Qinghai-Tibet Railway, China and the Solutions to Its Major Geotechnical Problems for Construction

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway (QTR) is the highest-elevation one for passenger trains in the world and the first railway to connect central China to Tibet. Construction of this railway starting in 2001 had to contend with major geotechnical challenges, such as permafrost, environmental protection and seismic hazards. Its completion in 2006 is a remarkable feat in the world’s railway construction history and crystallization of wisdom of human beings. In this paper, the planning and preparing history and the construction project of QTR are introduced. The major three thorny problems, permafrost, lack of oxygen and environmental frangibility for the construction and their solutions are presented, which are active methods of riprap roadbeds, heat pipe roadbed and bridges over land for permafrost, health care system for lack of oxygen and environmental protection measures for construction and operation. Seismic safety assessment was carried out for earthquake damage mitigation of the railway. The laboratory test, field test and observation, and it’s operation have shown that design, construction, and measures for earthquake hazards mitigation and environmental protection of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway are completely successful

Structural Insights into Recognition of MDC1 by TopBP1 in DNA Replication Checkpoint Control

SummaryActivation of the DNA replication checkpoint by the ATR kinase requires protein interactions mediated by the ATR-activating protein, TopBP1. Accumulation of TopBP1 at stalled replication forks requires the interaction of TopBP1 BRCT5 with the phosphorylated SDT repeats of the adaptor protein MDC1. Here, we present the X-ray crystal structures of the tandem BRCT4/5 domains of TopBP1 free and in complex with a MDC1 consensus pSDpT phosphopeptide. TopBP1 BRCT4/5 adopts a variant BRCT-BRCT packing interface and recognizes its target peptide in a manner distinct from that observed in previous tandem BRCT- peptide structures. The phosphate-binding pocket and positively charged residues in a variant loop in BRCT5 present an extended binding surface for the negatively charged MDC1 phosphopeptide. Mutations in this surface reduce binding affinity and recruitment of TopBP1 to γH2AX foci in cells. These studies reveal a different mode of phosphopeptide binding by BRCT domains in the DNA damage response

Association of age at menarche with valvular heart disease: An analysis based on electronic health record (CREAT2109)

BackgroundThe association between age at menarche and coronary heart disease has been reported, but the association between age at menarche and valvular heart disease (VHD) has not been described. We aimed to examine the association between age at menarche and VHD.MethodsBy collecting data from four medical centers of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University (QUAH) from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020, we sampled 105,707 inpatients. The main outcome of this study was newly diagnosed VHD, which was diagnosed based on ICD-10 coding, and the exposure factor was age at menarche, which was accessed through the electronic health records. We used logistic regression model to investigate the association between age at menarche and VHD.ResultsIn this sample (mean age 55.31 ± 13.63 years), the mean age at menarche was 15. Compared with women with age at menarche 14–15 years, the odds ratio of VHD in women with age at menarche ≤13, 16–17, and ≥18 years was 0.68 (95% CI 0.57–0.81), 1.22 (95% CI 1.08–1.38), and 1.31 (95% CI 1.13–1.52), respectively (P for all < 0.001). By restricting cubic splines, we found that later menarche was associated with increased odds of VHD (P < 0.001). Furthermore, in subgroup analysis of different etiologies, the similar trend persisted for non-rheumatic VHD.ConclusionsIn this large inpatient sample, later menarche was associated with higher risk of VHD

Time-Delayed Feedback Control of Piezoelectric Elastic Beams under Superharmonic and Subharmonic Excitations

