Explore the vast range of titles available.

High-performance and long-pulse operation is a crucial goal of current magnetic fusion research. Here, we demonstrate a high-confinement plasma regime known as an H-mode with a record pulse length of over 30 s in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak sustained by lower hybrid wave current drive (LHCD) with advanced lithium wall conditioning. We find that LHCD provides a flexible boundary control for a ubiquitous edge instability in H-mode plasmas known as an edge-localized mode, which leads to a marked reduction in the heat load on the vessel wall compared with standard edge-localized modes. LHCD also induces edge plasma ergodization that broadens the heat deposition footprint. The heat transport caused by this ergodization can be actively controlled by regulating the edge plasma conditions. This potentially offers a new means for heat-flux control, which is a key issue for next-step fusion development. A high-confinement plasma that is potentially useful for controlled fusion has now been sustained for over 30 s. The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak in Hefei, China, achieved this record pulse length by first confining the plasma using lithium-treated vessel walls, and then maintaining it with a so-called lower hybrid current drive.

A total of 150 weanling pigs [(Yorkshire x Landrace) x Duroc] with an average BW of 7.22 ± 0.80 kg (21 d of age) were used in a 28-d trial to determine the effects of dietary fructan and mannan oligosaccharides on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood profile, and diarrhea score in weanling pigs. Pigs were allotted randomly to 1 of 5 dietary treatments: 1) negative control (NC), basal diet; 2) positive control (PC), NC + 0.01% apramycin (165 mg/kg); 3) NC + 0.1% fructan (FC); 4) NC + 0.1% mannan oligosaccharide source (MO); and 5) NC + 0.05% fructan + 0.05% mannan oligosaccharide source (FM). There were 3 replications per treatment with 10 pigs per pen (5 barrows and 5 gilts). From d 0 to 14, ADG and ADFI of pigs fed the PC, MO, and FM diets were greater (P < 0.05) than pigs fed the NC diet. From d 15 to 28, there were no differences (P > 0.05) in ADG, ADFI, and G:F. During the overall period (d 0 to 28), pigs fed the MO diet had a greater ADG than pigs fed the NC diet (P < 0.05). Pigs fed the PC and MO diets increased ADFI (P < 0.05) compared with pigs fed the NC diet. However, no differences were detected among dietary treatments in G:F during the overall experimental period. On d 14, the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of DM and N in pigs fed the PC, MO, and FM diets was greater (P < 0.05) than pigs fed the NC diet. The ATTD of DM increased (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the MO and FM diets compared with pigs fed the FC diet. However, at the end of the experiment, pigs fed the FM diet had a greater (P < 0.05) ATTD of DM compared with pigs fed the NC diet. Additionally, there were no differences in IgG, red blood cells, white blood cells, and lymphocyte counts among dietary treatments on d 0, 14, or 28. The diarrhea score in pigs fed the MO diet was reduced (P < 0.05) compared with pigs fed the NC diet. In conclusion, mannan oligosaccharides have a beneficial effect on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in weanling pigs. Furthermore, mannan oligosaccharides can decrease diarrhea score in weanling pigs.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different energy and protein levels on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and taste scores of Pekin ducks. A total of 1,800 numbers of 15-day-old ducks (10 replicate pens, 60 birds/pen, 819 ± 18 g/duck) were blocked based on body weight (BW) and randomly allotted to three treatments with different metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) levels in this 28-day experiment. Dietary treatments were as follows: (1) low energy protein (LEP), 3,150 kcal/kg and 16% for the grower diet and 3,250 kcal/kg and 15% for the finisher diet; (2) medium energy protein (MEP), 3,250 kcal/kg and 16.5% for the grower diet and 3,350 kcal/kg and 15.5% for the finisher diet; (3) high energy protein (HEP), 3,350 kcal/kg and 17% for the grower diet and 3,450 kcal/kg and 16% for the finisher diet. During days 15–28, body weight gain (BWG) in the LEP group was higher ( p  < 0.05), whereas FI, F/G, and caloric conversion were lower ( p  < 0.05) in the MEP and HEP groups. During days 29–42, birds fed with LEP and HEP diets had lower ( p  < 0.05) BWG but higher F/G and caloric conversion compared with those fed with the MEP diet. Birds fed with the LEP diet had higher ( p  < 0.05) BWG than those fed with MEP and HEP diets throughout the experiment. The abdominal fat yield in the LEP group was lower ( p  < 0.05) than in the HEP group. Birds fed with the LEP diet had higher ( p  < 0.05) left breast meat yields than those fed with MEP and HEP diets. The roasting loss in the LEP and HEP groups was lower ( p  < 0.05) than in the MEP group. Birds fed with LEP and HEP diets had higher ( p  < 0.05) comprehensive scores, flavor scores, scent scores, and taste scores, but lower color scores compared with those fed with the MEP diet. In summary, the LEP diet with the lowest cost may be the most appropriate based on growth performance, roasting loss, and taste scores.

