Identification of novel mammalian viruses in tree shrews(Tupaia belangeri chinensis)

The Chinese tree shrew(Tupaia belangeri chinensis),a member of the mammalian order Scandentia,exhibits considerable similarities with primates,including humans,in aspects of its nervous,immune,and metabolic systems.These similarities have established the tree shrew as a promising experimental model for biomedical research on cancer,infectious diseases,metabolic disorders,and mental health conditions.Herein,we used metatranscriptomic sequencing to analyze plasma,as well as oral and anal swab samples,from 105 healthy asymptomatic tree shrews to identify the presence of potential zoonotic viruses.In total,eight mammalian viruses with complete genomes were identified,belonging to six viral families,including Flaviviridae,Hepeviridae,Parvovirinae,Picornaviridae,Sedoreoviridae,and Spinareoviridae.Notably,the presence of rotavirus was recorded in tree shrews for the first time.Three viruses-hepacivirus 1,parvovirus,and picornavirus-exhibited low genetic similarity(<70%)with previously reported viruses at the whole-genome scale,indicating novelty.Conversely,three other viruses-hepacivirus 2,hepatovirus A and hepevirus-exhibited high similarity(>94%)to known viral strains.Phylogenetic analyses also revealed that the rotavirus and mammalian orthoreovirus identified in this study may be novel reassortants.These findings provide insights into the diverse viral spectrum present in captive Chinese tree shrews,highlighting the necessity for further research into their potential for crossspecies transmission.

Effects of cooling rate on microstructure and microhardness of directionally solidified Galvalume alloy

The influences of cooling rate on the phase constitution,microstructural length scale,and microhardness of directionally solidified Galvalume(Zn-55Al-1.6Si)alloy were investigated by directional solidification experiments at different withdrawal speeds(5,10,20,50,100,200,and 400μm·s^(-1)).The results show that the microstructure of directionally solidified Galvalume alloys is composed of primary Al dendrites,Si-rich phase and(Zn-Al-Si)ternary eutectics at the withdrawal speed ranging from 5 to 400μm·s^(-1).As the withdrawal speed increases,the segregation of Si element intensifies,resulting in an increase in the area fraction of the Si-rich phase.In addition,the primary Al dendrites show significant refinement with an increase in the withdrawal speed.The relationship between the primary dendrite arm spacing(λ_(1))and the thermal parameters of solidification is obtained:λ_(1)=127.3V^(-0.31).Moreover,as the withdrawal speed increases from 5 to 400μm·s^(-1),the microhardness of the alloy increases from 90 HV to 151 HV.This is a combined effect of grain refinement and second-phase strengthening.

Midpoint transverse process to pleura block for postoperative analgesia following laparoscopic renal cyst decortication:Two case reports

BACKGROUND The midpoint transverse process to pleura(MTP)block,a novel technique for thoracic paravertebral block(TPVB),was first employed in laparoscopic renal cyst decortication.CASE SUMMARY Thoracic paravertebral nerve block is frequently employed for perioperative analgesia during laparoscopic cyst decortication.To address safety concerns associated with TPVBs,we administered MTP blocks in two patients prior to administering general anesthesia for laparoscopic cyst decortication.The MTP block was performed at the T9 level under ultrasound guidance,with 20 mL of 0.5%ropivacaine injected.Reduced sensation to cold and pinprick was observed from the T8 to T11 dermatome levels.Immediately postoperative Numeric Pain Rating Scale scores were 0/10 at rest and on movement,with none exceeding a mean 24 h numeric rating scale>3.CONCLUSION MTP block was effective technique for providing postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing laparoscopic renal cyst decortication.

Synthesis of Ionic and Non-Ionic Modified Waterborne Polyurethane Curing Agent

By using HDI and TMP as the main raw materials,polyethylene glycol 400(PEG400)is used as a non-ionic hydrophilic modifier,and sodium hydroxyethyl sulfonate is used as an ionic hydrophilic modifier to synthesize a dual hydrophilic modified polyurethane curing agent.Research revealed that introducing PEG400 for hydrophilic chain segments and sodium hydroxyethyl sulfonate for hydrophilic ionic groups in the polyurethane curing agent component leads to a uniform distribution of hydrophilic components,significantly enhancing compatibility with the aqueous polyol component,and results in excellent film performance.The synthesis process and film were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy in the study.

