Numerical analysis of downward progressive landslides in long natural slopes with sensitive clay

Landslides occurring in sensitive clay often result in widespread destruction,posing a significant risk to human lives and property due to the substantial decrease in undrained shear strength during deformation.Assessing the consequences of these landslides is challenging and necessitates robust numerical methods to comprehensively investigate their failure mechanisms.While studies have extensively explored upward progressive landslides in sensitive clays,understanding downward progressive cases remains limited.In this study,we utilised the nodal integration-based particle finite element method(NPFEM)with a nonlinear strain-softening model to analyse downward progressive landslides in sensitive clay on elongated slopes,induced by surcharge loads near the crest.We focused on elucidating the underlying failure mechanisms and evaluating the effects of different soil parameters and strainsoftening characteristics.The simulation results revealed the typical pattern for downward landslides,which typically start with a localised failure in proximity to the surcharge loads,followed by a combination of different types of failure mechanisms,including single flow slides,translational progressive landslides,progressive flow slides,and spread failures.Additionally,inclined shear bands occur within spread failures,often adopting distinctive ploughing patterns characterised by triangular shapes.The sensitive clay thickness at the base,the clay strength gradient,the sensitivity,and the softening rate significantly influence the failure mechanisms and the extent of diffused displacement.Remarkably,some of these effects mirror those observed in upward progressive landslides,underscoring the interconnectedness of these phenomena.This study contributes valuable insights into the complex dynamics of sensitive clay landslides,shedding light on the intricate interplay of factors governing their behaviour and progression.

Supplementary Information to“Balancing the quantum speed limit and instantaneous energy cost in adiabatic quantum evolution”

I.SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE 1:THEORETICAL MATERIALS.The quantum speed limit(QSL)is essential for quantum computing and quantum communication,referring to the minimum time required for a quantum system to evolve from one state to another.Two well-known forms of the QSL are the Mandelstam-Tamm(MT)relation TqsL≥πh/2△E[S1]and the Margolus-Levitin(ML)relation TqsL≥πh/2(E)[S2]where Tqst is denoted as the QSL time,h is the reduced Planck's constant,△E is the energy uncertainty(standard deviation)of the system,and(E)is the average energy of the system above its ground state.Both of relations provide a lower bound on the evolution time.

Balancing the Quantum Speed Limit and Instantaneous Energy Cost in Adiabatic Quantum Evolution

Adiabatic time-optimal quantum controls are extensively used in quantum technologies to break the constraints imposed by short coherence times.However,practically it is crucial to consider the trade-off between the quantum evolution speed and instantaneous energy cost of process because of the constraints in the available control Hamiltonian.Here,we experimentally show that using a transmon qubit that,even in the presence of vanishing energy gaps,it is possible to reach a highly time-optimal adiabatic quantum driving at low energy cost in the whole evolution process.This validates the recently derived general solution of the quantum Zermelo navigation problem,paving the way for energy-efficient quantum control which is usually overlooked in conventional speed-up schemes,including the well-known counter-diabatic driving.By designing the control Hamiltonian based on the quantum speed limit bound quantified by the changing rate of phase in the interaction picture,we reveal the relationship between the quantum speed limit and instantaneous energy cost.Consequently,we demonstrate fast and high-fidelity quantum adiabatic processes by employing energy-efficient driving strengths,indicating a promising strategy for expanding the applications of time-optimal quantum controls in superconducting quantum circuits.