There is a critical need for a rapid and sensitive means of detecting viruses. Recent reports from our laboratory have shown that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can meet these needs. In this study, SERS was used to obtain the Raman spectra of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) strains A/Long, B1, and A2. SERS-active substrates composed of silver nanorods were fabricated using an oblique angle vapor deposition method. The SERS spectra obtained for each virus were shown to posses a high degree of reproducibility. Based on their intrinsic SERS spectra, the four virus strains were readily detected and classified using the multivariate statistical methods principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The chemometric results show that PCA is able to separate the three virus strains unambiguously, whereas the HCA method was able to readily distinguish an A2 strain-related G gene mutant virus (ΔG) from the A2 strain. The results described here demonstrate that SERS, in combination with multivariate statistical methods, can be utilized as a highly sensitive and rapid viral identification and classification method.

The resonant frequency shifts of a circular membrane caused by an adsorbate are the sensing mechanism for a drum resonator. The adsorbate mass and position are the two major (unknown) parameters determining the resonant frequency shifts. There are infinite combinations of mass and position which can cause the same shift of one resonant frequency. Finding the mass and position of an adsorbate from the experimentally measured resonant frequencies forms an inverse problem. This study presents a straightforward method to determine the adsorbate mass and position by using the changes of two resonant frequencies. Because detecting the position of an adsorbate can be extremely difficult, especially when the adsorbate is as small as an atom or a molecule, this new inverse problem-solving method should be of some help to the mass resonator sensor application of detecting a single adsorbate. How to apply this method to the case of multiple adsorbates is also discussed.

Summary Metabolic syndrome is closely related to erectile dysfunction (ED), and hyperlipidaemia is considered a major risk factor for ED. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase is believed to play an important role in metabolic syndrome; it has been hypothesised that ATP synthase contributes to ED development. We have verified this hypothesis using primary cultured human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (HCCSM) cells treated with excessive free fat acid (FFA) and a high‐fat diet (HFD) mouse model. Our results showed that high fatty factors could cause lipid accumulation in HCCSM cells, which could result in abnormal lipid metabolism, such as high levels of triglycerides, cholesterol and glucose in the HFD mice. There was a remarkable down‐regulation of ATP synthase and p‐Akt after in vivo and in vitro excessive FFA treatments. These results indicated that abnormal lipid metabolism could induce ATP synthase down‐regulation via the Akt phosphorylation pathway and that ATP synthase may be a target of lipotoxicity in corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells.

