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The mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of self-piercing riveted-adhesive joints of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers/6061-T6 aluminum plates was investigated. The effects of riveting pressure, aluminum surface treatment, and lap length on the mechanical properties of the joints were analyzed. The microscopic morphology of the joint at each stage of the failure process was obtained by tensile-shear test and electron microscopy scan, on which the changes of CFRP, aluminum plate, rivet, and adhesive layer at different stages were further discussed to reveal the failure mechanism of the joint. The results showed that the joint strength could be improved by appropriately increasing the riveting pressure. The surface treatment of aluminum plate could improve the surface properties of the joint, and the joint strength showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase of the sandpaper mesh. Increasing the lap length led to an increase in joint strength; however, when the lap length was increased to a certain value, the increase in joint strength was not obvious. The failure process of the adhesive riveted specimen was from the failure of the adhesive layer to the failure of the rivet, and after rivet failure, the joint failed completely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the case of a 42-year-old man with persistent hyperparathyroidism due to chronic kidney disease. The patient underwent surgery to remove an ectopic parathyroid gland located within the carotid sheath. The article also presents images of different types of ectopic parathyroid glands and highlights the importance of accurate preoperative localization using 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT dual-phase imaging. The study was conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in China. [Extracted from the article]

Underexposure to daylight in windowless factories puts assembly-line workers at risk of health problems. To investigate whether the advance light exposure in the early morning and during the lunch break benefits workers' productivity and night-time sleep, a within-subject experiment was conducted in a factory. Four experimental lighting interventions were provided twice a day before work (8:30–9:00 and 12:00–12:30) for consecutive five workdays, covering two light levels (1440 lx vs. 70 lx), each with two correlated colour temperatures (CCTs) (5300 K vs. 3300 K), plus an additional benchmark dark exposure (4 lx). Participants' subjective alertness and night-time sleep were measured daily, and the chronotype was monitored once a week. Results showed that a higher illuminance was correlated with increased subjective work alertness and higher sleep efficiency, while a lower CCT slightly improved alertness. The subjective work alertness and sleep efficiency under the two advance bright light exposures were higher than those under the dark exposure, and the responses of subjective alertness were more pronounced in the afternoon than those in the morning. Yet, the chronotype had no evident change in different lighting interventions. The present study indicated that the daily advance light exposure before work could have a delayed effect on participants' alertness and sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the potential link between RelA and BCL11B transcription factors. To this end, Jurkat and Raji cells (Jurkat:Raji 10:1), as well as normal human peripheral blood T cells, were activated by staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) and the expressions of both BCL11B and RelA mRNA and proteins were detected. BCL11B small interfering RNA was then transduced into Jurkat cells. Under the effect of SEA stimulation, the expression of BCL11B and RelA mRNA increased in two types of T cell lines over time, and the results were comparable with the levels of expression of BCL11B and RelA proteins. In the BCL11B-knockdown cells, the expression of RelA protein did not increase. These findings suggest that BCL11B regulates RelA expression in Jurkat cells and human peripheral blood T cells from healthy donors via the T-cell receptor signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erbium-doped gallium nitride (Er:GaN) is a promising gain material for solid-state high-energy lasers operating in the 1.5 μm wavelength window due to the superior optical properties and extremely high thermal conductivity of a GaN host crystal that permit high-power and high-temperature applications. We report the realization of all-crystalline GaN/Er:GaN/GaN embedded waveguide fiber structures using the hydride vapor phase epitaxy growth and re-growth technique, along with chemical–mechanical polishing processes. The Er:GaN core layer possesses an Er doping concentration of 1.7 × 10 20 atoms/cm3, confirmed by secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements. X-ray diffraction measurements confirm, respectively, c-, a-, and m-plane orientations for top/bottom, side, and front/back cross-sectional cladding layers of the fiber structure with good single-crystalline quality. The 1.5 μm Er3+ emission was detected from each surface of the fiber structures via 980 nm resonant excitation. The effect of 1.54 μm light guiding by the fiber structure has been demonstrated. This work laid the foundation toward achieving all-crystalline core-cladding fibers based on GaN wide bandgap semiconductor with potential applications in the harsh environments of high powers, power densities, and temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hyperspectral imaging system (HIS) is a helpful tool that acquires spatial and spectral information from a target. This study developed a coaxial heterogeneous HIS (CHHIS) to collect spectral images with wavelengths ranging from 400 to 1700 nm. In this system, a visible (VIS) spectrometer and a short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectrometer are combined with a coaxial optical path to share the same field of view. This structure reduces the complexity of spatial registration and maintains the scanning duration of two spectrometers as that of a single spectrometer. The spectrometers are also replaceable for extending the detecting spectral range of the system. The calibration methodologies, including spatial correction, spectral calibration, and reflectance calibration, were developed for this system. The signal-to-noise ratio of VIS and SWIR spectrometers in the CHHIS was up to 40 and 60 dB when the exposure time of the VIS and SWIR imaging sensors was 1000 and 10 ms, respectively. When the target distance was at 600 mm, the spatial error of VIS and SWIR images in the scanning direction was less than 1 pixel; these results proved that the system was stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periarticular calcification and ossification is a frequent finding on imaging and may sometimes pose a diagnostic challenge. The differential diagnoses for this radiological finding are wide and can be classified into broad groups such as idiopathic, developmental, trauma, burns, infection, tumor, connective tissue disease, crystalline, metabolic, vascular, and foreign bodies. With careful consideration of the clinical and imaging findings as well as awareness of mimickers of periarticular mineralization, the list of differential diagnoses can be narrowed down. This article aims to review the clinical-radiologic findings of periarticular calcified or ossified lesions with relevant imaging illustrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fluorescent probe II, 6-azido-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione with specific identification environment H2S, was designed and synthesized based on 4-bromine-1,8-naphthalimide and ethanamine. We used 4-bromine-1,8-naphthimide as raw materials to synthesize a new type of reactive fluorescent probe based on the mechanism of intramolecular charge transfer. These two materials are easily obtainable, low in cost, and can be synthesized through a simple two-step reaction. 