The role of the auxin-response genes MdGH3.1 and MdSAUR36 in bitter pit formation in apple

Apples often exhibit bitter pits in response to metabolic disorders during ripening and storage;however, the mechanisms underlying the bitter pit(BP) development remain unclear. Here, metabolome and transcriptome analyses were performed to investigate BP pulp of 'Fuji'. Two auxin-response genes, MdGH3.1 and MdSAUR36, were screened. Their expression as well as the auxin content in BP pulp were found to be higher than those in healthy pulp(P < 0.01). In the field, excess CO(NH2)2increased the incidence of BP. Moreover, the auxin content and MdGH3.1 expression increased in apples after nitrogen fertilization. On Day 30 before harvest, the two genes were transiently transferred to the fruit, and 20.69% and 23.21% of BP fruits were harvested. After 10 μmol·L-1auxin was infiltrated at low pressure into postharvest fruit, the increase in MdGH3.1 expression occurred earlier than that in MdSAUR36. MdGH3.1 increased the expression of MdSAUR36, but MdSAUR36 did not increase expression of MdGH3.1. Therefore, we suggest that MdGH3.1 acts upstream of MdSAUR36 during BP formation and that these genes induce BP formation by regulating auxin and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis.

The Importance of Stakeholder Engagement in Progressive Rehabilitation of Large-Scale Open Pit Mines—A Case Study of Lumwana Mine

Mining globally contributes to the growth of many economies of the world. Since its inception, the Zambian mining industry has contributed largely to the country’s economy. The various developments both in technology and knowledge have contributed to the scale at which mining is being done. Challenges in such a setting arise due to the socio-economic and environmental impacts of mining, which create multidimensional problems. The study investigated the importance of engaging stakeholders in progressive rehabilitation programs for large-scale open pit mines, using a case study of the Lumwana Mine and its host community, Manyama. A qualitative approach was used, and data was collected through one-on-one interviews. A combination of convenient and quota sampling was used to engage with host community leaders, professionals and academicians from various fields and institutions. Results showed that most participants had agreed that stakeholder engagement is important for progressive rehabilitation, but the challenge was that the host community and municipal council representatives were not aware of any progressive rehabilitation efforts at Lumwana Mine. This was attributed to a lack of stakeholder engagement and communication of mitigation progress activities by the Lumwana Mine. Results also revealed that the lack of environmental impact assessment regulations to compel companies to involve stakeholders throughout the entire life of the mine other than just at the pre-mining stage led to a lack of compliance and accountability in rehabilitation.

Development of a DFN-based probabilistic block theory approach for bench face angle design in open pit mining

In open pit mining,uncontrolled block instabilities have serious social,economic and regulatory consequences,such as casualties,disruption of operation and increased regulation difficulties.For this reason,bench face angle,as one of the controlling parameters associated with block instabilities,should be carefully designed for sustainable mining.This study introduces a discrete fracture network(DFN)-based probabilistic block theory approach for the fast design of the bench face angle.A major advantage is the explicit incorporation of discontinuity size and spatial distribution in the procedure of key blocks testing.The proposed approach was applied to a granite mine in China.First,DFN models were generated from a multi-step modeling procedure to simulate the complex structural characteristics of pit slopes.Then,a modified key blocks searching method was applied to the slope faces modeled,and a cumulative probability of failure was obtained for each sector.Finally,a bench face angle was determined commensurate with an acceptable risk level of stability.The simulation results have shown that the number of hazardous traces exposed on the slope face can be significantly reduced when the suggested bench face angle is adopted,indicating an extremely low risk of uncontrolled block instabilities.

Assessment of the Safety Impacts of a Pit Construction on the Neighboring Subway

In order to study the impact of pit excavation on the adjacent existing subway structure,the safety impact assessment of a project was carried out using project under construction near the subway as the engineering background.The results show that the new pit construction will produce some additional deformation on the existing subway interval structure,the deformation values are within the permissible range for safe operation.Through analysis of the results,the risk point rating of the pit adjacent to the interval is level 2.In general,the impacts of the pit construction on the neighboring subway structure are less than the specification limits.

