiCl 3 to TiC in the TiCl 3 –CH 4 –H 2 system (theoretically 37.7% at 1000 °C). In addition, a fluidized bed reactor (FBR) with fluidized TiC seeds providing local turbulence was employed to boost the homogeneous nucleation. Based on the novel idea, for the first time, high purity nano-sized TiC powders (about 77.1 nm, purity 99.46 at.%) were successfully fabricated by a fluidized bed chemical vapor deposition (FBCVD) process. More importantly, an advanced simple and effective process was successfully developed to activate the common TiCl 4 raw material to synthesize nano-sized TiC powders by designing the reactor. Unlabelled Image • A CVD process was used to synthesize nano TiC powders by designing reaction system. • The active precursor boosted formation of powders by improving the supersaturation. • The synthesized monodisperse powders showed high purity and spherical morphology. • Cheap TiCl 4 precursor was used to synthesize TiC powders by re-designing reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the elemental composition and surface morphology of solid tribochemical films formed on steel surfaces. The reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) method was used to synthesize nine different metal-free polymers, which were blended into commercial base oils. The polymers were either homopolymers of dodecyl methacrylate and ethylhexyl methacrylate or were co-polymers of these monomers with six polar monomers. After tribological testing at 100 °C using the ball-on-flat geometry, the resulting tribochemical films were imaged using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy. The resulting tribochemical films have thicknesses around 50–100 nm. Two of the films corresponding to small (P1—imidazole-containing copolymer) and large (P3—less polar homopolymer) wear were cross-sectioned using focused ion beam (FIB) and analyzed for elemental composition using energy-dispersive X-Ray (EDX) mapping. Oxygen and nitrogen enrichment was observed, consistent with the relative chemical composition of the precursor polymers. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) evidence suggests that at the worn surface, some organic elements penetrate or are mixed into the steel substrate giving an interlocking appearance. The two samples examined with TEM showed that P1 tribofilm is diffused or mixed with the steel substrate more so than P3, suggesting a stronger affinity and contact during tribofilm formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐crystalline {100} faceted TiC is of great significance in theory to a large number of engineering applications owing to its extraordinary catalytic properties. However, the {111} planes are prevalent in conventional TiC powders given their favorable thermodynamic stability during the initial low stoichiometric growth stage. Herein, a disproportionation–decomposition strategy is developed to directly produce Ti and C atoms to synthesize single‐crystalline {100} faceted TiC powders. Outstanding electrochemical performance of TiC {100} crystal planes in terms of the hydrogen evolution reaction is evidenced by an overpotential of 392 mV at 10 mA cm−2, which is 52% lower than that of randomly faceted TiC counterparts (815 mV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermo-mechanical processing of uranium-10 wt% molybdenum (U-10Mo) alloy fuel plates with a zirconium (Zr) interlayer leads to microstructure changes at fuel/interlayer interfaces. Secondary phases formed at this interface are particularly important to interfacial bond strength, process optimization, and maintaining structural integrity of the fuel plates during irradiation. In this work, we determined the phases and phase transformation products occurring at the interface of the U-10Mo fuel and Zr interlayer when fuel plates are subjected to short and long hot isostatic pressing (HIP) cycles. Interfacial morphology, crystal structure and composition of phases formed, and relative hardness across the U-10Mo/Zr interfaces were studied using a multi-length scale, multi-modal characterization approach involving electron microscopy, atom probe tomography, and atomic force microscopy. Results highlight that the extent of phase transformations, secondary phase formation, and hardness variability across interfaces can be controlled by modifying processing parameters. In addition, phases formed at U-10Mo/Zr interfaces are similar for both HIP process conditions, however, phase distribution, interface thickness, and relative hardness vary significantly. The extent of the discontinuous precipitation reaction leading to α -U formation is also impacted by temperature and pressure in the HIP step; greater time at elevated temperature/pressure increases extent of the DP reaction. • HIP cycle length impacts U-10Mo fuel/Zr interlayer interface thickness, distribution of secondary phases, and extent of phase transformation. • TEM and APT identify several phases at U-10Mo/Zr interfaces: α -U, γ -UMo, γ ′ -U 2 Mo, Mo 2 Zr, (U 0.66 Mo 0.33)Zr 2 , ZrC, and a mixed Zr-U oxide. • AFM reveals variability in hardness across U-10Mo/Zr interfaces can be controlled through modified processing parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) samples is a critical step in the characterization of materials, and the focused ion beam (FIB) technique is a commonly used method. However, a significant limitation of this technique is the FIB-induced damages on the foil surfaces, which can obscure the real features of interest, particularly in radiation effects studies. To overcome this limitation, this study presents a detailed description of the flash electropolishing technique, which can be used to remove the FIB damage from samples. The flash electropolishing technique has been successfully applied to a range of materials, including Fe, Fe-based model alloys, commercial Fe-Cr alloys, and advanced Fe-Cr alloys, both in their as-received and ion-irradiated states. Furthermore, the parameters used for Fe-Cr model alloys can be adjusted for commercial and advanced alloys with minimal modifications. The study also examined the effects of electropolishing variables, such as perchloric acid concentration, electropolishing temperature, Cr concentration, and voltage. Qualitatively, a general trend and scoping test strategy is explored in our experiments. Overall, the flash electropolishing technique offers a promising solution to the challenges posed by FIB-induced damages in the preparation of TEM samples. STEM-BF of Fe-8Cr irradiated at 10−4 dpa/s and 450 °C to 0.35 dpa. The irradiation-induced small dots in the right micrograph are revealed after flash electropolishing, which are fully masked by the FIB damages in the left micrograph. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exogenous strigolactones (SLs, GR24) are widely used to alleviate drought stress in wheat. The physiological and biochemical mechanisms via which SLs help overcome drought stress in wheat shoots have been reported; however, the mechanisms in wheat roots are unclear. The present study explored the effects of the exogenous application of SLs on wheat roots' growth and molecular responses under drought stress using physiological analysis and RNA-seq. RNA-seq of roots showed that SLs mainly upregulated signal transduction genes (SIS8 , CBL3 , GLR2.8 , LRK10L-2.4 , CRK29 , and CRK8) and transcription factors genes (ABR1 , BHLH61 , and MYB93). Besides, SLs upregulated a few downstream target genes, including antioxidant genes (PER2 , GSTF1 , and GSTU6), cell wall biogenesis genes (SUS4 , ADF3 , UGT13248 , UGT85A24 , UGT709G2 , BGLU31 , and LAC5), an aquaporin-encoding gene (TIP4-3), and dehydrin-encoding genes (DHN2 , DHN3 , and DHN4). As a result, SLs reduced oxidative damage, optimized root architecture, improved leaf-water relation, and alleviated drought damage. Thus, the present study provides novel insights into GR24-mediated drought stress management and a scientific basis for proposing GR24 application. • Root plays a key role in alleviation drought stress in wheat by GR24 application. • GR24 relief drought by enhancing RWC, reducing ROS and optimizing root architecture. • Antioxidants -, cell wall biosynthesis -, water -related genes were upregulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel two-dimensional (2D) Zn coordination polymers,namely [Zn(qnl)2]n (Zn-qnl) and [Zn2(tpp)(OH)2(H2O)]n (Zn-tpp) (qnl = quinoline-3-carboxylate anion, tpp = tetraphenyl phthalate anion) have been hydrothermally synthesized and discussed their solid state photoluminescent properties. Two novel Zn coordination polymers with ligands quinoline-3-carboxylic acid (Hqnl) and tetraphenylphthalic acid (H2tpp) have been prepared and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Zn-tpp and Zn-qnl show a 2D hinge layer and a 2D layer with quadrilateral meshes, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new family of non-centrosymmetric (NCS) compounds Sr6A4M4S16 (A = Ag, Cu; M = Ge, Sn) with mixed tetrahedral anionic ligands (AS4 and MS4) was successfully synthesized and characterized for the first time. All of the compounds exhibit excellent performances as promising infrared nonlinear optical (IR NLO) materials, with large NLO responses (1.1–2.0 × benchmark AgGaS2), high laser damage thresholds (2.0–4.5 × AgGaS2) and wide IR transmission ranges, and are nonhygroscopic. Moreover, their property modulation by the combination of different anionic groups was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation of high melting point sphere is of great practical value and remains a great challenge. Herein, for the first time a delicate chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process was developed for fabricating spherical TiN and TiC powders, which can hardly be attainable by conventional processes. The big equilibrium constant and released heats are key parameters for obtaining spherical TiN and TiC powders by the CVD process. Sphericity and crystallinity of these spherical powders can be controlled by adjusting nucleation and growth. The optimal TiN spheres (diameter 0.46 μm, sphericity 0.89) and TiC spheres (diameter 0.52 μm, sphericity 0.87) were obtained at 850°C under N2 and H2 and CH4, respectively. The design ideas explore a novel way to fabricate high melting point spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High quality TiN coated 316L stainless steel can hardly be fabricated by the traditional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods because of the formation of HCl (g) corrosive byproduct and phase transformation at high deposition temperature. To address the problem, herein, for the first time a novel TiCl 2 precursor is proposed to fabricate TiN coating on 316L substrate in N 2 atmosphere at low temperature. The idea is based on that metastable TiCl 2 can release fresh Ti atoms by its disproportionation reaction, and then the fresh Ti atoms react easily with N 2 to form TiN coating at low temperature without HCl byproduct. The reaction path, interface reaction, and performance of the TiN coating were investigated. The optimized nanograin TiN (45 nm) coating was successfully fabricated on 316L at 750 °C and it exhibited excellent corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dredged clay with high water is difficult to use directly in practical engineering due to its extra-low strength. So, a solidifying treatment is often used to improve its engineering properties. In this study, a number of unconfined compression shear tests were conducted to investigate the strength behavior of cemented dredged clay with straw at different curing stages. For cemented dredged clay cured for a few days, the addition of filamentous straw and powdered straw would enhance its unconfined compressive strength (qu). Then, a decrease in qu is observed for samples with a small straw content as the curing time increases, mainly due to the deterioration of the straw. However, solidified soil amended by granular straw sees its qu decreases with increasing straw content decreasing its compactness and integrity. In addition, the failure strain (εf) varies mostly within the range of (1.0% and 4.0%) and basically decreases with the increasing curing time and straw content. For the cemented dredged clay used in this research, the straw less than 6 mm with a ratio of sample diameter-to-straw length greater than 6.7 is helpful for improving the early-stage strength behavior when the straw content is less