Molecular Cloning and Bioinformatics Analysis of cyaA Gene of Vibrio alginolyticus Strain HY9901

[Objectives]This study was conducted to explore the biological functions of cyaA gene of Vibrio alginolyticus.[Methods]With DNA of V.alginolyticus HY 9901 as a template,primers were designed according to the sequence of cyaA gene,and the cyaA gene was amplified by PCR.Bioinformatics analysis was performed.[Results]The cyaA gene of V.alginolyticus HY9901 was 2529 bp in size,and encoded 842 amino acids.The molecular structure of CyaA protein was C_(4358)H_(6745)N_(1171)O_(1286)S_(35).Its theoretical molecular weight was 97.24167 kDa and the theoretical pI value was 5.56.It had no signal peptide and transmembrane domain.CyaA protein had three N-terminal glycosylation sites,one cAMP and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site,nine protein kinase C phosphorylation sites,nine casein kinase II phosphorylation sites,one tyrosine kinase phosphorylation site,seven N-terminal myristoylation sites,one pentenyl binding site and ten microbody C-terminal localization signal sites.Subcellular localization prediction showed that CyaA protein was mainly located in the nucleus and cytoplasm.Through multi-sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree construction,it was concluded that V.alginolyticus had high CyaA homology with other Vibrio species.cyaA of V.alginolyticus was clustered with Vibrio fluminensis and Vibrio marinisedimini,and they were closely related.The secondary structure of CyaA protein consisted ofα-helixes(43.11%),random coils(38.00%)and extended strands(14.49%).In protein network interaction,it was found that the proteins adjacent to CyaA protein were Crp-2,CpdA,Crr,PtsG-2,ANP67209.1,Crp-1,PykF,Pyk,RelA and Ndk.[Conclusions]This study provides a new idea for formulating strategies for the prevention and control of vibriosis.

Spatiotemporal changes of biogenic elements in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent waters in summer over the last decade

The long-term spatiotemporal changes of surface biogenic elements in the Changjiang River Estuary and adjacent waters during the summer of 2008–2016 were analyzed in this study.The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN),soluble reactive phosphate(PO_(4)^(3−))and silicate(SiO_(3)^(2−))were generally stable,with a slight decrease of DIN and PO_(4)^(3−),and a slight increase of SiO_(3)^(2−),which mainly occurred in the estuarine waters.The grey correlation analysis was carried out between biogenic elements and chlorophyll a(Chl-a).Results showed that compared with the absolute values of biogenic elements,the correlations between the concentration ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus(N/P),ratio of silicon to nitrogen(Si/N)and Chl-a were closer,indicating the important influence on phytoplankton by the structure of biogenic elements.The study area was generally in a state of potential P limitation,and could have potential impact on the phytoplankton community,triggering the shift of red tide dominant species from diatoms to dinoflagellates.

Realization of high-fidelity and robust geometric gates with time-optimal control technique in superconducting quantum circuit

One of the key features required to realize fault-tolerant quantum computation is the robustness of quantum gates against errors.Since geometric quantum gate is naturally insensitivity to noise,it appears to be a promising routine to achieve high-fidelity,robust quantum gates.The implementation of geometric quantum gate however faces some troubles such as its complex interaction among multiple energy levels.Moreover,traditional geometric schemes usually take more time than equivalent dynamical ones.Here,we experimentally demonstrate a geometric gate scheme with the time-optimal control(TOC)technique in a superconducting quantum circuit.With a transmon qubit and operations restricted to two computational levels,we implement a set of geometric gates which exhibit better robustness features against control errors than the dynamical counterparts.The measured fidelities of TOC X gate and X/2 gate are 99.81%and 99.79%respectively.Our work shows a promising routine toward scalable fault-tolerant quantum computation.