RIP3/MLKL-mediated neuronal necroptosis induced by methamphetamine at 39℃

Methamphetamine is one of the most prevalent drugs abused in the world.Methamphetamine abusers usually present with hyperpyrexia (39℃),hallucination and other psychiatric symptoms.However,the detailed mechanism underlying its neurotoxic action remains elusive.This study investigated the effects of methamphetamine + 39℃ on primary cortical neurons from the cortex of embryonic Sprague-Dawley rats.Primary cortex neurons were exposed to 1 mM methamphetamine + 39℃.Propidium iodide staining and lactate dehydrogenase release detection showed that methamphetamine + 39℃ triggered obvious necrosis-like death in cultured primary cortical neurons,which could be partially inhibited by receptor-interacting protein-1 (RIP1) inhibitor Necrostatin-1 partially.Western blot assay results showed that there were increases in the expressions of receptor-interacting protein-3 (RIP3) and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL) in the primary cortical neurons treated with 1 mM methamphetamine + 39℃ for 3 hours.After pre-treatment with RIP3 inhibitor GSK’872,propidium iodide staining and lactate dehydrogenase release detection showed that neuronal necrosis rate was significantly decreased;RIP3 and MLKL protein expression significantly decreased.Immunohistochemistry staining results also showed that the expressions of RIP3 and MLKL were up-regulated in brain specimens from humans who had died of methamphetamine abuse.Taken together,the above results suggest that methamphetamine + 39℃ can induce RIP3/MLKL regulated necroptosis,thereby resulting in neurotoxicity.The study protocol was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University,China (approval numbers: 2017-S026 and 2017-S033) on March 7,2017.

Microstructure and photocatalytic activity of Ni-doped ZnS nanorods prepared by hydrothermal method

Pure ZnS and Ni^2+-doped ZnS nanorods (Zn1-xNixS, x=0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07, mole fraction,%) were synthesized by hydrothermal method. The effects of Ni2+ doping on the phase-structure, morphology, elemental composition and optical properties of the samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), respectively. The photocatalytic activity of Zn1-xNixS nanorods was evaluated by the photodegradation of organic dyes Rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous solution under UV light irradiation. The results show that all samples exhibit wurtzite structure with good crystallization. The morphologies are one-dimensional nanorods with good dispersion, and the distortion of the lattice constant occurs. The band gap of Zn1-xNixS samples is smaller than that of pure ZnS, thus red shift occurs. Ni^2+-doped ZnS nanocrystals can enhance photocatalytic activities for the photodegradation of RhB. Especially, Zn0.97Ni0.03S sample exhibits better photocatalytic performance and photocatalytic stability for the decomposition of RhB.

Strategies for accurate response assessment of radiochromic film using flatbed scanner for beam quality assurance

Radiochromic film is a useful tool for beam quality assurance, but accurate response assessment of the film is still a problem. In this study, the response uncertainties of HDV2 film were investigated using a flatbed scanner from both the scanning settings and interscan variability. Scanning settings are fixed conditions for scanning, including scanning resolution and focus setting.In this study, multipeak distributions of pixel values were found under some dots-per-inch values, which should be avoided, and the optimal setting of 2000 dpi without this problem was selected. By changing the focus setting, the relative standard deviation of pixel values was reduced by 36–50%. The influence of the interscan variability induced by three factors was investigated, including the outside illumination intensity, film homogeneity, and operating temperature. Scanning the film before and after irradiation at the same position was recommended. Moreover, the suitable operating temperature range for the scanner was found to be 15–24 °C, which results in stable film responses. Regarding the studied factors, correction methods and strategies were proposed, and the accurate response assessment of HDV2 film was realized. Finally, a standard operating procedure for response assessment of films was introduced. It can help other researchers study more scanners, films, and particle types.

Numerical study on three-dimensional flow field of continuously rotating detonation in a toroidal chamber

Gaseous detonation propagating in a toroidal chamber was numerically studied for hydrogen/oxygen/nitrogen mixtures. The numerical method used is based on the three-dimensional Euler equations with detailed finiterate chemistry. The results show that the calculated streak picture is in qualitative agreement with the picture recorded by a high speed streak camera from published literature. The three-dimensional flow field induced by a continuously rotating detonation was visualized and distinctive features of the rotating detonations were clearly depicted. Owing to the unconfined character of detonation wavelet, a deficit of detonation parameters was observed. Due to the effects of wall geometries, the strength of the outside detonation front is stronger than that of the inside portion. The detonation thus propagates with a constant circular velocity. Numerical simulation also shows three-dimensional rotating detonation structures, which display specific feature of the detonation- shock combined wave. Discrete burning gas pockets are formed due to instability of the discontinuity. It is believed that the present study could give an insight into the interest- ing properties of the continuously rotating detonation, and is thus beneficial to the design of continuous detonation propulsion systems.

