Search Results (28)

The controllable loading of a cocatalyst on a semiconductor is the key to further improving the efficiency and stability of visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production. It is of great practical significance to load a cocatalyst onto a semiconductor spatially separated to realize space charge separation for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The inherent anisotropic morphology of one-dimensional nanorods can provide two spatially separated locations at the tip and side surfaces of the nanorods. In this review, we systematically summarize non-centrosymmetric and centrosymmetric cocatalyst-tipped one-dimensional (1D) photocatalysts, including their preparation method, catalytic hydrogen production performance, and catalytic mechanism. This review will bring new vitality to the design, preparation, and application of cocatalyst-tipped one-dimensional nanorods. Full article

Bacterial infection is one of the common infectious diseases in clinical practice, and the research on efficient detection of bacteria has attracted much attention in recent years. Currently, the traditional detection methods of bacteria are mainly based on cell culturing, microscopic examination, and molecular biology techniques, all of which have the disadvantages of complex operation and time-consuming. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technology has shown prominent advantages in bacterial detection and identification because of the merit of high-sensitivity, fast detection and unique molecular fingerprint spectrum. This paper mainly investigates and discusses the application of SERS in bacterial detection, and systematically reviews the progress of SERS applications, including nano-enhanced dielectric materials of SERS, signal amplification of SERS labeled molecules, and the integration of SERS with microfluidic technology. Finally, the paper analyzes the challenges associated with the application of SERS in bacterial detection and offers insights into future development trends. Full article

Numerous studies have demonstrated that Broussonetia papyrifera is an unconventional feed resource with significant developmental potential. This research aimed to explore the effects of Broussonetia papyrifera silage on the growth performance, blood parameters, immunity, antioxidation, cytokine levels, and rumen bacterial composition of Kazakh lamb. Forty healthy male Kazakh lambs, aged 5 months and weighing 30.12 ± 1.14 kg, were randomly divided into control and experimental groups, each consisting of four replicates (five lambs per replicate). The control group was fed a basal diet, while the experimental group received a diet supplemented with 20% Broussonetia papyrifera silage (dry matter basis). Following a 10-day pre-feeding period, a 60-day formal experiment was conducted. The results indicated no significant difference in growth performance between the experimental and control groups. However, compared to the control group, the use of Broussonetia papyrifera silage significantly reduced (p < 0.05) neutrophil, lymphocyte, and eosinophil counts, as well as creatinine levels in the blood. Furthermore, Broussonetia papyrifera silage (p < 0.01) enhanced total serum antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin M, immunoglobulin G, interleukin-2, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8, and decreased malondialdehyde and interleukin-4 levels. Additionally, the use of Broussonetia papyrifera silage increased the diversity and richness of the rumen bacterial community, notably enhancing the relative abundance of Firmicutes such as Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group. In conclusion, feeding Kazakh lamb with Broussonetia papyrifera silage (20% DM) did not adversely affect their growth performance but improved their immunity and antioxidant capacity and enhanced the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria in the rumen, thereby promoting animal health. Full article

Meta-aircraft, in High-Altitude, Long-Endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications, utilize a strategy of formation flying in the stratosphere and aerial docking in the troposphere to enhance flight range and gust resistance. This paper explores an aerial docking strategy for unmanned meta-aircraft using a surrogate model based on aerodynamic data. The study begins with an analysis of the aerodynamic characteristics and the establishment of a dynamic model, followed by the development of a surrogate model using the vortex lattice method and a BP neural network. This model accurately simulates aerodynamic changes near the wingtip. Optimization of the docking process, focusing on impulse and moment of impulse, is achieved using a greedy algorithm. The results show a reduction in drag impulse and rolling moment by 10.89% and 15.76%, respectively, thereby easing the burden on the control system of UAVs. Full article

