Search Results (111)

The lower sub-member of Member 2, Dongying Formation (Paleogene) in the HHK Depression hosts an extensively developed thin-bedded beach-bar system characterized by favorable source rock conditions and reservoir properties, indicating significant hydrocarbon exploration potential. Integrating drilling cores, wireline log interpretations, three-dimensional seismic data, geochemical analyses, and palynological data, this study investigates the sedimentary characteristics, sandbody distribution patterns, controlling factors, and genetic model of this lacustrine beach-bar system. Results reveal the following: (1) widespread thin-bedded beach-bar sandbodies dominated by fine-grained sandstones and siltstones, exhibiting wave ripples and low-angle cross-bedding; (2) two vertical stacking patterns, Type A, thick mudstone intervals intercalated with laterally continuous thin sandstone layers, and Type B, composite sandstones comprising thick sandstone units overlain by thin sandstone beds, both demonstrating significant lateral continuity; (3) three identified microfacies: bar-core, beach-core, and beach-margin facies; (4) key controls on sandbody development: paleoenvironmental evolution establishing the depositional framework, secondary fluctuations modulating depositional processes, strike-slip extensional tectonics governing structural zonation, paleobathymetry variations and paleotopography controlling distribution loci, and provenance clastic influx regulating scale and enrichment (confirmed by detrital zircon U-Pb dating documenting a dual provenance system). Collectively, these findings establish a sedimentary model for a thin-bedded beach-bar system under the strike-slip extensional tectonic framework. Full article

Ralstonia eutropha H16, a metabolically versatile bacterium, has gained prominence as a microbial platform for sustainable bioproduction. While its capabilities in synthesizing single-cell proteins and biodegradable materials are well documented, comprehensive strain-level safety evaluations remain insufficient for food-grade applications. This study systematically assessed the safety of R. eutropha H16 through genomic, phenotypic, and toxicological analyzes. Genomic analyzes revealed the absence or minimal presence of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes, aligning with microbiological safety standards. Phenotypic investigations demonstrated a limited gastric fluid tolerance (pH 2.5, survival rate 25.70% after 3 h) and intestinal fluid persistence (pH 8, 44.67% viability after 3 h), coupled with an exceptional bile salt tolerance (0.2% w/v). Antioxidant assays confirmed the fermentation broth specifically scavenges DPPH free radicals (14.60 ± 1.24 μg Trolox/mL), whereas bacterial suspensions and cell-free supernatants exhibited a strong hydroxyl radical scavenging (>90 U/mL) and superoxide anion inhibition (>100 U/L). Acute toxicity testing indicated no mortality or histopathological abnormalities, with an LD₅₀ value exceeding 1 × 10¹¹ CFU/kg. Subacute toxicity studies (28-day, 1 × 10⁸–1 × 10¹⁰ CFU/kg) revealed no significant effects on growth, hematology, or organ function. Minor alterations in serum biochemistry might be attributed to physiological adaptation. Subacute exposure induced transient serum ALT fluctuations without hepatorenal dysfunction, while maintaining hematological parameters within physiological ranges. Collectively, these results substantiate the safety of R. eutropha H16 for food-related applications while underscoring the necessity of strain-specific risk assessments for industrial microbial platforms. Full article

With the increasing penetration of renewable energy, doubly-fed variable speed pumped storage units (DFVSPSUs) are playing an increasingly critical role in grid frequency regulation. However, traditional PI control struggles to address the control challenges posed by the strong nonlinearity of the units and abrupt operational condition changes. This paper proposes an improved β-incremental generalized predictive controller (β-GPC), which achieves precise rotor-side current control through instantaneous linearization combined with parameter identification featuring a forgetting factor. Simulation results demonstrate that under different power command step changes, the traditional PI controller requires up to approximately 0.48 s to reach a steady state while exhibiting a certain degree of oscillations. In contrast, the enhanced β-GPC controller can stabilize the unit in just 0.2 s without any overshoot or subsequent oscillations. It is evident that the proposed controller delivers a superior regulation performance, characterized by a shorter settling time, reduced overshoot, and minimized oscillations. Full article