than 8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferritic/martensitic grade 91 steel (T91 or P91) is one of the candidate materials for primary and secondary loops in sodium cooled fast reactor. Recently, studies show that equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) and heat treatment can enhance the strength of T91 from 480 MPa to 1600 MPa. However, a detailed refinement mechanism is yet to be clarified. Furthermore, there is a need to correlate the hardness measurement to tensile test results in T91 steels for nuclear application. Here, we report the grain refinement mechanisms in T91 after extensive microstructural analysis. Packet (a group of martensite with the same habit plane) is identified as an elementary unit for grain refinement. The Vickers hardness correlates well with the ultimate tensile strength, with a fitting ratio of ∼3.24. However, the ratio of Vickers hardness to yield strength is a function of ductility in T91 steels. • Microstructural characterization and hardness were conducted on three different planes in ECAE deformed Grade 91 steels. • Packet (a group of martensite with the same habit plane) is identified as an elementary unit for grain refinement. • The H v correlates well with the σ UTS but the ratio of H v to σ y is a function of ductility in TMT Grade 91 steels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of high melting point non-oxide ceramic powders with mesocrystal structure is an important and challenging task. TiN mesocrystals were fabricated for the first time by using metastable TiCl2. The new synthetic strategy opens up a window for designing reaction systems and fabricating new types of non-oxide mesocrystals with high melting points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Thirteen alloys including high- and low-strength nickel-base alloys, austenitic stainless steels, and ferritic alloys were irradiated using 2 MeV protons to a damage level of 2.5 dpa at 360 °C and assessed for their susceptibility to irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) in both BWR normal water chemistry (NWC) and PWR primary water. Cracking susceptibility was highest for high strength nickel-base alloys, followed by the low strength nickel-base alloys and then the low strength iron-base alloys. Cracking in the nickel-based alloys was worst in normal water chemistry, which was reversed for the iron-based alloys. In general, cracking correlated with the degree of microstructure changes, though no single feature could be linked to cracking. IGSCC occurred in both the unirradiated and irradiated conditions in high strength nickel-base alloys with susceptibility being considerably higher following irradiation. In all cases, slip was planar, and the degree of slip localization correlated with the probability of IG crack initiation. Low strength nickel-base alloys showed the same dependence on environment as high strength alloys but were considerably less susceptible to IASCC initiation. Among the low strength iron-base alloys, alloy 800 was most susceptible to IASCC initiation in both BWR NWC and PWR primary water, which also correlated with grain boundary chromium depletion and silicon segregation. Across all alloys, cracking correlated with both the degree of localized deformation and the hardness in the irradiated condition. The agreement is expected as increased hardening also correlates with localized deformation, which is likely a necessary, though insufficient condition for cracking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the effects of facial physical attractiveness on perception and expressing habit of smiling and angry expressions. In experiment 1, 20 participants rated 60 photo subjects' smiling and angry expressions of uncontrolled physical expression configuration. The results showed that for the angry faces, the perceived expression intensity and the expression naturalness in the attractive group were significantly stronger than those in the unattractive group; for the smiling faces, this attractiveness bias was not observed. In experiment 2, using artificial expressions made by an identical expression template, interestingly, the perceived expression intensity and the expression naturalness of the smiling faces in the attractive group were stronger than those in the unattractive group, while the impression strength of anger between the two groups was approximately the same. A comparison of the two observations suggests that facial physical attractiveness can enhance the perceived intensity of a smiling expression but not an angry expression, and that the inconsistencies between the two experiments are due to the difference of expressing habits between unattractive and attractive persons. These results have implications as regards the effect of facial attractiveness on the expressing habits of expression senders and the person's development of social skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The irradiation-induced microstructure and irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) behavior of additively manufactured (AM) 316L stainless steels produced by laser powder bed fusion were evaluated for the first time. Irradiation-induced dislocation loops, voids, and γ′ precipitates were observed in all processing conditions following 2.5 dpa at 360 °C. The cell structure and dense dislocation walls in the stress-relieved AM materials recovered and showed signs of recrystallization following irradiation. Anisotropy in both tensile property and IASCC susceptibility were observed in the stress-relieved AM 316L stainless steel due to the printing texture. The hot-isotropic pressed AM 316L had better radiation tolerance and lower IASCC susceptibility than the stress-relieved AM 316L and conventionally forged 316L. Therefore, post-printing hot-isotropic pressing (HIP) is recommended for enhancing radiation tolerance and IASCC performance in nuclear applications as it eliminates the anisotropic mechanical behavior and IASCC susceptibility associated with the printing texture. Highlights • First irradiated microstructural characterization and IASCC evaluation of 3D printed 316L SSs. • Printed texture induced anisotropic mechanical and cracking behavior of additively