A new insight into LPSO phase transformation and mechanical properties uniformity of large-scale Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy prepared by multi-pass friction stir processing

A large-scale fine-grained Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy plate with high strength and ductility was successfully prepared by multi-pass friction stir processing(MFSP)technology in this work.The structure of grains and long period stacking ordered(LPSO)phase were characterized,and the mechanical properties uniformity was investigated.Moreover,a quantitative relationship between the microstructure and tensile yield strength was established.The results showed that the grains in the processed zone(PZ)and interfacial zone(IZ)were refined from 50μm to 3μm and 4μm,respectively,and numerous original LPSO phases were broken.In IZ,some block-shaped 18R LPSO phases were transformed into needle-like 14H LPSO phases due to stacking faults and the short-range diffusion of solute atoms.The severe shear deformation in the form of kinetic energy caused profuse stacking fault to be generated and move rapidly,greatly increasing the transformation rate of LPSO phase.After MFSP,the ultimate tensile strength,yield strength and elongation to failure of the large-scale plate were 367 MPa,305 MPa and 18.0% respectively.Grain refinement and LPSO phase strengthening were the major strengthening mechanisms for the MFSP sample.In particularly,the strength of IZ was comparable to that of PZ because the strength contribution of the 14H LPSO phase offsets the lack of grain refinement strengthening in IZ.This result opposes the widely accepted notion that IZ is a weak region in MFSP-prepared large-scale fine-grained plate.

Intrahepatic portal venous systems in adult patients with cavernous transformation of portal vein: Imaging features and a new classification

Background: Cavernous transformation of the portal vein(CTPV) due to portal vein obstruction is a rare vascular anomaly defined as the formation of multiple collateral vessels in the hepatic hilum. This study aimed to investigate the imaging features of intrahepatic portal vein in adult patients with CTPV and establish the relationship between the manifestations of intrahepatic portal vein and the progression of CTPV. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 14 CTPV patients in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital. All patients underwent both direct portal venography(DPV) and computed tomography angiography(CTA) to reveal the manifestations of the portal venous system. The vessels measured included the left portal vein(LPV), right portal vein(RPV), main portal vein(MPV) and the portal vein bifurcation(PVB). Results: Nine males and 5 females, with a median age of 40.5 years, were included in the study. No significant difference was found in the diameters of the LPV or RPV measured by DPV and CTA. The visualization in terms of LPV, RPV and PVB measured by DPV was higher than that by CTA. There was a significant association between LPV/RPV and PVB/MPV in term of visibility revealed with DPV( P = 0.01), while this association was not observed with CTA. According to the imaging features of the portal vein measured by DPV, CTPV was classified into three categories to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions: DPV was more accurate than CTA for revealing the course of the intrahepatic portal vein in patients with CTPV. The classification of CTPV, that originated from the imaging features of the portal vein revealed by DPV, may provide a new perspective for the diagnosis and treatment of CTPV.

Unraveling the nexus between cellular senescence and malignant transformation:a paradigm shift in cancer research

Cellular senescence, a natural process wherein cells cease division and undergo irreversible growth arrest, has long captivated the curiosity of scientists because of its many implications in aging and disease. Recent research has shed light on the nexus between cellular senescence and malignant transformation, thus leading to a paradigm shift in understanding cancer development and progression.

Effects of Biochar Inoculation with Bacillus megaterium on Rice Soil Phosphorus Fraction Transformation and Bacterial Community Dynamics

Rice husk biochar inoculated with Bacillus megaterium(BM)(referred to as BM-inoculated biochar, BMB) and uninoculated rice husk biochar(RHB) were added to soil at two rates(0.5%, as BMB1 and RHB1, respectively, and 1.0%, as BMB2 and RHB2, respectively) in an incubation experiment to comprehensively evaluate their effects on basic soil properties, phosphorus(P) fractions, bacterial community composition, and P-cycling genes.

The nitrogen transformation behavior based on the pyrolysis products of wheat straw

In order to provide basic design parameters for the industrial pyrolysis process,the transformation behavior of nitrogen was investigated using wheat straw as raw material.The distributions of nitrogen in pyrolysis char,oil,and gas were obtained and the nitrogenous components in the products were analyzed systematically by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(Py-GC/MS)and thermogravimetric-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry(TG-FTIR).The nitrogen distribution ranges of the pyrolysis char,oil,and gas were 37.34%–54.82%,32.87%–40.94%and 10.20%–28.83%,respectively.More nitrogen was retained in char at lower pyrolysis temperature and the nitrogen distribution of oil was from rise to decline with increasing temperature.The most abundant N-containing compounds in three-phase products were pyrrole-N,amines,and HCN,respectively.In addition,the transformation mechanism of nitrogen from wheat straw to pyrolysis products was concluded.

