LINEAR ACTIVE STRUCTURES AND MODES (Ⅱ) —DISCRETE SYSTEMS AND BEAMS

The basic concepts about the active structures and some attributes of the modes were presented in paper “Liner Active Structures and Modes]( I) ". The characteristics of the active discrete systems and active beams were discussed, especially, the stability of the active structures and the orthogonality of the eigenvectors. The notes about modes were portrayed by a model of a seven-storeyed building with sensors and actuators. The concept of the adjoint active structure was extended from the discrete systems to the beams that were the representations of the continuous structures. Two types of beams with different placements of the measuring and actuating systems were discussed in detail. One is the beam with the discrete sensors and actuators, and the other is the beam with distributed sensor and actuator function. The orthogonality conditions were derived with the modal shapes of the active beam and its adjoint active beam. An example shows that the variation of eigenvalues with feedback amplitude for the homo-configuration and non-homo-configuration active structures.

Highly Active and Stable Ni_2P/SiO_2 Catalyst for Hydrogenation of C_9 Petroleum Resin

Catalytic hydrogenation is an appropriate method for the improvement of C9 petroleum resin（C9PR） quality. In this study, the Ni2P/SiO2（containing 10% of Ni） catalyst prepared by the temperature-programmed reduction（TPR） method was used for hydrogenation of C9 petroleum resins. The effect of reaction conditions on catalytic performance was studied, and the results showed that the optimum reaction temperature, pressure and liquid hourly space velocity（LHSV） was 250 ℃, 6.0 MPa, and 1.0 h-1, respectively. The bromine numbers of hydrogenated products were maintained at low values（250 mg Br/100g） within 300h, showing the high activity and stability of Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst. The fresh and spent catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction（XRD）, BET surface area（BET） analysis, scanning electron microscopy（SEM）, transmission electron microscopy（TEM）, Fourier transform infrared（FTIR） pyridine adsorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）. Compared with the traditional sulfurated-Ni W catalysts, Ni2P possessed globe-like structure instead of layered structure like the active phase of Ni WS, thereof exposing more active sites, which were responsible for the high activity of Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst. The stability of Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst was probably attributed to its high sulfur tolerance, antisintering, anti-coking and carbon-resistance ability. These properties might be further ascribed to the special Ni-P-S surface phase, high thermal stability of Ni2P nanoparticles and weak surface acidity for the Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst.

ACTIVE FRONT STEERING DURING BRAKING PROCESS

An active front steering （AFS） intervention control during braking for vehicle stability is presented. Based on the investigation of AFS mechanism, a simplified model of steering system is established and integrated with vehicle model. Then the AFS control on vehicle handling dynamics during braking is designed. Due to the difficulties associated with the sideslip angle measurement of vehicle, a state observer is designed to provide real time estimation. Thereafter, the controller with the feedback of both sideslip and yaw angle is implemented. To evaluate the system control, the proposed AFS controlled vehicle has been tested in the Hardware-in-the-loop-simulation （HILS） system and compared with that of conventional vehicle. Results show that AFS can improve vehicle lateral stability effectively without reducing the braking performance.

The Effect of Oxygen Partial Pressure during Active Layer Deposition on Bias Stability of a-InGaZnO TFTs

The effect of oxygen partial pressure （Po2） during the channel layer deposition on bias stability of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide （a-IGZO） thin film transistors （TFTs） is investigated. As Po2 increases from 10% to 30%, it is found that the device shows enhanced bias stress stability with significantly reduced threshold voltage drift under positive gate bias stress. Based on the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement, the concentration of oxygen vacancies （Or） within the a-IGZO layer is suppressed by increasing Po2. Meanwhile, the low-frequency noise analysis indicates that the average trap density near the channel/dielectric interface continuously drops with increasing Po2. Therefore, the improved interface quality with increasing Po2 during the channel layer deposition can be attributed to the reduction of interface Ov-related defects, which agrees with the enhanced bias stress stability of the a-IGZO TFTs.