Contact binaries at different evolutionary stages

Contact binaries consist of two strongly interacting component stars where they are filling their critical Roche lobes and sharing a common envelope.Most of them are main-sequence stars,but some of them are post main-sequence systems.They are good astrophysical laboratories for studying several problems such as the merging of binary stars,evolution of the common envelope,the origin of luminous red nova outbursts and the formation of rapidly rotating single stars with possible planetary systems.A large number of contact binary candidates were detected by several photometric surveys around the world and many of them were observed by the LAMOST spectroscopic survey.Based on follow-up observations,the evolutionary states and geometrical structures of some systems were understood well.In this review,we will introduce and catalog new stellar atmospheric parameters(i.e.,the effective temperature(Teff),the gravitational acceleration(log(g)),metallicity([Fe/H])and radial velocity(Vr))for 9149 EW-type contact binaries that were obtained based on low-and medium-resolution spectroscopic surveys of LAMOST.Then we will focus on several groups of contact binary stars,i.e.,marginal contact binary systems,deep and low-mass ratio contact binary stars,binary systems below the short-period limit of contact binaries and evolved contact binaries.Marginal contact binaries are at the beginning of the contact stage,while deep and low-mass ratio contact binary stars are at the final evolutionary stage of tidally locked binaries.Several statistical relations including the period-temperature relation are determined well by applying LAMOST data and their formation and evolutionary states are reviewed.The period-color relation of M-type binaries reveals that there are contact binaries below the short-period limit.Searching for and investigating contact binaries near and below this limit will help us to understand the formation of contact binary systems and a new prediction for the short-period limit is about 0.15 d.Some evolved contact binaries were detected by the LAMOST survey where both components are sub-giants or giants.They provide a good opportunity to investigate evolution of the common envelope and are the progenitors of luminous red novae like V1309 Sco.

Investigation of factors affecting vertical sag of stretched wire

To study vertical sag requirements and factors affecting the stretched wire alignment method,the vertical sag equation is first derived theoretically.Subsequently,the influencing factors(such as the hanging weight or tension,span length,temperature change,elastic deformation,and the Earth’s rotation)of the vertical sag are summarized,and their validity is verified through actual measurements.Finally,the essential factors affecting vertical sag,i.e.,the specific strength and length,are discussed.It is believed that the vertical sag of a stretched wire is proportional to the square of the length and inversely proportional to the specific strength of the material.

IP Lyn:A Totally Eclipsing Contact Binary with an Extremely Low Mass Ratio

We present the first photometric and orbital period investigations for a neglected totally eclipsing contact binary IP Lyn.The photometric solutions derived from both ground-based and several surveys'observations suggest that it is a shallow contact binary with an extremely low mass ratio of 0.055.The weak asymmetry observed in our multiple band light curves can be interpreted as a result of an active cool spot on the primary.The absolute physical parameters were determined with the Gaia-distance-based method and checked by an empirical relation.Combining the eclipse timings collected from the literature and those derived from our and variable surveys'observations,we find that IP Lyn has been undergoing a secular orbital period increase for the past two decades,implying a mass transfer from the less massive secondary to the primary.By comparing the current parameters with the critical instability ones,we infer that IP Lyn is currently stable in spite of its relatively low mass ratio and orbital angular momentum.Finally,from a catalog of 117 extremely low mass ratio contact binaries,we find that their orbital angular momenta are significantly lower than those of the contact binaries with a relatively high mass ratio,suggesting they should be at the late evolutionary stage of a contact binary.

Effect of Ta on solidification characteristics and mechanical properties of DZ411 Ni-based superalloy

The effects of Ta content(2.72wt.%,3.10wt.%and 4.00wt.%)on the solidification characteristics and mechanical properties of directionally solidified DZ411 Ni-based superalloys were investigated.It is found that the content of Mo decreases with the increase of Ta in liquid phase after directional solidification,indicating the addition of Ta can reduce the element segregation in alloys.The primary and secondary dendrite arm spacings(PDAS and SDAS)of the DZ411 alloy increase with the addition of Ta,which are consistent with the models by Hunt and Wagner.The increase of PDAS and SDAS can provide enough space for the growth of tertiary dendrite arms,which hinders the growth of unfavorably oriented primary dendrites.As a result,the addition of Ta facilitates the growth of favorably oriented dendrites.More MC carbides andγ-γ'eutectics are formed in the interdendritic regions,which is attributed to the segregation of Ta in the liquid phase.Furthermore,the degree of supersaturation of W,Mo inγmatrix increases with the increase of Ta,thus,the addition of Ta promotes the formation of TCP phase.The addition of Ta also increases the microhardness in both the primary dendrite and interdendritic regions of the alloy,and the microhardness of the primary dendrite is closer to that in interdendritic regions with the increase of Ta.