Study on the Application of Real-Time Drone Monitoring in Ordos Open-Pit Coal Mine

In the process of intelligent mine construction in open-pit mine, in order to improve the safety monitoring ability of mine transportation system, solve the problems of large human interference and blind Angle detection by existing conventional monitoring methods, this paper establishes an open-pit mine monitoring data set, and proposes a real-time intelligent monitoring model based on UAV. The reasoning component with strong computing power and low power consumption is selected, and the lightweight object detection model is selected for the experiment. A quantitative standard of dynamic energy consumption detection by evaluation algorithm is proposed. Through experimental comparison, it is found that YOLOv4-tiny has the highest comprehensive grade in detection accuracy, speed, energy consumption and other aspects, which is suitable for application in the above model.

EXPERT SYSTEM AND ITS APPLICATION IN THE SELECTION OF PIT RETAINING STRUCTURES

This paper describes the development of an expert system(ES) on earth retaining structures for the selection and design.The ES retaining is an interactive menudriven system and consists of two main parts—the selection part,selectwall and the design part.Selectwall is developed using the knowledge base and it makes a choice of the most appropriate retaining structure.The design part is developed by three independent subprograms which perform detailed design including strength,deformation,stability of the retaining structure.The calculation results are illustrated by plotting the diagram.Using this program,the design procedure of the retaining structure can be performed automatically.

Response and assembly of abundant and rare taxa in Zaopei under different combination patterns of Daqu and pit mud:from microbial ecology to Baijiu brewing microecosystem

The quality and aroma of strong-flavor Baijiu are mainly dependent on Daqu,pit mud(PM),and the interaction of both.However,little is known about how their combination patterns affect the microbiome and metabolome of Zaopei,especially the metabolic function of rare taxa.Here,an experiment on industrial size was designed to assess the effects of 6 combinations(3 kinds of Daqu×2 kinds of PM)on the composition and assembly of different taxa,as well as the flavor profile.The results showed that Zaopei's microbiota was composed of a few abundant taxa and enormous rare taxa,and rare bacterial and abundant fungal subcommunities were significantly affected by combination patterns.The assembly processes of abundant/rare taxa and bacterial/fungal communities were distinct,and environmental changes mediated the balance between stochastic and deterministic processes in rare bacteria assembly.Furthermore,specific combination patterns improved the flavor quality of Zaopei by enhancing the interspecies interaction,which was closely related to rare taxa,especially rare bacteria.These findings highlighted that rare bacteria might be the keystone in involving community interaction and maintaining metabolic function,which provided a scientific foundation for better understanding and regulating the brewing microbiota from the viewpoint of microbial ecology.

Numerical Analysis of Cold-Formed Thin-Walled Steel Short Columns with Pitting Corrosion during Bridge Construction

Pitting corrosion is harmful during bridge construction,which will lead to uneven roughness of steel surfaces and reduce the thickness of steel.Hence,the effect of pitting corrosion on the mechanical properties of cold-formed thin-walled steel stub columns is studied,and the empirical formulas are established through regression fitting to predict the ultimate load of web and flange under pitting corrosion.In detail,the failure modes and load-displacement curves of specimens with different locations,area ratios,and depths are obtained through a large number of non-linear finite element analysis.As for the specimens with pitting corrosion on the web,all the specimens are subject to local buckling failure,and the failure mode will not change with pitting corrosion,but the failure location will change with pitting corrosion location;the size,location,and area ratio of pitting corrosion have little influence on the ultimate load of cold-formed thin-walled steel short columns,but the loss rate of pitting corrosion section area has a greater impact on the ultimate bearing capacity.As for the specimen with flange pitting corrosion,the location and area ratio of pitting corrosion have less influence on the ultimate load of cold-formed thin-walled steel short columns,and the section area loss rate has greater influence on the ultimate bearing capacity;the impact of web pitting corrosion on the ultimate load is greater than that of flange pitting corrosion under the same condition of pitting corrosion section area.The prediction formulas of limit load which are suitable for pitting corrosion of web and flange are established,which can provide a reference for performance evaluation of corroded cold-formed thin-walled steel.

Coordinated Mining Procedures of Open Pit Mines Based on River Management

This paper primarily concerns the effective coordination of the procedures and methods employed in open pit mining operations under the background of river management.The central objective of this study is to identify a viable approach for ensuring rational and efficient development of open pit mineral resources while simultaneously protecting and restoring the ecological environment of the river.This approach should facilitate the realization of a harmonious symbiosis between mining and river management.The intricate mutual influence relationship between river management and open pit mining is first analyzed in depth,which provides a solid foundation for the subsequent coordination strategy development.In light of the aforementioned considerations,a set of coordination procedures for open pit mining based on river management conditions is proposed.These procedures emphasize the integration of river protection into the overall layout of mining at the planning stage.The implementation of scientific mining schemes,accompanied by rigorous control of the scope and depth of mining operations,has proven to be an effective means of reducing the impact of mining activities on river environments.This approach has also facilitated the achievement of a balance and coordination between mining and river management.

