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In order to study the muscle quality of different crustaceans, we aim to provide a comprehensive assessment of their muscle quality characteristics as a theoretical reference. In this work, seven major species of farmed and consumer crustaceans were selected, including crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon), kuruma prawns (Penaeus japonicus), river prawns (Macrobranchium nipponense), and Chinese shrimp (Penaeus chinensis). Their morphometric parameters, nutritional composition, textural properties, and physical and chemical indexes were comparatively analyzed. The results showed that the meat content (MC, about 14.78%) of crayfish was significantly lower than that of the other six species. By contrast, pacific white shrimp had the highest MC, although the MCs of black tiger shrimp, kuruma prawns, and Chinese shrimp are greater than 40%. All seven crustacean species were high in protein and low in fat, while pacific white shrimp had the highest crude protein, crude lipid, and crude ash content compared to the other crustaceans. The content of threonine (Thr) was the highest in crayfish. The content of methionine (Met) and lysine (Lys) was the highest in freshwater prawns. The content of isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), and non–essential amino acid (NEAA) was the highest in pacific white shrimp. C18:2n-6 (linoleic acid, LA) was the highest in freshwater prawns and pacific white shrimp; C18:3n-3 (linolenic acid, LNA), C20:4n-6 (arachidonic acid, AA), unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were all the highest in crayfish; and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was the highest in freshwater prawns, but the content was not significantly different from crayfish, pacific white shrimp, black tiger shrimp, and Chinese shrimp. Pacific white shrimp had the highest values for hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness. The redness values of crayfish, black tiger shrimp, and Chinese shrimp were significantly higher than those of the other three species except kuruma prawns. Compared to other crustaceans, river prawns had the highest drip loss and cooking loss. Black tiger shrimp and Chinese shrimp had the lowest cooking loss rates. The research shows that the tail muscle of the seven species of crustaceans is rich in protein, essential amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids and low in fat, representing a high-quality protein. Among these crustaceans, the main essential amino acids and essential fatty acids in the tail muscle of pacific white shrimp, freshwater prawns, and crayfish are higher in content and better in nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transformers have boosted the rapid growth of object detection in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. However, it is still a challenging task because SAR images usually have the characteristics of unclear contour, sidelobe interference, speckle noise, multiple scales, complex inshore background, etc. More effective feature extraction by the backbone and augmentation in the neck will bring a promising performance increment. In response, we make full use of the advantage of CNNs in extracting local features and the advantage of transformers in capturing long-range dependencies to propose a Swin Transformer-based detector for arbitrary-oriented SAR ship detection. Firstly, we incorporate a convolution-based local perception unit (CLPU) into the transformer structure to establish a powerful backbone. The local-perception-enhanced Swin Transformer (LP-Swin) backbone combines the local information perception ability of CNNs and the global feature extraction ability of transformers to enhance representation learning, which can extract object features more effectively and boost the detection performance. Then, we devise a cross-scale bidirectional feature pyramid network (CS-BiFPN) by strengthening the propagation and integration of both location and semantic information. It allows for more effective utilization of the feature extracted by the backbone and mitigates the problem of multi-scale ships. Moreover, we design a one-stage framework integrated with LP-Swin, CS-BiFPN, and the detection head of R3Det for arbitrary-oriented object detection, which can provide more precise locations for inclined objects and introduce less background information. On the SAR Ship Detection Dataset (SSDD), ablation studies are implemented to verify the effectiveness of each component, and competing experiments illustrate that our detector attains 93.31% in mean average precision (mAP), which is a comparable detection performance with other advanced detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AS602801 has been reported as a potential drug candidate against brain metastasis by suppressing the gap‐junction communication between lung cancer stem cells and astrocytes. In this study, we aimed to study the molecular mechanism underlying the role of AS602801 in the treatment of brain metastasis in breast cancer. We utilized female athymic BALB/c nude mice and MDA‐MB‐231/BT‐474BR cells to establish experimental models. Polymerase chain reaction assays were performed to observe changes in the connexin 43 (Cx43) messenger RNA (mRNA) and c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) mRNA levels. Dye transfer assay was used to observe the effect of AS602801 on cell–cell communication. An organotypic blood–brain barrier (BBB) model was utilized to observe the effect of AS602801 on transmigration through the BBB barrier. MTT (3‐[4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate the proliferation and apoptosis of breast cancer cells co‐cultivated with astrocytes. AS602801 inhibited the upregulation of Cx43 and JNK in brain metastasized breast cancer cells in a dose‐dependent manner. Also, AS602801 significantly decreased the dye transfer rate from astrocytes to breast cancer cells, indicating the inhibitory effect of AS602801 on cell–cell communication. The transmigration ability of breast cancer cells co‐cultured with astrocytes was decreased by AS602801. Furthermore, AS602801 reduced the elevated Cx43/JNK mRNA expression in the co‐astrocyte group while suppressing the increased proliferation and promoting the decreased apoptosis of breast cancer cells co‐cultivated with astrocytes. AS602801 also suppressed the brain metastasis of breast cancer cells and increased mouse survival. AS602801 downregulates the expressions of JNK and Cx43 to suppress the gap‐junction activity. AS602801 also inhibits the communication between breast cancer cells and astrocytes, thus contributing to the treatment of brain metastasis in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corrosion behavior of 316 stainless steel (316 SS) in NaCl–KCl–FeCl3 molten salt and vapor was studied at 300°C for 150, 300, and 500 h in Ar. The weight change, the micromorphology, element distribution, and crystal structure of the 316 SS alloy were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. 316 SS alloys suffered from weight loss, significant visible corrosion shedding, and corrosion holes. The corrosion holes and corrosion shedding block of the 316 SS alloys become more and more serious with the increase in corrosion time. The corrosion depth of the corroded 316 SS alloys in NaCl–KCl–FeCl3 molten salt and vapor for 500 h can even reach up to 20.0 and 14.0 μm, respectively. 316 SS alloys in NaCl–KCl–FeCl3 molten salts underwent a more serious corrosion attack than that in the NaCl–KCl–FeCl3 vapor at 300°C due to the strong oxidizing compound FeCl3 in the molten salt. It not only offers a new insight into the corrosion behavior of 316 SS alloys in the chloride salts and corresponding vapor but also enriches the corrosion databases of the chloride salts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canal controllability is an open and significant topic that addresses the unreliability/uncertainty in water delivery, efficiency, and modernization in the irrigation system. The study developed an analysis tool for canal controllability to estimate controllable performance and reduce the uncertainty of water delivery under steady and unsteady flow. We designed a linear quadratic control algorithm and applied it to the Nongchang test canal to verify the tool reliability and improve efficiency of water utilization. Finally, the effects of hydraulic variables on canal controllability were quantified. The numerical model of unsteady flow showed satisfactory predictions of water level (correlation coefficient, root mean square error, and mean absolute percentage error were 0.929%, 0.293%, and 12.86%, respectively). The Nongchang test canal was rather controllable (controllability indicator 0.265 to 0.279), implying that linear quadratic control algorithm was appropriate. The algorithm performed well under all conditions tested; the maximum absolute error was 3.66%–8.65%. The water level remained stable (deviation usually less than 0.05 m) and water delivery met user demands in terms of flow rate (the measure of performance relative to adequacy was 92.51%–98.94%) with relatively small gate movements. The bottom slope and roughness were the principal contributors to controllable performance, explaining approximately 46% of the variance. Specifically, controllability