Cloing and Bioinformatics Analysis of ndk Gene from Vibrio alginolyticus

[Objectives]The paper was to clone and analyze bioinformatics of ndk gene from Vibrio alginolyticus.[Methods]A pair of specific primers was designed based on the ndk gene sequence of V.alginolyticus HY9901.The full length of ndk gene was amplified by PCR and bioinformatics analysis was performed.MEGA 5.0 software was used to construct NDK phylogenetic tree by neighbor-joining method.SWISS-MODEL program was used to obtain the three-dimensional structural model of single subunit from NDK protein.[Results]The ndk gene,molecular structural formula C702H1094N192O214S7,was 426 bp in total,encoding 141 amino acids,with the theoretical molecular weight of 15.87199 kD and the theoretical pI value of 5.13.The prediction results of protein subcellular localization,SignalP 5.0,TMHMM Server 2.0 and SoftBerry-Psite showed that NDK mainly existed in the cytoplasm,and the protein was unstable and hydrophobic.There was neither signal peptide cleavage site,nor transmembrane region and KEGG metabolic pathway.The amino acid sequence had two protein kinase C phosphorylation sites,a casein kinaseⅡphosphorylation site,a N-myristoylation site,three microbody C-terminal target signal sites,and a nucleoside diphosphate kinase active site.Homology analysis showed that the NDK of V.alginolyticus had high homology with that of V.diabolicus,with a similarity of 98.58%.Analysis of the structural functional domain revealed that the protein had one NDK structural functional domain.The prediction results of secondary structure showed that theα-helix,random coil,β-sheet and extended strand accounted for 53.19%,28.37%,7.09%and 11.35%,respectively.Analysis of NDK protein via STRING database demonstrated that the proteins interacting with NDK protein were NrdA,NrdB,GmK,CmK,TmK,PyrG,PyrH,RelA,FolE and SpoT.[Conclusions]The study plays a positive role in the prevention and control of vibriosis and the improvement of the current aquaculture environment.

Factors affecting consumer acceptance of electronic cash in China:an empirical study

This paper proposes and validates a comprehensive model of consumer acceptance in the context of offline e-cash payment.It modifies the unified theory of acceptance and the use of technology model(UTAUT)with constructs of perceived security,cost of use,and government policy.Data collected from 4428 questionnaires about users’attitudes toward e-cash is used to apply a structural equation model which,in turn,assesses the predictive model.The empirical results indicate that perceived security and cost of use are beneficial extensions to the traditional UTAUT model,and intention is a key antecedent to users’actual utilization of e-cash.In addition,the demographic moderators are found to have significant effects on the relations among the variables.These results are useful to e-cash development and significant to the issue of Digital Currency Electronic Payment.

Study on Refining Performances in Chemi-mechanical Pulping of Mixed Poplar and Eucalypt Woodchips

The refining performances of mixed poplar and eucalyptwoodchips(mixture ratio 6:4)were investigated at medium and highpulp consistency via chemi-mechanical pulping(CMP).The specificrefining energy consumption(SEC),fiber fraction proportion,andCanadian standard freeness(CSF)were determined to evaluate the effectsof pulp consistency and NaOH dosage on the refining performancesof mixed poplar and eucalypt woodchips.While the dosage of NaOHfor impregnation was maintained constant,the SEC and shive contentincreased with increasing pulp consistency.Different fractions obtainedfrom the Bauer-McNett classifier showed that higher pulp consistencycould be expected to yield more long fibers and shive in the stock.Upon increasing the NaOH dosage,the shive content and SEC reducedsignificantly.When the NaOH dosage was increased to 6%,the resultsindicated that it was difficult to reduce the shive content to less than 1%athigh pulp consistencies(25%~35%),whereas 0.18%shive fraction couldbe achieved at a medium pulp consistency(15%).

Soliton structures in the (1+1)-dimensional Ginzburg–Landau equation with a parity-time-symmetric potential in ultrafast optics

In this paper, the （l＋l）-dimensional variable-coefficient complex Ginzburg-Landau （CGL） equation with a parity- time （PT） symmetric potential U（x） is investigated. Although the CGL equations with a PT-symmetric potential are less reported analytically, the analytic solutions for the CGL equation are obtained with the bilinear method in this paper. Via the derived solutions, some soliton structures are presented with corresponding parameters, and the influences of them are analyzed and studied. The single-soliton structure is numerically verified, and its stability is analyzed against additive and multiplicative noises. In particular, we study the soliton dynamics under the impact of the PT-symmetric potential. Results show that the PT-symmetric potential plays an important role for obtaining soliton structures in ultrafast optics, and we can design fiber lasers and all-optical switches depending on the different amplitudes of soliton-like structures.

