Repeated evolution of durophagy during ichthyosaur radiation after mass extinction indicated by hidden dentition.

Marine tetrapods quickly diversified and were established as marine top predators after the end-Permian Mass extinction (EPME). Ichthyosaurs were the forerunner of this rapid radiation but the main drivers of the diversification are poorly understood. Cartorhynchus lenticarpus is a basal ichthyosauriform with the least degree of aquatic adaptation, holding a key to identifying such a driver. The unique specimen appeared edentulous based on what was exposed but a CT scanning revealed that the species indeed had rounded teeth that are nearly perpendicular to the jaw rami, and thus completely concealed in lateral view. There are three dental rows per jaw ramus, and the root lacks infoldings of the dentine typical of ichthyopterygians. The well-developed and worn molariform dentition with three tooth rows supports the previous inference that the specimen is not of a juvenile. The premaxilla and the corresponding part of the dentary are edentulous. Molariform dentition evolved three to five times independently within Ichthyosauriformes in the Early and Middle Triassic. Convergent exploitation of hard-shelled invertebrates by different subclades of ichthyosauriforms likely fueled the rapid taxonomic diversification of the group after EPME

Real-time chaotic video encryption based on multithreaded parallel confusion and diffusion

Due to the strong correlation between adjacent pixels, most image encryption schemes perform multiple rounds of confusion and diffusion to protect the image against attacks. Such operations, however, are time-consuming, cannot meet the real-time requirements of video encryption. Existing works, therefore, realize video encryption by simplifying the encryption process or encrypting specific parts of video frames, which results in lower security compared to image encryption. To solve the problem, this paper proposes a real-time chaotic video encryption strategy based on multithreaded parallel confusion and diffusion. It takes a video as the input, splits the frame into subframes, creates a set of threads to simultaneously perform five rounds of confusion and diffusion operations on corresponding subframes, and efficiently outputs the encrypted frames. The encryption speed evaluation shows that our method significantly improves the confusion and diffusion speed, realizes real-time 480x480, 576x576, and 768x768 24FPS video encryption using Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Core i7-8700, and Intel Xeon Gold 6226R, respectively. The statistical and security analysis prove that the deployed cryptosystems have outstanding statistical properties, can resist attacks, channel noise, and data loss. Compared with existing works, to the best of our knowledge, the proposed strategy achieves the fastest encryption speed, and realizes the first real-time chaotic video encryption that reaches the security level of image encryption. In addition, it is suitable for many confusion, diffusion algorithms and can be easily deployed with both hardware and software.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, 9 table

The Application of Resonance Light Scattering Technique for the Determination of Tinidazole in Drugs

A resonance light scattering technique to determine tinidazole in drugs was developed by tetraphenylboron sodium (TPB). Tinidazole was found to bind B(C6H5)−4 anion and transformed to tinidazole-TPB aggregate which displayed intense resonance scattering light. Effects of factors such as wavelength, acidity, stabilizers, and interferents on the RLS of tinidazole TPB were investigated in detail. The RLS intensity of the tinidazole-TPB suspension was obtained in sulfuric acid solution (pH = 1.44). The resonance scattering light intensity at the maximum RLS peak of 569.5 nm was linear to the concentration of tinidazole in the range of 10.0–30.0 μg mL−1 with a detection limit of 5.0 μg mL−1. Good results were also obtained with the recovery range of 95.13–106.76%. The method was applied to determine tinidazole in injections and tablets, showing high sensitivity and accuracy compared with the high performance liquid chromatography method (HPLC) according to Chinese Pharmacopoeia

Poly[(μ 6-benzene-1,2,4,5-tetra­carboxyl­ato)bis­(1,10-phenanthroline-κ 2 N,N′)dimanganese(II)]

The title polymeric compound, [Mn2(C10H2O8)(C12H8N2)2]n, was obtained by the reaction of manganese(II) chloride tetra­hydrate with benzene-1,2,4,5-tetra­carboxylic acid (H4bta) in aqueous solution. Each Mn2+ ion is coordinated in a distorted octa­hedral geometry by two N atoms from one 1,10-phenanthroline ligand and four O atoms [Mn—O = 2.116 (2)–2.237 (2) Å] from three bta4− ligands, which also act as bridging groups between the Mn2+ ions

Diaqua­bis[3-(2-hydroxy­ethyl)-2-methyl-4-oxopyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-9-olato-κ2 N 1,O 9]manganese(II)

The title compound, [Mn(C11H11N2O3)2(H2O)2], consists of discrete mononuclear complex mol­ecules. The MnII atom is located on an inversion center and coordinated by two N atoms and two O atoms, each pair in a trans mode, from two 3-(2-hydroxy­ethyl)-2-methyl-4-oxopyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-9-olate ligands and by two water mol­ecules. The coordination geometry around the MnII atom is slightly distorted octa­hedral. Mol­ecules are linked by O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional network