was highest when the bottom slope was low, and the roughness and side slope were high. We offer a reliable and flexible tool for assessment of canal controllability. Study results demonstrated that stakeholders benefit when conventional canal operation is modernized. The work will guide automation and upgrading of canal hardware as irrigation becomes optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we report novel methods to achieve accurate temperature measurements inside the water droplet at its supercooled state as well as during its freezing process. The temperature measurements were based on the molecular tagging thermometry technique. In order to maintain the nonfreezing state of the phosphorescent tracer complex aqueous solution at a subfreezing temperature, a double-layer temperature control container was designed and fabricated. Then, the calibration between the lifetime and temperature of the phosphorescent tracer complex aqueous solution from 7.5 °C to as low as −6.0 °C was carefully performed. Then, the ice fraction (f) was applied to revise the calibration curve for the ice–liquid mixture. The results indicated that the calibration curve for the pure liquid was suitable for the temperature measurements of the pure phosphorescent triplex solution at the supercooling state, while the revised calibration curve for the ice–liquid mixture was appropriate for the temperature measurements in the water droplet during its freezing stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Location-based service (LBS), with its personalized, real time, and mobile features, is one of the more popular mobile applications (apps) in the world today. However, under the centralized LBS architecture, the high dimensional trajectory data collected from LBS users are directly exposed to the central server, which entails serious privacy risks. Although existing privacy protection technologies can protect the private user trajectories to a certain extent, they often ignore the reasonable data requirements of LBS providers (e.g., data required to maintain or improve services). Focusing on the weaknesses of centralized LBS and the shortcomings of existing solutions, this article proposes a cloud edge-client collaborative trajectory privacy protection system. The system migrates LBS from the cloud to the network edge and balances privacy and utility-including service utility and data utility-with anonymous authentication, dummy location, and privacy risk evaluation mechanisms. The theoretical analysis and simulation results show that the system can effectively protect trajectory privacy under the premise of high availability of services and data, which is a significant improvement over the current LBS system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long chain acyl-coA synthase (acsl) family genes activate the conversion of long chain fatty acids into acyl-coA to regulate fatty acid metabolism. However, the evolutionary characteristics, tissue expression and nutritional regulation of the acsl gene family are poorly understood in fish. The present study investigated the molecular characterization, tissue expression and nutritional regulation of the acsl gene family in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus). The results showed that the coding regions of acsl1, acsl3, acsl4, acsl5 and acsl6 cDNA were 2091 bp, 2142 bp, 2136 bp, 1977 bp and 2007 bp, encoding 697, 714, 712, 659 and 669 amino acids, respectively. Five acsl isoforms divided into two branches, namely, acsl1, acsl5 and acsl6, as well as acsl3 and acsl4. The tissue expression distribution of acsl genes showed that acsl1 and acsl3 are widely expressed in the detected tissues, while acsl4, acsl5 and acsl6 are mainly expressed in the brain. Compared to the fish fed with lard oil diets, the fish fed with soybean oil exhibited high muscular C18 PUFA contents and acsl1 and acsl3 mRNA levels, as well as low muscular SFA contents and acsl4 mRNA levels. High muscular n-3 LC-PUFA contents, and acsl3, acsl4 and acsl6 mRNA levels were observed in the fish fed with fish oil diets compared with those of fish fed with lard oil or soybean oil diets. High n-3 LC-PUFA levels and DHA contents, as well as the acsl3, acsl4 and acsl6 mRNA levels were exhibited in the muscle of fish fed diets with high dietary n-3 LC-PUFA levels. Additionally, the muscular acsl3, acsl4 and acsl6 mRNA expression levels, n-3 LC-PUFA and DHA levels were significantly up-regulated by the increase of dietary DHA proportions. Collectively, the positive relationship among dietary fatty acids, muscular fatty acids and acsl mRNA, indicated that T. ovatus Acsl1 and Acsl3 are beneficial for the C18 PUFA enrichment, and Acsl3, Acsl4 and Acsl6 are for n-3 LC-PUFA and DHA enrichment. The acquisition of fish Acsl potential function in the present study will play the foundation for ameliorating the fatty acids nutrition in farmed fish products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high performance and miniaturization of the piezoelectric pump are essential for its application. A single-chamber piezoelectric pump with a circular unimorph piezoelectric actuator and cantilever check valves is proposed in this work, which has good output performance and smaller overall size. The working principle of the piezoelectric pump was described, and the theoretical working characteristics of the cantilever check valve were analyzed in detail. The corresponding experimental prototype was made for the output performance assessment. The experimental results show that the pump has good self-suck ability under well-assembled process conditions, which provides a guarantee for the high flow rate and the output pressure of the piezoelectric pump. The maximum flow rate of 4.5 ml/min is obtained when the pump is driven by an offset sinusoidal voltage of 180Vpp at 50 Hz; the maximum output pressure of the pump reaches 52 kPa under 180Vpp at 150 Hz. In addition, at 70 Hz, 180Vpp, the comprehensive performance of the piezoelectric pump is better, with a flow rate above 3 ml/min and an output pressure over 35 kPa. The proposed piezoelectric pump has the characteristics of simple structure, high performance, small size, and low cost, which can be applied in microelectronic cooling, biomedical, and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure and fine high-entropy metal diboride-silicon carbide composite powders, namely (V,Ti,Ta,Nb)B2-SiC (HEB-S), were successfully synthesized via a facile high-energy ball milling-assisted boro/carbothermal reduction method at 1600 °C. The as-prepared HEB-S powders exhibited low‐oxygen impurity content of 0.36 wt%; (V,Ti,Ta,Nb)B2 powders had a single-crystalline hexagonal structure of metal diborides and simultaneously possessed high compositional uniformity. Short rod-like SiC particles were well distributed in the (V,Ti,Ta,Nb)B2 matrix. The formation mechanisms were well interpreted by analyzing the thermodynamics of the possible chemical reactions. The electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption of the HEB-S powders was studied by a vector network analyzer. The HEB-S powders displayed a minimum reflection loss of − 44.9 dB at the thickness of 4.4 mm and the effective absorption bandwidth of 1.28 GHz at 4.0 mm thickness (Minimum RL was − 29.4 dB). This work will open up a new way to synthesize high-entropy metal diboride composite powders, and the obtained powders are expected to play an important role in the EMW absorption applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Touching screens as a key component of smart devices play a vital role in exerting normal function and user experience. Usually, defective products containing deep tiny cracks, impurities, or microbubbles generated in the manufacturing process are difficult to be detected by the present methods. The existence of such tiny defects potentially damages the integrated function of smart devices, even jeopardizes the health of users. The precise identification of microscopic defects buried in deep touching screens is great in demand. In this work, we built a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) system with suitable imaging depth and spatial resolution and carried out nondestructive imaging of endogenic micro-bubbles generated in the bonding process of the screen. Using SD-OCT, we obtained in situ 2D, 3D imaging of microbubbles to show quantitative information of the defects including exact size, shape, and spatial location, which help to analyze the occurring stage of bubble defects in the manufacturing process with improving accuracy. This provides a useful tool for the quality monitoring of the screen in industrial manufacture, which cannot be attainable by the common approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of dietary carbohydrate/lipid (CHO: L) ratios on non-specific immune responses, antioxidant capacity, and expression of TLR-MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway-related genes of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets containing different CHO: L ratios were formulated. The results showed that the group with a CHO: L ratio of 5.94 had better growth performance (P < 0.05). The highest T-AOC, CAT, and SOD activities and the lowest MDA content in hemolymph and hepatopancreas were observed in the group with a CHO: L ratio of 5.94 (P < 