1,8-Naphthalene anhydride has a moderate fluorescent ability as it introduces an electron-donating group at position 4. A change to its conjugate system can cause a push-pull electronic effect in the molecule and result in a very strong luminous effect. The structure of probe II was characterized by IR, ESI, and NMR. The preliminary screening was under the UV lamp. We found that probe II had a certain specific recognition effect on H2S in the DMSO solvent. After the solvent screening, DMSO was selected as a solvent to identify H2S specifically for the probe. The fluorescence spectroscopy illustrated that probe II showed green fluorescence in the DMSO solution. With the continuous addition of H2S, probe II showed red fluorescence at 510 nm, which produced a strong fluorescence emission peak that stood out from the rest of the spectrum. The experimental results showed that the probe had a very good sensitivity at detecting H2S (with a minimum concentration of 1 × 10–7 mol/L). Meanwhile, dozens of cations and anions do not interfere with the recognition of H2S by the probe molecule in the DMSO system. At the same time, we found that probe II could also recognize H2S by cell imaging technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erbium (Er) doped GaN (Er:GaN) bulk crystals are promising as an optical gain material for high energy lasers. Other than the preferred configuration of Er3+ occupying the Ga site with four nearest neighbor N atoms (ErGa), Er can also form a complex with a defect (ErGa-DX) in Er:GaN. A set of Er:GaN semi-bulk crystals were grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) at different growth temperatures to allow the determination of the formation energies, EF, of Er optical centers in Er:GaN. Photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra near 1.5 μm pumped by a near band edge excitation (λexc = 375 nm) and by a resonant excitation (λexc = 980 nm) were measured, which yielded two different formation energies of EF = 2.8 eV and 3.3 eV, corresponding to the formation of ErGa-DX and ErGa in Er:GaN, respectively. As a gain medium, the formation of ErGa-DX in Er:GaN would not only reduce the pumping efficiency of Er optical centers but also increase the optical loss. Our results provide useful insights into possible strategies for enhancing the fraction of ErGa in Er:GaN and, hence, the pumping efficiency, paving the way for achieving optical gain and lasing in Er:GaN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post irradiation examinations (PIE) were performed on irradiated iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) specimens. These FeCrAl specimens were fabricated at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The experimental setup involved subjecting FeCrAl cladding, along with UO 2 pellets, to irradiation in the Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). In parallel, the FeCrAl alloy tubing without UO 2 pellets was irradiated at ORNL's High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). After irradiation, the ATR-irradiated rodlet was transported to an ORNL hot cell, where it was sectioned into multiple samples for the PIE and severe-accident testing. The sectioning process revealed that the fuel was not bonded to the cladding and could be easily detached from sectioned cladding slices. Microstructural analysis of the fuel cross sections demonstrated no significant interaction between the fuel and the cladding. Additionally, high-temperature steam oxidation tests on defueled cladding segments showed minimal oxygen uptake even at 1200 °C. The ATR-irradiated specimens began to exhibit signs of enhanced oxidation upon reaching a temperature of 1300 °C. Furthermore, enhanced oxidation was observed on the inner surface of the ATR-irradiated FeCrAl specimen, which had been subjected to 1300 °C for a duration of 1 min. By contrast, high-temperature steam oxidation experiments indicated that the HFIR-irradiated FeCrAl cladding provided good thermal stability when exposed to 1300 °C for up to 4 h. Comparative analysis encompassing the oxidation behavior of the ATR-irradiated fueled FeCrAl, HFIR-irradiated unfueled FeCrAl, and unirradiated FeCrAl suggests that the fuel–cladding interaction, although not visible via standard microscale electron microscopy measurements, may accelerate the deterioration of FeCrAl cladding in beyond-design-basis accident scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the short-cadence data (1-min interval) of the Kepler space telescope, we conducted a statistical analysis for the characteristic time of stellar flares on Sun-like stars (SLS). Akin to solar flares, stellar flares show rise and decay light-curve profiles, which reflect the two distinct phases (rise phase and decay phase) of the flare process. We derived characteristic times of the two phases for stellar flares of SLS, resulting in a median rise time of about 5.9 min and a median decay time of 22.6 min. It is found that both the rise time and the decay time of the stellar flares follow a lognormal distribution. The peak positions of the lognormal distributions for flare rise time and decay time are 3.5 min and 14.8 min, respectively. These time values for stellar flares are similar to the time-scale of solar flares, which supports the idea that stellar flares and solar flares have the same physical mechanism. The statistical results obtained in this work for SLS can be a benchmark of flare characteristic times when comparing with other types of stars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Click here for the corresponding questions to this CME article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phononic crystal is now used to control acoustic waves. When the crystal goes to a larger scale, it is called periodic structure. The band gaps of the periodic structure can be reduced to range from 0.5 Hz to 50 Hz. Therefore, the periodic structure has potential applications in seismic wave reflection. In civil engineering, the periodic structure can be served as the foundation of upper structure. This type of foundation consisting of periodic structure is called periodic foundation. When the frequency of seismic waves falls into the band gaps of the periodic foundation, the seismic wave can be blocked. Field experiments of a scaled two dimensional (2D) periodic foundation with an upper structure were conducted to verify the band gap effects. Test results showed the 2D periodic foundation can effectively reduce the response of the upper structure for excitations with frequencies within the frequency band gaps. When the experimental and the finite element analysis results are compared, they agree well with each other, indicating that 2D periodic foundation is a feasible way of reducing seismic vibrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the abnormal pupillary light reflex in patients with early diabetes mellitus (DM) without retinopathy by using a custom-made noninvasive portable pupilometer. The pupilometer recorded and analyzed the pupillary light reflex. Two light intensities, 0.2 cd and 1.2 cd, and four wavelengths of stimulus light—white (400 nm–800 nm), red (640 ± 5 nm), green (534 ± 5 nm), and blue (470 ± 5 nm)—were used to stimulate the pupil for 10 ms. The pupillary response was recorded for 15 s. A total of 40 healthy people and 40 people with DM without retinopathy participated in the experiment at the National Taiwan University Hospital. The mean and standard deviation of DM duration were 4.5 years and 3.9 years. Of the 16 indices, the duration that pupil restores from its minimum size to half of its resting size (DRP), maximum pupil restoration velocity (MRV), and average restoration velocity (ARV) exhibited the most significant differences between the healthy people and those with DM. Compared with healthy participants, DRP was 16.33% higher, and MRV and ARV were 17.45% and 4.58% lower, respectively, in those with DM. This might be attributable to the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) controlling the dilator muscle during the dark-adapted period and relaxing the pupil; the SNS had few degenerated nerve endings in people with DM. The three aforementioned indices might be used to evaluate the severity of autonomic neuropathy in early DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the prognostic value of the composite posterior circulation Acute Stroke Prognosis Early Computed tomography (CT) Score (ASPECTS)-Collaterals (pcASCO) score, which combines diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) posterior circulation ASPECTS (pcASPECTS) and the magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)-collateral circulation score at baseline among patients with acute posterior circulation ischaemic stroke after mechanical thrombectomy. Patients with acute posterior circulation ischaemic stroke who underwent mechanical thrombectomy were analysed retrospectively. The DWI-pcASPECTS and MRA-collateral circulation score before treatment and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days after treatment were used as the endpoints. An mRS ≤2 was defined as a good prognosis, and an mRS ≥3 was defined as a poor prognosis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse independent predictors of functional outcome 90 days after mechanical thrombectomy. Mechanical thrombectomy was performed in 57 patients; 38 patients had a good prognosis, 19 patients had a poor prognosis, and 33 patients were successfully recanalised. Univariate logistic regression found that National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (OR: 1.18, p< 0.001), pcASPECTS (OR: 1.91, p= 0.028) and pcASCO score (OR: 0.51, p= 0.001) were factors of good functional outcome. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) analysis showed that the diagnostic efficiency of the NIHSS and pcASCO was better (AUC = 0.88, 0.83, p< 0.05) than that of the pcASPECTS (AUC = 0.65). The prediction model was established by age, NIHSS, and pcASCO, and the diagnostic efficiency of the prediction model was better (AUC = 0.94). The composite MR-pcASCO score can be used as an important predictor of the prognosis of patients with acute posterior circulation ischaemic stroke after mechanical thrombectomy. • pcASCO can be used as a simple and feasible imaging tool. • pcASCO may predict clinical outcomes and provide treatment guidance. • The NIHSS score and pcASCO score were independent predictors of good functional outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) followed by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) consolidation is the current standard of care for unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). However, most patients diagnosed with unresectable LA-NSCLC will not meet the criteria for adjuvant ICIs in the real world. Theoretically, adjusting the ICIs from the consolidation phase to the induction setting could greatly improve the patient' s compliance to receive ICIs therapy. Consequently, we performed this study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of induction ICIs and chemotherapy followed by definitive CRT for unresectable LA-NSCLC. A total of 102 unresectable stage III NSCLC patients who received neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy followed by definitive CRT between 2019 and 2022 were identified. The primary endpoint of this study was to determine the efficacy of this treatment pattern, including overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). Disease control rate (DCR) and toxicities were the secondary objective. The median age was 64 years (range 34-81), including 58 (56.9%) squamous cell carcinoma and 37 (36.3%) non-squamous cell carcinoma patients. There were 34 (33.3%), 39 (38.2%) and 29 (28.4%) patients with stage IIIA, IIIB and IIIC disease, respectively. The DCR at the end of induction immunochemotherapy was 87.3%. The median PFS was 20.4 months (95% CI, 15.7-25.1), with PFS rates of 90.1% at 6 months, 70.4% at 1 year, 55.2% at 18 months and 41.9% at 2 years. The rates of OS were 92.8%, and 76.2% at 1 year, and 2 years, respectively, and the median OS was not reached. For patients without progression before CRT, the median OS was also not reached, and the median PFS was 21.3 months. Patients receiving concurrent CRT manifested significantly better OS, compared with sequential CRT (12-month OS, 89.4% vs. 100.0%; 24-month OS, 70.2% vs. 87.3%; P = 0.030). Patients with PD-L1 expression of 50% or more manifested significantly higher partial response rate (70.4% vs. 45.3%, P = 0.033), along with better survival (median PFS, 17.3 months vs. NR, P = 0.034; median OS, 26.5 months vs. NR, P = 0.037), compared to those less than 50%. Treatment was well tolerated, with an incidence of 4.9% for grade 3 or greater pneumonitis or radiation pneumonitis (RP). The most common severe (grade ≥3) adverse events were hematologic toxicities and no unexpected treatment related toxicities occurred. Induction immunochemotherapy followed by definitive CRT showed promising efficacy and tolerable toxicities for unresectable LA-NSCLC, especially for those with tumoral PD-L1 expression over 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erbium doped GaN (Er:GaN) is a promising candidate as a novel gain medium for solid-state high energy lasers (HELs) due to its superior physical properties over a synthetic garnet such as Nd:YAG. Er:GaN emits in the 1.5 µm region, which is retina-safe and has a high transmission in the air. We report photoluminescence (PL) studies performed on Er:GaN epilayers synthesized by the hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) technique. The room temperature PL spectra of HVPE grown Er:GaN epilayers resolved as many as 11 and seven emission lines in the 1.5 µm and 1.0 µm wavelength regions, respectively, corresponding to the intra-4f shell transitions between Stark levels from the first (4I13/2) and the second (4I11/2) excited states to the ground state (4I15/2) of Er3+ in GaN. The observed peak positions of these transitions enabled the construction of the detailed energy levels in Er:GaN. The results agree well with those of the calculation based on a crystal field analysis. Precise determination of the detailed energy levels of the Stark levels in the 4I11/2, 4I13/2, and 4I15/5 states is critically important for the realization of HELs based on Er:GaN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, experiments were carried out to investigate the detonation velocity behavior near limits in rough-walled tubes. The wall roughness was introduced by using different spiral inserts in 76.2-mm-diameter, 50.8-mm-diameter, 38.1-mm-diameter, and 25.4-mm-diameter tubes. Different pre-mixed mixtures, CH4 + 2O2, C2H2 + 2.5O2, C2H2 + 2.5O2 + 70%Ar, and 2H2 + O2 were tested in the experiments. Different spiral wire diameters were used, and the pitch of each spiral was twice of the diameter to keep the same level of roughness in all experiments for each tube. Fiber optics were used to record the detonation time of arrival to deduce the velocity. The normalized velocity V/VCJ and the velocity deficit δ were computed and analyzed to describe the detonation behavior near the limit. The cellular structure near the limit was recorded by the smoked foils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the time-dependent deformation behaviors of microscale materials have been investigated through experiments with uniaxial loading conditions, the influence of the strain gradient has not been clearly clarified due to the lack of appropriate testing methods. In the current study, to