Theoretical analysis of frequency modulation-to-amplitude modulation on the final optics and target of the SG Ⅱ-Up laser facility

Frequency modulation(FM)-to-amplitude modulation(AM) conversion is an important factor that affects the time±power curve of inertial confinement fusion(ICF) high-power laser facilities. This conversion can impact uniform compression and increase the risk of damage to optics. However, the dispersive grating used in the smoothing by spectral dispersion technology will introduce a temporal delay and can spatially smooth the target. The combined effect of the dispersive grating and the focusing lens is equivalent to a Gaussian low-pass filter, which is equivalent to 8 GHz bandwidth and can reduce the intensity modulation on the target to below 5% with 0.3 nm @ 3 GHz + 20 GHz spectrum phase modulation. The results play an important role in the testing and evaluating of the FM-to-AM on the final optics and the target, which is beneficial for comprehensively evaluating the load capacity of the facility and isentropic compression experiment for ICF.

A comprehensive diagnostic system of ultra-thin liquid sheet targets

To meet the demands of laser-ion acceleration at a high repetition rate,we have developed a comprehensive diagnostic system for real-time and in situ monitoring of liquid sheet targets(LSTs).The spatially resolved rapid characterizations of an LST’s thickness,flatness,tilt angle and position are fulfilled by different subsystems with high accuracy.With the help of the diagnostic system,we reveal the dependence of thickness distribution on collision parameters and report the 238-nm liquid sheet generated by the collision of two liquid jets.Control methods for the flatness and tilt angle of LSTs have also been provided,which are essential for applications of laser-driven ion acceleration and others.

Recent advances in genome-scale engineering in Escherichia coli and their applications

Owing to the rapid advancement of genome engineering technologies,the scale of genome engineering has expanded dramatically.Genome editing has progressed from one genomic alteration at a time that could only be employed in few species,to the simultaneous generation of multiple modifications across many genomic loci in numerous species.The development and recent advances in multiplex automated genome engineering(MAGE)-associated technologies and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and their associated protein(CRISPR-Cas)-based approaches,together with genome-scale synthesis technologies offer unprecedented opportunities for advancing genome-scale engineering in a broader range.These approaches provide new tools to generate strains with desired phenotypes,understand the complexity of biological systems,and directly evolve a genome with novel features.Here,we review the recent major advances in genome-scale engineering tools developed for Escherichia coli,focusing on their applications in identifying essential genes,genome reduction,recoding,and beyond.

Interpulse stimulation Fourier-transform coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy

Exploiting the time-resolving ability of ultrafast pulses, Fourier-transform coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering(FT-CARS) stands out among the coherent Raman spectroscopic techniques for providing high-speed vibrational spectra with high spectral resolution, high Raman intensity, and immunity to nonresonant background. However,the impulsive stimulation nature of FT-CARS imposes heavy demands on the laser source and makes it inherently difficult to monitor high-frequency vibrations. Here, a novel FT-CARS strategy to our knowledge based on interpulse stimulation is proposed to provide more flexible measuring wavenumber region and lighten the requirement on ultrafast pulses. The mechanism of this technique is analyzed theoretically, and simulation is performed to show an orders-of-magnitude improvement of Raman intensity in the high-wavenumber region by the method.Experimentally, an ytterbium-doped fiber laser and photonic crystal fiber-based solitons are employed to provide two~100-fs pulses as the pump and Stokes, respectively, and to perform interpulse stimulation FT-CARS without sophisticated dispersion control devices. The high-wavenumber region and upper-part fingerprint region measurements are demonstrated as examples of flexible measurement. Combined with other rapid scanning techniques, such as resonant scanners or a dual-comb scheme, this interpulse stimulation FT-CARS promises to make the fascinating FT-CARS available for any desired wavenumber region, covering many more realistic scenarios for biomedical, pathological, and environmental research.

