The dynamic behaviour of helicopter during water impact, considering variations in initial downward velocity and pitching angle, have been investigated numerically and theoretically in the present study. The air-water two-phase flows are simulated by solving unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations enclosed by standard $k - \omega $ turbulence model. A treatment for computational domain in combination with a global dynamic mesh technique is applied to deal with the relative motion between the helicopter and water. Results indicate that the initial downward velocity of helicopter exhibits behaviour similar to that of a V-shaped body impacting on water, as does the initial pitching angle. To extend the theoretical approach for predicting the kinematic parameters during helicopter ditching, a shape factor capturing the combined effect of various attributes and an average deadrise angle for asymmetric wedges are also introduced.

The egg parasitoid Anastatus japonicus is a key natural enemy in the biological control of various agricultural and forestry pests. It is particularly used against the brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys and the emerging defoliator pest Caligula japonica in East Asia. It has been proved that the eggs of Antheraea pernyi can be used as a factitious host for the mass production of A. japonicus. This study systematically documented the parasitic behaviour and developmental morphology exhibited by A. japonicus on the eggs of A. pernyi. The parasitic behaviour of A. japonicus encompassed ten steps including searching, antennation, locating, digging, probing, detecting, oviposition, host-feeding, grooming, and resting. Oviposition, in particular, was observed to occur in three stages, with the parasitoids releasing eggs during the second stage when the body remained relatively static. Among all the steps of parasitic behaviour, probing accounted for the longest time, constituting 33.1% of the whole time. It was followed by digging (19.3%), oviposition (18.5%), antennation (9.6%), detecting (7.4%), and the remaining steps, each occupying less than 5.0% of the total event time. The pre-emergence of adult A. japonicus involves four stages: egg (0 to 2nd day), larva (3rd to 9th day), pre-pupa (10th to 13th day), pupa (14th to 22nd day), and subsequent development into an adult. Typically, it takes 25.60 ± 0.30 days to develop from an egg to an adult at 25℃. This information increases the understanding of the biology of A. japonicus and may provide a reference for optimising reproductive devices.

To develop more economical and efficient heavy metal adsorbents, natural bentonite was employed as a raw material, and triethoxyvinylsilane served as a grafting agent to achieve the grafting bonding of sodium polyacrylate and bentonite. Structural alterations in the modified bentonite were analyzed through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The adsorption and desorption characteristics of SAPAS-Bentonite and raw bentonite were compared and tested under various conditions, including time, temperature, pH, and lead ion concentration. The adsorption and desorption properties of sodium polyacrylate-grafted bentonite (SAPAS-Bentonite) were compared under various conditions (time, temperature, pH, and lead ion concentration). The results revealed that the modified method successfully achieved nano-scale coating of bentonite particles with sodium polyacrylate, leading to an increase in the maximum adsorption capacity of lead ions by 47.5%, reaching 165.73 mg g. A greater adsorption affinity for lead ions was exhibited by the outer sodium polycarboxylate portion of SAPAS-Bentonite compared with the inner bentonite. The adsorption of internal bentonite was limited by blocking when the adsorption of sodium polyacrylate did not reach the upper limit. The adsorption isotherm shifted from the Langmuir monolayer characteristic of the original bentonite to the S-shaped isotherm, reflecting the sodium polycarboxylate properties of SAPAS-Bentonite. Both bentonites demonstrated strong retention capacity for lead, with SAPAS-Bentonite surpassing raw bentonite in performance. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of SAPAS-Bentonite in the treatment of heavy metal pollution.

As a member of the Scathophagidae family, Scathophaga stercoraria (S. stercoraria) is widely distributed globally and is closely associated with animal feces. It is also a species of great interest to many scientific studies. However, its phylogenetic relationships are poorly understood. In this study, S. stercoraria was found in plateau pikas for the first time. The potential cause of its presence in the plateau pikas was discussed and it was speculated that the presence of S. stercoraria was related to the yak feces. In addition, 2 nuclear genes (18SrDNA and 28SrDNA), 1 mitochondrial gene (COI), and the complete mitochondrial genome of S. stercoraria were sequenced. Phylogenetic trees constructed based on 13 Protein coding genes (13PCGs), 18S and 28S rDNA showed that S. stercoraria is closely related to the Calliphoridae family; phylogenetic results based on COI suggest that within the family Scathophagidae, S. stercoraria is more closely related to the genus Leptopa, Micropselapha, Parallelomma and Americina. Divergence times estimated using the COI gene suggest that the divergence formation of the genus Scathophaga is closely related to changes in biogeographic scenarios and potentially driven by a combination of uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and dramatic climate changes. These results provide valuable information for further studies on the phylogeny and differentiation of the Scathophaga genus in the future.

