Friction Characteristics Between Marine Clay and Construction Materials

Structure-soil interface friction characteristics is of importance to investigate the interaction between engineering structures and soils,especially for offshore structures.The interface friction behavior between marine clay and structural materials with different roughness was studied in this paper by using 3D optical scanning tests,a modified direct shear device and numerical simulation.Relationships between the surface roughness of structures,water content and interface friction angle were presented by model tests.The increase of water contents decreased the interface friction angles.For interfaces with different roughness,the interface friction angles will be smaller than that of the soil when the water content exceeds a certain value.The roughness of the interface and the water content of the soil are mutually coupled to influence the coefficient of friction(COF).This paper proposed a Finite Element Method(FEM)to simulate the interface direct shear tests of structures with different roughness.The surface models with different roughness are established based on the structure data obtained by 3D scanning.The Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian(CEL)approach was employed to analyse soils sheared by irregular surfaces.The interface behavior for interfaces with different roughness under cyclic shear stresses was analyzed by FEM.

Effects of Water-retaining Agents on Growth, Development, Yield and Quality of Soybean under Drought Stress

[Objectives]The paper was to explore the effects of different doses of water-retaining agent on the growth and development indicators,yield and quality of soybean plants subjected to drought stress.[Methods]The effects of drought stress(MDS)and drought stress with low(MDS-L),medium(MDS-M)and high doses(MDS-H)of the water-retaining agent on the growth and development indicators,root activity,MDA content,antioxidant enzyme activity,yield and quality of soybean were studied by field plot test,with the normal water supply serving as the control(CK).[Results]In response to drought stress,the plant height,stem diameter,and yield of soybean exhibited a notable decline.Additionally,the contents of protein,fat,linoleic acid,and linolenic acid in seeds demonstrated a significant reduction.Conversely,the root activity and antioxidant enzyme activity exhibited a noticeable decline,while the MDA content exhibited an increase.The application of varying doses of the water-retaining agent was found to significantly enhance soybean growth,stimulate root activity,and elevate antioxidant enzyme activity,while concurrently reducing MDA content.The observed effects were found to be dose-dependent,with the greatest effects observed at the highest dose.In comparison to MDS,the yields of soybean in the MDS-L,MDS-M,and MDS-H treatments exhibited a 18.38%,25.58%,and 46.26%increase,respectively.Additionally,the content of protein,fat,linoleic acid,and linolenic acid in seeds demonstrated a notable enhancement.[Conclusions]The application of the water-retaining agent has been demonstrated to significantly promote the growth of soybean plants under conditions of drought stress,resulting in an improvement in both the yield and the quality of the soybean crop.The recommended dosage of the water-retaining agent is 3.3 kg/667 m 2.

Force-induced Caspase-1-dependent pyroptosis regulates orthodontic tooth movement

Pyroptosis,an inflammatory caspase-dependent programmed cell death,plays a vital role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and activating inflammatory responses.Orthodontic tooth movement(OTM)is an aseptic force-induced inflammatory bone remodeling process mediated by the activation of periodontal ligament(PDL)progenitor cells.However,whether and how force induces PDL progenitor cell pyroptosis,thereby influencing OTM and alveolar bone remodeling remains unknown.In this study,we found that mechanical force induced the expression of pyroptosis-related markers in rat OTM and alveolar bone remodeling process.Blocking or enhancing pyroptosis level could suppress or promote OTM and alveolar bone remodeling respectively.Using Caspase-1^(−/−)mice,we further demonstrated that the functional role of the force-induced pyroptosis in PDL progenitor cells depended on Caspase-1.Moreover,mechanical force could also induce pyroptosis in human ex-vivo force-treated PDL progenitor cells and in compressive force-loaded PDL progenitor cells in vitro,which influenced osteoclastogenesis.Mechanistically,transient receptor potential subfamily V member 4 signaling was involved in force-induced Caspase-1-dependent pyroptosis in PDL progenitor cells.Overall,this study suggested a novel mechanism contributing to the modulation of osteoclastogenesis and alveolar bone remodeling under mechanical stimuli,indicating a promising approach to accelerate OTM by targeting Caspase-1.

