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We initiate the Westlake BioBank for Chinese (WBBC) pilot project with 4,535 whole-genome sequencing (WGS) individuals and 5,841 high-density genotyping individuals, and identify 81.5 million SNPs and INDELs, of which 38.5% are absent in dbSNP Build 151. We provide a population-specific reference panel and an online imputation server ( https://wbbc.westlake.edu.cn/ ) which could yield substantial improvement of imputation performance in Chinese population, especially for low-frequency and rare variants. By analyzing the singleton density of the WGS data, we find selection signatures in SNX29 , DNAH1 and WDR1 genes, and the derived alleles of the alcohol metabolism genes ( ADH1A and ADH1B ) emerge around 7,000 years ago and tend to be more common from 4,000 years ago in East Asia. Genetic evidence supports the corresponding geographical boundaries of the Qinling-Huaihe Line and Nanling Mountains, which separate the Han Chinese into subgroups, and we reveal that North Han was more homogeneous than South Han. Biobanks of genetic data have been primarily in European populations, which gives us an incomplete understanding of complex traits across populations. Here, the authors initiate the Westlake BioBank for Chinese (WBBC) pilot project with 4,535 whole genome sequences and 5,841 high-density genotypes from China, characterizing large-scale genomic variation in Chinese populations.

Limited whole genome sequencing (WGS) studies in Asian populations result in a lack of representative reference panels, thus hindering the discovery of ancestry-specific variants. Here, we present the South and East Asian reference Database (SEAD) panel ( https://imputationserver.westlake.edu.cn/ ), which integrates WGS data for 11,067 individuals from various sources across 17 Asian countries. The SEAD panel, comprising 22,134 haplotypes and 88,294,957 variants, demonstrates improved imputation accuracy for South Asian populations compared to 1000 Genomes Project, TOPMed, and ChinaMAP panels, with a higher proportion of well-imputed rare variants. For East Asian populations, SEAD shows concordance comparable to ChinaMAP, but outperforming TOPMed. Additionally, we apply the SEAD panel to conduct a genome-wide association study for total hip (Hip) and femoral neck (FN) bone mineral density (BMD) traits in 5369 genotyped Chinese samples. The single-variant test suggests that rare variants near SNTG1 are associated with Hip BMD (rs60103302, MAF = 0.0092, P  = 1.67 × 10 −7 ), and variant-set analysis further supports the association ( P slide_window  = 9.08 × 10 −9 , P gene_centric  = 5.27 × 10 −8 ). This association was not reported previously and can only be detected by using Asian reference panels. Preliminary in vitro experiments for one of the rare variants identified provide evidence that it upregulates SNTG1 expression, which could in turn inhibit the proliferation and differentiation of preosteoblasts. Limited whole genome sequencing (WGS) of Asian populations results in a lack of representative reference panels, hindering imputation of Asian ancestry-specific genetic variants. Here the authors use WGS data from 11,067 individuals across 17 Asian countries to create a new reference panel which shows improved imputation accuracy for South Asian populations.

In order to investigate wheel slip-sinkage problem, which is important for the design, control and simulation of lunar rovers, experiments were carried out with a wheel-soil interaction test system to measure the sinkage of three types of wheels in dimension with wheel lugs of different heights and numbers under a series of slip ratios (0–0.6). The curves of wheel sinkage versus slip ratio were obtained and it was found that the sinkage with slip ratio of 0.6 is 3–7 times of the static sinkage. Based on the experimental results, the slip-sinkage principle of lunar’s rover lugged wheels (including the sinkage caused by longitudinal flow and side flow of soil, and soil digging of wheel lugs) was analyzed, and corresponding calculation equations were derived. All the factors that can cause slip sinkage were considered to improve the conventional wheel-soil interaction model, and a formula of changing the sinkage exponent with the slip ratio was established. Mathematical model for calculating the sinkage of wheel according to vertical load and slip ratio was developed. Calculation results show that this model can predict the slip-sinkage of wheel with high precision, making up the deficiency of Wong-Reece model that mainly reflects longitudinal slip-sinkage.

A new method is proposed for blind parameter estimation of frequency hopping signals. According to the relation between peaks location on the time frequency plane and component centers of frequency hopping signals, parameter estimation problem is solved using multi-species particle swarm optimization algorithm. Each particle moves around the time and frequency plane and will converge to different species, which species seed represents the center of frequency hopping component. Using this method, the parameters of frequency hopping signals can be estimated. Simulation results demonstrate that the method is effective and feasible.