manufactured 316L SSs. • Post-printing hot-isotropic pressing is critical for improving IASCC resistance of 3D printed 316L SS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Thirteen austenitic stainless steels, nickel-base alloys, and ferritic alloys were irradiated using 2 MeV protons at 360 °C to a damage level of 2.5 displacements per atom (dpa). Comprehensive microstructural characterization was performed for irradiation-induced features, including dislocation loops, voids, precipitates, and radiation induced segregation (RIS). Dislocation loops formed in all alloys except 14YWT, while voids were observed in alloys 316 L, 310, C22, and 14YWT. Irradiation-induced formation of γ′ precipitates was observed in alloys 316 L, 310, 800, and 690; the irradiation-enhanced, long-range ordered Ni 2 Cr phase (Pt 2 Mo-type) was observed in alloys 690, C22, 625, 625Plus, 625DA, and 725; and G-phase was observed in alloy T92. No irradiation-induced precipitates were observed in alloys X750, 718 or 14YWT. Precipitation of the γ′ phase can be understood through segregation and clustering of Si, Al, and Ti. Overall, austenitic stainless steels are generally susceptible to irradiation damage in the form of loops, voids, precipitates, and RIS. Ni-base alloys have this same type of dislocation loops and RIS behaviors but are more resistant to void swelling. Ferritic alloys showed better resistance to loop formation, void swelling and irradiation-induced precipitation. From the degree of irradiation-induced microstructural change, alloy T92 was identified as the most radiation resistant among these alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three coordination polymers, [Zn(dcd)(bipy)0.5]n (1‐Zn), [Co(dcd)(bipy)0.5]n (2‐Co), and [Cu(bipy)2(H2O)1.5·(Hdcd)2·(H2O)3.5]4n (3‐Cu) (dcd = 3,3‐dimethylcyclopropane‐1,2‐dicarboxylate dianion, bipy = 4,4′‐bipyridine) were prepared by hydrothermal reactions. They were characterized by elemental analyses, FT‐IR spectra, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray powder diffraction, photoluminescent and magnetic techniques. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies reveal that 1‐Zn and 2‐Co are isostructural and characteristic for 1D metal‐organic chains constructed by dcd bridging. Both of them contain mononuclear metal ions simultaneously bridged with short carboxylate bridges and long bipy spacers, resulting in a 2D grid framework. 3‐Cu is a neutral sandwiched ionic solid consisting of the positively charged trinuclear copper‐based coordination polymer and discrete Hdcd anions. 3‐Cu features two kinds of independent layers, which are further packed into a 3D supramolecular structure by strong hydrogen bonding interactions. Furthermore, 1‐Zn displays fluorescent emission assigned to the intra‐ligand fluorescence emission. Both 2‐Co and 3‐Cu exhibit antiferromagnetic coupling interactions. The carboxylate bridges existed in μ3‐dcd ligands can effectively mediate the antiferromagnetic interaction between CoII ions in 2‐Co, whereas strong hydrogen bonds are effective magnetic exchange pathways in 3‐Cu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nitridation processes of TiH 2 in NH 3 and N 2 were investigated for comparing the efficiency and understanding the nitridation behavior in the present study. The stoichiometric TiN layer always formed firstly and subsequently acted as the barrier to the complete nitridation. NH 3 produced the stoichiometric TiN layer more quickly and was therefore not a good N-supplying resource. The combined use of ultrafine TiH 2 and N 2 successfully synthesized the stoichiometric TiN powder. The critical particle size was optimized at 5.1 µm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve commercial-grade austenitic alloys based on the Ni-Cr-Mo-Fe quaternary system were irradiated using 2 MeV protons at 360 °C to a damage level of 2.5 displacements per atom (dpa). Long-range ordered (Pt 2 Mo-type) precipitation under proton irradiation was observed, for the first time, in alloys C22, 625, 625P, 625D, 725, and 690. No relevant short-range ordering was observed. These irradiation-enhanced long-range ordered precipitates are coherent with the matrix despite their irregular shape. Of the potential influences on long-range ordering (Ni:Cr, and Ni:(Cr + Mo) ratios, Mo, and iron concentration), Fe content was the strongest by far. The volume fraction of LRO decreases with increasing Fe content by virtue of its role as a stabilizer of the disordered FCC phase, thus reducing the energy savings from ordering. The observed effects of Fe on long-range ordering show qualitative agreement with predictions from thermodynamic modeling. Although solid state diffusion kinetics dominate long-range ordering under purely thermal conditions, ordering under irradiation here (∼ 2.5dpa) is controlled by the thermodynamic driving force. Proton irradiation thus offers a unique approach for studying the low temperature phase transformation in a thermodynamically favored, but kinetically constrained condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminium (Al) accumulates in the spleen and causes spleen apoptosis. Mitochondrial dyshomeostasis represents primary mechanisms of spleen apoptosis induced by Al. Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) is located in the gap of the mitochondrial membrane and can be released into the nucleus, leading to apoptosis. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-induced putative kinase1 (PINK1)/E3 ubiquitin ligase PARK2 (Parkin)-mediated mitophagy maintains mitochondrial homeostasis by removing damaged mitochondria, but its function in AIF-mediated spleen apoptosis induced by Al is not clear. In our study, aluminium trichloride (AlCl 3) was diluted in water for 90 d and administered to 75 male C57BL/6N mice at 0, 44.8, 59.8, 89.7, and 179.3 mg/kg body weight. AlCl 3 triggered PINK1/Parkin pathway-mediated mitophagy, induced AIF release and AIF-mediated spleen apoptosis. AlCl 3 was administered to sixty male C57BL/6N mice of wild type and Parkin knockout for 90 d at 0 and 179.3 mg/kg body weight. The results indicated that Parkin deficiency decreased mitophagy, aggravated mitochondrial damage, AIF release and AIF-mediated spleen apoptosis induced by AlCl 3. According to our results, PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy and AIF-mediated spleen apoptosis are caused by AlCl 3 , whereas mitophagy is protective in AIF-mediated apoptosis induced by AlCl 3. Mitophagy protects AIF-mediated spleen apoptosis induced by AlCl 3 through Parkin stabilization in mice. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compositionally-graded austenitic 316L stainless steel (SS) samples with five different Hafnium (Hf) concentrations (up to 1 wt.%) were additively manufactured by directed energy deposition and then were irradiated using 5 MeV Fe2+ ions to 50 displacements per atom (dpa) at 500, 550, and 600 °C, respectively. A rastering beam was used to ensure homogenous irradiations for the large areas of ∼1.40 cm2. Composition-dependent void evolution was evaluated. Void size, void number density, and void swelling all tend to decrease with increasing Hf concentration at all three temperatures. When the nominal Hf concentration increases to 1 wt.% in the doped additively manufactured (AM) 316L SS, the void swelling is over an order of magnitude lower than that in pure AM 316L. Atom probe tomography results showed that about 0.14 wt.% Hf dissolved in the matrix at the 1 wt.%. Hf nominal concentration. The suppression of void swelling by Hf addition shows qualitative agreement with the numerical calculation based on the vacancy trapping mechanism, indicating that the oversized Hf reduces the steady state vacancy concentration, and hence the incubation period of swelling is extended, resulting in a dramatic difference in void swelling. Other factors including grain boundaries, dislocation and dislocation cells, Hf-rich particles, and delta ferrite are secondary to this mechanism. This work shows that additive manufacturing enabled microalloying is promising for developing void swelling resistant materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intergranular attack near both stagnant and active stress corrosion crack (SCC) tips of solution annealed alloy 690 were characterized after constant extension rate tensile tests in simulated pressurized water reactor (PWR) primary water containing 18 cc H 2 /kg H 2 O. In both cracks, an intergranular oxide, composed of NiO and Cr 2 O 3 , was observed beyond the crack tip with an adjacent Cr depleted grain boundary migration zone. The stagnant crack has a compact Cr 2 O 3 covering the crack tip and the adjacent grain boundary migration zone is deep and free of oxidation, while the active crack has porous penetrative oxide extending into the migration zone. The ability to form a compact Cr 2 O 3 film at the crack tip is important to the IGSCC resistance and may be dictated by the efficiency of Cr diffusion up the migrated grain boundary. When a compact Cr 2 O 3 film does not form at the crack tip, the Cr depleted grain boundary migration zone is subject to penetrative oxidation via the inward diffusion of oxygen, making the zone susceptible to crack propagation. Thus, even a high Cr content cannot guarantee the immunity of a Ni base alloy to SCC during dynamic straining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a comprehensive study of the stress corrosion crack growth behaviour of laser additively-manufactured (AM) 316L stainless steel in high temperature water. A wide range of parameters and their effects were evaluated, including microstructure, heat treatment, stress intensity factor, cold work, crack orientation, oxidizing vs. reducing conditions, and porosity. Stress-relieved material exhibits anisotropic microstructure and preferred crack path along material’s build direction. With high-temperature annealing, the material recrystallizes to equiaxed structure and behaves like wrought material. The retained unrecrystallized grains in an annealed AM part may not affect the cracking. Increased porosity may enhance the crack growth rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been well recognized that pore fluid salinity significantly affects physical and mechanical properties of clays. However, how to correlate the pore fluid salinity effects on mechanical behaviour with physicochemical variations induced by pore fluid salinity changes is still pending. This study investigates the changes in liquid limit, oxide compositions and compressibility with pore fluid salinity, based on experimental data obtained from reconstituted specimens of two marine clays in China. It is found that oxide compositions vary little with the change in pore fluid salinity, indicating that no chemical reaction occurs during pore salt changing for the investigated clays. Such a finding means that the pore fluid salinity effects on compression behaviour of reconstituted clays can be attributed to the variations in physical properties. For the investigated marine clays with illite as predominant clay mineral, the void ratio at liquid limit is the crucial physical index of assessing the pore fluid salinity effects on the compression behaviour. The intrinsic compression concept is also introduced to compare the compression behaviour of reconstituted clays with and without pore salt. A quantitative approach is proposed to assess the pore fluid salinity effects on the compression behaviour of marine clays reconstituted at different initial water contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxide film formed on alloy 690 in simulated pressurized water reactor primary water is decorated with NiFe 2 O 4 particles which remain epitaxial with matrix. The penetrative inner oxides on both surface and crack wall are composed of Cr-rich (Fe,Cr,Ni) 3 O 4 and Cr 2 O 3 which were formed by solid state reactions of substrate with inwards diffusing oxygen and have orientation relationships with the substrate. Cr 2 O 3 forms first along the widely spaced planes of substrate. Compact Cr 2 O 3 layer cannot develop as there is no long-range outward diffusion of Cr in substrate with low defect density at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new fusion algorithm for infrared (IR) and visible light (ViS) images by combining object region detection with the Non-Subsampled Contourlet Transform (NSCT). First, the saliency map for the IR