Effect of structural vacancies on lattice vibration,mechanical,electronic,and thermodynamic properties of Cr5BSi3

In recent years,transition metal silicides have become the potential high temperature materials.The ternary silicide has attracted the attention of scientists and researchers.But their inherent brittle behaviors hinder their wide applications.In this work,we use the first-principles method to design four vacancy defects and discuss the effects of vacancy defects on the structural stability,mechanical properties,electronic and thermodynamic properties of hexagonal Cr;BSi;silicide.The data of lattice vibration and thermodynamic parameters indicate that the Cr;BSi;with different atomic vacancies can possess the structural stabilities.The different atomic vacancies change the mechanical properties and induce the Cr;BSi;to implement the brittle-to-ductile transition.The shear deformation resistance and volume deformation resistance of Cr;BSi;are weakened by different vacancy defects.But the brittleness behavior is remarkably improved.The structural stability and brittle-to-ductile transition of Cr;BSi;with different vacancies are explored by the electronic structures.Moreover,the thermal parameters indicate that the Cr;BSi;with vacancies exhibit different thermodynamic properties with temperature rising.

CSS J075415.6+191052 and NW Leo: Two Contact Binaries at Different Evolutionary Stages

Multi-color light curves of CSS J075415.6+191052 and NW Leo are presented and the photometric solutions suggest that CSS J075415.6+191052 is an A-subtype contact binary with low mass ratio(q = 0.178) while NW Leo has a high mass ratio(q = 0.707). For CSS J075415.6+191052, the RI light curves show weakening around the left shoulder of the secondary minimum, which indicates that there may be a dark spot on the secondary component. However, the light curves of BV bands are totally symmetric. It is unreasonable if the dark spot is caused by magnetic activity or mass transfer between the two components. Therefore, weakening of the light curves in this contact binary is caused by something else. A possible explanation is mass transferring from the primary component to the common convective envelope through the inner Lagrangian point, and this part of the mass, for some reason, weakens the RI bands of light from the secondary component. O-C analysis of NW Leo reveals a cyclic period change with a modulation period of 4.7 yr, which may be caused by the light travel time effect of a third body. The positions of CSS J075415.6+191052 and NW Leo in the P–J′_(orb)diagram indicate that CSS J075415.6+191052 mainly abides by the angular momentum loss theory while NW Leo is dominated by the thermal relaxation oscillation theory.

Analysis on phase selection and microstructure evolution in directionally solidified Zn-Al-Mg-Ce alloy

In the process of hot-dip Zn-Al-Mg alloy coating,the plating solution dissipates heat in the direction perpendicular to the steel plate,which is considered to be a process of directional solidification.To understand the relationship between microstructure and cooling rate of Zn-Al-Mg alloys,both the phase constitution and microstructure characteristic length scales of Zn-9.5Al-3Mg-0.01Ce(wt.%)alloy were investigated by the directional solidification experiments at different growth velocities(V=40,80,160,250μm·s^(-1)).The experimental results show that the microstructure of directionally solidified Zn-9.5Al-3Mg-0.01Ce alloy is composed of primary Al dendrites and(Zn-Al-Mg2Zn11)ternary eutectics at the growth velocities ranging from 40 to 250μm·s^(-1).The primary Al dendrites are aligned regularly along the growth direction,accompanied with obvious secondary dendrites.The relationship between the microstructure length scale and the thermal parameters of solidification is obtained:λ1=374.66V-0.383,andλ2=167.5V-0.563(λ1is the primary dendrite arm spacing,andλ2 is the secondary dendrit arm spacing).In addition,through the interface response function(IRF)and the nucleation and constitutional undercooling(NCU),the phase selection of Zn-9.5Al-3Mg-0.01Ce is obtained:(Zn+Al+Mg2Zn11)ternary eutectics in the Zn-9.5Al-3Mg-0.01Ce alloy will be replaced by ternary eutectics(Zn+Al+MgZn2)when the growth rate is lower than 7.53μm·s^(-1).