Hemorrhagic transformation in patients with large-artery atherosclerotic stroke is associated with the gut microbiota and lipopolysaccharide

Hemorrhagic transformation is a major complication of large-artery atheroscle rotic stroke(a major ischemic stro ke subtype)that wo rsens outcomes and increases mortality.Disruption of the gut microbiota is an important feature of stroke,and some specific bacteria and bacterial metabolites may contribute to hemorrhagic transformation pathogenesis.We aimed to investigate the relationship between the gut microbiota and hemorrhagic transformation in largearte ry atheroscle rotic stro ke.An observational retrospective study was conducted.From May 2020 to September 2021,blood and fecal samples were obtained upon admission from 32 patients with first-ever acute ischemic stroke and not undergoing intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular thrombectomy,as well as 16 healthy controls.Patients with stro ke who developed hemorrhagic transfo rmation(n=15)were compared to those who did not develop hemorrhagic transformation(n=17)and with healthy controls.The gut microbiota was assessed through 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid sequencing.We also examined key components of the lipopolysaccharide pathway:lipopolysaccharide,lipopolysaccharide-binding protein,and soluble CD14.We observed that bacterial diversity was decreased in both the hemorrhagic transformation and non-hemorrhagic transfo rmation group compared with the healthy controls.The patients with ischemic stro ke who developed hemorrhagic transfo rmation exhibited altered gut micro biota composition,in particular an increase in the relative abundance and dive rsity of members belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family.Plasma lipopolysaccharide and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein levels were higher in the hemorrhagic transformation group compared with the non-hemorrhagic transfo rmation group.lipopolysaccharide,lipopolysaccharide-binding protein,and soluble CD14 concentrations were associated with increased abundance of Enterobacte riaceae.Next,the role of the gut microbiota in hemorrhagic transformation was evaluated using an experimental stroke rat model.In this model,transplantation of the gut microbiota from hemorrhagic transformation rats into the recipient rats triggered higher plasma levels of lipopolysaccharide,lipopolysaccharide-binding protein,and soluble CD14.Ta ken togethe r,our findings demonstrate a noticeable change in the gut microbiota and lipopolysaccharide-related inflammatory response in stroke patients with hemorrhagic transformation.This suggests that maintaining a balanced gut microbiota may be an important factor in preventing hemorrhagic transfo rmation after stro ke.

Critical approaches in the catalytic transformation of sugar isomerization and epimerization after Fischer-History,challenges,and prospects

The transformation of aldose to ketose or common sugars into rare saccharides,including rare ketoses and aldoses,is of great value and interest to the food industry and for saccharidic biomass utilization,medicine,and the synthesis of drugs.Nowadays,high-fructose corn syrup(HFCS)is industrially produced in more than 10 million tons annually using immobilized glucose isomerase.Some low-calorie saccharides such as tagatose and psicose,which are becoming popular sweeteners,have also been produced on a pilot scale in order to replace sucrose and HFCS.However,current catalysts and catalytic processes are still difficult to utilize in biomass conversion and also have strong substrate dependence in producing high-value,rare sugars.Considering the specific reaction properties of saccharides and catalysts,since the pioneering discovery by Fischer,various catalysts and catalytic systems have been discovered or developed in attempts to extend the reaction pathways,improve the reaction efficiency,and to potentially produce commercial products.In this review,we trace the history of sugar isomerization/epimerization reactions and summarize the important breakthroughs for each reaction as well as the difficulties that remain unresolved to date.

Formation and transformation of metastable LPSO building blocks clusters in Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloys by spinodal decomposition and heterogeneous nucleation

To study the formation and transformation mechanism of long-period stacked ordered(LPSO)structures,a systematic atomic scale analysis was conducted for the structural evolution of long-period stacked ordered(LPSO)structures in the Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy annealed at 300℃~500℃.Various types of metastable LPSO building block clusters were found to exist in alloy structures at different temperatures,which precipitate during the solidification and homogenization process.The stability of Zn/Y clusters is explained by the first principles of density functional theory.The LPSO structure is distinguished by the arrangement of its different Zn/Y enriched LPSO structural units,which comprises local fcc stacking sequences upon a tightly packed plane.The presence of solute atoms causes local lattice distortion,thereby enabling the rearrangement of Mg atoms in the different configurations in the local lattice,and local HCP-FCC transitions occur between Mg and Zn atoms occupying the nearest neighbor positions.This finding indicates that LPSO structures can generate necessary Schockley partial dislocations on specific slip surfaces,providing direct evidence of the transition from 18R to 14H.Growth of the LPSO,devoid of any defects and non-coherent interfaces,was observed separately from other precipitated phases.As a result,the precipitation sequence of LPSO in the solidification stage was as follows:Zn/Ycluster+Mg layers→various metastable LPSO building block clusters→18R/24R LPSO;whereas the precipitation sequence of LPSO during homogenization treatment was observed to be as follows:18R LPSO→various metastable LPSO building block clusters→14H LPSO.Of these,14H LPSO was found to be the most thermodynamically stable structure.