Limit analysis method for active earth pressure on laggings between stabilizing piles

Stabilizing pile is a kind of earth shoring structure frequently used in slope engineering. When the piles have cantilever segments above the ground,laggings are usually installed to avoid collapse of soil between piles. Evaluating the earth pressure acting on laggings is of great importance in design process.Since laggings are usually less stiff than piles,the lateral pressure on lagging is much closer to active earth pressure. In order to estimate the lateral earth pressure on lagging more accurately,first,a model test of cantilever stabilizing pile and lagging systems was carried out. Then,basing the experimental results a three-dimensional sliding wedge model was established. Last,the calculation process of the total active force on lagging is presented based on the kinematic approach of limit analysis. A comparison is made between the total active force on lagging calculated by the formula presented in this study and the force on a same-size rigid retaining wall obtained from Rankine's theory. It is found that the proposed method fits well with the experimental results.Parametric studies show that the total active force on lagging increases with the growth of the lagging height and the lagging clear span; while decreases asthe soil internal friction angle and soil cohesion increase.

Active zone stability:insights from fly neuromuscular junction

The presynaptic active zone is a dynamic structure that orchestrates regulated release of neurotrans- mitters. Developmental and aging processes, and changes in neuronal network activity can all modulate the number, size and composition of active zone and thereby synaptic efficacy. However, very little is known about the mechanism that controls the structural stability of active zone. By study- ing a model synapse, the Drosophila neuromuscular iunction, our recent work shed light on how two scaffolding proteins at the active zone regulate active zone stability by promoting a localized dephos- phorylation event at the nerve terminal. Here we discuss the major insights from our findings and their implications for future research.

Robust stability characterizations of active metamaterials with non-Foster loads

Active metamaterials incorporating with non-Foster elements have been considered as one of the means of overcoming inherent limitations of the passive counterparts, thus achieving broadband or gain metamaterials. However, realistic active metamaterials, especially non-Foster loaded medium, would face the challenge of the possibility of instability. Moreover,they normally appear to be time-variant and in unsteady states, which leads to the necessity of a stability method to cope with the stability issue considering the system model uncertainty. In this paper, we propose an immittance-based stability method to design a non-Foster loaded metamaterial ensuring robust stability. First, the principle of this stability method is introduced after comparing different stability criteria. Based on the equivalent system model, the stability characterization is used to give the design specifications to achieve an active metamaterial with robust stability. Finally, it is applied to the practical design of active metamaterial with non-Foster loaded loop arrays. By introducing the disturbance into the nonFoster circuit（NFC）, the worst-case model uncertainty is considered during the design, and the reliability of our proposed method is verified. This method can also be applied to other realistic design of active metamaterials.

Linkages between soil microbial stability and carbon storage in the active layer under permafrost degradation

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)distributes the largest extent of high-altitude mountain permafrost in the world(Zou et al.,2017),which has different characteristics from high-latitude permafrost(Yang et al.,2010)and stores massive soil carbon.

New insights into p53 activation

The tumor suppressor p53 is a multifunctional, highly regulated, and promoter-specific transcriptional factor that is uniquely sensitive to DNA damage and cellular stress signaling. The mechanisms by which p53 directs a damaged cell down either a cell growth arrest or an apoptotic pathway remain poorly understood. Evidence suggests that the in vivo functions of p53 seem to balance the cell-fate choice with the type and severity of damage that occurs. The concept of antirepression, or inhibition of factors that normally keep p53 at bay, may help explain the physiological mechanisms for p53 activation. These factors also provide novel chemotherapeutic targets for the reactivation of p53 in tumors harboring a wild-type copy of the gene.

