Bonding characteristics of the Al_2O_3-metal composite coating fabricated onto carbon steel by combustion synthesis

The fabrication of an alumina-metal composite coating onto a carbon steel substrate by using a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis technique was demonstrated. The effects of the type and thickness of the pre-coated layer on the binding structure and surface qual- ity of the coating were systematically investigated. The macrostructure, phase composition, and bonding interface between the coating and the substrate were investigated by scanning electronic microscopy （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry （EDS）. The diffraction patterns indicated that the coating essentially consisted of α-Al2O3, Fe（Cr）, and FeO-Al2O3. With an increase in the thickness of the pre-coated working layer, the coating became more smooth and compact. The transition layer played an important role in enhancing the binding between the coating and the substmte. When the pre-coated working layer was 10 mm and the pre-coated transition layer was 1 ram, a compact structure and metallurgical bonding with the substrate were obtained. Thermal shock test results indicated that the ceramic coating exhibited good thermal shock resistance when the sample was rapidly quenched from 800℃ to room temperature by plunging into water.

Whole-genome resequencing reveals molecular imprints of anthropogenic and natural selection in wild and domesticated sheep

The abundance of domesticated sheep varieties and phenotypes is largely the result of long-term natural and artificial selection. However, there is limited information regarding the genetic mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation induced by the domestication and improvement of sheep. In this study, to explore genomic diversity and selective regions at the genome level, we sequenced the genomes of 100 sheep across 10 breeds and combined these results with publicly available genomic data from 225 individuals, including improved breeds, Chinese indigenous breeds,African indigenous breeds, and their Asian mouflon ancestor. Based on population structure, the domesticated sheep formed a monophyletic group,while the Chinese indigenous sheep showed a clear geographical distribution trend. Comparative genomic analysis of domestication identified several selective signatures, including IFI44 and IFI44L genes and PANK2 and RNF24 genes, associated with immune response and visual function.Population genomic analysis of improvement demonstrated that candidate genes of selected regions were mainly associated with pigmentation,energy metabolism, and growth development.Furthermore, the IFI44 and IFI44L genes showed a common selection signature in the genomes of 30domesticated sheep breeds. The IFI44 c. 54413058C>G mutation was selected for genotyping and population genetic validation. Results showed that the IFI44 polymorphism was significantly associated with partial immune traits. Our findings identified the population genetic basis of domesticated sheep at the whole-genome level, providing theoretical insights into the molecular mechanism underlying breed characteristics and phenotypic changes during sheep domestication and improvement.