Are gender inclusiveness and rural transformation interlinked?The case of Bangladesh

Gender inclusiveness is important in the rural transformation process of Bangladesh as rural women play key roles in both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.Gender inclusiveness also leads to gender equity.We empirically evaluate relationships between rural transformation and gender inclusiveness in Bangladesh.We consider three rural transformation indicators:high-value commodities’share in agricultural output values,non-farm employment’s share in rural labor employment,and non-agricultural GDP’s share in total GDP.Indicators capturing gender inclusiveness include the per capita rural income of males and females,ratio of investments into gender programs,female access to education,access to healthcare,employment participation,land ownership,and asset ownership.We test the effect of the difference in per capita rural income of males and females and the ratio of their incomes and check for the robustness of the gender variables across different model specifications.Analyzing 128 district-level observations from 32 districts of Bangladesh across four time periods(2000,2005,2010 and 2016),we use both ordinary least squares and fixed effects panel regression models.We find that female land and asset ownership and access to education and healthcare are robust determinants of various stages of rural transformation.Thus,our results suggest that improving women’s ownership of land and assets and investing in women’s education and healthcare will likely contribute to a more inclusive rural transformation.

Pre-existing orthorhombic embryos-induced hexagonal-orthorhombic martensitic transformation in MnNiSi_(1-x)(CoNiGe)_x alloy

The thermal-elastic martensitic transformation from high-temperature Ni_(2)In-type hexagonal structure to low-temperature TiNiSi-type orthorhombic structure has been widely studied in MnMX(M=Ni or Co,and X=Ge or Si)alloys.However,the answer to how the orthorhombic martensite nucleates and grows within the hexagonal parent is still unclear.In this work,the hexagonal-orthorhombic martensitic transformation in a Co and Ge co-substituted MnNiSi is investigated.One can find some orthorhombic laths embedded in the hexagonal parent at a temperature above the martensitic transformation start temperature(M_(s)).With the the sample cooing to M_(s),the laths turn broader,indicating that the martensitic transformation starts from these pre-existing orthorhombic laths.Microstructure observation suggests that these pre-existing orthorhombic laths do not originate from the hexagonal-orthorhombic martensitic transformation because of the difference between atomic occupations of doping elements in the hexagonal parent and those in the preexisting orthorhombic laths.The phenomenological crystallographic theory and experimental investigations prove that the pre-existing orthorhombic lath and generated orthorhombic martensite have the same crystallography relationship to the hexagonal parent.Therefore,the orthorhombic martensite can take these pre-existing laths as embryos and grow up.This work implies that the martensitic transformation in MnNiSi_(1-x)(CoNiGe)_(x) alloy is initiated by orthorhombic embryos.

Precise regulation of the phase transformation for pyrolusite during the reduction roasting process

The mechanism involved in the phase transformation process of pyrolusite (MnO_(2)) during roasting in a reducing atmosphere was systematically elucidated in this study,with the aim of effectively using low-grade complex manganese ore resources.According to single-factor experiment results,the roasted product with a divalent manganese (Mn^(2+)) distribution rate of 95.30% was obtained at a roasting time of 25 min,a roasting temperature of 700℃,a CO concentration of 20at%,and a total gas volume of 500 mL·min^(-1),in which the manganese was mainly in the form of manganosite (MnO).Scanning electron microscopy and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller theory demonstrated the microstructural evolution of the roasted product and the gradual reduction in the pyrolusite ore from the surface to the core Thermodynamic calculations,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,and X-ray diffractometry analyses determined that the phase transformation of pyrolusite followed the order of MnO_(2)→Mn_(2)O_(3)→Mn_(3)O_(4)→MnO phase by phase,and the reduction of manganese oxides in each valence state proceeded simultaneously.