Tomatoes, an essential crop in controlled environments, benefit significantly from the careful use of nitrogen fertilizers, which are crucial for improving both yield and nitrogen efficiency. Using a tomato pot experiment arranged in a facility greenhouse, five treatments were established as follows: a control excluding the application of nitrogen fertilizer (C), and applications of ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen with nitrogen mass ratios of 0:100 (A₀N₁₀₀), 25:75 (A₂₅N₇₅), 50:50 (A₅₀N₅₀), 75:25 (A₇₅N₂₅), and 100:0 (A₁₀₀N₀), to study the effects of different ratios of nitrogen mass on tomato yield, quality, nutrient accumulation, and nitrogen fertilizer utilization. The results showed that compared with C, the different ammonium–nitrate ratios significantly increased the yield, dry matter mass, N, P, and K accumulation, soluble solids, soluble sugars, and vitamin C content (Vc) of the tomatoes. Among all the treatments, A₇₅N₂₅ tomatoes had the highest dry matter accumulation, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium accumulation in fruits, soluble sugar, and soluble solids content. The differences in tomato yield and nitrogen fertilizer utilization between A₇₅N₂₅ and A₁₀₀N₀ were insignificant but their values were significantly higher than those of the other treatments. A₇₅N₂₅ had the highest nitrogen fertilizer utilization rate, 42.1% to 82.3% higher than C, A₂₅N₇₅, and A₅₀N₅₀. Hence, an ammonium-to-nitrate nitrogen mass ratio of 75:25 optimized tomato yield and quality in a controlled environment while minimizing nutrient loss. Full article

Traditional cast-in-place beam–column joints have the defects of high complexity and high construction difficulty, which seriously affect the efficiency and safety of the building construction line, and precast beam–column joints (PBCJs) can greatly improve the construction efficiency and quality. At present, the investigations on the seismic behavior of precast reinforced concrete structures are still mainly focused on experiments, while the numerical simulations for their own characteristics are still relatively lacking. In the present study, the seismic behavior of novel precast beam–column joints with mechanical connections (PBCJs-MCs) is investigated numerically. Based on the available experimental data, fiber models for four PBCJs-MCs are developed. Then, the simulated and experimental seismic behaviors of the prefabricated BCJs are compared and discussed. Finally, the factors influencing the seismic behavior of the PBCJs-MCs are further investigated numerically. The numerical results indicate that the fiber models can consider the effect of the bond–slip relationship of concrete and reinforcement under reciprocating loads. The relative errors of the simulated seismic behavior indexes are about 15%. The bearing capacity and displacement ductility coefficients of the PBCJs-MCs decrease rapidly as the shear-to-span ratio (λ) increases. It is recommended that the optimum λ for PBCJs-MCs is 2.0–2.5. The effect of the axial load ratio on the seismic behavior of PBCJs-MCs can be negligible in the case of the PBCJs-MCs with a moderate value of λ. Full article

Excessive fertilizer input, low nutrient use efficiency, soil quality, and environmental degradation hinder greenhouse vegetable production. Integrated agronomic strategies of soil, crop, and nutrient management are needed to sharply improve the vegetable yield and simultaneously maintain sustainable production. A three-season field experiment was conducted from 2015 to 2018, aiming to evaluate the effect of integrated soil–crop system management (ISSM) on the agronomy, environment, and economy of greenhouse vegetable systems in the Yangtze River Basin, China. Three treatments were included in the experiment: (1) farmers’ current practice (FP), based on a local farmers’ survey; (2) soil remediation treatment (SR), the application of soil conditioner and compost fertilizer instead of chicken manure; (3) ISSM, a combination of soil conditioner, reducing plant density, and using formula fertilizer as well as increasing the fertilization times. The results indicated that ISSM (47.7 Mg ha⁻¹) improved the pepper yield by 17% relative to farmers’ current practice (FP, 40.7 Mg ha⁻¹). Soil remediation (SR), as a single approach, mainly made a contribution to improving the yield (by 6.9%) and nutrient use efficiency while reducing apparent nitrogen (N) losses. Higher yields were mainly attributed to increasing the fruit number per plant. On average, apparent N losses were reduced by 245 kg N ha⁻¹ per season for ISSM compared to FP. In addition, higher net profits were obtained under SR and ISSM relative to FP. Overall, both SR and ISSM have advantages for the agronomy, environment, and economy in greenhouse vegetable production, but ISSM would be the optimal choice to achieve higher yields with lower environmental impacts. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the morphological characteristics of fruits and seeds from Diptychocarpus strictus, a plant species inhabiting the cold desert pastoral area of China. Furthermore, this study sought to evaluate the germination potential of these seeds following digestion by sheep. This study employed the sheep rumen fistula method to simulate rumen digestion at various time intervals. Subsequently, an in vitro simulation method was utilized to simulate true gastric and intestinal digestion after rumen digestion. Paper germination tests were then conducted to assess the impact of the digestive process on the heteromorphic seed morphology and germination. During rumen digestion, the seeds were protected by wide wings. The results revealed a highly significant negative correlation (p < 0.01) between seed wing length and digestion time. Post-rumen digestion, variations in the germination rate among seeds from fruits at different locations were observed. Indicators, such as germination rate, exhibited a highly significant negative correlation with rumen digestion time (p < 0.01). In vitro simulated digestion tests demonstrated that Diptychocarpus strictus seeds retained their ability to germinate even after complete digestion within the livestock’s digestive tract. The polymorphic nature of Diptychocarpus strictus seeds, coupled with their capacity to survive and germinate through the digestive tract, facilitates the spread of these seeds. This finding has implications for mitigating desert grassland degradation and promoting sustainable ecological development. Full article