Boosting the photocatalytic performance of Ag_2CO_3 crystals in phenol degradation via coupling with trace N-CQDs

A series of N‐CQDs/Ag2CO3composite crystals(where N‐CQDs=Nitrogen doped carbon quantumdots)were prepared by adding different volumes of a solution of N‐CQDs during Ag2CO3crystalgrowth.Under irradiation from a350‐W Xe lamp light(with optical filter,λ≥420nm),the performanceof N‐CQDs/Ag2CO3in photocatalytic degradation of phenol was evaluated.The as‐preparedsamples were analyzed by XRD,SEM,TEM,BET,element mapping,UV‐vis DRS,FT‐IR,XPS,transientphotocurrent response and EIS testing.The results showed that after coupling with trace amountsof N‐CQDs,both the photocatalytic activity and stability of Ag2CO3were greatly boosted.The additionof N‐CQDs solution influenced the crystallization of Ag2CO3,resulting in a distinct decrease inAg2CO3crystal size and an obvious increase in surface area.Moreover,the charge transfer resistancewas greatly reduced,and the separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes wasstrongly promoted.The presence of NCQDs on the surface of the catalysts facilitates the transfer ofphotogenerated electrons,slowing the photocorrosion rate of Ag2CO3,and then resulting in higherstability than bare Ag2CO3in degradation.The synergistic effect of the improvement of morphologyand charge transfer rate thus accounted for the superior photocatalytic performance ofN‐CQDs/Ag2CO3.

3D hollow sphere Co_3O_4/MnO_2-CNTs:Its high-performance bi-functional cathode catalysis and application in rechargeable zinc-air battery

There has been a continuous need for high active, excellently durable and low-cost electrocatalysts for rechargeable zinc-air batteries. Among many low-cost metal based candidates, transition metal oxides with the CNTs composite have gained increasing attention. In this paper, the 3-D hollow sphere MnO_2 nanotube-supported Co_3O_4 nanoparticles and its carbon nanotubes hybrid material(Co_3 O_4/MnO_2-CNTs) have been synthesized via a simple co-precipitation method combined with post-heat treatment. The morphology and composition of the catalysts are thoroughly analyzed through SEM, TEM, TEM-mapping, XRD, EDX and XPS. In comparison with the commercial 20% Pt/C, Co_3O_4/MnO_2,bare MnO_2 nanotubes and CNTs, the hybrid Co_3O_4/MnO_2-CNTs-350 exhibits perfect bi-functional catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction under alkaline condition(0.1 M KOH). Therefore, high cell performances are achieved which result in an appropriate open circuit voltage(～1.47 V),a high discharge peak power density(340 mW cm^(-2)) and a large specific capacity(775 mAh g^(-1) at 10 mA cm^(-2)) for the primary Zn-air battery, a small charge-discharge voltage gap and a high cycle-life(504 cycles at 10 mA cm^(-2) with 10 min per cycle) for the rechargeable Zn-air battery. In particular, the simple synthesis method is suitable for a large-scale production of this bifunctional material due to a green, cost effective and readily available process.

Catalytic methanation of syngas over Ni-based catalysts with different supports

Co-precipitation method was selected for the preparation of Ni/Al_2O_3, Ni/ZrO_2 and Ni/CeO_2 catalysts, and their performances in methanation were investigated in this study. The structure and surface properties of these catalysts were characterized by BET, XRD, H_2-TPD, TEM and H_2-TPR. The results showed that the catalytic activity at low temperature followed the order: Ni/Al_2O_3>Ni/ZrO_2>Ni/CeO_2. Ni/Al_2O_3 catalyst presented the best catalytic performance with the highest CH_4 selectivity of 94.5%. The characterization results indicated that the dispersion of the active component Ni was the main factor affecting the catalytic activity and the one with higher dispersion gave better performance.

Hydrothermal Synthesis and Visible-light Photocatalytic Activities of SnS_2 Nanoflakes

SnS2 nanoflakes were successfully synthesized via a simple hydrothermal process. The as-prepared SnS2 samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction（XRD）, scanning electron microscopy（SEM）, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy（DRS）. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared SnS2 nanoflakes under visible light irradiation（λ〉420 nm） were evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B（Rh B）. The effect of hydrothermal temperatures on the photocatalytic efficiency of as-prepared SnS2 nanoflakes was investigated. The experimental result showed that SnS2 nanoflakes synthesized at the temprature of 160 o had higher photocatalytic efficiency and good photocatalytic stability.