investigate the stress relaxation behavior of microscale single-crystal copper (Cu) at room temperature, a quantitative in situ SEM bending experiment is presented using microcantilever specimens of single-crystal Cu. The microcantilever specimens were fabricated using a focused ion beam, and a tungsten (W) layer was deposited onto the front surface to eliminate the error induced by the penetration of the stiff indenter into the metallic specimen. The yield stress of microscale single-crystal Cu is determined to be 445 MPa by a monotonic loading test, showing an apparent size effect, and no strain hardening is observed due to single-slip deformation. On the other hand, the stress relaxation behavior of the microscale single-crystal Cu consists of both a continuous stress relaxation and an abrupt stress decrease due to a strain burst. The activated volume in each dwell stage is obtained by thermodynamics theory and is found to be mainly related to the abrupt stress decrease. The value of the activated volume indicates that the continuous stress drops in the 1st and 2nd dwell stages are attributed to the evolution of dislocation structures by the single slip on system B4, while the dislocation pile-up near the neutral plane leads to the dominance of cross slip on the stress relaxation behavior in the bending plateau. The proposed microcantilever bending experiment is applicable to explore the time-dependent deformation behavior of small-scale materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is clear that excessive mucosal immune activation and intestinal barrier dysfunction both contribute to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis. T cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP), which extinguishes signaling in immune cells, is linked to IBD and other immune-mediated diseases. In this issue of the JCI, Marchelletta and Krishnan et al. demonstrate that, in intestinal epithelial cells, TCPTP regulates tight junction permeability in vivo. Intestinal epithelial TCPTP loss potentiated cytokine-induced barrier loss, and this synergized with effects of TCPTP loss in immune cells. This work implicates a single mutation as the cause of distinct functional aberrations in diverse cell types and demonstrates how one genetic defect can drive multihit disease pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban parks not only improve the urban ecology but also provide cultural ecosystem services to city dwellers. This study investigated the relationship between cultural ecosystem services provided by urban parks and visitors' perception of urban park from the perspective of landsenses ecology. A perceptual indicator system was developed following the analysis of landsense elements among the park elements, for four sensory dimensions. A perceptual assessment model was established using the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) method, which could be used to divide the perceptual indicators into five grades. We found that the importance level of perceptual indicators was influenced by the type of park elements and the functional area of the visitors' sensory apparatus. On the one hand, park elements that are common or can be perceived easily receive more attention. On the other hand, among the distance receptors, wider functional area might be related to the higher importance level of the perceptual indicators; the immediate receptors also have considerable influence on perception since visitors contact with the environment directly through these. The most important indicators were related to vision and touch, including 'vision of plants', 'vision of water', 'feel of sunlight', 'touch of roads', and 'sound of animals'. Furthermore, we conducted an assessment on landsense satisfaction of a typical urban park in Beijing, suggesting ways to improve visitors' perception of urban parks from the perspective of landsenses ecology. The assessment showed that the urban park design and management practices could be improved to increase visitors' satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface film formed upon Mg-Li(-Al-Y-Zr) following aqueous immersion and air-exposure was investigated. This alloy (which contains 30.3 at. % Li) possesses a body-centred cubic (bcc) crystal structure and has been reported as being corrosion resistant. It was determined that the principal components of the surface film were Li 2 CO 3 and Mg(OH) 2 as characterised by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD). Hexagonal close-packed (hcp) grains near the alloy surface were detected by GIXRD and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The spatial distribution of Li and Mg in the surface film was characterised by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and the distribution of other major elements in the alloy was characterised by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS). It was observed that Li was distributed throughout the alloy surface film and with an elevated concentration in the so-called outer layer. • Lithium in the surface film of a Mg-Li(-Al-Y-Zr) alloy was mapped using electron energy loss spectroscopy. • Lithium was distributed throughout the surface film. • Lithium concentration in the outer layer of the surface film was relatively higher. • Hexagonal closed packed grains were observed in the matrix near the surface film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review summarizes original and literature data on changes in the ultrastructure of major cell organelles during apoptosis obtained by transmission electron microscopy. Organelles that make the most crucial contribution to the initiation of apoptosis: plasma membrane, mitochondria, proteasomes, Golgi apparatus, and endoplasmic reticulum, were of our prime attention. The nucleus and cytoskeleton that undergo essential changes, were considered as well. Special attention was paid to the data on ultrastructural changes in the cell organelles observed recently by electron microscopic tomography and correlative microscopy, in particular, to remodeling of mitochondrial crista junctions and microtubules during the execution phase of apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear vibration behaviors of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) are investigated based on Donnell’s cylindrical shell model with van der Waals (vdW) forces between the inner and outer tubes. The harmonic balance method is used to analyze the relationship between the amplitudes and the frequencies of natural vibrations of the tubes. Numerical analyses are carried out to understand the effects of vdW forces and nonlinearity on the carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The results show that the radial vibrational modes of the inner and outer tubes of simply supported DWCNTs have twice dynamical mode transitions as the frequency increases. The transitions correspond to twice the noncoaxial vibrations, which play a critical role in the electronic and transport properties of CNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) are modeled based on Donnell’s shell theory, and flow-induced instability that is induced when pressure-driven fluid goes through the inner tube at a steady flow velocity is studied. The van der Waals (vdW) interaction between the inner and outer walls is taken into account in the modeling. The numerical simulations show that the vdW interaction has significant effects on the flow-induced instability of DWCNTs. The critical flow velocities and loss of stability are closely related to the ratio of the length to the outer radius. Donnell’s shell model for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is preferred in simulations because it takes into account the shear effects in the walls. A comparison between the CNTs that are based on a Eulerian beam model and those that are based on Donnell’s shell model shows that when the 50-nm-radius tube length is shorter than 10 μm, the comparative errors between the Eulerian beam and Donnell’s shell models are greatly increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy study of the microstructure of CdTe thin films epitaxially grown on single-crystal hexagonal CdS and cubic CdTe substrates. We find that the different structures of the substrates do not make a great structural difference on the grown CdTe films; i.e., on both substrates, the grown CdTe films have a cubic structure and high density of planar defects near the interface regions. At the CdTe/CdS interface, interdiffusion occurs, forming CdTe[sub 1-x]S[sub x] and CdS[sub 1-x]Te[sub x] alloys. These alloys lead to significantly reduced mismatch at the interface.