0.05). The lowest activities of ALT, AST, ACP, AKP, and ALB in the hemolymph were observed in CHO: L ratio 5.94 group (P < 0.05), while the highest LZM activity, TP, and GLB content were observed in CHO: L 5.94 group (P < 0.05). The highest mRNA expression levels of tlr3 , myd88 , and mapk3 , and the lowest mRNA expression levels of nf-kb α , nf-kb β , nf-kb p105 , and traf6 were observed in the CHO: L of 5.94 group (P < 0.05). The highest mRNA expression levels of immune-related genes were observed in the CHO: L of 5.94 group (P < 0.05). Overall, these results indicated that the optimum dietary CHO: L ratio is vital in promoting growth and enhancing antioxidants and immunity to maintain red swamp crayfish's intestinal and hepatopancreas health status. In conclusion, the diets with a CHO:L ratio of 5.94 (approximately 36.23% carbohydrate and 6.10% lipid) is optimal for juvenile red swamp crayfish's physiological condition and health status. • Effects of changes in diet nutrient levels on immune capacity of crayfish has been studied. • In terms of growth and health status, the appropriate CHO: L ratio for crayfish is 5.94. • Inappropriate CHO: L ratios would limit growth performance and cause oxidative stress. • A high or low CHO: L ratios would reduce innate immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation and characterization of Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys with varying chemical compositions are helpful for rapid screening of the optimal compositions in the research and development of new materials. The traditional testing methods cannot accurately determine the composition gradient in samples because they have a low spatial resolution or are semi-quantitative and time-consuming. The micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) methodology has been used for the elemental imaging of Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys with varying chemical compositions. The experimental conditions, including testing voltages, testing currents and the dwell time for each pixel, were optimized systematically to improve the repeatability and accuracy of the μ-XRF methodology. The quantitative elemental imaging of an Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy rod sample using μ-XRF was performed, and the results were validated by conducting spark optical emission spectroscopy. The limits of detection of μ-XRF for Zn, Mg, and Cu were 0.007 wt%, 0.068 wt%, and 0.002 wt%, respectively. This versatile elemental imaging technique provided an effective means for the component analysis and process evaluation of alloy samples with a composition gradient and thus for research and development of new materials. A novel quantitative elemental imaging methodology employing micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) has been established for Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys with varying chemical compositions. [Display omitted] • The high-throughput preparation equipment was utilized to fabricate an Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy with varying chemical compositions. • The elemental distribution of the Al–Zn–Mg–Cu gradient alloy was mapped using Micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF). • The methodology of quantitative elemental imaging using μ-XRF has been established for the Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth, development and reproduction of Eriocheir sinensis are influenced by salinity changes. In order to study the response of juvenile Chinese mitten crab to salinity, the crabs were exposed to 5 salinity conditions (0, 3, 6, 12 and 18‰) for 48 h. The calcium content was detected in the hepatopancreas, posterior gill, intestine, haemolymph, antennal gland and carapace. The hepatopancreas, posterior gills and intestines were selected for subsequent experiments, and their histopathological changes and calreticulin (CRT) gene expression levels were evaluated. The calcium content of hepatopancreas and intestine was highest at 6‰ salinity and that of gill at 3‰ salinity. With the increase in salinity, the degree of damage was more obvious in tissues. Compared with the control group (0‰), CRT expression in the gills decreased significantly. However, in the hepatopancreas and intestine, CRT expression increased at 3‰ salinity and decreased at 3–6‰ salinity. Overall, our results showed that juvenile E. sinensis could survive short‐term exposure to saline water within a certain salinity range (<18‰). However, a high concentration of saline water exposed the juvenile crab to excessive stress, resulting in serious tissue damage, which was not conducive to the long‐term survival of juvenile crabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CaZrO3 ceramic core materials with excellent mechanical and chemical properties were successfully prepared using single‐phase CaZrO3 powders. Effects of particle size ratio and sintering temperature on the mechanical and chemical properties of CaZrO3 ceramic core materials were researched. The chemical property was analyzed by leaching research of core materials in 10 wt% and 20 wt% HNO3 solution at the boiling point. Results showed that the suitable particle size ratio was important for the preparation of CaZrO3 ceramic core materials with excellent comprehensive properties. The addition of fine particles in ceramic core materials promoted the densification process owing to the framework formed by coarser particles and sintering neck formed by fine particles between coarse particles, which was beneficial for further improving their bending strength. When the content of particles with 200 mesh size was 80wt%, the highest bending strength was obtained, 54.38 ± 5.28 MPa. The porosity was 17.45% and the volume density was 3.86 g/cm3. The increasing sintering temperature increased the densification of CaZrO3 ceramic core materials by offering the sintering driving force, further leading to the improvement of bending strength. When the temperature was 1650℃, at the 20% content of particles with 200 mesh size, the highest bending strength of CaZrO3 cores reached 51.01 ± 5.18 MPa. Meanwhile, the porosity was 18.65% and the volume density was 3.83 g/cm3. Additionally, the CaZrO3 samples could be effectively leached in 10 wt% HNO3 solution. Therefore, CaZrO3 materials with good mechanical and leaching properties were believed to be a suitable candidate for ceramic core materials in the investment casting of alloys with high melting point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, and repetitive or restricted interests and behaviors. Membrane proteins are a significant part of the proteins in cell and play key functions in synaptic transmission. We have recently shown that neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression was reduced in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of mice following postnatal valproic acid (VPA) exposure. In the current study, we utilized a label-free proteomics approach to identify and quantify surface protein expression in nNOS-positive interneurons between VPA-treated and control mice. Western blot was used to confirm the expression of selected membrane proteins. Our proteomics data revealed differentially expressed surface proteins in nNOS interneurons, e.g. Narp, AMPA-type glutamate (AMPA) receptor subunit GluA4 and Protein kinase C gamma (PKCγ), which were validated by Western blotting in mice treated with VPA. This work will pave the way for further elucidation of the mechanisms of these differentially membrane proteins in nNOS interneurons-medicated ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simultaneous oblique impact of multiple droplets on a liquid film is an intricate phenomenon prevalent in diverse natural and industrial processes. However, previous studies have primarily focused on single droplet impact, while an in-depth understanding of the more complex multi-droplet scenario remains lacking. The current study aims to numerically investigate the simultaneous oblique impact of two droplets on a water film using a three-dimensional Volume of Fluid (VOF) model. The effects of the Weber number and the impact angle on the crown behavior are carefully analyzed. The results demonstrate that increasing the Weber number enhances the central uprising sheet height but has minor influences on the upstream crown radius and central sheet radius. In contrast, the increase in the impact angle leads to a decreased upstream crown radius and an increased central sheet radius, while the central sheet height remains relatively unaffected. In addition, the splashing threshold for the dual droplet impact cases is significantly lower than that of the single droplet impact cases due to the interactions between the adjacent crowns. The present results provide novel insights into the underlying physics and useful supports in developing predictive models for the intricate multi-droplet impact phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automobile styling design is an important part of the design chain. In the traditional automobile modeling evaluation, the process of project evaluation is more in-depth, and designers exchange ideas. Different designers have different evaluations of automobile styling. The evaluation process lasts a long time, which leads to the design cycle being too long and the efficiency of automobile