Self-assembled supramolecular immunomagnetic nanoparticles throughπ-πstacking strategy for the enrichment of circulating tumor cells

Owing to their high-specific binding toward targets as well as fast and convenient separation operations,immunomagnetic beads(IMBs)are widely used in the capture and detection of circulating tumor cells(CTCs).To construct the IMBs,surface modifications are generally performed to functionalize the magnetic cores(e.g.Fe_(3)O_(4)nanoparticles),and the employed surface modification strategies normally influence the structure and functions of the prepared IMBs in return.Different from the existing work,we proposed the use of supramolecular layer-by-layer(LBL)self-assembly strategy to construct the IMBs.In general,owing to theπ-πstacking interactions,the polydopamine,graphene oxide and‘molecular glue’γ-oxo-1-pyrenebutyric acid were self-assembled on Fe_(3)O_(4)nanoparticles sequentially,thereby accomplishing the integration of different functional components onto magnetic cores to prepare the self-assembled supramolecular immunomagnetic beads(ASIMBs).The ASIMBs showed high sensitivity,specificity and good biocompatibility to the model CTCs and low nonspecific adsorption to the negative cells(∼93%for MCF-7 cells and 17%for Jurkat cells).Meanwhile,ASIMBs possessed a remarkable potential to screen the rare MCF-7 cells out of large amounts of interfering Jurkat cells with the capture efficiency of 75-100%or out of mouse whole blood with the capture efficiency of 20-90%.The captured cells can be further recultured directly without any more treatment,which showed huge applicability of the ASIMBs for in vitro detection in clinical practices.

Diagnosing quantum crosstalk in superconducting quantum chips by using out-of-time-order correlators

Performance of a scalable quantum processor critically relies on minimizing crosstalk and unwanted interactions within the system,as it is vital for parallel controlled operations on qubits.We present a protocol not only to provide information about residual coupling but also to effectively discriminate it from the influence of classical crosstalk.Our approach utilizes out-of-time-order correlators(OTOCs)as a signal of quantum crosstalk,making it applicable to various coupling forms and scalable architectures.To demonstrate the effectiveness of our protocol,we provide a theoretical analysis and simulate its implementation in coupled superconducting qubits.

苯唑西林敏感、mecA基因阳性的猪源金黄色葡萄球菌的流行、分子分型及耐药性研究

【目的】为了解我国猪源苯唑西林敏感-mecA阳性金黄色葡萄球菌(Oxacillin-susceptible,mecA-positive Staphylococcus aureus,OS-MRSA)的流行情况、菌株分子特征及耐药性,本研究对我国中西部4个省份(甘肃、陕西、河南和广西)的9个规模化养猪场进行鼻腔拭子样本采集。【方法】运用PCR扩增nuc和mecA基因及苯唑西林耐药性检测对OS-MRSA菌株进行分离鉴定。然后对分离所得的OS-MRSA菌株进行26种毒素编码基因、16种抗生素耐药性以及spa、MLST和SCCmec分型检测。【结果】结果表明,采集的884份样本中,67份样本7.6%(67/884)分离到金黄色葡萄球菌,包括50株甲氧西林敏感菌株(Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus,MSSA)、8株苯唑西林耐受-mecA阳性金黄色葡萄球菌(Oxacillin-resistant mecA-positive,OR-MRSA)和9株OS-MRSA菌株。26种被检毒素编码基因中有9种毒素编码基因被检出,其中hla基因检出率最高,其次为hld、hlb、hlg、sei、sem、seg、sen和seo。此外,67株分离株中仅有16株携带肠毒素编码基因,其中OR-MRSA和OS-MRSA菌株分别占37.5%(6/16)和50.0%(8/16),且携带毒素编码基因的菌株克隆型均为ST9-t899。16种所测试抗生素中,菌株对12种抗生素表现为耐药,其中MSSA、OR-MRSA和OS-MRSA分离株分别主要对1–8、10–12和7–11种抗生素耐药。所有分离株共有4种克隆型ST398-t571、ST9-t899、ST398-t034和t11241,其中ST9-t899为MRSA菌株唯一克隆型和ST398-t571为MSSA优势克隆型。除4株分离株未检测到SCCmec分型外,IVb(76.5%,13/17)是MRSA分离株的唯一分型。【结论】结果表明,我国猪源MRSA分离株对苯唑西林药物敏感性发生了改变,出现了较多的苯唑西林敏感菌株。此外,MSSA和MRSA分离株优势克隆型分别为ST398-t571和ST9-IVb-t899。研究还发现,克隆型与毒素编码基因有显著相关性,携带毒素编码基因的菌株克隆型均为ST9-t899。通过了解我国猪源MSSA、OR-MRSA和OS-MRSA的流行、分子特征和耐药性,可以为我国猪源金黄色葡萄球菌的防控提供数据支持。