image is acquired with saliency detection. Second, the object region in the IR image is extracted by introducing a free regions removal method. Third, source images are decomposed via NSCT and different fusion rules for low frequency sub-bands and high frequency sub-bands are employed. Then, the primary fused image is generated by the inverse NSCT. Finally, integrating the primary fused image with the object region, the final fused image is obtained. By conducting experiments, we compare our method to others using several metrics and results show that the proposed method can improve the quality of the fused image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crash warning systems have been deployed in the high-end vehicle market segment for some time and are trickling down to additional motor vehicle industry segments each year. The motorcycle segment, however, has no deployed crash warning system to date. With the active development of next generation crash warning systems based on connected vehicle technologies, this study explored possible interface designs for motorcycle crash warning systems and evaluated their rider acceptance and effectiveness in a connected vehicle context. Four prototype warning interface displays covering three warning mode alternatives (auditory, visual, and haptic) were designed and developed for motorcycles. They were tested on-road with three connected vehicle safety applications - intersection movement assist, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning - which were selected according to the most impactful crash types identified for motorcycles. Combined auditory and haptic displays showed considerable promise for implementation. Auditory display is easily implemented given the adoption rate of in-helmet auditory systems. Its weakness of presenting directional information in this study may be remedied by using simple speech or with the help of haptic design, which performed well at providing such information and was also found to be attractive to riders. The findings revealed both opportunities and challenges of visual displays for motorcycle crash warning systems. More importantly, differences among riders of three major motorcycle types (cruiser, sport, and touring) in terms of rider acceptance of a motorcycle crash warning system were revealed. Based on the results, recommendations were provided for an appropriate crash warning interface design for motorcycles and riders in a connected vehicle environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A uranium-10 wt% molybdenum (U10Mo) alloy is one of the primary candidates for metallic fuels that would use low-enriched uranium in place of highly enriched uranium, to support nuclear nonproliferation efforts. Optimal performance of a U-based metallic nuclear fuel can be achieved by retaining the high-temperature, body-centered cubic (bcc) allotrope (γ-U) at room temperature, which can be accomplished in the U10Mo alloy. However, presence of minor alloying elements can influence the final constitution of room-temperature phases in the U10Mo alloy, specifically, formation of α-U phase which results in anisotropic behavior of the fuel in reactor. Through a detailed transmission electron microscopy analysis, the present study reports the constituent phases that are present in a U10Mo alloy containing ~0.1 wt% Si after it is subjected to homogenization heat treatment and thermomechanical processing. For comparison, results from an undoped U10Mo alloy are also included. The experimental results reveal that γ-UMo solid solution is the major phase in a hot-rolled, Si-doped U10Mo alloy metallic fuel foil, along with U 2 MoSi 2 C, UC, and U 2 Mo, after isothermal annealing at 460 °C for 10 h. In contrast, after the same heat treatment, the undoped U10Mo alloy metallic fuel had formed a noticeable amount of α-U along prior γ-UMo grain boundaries through discontinuous precipitation (DP, area fraction: ~27.9 %) with characteristic lamellar morphology, together with γ-UMo, UC, and U 2 Mo. This result indicates that doping with Si could mitigate the DP reaction in U10Mo alloy and prevent formation of undesirable α-U. This work sheds light on optimizing Si-doping–dominated microstructure in U10Mo fuels and facilitates designing and tuning of microstructures of U10Mo alloys for tailoring the final designed performance of the fuel under irradiation. • Major phases in Si-doped homogenized U-10Mo sample include γ-UMo, U 2 Mo, UC, and U 2 MoSi 2 C. • After hot rolling, U 2 Mo, UC, and U 2 MoSi 2 C are there with a few α-U and UO 2 nanoparticles detected at GBs. • The area fraction of DP zones in undoped, hot-rolled U-10Mo is ~30%. Major phases after DP in hot-rolled undoped U-10Mo are γ-UMo, α-U, UC, and U 2 Mo. • Si preferentially segregates at the α-U lamellae/γ-UMo interfaces rather than at the γ΄-U 2 Mo/γ-UMo interface, and retards DP-based eutectoid transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a time-sensitive application, the usefulness of its end results (also called the application's accrued utility value in the paper) depends on the time when the application is completed and its results are delivered. In this paper, we address the accrued utility value maximization problem for narrow parallel and time-sensitive applications. We first consider the problem in the context of a discrete time domain and present the Spatial-Temporal Interference Based (STIB) scheduling algorithm. We formally prove that the STIB algorithm is a 2-approximation algorithm. Second, we extend our work to a continuous time domain and present a heuristic scheduling algorithm, i.e., the Continuous Spatial-Temporal Interference Based (STIB-C) algorithm to maximize the system's total accrued utility value when the system operates in a continuous time domain. The extensive empirical evaluations reveal that: (1) in a discrete time domain, the systems’ total accrued utility values obtained through the STIB algorithm are consistent with the theoretic bound, i.e., they never go below 50 percent of the optimal value. In fact, on average, the STIB algorithm can achieve over 92.5 percent of the optimal value; (2) compared to other scheduling policies listed in the literature, the developed STIB and