Vehicle path tracking by integrated chassis control

The control problem of trajectory based path following for passenger vehicles is studied. Comprehensive nonlinear vehicle model is utilized for simulation vehicle response during various maneuvers in MATLAB/Simulink. In order to follow desired path, a driver model is developed to enhance closed loop driver/vehicle model. Then, linear quadratic regulator(LQR) controller is developed which regulates direct yaw moment and corrective steering angle on wheels. Particle swam optimization(PSO) method is utilized to optimize the LQR controller for various dynamic conditions. Simulation results indicate that, over various maneuvers, side slip angle and lateral acceleration can be reduced by 10% and 15%, respectively, which sustain the vehicle stable. Also, anti-lock brake system is designed for longitudinal dynamics of vehicle to achieve desired slip during braking and accelerating. Proposed comprehensive controller demonstrates that vehicle steerability can increase by about 15% during severe braking by preventing wheel from locking and reducing stopping distance.

Template-assisted synthesis of hierarchically porous Co3O4 with enhanced oxygen evolution activity

Oxygen evolution reaction（OER） is one of the most important reactions in the energy storage devices such as metal–air batteries and unitized regenerative fuel cells（URFCs）. However, the kinetically sluggishness of OER and the high prices as well as the scarcity of the most active precious metal electrocatalysts are the major bottleneck in these devices. Developing low-cost non-precious metal catalysts with high activity and stability for OER is highly desirable. A facile, in situ template method combining the dodecyl benzene sulfuric acid sodium（SDBS） assisted hydrothermal process with subsequent high-temperature treatment was developed to prepare porous Co3O4 with improved surface area and hierarchical porous structure as precious catalysts alternative for oxygen evolution reaction（OER）. Due to the unique structure, the as-prepared catalyst shows higher electrocatalytic activity than Co3O4 prepared by traditional thermal-decomposition method（noted as Co3O4-T） and commercial IrO2 catalyst for OER in 0.1M KOH aqueous solution. Moreover, it displays improved stability than Co3O4-T. The results demonstrate a highly efficient, scalable, and low cost method for developing highly active and stable OER electrocatalysts in alkaline solutions.

Performance Comparison of Two Newly Developed Bimetallic(X-Mo/Al2O3, X=Fe or Co) Catalysts for Reverse Water Gas Shift Reaction

The performance of the two newly developed bimetallic catalysts based on the precursor, Mo/Al_2O_3, was compared for reverse water gas shift(RWGS) reaction. The structures of the precursor and the catalysts were studied using X-ray diffraction(XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller(BET) analysis, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry(ICP-AES), CO chemisorption, temperature programmed reduction of hydrogen(H_2-TPR) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) techniques. The activity of Fe-Mo and Co-Mo catalysts was compared in a fixed bed reactor at different temperatures. It is shown that the Co-Mo catalyst has higher CO_2 conversion at all temperature level. The time-on-stream(TOS) analysis of the activity of catalysts for the RWGS reaction was carried out over a continuous period of 60h for both catalysts. The Fe-Mo/Al_2O_3 catalyst exhibits good stability within a period of 60h, however, the Co-Mo/Al_2O_3 is gradually deactivated after 50h of reaction time. Existence of(Fe_2(MoO4_))_3 phase in Fe-Mo/Al_2O_3 catalyst makes this catalyst more stable for RWGS reaction.