Pulmonary abscess caused by Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae in a child:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Lung abscess found on chest X-ray and computed tomography examinations is rare in infants and young children.Several pathogens can cause lung abscesses,with the most common pathogens being anaerobes,Streptococci and Staphylococcus aureus.Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae(S.pseudopneumoniae)is a member of the Streptococcaceae family,and is mainly isolated from respiratory tract specimens.There are currently no cases of lung abscess caused by S.pseudopneumoniae in the literature.CASE SUMMARY A 2-year-old boy was admitted to hospital due to persistent cough and fever.Lung computed tomography examination suggested the formation of a lung abscess.His diagnosis was not confirmed by testing for serum respiratory pathogens(6 items),respiratory pathogen nucleic acid(27 items),and laboratory culture.Finally,metagenomic next-generation sequencing of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed the presence of S.pseudopneumoniae,confirming its role in causing the lung abscess.After receiving antibiotic treatment,reexamination with lung computed tomography showed that the abscess was resorbed and the patient’s outcome was good.CONCLUSION This is the first report of a lung abscess in a child caused by S.pseudopneumoniae infection.Metagenomic next-generation sequencing of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid is helpful in achieving rapid and accurate pathogen identification.

Craniofacial therapy:advanced local therapies from nano-engineered titanium implants to treat craniofacial conditions

Nano-engineering-based tissue regeneration and local therapeutic delivery strategies show significant potential to reduce the health and economic burden associated with craniofacial defects,including traumas and tumours.Critical to the success of such nano-engineered non-resorbable craniofacial implants include load-bearing functioning and survival in complex local trauma conditions.Further,race to invade between multiple cells and pathogens is an important criterion that dictates the fate of the implant.In this pioneering review,we compare the therapeutic efficacy of nano-engineered titanium-based craniofacial implants towards maximised local therapy addressing bone formation/resorption,soft-tissue integration,bacterial infection and cancers/tumours.We present the various strategies to engineer titanium-based craniofacial implants in the macro-,micro-and nano-scales,using topographical,chemical,electrochemical,biological and therapeutic modifications.A particular focus is electrochemically anodised titanium implants with controlled nanotopographies that enable tailored and enhanced bioactivity and local therapeutic release.Next,we review the clinical translation challenges associated with such implants.This review will inform the readers of the latest developments and challenges related to therapeutic nano-engineered craniofacial implants.

Analysis of the Performances and Optimization of Polyurethane Concrete with a Large Percentage of Fly Ash

The properties of polyurethane concrete containing a large amount of fly ash are investigated,and accordingly,a model is introduced to account for the influence of fly ash fineness,water ratio,and loss of ignition(LOI)on its mechanical performances.This research shows that,after optimization,the concrete has a compressive strength of 20.8 MPa,a flexural strength of 3.4 MPa,and a compressive modulus of elasticity of 19.2 GPa.The main factor influencing 28 and 90 d compressive strength is fly ash content,water-binder ratio,and early strength agent content.

Genetic progress in stem lodging resistance of the dominant wheat cultivars adapted to Yellow-Huai River Valleys Winter Wheat Zone in China since 1964