STIB-C algorithms have clear advantages in terms of the system's total accrued utility value and the profitable application ratio. In particular, in terms of the system's total accrued utility value, both the STIB  and the STIB-C  algorithms achieve as much as six times for both the First Come First Come Serve(FCFS) with backfilling algorithm and the Gang Earliest Deadline First (EDF) algorithm, and 4.5 times for the 0-1 Knapsack based scheduling algorithm. In terms of the profitable application ratio, both the STIB and the STIB-C  algorithms obtain as much as four times for both the FCFS with backfilling algorithm and the Gang EDF algorithm, and two times for the 0-1 Knapsack based scheduling algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arctic troposphere has warmed faster than the global average over the last several decades. It was suggested that atmospheric northward energy transport (ANET) into the Arctic had contributed to tropospheric warming in the Arctic. Here we calculate ANET based on the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data from 1979 to 2012. During this period the zonally integrated energy flux into the Arctic has decreased rather than increased in all seasons. However, the trends are statistically insignificant except for the winter and annual mean fluxes. For the winter season, the transient eddy flux of energy increases over Greenland and the Greenland Sea and decreases over west-central Siberia (WCS). Trends in meridional wind variance and vorticity also indicate increasing transient eddy activity over Northern Canada, the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea and decreasing activity over WCS. Inter-winter variations in local vorticity over the WCS are significantly anti-correlated with the Arctic climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to isolate and identify the muscovite-solubilizing microorganisms, and then to exploit the mechanism of K-extraction by the isolated microorganisms. Ten strains of microorganisms were isolated from soil sample in K-bearing mineral area (Anhui province, China) using Aleksandov agar medium, which had different degrees of muscovite-solubilizing in the K-extraction experiments. After 15-day incubation, the K-extraction ability was evaluated through dissolved structural element of muscovite in aqueous medium (K, Al, Si) by Inductively Coupled Plasma. Four best muscovite-solubilizing microorganisms were identified by 18S rDNA analysis as Penicillium purpurogenum, Talaromyces radicus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aureobasidium pullulans, respectively. Furthermore, organic acids in the medium were determined by high performance liquid chromatography, and the surface morphology and composition of original and leached muscovite were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. According to these analytical results, it was deducted that the interactions between fungi and muscovite, along with excreted organic acids and K-adsorption by the fungal hyphae contribute to muscovite weathering and K-release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Porphyromonas gingivalis bacterium is one of the most influential pathogens in oral infections. In the current study, the antimicrobial activity of α-amylase and pentamidine against Porphyromonas gingivalis was evaluated. Their in vitro inhibitory activity was investigated with the agar overlay technique, and the minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations were determined. Using the bactericidal concentration, the antimicrobial actions of the inhibitors were investigated. In the present study, multiple techniques were utilized, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), general structural analysis and differential gene expression analysis. The results obtained from SEM and bactericidal analysis indicated a notable observation; the pentamidine and α-amylase treatment destroyed the structure of the bacterial cell membranes, which led to cell death. These results were used tofurther explore these inhibitors and the mechanisms by which they act. Downregulated expression levels were observed for a number of genes coding for hemagglutinins and gingipains, and various genes involved in hemin uptake, chromosome replication and energy production. However, the expression levels of genes associated with iron storage and oxidative stress were upregulated by α-amylase and pentamidine. A greater effect was noted in response to pentamidine treatment. The results of the present study demonstrate promising therapeutic potential for α-amylases and pentamidine. These molecules have the potential to be used to develop novel drugs and broaden the availability of pharmacological tools for the attenuation of oral infections caused by Porphyromonas gingivalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ether electrolytes are considered to be one of the most promising candidates for lithium metal batteries (LMBs) since they help to form a stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on lithium anodes. However, conventional liquid ether electrolytes are not suitable for the high‐voltage LMBs over 4.5 V due to their narrow potential windows. Herein, a gel electrolyte strategy is demonstrated to improve the high voltage stability of ether electrolytes in LMBs with Li‐rich layered oxide (LLO) cathodes that usually operate at 4.6 V and above. Compared with a liquid electrolyte, the electrochemical window of the gel electrolyte with cross‐linked amide framework is increased by 1 V. The strong cross‐linked framework not only regulates the uniform growth of cathode electrolyte interface (CEI)/SEI on the cathode/anode sides, but also greatly increases the Li+ transference number and inhibits the generation of harmful substances by anchoring PF6− anions, thus providing a long cycle for LMBs at a high voltage up to 4.7 V. Simultaneously, the flame retardancy and flexibility of the gel electrolyte ensures the safe operation of high‐voltage LMBs. Therefore, the LLO||Li pouch cell using gel electrolyte realizes stable cycling at a high voltage 4.6 V, and can pass the acupuncture test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1) is a toxic food pollutant that has