The assessment of seed quality and physiological potential is essential in seed production and crop breeding. In the process of rapid detection of seed viability using tetrazolium (TZ) staining, it is necessary to spend a lot of labour and material resources to explore the pretreatment and staining methods of hard and solid seeds with physical barriers. This study explores the TZ staining methods of six hard seeds (Tilia miqueliana, Tilia henryana, Sassafras tzumu, Prunus subhirtella, Prunus sibirica, and Juglans mandshurica) and summarizes the TZ staining conditions required for hard seeds by combining the difference in fat content between seeds and the kinship between species, thus providing a rapid viability test method for the protection of germplasm resources of endangered plants and the optimization of seed bank construction. The TZ staining of six species of hard seeds requires a staining temperature above 35 °C and a TZ solution concentration higher than 1%. Endospermic seeds require shorter staining times than exalbuminous seeds. The higher the fat content of the seeds, the lower the required incubation temperature and TZ concentration for staining, and the longer the staining time. And the closer the relationship between the two species, the more similar their staining conditions become. The TZ staining method of similar species can be predicted according to the genetic distance between the phylogenetic trees, and the viability of new species can be detected quickly.

A new species of Moniliformis, M. tupaia n. sp. is described using integrated morphological methods (light and scanning electron microscopy) and molecular techniques (sequencing and analysing the nuclear 18S, ITS, 28S regions and mitochondrial cox1 and cox2 genes), based on specimens collected from the intestine of the northern tree shrew Tupaia belangeri chinensis Anderson (Scandentia: Tupaiidae) in China. Phylogenetic analyses show that M. tupaia n. sp. is a sister to M. moniliformis in the genus Moniliformis, and also challenge the systematic status of Nephridiacanthus major. Moniliformis tupaia n. sp. represents the third Moniliformis species reported from China.

Here, we report the generation of MeV alpha-particles from H-11B fusion initiated by laser-accelerated boron ions. Boron ions with maximum energy of 6 MeV and fluence of 109/MeV/sr@5 MeV were generated from 60 nm-thick self-supporting boron nanofoils irradiated by 1 J femtosecond pulses at an intensity of 1019 W/cm2. By bombarding secondary hydrogenous targets with the boron ions, 3 × 105/sr alpha-particles from H-11B fusion were registered, which is consistent with the theoretical yield calculated from the measured boron energy spectra. Our results demonstrated an alternative way toward ultrashort MeV alpha-particle sources employing compact femtosecond lasers. The ion acceleration and product measurement scheme are referential for the studies on the ion stopping power and cross section of the H-11B reaction in solid or plasma.

The efficient separation of hexane isomers from the light naphtha fraction is a significant challenge in the petrochemical industry. 5A zeolite adsorbent is used commercially to sieve alkane isomers. In this study, 5A zeolites were synthesized using a low-cost natural clay mineral precursor, i.e. palygorskite (PAL), with the addition of crystallization directing agent (CDA). By varying the mass ratio of CDA/deionized water, 5A zeolites were obtained as CDA-5%, CDA-7.5%, and CDA-10%. All products were submicron particles with an average particle size of 400–800 nm. A sieving test of CDA-induced 5A zeolites was carried out on hexane adsorbates including n-hexane (nHEX), 2-methylpentane (2MP), and 3-methylpentane (3MP). According to vapor-phase batch adsorption experiments, a significant equilibrium amount (0.149 g/g) of nHEX and only 0.0321 g/g 2MP and 0.0416 g/g 3MP were adsorbed on the 5A zeolite product with CDA-5%. The dynamic adsorption performance of 5A zeolite (CDA-5%) was evaluated by breakthrough curves of binary mixtures of nHEX/2MP and nHEX/3MP. Palygorskite 5A (PAL 5A) zeolite achieved maximum dynamic adsorption capacities of nHEX (0.16 g/g in both cases) at 200°C and 1.2 MPa total pressure. This work provided an economic alternative for the synthesis of 5A zeolites using natural clay minerals instead of chemical raw materials.

Our previous studies have suggested that spastin, which aggregates on spindle microtubules in oocytes, may promote the assembly of mouse oocyte spindles by cutting microtubules. This action may be related to CRMP5, as knocking down CRMP5 results in reduced spindle microtubule density and maturation defects in oocytes. In this study, we found that, after knocking down CRMP5 in oocytes, spastin distribution shifted from the spindle to the spindle poles and errors in microtubule–kinetochore attachment appeared in oocyte spindles. However, CRMP5 did not interact with the other two microtubule-severing proteins, katanin-like-1 (KATNAL1) and fidgetin-like-1 (FIGNL1), which aggregate at the spindle poles. We speculate that, in oocytes, due to the reduction of spastin distribution on chromosomes after knocking down CRMP5, microtubule–kinetochore errors cannot be corrected through severing, resulting in meiotic division abnormalities and maturation defects in oocytes. This finding provides new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of spastin in oocytes and important opportunities for the study of meiotic division mechanisms.