Pelton turbines often operate in sediment-rich rivers，where buckets are subjected to prolonged impacts from high-velocity jets. The sediment-laden flow on the bucket surfaces exhibits complex multiphase interactions, transient behavior, and strongly erosive characteristics. To elucidate the formation mechanism of asymmetric erosion on the bucket surfaces and establish a correlation between water film structures and bucket erosion rates, a numerical study of gas-liquid-solid three-phase flow in Pelton turbines was conducted using the Euler-Lagrange method. The erosion intensity on the bucket surfaces, under typical sediment particle sizes (0.005 mm, 0.01 mm, and 0.05 mm) is quantitatively analyzed. The results indicate vortex structures within the water supply mechanism induce jet deformation, leading to deviations in both the incidence angle and energy distribution of the jet on the bucket surface, which in turn results in significant asymmetry in the erosion distribution. As the sediment particle diameter increases, the degree of erosion asymmetry intensifies, with coarse particles forming concentrated, high-intensity erosion zones on both sides of the splitter, while fine particles primarily cause lower-intensity erosion near the bucket’s outlet edge. Additionally, under the influence of asymmetric jet flow, the erosion intensity is generally higher on the left surface of the working surface and at the leading edge of the splitter. These findings provide theoretical guidance for the erosion-resistant design optimization of Pelton turbines, the deployment of protective coatings, and the formulation of operation and maintenance strategies.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary fructan supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, meat quality, fecal microbial flora, and fecal noxious gas emission in finishing pigs. A total of 96 finishing pigs [(Yorkshire×Landrace)×Duroc] with an average BW of 73.1±2.5 kg were used in a 6-wk study. Pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: 1) CON, basal diet, 2) CON+1% fructan (FC1), and 3) CON+2% fructan (FC2) with 8 replicate pens per treatment and 2 barrows and 2 gilts per pen. During the overall study, pigs fed the fructan supplementation diets had a greater (P<0.05) ADG, G:F, the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of DM and GE than pigs fed the CON diet. The levels of fructan supplementation did not affect growth performance and ATTD of DM, N, and GE. Fecal E. coli concentrations in the fructan treatments were lower (P<0.001), while fecal Lactobacillus concentrations in the fructan treatments were greater (P<0.001) compared with the CON treatment. Fecal ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions were lower (P<0.05) in d 3, 5, and 7 in the fructan treatments, and total mercaptans emission was lower (P<0.05) on d 3 and 5 compared with the CON treatment. In conclusion, fructan supplementation improved growth performance and ATTD of DM and GE, improved the fecal microbial balance, and inhibited the fecal E. coli. Furthermore, fructan may decrease fecal noxious gas emissions by finishing pigs.

Summary We investigated the effects of integrin‐linked kinase (ILK) on the in vitro attachment, spreading, migration and microfilament dynamics of human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells. ILK small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to transfect human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells; and cell attachment, spreading and migration were assessed. Additionally, microfilament dynamics were evaluated using Alexa Fluor 488 and phalloidin staining. We found that ILK gene knock‐down significantly inhibited human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cell attachment, spreading and migration. Moreover, blocking the expression of ILK disturbed actin cytoskeleton reorganisation and morphology in human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells. These results show that the targeting of ILK with siRNA significantly inhibited cell attachment, spreading, migration and microfilament dynamics in human corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells. These findings indicate that ILK might be a potential therapeutic molecular target for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Nanostructured materials have shown great potential in improving the sensitivity and reliability of chemical and biological sensors. The ability to control the geometric shape (size, separation, orientation, alignment, etc.) of nanostructures and to integrate nanostructures from different materials becomes one of the great challenges for sensor fabrication. Glancing angle deposition techniques can fabricate well-aligned three-dimensional nanostructures through computer programming. By rotating the substrate in both polar and azimuthal directions, one can fabricate desired nanostructures, such as nanorod arrays with different shapes, nanospring arrays, and even multilayer nanostructures. This method offers full three-dimensional control of the nanostructure with the additional capability of self-alignment and can be easily integrated into microdevices and optical devices. With the high surface area and high aspect ratio of those nanostructures, different sensors such as enzyme-based biosensors and optical sensors with higher sensitivity have been demonstrated. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]