Molecular feature and therapeutic perspectives of immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked syndrome

Regulatory T(Treg) cells, a subtype of immunosuppressive CD4^+T cells, are vital for maintaining immune homeostasis in healthy people. Forkhead box protein P3(FOXP3), a member of the forkhead-wingedhelix family, is the pivotal transcriptional factor of Treg cells. The expression, post-translational modifications, and protein complex of FOXP3 present a great impact on the functional stability and immune plasticity of Treg cells in vivo. In particular, the mutation of FOXP3 can result in immune dysregulation,polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked(IPEX) syndrome, which is a rare genetic disease mostly diagnosed in early childhood and can soon be fatal. IPEX syndrome is related to several manifestations,including dermatitis, enteropathy, type 1 diabetes, thyroiditis, and so on. Here, we summarize some recent findings on FOXP3 regulation and Treg cell function. We also review the current knowledge about the underlying mechanism of FOXP3 mutant-induced IPEX syndrome and some latest clinical prospects.At last, this review offers a novel insight into the role played by the FOXP3 complex in potential therapeutic applications in IPEX syndrome.

All-optical silicon microring spiking neuron

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence and machine learning, brain-inspired neuromorphic photonics has emerged as an extremely attractive computing paradigm, promising orders-of-magnitude higher computing speed and energy efficiency compared to its electronic counterparts. Tremendous efforts have been devoted to photonic hardware implementations of mimicking the nonlinear neuron-like spiking response and the linear synapse-like weighting functionality. Here, we systematically characterize the spiking dynamics of a passive silicon microring neuron. The research of self-pulsation and excitability reveals that the silicon microring can function as an all-optical class Ⅱ resonate-and-fire neuron. The typical refractory period has been successfully suppressed by configuring the pump power above the perturbation power, hence allowing the microring neuron to operate with a speed up to roughly sub-gigahertz. Additionally, temporal integration and controllable inhibition regimes are experimentally demonstrated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Our experimental verification is obtained with a commercial CMOS platform, hence offering great potential for large-scale neuromorphic photonics integration.

Accurate and efficient molecular dynamics based on machine learning and non von Neumann architecture

Force field-based classical molecular dynamics(CMD)is efficient but its potential energy surface(PES)prediction error can be very large.Density functional theory(DFT)-based ab-initio molecular dynamics(AIMD)is accurate but computational cost limits its applications to small systems.Here,we propose a molecular dynamics(MD)methodology which can simultaneously achieve both AIMD-level high accuracy and CMD-level high efficiency.The high accuracy is achieved by exploiting deep neural network(DNN)’s arbitrarily-high precision to fit PES.The high efficiency is achieved by deploying multiplication-less DNN on a carefully-optimized special-purpose non von Neumann(NvN)computer to mitigate the performance-limiting data shuttling(i.e.,‘memory wall bottleneck’).By testing on different molecules and bulk systems,we show that the proposed MD methodology is generally-applicable to various MD tasks.The proposed MD methodology has been deployed on an in-house computing server based on reconfigurable field programmable gate array(FPGA),which is freely available at http://nvnmd.picp.vip.