modeling evaluation is greatly reduced. The introduction of virtual reality in automobile modeling evaluation can effectively optimize the evaluation process and promote the rapid adjustment of the model on the basis of development. From the virtual reality system based on mechanical engineering, we only need the parameters of the car model to observe the actual situation through VR technology, and use the measurement tools to directly and accurately evaluate the driver’s field of vision. Through the application of virtual reality technology in the automobile design stage, the interactive and network-based remote research on automobile modeling will also make the automobile design process more convenient, easier to communicate with designers, and reduce the development cycle and cost of automobile design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanofluid natural convection inside a cavity with a porous square obstacle in the presence of magnetic field is simulated by lattice Boltzmann method. The porous obstacle is adopted by Sierpinski carpets fractal pattern, and three kinds of temperature boundary conditions are set up on the hot walls. The combination of five topics including LBM, Sierpinski carpets, nanofluid, magnetic field and various temperature boundary conditions is the main novelty of the present paper. The effects of temperature boundary condition, configuration of Sierpinski carpets porous obstacle, Rayleigh number, nanoparticle volume fraction and Hartmann number on the flow pattern, temperature distribution and heat transfer characteristics are studied. The results show that the local and average Nusselt numbers are increasing functions of ϕ and Ra, but a decreasing function of Ha, regardless of the boundary conditions. The heat transfer enhancement by adding nanoparticles is more effective at low ϕ. The rate of heat transfer with different temperature boundary conditions is Case 3 ˃ Case 2 ˃ Case 1. At high Hartmann number, the obstacle configuration affects the rate of heat transfer very slightly. However, at low Hartmann number, the effect of obstacle configuration on the average Nusselt number should be considered. The effect of obstacle configuration on the rate heat transfer is also influenced by the temperature boundary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon trapping at dislocations and carbide precipitation in martensite could significantly reduce the amount of carbon partitioning into austenite, e.g. incomplete carbon partitioning phenomenon, which would alter austenite decomposition behavior and austenite stability during the Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) process. In this study, an integrated model is developed to clarify the mechanism of incomplete carbon partitioning and quantify its effects on austenite stabilization in the low-alloy medium-carbon Fe–C–Mn–Si steels. The fraction of carbon consumed by Cottrell atmospheres around dislocations is described using a semi-empiric equation. Then, the kinetic competition among carbide precipitation, carbon partitioning and austenite decomposition during the partitioning step is simulated by coupling the Deschamps–Bréchet model and quenching and partitioning-local equilibrium (QP-LE) model. It is found that transition carbide precipitation in martensite and carbon partitioning into austenite are kinetically coupled at the very early stage of the partitioning step and subsequently promotes austenite decomposition. Taking the synergy effects of incomplete carbon partitioning and austenite decomposition into account, our model is capable of predicting the evolution of volume fraction of austenite and its carbon content during partitioning. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduced graphene oxide (RGO) decorated with rare earth organic complex, Eu(Phen)(OA)3, was successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process. The prepared RGO/Eu(Phen)(OA)3 composites (RGECs) served as lubricating oil additives in Polyalphaolefin-8 (PAO8) and their tribological properties were investigated by SRV-IV fretting friction and wear testing machine. Experimental results indicate that the dispersion stability of RGECs in base oil PAO8 has been optimized greatly compared with that of graphene. The friction coefficient has no obvious change; however, the service life of the base oil, that is effective lubrication time is greatly extended, which is better than the commercial additive Zinc Dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP). Furthermore, adding appropriate amount (0.08 wt%) of RGECs is able to reduce the wear spot area by about 56%, the wear rate by about 37% compared with ZDDP. Moreover, these excellent results are attributed to the synergistic effects of RGO nanosheets and Eu(Phen)(OA)3 powders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al2O3‐based ceramic cores with a uniform microstructure were fabricated successfully by a traditional pressing forming method, in which Al2O3 powders were used as matrix and yttrium oxide as additive. The influences of yttrium oxide content and sintering temperature on properties of ceramic cores were studied carefully. Results indicated that a higher sintering temperature benefited the preparation of ceramic cores with excellent properties. As the temperature was above 1400°C, the reaction of Al2O3 and yttrium oxide occurred, leading to the formation of YAG phases. And, YAG was uniformly adhered on the surface of Al2O3 particles, exerting a good role in connecting Al2O3 particles. Based on XRD analyses, it was found that the increase in the sintering temperature could promote the formation of more YAG phases. When sintering temperature was adjusted to 1600°C, with the increase in the yttrium oxide content, their relative density developed a trend of decreasing first and then increasing, while the apparent porosity had an opposite change tendency. With the increase in the sintering temperature, the line shrinkage and bending strength of Al2O3‐based ceramic cores both increased gradually. In our research, their bending strength reached to 53.5 MPa and apparent porosity was 33.9% when the ceramic cores were prepared with 9 wt% yttrium oxide at 1600°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method called simplified and highly stable thermal lattice Boltzmann method, which is based on the lattice Boltzmann framework, was used to simulate the hybrid nanofluid natural convection and heat transfer in a square enclosure with a heating obstacle at high Rayleigh numbers. Four fins protrude from the heating obstacle to affect the flow pattern and heat transfer performance. The effects of the Rayleigh number (106 ≤ Ra ≤ 109), nanoparticle volume fraction (0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 0.05), and length of the fin (0.1 ≤ h ≤ 0.3) on the flow pattern, temperature distribution, and heat transfer characteristics were illustrated and analyzed. To validate the present method, the benchmark simulation results were performed. Three kinds of flow patterns (steady symmetry, unsteady symmetry, and unsteady asymmetry) can be identified at various Rayleigh numbers. At different lengths of fins, the critical Rayleigh number of flow pattern transition (from steady symmetry to steady asymmetry and from steady asymmetry to unsteady asymmetry) is different. ϕ and h also significantly affect the flow pattern. At higher ϕ, the flow inside the enclosure is steadier and the effect of h on the flow pattern varies at different Ra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) was used to simulate two-dimensional MHD Al2O3/water nanofluid flow and heat transfer in an enclosure with a semicircular wall and a triangular heating obstacle. The effects of nanoparticle volume fraction (0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 0. 0 5), Rayleigh number (1 0 4 ≤ R a ≤ 1 0 6) , Hartmann number (0 ≤ H a ≤ 6 0) and heating obstacle position (Cases 1–7) on flow pattern, temperature distribution and rate of heat transfer were investigated. The results show that with the enhancing Rayleigh number, the increasing nanoparticle volume fraction and the reducing Hartmann number, an enhancement in the average Nusselt number and the heat transfer appeared. The effect of Ha on the average Nu increases by increasing the Ra. It can also be found that the action of changing the heating obstacle position on the convection heat transfer is more important than that on the conduction heat transfer. The higher obstacle position in Cases 6 and 7 leads to the small value of the average Nusselt number. Moreover, the effect of Ha on average Nu in Case 1 at R a = 1 0 6 is more significant than other cases because the flow pattern in Case 1 is changed as increasing Ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biopharmaceutical engineering is a newly established undergraduate degree in China, and a lot of issues regarding students' training remain to be explored and refined, particularly the curriculum reflecting the industrial needs for students with applied (hands-on) skills, which has been limited. To narrow the gap between industrial demands and students' training and to provide undergraduates with rational curriculum, in the present investigation, we proposed to reconstruct the curriculum system for applied (hands-on) training of undergraduates of biopharmaceutical engineering