Analysis of genetic progress for lodging-related traits provides important information for further improvement of lodging resistance.Forty winter wheat cultivars widely grown in the Yellow-Huai River Valleys Winter Wheat Zone(YHWZ)of China during the period of 1964–2015 were evaluated for several lodging-related traits in three cropping seasons.Plant height,height at center of gravity,length of the basal second internode,and lodging index decreased significantly in this period,and the average annual genetic gains for these traits were–0.50 cm or–0.62%,–0.27 cm or–0.60%,–0.06 cm or–0.63%,and–0.01 or–0.94%,respectively.Different from other traits,stem strength showed a significant increasing trend with the breeding period,and the annual genetic gains were 0.03 N or 0.05%.Correlation analysis showed that lodging index was positively correlated with plant height,height at center of gravity,and length of the basal second internode,but negatively correlated with stem strength.Meanwhile,significantly positive correlations were observed between plant height,height at center of gravity,and length of the basal first and second internodes.By comparison with the wild types,dwarfing genes had significant effects on all lodging-related traits studied except for length of the basal first internode and stem strength.Principle component analysis demonstrated that plant height and stem strength were the most important factors influencing lodging resistance.Clustering analysis based on the first two principle components further indicated the targets of wheat lodging-resistant breeding have changed from reducing plant height to strengthening stem strength over the breeding periods.This study indicates that the increase of stem strength is vital to improve lodging resistance in this region under the high-yielding condition when plant height is in an optimal range.

Variation in allelic frequencies at loci associated with kernel weight and their effects on kernel weight-related traits in winter wheat

Knowledge of allelic frequencies at loci associated with kernel weight and effects on kernel weight-related traits is crucial for yield improvement in wheat. Kernel weight-related traits were evaluated in 200 Chinese winter wheat cultivars(lines) grown at the Xinxiang Experimental Station, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinxiang in Henan Province, for three consecutive years from 2014 to 2016. Alleles associated with kernel weight at nine loci, TaCKX6-D1, TaCwi-A1, TaCWI-4A, TaGS1a, TaGS5-A1, TaGS3-3A, TaGW2-6A, TaSus2-2B, and TaTGW6-A1, were determined for all cultivars(lines). ANOVA showed that genotypes, years and their interactions had significant effects on thousand-kernel weight(TKW), kernel length(KL) and kernel width(KW). The overall mean frequencies of alleles conferring high and low TKW at the nine loci were 65.9% and 33.4%, with the ranges of 37.0%–85.0% and 13.5%–63.0% for single loci. The frequencies of high-TKW alleles were over 50.0% at eight of the loci. Genotypes at each locus with the high-TKW allele had higher TKW than those with the low-TKW allele. The high-TKW allele Hap-H at the TaSus2-2B locus can be preferably used to increase grain yield due to its high TKW(49.32 g). A total of 18 main allelic combinations(ACs) at nine loci were detected. Three ACs(AC1–AC3) had significantly higher TKW than AC6 with high-TKW alleles at all nine loci even though they contained some low-TKW alleles. This indicated that other loci controlling kernel weight were present in the high-TKW cultivars. This work provides important information for parental selection and marker-assisted selection for breeding.

Evaluation of IFIT3 and ORM1 as Biomarkers for Discriminating Active Tuberculosis from Latent Infection

Objective Current commercially available immunological tests cannot be used for discriminating active tuberculosis(TB)from latent TB infection.To evaluate the value of biomarker candidates in the diagnosis of active TB,this study aimed to identify differentially expressed genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)between patients with active TB and individuals with latent TB infection by transcriptome sequencing.Methods The differentially expressed genes in unstimulated PBMCs and in Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb)antigen-stimulated PBMCs from patients with active TB and individuals with latent TB infection were identified by transcriptome sequencing.Selected candidate genes were evaluated in cohorts consisting of 110 patients with TB,30 individuals with latent TB infections,and 50 healthy controls by quantitative real-time RT-PCR.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was performed to calculate the diagnostic value of the biomarker candidates.Results Among the differentially expressed genes in PBMCs without Mtb antigen stimulation,interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3(IFIT3)had the highest area under curve(AUC)value(0.918,95%CI:0.852-0.984,P<0.0001)in discriminating patients with active TB from individuals with latent TB infection,with a sensitivity of 91.86%and a specificity of 84.00%.In Mtb antigen-stimulated PBMCs,orosomucoid 1(ORM1)had a high AUC value(0.833,95%CI:0.752-0.915,P<0.0001),with a sensitivity of 81.94%and a specificity of 70.00%.Conclusion IFIT3 and ORM1 might be potential biomarkers for discriminating active TB from latent TB infection.