Researchers have previously described the response of crop productivity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to fertilizer nitrogen (N) additions, but they have not determined how to maximize yields while minimizing GHG emissions. We conducted an experiment at 2293 sites with four N levels to simulate both grain yield and yield-scaled GHG emissions in response to the N addition. The yield-scaled GHG emissions decreased by 16% as the N rate increased from treatments without the N addition to the minimum yield-scaled GHG emissions, which was comparable to the values associated with the maximum grain yields. The sites with both high soil productivity and high crop productivity had the highest yield and lowest yield-scaled GHG emissions, with 43% higher yield and 38% lower yield-scaled GHG emissions than sites with low soil and low crop productivity. These findings are expected to enhance evaluations of wheat production and GHG emissions in China, and thereby contribute to addressing disparities in the global food and GHG budget. Full article

Federated learning has attracted much attention in fault diagnosis since it can effectively protect data privacy. However, efficient fault diagnosis performance relies on the uninterrupted training of model parameters with massive amounts of perfect data. To solve the problems of model training difficulty and parameter negative transfer caused by data corruption, a novel cross-device fault diagnosis method based on repaired data is proposed. Specifically, the local model training link in each source client performs random forest regression fitting on the fault samples with missing fragments, and then the repaired data is used for network training. To avoid inpainting fragments to produce the wrong characteristics of faulty samples, joint domain discrepancy loss is introduced to correct the phenomenon of parameter bias during local model training. Considering the randomness of the overall performance change brought about by the local model update, an adaptive update is proposed for each round of global model download and local model update. Finally, the experimental verification was carried out in various industrial scenarios established by three sets of bearing data sets, and the effectiveness of the proposed method in terms of fault diagnosis performance and data privacy protection was verified by comparison with various currently popular federated transfer learning methods. Full article

Water repellency has a great influence on water infiltration into soil. Currently, there is no modified correlation model that is applicable to the water infiltration of water-repellent soils (WRS). In order to better construct a model suitable for water infiltration in water-repellent soil, our objectives are to validate the effect of a modified Green-Ampt model. We modified the model by assuming that the saturated and unsaturated zones had the same thickness and by combining three formulas of the suction head (S_{f VG}, S_{f BC}, S_{f GP}) and the average saturated hydraulic conductivity. Therefore, we obtained three modified models: the Green-Ampt-VG, Green-Ampt-BC, and Green-Ampt-GP models. Indoor one-dimensional water infiltration experiments were conducted to simulate the cumulative infiltration (CI), the distance of the wetting front (Z_f), and the infiltration rate of a hydrophilic treatment and repellent treatments. The results showed that as the degree of repellency increased, the soil suction head decreased, and the relationship between the value of the soil suction head and the degree of WRS was exponential. In addition, the simulated values of the modified CI formula highly fit the measured values of all treatments in the three models (RMSE: 1.696, 1.812, and 0.694). The modified Green-Ampt-VG model had the best simulation effect on the infiltration rate (RMSE: 0.036) and Z_f (RMSE: 3.976). The results indicated that the suction head values obtained from the parameters of the VG model were closest to the actual values compared the other models. These results can provide a reference for the solution of problems involving the suction head and water infiltration into WRS in the future. Full article