extensive deleterious impacts on the kidney. Oxidative stress represents the primary mechanism of AFB 1 nephrotoxicity and can also cause mitochondrial damage. Damaged mitochondria can trigger apoptosis leading to kidney injury. PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy can alleviate mitochondrial injury to maintain cellular homeostasis, however, its role in AFB 1 -induced kidney damage is unknown. To investigate the effect of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy on kidney impairment triggered by AFB 1 , 40 male wild-type (WT) C57BL/6N mice were first assigned to 4 groups and orally exposed to AFB 1 at 0, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mg/kg body weight (BW) for 28 days. The results revealed that AFB 1 induced kidney damage, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, apoptosis and activated PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy with a dose-dependent effect. Then, 20 male WT C57BL/6N mice and 20 male Parkin knockout (Parkin-/-) C57BL/6N mice were assigned to 4 groups and orally exposed to AFB 1 at 0, 1, 0, and 1 mg/kg BW for 28 days. The results revealed that Parkin-/- suppressed mitophagy and exacerbated kidney damage, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis under AFB 1 exposure. The aforementioned evidences demonstrate that PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy is activated by AFB 1 and protects against kidney damage in mice. PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy is activated to protect against AFB 1 -induced kidney damage in mice. [Display omitted] • AFB 1 activates PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in mouse kidneys. • Parkin−/- exacerbates kidney damage, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis induced by AFB 1. • PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy protects against AFB 1 -induced kidney damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal evolution of nanoscale oxide inclusions in 316L stainless steel (SS) manufactured by laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (AM) was explored. The size, chemical composition, morphology, and distribution of the oxides were characterized as the function of heat treatment conditions. The study revealed the mechanistic driving force of the rapid oxide coarsening during recrystallization. Ostwald ripening governs oxide coarsening. The active grain boundary-oxide interaction at the early stage of recrystallization accelerated oxide coarsening via enhanced solute diffusion along grain boundaries. Pipe diffusion along dislocation cellular boundaries has a negligible contribution to oxide coarsening. At high temperatures (T > 1065 °C), although lattice diffusion primarily controlled the oxide growth, the contribution from the grain-boundary diffusion was necessary. The transformation from MnSiO 3 to CrMn 2 O 4 took place in the un-recrystallized grains but was not observed when recrystallization started. The interaction of grain boundary and oxides during recrystallization resulted in a high fraction of oxides accumulated at grain boundaries. While oxide coarsening does not significantly alter the toughness value, grain-boundary oxides promote microvoid formation and intergranular fracture under Charpy impact in the recrystallized AM 316L SS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructural evolution under the extreme environments imposed during cold spray deposition and the microstructural recovery during post-processing annealing treatments is rather complex and not well understood. Here, Nickel-Yttria (Ni-Y 2 O 3) cermet coatings on a 304 stainless steel (SS304) substrate were produced using cold spray technique, resulting in a bimodal grain structure. The phase stability, mechanical properties are investigated in both as-deposited and annealed (350 ⁰C) Ni-Y 2 O 3 coatings. A multimodal microstructural characterization using electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography shows the structural and compositional stability of Y 2 O 3 particles and Ni grains. A fragmentation of Y-rich particles and dispersion in Ni was observed, however, no forced mixing/dissolution of Y in Ni is detected. As compared with pure Ni coating (control test), Ni-Y 2 O 3 coating slowed a retarded grain growth during annealing. Additionally, Ni-Y 2 O 3 coating was 1.5 times harder and showed better thermal and mechanical stability compared to the Ni coating after annealing. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CsAtf1 affects the regulation of fludioxonil resistance. • CsAtf1 deletion attenuates the virulence of C. siamense. • CsAtf1 deletion mutants showed slightly retarded mycelial growth, small conidia, slow spore germination, and abnormal appressorium formation. In phytopathogenic fungi, the HOG MAPK pathway has roles in osmoregulation, fungicide sensitivity, and other processes. The ATF1/CREB-activating transcription factor Atf1 is a regulator that functions downstream of the HOG MAPK pathway. Here, we identified a gene, designated CsAtf1 , that encodes a bZIP transcription factor in Colletotrichum siamense , which is the main pathogen that causes Colletotrichum leaf fall disease in rubber trees in China. CsAtf1 localizes to the nucleus. Its mRNA expression correlates positively with that of CsPbs2 and CsHog1 in the HOG MAPK pathway in response to activator (anisomycin), inhibitor (SB203580) and fludioxonil treatments. The CsAtf1 deletion mutant showed slightly retarded mycelial growth, small conidia, slow spore germination, and abnormal appressorium formation. This mutant showed the increased spore germination rate after fludioxonil treatment and more resistance to the fungicide fludioxonil than did the wild-type fungus. However, unlike deletion of Pbs2 or Hog1 , which resulted in greater sensitivity to osmotic stress, the CsAtf1 deletion induced slightly increased resistance to osmotic stress and the cell wall stress response. The ΔCsAtf1 strain also exhibited significantly reduced virulence on rubber tree leaves. These data revealed that CsAtf1 plays a key role in the regulation of fludioxonil sensitivity and in pathogenicity regulation in C. siamense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]