Maternal depressive symptoms are a crucial risk factor for children’s internalizing problems, though positive mother–child relationships may buffer this risk transmission. Mother–child physiological coregulation (e.g., synchrony) has emerged as a potentially important mechanism of developmental psychopathology and may play a role in the transmission of internalizing symptoms. In this two-wave longitudinal study, we examined whether and how mother–infant physiological synchrony (of respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) moderated the association between maternal postnatal depressive symptoms and children’s internalizing problems in a rural, low-SES community sample (N = 166 dyads). At 6 months, mother–infant RSA synchrony and infant negative affect were assessed during free play. Mother reported their depressive symptoms at 6 months and children’s internalizing problems at 24 months. Multilevel structural equation models indicated that mother–infant dyads demonstrated significant and positive RSA synchrony on average and RSA synchrony significantly moderated the association between maternal depressive symptoms and children’s internalizing problems even after controlling for infant negative affect. Greater maternal depressive symptoms were associated with higher child internalizing problems when RSA synchrony was lower but not when it was higher. This finding suggests that mother–infant RSA synchrony may operate as a resilience factor for the intergenerational transmission of internalizing symptoms in community samples.

The relationship between magmatism and gold mineralization has been a topic of interest in understanding the formation of ore deposits. The Baizhangzi gold deposit, located in the northern margin of the North China Craton, is hosted by the Baizhangzi granite (BZG) and provides a case to evaluate the relation between granite and gold mineralization in Late Triassic. In this study, we present petrography, bulk geochemistry, zircon U-Pb isotope and trace elements data, as well as major elements of biotite and plagioclase for the BZG to evaluate the petrogenesis and link with gold mineralization. The BZG comprises biotite monzogranite, biotite-bearing monzogranite and monzogranite (BZGs). Zircon U-Pb geochronology shows that all the granitoids of BZGs were coeval with a formation age of 232 Ma. The granitoids, with high SiO2, Al2O3 and Sr, while low Y and Yb, show adakitic affinity. They are enriched in LILFs (e.g., Rb, Ba, Th, U and Sr) and LREEs, while depletion in HFSEs (e.g., Nb, Ta, P and Ti). The geochemical and mineral chemical data suggest that the granitoids have experienced the fractional crystallization of biotite + plagioclase + K- feldspar + apatite. Crystallization temperature is estimated as ca. 700°C, and pressure is between 0.71 kbar and 1.60 kbar. The monzogranite shows higher values of logfO2, △FMQ and △NNO than the biotite-bearing monzogranite, ranging from −19.76 to −11.71, −4.93 to +3.67 and −5.48 to +3.11, respectively. The fractional crystallization, together with high fO2, K-metasomatism and low evolution degree, provided favourable conditions for gold mineralization.

When motile algal cells are exposed to gyrotactic torques, their swimming directions are guided to form radial accumulation, well known as hydrodynamic focusing. The origin of hydrodynamic focusing from the effects of active swimming, ambient flow and particle anisotropy is elucidated in the present study on the pre-asymptotic dispersion of active particles through a vertical pipe. With an extension of the Galerkin method to pipe flows, time-dependent solutions directly from the Smoluchowski equation in the position and orientation space are derived by series expansions of spherical harmonics and Bessel functions. Ballistic and diffusive scaling laws are examined with the predominance of self-propelled swimming, and computation is validated against an explicit benchmark solution and Lagrangian particle simulation. In the limit of extreme shear, the competitive roles of shear dispersion and Brownian rotation are reflected concretely in the pre-asymptotic phase of hydrodynamic focusing. For flows with various shear strengths, a concentration peak in near-wall regions with a smooth transition to hydrodynamic focusing is illustrated with richer phenomena in upwelling and downwelling flows. A newly observed regime through a vertical pipe, named transient effective trapping, is revealed as a transitional mode towards hydrodynamic focusing. The pre-asymptotic approach to hydrodynamic focusing is elaborated intensively through extensive solutions of concentration moments and macroscopic transport coefficients characterised by swimming and flow Péclet numbers. The unique findings for the origin of hydrodynamic focusing could provide insight into related micro-algae reactor technology and contribute to flow control and biomass transfer in confined environments.