Vertical deformation before and after the 2022 Menyuan Ms6.9 earthquake and analysis of earthquake precursors

This study analyzed the vertical deformation before and after the 2022 Menyuan Ms6.9 earthquake in Qinghai Province,China,using leveling profiles across faults measured from Minle County in Gansu Province to Menyuan County in Qinghai Province.Our results suggest the following:(1)The amplitude of regional vertical differential motion near the Sunna-Qilian and Lenglongling faults within the Qilian Shan increased before the 2022 Menyuan earthquake.It was accompanied by the emergence of high gradient deformation zones.Deformation at the Tongziba cross-fault leveling site near the Sunan-Qilian fault was considerable.In contrast,deformation at the Daliang cross-fault leveling site near the stepover region(adjacent to the epicenter)between the Lenglongling and Tuolaishan faults was minor.After 2018,vertical deformation at the Tongziba site notably accelerated,while that at the Daliang site was insignificant.(2)After the 2022 Menyuan earthquake,140—150 mm of subsidence deformation occurred near the Daliang site,while the Tongziba site did not experience significant deformation.(3)Vertical deformation before and after the 2022 Menyuan earthquake conforms with the elastic-rebound theory,and the evolution of pre-earthquake deformation was consistent with the strike-slip fault deformation pattern at different seismogenic stages,i.e.,the relative motion near the locked fault in the late seismogenic stage gradually weakened.The characteristics of strain accumulation and release derived from the vertical deformation before and after the Menyuan MS6.9 earthquake help understand the deformation process of earthquake preparation and earthquake precursors.

Evaluation of Expansion Process to Improve Corrosion Resistance of Copper Tubes with High Residual Carbon on the Inner Surface

Residual carbon on the inner surface of copper tubes is known to be a cause of pitting corrosion. We showed previously that the rapid filling test was useful to evaluate the pitting corrosion resistance of copper tubes. Immersion tests using the rapid evaluation test solution showed that corrosion occurs on the entire surface of copper tubes with low residual carbon amounts, while those with high residual carbon amounts show pitting corrosion. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the corrosion resistance of copper tubes with high residual carbon amount, which are expected to undergo pitting corrosion. As pitting corrosion occurs when anodes are locally concentrated on part of the metal surface, it has been suggested that anodes be dispersed over the entire surface by the processing of the metal surface. Metal processing methods have various purposes, including changing the shape and properties of metals, and in this case, leading to desirable surface properties (such as expansion and drawing processes). Here, we focused on the expansion process and its effects on corrosion resistance of copper tubes. The results showed that hydraulic expansion has a significant effect on the inner copper surface by improving corrosion resistance as the anode area increases.

A Model for the Determination of Semi-Circular Spot Corrosion Damage and Residual Strength in Oil Pipes

Pitting corrosion often occurs due to the presence of various corrosive substances,such as CO_(2) and H_(2)S,in the pipe service environment.As a result of this process,the residual strength of oil pipes is reduced and this can compromise the integrity of the entire pipe string.In the present work,a model is introduced on the basis of the API579 standard to determine the so-called stress concentration coefficient.The model accounts for pitting corrosion shapes such as shallow semi-circles,semi-circles,and deep semi-circles.The relationship between the corrosion pit depth and opening diameter and the residual strength of the oil casing is obtained.The results show that the influence of the pit opening diameter on the stress concentration coefficient is smaller than that of the pit depth.For a constant pit opening diameter,the coefficient increases gradually with increasing the pit depth.The compressive strength and internal pressure strength of the carbon steel oil casing decrease accordingly.When the depth of the corrosion pit is relatively small,the growth of the coefficient is slower;when the depth of the corrosion pit increases to a certain value,the increase in stress concentration coefficient becomes obvious.