Green transformation paths of resource-based cities in China from the configuration perspective

Green transformation is an unavoidable choice for resource-based cities(RBCs)that face resource depletion and environmental pollution.Existing research has focused primarily on specific RBCs,making it challenging to apply green transformation strategies universally across cities.The fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis(fsQCA)is a combination of qualitative and quantitative analyses that can handle multiple concurrent causality problems and determine how different conditions combine into configurations and generate an outcome.Thus,to address this gap,in this study,we established a research framework for green transformation and utilized the fsQCA to examine the configurations of 113 RBCs in China.By incorporating the element of time,this study explored the dynamic evolution of solutions in 2013,2016,and 2019.The main findings indicate that individual elements do not constitute the necessary conditions for improving the green transformation efficiency(GTE),and the systematic combination of multiple conditions is an effective path for realizing the improvement of the GTE in RBCs.Green transformation paths of RBCs exhibit the same destination through different paths.Additionally,the combination of system environment elements and system structure elements is both complementary and alternative.Differences in RBCs have led to various factor combinations and development paths,but there are some similarities in the key elements of the factor combinations at different stages.Economic environment,government support,and technological innovation are key factors that universally enhance the GTE in RBCs.These insights can assist city managers in formulating policies to drive green transformation and contribute to a better theoretical understanding of green transformation paths in RBCs.

Establishment of a transformation system in close relatives of wheat under the assistance of TaWOX5

Species closely related to wheat are important genetic resources for agricultural production,functional genomics studies and wheat improvement.In this study,a wheat gene related to regeneration,TaWOX5,was applied to establish the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation systems of Triticum monococcum,hexaploid triticale,and rye(Secale cereale L.)using their immature embryos.Transgenic plants were efficiently generated.During the transformation process,the Agrobacterium infection efficiency was assessed by histochemical staining forβ-glucuronidase(GUS).Finally,the transgenic nature of regenerated plants was verified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-based genotyping for the presence of the GUS and bialaphos resistance(bar)genes,histochemical staining for GUS protein,and the QuickStix strip assay for bar protein.The transformation efficiency of T.monococcum genotype PI428182 was 94.4%;the efficiencies of four hexaploid triticale genotypes Lin456,ZS3297,ZS1257,and ZS3224 were 52.1,41.2,19.4,and 16.0%,respectively;and the transformation efficiency of rye cultivar Lanzhou Heimai was 7.8%.Fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)and genomic in situ hybridization(GISH)analyses indicated that the GUS transgenes were integrated into the distal or near centromere(proximal)regions of the chromosomes in transgenic T.monococcum and hexaploid triticale plants.In the transgenic hexaploid triticale plants,the foreign DNA fragment was randomly integrated into the AABB and RR genomes.Furthermore,the transgene was almost stably inherited in the next generation by Mendel’s law.The findings in this study will promote the genetic improvement of the three plant species for grain or forage production and the improvement of cereal species including wheat for functional genomics studies.

Development of a rapid and efficient system for CR genes identification based on hairy root transformation in Brassicaceae

Many economically important crops and vegetables belonging to the cruciferous family are heavily endangered by clubroot disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae infection.Breeding of clubroot resistant cultivars based on mapping and cloning of resistant genes is commonly regarded as the most cost-effective and efficient way to fight against this disease.The traditional way of R gene functional validation requires stable transformation that is both time-and labor-consuming.In this study,a rapid and efficient hairy-root transgenic protocol mediated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes was developed.The transformation positive rate was over 80%in Brassica napus showed by GUS reporter gene and this transformation only took 1/6 of the time compared with stable transformation.The system was applicable to different B.napus varieties and other cruciferous crops including Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea.In particular,two known CR genes,CRA3.7.1 and CRA8.2.4 were used respectively,as example to show that the system works well for CR gene study combined with subsequent P.brassicae infection in B.napus.Most importantly,it works both in over-expression that led to disease resistance,as well as in RNAi which led to disease susceptible phenotype.Therefore,this system can be used in batch-wise identification of CR genes,and also offered the possibility of manipulating key genes within the P.brassicae genome that could improve our knowledge on host-pathogen interaction.

Description of martensitic transformation kinetics in Fe-C-X(X = Ni,Cr,Mn,Si) system by a modified model

Controlling the content of athermal martensite and retained austenite is important to improving the mechanical properties of high-strength steels,but a mechanism for the accurate description of martensitic transformation during the cooling process must be addressed.At present,frequently used semi-empirical kinetics models suffer from huge errors at the beginning of transformation,and most of them fail to exhibit the sigmoidal shape characteristic of transformation curves.To describe the martensitic transformation process accurately,based on the Magee model,we introduced the changes in the nucleation activation energy of martensite with temperature,which led to the varying nucleation rates of this model during martensitic transformation.According to the calculation results,the relative error of the modified model for the martensitic transformation kinetics curves of Fe-C-X(X = Ni,Cr,Mn,Si) alloys reached 9.5% compared with those measured via the thermal expansion method.The relative error was approximately reduced by two-thirds compared with that of the Magee model.The incorporation of nucleation activation energy into the kinetics model contributes to the improvement of its precision.