based on the life cycle of medicinal products for the first time. A total of 52 subjects on the curriculum were selected and included in different stages of the medicinal products life cycle. After surveying from a recruitment website and biopharmaceutical enterprises, eight applied positions, including drug screening engineer, cell culture engineer, molecular biology technician, fermentation engineer, microorganism engineer, protein purification engineer, protein analysis technician and bio-preparation engineer, were then selected. According to the requirements of each position, 31 subjects were finally chosen from the above-mentioned 52 subjects that are involved in the life cycle of medicinal products. These subjects belong to four clusters and constitute the basis of the curriculum system for applied training of undergraduates of biopharmaceutical engineering. The results obtained from this work are expected to provide evidence for the training of biopharmaceutical students as well as the implementation of collaborative education between university and industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodic-forcing jets are applied to form a zero-net-mass-flux actuator for active flow control study on the 25 ∘ Ahmed body. Unlike traditional synthetic jet, this new proposed zero-net-mass-flux actuator has managed to divide the blowing phase and suction phase apart on different separation edges on the rear part of the body. Numerical simulation based on the large eddy simulation method is carried out on the near-wake flow to obtain both time-averaged and transient information of the flow field. The effects of the new actuators on the flow topology, the static pressure distribution and the process of the flow are analyzed to understand the mechanism of the drag reduction. Overcoming the drawbacks of the synthetic jet, our new zero-net-mass-flux actuator has successfully reduced the aerodynamic drag by a maximum of 25.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A droplet impinging on a liquid film finds numerous applications in diverse scientific fields. Although studies have primarily focused on spherical droplets, a droplet can present both spherical shape and non-spherical shape at the moment of impact. In the present study, the impact dynamics of a non-spherical droplet on a thin liquid film is investigated experimentally. The results show that, under the same film thickness and Weber number conditions, the splashing and deposition regimes are different for different droplet shapes such as prolate, sphere, and oblate. It is found that the splashing threshold (Ksp) is changed according to the shape of the droplet. Under the same condition when a spherical droplet is in the deposition mode, an oblate droplet is more likely to splash and form secondary droplets, while a prolate droplet is more splash-resistant even at higher Weber numbers. A modified theoretical model for crown radius evolution is developed. The predictions of theoretical model are found to agree well with the experimental results for spherical and non-spherical droplets. Moreover, at the same Weber number, a prolate droplet has a relatively higher maximum crown height than those of an oblate droplet and a spherical droplet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three kinds of high-entropy metal diboride composites were successfully prepared by pressureless sintering. The as-synthesized (Hf 0.2 V 0.2 Ta 0.2 Ti 0.2 Nb 0.2)B 2 (HEB-Hf), (Zr 0.2 V 0.2 Ta 0.2 Ti 0.2 Nb 0.2)B 2 (HEB-Zr) and (Cr 0.2 V 0.2 Ta 0.2 Ti 0.2 Nb 0.2)B 2 (HEB-Cr) powders were used as the matrix, and Ni metal was used as the binder phase. The results demonstrated that three kinds of single-phase high-entropy metal diboride powders (HEB-Hf, HEB-Zr, and HEB-Cr) were successfully synthesized by a facile high-energy ball milling-assisted boro/carbothermal reduction method, at 1600 °C for 2 h. Each HEB powder had a hexagonal structure, and the five main elements were evenly distributed. Further, Ni as the binders effectively improved the density and fracture toughness of the sintered HEB composites. In the case of maintaining high hardness, the fracture toughness of the HEB composites was greatly improved. Meanwhile, The composites exhibited excellent properties when the heat-treating temperature was increased to 1600 °C. The hardness of the HEB-Hf, HEB-Zr, and HEB-Cr composites were 24.2 ± 0.6, 23.8 ± 1.2 and 21.8 ± 0.8 GPa, and their fracture toughness were 9.2 ± 0.3, 7.1 ± 0.7 and 7.3 ± 0.5 MPa∙m1/2, respectively. This manuscript reports a novel method for future commercial production of high-entropy diboride. Further, there will be more applications for high-entropy diborides because of their increased toughness when prepared by this method. [Display omitted] • Three single-phase high entropy diboride powders were successfully prepared by boro/carbothermic reduction reaction. • High-dense high-entropy boride composites were successfully prepared using Ni metal as the additive by pressureless sintering at 1600 °C. • The Vickers hardness of HEB-Hf composites, HEB-Zr composites and HEB-Cr composites are 24.2 ± 0.6, 23.8 ± 1.2 and 21.8 ± 0.8 GPa, respectively and the fracture toughness values are 9.2 ± 0.3, 6.1 ± 0.7 and 7.3 ± 0.5 MPa∙m1/2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textured porous Si3N4‐TiB2 composites were prepared by gel‐casting–assisted magnetic field alignment technology and subsequent pressureless sintering in the N2 atmosphere. The effects of TiB2 content on grain orientation and properties of composites were studied. Results showed that using the magnetic field of 6T, Si3N4 grains exhibited a high a‐ or b‐axis orientation and TiB2 grains exhibited a high c‐axis orientation. In textured green bodies, the increase in TiB2 content from 0 to 20 wt%, the degree of texture of Si3N4 grains showed a slight decrease from 0.78 to 0.71. However, the degree of texture of TiB2 grains was maintained at about 0.98 regardless of TiB2 content. After sintering, except for the Si3N4 and TiB2 phases, new TiN and BN phases also appeared in the samples. Additionally, the sintering process promotes grain orientation of Si3N4 and TiB2. Herein, the degree of texture of TiB2 reached to about 1 regardless of TiB2 content, meaning that the complete grain orientation formed for TiB2. Owing to the reconstruction reaction between TiB2 and N2, new TiN and BN phases did not form the orientation. The increase in TiB2 contents gradually increased the apparent porosity of the textured samples from 27.9% to 39.4%, thereby leading to the decrease in bending strength from 126.8 ± 18.8 MPa to 60.3 ± 11.2 MPa and from 105.3 ± 19.8 MPa to 53.6 ± 13.0 MPa in two directions, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure and Co-doped CeO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized successfully by the solvothermal method. The effect of Co substitution and external magnetic field on the morphologies and magnetic properties of nanoparticles was investigated. Results showed that synthesized Co-doped CeO 2 had the face-centered cubic structure and no other impurities existed in the samples with the increase of Co concentration from 5 to 75 wt%. The increasing Co concentration made the morphologies of Co-doped CeO 2 nanoparticles vary from the hollow sphere, solid sphere to rod-like shape. The applied external magnetic field of 5T decreased the nanoparticle size effectively including the diameter of hollow sphere with low Co concentration and rod-like particles with high Co concentration. Moreover, the wall thickness of hollow sphere particles was also decreased from 35 nm to 18 nm for pure CeO 2. The Co-doped CeO 2 nanoparticles showed the weak ferromagnetic behavior. With the increase of Co concentration, the saturation magnetization (M s) value increased first and then decreased. The Co-doped CeO 2 with 30 wt% showed the highest value of 3.65 × 10−2 emu/g (M s). The M s value of Co-doped CeO 2 prepared in 5T showed an increasing trend with the Co concentration. The highest value (M s) reached 4.21 × 10−2 emu/g for doped CeO 2 with 75 wt% Co. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Typical heterogeneous ice nucleation pattern was revealed under practical nocturnal cooling and freezing conditions. • Distinctive three-stage frosting process was found under subfreezing condition. • Ice nucleation was first initiated on the upper part of the windshield. • Surface roughness or contamination probably triggered an earlier ice nucleation. • The arrival of saturation point could approximately mark the initiation of icing. Abstract In the present study, we theoretically and experimentally investigated a typical and practical heterogeneous ice nucleation process on auto windshield under nocturnal radiative cooling and subfreezing conditions. During the experiment, a general class A passenger car was placed outdoors in a subfreezing environment (i.e., 44.14° N, 126.45° E) during nights in January, with a purpose to produce a nocturnal radiative cooling condition for supercooling the windshield to trigger the ice nucleation. The results revealed a distinctive three-stage frosting process: (I) inhomogeneous occurrence of incipient ice nucleation; (II) small-sized ice crystals grew into large-sized ones primarily based on the incipient nucleation sites, together with a continual formation of new nucleation sites and a merging between large-sized and small-sized crystals; (III) large-sized ice crystals coalesced into large-scale groups, tending to make a full ice coverage. Unlike the classical three-period frosting process, the present study exhibited an absence of the drop-wise condensation but with a presence of dendritic crystals nearly parallel to the supercooled surface. Besides, the incipient ice nucleation was first initiated on the upper part of the windshield, which then propagated downward with a further heat loss of the windshield due to the continual nocturnal radiation. Meanwhile, the probable presence of surface roughness or contamination was much more likely to trigger an earlier initiation of incipient heterogeneous ice nucleation. Additionally, the arrival of saturation point, rather than the nominal supersaturation state (i.e., the condensation nucleation point), could be expected to approximately mark the initiation of icing under a practical engineering condition. Higher relative humidity tended to induce an earlier occurrence of ice nucleation and produce a larger surface coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water droplet freezing on an ice surface is a common phenomenon and poses hazards to a lot of applications, including wind turbines, aircraft, and power transmission lines. Since the water droplet temperature is critical, many studies have been carried out to understand the influence of the water droplet temperature on both the impact and freezing processes of droplets on different surfaces. However, the past research studies mainly focused on supercooled water droplets, not on hot water droplets. For applications such as hot-water ice-drilling, the understanding of freezing of hot water droplets on an ice surface is necessary. In the present study, we report the detailed dynamic motions of a hot water droplet impacting on an ice surface. The impact and freezing processes of the hot water droplet on the ice surface are recorded by two cameras. The effects of the water droplet temperature and the ice surface temperature on the impact and freezing processes of the water droplet were experimentally investigated. The results showed that, at the same ice surface temperature, the increase of the water droplet temperature resulted in the increase of the maximum spreading factor, the reduction of the height of the ice bead, and the slight increase of the freezing time. In addition, during the droplet spreading process, the experimental results of the normalized contact diameter fitted well with the exponential model and the water droplet temperature was found to have an apparent influence on the lamella thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A tubular PMFC and PBRs were coupled to treat ADE-FW in continuous and batch modes. • Higher algal biomass and nutrient removal rate were obtained in continuous mode. • Nitrogen removal rate in PMFC reached 6.0 mg/(L·d) due to ammonium migration effect. • Anode potentials increased linearly as COD decreased when COD < 3000 mg/L. • Total energy produced in either continuous or batch modes was both 1.8 kWh/m3. Abstract Anaerobically digested effluent from food waste (ADE-FW) needs purification treatment due to its high content of ammonium and organic matter. Here, a system that couples a photosynthetic microbial fuel cell (PMFC) with photobioreactors (PBRs) was developed to recover energy from the ADE-FW. First, the ADE-FW was treated in the PMFC for pollutant removal and power generation. The highest power density obtained from the PMFC was about 3.5 W/m3. Power generation was primarily affected by DO and substrate concentrations, which respectively determined the cathode and anode potentials. About 93% of the ammonium in the anolyte was removed in the continuous mode, owing to the ammonium migration effect. Algal biomass in the PMFC increased from 0.1 mg/L to 0.7 mg/L in the continuous mode, which was 27% higher than that in the batch operating mode (0.55 mg/L). Then the effluents from the cathodic chamber were polished in the PBRs. The nitrogen removal rates in the PBRs under continuous and batch operation were 3.0 mg/(L·d) and 1.8 mg/(L·d), respectively. In terms of energy production, more algal lipid energy was obtained in the continuous mode, but less electricity was obtained in this mode. Consequently, the total energy produced in the coupled systems in the continuous and batch modes were consistently about 1.8 kWh/m3. The high pollutant removal rate and energy recovery efficiency of the coupled system indicated that it would be a practical technology for the industrial-scale applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Al 2 O 3 -based ceramic cores with uniform microstructure were fabricated by sintering ball-shaped Al 2 O 3 powders as the matrix and silicone resin as the precursor and binder in air atmosphere. Effects of silicone resin content and sintering temperature on phase composition, microstructure and properties of the Al 2 O 3 -based ceramic cores were investigated. Results showed that a low sintering rate was beneficial for preparing high-quality Al 2 O 3 -based ceramic cores with no defects and cracks. Silicone resin was uniformly adhered on the surface of the ball-shaped Al 2 O 3 particles, playing a well role in connecting Al 2 O 3 particles. Sintering process made the organic-inorganic transformation process of silicone resin happen, leading to the formation of amorphous silica at 1300 °C, followed by cristobalite appeared by the crystallization of amorphous silica as the temperature was higher than 1400 °C. The sintering necks between ball-shaped Al 2 O 3 grains were formed by the pyrolyzed products of silicone resin. As the temperature was lower than 1500 °C, the phase composition consisted of Al 2 O 3 and silica. However, at 1600 °C, new mullite phases were in situ formed on the surface of ball-shaped Al 2 O 3 particles. The increasing silicone resin content promoted the formation of more mullite phase. Al 2 O 3 -based ceramic cores prepared had well dimensional stability during sintering, and the linear shrinkage rate reached the minimum value of 0.23% in the ceramic cores with silicone resin content of 20 wt% at 1400 °C. The open porosities of Al 2 O 3 -based ceramic cores prepared were 24.2~30.0% and relative densities were 63.9~70.2%. The bending strength increased with the increase in the sintering temperature, and the maximum value was obtained in the ceramic cores with silicone resin content of 15 wt% at the same sintering temperature. In our research, the highest bending strength reached to 77.06 MPa in the ceramic cores with silicone resin content of 15 wt% at 1500 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is one of the most important abiotic factors directly affecting the reproduction, molting, growth, immune, physiological and metabolic activities of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). This species has strong osmoregulatory capacity and can maintain stringent internal homeostasis. However, the mechanisms conferring tolerance to salinity fluctuations are not well understood. To reveal the genes and pathways involved in osmoregulation, adult male crabs (body weight = 110 ± 5 g) were acclimated for 144 h in freshwater (FW, 0 ppt) or seawater (SW, 25 ppt). Changes in the transcriptome of crab gills were then analysed by RNA-Seq, and 174,903 unigenes were obtained. Comparison of genes between FW- SW-acclimated groups identified 932 genes that were significantly differentially expressed in the gill, comprising 433 and 499 up- and downregulated transcripts. Gene Ontology functional enrichment analysis revealed that important biological processes related to salt stress were significantly enriched, including energy metabolism, ion transport, signal transduction and antioxidant activity. Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis mapped the differentially expressed genes to 241 specific metabolic pathways, and pathways related to energy metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA)/citrate cycle were significantly enriched. Salinity stress altered the expression of many enzymes involved in energy metabolism, ion transport, signal transduction and antioxidant pathways, including citrate synthase (CS), Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA), Na+-K+-2Cl cotransporter-1 (NKCC1), dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1), synaptic binding protein 1 (STXBP1), Cu2+/Zn2+ superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and glutathione S-transferase (GST). Additionally, the obtained transcriptomic sequencing data provided a useful resource for identification of novel genes, and further physiological analysis of Chinese mitten crab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study experimentally and numerically investigated the passive control on flow structure evolution and convective heat transfer enhancement for impinging jet. Four different impinging jets, including a baseline circular jet (CJ) and three passive controlled jets, i.e., an elliptic jet (EJ), a circular-chevron jet (CCJ) and an elliptic-chevron jet (ECJ), were comparatively analyzed by utilizing the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique, infrared (IR) thermography and large eddy simulation (LES) over a wide range of jet-to-wall distances ( H / D ) at the jet Reynolds number ( Re ) of 20,000. The results showed that, unlike CJ which presented a general shedding of axisymmetric toroidal vortices, EJ showed highly deformed toroidal structures accompanied with the axis switching effect, both CCJ and ECJ exhibited the well-organized counterrotating streamwise vortex pairs developing from the chevron notches. All the three passive controlled strategies were found to induce a stronger mixing and fluctuating activity near around the stagnation region, especially for ECJ (i.e., the passive–passive controlled device) which showed the highest turbulence level approaching the target wall due to the double-passive enhancement. Moreover, compared with the baseline jet CJ, all the passive controlled jets achieved a significant heat transfer improvement in the vicinity of the stagnation point, particularly for ECJ which presented the highest heat transfer enhancement of about 41% at H / D = 5 . Whereas both CCJ and ECJ were found to exhibit a less-than-ideal heat transfer performance at a small H when the heat transfer uniformity was specifically considered, due to the anisotropic thermal imprint distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to determine whether the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), cross-priming amplification (CPA), and/or isothermal multiple-self-matching-initiated amplification (IMSA) methods can provide rapid detection of the runt related transcription factor 1/runt related transcription factor 1 translocation partner 1 (AML1/ETO) fusion gene in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). According to the sequence of the AML1/ETO fusion gene available in GenBank and the principles of the LAMP, CPA and IMSA methods, specific primers were designed to bind a conserved region of the AML1/ETO gene in each assay. Following optimization of the conditions for the LAMP, CPA and IMSA assays, the specificity and sensitivity of the assays were examined and compared. In addition, 41 clinical samples were assayed using the three methods. It was observed that a ladder-like pattern of DNA products was produced in AML1/ETO-positive samples in all three assays, whereas no DNA product was generated with the controls. The detection limit of the LAMP and CPA assays was 50 copies/tube, and for the IMSA assay was 10 copies/tube. This sensitivity was consistent, and improved in the latter case, compared with that of the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. Furthermore, the detection rate for bone marrow or peripheral blood samples was 9.76%, and the agreement among the LAMP, CPA, IMSA and RT-PCR methods was 100%. Therefore, the LAMP, CPA and IMSA methods optimized in the present study provided rapid detection of the AML1/ETO fusion gene for an initial clinical diagnosis of AML. In addition, the LAMP, CPA and IMSA assays are straightforward to perform and do not require specialized instruments. Therefore, these three isothermal methods may be used to perform field tests or assays at resource-limited hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textured TiB 2 -(Ti,Zr)B 2 composites were prepared by gel-casting in 6 T and subsequent pressureless sintering without the magnetic field. These results showed that c-axis of TiB 2 and ZrB 2 grains were oriented to parallel to the direction of the magnetic field in textured green bodies. Separately, the higher c-axis orientation was obtained for TiB 2 and the lower c-axis orientation was obtained for ZrB 2 . After sintering, ZrB 2 phases disappeared and new (Ti,Zr)B 2 solid solutions appeared by the reaction of ZrB 2 and TiB 2 . The degree of texture of TiB 2 increased compared with that in green body. (Ti,Zr)B 2 solid solutions also showed high c-axis orientation. With the increase of sintering temperatures from 1800 °C to 1950 °C, the degree of texture of TiB 2 slightly decreased from 0.95 to 0.92 and the degree of texture of (Ti,Zr)B 2 showed the big decreasing from 0.80 to 0.62. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The replacement of fish oil (FO) in Eriocheir sinensis can significantly reduce the cost of E. sinensis cultivation, while several studies have indicated that replacing FO with soybean oil (SO) could significantly reduce the resistance of E. sinensis to disease. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood. In this study, crabs were fed two diets containing FO or SO, following which a label‐free quantification proteomic analysis was employed. And the activity of enzymes involved in the nonspecific immune response was also measured. Growth performance was undifferentiated between the crabs fed with FO and SO. A total of 519 proteins were identified, and 70 proteins were significantly altered between the crabs fed the two different diets. Five proteins related to the immune response were identified to be differently expressed. C‐type lectin, haemocyanin subunit 6 and cryptocyanin were significantly downregulated, while fatty acid‐binding protein and catalase were highly expressed in the crabs fed SO. The activities of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, superoxide dismutase and phenoloxidase were all significantly changed in crab fed with different diets. These findings will provide novel insight into the molecular mechanism regarding the replacement of FO on the immune response of E. sinensis and provide evidences for the relationship between nutrition and immunity in E. sinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a corrugated constrained groove pressing (CCGP) technology based on a semicircle groove was proposed, improving the uniformity of strain accumulation in deformed metal sheets through staggered groove pressing. First, 6061-O aluminum alloy was processed at room temperature via conventional CCGP (Conv-CCGP) and 90° cross CCGP (Cross-CCGP). The effects of strain route and deformation pass on the microstructure evolution of the CCGPed alloy were investigated and correlated with mechanical properties. Changes in the mechanical properties of the CCGPed alloy at room temperature measured via tensile in different directions and hardness tests were studied. Results showed that the strength and hardness of the CCGPed sheet in both routes were considerably improved, but ductility was decreased. Cross-CCGP can effectively alleviate the anisotropy of the deformed sheet and achieve optimal strength in roll direction (RD) and transverse direction (TD) at two passes. Yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) along RD were increased by 190.2% and 15.5% relative to the initial alloy, reaching 119 MPa and 134 MPa, respectively. Along TD, YS and UTS were increased by 255.0% and 36.0%, reaching 142 MPa and 151 MPa, respectively. Characterization techniques, including electron backscatter diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, were used to establish comprehensive models of dynamic recovery-based substructure evolution and dynamic recrystallization-dominated grain refinement. Meanwhile, the integrated microstructural changes and theoretical calculations identified dislocation strengthening and local grain refinement as the major contributors to the strengthening of the CCGPed alloy. In addition, tensile fracture surface analysis showed that the CCGPed alloy still underwent plastic fracture, but the fracture mode shifted from tension fracture into shear fracture. • A CCGP technology to uniform strain by staggered groove pressing was proposed. • CCGPed sheets show significant improvement in microhardness, YS and UTS. • Combined models of substructure evolution and grain refinement were developed. • Dislocations and local grain refinement on enhancement of strength were discussed. • The tensile fracture mechanisms of the CCGPed alloy were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the impact of a water droplet onto a rotational surface was experimentally studied. The effects of the impact velocity, the rotational speed, and the impact radial position on the impact phenomena were carefully investigated. The phenomena of asymmetric spreading, finger formation, and secondary droplets were observed. Moreover, experiments of a water droplet impacting onto a stationary surface with different impact velocities were also conducted for comparisons. The results showed that, at the same impact velocity, the increase in the rotational speed or the impact radial position could result in the increase in the wetting length in the angular direction and the wetting area. In addition, at the same impact velocity, the dimensionless wetting length in the radial direction on the rotational surface was generally lower than the spreading factor on the stationary surface. In addition, new correlations for the spreading ratio, the dimensionless excess spread area, the dimensionless maximum wetting area, and the number of fingers appearing at the angle of 50° after impact were proposed. The increase in the impact velocity and the surface linear velocity could both promote the formation of the fingers at the angle of 50° after impact. In addition, the dimensionless horizontal displacement of the secondary droplet was found to be mainly influenced by the impact velocity, while the surface linear velocity only had a minor influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Preferred orientation of porous Si3N4 ceramics with