The scarcity of robust models and therapeutic options for rare diseases continues to hamper their preclinical investigation. Traditional animal models and two-dimensional cell cultures are limited in their ability to replicate human heredity-associated traits and complex pathological features. Organoids-on-a-chip approaches open up new frontiers in rare-disease research via the integration of organ chips and organoid technology. This integrative strategy offers immense opportunities for the mimicry of disease-related traits, the clarification of the mechanisms underlying disease, and the prediction of treatment responses in a highly human-related manner. This forward-looking perspective suggests organoids on chips are transformative tools for parsing rare-disease pathogenesis, accelerating therapeutic discovery, and bridging the gap between basic research and precision medicine. Full article

In firefighting operations, the efficiency of centrifugal fire pumps is crucial for effective fire suppression. Designs aiming for lower shaft power enhance not only the pump’s energy efficiency and reliability but also lead to a reduction in size and weight. This research targets a single-stage centrifugal fire pump with a specific speed of 44.5, employing numerical simulations alongside orthogonal experiments to primarily focus on reducing shaft power. Based on a prototype, an L₁₆(4⁴) orthogonal experiment was conducted on four critical parameters: blade outlet angle, wrap angle, outlet width, and blade count. The study analyzed the impact of these parameters on pump performance, clarifying their influence on the hydraulic performance and proposing an optimal power-efficiency scheme. The optimized design successfully reduced the motor power from 18.5 kW to 15 kW, improved the impeller’s internal flow, minimized flow losses, and effectively managed the hump phenomenon. Operating at 1.5 Q_n, the optimized pump’s power decreased by 2.67 kW, meeting head requirements while boosting efficiency, reducing resonance frequency, and lowering the pressure amplitude at the tongue. The optimized pump’s blade frequency distribution was more regular than the original, with the first-order mode’s average deformation decreasing from 3.6 mm to 3.3 mm, and average entropy production at rated flow dropping from 424.118 [W·m⁻³·K⁻¹] to 384.957 [W·m⁻³·K⁻¹]. These outcomes offer theoretical insights and practical guidance for designing low-shaft-power single-stage centrifugal fire pumps, significantly impacting energy efficiency and operational costs. Full article

The TONNEAU1 Recruited Motif (TRM) gene family is integral to the growth and development of various plants, playing a particularly critical role in regulating the shape of plant organs. While the functions of the TRM gene family in other plant species have been documented, knowledge regarding the members of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). SlTRM gene family remains limited, and their specific roles are not yet well understood. In this study, we identified and analyzed 28 members of the SlTRM gene family in tomato using bioinformatics approaches based on the latest whole genome data. Our analysis included the examination of protein structures, physicochemical properties, collinearity analysis, gene structures, conserved motifs, and promoter cis-acting elements of the SlTRM gene family members. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that both tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana are categorized into five distinct subfamilies. Furthermore, we conducted a three-dimensional structure prediction of 28 SlTRM genes for the first time, utilizing AlphaFold3, a deep learning architecture developed by DeepMind. Subsequently, we analyzed public transcriptome data to assess the tissue specificity of these 28 genes. Additionally, we examined the expression of SlTRM genes using RNA-seq and qRT-PCR techniques. Our analysis revealed that SlTRM25 was significantly differentially expressed, leading us to hypothesize that it may be involved in the development of lateral branches in tomatoes. Finally, we predicted the regulatory interaction network of SlTRM25 and identified that it interacts with genes such as SlFAF3/4b, SlCSR-like1, SlCSR-like2, and SlTRM19. This study serves as a reference for the investigation of the tomato TRM gene family members and introduces a novel perspective on the role of this gene family in the formation of lateral branches in tomatoes, offering both theoretical and practical significance. Full article