Amentoflavone is a natural biflavone compound with many biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and neuroprotective effects. We presumed that amentoflavone exerts a neuroprotective effect in epilepsy models. Prior to model establishment, mice were intragastrically administered 25 mg/kg amentoflavone for 3 consecutive days. Amentoflavone effectively prevented pilocarpine-induced epilepsy in a mouse kindling model, suppressed nuclear factor-κB activation and expression, inhibited excessive discharge of hippocampal neurons resulting in a reduction in epileptic seizures, shortened attack time, and diminished loss and apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. Results suggested that amentoflavone protected hippocampal neurons in epilepsy mice via anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and antiapoptosis, and then effectively prevented the occurrence of seizures.

The co-gasification behavior and synergistic effect of petroleum coke, biomass, and their blends were studied by thermogravimetric analysis under CO2 atmosphere at different heating rates. The isoconversional method was used to calculate the activation energy. The results showed that the gasification process occurred in two stages： pyrolysis and char gasification. A synergistic effect was observed in the char gasification stage. This effect was caused by alkali and alkaline earth metals in the biomass ash. Kinetics analysis showed that the activation energy in the pyrolysis stage was less than that in the char gasification stage. In the char gasification stage, the activation energy was 129.1–177.8 k J/mol for petroleum coke, whereas it was 120.3–150.5 k J/mol for biomass. We also observed that the activation energy calculated by the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa（FWO） method were larger than those calculated by the Kissinger–Akahira–Sunosen（KAS） method. When the conversion was 1.0, the activation energy was 106.2 k J/mol when calculated by the KAS method, whereas it was 120.3 k J/mol when calculated by the FWO method.

Background： Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） is a common cancer in China, an area of high hepatitis B virus （HBV） infection. Although several staging systems are available, there is no consensus on the best classification to use because multiple factors, such as etiology, clinical treatment and populations could affect the survival of HCC patients. Methods： This study analyzed 743 HBV-related Chinese HCC patients who received surgery first and evaluated the predictive values of eight different commonly used staging systems in the clinic. Results： The overall 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates and a median survival were 91.5%, 70.3%, 55.3% and 72 months respectively. Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer （BCLC） staging systems had the best stratification ability and showed the lowest Akaike information criterion （AIC） values （2896.577）, followed by tumor-node-metastasis Th （TNM 7^th） （AIC = 2899.980）, TNM 6th （AIC = 2902.17）, Japan integrated staging score （A1C = 2918.085）, Tokyo （AIC = 2938.822）, Cancer of the Liver Italian Program score （AIC = 2941.950）, Chinese University Prognostic Index grade （AIC = 2962.027）, and Okuda （AIC = 2979.389）. Conclusions： BCLC staging system is a better staging model for HBV infection patients with HCC in Chinese population among the eight currently used staging systems. These identifications afford a large group of Chinese HCC patients with HBV infection and could be helpful to design a new staging system for a certain population.

Parameter study for the qusai-static folding and deployment of opposite tape-spring flexure (OTSF) hinges is presented. The full factorial method is employed to design of experiments, and the qusai-static folding and deployment nonlinear analysis is obtained by ABAQUS/Explicit solver. Parametric studies show that both the section radius and the central angle have significant effects to the peak moment of quasi-static folding and deployment of the OTSF hinges. However, the maximum Mises stress in complete folding configuration is more sensitive to the central angle than the section radius.

An optimal design method for the qusai-static folding and deployment of opposite tape-spring flexure (OTSF) hinges is presented based on the response surface method. The full factorial method is employed to design of experiments, and the qusai-static folding and deployment nonlinear analysis is obtained by ABAQUS/Explicit slover. The surrogate models of the OTSF flexure hinge are derived by the response surface method. Considering lightweight and high stability, the peak moment of quasi-static folding and deployment, and maximum Mises stress in complete folding configuration as well as mass are set as the objectives to get the optimal performances. The modified NSGA-II is used to seek for an optimal design. The relative errors of the objectives between the optimal design and the FE analysis results are less than 3.5%.

A new thin-walled tube flexible hinge with six slots is proposed. The slot geometry is parameterized in terms of slot width, length and distance between two adjacent slots. The experiment for tension test of the thin-walled tube hinge with six-slots is conducted by INSTRON and the tensile stress-strain curve is measured. Finite element analysis to investigate the quasi-static folding and deployment of the new hinges by ABAQUS/Explicit solver are employed to perform a series of parameter studies for the slots longitude length l0, the slot width w and the distance d between two adjacent slots.