Changes of spring wind erosion based on wind erosion climate factor in the black soil region of Northeast China

The dry and windy climate and low ground cover in spring in the black soil region of Northeast China make the soil strongly affected by wind erosion,which seriously threatens the food security and ecological security of this region.In this paper,based on the daily observation data of 124 meteorological stations in study area from 1961 to 2020,seasonal and monthly wind erosion climate factor(C)in spring(March to May)were calculated by using the method proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO),the wind erosion characterization in spring were systematically analyzed based on C by various statistical analysis methods.The results showed that in the past 60 years,spring wind erosion climate factor(CSp)and monthly C of the whole region and each province(region)all showed highly significant decreasing trend,but they began to show rebounded trend in the middle or late 2000s.CSp of the study area showed a significant upward trend since 2008 with an increase of 4.59(10a)^(-1).The main contributors to this upward trend are the changes of C in March and in April.For the four provinces(regions),CSp in Heilongjiang,Jilin,Liaoning and eastern Inner Mongolia all showed rebounded since 2008,2011,2008 and 2009,respectively.The rebounded trend of CSp in eastern Inner Mongolia was the most obvious with a tendency rate of 11.27(10a)^(-1),and its mutation occurred after 1984.The rebound trend of CSp in Heilongjiang Province takes the second place,with a trend rate of 4.72(10a)^(-1),but there’s no obvious time mutation characteristics.The spatial characteristics of CSpand monthly C are similar,showing decreasing characteristics centered on the typical black soil belt of Northeast China.Compared with 1961-1990,in the period from 1991 to 2020,the proportion of high value areas(CSp>35,monthly C>10)has decreased to varying degrees,while the proportion of low value areas(CSp≤10,monthly C≤4)has increased.The trends of seasonal and monthly C in 82.2%~87.7%of the stations show significant decreases at 95%confidence level.CSp is closely related to wind speed at 2m height,temperature difference,minimum temperature and precipitation in the same period,of which the correlation between CSp and wind speed is the strongest,indicating that the main control factor for CSp in the study area is wind speed,but the impact of the change of temperature and precipitation on CSp cannot be ignored.

Comparative study on the corrosion behavior of X52, 3Cr, and 13Cr steel in an O2–H2O–CO2 system: products, reaction kinetics, and pitting sensitivity

The corrosion behaviors of X52, 3Cr low-alloy steel, and 13Cr stainless steel were investigated in an O_2–H2O–CO_2 environment at various temperatures and O_2–CO_2 partial-pressure ratios. The results showed that the corrosion rates of X52, 3Cr, and 13Cr steels increased with increasing temperature. The corrosion rates slowly increased at temperatures less than 100°C and increased sharply when the temperature exceeded 100°C. In the absence of O_2, X52, 3Cr, and 13Cr exhibited uniform corrosion morphology and Fe CO3 was the main corrosion product. When O_2 was introduced into the system, various forms of Fe_2O_3 appeared on the surface of the samples. The Cr content strongly influenced the corrosion resistance. The 3Cr steel with a low Cr content was more sensitive to pitting than the X52 or 13Cr steel. Thus, pitting occurred on the surface of 3Cr when 1.25 MPa of O_2 was added; this phenomenon is related to the non-uniform distribution of Crin 3Cr.

On the cell biology of pit cells,the liver-specific NK cells

INTRODUCTION Natural killer (NK) cells are functionally defined by their ability to kill certain tumor cells and virus-infected cells without prior

Effects of deoxidizing degree on the pitting corrosion behavior of carbon and manganese steels

Nine steels with different deoxidizing degrees and two comparative steels were selected. Their pitting initiation susceptibility was compared by means of potentiodynamic polarization tests in 3wt% NaCl solution. The pit propagation rate was evaluated in artificial sea water and 3wt% sea salt solution by simulating occluded corrosion cell （SOCC） test and hanging plate test, respectively. The composition of inclusions and corrosive feature were studied by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, electron probe micro-analysis （EPMA）, and optical microscopy （OM）. The results indicate that sulfide inclusions in steel are the sites for pit nucleation. The sulphide inclusions vary in shape from short spindle-like to long strip-like with increasing deoxidizing degree. Under the same conditions, the lower the deoxidizing degree gets, the lower the pitting initiation susceptibility becomes, and the stronger the resistance to pit propagation exhibits. For steels with different deoxidizing degrees, their pitting initiation susceptibility is mainly influenced by thermodynamic stability, while the pit propagation rate is primarily subject to the characteristics of inclusions in steel.