Synthesis and Characterization of 8-Chloro-7-(4-(3-chloropropanoyl)piperazin-1-yl)-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic Acid

A new compound 8-chloro-7-（4-（3-chloropropanoyl）piperazin-1-yl）-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic acid（II, C20H20Cl2FN3O4, Mr = 456.08） was synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR, 13 C NMR, HR MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. X-ray powder diffraction（XRPD）, thermal stabilities, UV-Vis spectrum, photoluminescent properties and absolute quantum yield of compound II were also investigated. The structure demonstrates that the crystal belongs to the triclinic system, space group P1 with a = 7.7339（3）, b = 10.2396（5）, c = 15.9076（8）A, α = 76.517（4）, β = 77.609（4）, γ = 80.320（4）°, V = 1187.22（9）A^3, Z = 2, Dc = 1.514 g/mm^3, μ = 4.901 mm^-1, F（000） = 556.0, R = 0.0534 and w R = 0.1447（I 〉 2σ（I））. The result reveals that fluoroquionolone moiety in this structure stacks with π×××π interactions to generate an infinite 1D chain, which can stabilize the whole framework of compound II. Delightfully, preliminary antibacterial activity in vitro against 4 cell strains uncovers that compound II has almost equal strong activity in comparison with Clinafloxacin, but stronger than Norfloxacin. These outcomes provide important information for further exploration of the structure-activity relationship（SAR） of compound II derivatives or analogs.

Double active sites promoting hydrogen evolution activity and stability of CoRuOH/Co_(2)P by rapid hydrolysis

Cobalt-based phosphides show excellent hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)performance,however,improving the intrinsic activity and stability of it in alkaline electrolyte still remains a challenge.Herein,CoRuOH/Co_(2)P/CF with heterojunction structure was developed by means of molten salt and rapid hydrolysis(30 s).The OH-from rapid surface hydrolysis of Co_(2)P as a hydrogen adsorption site can facilitate the formation of thin CoRuOH layer as a water dissociation site,which may bring out better synergistic effect for alkaline HER.Moreover,the covering of CoRuOH can improve the stability of Co_(2)P for HER.When drives at 100 mA/cm^(2),it only requires overpotential of 81 mV in 1.0 mol/L KOH(25℃).Even at higher current density(1000 mA/cm^(2)),CoRuOH/Co_(2)P/CF can also operate stability for at least 100 h.When coupling with NiFe-LDH/IF in a two-electrode system,the voltage of NiFe-LDH/IF(+)||CoRuOH/Co_(2)P/CF(-)at 1000 mA/cm^(2)is merely 1.77 V with 100 h,demonstrating great potential for water splitting.The implementation of this work provides a new strategy and reference for the further improvement of transition metal phosphides as HER electrocatalysts.

Bogie active stability simulation and scale rig test based on frame lateral vibration control

This paper puts forward a high-speed train bogie active stability method,based on frame lateral vibration control,for improving the stability and critical speed of railway vehicles at high speeds.Two inertial actuators apply active control forces to the front and rear end beams of the bogie frame.A scale model of bogie lateral dynamics is established,as well as the state space equation of the control system.Also,the multi-objective optimization is used to construct state feedback parameters,which take hunting stability and control effort into account.Furthermore,the effects of time-delay in the control system and suspension parameters on bogie hunting stability are studied.The dynamic behaviors and the stability mechanism of the bogie control system are analyzed.Finally,a 1:5 scale test rig is used to conduct a bogie active stability experiment.The results reveal that active control of frame lateral vibration can effectively improve the bogie system's hunting stability margin at high speeds,but time-delay in the control system cannot be ignored.

The impact of acetylation and deacetylation on the p53 pathway

The p53 tumor suppressor is a sequence-specific transcription factor that undergoes an abundance of post-translational modifications for its regulation and activation.Acetylation of p53 is an important reversible enzymatic process that occurs in response to DNA damage and genotoxic stress and is indispensible for p53 transcriptional activity.p53 was the first non-histone protein shown to be acetylated by histone acetyl transferases,and a number of more recent in vivo models have underscored the importance of this type of modification for p53 activity.Here,we review the current knowledge and recent findings of p53 acetylation and deacetylation and discuss the implications of these processes for the p53 pathway.