Cases of Trademark Examination Review and Adjudication

Case of Reexamination of Rejection of Trademark "GE" On 20 December 2001, the US General Electric Company (GE) filed with the Trademark Office an application for regG Eistration of the trademark "GE"(see Fig.l) on goods in class 8 of the International Classification: hand tools, table cutlery (knives, forks and spoons), side arms other than firearms, fish forks. Upon examination, the Trademark Office, pursuant to Article 11, paragraph one (3) and Article 28 of the Trademark Law of the People's Republic of China, rejected, on 9 October 2002, the application for registration of said mark, and made no publication thereof on the grounds that "the trademark applied for registration was the combination of two letters of ordinary typeface, which was not distinctive, so should not be registered as a trademark". ……

TBM performance prediction using LSTM-based hybrid neural network model:Case study of Baimang River tunnel project in Shenzhen,China

Accurately predicting tunnel boring machine(TBM)performance is beneficial for excavation efficiency enhancement and risk miti-gation of TBM tunneling.In this paper,we develop a long short-term memory(LSTM)based hybrid intelligent model to predict two key TBM performance parameters(advance rate and cutterhead torque).The model combines the LSTM,BN,Dropout and Dense layers to process the raw data and improve the fitting quality.The features,including the ground formation properties,tunnel route cur-vature,tunnel location and TBM operational parameters,are divided into historical/real-time time-varying parameters,time-invariant parameters and historical/real-time output prediction data.The effectiveness of the proposed model is verified based on a large moni-toring database of the Baimang River Tunnel Project in Shenzhen,south China.We then discuss the influence of the prediction mode,neural network structure and time division interval length of historical data on the prediction accuracy.The significance evaluation of input features shows that the historical output prediction has the largest influence on the prediction accuracy,and the influence of ground properties is secondary.It is also found that the correlations between input features and the output prediction are coincident with their interrelationships with the ground properties and ease of TBM excavation.Finally,it is found that the prediction results are most affected by the total propulsion force followed by the rotation speed of the cutterhead.The established model can provide useful guidance for construction personnel to roughly grasp the possible TBM status from the prediction results when adjusting the operational parameters.

A hierarchical bilayer architecture for complex tissue regeneration

Engineering a complete,physiologically functional,periodontal complex structure remains a great clinical challenge due to the highly hierarchical architecture of the periodontium and coordinated regulation of multiple growth factors required to induce stem cell multilineage differentiation.Using biomimetic self-assembly and microstamping techniques,we construct a hierarchical bilayer architecture consisting of intrafibrillarly mineralized collagen resembling bone and cementum,and unmineralized parallel-aligned fibrils mimicking periodontal ligament.The prepared biphasic scaffold possesses unique micro/nano structure,differential mechanical properties,and growth factor-rich microenvironment between the two phases,realizing a perfect simulation of natural periodontal hard/soft tissue interface.The interconnected porous hard compartment with a Young’s modulus of 1409.00±160.83 MPa could induce cross-arrangement and osteogenic differentiation of stem cells in vitro,whereas the micropatterned soft compartment with a Young’s modulus of 42.62±4.58 MPa containing abundant endogenous growth factors,could guide parallel arrangement and fibrogenic differentiation of stem cells in vitro.After implantation in critical-sized complete periodontal tissue defect,the biomimetic bilayer architecture potently reconstructs native periodontium with the insertion of periodontal ligament fibers into newly formed cementum and alveolar bone by recruiting host mesenchymal stem cells and activating the transforming growth factor beta 1/Smad3 signaling pathway.Taken together,integration of self-assembly and microstamping strategies could successfully fabricate a hierarchical bilayer architecture,which exhibits great potential for recruiting and regulating host stem cells to promote synergistic regeneration of hard/soft tissues.