© 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erbium doped gallium nitride (Er:GaN) bulk crystals have emerged as a promising optical gain material for high energy lasers (HELs) operating at the 1.5 μm "retina-safe" spectral region. Among the many designs of HEL gain medium, the core-cladding planar waveguide (PWG) structure is highly desired due to its abilities to provide excellent optical confinement and heat dissipation. We report the realization of a GaN/Er:GaN/GaN core-cladding PWG structure synthesized by hydride vapor phase epitaxy and processed by mechanical and chemical-mechanical polishing. An Er doping concentration of [Er] = 3 × 1019 atoms/cm3 has been attained in the core layer, as confirmed by secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements. A strong 1.54 μm emission line was detected from the structure under 980 nm resonant excitation. It was shown that these PWGs can achieve a 96% optical confinement in the Er:GaN core layer having a thickness of 50 μm and [Er] = 3 × 1019 atoms/cm3. This work represents an important step toward the realization of practical Er:GaN gain medium for retina-safe HEL applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is one of the most important legume crops in the world. However, soybean grain yield is extensively affected by environmental stresses such as soil salinity. In this study, we evaluated the germplasm of 51 Indonesian soybean accessions for salt tolerance to identify salt-tolerant germplasms for possible use in breeding for soybean salt tolerance. Based on experiments under hydroponic conditions, adding 100 mM of NaCl to a 1/2 concentration of Hoagland and Arnon solution, several Indonesian soybean germplasms, such as Java 7, Seputih Raman, Tambora, Ringgit (JP 30217), Sinyonya (early) and Sinyonya (late) were identified as salt-tolerant in terms of salt tolerance rate (STR) and leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD value) taken with the Konica Minolta SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter. The selected salt-tolerant germplasms were further evaluated under soil medium cultivation in pots irrigated with 100 mM NaCl for around 5 weeks. The six selected soybean germplasms again showed higher salt tolerance in terms of SPAD, STR and shoot dry weight. Expression analysis of the salt tolerance gene Ncl revealed a significant positive correlation between Ncl expression and salt tolerance, suggesting that Ncl is essential for salt tolerance in the Indonesian soybean germplasms we tested. The salt-tolerant Indonesian soybean germplasms identified in this study could be used in local soybean breeding practices for the improvement of salt tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported uveal effusion and transient myopia as the initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Choroidal retinopathy is rare but extremely destructive to visual function. Therefore, prompt diagnosis and effective treatments will result in complete resolution of the uveal effusion and functional restoration of vision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drosophila suzukii is a significant pest of stone and small fruits. The genome of this species has been sequenced and manipulated by transposon‐mediated transformation and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. These technologies open a variety of possibilities for functional genomics and genetic modifications that might improve biologically based population control strategies. Both of these approaches, however, would benefit from genome targeting that would avoid position effects and insertional mutations associated with random transposon vector insertions, and the limited DNA fragment insertion size allowed by gene editing. Here, we describe an efficient recombinase‐mediated cassette exchange (RMCE) system for D. suzukii in which heterospecific lox recombination sites were integrated into the genome by transposon‐mediated transformation and subsequently targeted for double recombination by a donor vector in the presence of Cre recombinase. Three loxN/lox2272 landing site lines have previously been created in D. suzukii, and quantitative PCR determined that polyubiquitin‐regulated enhanced green fluorescent protein expression is least susceptible to position effect suppression in the 443_M26m1 line. We presume that RMCE target sites may also be inserted more specifically into the genome by homology‐directed repair gene editing, thereby avoiding position effects and mutations, while eliminating restrictions on the size of donor constructs for subsequent insertion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aims to characterize the biofilm produced by mono‐ and dual‐species of Shewanella baltica and Pseudomonas fluorescens as fish spoilers at the different incubation temperature, and to elucidate the interactive behaviour of dual‐species biofilm development. Methods and Results: The mono‐ and dual‐species biofilm formation and adhesion characteristics of S. baltica and P. fluorescens were evaluated by using crystal violet staining, scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results showed that P. fluorescens had significantly higher biofilm biomass and polysaccharides production than S. baltica, and two isolates reached the maximum biofilm biomass during the early stationary phase. Lower biomass and polysaccharides in dual‐species biofilms were observed compared to mono‐species of P. fluorescens. Meanwhile, S. baltica and P. fluorescens formed fragile and viscous pellicles with different spatial architectures respectively. In dual‐species pellicle few large microcolonies were dominated by P. fluorescens. Compared to mono‐species of PF07, adherent cell population and biofilm thickness at the developing phase significantly decreased, and biofilm‐forming cycle prolonged in the dual‐species biofilms. Biofilm formation and adhesion of mono‐ and dual‐species at 4 or 15°C were significantly higher than at 30°C during the same phase. The culture supernatant extracts of the two spoilage strains greatly inhibited biofilm development to each other. Conclusions: Shewanella baltica and P. fluorescens had different biofilm and pellicle characteristics, and the inhibitory development on dual‐species biofilm was associated with the competitive interaction by the two psychrotrophic spoilage bacteria. Significance and Impact of the Study: This work contributes to a better understanding of interactive behaviour of multispecies biofilm communities by psychrotrophic spoilage bacteria at low temperature, which could contribute to further control contamination of spoilage organism during the preservation and processing of aquatic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure of 3D n-directional braided composites is established in this study. A theoretical method that considers 3D braided composites as assemblages of unidirectional composites is proposed to predict their elastic properties. A comparison of the predicted stiffness with experimental results showed their good agreement. The relationship between braiding parameters, including the braiding angle and fiber volume fraction, and the elastic constants is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes radial basis function (RBF)-based meshless solutions for static and dynamic analyses of metallic and laminated beam-like structures with various boundary conditions. Making use of the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF), the three-dimensional displacement field can be reduced to one-dimensional displacements related to the axial direction multiplied by cross-sectional kinematics. Locally supported Wendland’s C 6 RBF is employed to interpolate the displacements in the axial domain and Hierarchical Legendre Expansion (HLE) is used to expand the kinematic unknowns over the cross-section domain, being endowed with Layer-Wise (LW) ability. The principle of virtual displacements (PVD) is adopted to derive the governing equation in a strong form, accompanied by the advent of fundamental nuclei, which are independent of the transverse assumptions in the cross section domain. Different numerical assessments on metallic and laminated structures are addressed to show the performance of RBF-based HLE models in terms of displacements, stresses and vibration modes. 