Molecular investigation into the transformation of recalcitrant dissolved organic sulfur in refinery sour water during stripping process

Refinery sour water primarily originates from the tops of towers in various units and coker condensate,and cannot be discharged directly to a wastewater treatment plant due to high levels of chemical oxygen demand(COD)and organic sulfur contents.Even after the recovery of H_(2)S from the sour water by the stripping process,the effluent still contains a high concentration of dissolved organic sulfur(DOS),which can have a huge bad influence.While chemical composition of dissolved organic matter(DOM)in refinery wastewater has been extensively studied,the investigation of recalcitrant DOS from sour waters remains unclear.In the present study,chemical composition of sour water DOMs(especially DOS)was investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy(excitation-emission matrix,EEM)and mass spectrometry,including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)and high-resolution Orbitrap MS.The GC-MS and EEM results showed that volatile and low-aromaticity compounds were effectively removed during the stripping process,while compounds with high hydrophilicity and humification degree were found to be more recalcitrant.The Orbitrap MS results showed that weak-polar oxygenated sulfur compounds were easier to be removed than oxygenated compounds.However,the effluent still contained significant amounts of sulfur-containing compounds with multiple sulfur atoms,particularly in the form of highly unsaturated and aromatic compounds.The Orbitrap MS/MS results of CHOS-containing compounds from the effluent indicate that the sulfur atoms may exist as sulfonates,disulfide bonds,thioethers.Understanding the composition and structure of sour water DOS is crucial for the development of effective treatment processes that can target polysulfide compounds and minimize their impact on the environment.

Major-Countries Competition and Pivot to the Asia-Pacific:the Strategic Transformation and Influence of“Global NATO”

As a product of the Cold War,NATO did not disintegrate with the end of it,but rather,it has sought to become“global NATO”through continuous expansion and transformation,in order to hold wider sway in international security.In its 75-year history,NATO has made numerous moves including adopting confrontational security thinking,building exclusive alliances,conducting humanitarian intervention and crisis management,expanding eastward and northward and involving in the Asia-Pacific.

Intelligent Transformation: General Intelligence Theory

This paper aims to formalize a general definition of intelligence beyond human intelligence. We accomplish this by re-imagining the concept of equality as a fundamental abstraction for relation. We discover that the concept of equality = limits the sensitivity of our mathematics to abstract relationships. We propose a new relation principle that does not rely on the concept of equality but is consistent with existing mathematical abstractions. In essence, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for general interaction and argues that this framework is also an abstraction that satisfies the definition of Intelligence. Hence, we define intelligence as a formalization of generality, represented by the abstraction ∆∞Ο, where each symbol represents the concepts infinitesimal, infinite, and finite respectively. In essence, this paper proposes a General Language Model (GLM), where the abstraction ∆∞Ο represents the foundational relationship of the model. This relation is colloquially termed “The theory of everything”.

An integrable generalization of the Fokas–Lenells equation:Darboux transformation, reduction and explicit soliton solutions

Under investigation is an integrable generalization of the Fokas–Lenells equation, which can be derived from the negative power flow of a 2 × 2 matrix spectral problem with three potentials. Based on the gauge transformation of the matrix spectral problem, one kind of Darboux transformation with multi-parameters for the three-component coupled Fokas–Lenells system is constructed. As a reduction, the N-fold Darboux transformation for the generalized Fokas–Lenells equation is obtained, from which the N-soliton solution in a compact Vandermonde-like determinant form is given. Particularly,the explicit one-and two-soliton solutions are presented and their dynamical behaviors are shown graphically.

MSMEs Accelerate Green Transformation

Despite their important role in the economy,micro-,small-and medium-sized enterprises(MSMEs)are also the weakest link in the market ecosystem and face the challenge of sustainable development.“By enabling MSMEs to flourish,we can help to keep the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)alive,i.e.supporting an economy that includes everyone,while also addressing the existential threat of climate change,to ensure a future that can sustain us all,”said Beate Trankmann,the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP)Resident Representative in China,as events were held recently to mark the 2024 UN Micro-,Small-and Medium-sized Enterprises Day.