EVOLUTION OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS DURING PITTING CORROSION OF PURE ALUMINUM IN SODIUM CHLORIDE SOLUTION

The corrosion behavior of pure aluminum in neutral 3.0% （mass fraction） sodium chloride （Na-Cl） solution has been studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS） measurement in conjunction with the scanning electron microscopy （SEM） technique. EIS information on the evolution of pitting corrosion over a period of 15 days has been obtained and analyzed with equivalent circuit technique. The results shown that, during the ensemble constant immersion time, two time constants involved, the high frequency one originated from the protective layer on the corroding surface while the low frequenO, one from the diffusion process or the corrosion reaction and so on. And there existed a period for oxide film to growth and thickening prior to the of the attacking of chloride ions to the substrate. Meanwhile, good relationship between EIS and the material corrosion type/severity has been obtained, which has been interpreted according to the characteristics of corrosion process such as auto acceleration of pitting corrosion and the protection of local anodic reaction to the area around them.

Optimization of dewatering schemes for a deep foundation pit near the Yangtze River, China

A deep foundation pit constructed for an underground transportation hub was excavated near the Yangtze River. Among the strata, there are two confined aquifers, between which lies an aquiclude that is partially missing. To guarantee the safety of pit excavation, the piezometric head of the upper confined aquifer, where the pit bottom is located, should be 1 m below the pit bottom, while that of the lower confined aquifer should be dewatered down to a safe water level to avoid uplift problem. The Yangtze River levee is notably close to the pit, and its deformation caused by dewatering should be controlled. A pumping test was performed to obtain the hydraulic conductivity of the upper confined aquifer. The average value of the hydraulic conductivity obtained from analytical calculation is 20.45 m/d, which is larger than the values from numerical simulation（horizontal hydraulic conductivity K_H = 16 m/d and vertical hydraulic conductivity K_V = S m/d）. The difference between K_H and K_V indicates the anisotropy of the aquifer. Two dewatering schemes were designed for the construction and simulated by the numerical models for comparison purposes. The results show that though the first scheme could meet the dewatering requirements, the largest accumulated settlement and differential settlement would be94.64 mm and 3.3‰, respectively, greatly exceeding the limited values. Meanwhile, the second scheme,in which the bottoms of the waterproof curtains in ramp B and the river side of ramp A are installed at a deeper elevation of-28 m above sea level, and 27 recharge wells are set along the levee, can control the deformation of the levee significantly.

Clinical significance of type V_I pit pattern subclassification in determining the depth of invasion of colorectal neoplasms

AIM: To clarify whether subclassification of the type VI pit pattern on the basis of magnifying colonoscopy findings is useful in determining the type and depth of invasion of colorectal neoplasms.METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 272 colorectal neoplasms (117 dysplasias and 155 submucosal invasive carcinomas; 228 patients) with a type V pit pattern [type VI, n = 202; type VN, n = 70 (Kudo and Tsuruta classification system)]. We divided lesions with a type VI pit pattern into two subclasses, mildly irregular lesions and severely irregular lesions, according to the prominent and detailed magnifying colonoscopy findings. We examined the relation between these two subclasses and histology/invasion depth.RESULTS: One hundred and four lesions (51.5%) were judged to be mildly irregular, and 98 lesions (48.5%) were judged to be severely irregular. Ninety-seven (93.3%) mildly irregular lesions showed dysplasias or submucosal invasion of less than 1000 μm (SM < 1000 μm). Fifty-five (56.1%) severely irregular lesions showed submucosal invasion equal to or deeper than 1000 μm (SM ≥ 1000 μm). Mild irregularity was found significantly more often in dysplasias or lesions with SM < 1000 μm than in lesions with SM ≥ 1000 μm (P < 0.01).CONCLUSION: Subclassification of the type VI pit pattern is useful for identifying dysplasias or lesions with SM < 1000 μm.

Spatial correlation of pit and mound topography with canopy gaps in a virgin mixed beech forest, northern Iran

In a reserved forest parcel in a virgin eastern Hyrcanian mixed beech forest,80 ha was surveyed to determine the pit and mound topography,canopy gaps and dead trees.The aim was to investigate the spatial patterns and correlation of pit and mound features with canopy gaps.Seventy-five canopy gaps and 61 pit and mound features were identified.The univariate first order nearest neighbor(R_(CE))and bivariate second order test(Ripley’s K)statistic were applied.R_(CE) statistics highlighted a general aggregation pattern for canopy gaps and pits and mounds,while pits and mounds alone were more clumped.Distances between canopy gaps were 130 m average,whereas distances between pit and mound features and dead trees were 60 and 78 m,respectively.Spatial positive correlation of canopy gaps with pits and mounds were observed with all distances.The result of spatial correlations between canopy gaps with pits and mounds confirmed that windthrows cause micro successions in fallen tree ecosystem-scale correlated with gap phase dynamics in the forest community-scale.