Quality-related prediction in the continuous-casting process is important for the quality and process control of casting slabs. As intelligent manufacturing technologies continue to evolve, numerous data-driven techniques have been available for industrial applications. This case study was aimed at developing a machine-learning algorithm, capable of predicting slag inclusion defects in continuous-casting slabs, based on process condition sensor data. A large dataset consisting of sensor data from nearly 7300 casting samples has been analyzed, with the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) algorithm utilized to process the multi-modal time series. The following machine-learning algorithms have been examined: K-Nearest neighbors, support vector classifier (linear and nonlinear kernels), decision trees, random forests, AdaBoost, and Artificial Neural Networks. Four over-sampling or under-sampling algorithms have been adopted to solve imbalanced data distribution. In the experiment, the optimized random forest outperformed other machine-learning algorithms in terms of recall and ROC AUC, which could provide valuable insights for quality control. Full article

Based on the grey wolf optimizer (GWO) and differential evolution (DE), a hybridization algorithm (H-GWO) is proposed to avoid the local optimum, improve the diversity of the population, and compromise the exploration and exploitation appropriately. The mutation and crossover principles of the DE algorithm are introduced into the GWO algorithm, and the opposition-based optimization learning technology is combined to update the GWO population to increase the population diversity. The algorithm is then benchmarked against nine typical test functions and compared with other state-of-the-art meta-heuristic algorithms such as particle swarm optimization (PSO), GWO, and DE. The results show that the proposed H-GWO algorithm can provide very competitive results. On this basis, the forgetting factor recursive least squares (FFRLS) method and the proposed H-GWO algorithm are combined to establish a parameter identification algorithm to identify parameters of the helical hydraulic rotary actuator (HHRA) with nonlinearity and uncertainty questions. In addition, the proposed method is verified by practical identification experiments. After comparison with the least squares (LS), recursive least squares (RLS), FFRLS, PSO, and GWO results, it can be concluded that the proposed method (H-GWO) has higher identification accuracy. Full article

This study proposes an approach to minimize the maximum makespan of the integrated scheduling problem in flexible job-shop environments, taking into account conflict-free routing problems. A hybrid genetic algorithm is developed for production scheduling, and the optimal ranges of crossover and mutation probabilities are also discussed. The study applies the proposed algorithm to 82 test problems and demonstrates its superior performance over the Sliding Time Window (STW) heuristic proposed by Bilge and the Genetic Algorithm proposed by Ulusoy (UGA). For conflict-free routing problems of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), the genetic algorithm based on AGV coding is used to study the AGV scheduling problem, and specific solutions are proposed to solve different conflicts. In addition, sensors on the AGVs provide real-time data to ensure that the AGVs can navigate through the environment safely and efficiently without causing any conflicts or collisions with other AGVs or objects in the environment. The Dijkstra algorithm based on a time window is used to calculate the shortest paths for all AGVs. Empirical evidence on the feasibility of the proposed approach is presented in a study of a real flexible job-shop. This approach can provide a highly efficient and accurate scheduling method for manufacturing enterprises. Full article

Microsporidia are obligate intracellular eukaryotic parasites that have significantly reduced genomes and that have lost most of their introns. In the current study, we characterized a gene in microsporidia Nosema bombycis, annotated as TRAPα (HNbTRAPα). The homologous of TRAPα are a functional component of ER translocon and facilitates the initiation of protein translocation in a substrate-specific manner, which is conserved in animals but absent from most fungi. The coding sequence of HNbTRAPα consists of 2226 nucleotides, longer than the majority of homologs in microsporidia. A 3′ RACE analysis indicated that there were two mRNA isoforms resulting from non-canonical alternative polyadenylation (APA), and the polyadenylate tail was synthesized after the C⁹⁵¹ or C¹¹⁶⁷ nucleotide, respectively. Indirect immunofluorescence analysis showed two different localization characteristics of HNbTRAPα, which are mainly located around the nuclear throughout the proliferation stage and co-localized with the nuclear in mature spores. This study demonstrated that the post-transcriptional regulation mechanism exists in Microsporidia and expands the mRNA isoform repertoire. Full article