Design,fabrication and optimization of electromagnetic absorption metamaterials

For decades,the rapid development of wireless communication has provided people a smarter way of living.However,a significant increase in electromagnetic pollution is an unavoidable consequence.Evading radar detection in modern warfare has also become an important prerequisite for survival on the battlefield.This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current status and types of electromagnetic absorption metamaterials,especially their design and preparation methods.Moreover,this review focuses on the strategies used to optimize the absorber absorption performance.Finally,this review presents a viewpoint on future research on electromagnetic absorption metamaterials,the main challenges that need to be addressed and the possible solutions.

Reanalysis of the orbital period variations of two DLMR overcontact binaries:FG Hya and GR Vir

We investigate orbital period changes of two deep, low mass ratio（DLMR） overcontact W UMa-type binaries, FG Hya and GR Vir. It is found that the orbital period of FG Hya shows a cyclic change with a period of Pmod= 54.44 yr. The cyclic oscillation may be due to a third body in an eccentric orbit, while the orbital period of GR Vir shows a periodic variation with a period of Pmod= 28.56 yr and an amplitude of A = 0.0352 d. The periodic variation of GR Vir can be interpreted as a result of either the light-time effect of an unseen third body or the magnetic activity cycle.

Research on the Dynamic Compressibility of Polyurethane Microcellular Elastomer and its Application for Impact Resistance

The packaging materials with cushioning performance are used to prevent the internal contents from being damaged by the impact and vibration of external forces.The polyurethane microcellular elastomers(PUMEs)can absorb energy through cell collapse and molecular chain creep.In this study,PUMEs with different densities were investigated by scanning electron microscopy,dynamic mechanical analysis and dynamic compression tests.PUMEs exhibited significant im pact resistance and the maximum peak stress attenuation ratio reached 73.33%.The protective equipment was made by PUME with the optimal density of 600 kg/m^(3),and then the acceleration sensing device installed with the same protective equipment fell from a height of 3,5 and 10 m to evaluate the energy-absorbing property and reusability of PUMEs.The results showed that PUMEs equipment reduced the peak acceleration of the device by 93.84%,with a maximum deviation of 9%between actual test and simulation,and shortened the impact time of first landing by 57.39%.In addition,the equipment PUMEs equipment could effectively reduce the stress on the protected items.

Improving the stability of LiNi_(0.80)Co_(0.15)Al_(0.05)O_2 by AlPO_4 nanocoating for lithium-ion batteries

Nickel-rich layered materials,such as LiNi_(0.8)0Co_(0.15)Al_(0.05)O_2(NCA),have been considered as one alternative cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) due to their high capacity and low cost.However,their poor cycle life and low thermal stability,caused by the electrode/electrolyte side reaction,prohibit their prosperity in practical application.Herein,AlPO4 has been homogeneously coated on the surface of NCA via wet chemical method towards the target of protecting NCA from the attack of electrolyte.Compared with the bare NCA,NCA@AlPO_4 electrode delivers high capacity without sacrificing the discharge capacity and excellent cycling stability.After 150 cycles at 0.5 C between 3.0-4.3 V,the capacity retention of the coated material is 86.9%,much higher than that of bare NCA(66.8%).Furthermore,the thermal stability of cathode is much improved due to the protection of the uniform coating layer on the surface of NCA.These results suggest that AlPO4 coated NCA materials could act as one promising candidate for next-generation LIBs with high energy density in the near future.

Unconventional hydrodynamics of hybrid fluid made of liquid metals and aqueous solution under applied fields

The hydrodynamic characteristics of hybrid fluid made of liquid metal/aqueous solution are elementary in the design and operation of conductive flow in a variety of newly emerging areas such as chip cooling, soft robot, and biomedical practices. chemical properties, such as In terms of physical and density, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, their huge differences between the two fluidic phases remain a big challenge for analyzing the hybrid flow behaviors. Besides, the liquid metal immersed in the solution can move and deform when administrated with non-contact electromagnetic force, or even induced by redox reaction, which is entirely different from the cases of conventional contact force. Owing to its remarkable capability in flow and deformation, liquid metal immersed in the solution is apt to deform on an extremely large scale, resulting in marked changes on its boundary and interface. However, the working mechanisms of the movement and deformation of liquid metal lack appropriate models to describe such scientific issues via a set of well-established unified equations. To promote investigations in this important area, the present paper is dedicated to summarizing this unconventional hydrodynamics from experiment, theory, and simulation. Typical experimental phenomena and basic working mechanisms are illustrated, followed by the movement and deformation theories to explain these phenomena. Several representative simulation methods are then proposed to tackle the governing functions of the electrohydrodynamics. Finally, prospects and challenges are raised, offering an insight into the new physics of the hybrid fluid under applied fields.