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-transmitted bunyavirus that can cause substantial morbidity and mortality in livestock and humans, for which there are no currently available licensed human therapeutics or vaccines. Therefore, the development of safe and effective antivirals is both necessary and urgent. The Gc protein is the primary target of the neutralizing antibody response related to Rift Valley fever virus. Here, we report one Gc-specific neutralizing antibody (NA137) isolated from an alpaca and one bispecific antibody (E2-NA137), the protective efficacies of which we evaluated in A129 mice. In this prophylactic study, the survival rates of the NA137 and E2-NA137 groups were both 80%, and in the treatment study, the survival rates were 20% and 60%, respectively. Altogether, our results emphasize that NA137 and E2-NA137 provide a potential approach for treating RVFV either prophylactically or therapeutically. Full article

The assembly clearance between the bearing housing and rolling mill stand affects the roll change and rolling stability. In order to improve the accuracy and real-time measurement of the bearing housing clearance of the rolling mill, four kinds of measuring methods were designed, namely the laser ranging method, external force measuring method, internal force measuring method, and eddy current ranging method, and the characteristics of the four measuring methods were introduced, respectively. The real-time measuring experiment of bearing housing clearance was carried out in a 100 mm two-high mill in laboratory and a 1580 mm four-high hot tandem mill in the Qian’an Iron and Steel Company. The results show that clearance measurement technology is helpful to improve the accuracy of real-time measurements and can provide guidance for the clearance control work. Finally, based on the real-time measurement technology of bearing housing clearance, the control strategy of bearing housing clearance was developed. This technology is of great significance to realize the fine management of rolling mill clearance and to improve the intelligence level of rolling mill systems. Full article

PLATZ, a novel zinc finger DNA-binding protein, plays crucial regulatory roles in the growth and development of various plants and in the modulation of abiotic stress responses. However, knowledge of the functions of PLATZ genes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is lacking. In our study, we established stable SlPLATZ17 gene overexpression and knockout lines to further analyze the regulatory functions of SlPLATZ17 under drought and salt stress. It was found that the overexpression lines presented increased drought and salt tolerance under stress. Transcriptome sequencing and screening for interacting proteins revealed that SlPLATZ17 may exert its effects by interacting with POR1, thereby influencing glutathione metabolism and arginine and proline metabolism. In conclusion, the findings lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the role of SlPLATZ17 in stress resistance, as well as facilitating the application of SlPLATZ17 in the breeding of stress-resistant tomato varieties. Full article

The double-bearing vortex pump is a new type of high-efficiency vortex pump. Compared with the traditional vortex pump, its volume and mass are significantly reduced, and its reliability is greatly improved. As the core component of the pump, the impeller has a decisive impact on the overall performance of the pump. Therefore, in order to deeply understand the internal flow mechanism of the vortex pump and improve its hydraulic performance. The mesh model of the double-bearing vortex pump is established by using UG 12.0 and ANSYS Fluent 2022 R1 software, and the influence of different rotational speeds on the flow field characteristics, such as fluid velocity and pressure in the internal vortex pump, is analyzed. The accuracy of the numerical simulation results is verified through experiments. On this basis, the impeller structure of the vortex pump is optimized by introducing the orthogonal design method and taking the impeller diameter, blade groove radius, blade number, and impeller width as optimization parameters. The results indicate that the number of blades is the most critical factor affecting the performance of vortex pumps, and the optimized impeller design increases the head and efficiency of the vortex pump by 18.9% and 11.6%, respectively. This provides important reference for improving the structural design of vortex pump impellers and enhancing their hydraulic performance. Full article

