Chloride-Binding Capacity of Portland Cement Paste Blended with Synthesized CA 2

A chloride-binding capacity is the major factor to mitigate the ingress of chloride into concrete. This paper presents the chloride-binding capacity of Portland cement paste containing synthesized CA2 (CaO·2Al2O3). The CA2 was synthesized in the high-temperature furnace and characterized by X-ray diffraction for inspecting the purity. The synthesized CA2 was substituted for Portland cement by 0%, 5%, and 10% by weight, and the NaCl solution was used as an internal chloride, which is assumed as a total chloride. The chloride-binding capacity of cement paste was calculated from a water-soluble chloride extraction method by the application of the Langmuir isotherm equation. And the hydration products were analyzed using X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. We demonstrate that the CA2 increases an AFm phase in the Portland cement system, and the incorporation of CA2 consequently enhances the chloride-binding capacity of cement paste samples

Si/SiGe quantum dot with superconducting single-electron transistor charge sensor

We report a robust process for fabrication of surface-gated Si/SiGe quantum dots (QDs) with an integrated superconducting single-electron transistor (S-SET) charge sensor. A combination of a deep mesa etch and AlOx backfill is used to reduce gate leakage. After the leakage current is suppressed, Coulomb oscillations of the QD and the current-voltage characteristics of the S-SET are observed at a temperature of 0.3 K. Coupling of the S-SET to the QD is confirmed by using the S-SET to perform sensing of the QD charge state.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Effect of LongZhang Gargle on Dual-Species Biofilm of Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans

Bioactive natural products have become a hot spot for oral disease treatments. At the present study, LongZhang Gargle was investigated for its effects on single-species biofilms of Candida albicans and dual-species biofilms of Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans. Two different models of single and dual-species biofilms were grown in YNBB medium under appropriate conditions. Biofilm biomass, biofilm architecture, and cell activity in biofilms were assessed using Crystal Violet Staining, MTT, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Significant reductions of biofilm biomass and fungus activity were obtained when treated with LongZhang Gargle at 2% (P<0.05), 4% (P<0.05), and 8% (P<0.05) in single-species biofilms of C. albicans, and at 4% (P<0.05) and 8% (P<0.05) in double-species biofilms. Suppression of density, thickness, and the proportion of hyphae and fungal spores were obtained under SEM and CLSM. In conclusion, LongZhang Gargle affects single and dual-species biofilms by inhibiting biofilm biomass, cell activity, and formation of hyphae, but it does not affect the production of Extracellular polysaccharides (EPS). We speculate that LongZhang Gargle would be a promising natural drug, which can be used in treatment against C. albicans and S. mutans in oral diseases

Optimised weighted mean temperature model based on generalised regression neural network

ABSTRACTThe weighted mean temperature (Tm) is a key parameter to calculate the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based precipitable water vapour (PWV). Data fusion provides a solution to depict the characteristics of Tm in detail. However, multi-source heterogeneity, unequal accuracies and even serious system deviation may lead to unreliable and inconsistent accuracies in the fusion results. We utilise generalised regression neural network (GRNN) to establish an optimised model for the Tm from the stratified numerical weather forecasting products of the mesoscale version of the Global/Regional Assimilation and PrEdiction System (GRAPES_MESO) of China and the Tm from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) fifth-generation reanalysis (ERA5) data around China from 2016 to 2017. Then, an example fusion using the radiosonde (RS) Tm and the optimised Tm is carried out. The results confirm the systematic deviations between GRAPES/ERA5 Tm and RS Tm. After optimisation, the bias of GRAPES and ERA5 Tm is almost eliminated, and the root mean squared error (RMSE) decreased by 21.1% and 18.7%, respectively. Compared to RS Tm, the fusion results based on the optimised Tm have good consistencies and unbiased accuracies, and can merge more detailed spatial features than that of a single data source

Comprehensive Transcriptome Reveals an Opposite Regulatory Effect of Plant Growth Retardants in Controlling Seedling Overgrowth between Roots and Shoots

Seedling overgrowth always develops in undernourished plants due to biotic or abiotic stresses, which significantly decrease the yield of crops and vegetables. It is known that the plant growth retardants paclobutrazol (PBZ) and chlormequat chloride (CCC) are the most commonly used chemicals in controlling seedling height in plants by regulating the gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis pathway. However, the exact molecular regulation mechanism remains largely unknown. This study performed a comprehensive transcriptome profile to identify significantly differentially expressed genes after adding CCC and PBZ to the water culture seedling raising system for the first time. According to the obviously restrained shoots and roots, the GA biosynthesis genes were significantly decreased, as well as the endogenous GA content being reduced. Intriguingly, the GA signaling pathway genes were affected in opposite ways, increasing in roots but decreasing in shoots, especially regarding the phytochrome interacting factor SlPIF1 and the downstream genes expansins (SlEXPs), which promote cell wall remodeling. Further study found that the most down-regulated genes SlEXPA5 and SlEXPA15 were expressed specifically in shoot tissue, performing the function of repressing elongation, while the up-regulated genes SlEXPB2 and SlEXPB8 were proven to be root-specific expressed genes, which may promote horizontal elongation in roots. This research reported the comprehensive transcriptome profiling of plant growth retardants in controlling seedling overgrowth and restraining GA biosynthesis through the regulation of the GA signaling-related genes SlPIF1 and SlEXPs, with an opposite expression pattern between roots and shoots

Nest-Site Features and Breeding Ecology of Chestnut-Vented Nuthatch <i>Sitta nagaensis</i> in Southwestern China

The breeding ecology of birds is the cornerstone of bird life-history theory, and breeding success directly affects the survival and development of populations. We studied the breeding ecology of a secondary cavity-nesting bird, the chestnut-vented nuthatch Sitta nagaensis, in southwestern China from March to June in 2020, 2021, and 2022. In total, 16 nests in nest boxes and 19 nests in natural cavities were studied. The nesting habitat was mainly Pinus yunnanensis forest (68.4%), and the nest trees were mainly P. yunnanensis and pear Pyrus spp. Cavities made by woodpeckers and knot holes were used as nest sites, and the nuthatches plastered the hole entrance with mud. The nesting material was mainly pine bark. The clutch size was 3.47 ± 0.56 (range 2–4, n = 30), with an incubation period of 16.06 ± 0.91 days (range 15–19 days, n = 18). The nestling period was 20.88 ± 1.90 days (range 18–23 days, n = 23), and both parents fed the nestlings

Theory of mean E x B shear in a stochastic magnetic field: ambipolarity breaking and radial current

Abstract The mean E × B shear in a stochastic magnetic field is calculated, using the radial force balance relation and transport equations. This analysis is relevant to the L → H transition with resonant magnetic perturbations, and special focus is placed upon the physics of non-ambipolar transport and radial current. The key physical process is the flow of fluctuating currents along wandering magnetic fields. The increments in poloidal and toroidal rotation, density and ion pressure are calculated. The radial envelope of the magnetic perturbations inside the plasma defines a new scale ℓ env , which is the characteristic scale of the magnetic fluctuation intensity profile. The net particle outflow due to stochastic magnetic fields is calculated and is determined by the net radial current through the separatrix. Implications for the L → H transition are discussed