Objectives: Medical devices and the hospital environment can be contaminated easily by multidrug-resistant bacteria. The effectiveness of cleaning practices is often suboptimal because environmental cleaning in hospitals is complex and depends on human factors, the physical and chemical characteristics of environment, and the viability of the microorganisms. Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) lamps can be used to reduce the spread of microorganisms. We evaluated the effectiveness of an ultraviolet-C (UV-C) device on terminal room cleaning and disinfection. Methods: The study was conducted at an ICU of a medical center in Taiwan. We performed a 3-stage evaluation for the effectiveness of UV-C radiation, including pre–UV-C radiation, UV-C radiation, and a bleaching procedure. The 3 stages of evaluation were implemented in the ICU rooms from which a patient had been discharged or transferred. We collected the data from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence testing, colonized strains, and their corresponding colony counts by sampling from the environmental surfaces and air. We tested 8 high-touch surfaces, including 2 sides of bed rails, headboards, footboards, bedside tables, monitors, pumping devices, IV stands, and oxygen flow meters. Results: In total, 1,696 environmental surfaces and 72 air samples were analyzed. The levels of ATP bioluminescence and colony counts of isolated bacteria decreased significantly after UV-C radiation and bleaching disinfection for both the environmental and air samples (P < .001). Resistant bacteria (vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, VRE) were commonly isolated on the hard-to-clean surfaces of monitors, oxygen flow meters, and IV pumps. However, they were also eradicated (P < .001). Conclusions: UV-C can significantly reduce environmental contamination by multidrug-resistant microorganisms. UV-C is an effective device to assist staff in cleaning the hospital environment.

The carbonate-hosted Pb–Zn deposits in the Sichuan–Yunnan–Guizhou (SYG) triangle region are important Indosinian deposits in South China. The Tianbaoshan deposit is a typical large Pb–Zn deposit in the SYG area and occurs as pipe-like type, hosted by Sinian dolostone. It contains ∼26 Mt Zn–Pb ore (7.76–10.09 % Zn, 1.28–1.50 % Pb and 93.6 g t−1 Ag) and >0.1 Mt Cu ore (2.55 % Cu). In this study, the detailed mineral textures, mineral chemical and sulphur isotopic compositions of the various sulphides have been analysed to constrain the abnormal enrichment mechanism and mineralization relationship. Four mineralization stages have been recognized: Stage 1, minor early pyrite (Py1) with relics and infill of intergranular dolomite or quartz grains; Stage 2, Cu mineralization with coarse-grained, elliptical crystal chalcopyrite (Cp1); (3) Stage 3, Zn mineralization with dark fine-grained sphalerite (Sph1) and light coarse-grained sphalerite (Sph2); and (4) Stage 4, as represented by a quartz–calcite assemblage with galena, minor pyrite (Py2) and chalcopyrite (Cp2). The petrography of the sulphide minerals (Py1, Cp1, Sph1 and Sph2) demonstrates a mutual inclusion relationship. The nature of this relationship from core to rim and their similar sulphur isotope values (5.5–8.3 ‰) indicates a single sulphur source, suggesting that the different mineralization types are the result of different stages of a continuous hydrothermal system. Sphalerite geothermometer study suggests that sphalerite in the Tianbaoshan deposit formed in a low-temperature (<200 °C) hydrothermal system. The low concentrations of Mn and In, low In/Ge ratios and high Fe/Cd ratios in the sphalerite are consistent with those of Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits, but different from those of magmatism-related deposits (e.g. epithermal, skarn and VMS deposits). The positive δ34S values for Py1 (5.1–7.9 ‰), Cp1 (5.1–7.2 ‰), Sph1 (4.7–7.4 ‰), Sph2 (3.9–8.7 ‰), Py2 (4.4–9.3 ‰) and Cp2 (5.0–6.8 ‰) indicate a sulphur source from thermochemical reduction of coeval seawater sulphate. Widely developed dissolved textures (caverns and breccias) with massive sulphide infillings and deformed host rock remnants suggest that replacement of host dolostones by ore fluids was volumetrically significant and the ore formed nearly simultaneously with the cavities. The Tianbaoshan deposit is a typical MVT deposit, which resulted from mixing of a H2S-rich fluid and a metal-rich fluid, with thermochemical sulphate reduction occurring before ore precipitation rather than during ore precipitation.

Pregnancy is a complex biological process. The establishment and maintenance of foetal–maternal interface are pivotal events. Decidual immune cells and inflammatory cytokines play indispensable roles in the foetal–maternal interface. The disfunction of decidual immune cells leads to adverse pregnancy outcome. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, a common inflammatory cytokine, has critical roles in different stages of normal pregnancy process. However, the relationship between the disorder of TNF-α and adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preeclampsia (PE), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), spontaneous abortion (SA), preterm birth and so on, is still indefinite. In this review, we thoroughly reviewed the effect of TNF-α disorder on pathological conditions. Moreover, we summarized the reports about the adverse pregnancy outcomes (PE, IUGR, SA and preterm birth) of using anti-TNF-α drugs (infliximab, etanercept and adalimumab, certolizumab and golimumab) currently in the clinical studies. Overall, IUGR, SA and preterm birth are the most common adverse pregnancy outcomes of anti-TNF-α drugs. Our review may provide insight for the immunological treatment of pregnancy-related complication, and help practitioners make informed decisions based on the current evidences.