3D accuracy of the obtained results is demonstrated by comparison with 3D FEM solutions provided by well-known commercial softwares (Ansys and Abaqus). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sampling from complicated and unknown distributions has wide-ranging applications. Standard Monte Carlo techniques are designed for known distributions and are difficult to adapt when the distribution is unknown. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) techniques are designed for unknown distributions, but when the underlying state space is complex and not continuous, the application of MCMC becomes challenging and no longer straightforward. Both of these techniques have been proposed for the astronomically large redistricting application that is characterized by an extremely complex and idiosyncratic state space. We explore the theoretic applicability of these methods and evaluate their empirical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present a Digital Elevation Model‐based hydrologic analysis methodology for continental flood inundation mapping (CFIM), implemented as a cyberGIS scientific workflow in which a 1/3rd arc‐second (10 m) height above nearest drainage (HAND) raster data for the conterminous United States (CONUS) was computed and employed for subsequent inundation mapping. A cyberGIS framework was developed to enable spatiotemporal integration and scalable computing of the entire inundation mapping process on a hybrid supercomputing architecture. The first 1/3rd arc‐second CONUS HAND raster dataset was computed in 1.5 days on the cyberGIS Resourcing Open Geospatial Education and Research supercomputer. The inundation mapping process developed in our exploratory study couples HAND with National Water Model forecast data to enable near real‐time inundation forecasts for CONUS. The computational performance of HAND and the inundation mapping process were profiled to gain insights into the computational characteristics in high‐performance parallel computing scenarios. The establishment of the CFIM computational framework has broad and significant research implications that may lead to further development and improvement of flood inundation mapping methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Studies have shown that 48.59% of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is combined with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The mainstream view supports the correlation between MetS and BPH, but the pathogenesis of MetS‐BPH is not fully understood. Four hundred and seventy‐four men, aged 47 years or older, were recruited into this study by consecutive routine physical examination programs, and several parameters were obtained from each participant. Based on the diagnosis of BPH, MetS, and MetS‐BPH, the participants were divided into BPH and Non‐BPH groups, MetS and Non‐MetS groups, as well as MetS‐BPH and Non‐MetS‐BPH groups. The values of the obtained parameters were evaluated using Student's t‐test, chi‐square test, and logistic regression analysis. The value of estradiol (E2) was higher in the diseased groups (BPH, MetS, and MetS‐BPH groups) compared with the corresponding control groups (Non‐BPH, Non‐MetS, and Non‐MetS‐BPH groups), and the differences were statistically significant. Also, E2 had an independent association with BPH (OR = 2.286, 95% CI: 1.723–3.593, p < 0.001), MetS (OR = 1.406, 95% CI: 0.585–2.315, p < 0.001), and MetS‐BPH (OR = 1.249, 95% CI: 0.795–1.962, p < 0.001). Regarding SNPs of CYP19A1 gene, both the rs4646 genotypes (CC, CA, and AA) and the rs700518 genotypes (CC, CT, and TT) were present in every group, and all genotypes had statistically significant differences between the diseased and corresponding control groups. However, only the TT genotype of rs700518 was independently associated with BPH, MetS, and MetS‐BPH after adjusting for age. The TT genotype of rs700518 is an independent risk factor for the MetS‐BPH populations, and the CYP19A1 gene regulation of estrogen leads to MetS‐BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microscopic theory for ultrafast coherent Raman spectroscopy of polyatomic molecules in condensed phases is developed. For off resonant excitation, an effective Hamiltonian that controls the molecular dynamics in a Raman process is derived. The limitations of the driven oscillator model are clarified, and generalized equations of motion, which hold for resonant and off resonant excitation, are derived. Spectral selectivity using pulse shaping is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic light scattering from highly concentrated colloidal systems with a narrow distribution of particle sizes can be interpreted in terms of the sum of two independent modes due, respectively, to collective diffusion and polydispersity fluctuations; a general formalism has been presented for calculating the relative mode amplitudes for hard spheres in the Percus–Yevick approximation [Pusey, Fijnaut, and Vrij, J. Chem. Phys. 77, 4270(1982)]. This work extends the relative mode amplitude calculation to the general case where optical (i.e., refractive index) and size polydispersity are completely coupled such as in water-in-oil microemulsions. To develop the theory a concentric core-shell hard sphere model is adopted, in which particles possess a continuous variation in the core sizes but have constant shell thickness, thus giving rise to a distribution in the particle refractive indices. A new ‘‘measured’’ static structure factor SM(0) is derived, and applied to the calculation for the relative amplitude of the slow mode, A2/(A1+A2), as a function of solvent refractive index n0. A strong enhancement of the slow mode is predicted as the optical matching point is approached. The theory also shows that the dependence of A2/(A1+A2) on n0 is very sensitive to the extent of polydispersity, but rather insensitive to the distribution function used. Neglect of the nonuniformity in particle refractive index can cause a substantial overestimate of the size polydispersity. We have used our extended treatment to interpret the dynamic light scattering data from concentrated water-in-oil microemulsions formed from H2O, AOT, and apolar solvents using solvent composition to control the contrast in refractive index. It is found that the AOT-stabilized water microemulsion droplets have a size polydispersity of about 6.5%, which is smaller than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Currently, there are no reliable preoperative methods for predicting component separation (CS) during incisional hernia repair. By quantitatively measuring preoperative computed tomography (CT) imaging, we aimed to assess the value of hernia defect size, abdominal wall muscle quality, and hernia volume in predicting CS. Methods: The data of 102 patients who underwent open Rives-Stoppa retro-muscular mesh repair for midline incisional hernia between January 2019 and March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: "CS group" patients who required CS to attempt fascial closure, and "non-CS" group patients who required only Rives-Stoppa retro-muscular release to achieve fascial closure. Hernia defect width, hernia defect angle, rectus width, abdominal wall muscle area and CT attenuation, hernia volume (HV), and abdominal cavity volume (ACV) were measured on CT images. The rectus width to defect width ratio (RDR), HV/ACV, and HV/peritoneal volume (PV; i.e., HV + ACV) were calculated. Differences between the indices of the two groups were compared. Logistic regression models were applied to analyze the relationships between the above CT parameters and CS. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to evaluate the potential utility of CT parameters in predicting CS. Results: Of the102 patients, 69 were in the non-CS group and 33 were in the CS group. Compared with the non-CS group, hernia defect width (P < 0.001), hernia defect angle (P < 0.001), and hernia volume (P < 0.001) were larger in the CS group, while RDR (P < 0.001) was smaller. The abdominal wall muscle area in the CS group was slightly greater than that in the non-CS group (P = 0.046), and there was no significant difference in the CT attenuation of the abdominal wall muscle between the two groups (P = 0.089). Multivariate logistic regression identified hernia defect width (OR 1.815, 95% CI 1.428–2.308, P < 0.001), RDR (OR 0.018, 95% CI 0.003–0.106, P < 0.001), hernia defect angle (OR 1.077, 95% CI 1.042–1.114, P < 0.001), hernia volume (OR 1.002, 95% CI 1.001–1.003, P < 0.001), and CT attenuation of abdominal wall muscle (OR 0.962, 95% CI 0.927–0.998, P = 0.037) as independent predictors of CS. Hernia defect width was the best predictor for CS, with a cut-off point of 9.2 cm and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.890. The AUCs of RDR, hernia defect angle, hernia volume, and abdominal wall muscle CT attenuation were 0.843, 0.812, 0.747, and 0.572, respectively. Conclusion: Quantitative CT measurements are of great value for preoperative prediction of CS. Hernia defect size, hernia volume, and the CT attenuation of abdominal wall muscle are all preoperative predictive indicators of CS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) bending method using a nano-cantilever specimen that includes a naturally sharp pre-crack at the interface between a 500 nm-thick SiN layer and a 200 nm-thick Cu layer on a Si substrate is developed in order to precisely characterize the fracture toughness of the interface in nanoscale multilayers. By fabricating a perpendicular nanoscale notch in the SiN layer close to the horizontal Cu/SiN interface, a sharp pre-crack is successfully introduced at the Cu/SiN interface. In addition, by changing the relative position of the notch with respect to the fixed end of the specimen, both the instant and continuous interface crack propagation behaviors could be in situ observed using TEM. Finite element analysis shows that the crack propagation from the sharp pre-crack is dominated by a singular stress field within a region 100 nm from the crack tip under a mixed-mode state in all specimens. On the other hand, the fracture toughness represented by the critical energy release rate for the start of crack propagation along the Cu/SiN interface in all specimens is determined through a compliance method and shows good agreement with an average value of 7.1 J/m2. This indicates the robust reliability and high precision for characterizing the fracture toughness of the interface in nanoscale multilayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erbium doped GaN (Er:GaN) is a promising candidate as a new gain medium for high energy lasers. The excitation and emission mechanisms as well as the transition cross sections of the pump and laser wavelength are of paramount importance for understanding the performance of lasers and amplifiers made of Er:GaN materials. We report here the results of direct measurements of resonantly excited photoluminescence emission, photoluminescence excitation, and optical absorption spectroscopy in the 1.5 μm “retina-safe” spectral region performed on freestanding Er:GaN bulk crystals synthesized by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. The results established that 1514 nm and 1538 nm are the most appropriate resonant pump wavelengths for achieving gain and lasing, which differs from Er in YAG and glass hosts. The absorption coefficients (α) and absorption cross-sections (σexc) of Er in GaN in the 1.5 μm window have been directly measured, providing σexc = 1.4 × 10−20 cm2 and 2.7 × 10−20 cm2 for 1514 nm and 1538 nm pump wavelengths, respectively. These values are considerably higher than those of Er ions in glass and YAG hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Acute scrotum, especially testicular torsion, is a common surgical emergency. A delay in diagnosis or management may lead to permanent testicular ischaemic damage. Thus, it is particularly important to differentiate testicular torsion from other acute scrotum conditions as soon as possible. Our study has retrospectively investigated 358 patients with acute scrotum admitted to our hospital from the year 2007 to 2016. We have collected a thorough history and clinical data and drew the conclusion by comparing clinical features of different acute scrotum cases, medical history, imaging and surgical findings. Therefore, we propose an innovative “Testicular Torsion (TT) Green Channel” concept. Through the combination of a comprehensive medical history, physical examination and auxiliary colour‐Doppler ultrasonography, the diagnosis of testicular torsion is definite in most circumstances. Testis scintigraphy is a novel and complementary diagnostic modality that can reduce the negative exploration rate in ambiguous and certain cases. The TT Green Channel is a new concept in the management of testicular torsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a high-efficiency microwave absorbing material has been prepared through a combination of doped polyaniline (PANI)-coated porous-structure carbonyl iron powder (CIP) and a small amount of graphene sheets within bisphenol F epoxy resin. The reflection loss (RL) performance of these composites has been evaluated by electromagnetic attenuation and impedance matching. Compared to compact iron particles, the porous-structure carbonyl iron particles have a higher complex permittivity and permeability that are closely related to their microstructures. The -10 dB absorption bandwidth and the minimum RL of the composite material showed improvement in comparison to the pure graphene sheets composite. The minimum reflection loss reached -45 dB at a thickness of 3.5 mm while the bandwidth with less than -10 dB RL reached up to 4.6 GHz in the range of 10.3 GHz to 15 GHz, with a matching thickness of 2 mm. The improved microwave absorption performance of the hybrid composite is due to the interfacial polarization, enhanced conductivity, and loss of the electromagnetic radiation through increased transmission routes due to multiple reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microtubule motor kinesin-1 interacts via its cargo-binding domain with both microtubules and organelles, and hence plays an important role in controlling organelle transport and microtubule dynamics. In the absence of cargo, kinesin-1 is found in an autoinhibited conformation. The molecular basis of how cargo engagement affects the balance between kinesin-1's active and inactive conformations and roles in microtubule dynamics and organelle transport is not well understood. Here we describe the discovery of kinesore, a