Among numerous nucleating agents, organic carboxylate nucleating agents have been demonstrated to markedly improve the crystallization of polypropylene (PP). However, poor dispersion in the PP matrix affects the modification effect. In this work, erucamide (ECM) and sodium 4-[(4-chlorobenzoyl) amino] benzoate (SCAB) form a hydrogen-bonded self-assembled structure to obtain the SCAB-ECM composite nucleating agent in order to improve the dispersion of SCAB in the PP matrix and to exert internal lubrication on the PP matrix. The molecular structure of the SCAB-ECM composite was investigated by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and the result showed that SCAB and ECM could form a hydrogen-bonded self-assembled structure after physical blending. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results visualized that ECM promoted the dispersion of SCAB due to the formation of hydrogen-bonded self-assembled structures by SCAB and ECM. The crystallization behavior was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). At the crystallization temperature of 135 °C, the K of PP, PP/ECM, PP/SCAB, and PP/SCAB-ECM were 0.0002, 0.0004, 1.1616, and 1.8539, respectively. The crystallization properties of PP/SCAB-ECM were the best, which was attributed to the fact that SCAB formed a hydrogen-bonded self-assembled structure with ECM, which promoted the dispersion of SCAB in the PP matrix. The results of the rheological behavior demonstrated that the ECM can act as a lubrication effect, which was also proved by flexural strength results. Full article

The outermost surface of wool is covered by a scale layer, posing challenges to some steps of fabric processing. This layer, primarily composed of keratin, resists degradation by conventional proteases due to its high disulfide bond content. Protease K, an extracellular serine endo-proteinase derived from Tritirachium album Limber (tPRK), is known for its ability to digest native keratin. However, its limited activity against keratin has restricted its application in wool scale layer treatment. In this study, the substrate-binding pocket of tPRK was engineered, yielding the mutant N162A, which demonstrated an 84% increase in catalytic activity toward keratin. Additionally, the catalytic efficiency (k_cat/K_m) of N162A on keratin improved by 44.52%. Structural analysis indicated that modifications in the substrate-binding pocket reduced steric hindrance during substrate entry while enhancing substrate binding. Additionally, 3.3 mg/mL of amino acids were released within 6 h, which were catalyzed by N162A, with a 61% increase compared to the native tPRK. Moreover, the N162A variant effectively reduced the scale layer thickness without compromising the tensile strength of the wool, maintaining its mechanical properties. The findings provide a sustainable strategy for the wool industry while broadening the scope of biotechnological applications in the textile sector. Full article

Grassland degradation is a serious ecological issue in the farming–pastoral ecotone of northern China. Utilizing native grasses for the restoration of degraded grasslands is an effective technological approach. Leymus secalinus is a superior indigenous grass species for grassland ecological restoration in northern China. Therefore, the excavation of potential distribution areas of L. secalinus and important ecological factors affecting its distribution is crucial for grassland conservation and restoration of degraded grasslands. Based on 357 data points collected on the natural distribution of L. secalinus, this study employs the jackknife method and Pearson correlation analysis to screen out 23 variables affecting its spatial distribution. The MaxEnt model was used herein to predict the current suitable distribution area of L. secalinus and the suitable distribution of L. secalinus under different SSP scenarios (SSP1-26, SSP2-45, and SSP5-85) for future climate. The results showed the following: (1) Mean diurnal temperature range, annual mean temperature, precipitation of the wettest quarter, and elevation are the major factors impacting the distribution of L. secalinus. (2) Under the current climatic conditions, L. secalinus is mainly distributed in the farming–pastoral ecotone of northern China; in addition, certain suitable areas also exist in parts of Xinjiang, Tibet, Sichuan, Heilongjiang, and Jilin. (3) Under future climate change scenarios, the suitable areas for L. secalinus are generally the same as at present, with slight changes in area under different scenarios, with the largest expansion of 97,222 km² of suitable area in 2021–2040 under the SSP1-26 scenario and the largest shrinkage of potential suitable area in 2061–2080 under the SSP2-45 scenario, with 87,983 km². Notably, the northern boundary of the middle- and high-suitability areas is reduced, while the northeastern boundary and some areas of Heilongjiang and Jilin are expanded. The results of this study revealed the suitable climatic conditions and potential distribution range of L. secalinus, which can provide a reference for the conservation, introduction, and cultivation of L. secalinus in new ecological zones, avoiding the blind introduction of inappropriate habitats, and is also crucial for sustaining the economic benefits associated with L. secalinus ecological services. Full article