Thermal barrier coatings on polymer materials

Polyimide matrix composite (PIMC) has been widely used to replace metallic parts due to its low density and high strength. It is considered as an effective approach to improve thermal oxidation resistance, operation temperature and lifetime of PIMC by depositing a protection coating. The objective of the research was to fabricate a series of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) on PIMC by a combined sol-gel/sealing treatment process and air plasma spraying (APS). By optimizing the experimental parameters, thermal shock resistance, thermal oxidation resistance and thermal ablation resistance of PIMC could be improved significantly. The ZrO2 sol was prepared by sol-gel process and the effects of the different organic additions on phase structure, crystallite size and crystal growth behavior of the ZrO2 nanocrystallite were investigated. The addition of HAc and DMF were beneficial to decrease the crystallite size and alter the activation energy for crystal growth, further inducing the crystallization of ZrO2 nanocrystallite at low temperature (300ºC) and the stability of tetragonal ZrO2 at 600ºC. Based on the optimized parameters of the sol preparation, the ZrO2/phosphates duplex coating was fabricated on PIMC via a combined sol-gel and sealing treatment process. The sealing mechanism of the phosphates in the duplex coating was primarily attributed to the adhesive binding of the phosphates and the chemical bonding between the sealant and the coating. It was demonstrated that the duplex coating exhibited excellent thermal shock resistance and no apparent delamination or spallation occurred. Relatively, the duplex coating with the thickness of 150 μm provided excellent thermal oxidation and thermal ablation resistance for the polymer substrate. However, the presence of cracks and delamination in the coatings provided the channels for oxygen diffusion, causing the final failure of the protection coating. Figure 4 – TBCs on CFPI The Zn/YSZ and Al/YSZ coating systems were successfully deposited on PIMC by APS. Metals with comparatively low melting point as the bond coats (Cu, Al, Zn) were beneficial to increase thermal shock resistance of the coating systems. In comparison with the Al/YSZ coating system, the Zn/YSZ coating exhibited the better thermal shock resistance, which was ascribable to the lower residual stress in the Zn layer after deposition and the lower thermal stress induced during thermal shock test. For these coatings, the increase in surface toughness of the substrate as well as the decrease in thickness of metal layer favored the improvement of thermal shock resistance of the coatings. With the temperature increases, thermal shock lifetime of the coatings decreased disastrously. However, the difference was that the slight increase of the thickness of YSZ layer favored the increase in thermal shock resistance of the Al/YSZ coatings, while for the Zn/YSZ coating systems the increase in the thickness of YSZ layer made thermal shock resistance weaken. Owing to the protection of Zn/YSZ and Al/YSZ coating systems, the time for 5 wt% weight loss of the sample was prolonged from 16 h to 50 h when oxidation at 400ºC; as the oxidation temperature increased to 450ºC, the time for 5wt% weight loss was extended from 5 h to 13 h. By depositing different coatings, the anti-ablation property of PIMC was significantly improved. During property testing, the formation of cracks and delamination in the coating and the occurrence of the spallation led to the failure of the coating systems, which was mainly due to the residual stress during the deposition process, thermal stress induced by the mismatch in thermal expansion coefficient and further oxidation of the substrate. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Correlation between porosity, amorphous phase and CMAS corrosion behaviour of LaMgAl11O19 thermal barrier coatings

Calcium-magnesium-alumino-silicate (CMAS) attack is one of the significant failure mechanisms of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), which can facilitate TBC’s degradation at elevated temperatures. To clarify the correlation between the porosity, CMAS corrosion behaviour, lanthanum magnesium hexaluminate (LaMgAl11O19, LMA) TBCs were prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) and then heat-treated at 1173K and 1523K, respectively. For comparison, LMA tablets were prepared by mechanical and cold isostatic pressing. CMAS attack at 1523K was carried out both for LMA tablets and LMA coatings. Their microstructure, phase composition, and crystallization behavior after CMAS attack were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction as well as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results indicated that CMAS attack was arrested for LMA tablets due to the formation of a dense crystalline layer induced by the chemical interactions between LMA and CMAS glass, while the as-sprayed LMA coatings were completely penetrated by molten CMAS due to the presence of amorphous phase and connected pores. Although the isothermal heat-treatment promoted a crystallization of LMA coatings, much vertical cracks formed during heat-treatment. The heat-treated LMA coatings suffered a severer CMAS attack than the as-sprayed one, since the vertical cracks inevitably provided efficient infiltration paths for molten CMAS

Rapid detection of pneumothorax by ultrasonography in patients with multiple trauma

INTRODUCTION: Early detection of pneumothorax in multiple trauma patients is critically important. It can be argued that the efficacy of ultrasonography (US) for detection of pneumothorax is enhanced if it is performed and interpreted directly by the clinician in charge of the patients. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of emergency department clinicians to perform bedside US to detect and assess the size of the pneumothorax in patients with multiple trauma. METHODS: Over a 14 month period, patients with multiple trauma treated in the emergency department were enrolled in this prospective study. Bedside US was performed by emergency department clinicians in charge of the patients. Portable supine chest radiography (CXR) and computed tomography (CT) were obtained within an interval of three hours. Using CT and chest drain as the gold standard, the diagnostic efficacy of US and CXR for the detection of pneumothorax, defined as rapidity and accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value), were compared. The size of the pneumothorax (small, medium and large) determined by US was also compared to that determined by CT. RESULTS: Of 135 patients (injury severity score = 29.1 ± 12.4) included in the study, 83 received mechanical ventilation. The time needed for diagnosis of pneumothorax was significantly shorter with US compared to CXR (2.3 ± 2.9 versus 19.9 ± 10.3 minutes, p < 0.001). CT and chest drain confirmed 29 cases of pneumothorax (21.5%). The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy for US and radiography were 86.2% versus 27.6% (p < 0.001), 97.2% versus 100% (not significant), 89.3% versus 100% (not significant), 96.3% versus 83.5% (p = 0.002), and 94.8% versus 84.4% (p = 0.005), respectively. US was highly consistent with CT in determining the size of pneumothorax (Kappa = 0.669, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Bedside clinician-performed US provides a reliable tool and has the advantages of being simple and rapid and having higher sensitivity and accuracy compared to chest radiography for the detection of pneumothorax in patients with multiple trauma