small molecule that in vitro inhibits kinesin-1 interactions with short linear peptide motifs found in organelle-specific cargo adaptors, yet activates kinesin-1's function of controlling microtubule dynamics in cells, demonstrating that these functions are mechanistically coupled. We establish a proof-of-concept that a microtubule motor--cargo interface and associated autoregulatory mechanism can be manipulated using a small molecule, and define a target for the modulation of microtubule dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature water electrolysis with solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) is a promising method for hydrogen production. In order to study the performance and degradation behavior of cells with different cell components in electrolysis mode, a four-cell stack was assembled that used JÜLICH's F10 design with two types of air electrodes based on La 0.6 Sr 0.4 CoO 3−δ (LSC) and La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3−δ (LSCF). A PVD-prepared GDC layer was applied to LSCF cells while a screen-printing GDC layer was used in the LSC cells. The performance of the stack was first characterized with IV-curve measurements in both SOFC and SOEC modes within the temperature range of 700–800 °C. The durability of the stack was investigated by conducting a long-term stationary electrolysis operation with a constant current density of −0.5 Acm −2 and steam conversion rate of 50% at 800 °C. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) was used to study the electrochemical performance of the stack, as well as the degradation behavior during long-term electrolysis operation. The method “Distribution of Relaxation Times” (DRT) was applied for the further analysis of the EIS data, and the DRT results have successfully supported the stack degradation analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, a close-form solution based on a unified one-dimensional model is proposed and then applied to static response analyses of cross-ply laminated and sandwich beams subjected to simply supported boundary conditions. The hierarchical beam model is derived within the framework of the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF), which makes use of Lagrange polynomials to express the three-dimensional (3D) displacement field via arbitrary order approximation of pure displacement variables at each layer over the cross section, in a Layer-Wise (LW) sense. The governing equations are derived via the principle of virtual work and a Navier-type close-form solution is employed to solve the resulting boundary value problem. Four benchmark numerical examples are carried out to demonstrate the efficiency of this novel method, including compact multi-layered cross-ply laminated beams, a thin-walled composite box beam and a composite sandwich-box beam. The results show that accurate displacement and stress components can be obtained as the order of the expansion increases, accompanied by a significant reduction in computational costs in comparison with the 3D finite element solutions. Besides, numerical cases in this research may be taken as benchmarks for future assessments in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication presents the first synthesis of nanoconfined Lithium closo-borate, Li2B12H12, using nanoporous SiO2 as scaffold. The yield of Li2B12H12 is up to 94 mol%. The as-synthesized nanoconfined Li2B12H12 exhibits a structural transition around 380 °C and conversion to H-deficiency Li2B12H12−x at 580 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectrophoresis is of particular interest in droplet manipulation because of its ability to manipulate droplets based on their unique dielectric properties. With the help of different kinds of electrodes, the droplet dynamic behaviors can be manipulated to complete various tasks. In this work, both the experimental and numerical simulation methods are applied to find out a way to slow down the velocity of the droplets which is very helpful for droplets detection. For the experimental part, the microchannels are embedded with various kinds of electrodes near their microchannel walls instead of being arranged in the microchannel, and the direct current voltages are applied to the electrodes to generate a prescribed electric field intensity gradient in the longitudinal direction. A more accurate simulation model is made to analyze the mechanisms of the dielectric effect on the droplet dynamic behaviors in detail. The dynamic behaviors and dielectric characteristics of the microdroplets are investigated by studying the moving velocity, the deformation, the dielectrophoretic force and distributions of the electric field intensity. According to the results presented herein, both the dielectrophoretic force and interfacial tension have significant effects on the droplet dynamic behaviors. The method proposed in this work can manipulate the droplet velocity efficiently, and the velocity of the droplets can be decreased to one-fifth of the initial velocity. Therefore, it is important to focus on this method to make a contribution to droplet non-damage detection in biological and chemical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the distributions of earthquake numbers in two global earthquake catalogues: Global Centroid-Moment Tensor and Preliminary Determinations of Epicenters. The properties of these distributions are especially required to develop the number test for our forecasts of future seismic activity rate, tested by the Collaboratory for Study of Earthquake Predictability (CSEP). A common assumption, as used in the CSEP tests, is that the numbers are described by the Poisson distribution. It is clear, however, that the Poisson assumption for the earthquake number distribution is incorrect, especially for the catalogues with a lower magnitude threshold. In contrast to the one-parameter Poisson distribution sowidely used to describe earthquake occurrences, the negative-binomial distribution (NBD) has two parameters. The second parameter can be used to characterize the clustering or overdispersion of a process. We also introduce and study a more complex three-parameter beta negative-binomial distribution. We investigate the dependence of parameters for both Poisson and NBD distributions on the catalogue magnitude threshold and on temporal subdivision of catalogue duration. First, we study whether the Poisson law can be statistically rejected for various catalogue subdivisions. We find that for most cases of interest, the Poisson distribution can be shown to be rejected statistically at a high significance level in favour of the NBD. Thereafter, we investigate whether these distributions fit the observed distributions of seismicity. For this purpose, we study upper statistical moments of earthquake numbers (skewness and kurtosis) and compare them to the theoretical values for both distributions. Empirical values for the skewness and the kurtosis increase for the smaller magnitude threshold and increase with even greater intensity for small temporal subdivision of catalogues. The Poisson distribution for large rate values approaches the Gaussian law, therefore its skewness and kurtosis both tend to zero for large earthquake rates: for the Gaussian law, these values are identically zero. A calculation of the NBD skewness and kurtosis levels based on the values of the first two statistical moments of the distribution, shows rapid increase of these upper moments levels. However, the observed catalogue values of skewness and kurtosis are rising even faster. This means that for small time intervals, the earthquake number distribution is even more heavy-tailed than the NBD predicts. Therefore for small time intervals, we propose using empirical number distributions appropriately smoothed for testing forecasted earthquake numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]