The mung bean (Vigna radiata (Linn) Wilczek.) is a major grain crop in China, but its yield is significantly impacted by weeds. However, no pre-emergence herbicides are registered for mung bean fields in the China Pesticide Information Network. Screening for efficient and safe pre-emergence herbicides could improve mung bean production efficiency. In this study, six pre-emergence herbicides were selected: 480 g/L alachlor (1935.00 g a.i ha⁻¹), 720 g/L metolachlor (1620.00 g a.i ha⁻¹), 100 g/L imazethapyr (100.50 g a.i ha⁻¹), 338 g/L oxadiazon (507.00 g a.i ha⁻¹), 330 g/L pendimethalin (144.00 g a.i ha⁻¹), and 480 g/L trifluralin (720.00 g a.i ha⁻¹). Through Petri dish screening, a spraying treatment was carried out before seed germination. By measuring the root length and shoot length, imazethapyr (100.50 g a.i ha⁻¹) and oxadiazon (507.00 g a.i ha⁻¹) were screened out. They were applied to potted plants and sprayed after sowing. The results showed that imazethapyr (100.50 g a.i. ha⁻¹) and oxadiazon (507.00 g a.i. ha⁻¹) had no inhibitory effect on the growth and development of the mung bean. Subsequently, experiments were conducted with imazethapyr (100.50 g a.i ha⁻¹) and oxadiazon (507.00 g a.i ha⁻¹) applied in the field. Compared to the control, under imazethapyr (100.50 g a.i ha⁻¹) and oxadiazon (507.00 g a.i ha⁻¹), the agronomic traits, photosynthetic pigment content, yield, and yield components were not inhibited; the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase were increased; and gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence were not inhibited. In addition, soil urease activity decreased and soil invertase and alkaline phosphatase activity increased after 60 d of treatment. In summary, imazethapyr and oxadiazon can effectively control weeds and increase mung bean yield. The purpose of this study is to screen out safe and efficient pre-emergence herbicides suitable for the Shanxi mung bean, which is of great significance due to its large-scale planting industrialization and the development of advantageous industries. Full article

Investigation of the critical metal elements in coal and coal-bearing strata has become one of the hottest research topics in coal geology and coal industry. Coal-hosted Ga-Al-Li-REE deposits have been discovered in the Jungar and Daqingshan Coalfields of Inner Mongolia, China. Gallium, Al, and Li in the Jungar coals have been successfully extracted and utilized. This paper reviews the discovery history of coal-hosted Ga-Al-Li-REE deposits, including contents, modes of occurrence, and enrichment origin of critical metals in each coal mine, including Heidaigou, Harewusu, and Guanbanwusu Mines in the Jungar Coalfield and the Adaohai Coal Mine in the Daqingshan Coalfield, as well as the recently reported Lao Sangou Mine. Gallium and Al in the coals investigated mainly occur in kaolinite, boehmite, diaspore, and gorceixite; REEs are mainly hosted by gorceixite and kaolinite; and Li is mainly hosted by cholorite. Gallium, Al, and REEs are mainly derived from the sediment-source region, i.e., weathered bauxite in the Benxi Formation. In addition, REE enrichment is also attributed to the intra-seam parting leaching by groundwater. Lithium enrichment in the coals is of hydrothermal fluid input. The content of Al₂O₃ and Ga in coal combustions (e.g., fly ash) is higher than 50% and ~100 µg/g, respectively; concentrations of Li in these coals also reach the cut-off grade for industrial recovery (for example, Li concentration in the Haerwusu coals is ~116 µg/g). Investigations of the content, distribution, and mineralization of critical elements in coal not only provide important references for the potential discovery of similar deposits but also offer significant coal geochemical and coal mineralogical evidence for revealing the geological genesis of coal seams, coal seam correlation, the formation and post-depositional modification of coal basins, regional geological evolution, and geological events. Meanwhile, such investigation also has an important practical significance for the economic circular development of the coal industry, environmental protection during coal utilization, and the security of critical metal resources. Full article