β‐Si3N4 powders as raw material is obtained by gel‐casting in a longitudinal rotating magnetic field and subsequent pressureless sintering. The effects of rotational speed on crystal orientation and properties of porous Si3N4 ceramics are analyzed. The results show that the c‐axis of β‐Si3N4 grains tended to align along the direction of the rotation axis. The degree of orientation in the samples increases with the increasing rotational speed. The textured porous samples show higher bending strength than that of untextured porous samples owing to the integrative effect of the grain orientation and pores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobically digested effluent from kitchen waste (ADE-KW) was used herein as the substrate of a tubular photosynthetic microbial fuel cell (PMFC) for power production, and also, after being diluted, as a medium for cultivation of algae in the cathodic chamber. Adding 3 mg/L phosphorus to the catholyte could efficiently enhance the algal growth and the PMFC performance. About 0.94 g/L algal biomass and 0.57 kWh/m 3 -ADE-KW bioelectricity were obtained from the PMFC. Soluble microbial byproduct-like material and aromatic proteins were the dominant organics in the ADE-KW, which were readily degradable in the system. About 79% of the 1550 mg/L ammonium in the anolyte transferred to the catholyte through the cation exchange membrane. The ammonium was removed mainly as electron acceptors at the cathode after being oxidized by oxygen, whereas algal assimilation only account for about 14.6% of the overall nitrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous Al 2 O 3 -based ceramics were successfully fabricated using ball-shaped powders by preceramic polymer process in N 2 atmosphere. These results showed that the amorphous Si-O-C ceramics were formed on the surface of ball-shaped Al 2 O 3 particles by the pyrolysis of the silicone resin during sintering in N 2 atmosphere, which played a role in connecting the Al 2 O 3 particles by forming the sintering necks. When the sintering temperatures increased from 1100 °C to 1600 °C, the formed Si-O-C ceramics still existed in the amorphous state and had no crystallization. Interestingly, the amorphous β-SiC formed at 1300 °C and its amount gradually increased with further increasing temperatures. The linear shrinkage rate of the samples varied from 0.49% to 0.73% and the weight loss rate increased from 2.01% to 10.77%. The apparent porosity remarkably varied with the range of 24.9% and 34.5%, as the bulk-density varied from 2.66 to 2.47 g/cm 3 . The bending strength gradually increased from 9.36 to 22.51 MPa with increasing temperatures from 1100 °C to 1500 °C, however, the bending strength remarkably decreased at 1600 °C, which was attributed to the comprehensive function of the high porosity, broken Al 2 O 3 particles and weak connection between Al 2 O 3 particles in the samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly c-axis textured TiB 2 ceramics were prepared by slip-casting in a strong magnetic field of 6 T and subsequent pressureless sintering. By analyzing the zeta potential and viscosity, the optimal slurries with good dispersibility and stability were prepared when the pH was about 10.5. In 6 T, c-axis of TiB 2 grain was oriented to parallel to the direction of magnetic field and its a or b-axis was perpendicular to the direction of magnetic field in TiB 2 ceramics. The degree of texture was 0.80 on the top surface perpendicular to the direction of magnetic field in the green body. After sintering without the magnetic field, the degree of texture reached 0.94. Sintering process promoted the improvement of degree of texture in TiB 2 ceramics by grain growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During development and tumor progression, cells need a sufficient blood supply to maintain development and rapid growth. It is reported that there are three patterns of blood supply for tumor growth: endothelium-dependent vessels, mosaic vessels, and vasculogenic mimicry (VM). VM was first reported in highly aggressive uveal melanomas, with tumor cells mimicking the presence and function of endothelial cells forming the walls of VM vessels. The walls of mosaic vessels are randomly lined with both endothelial cells and tumor cells. We previously proposed a three-stage process, beginning with VM, progressing to mosaic vessels, and eventually leading to endothelium-dependent vessels. However, many phenomena unique to VM channel formation remain to be elucidated, such as the origin of erythrocytes before VM vessels connect with endothelium-dependent vessels.Results: In adults, erythroid cells are generally believed to be generated from hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow. In contrast, embryonic tissue obtains oxygen through formation of blood islands, which are largely composed of embryonic hemoglobin with a higher affinity with oxygen, in the absence of mature erythrocytes. Recent data from our laboratory suggest that embryonic blood-forming mechanisms also exist in cancer tissue, particularly when these tissues are under environmental stress such as hypoxia. We review the evidence from induced pluripotent stem cells in vitro and in vivo to support this previously underappreciated cell functionality in normal and cancer cells, including the ability to generate erythroid cells. We will also summarize the current understanding of tumor angiogenesis, VM, and our recent work on polyploid giant cancer cells, with emphasis on their ability to generate erythroid cells and their association with tumor growth under hypoxia.Conclusion: An alternative embryonic pathway to obtain oxygen in cancer cells exists, particularly when they are under hypoxic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we studied the effect of surface wettability on the bubble tolerance of a piezoelectric membrane pump, by applying the super-hydrophilic or super-hydrophobic surface to the key elements on the pump. Wettability for the flow passage surface has a direct influence on the air bubbles flowing in the fluid. Based on the existing research results, we first analyzed the relationship between the flow passage surface of the piezoelectric pump and the bubbles in the fluid. Then we made three prototypes where pump chamber walls and valve plate surfaces were given different wettability treatments. After the output performance test, results demonstrate that giving super-hydrophilic treatment on the surface of key elements can improve the bubble tolerance of piezoelectric pump; in contrast, giving super-hydrophobic treatment will reduce the bubble tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specific growth pattern of Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, during the juvenile stages was investigated under an individual rearing system for 160 days, including parent crab selection, hatchery management, larval stages, and juvenile cultivation. There were 36 males and 40 females developed from megalopa to the juvenile crab stage 10 (M-C10), with a total survival of 38%. The survival rate in early stages (M-C3) remained less than 80%, which was lower than that in latter stages (> 90%). The intermoult duration sharply increased in an exponential manner (y = 3.1059e0.2149xR2 = 0.9383) from 4 ± 0.54 days to 38 ± 6.26 days. The increments in wet weight, carapace width, and carapace length per moult were recorded throughout the experiment, which followed certain patterns with progressing moulting time. In addition, moulting increment in wet weight varied greatly from C1 to C6, with a minimum increment of 108.09%. Meanwhile, the specific growth rate markedly increased in the early stages and subsequently decreased, mainly because of significant increases in the intermoult duration starting from C6 stage. Males and females could be differentiated at C4 based on sexual dimorphism in the abdomen, and the most distinct changes in female and male juvenile crabs occurred in the shape of the abdomen and amount of cheliped fluff, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An algae biofilm microbial fuel cell (ABMFC) was established by integrating an algal biofilm (AB) with a microbial fuel cell (MFC) to facilitate the system’s operation for nutrient removal and bioenergy generation. In batch mode, the removal efficiencies of TN, TP and COD in the ABMFC reached 96.0%, 91.5% and 80.2%, respectively, which performed much better than MFC or AB alone. The highest power density of the ABMFC (62.93 mW·m −2 ) was 18% higher than that of the MFC (52.33 mW·m −2 ), and a lipid productivity of 6.26 mg·L −1 ·d −1 could be obtained simultaneously. High-throughput sequencing revealed that Chlorobia and Deltaproteobacteria grew well in the symbiotic ABMFC system. Betaproteobacteria, versatile in organic pollutant degradation, was inhibited by algal biofilm; it may be due to the nutrients competitions between algae and Betaproteobacteria. It was proved that the ABMFC system was able to handle real, complex, variable wastewater in the continuous flow trials and a total energy of 0.094 kWh·per m 3 of wastewater was obtained in the process. This study not only developed a wastewater treatment and energy recovery method but also explored a better understanding of the mechanisms for the algae-bacteria system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]