The time-delayed displacement feedback control is provided to restrain the superharmonic and subharmonic response of the elastic support beams. The nonlinear equations of the controlled elastic beam are obtained with the help of the Euler–Bernoulli beam principle and time-delayed feedback control strategy. Based on Galerkin method, the discrete nonlinear time-delayed equations are derived. Using the multiscale method, the first-order approximate solutions and stability conditions of three superharmonic and 1/3 subharmonic resonance response on controlled beams are derived. The influence of time-delayed parameters and control gain are obtained. The results show that the time-delayed displacement feedback control can effectively suppress the superharmonic and subharmonic resonance response. Selecting reasonably the time-delayed quantity and control gain can avoid the resonance region and unstable multi-solutions and improve the efficiency of the vibration control. Furthermore, with the purpose of suppressing the amplitude peak and governing the resonance stability, appropriate feedback gain and time delay are derived

Protein-Based Rechargeable and Replaceable Antimicrobial and Antifouling Coatings on Hydrophobic Food-Contact Surfaces.

The growing concerns regarding foodborne illnesses related to fresh produce accentuate the necessity for innovative material solutions, particularly on surfaces that come into close contact with foods. This study introduces a sustainable, efficient, and removable antimicrobial and antifouling coating ideally suited for hydrophobic food-contact surfaces such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Developed through a crosslinking reaction involving tannic acid, gelatin, and soy protein hydrolysate, these coatings exhibit proper stability in aqueous washing solutions and effectively combat bacterial contamination and prevent biofilm formation. The unique surface architecture promotes the formation of halamine structures, enhancing antimicrobial efficacy with a rapid contact killing effect and reducing microbial contamination by up to 5 log10 cfu·cm-2 against both Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Listeria innocua (Gram-positive). Notably, the coatings are designed for at least five recharging cycles under mild conditions (pH6, 20 ppm free active chlorine) and can be easily removed with hot water or steam to refresh the depositions. This removal process not only conveniently aligns with existing sanitation protocols in the fresh produce industry but also facilitates the complete eradication of potential developed biofilms, outperforming uncoated LDPE coupons. Overall, these coatings represent sustainable, cost-effective, and practical advancements in food safety and are promising candidates for widespread adoption in food processing environments

Sulfated complex metal oxides solid acids with dual Brønsted-Lewis acidic property for production of 5-ethoxymethylfurfural from biomass-derived carbohydrates

The transformation of aldose-based carbohydrates into 5-ethoxymethylfurfural (EMF) is very challenging as compared to ketose-based carbohydrates, but the formers are more abundant and cheaper. Here, a series of sulfated complex metal oxides were synthesized for the conversion of aldose-based mono-, di-, and poly-saccharides, as well as starchy food waste into EMF. The catalysts were carefully characterized and the results showed that the type and strength of the acid sites were more important than their concentration. It was also shown that the efficiency of these catalysts was significantly affected by the metal species in the catalyst composition and followed the order tetra- > tri- > bi- > mono-component metal oxides based catalyst. Among the prepared catalysts, Zr-Sn-Fe-Al-O-S exhibited superior catalytic activity, with an EMF yield of 33.1% from glucose, and yields ranging from 4.1−26.3% for di-, poly-saccharides and starchy food waste in ethanol/dimethyl sulfoxide solvent system under glucose/catalyst mass ratio of 4. The role of co-solvent in the reaction pathway was also studied. It was found that the predominant reaction pathway for EMF production was closely related to the co-solvent amount. A kinetic model of glucose conversion to EMF was developed and the thermodynamic analysis was performed, the main features of the experimental observations can be described by the model. Zr-Sn-Fe-Al-O-S was reused for four runs without intermediate regeneration steps, showing a slight decay in activity. After reactivation by calcination before the fifth cycle, the catalyst recovered its activity, indicating good reusability and thermal stability

Protein-Based Rechargeable and Replaceable Antimicrobial and Antifouling Coatings on Hydrophobic Food-Contact Surfaces

The growing concerns regarding foodborne illnesses related to fresh produce accentuate the necessity for innovative material solutions, particularly on surfaces that come into close contact with foods. This study introduces a sustainable, efficient, and removable antimicrobial and antifouling coating ideally suited for hydrophobic food-contact surfaces such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Developed through a crosslinking reaction involving tannic acid, gelatin, and soy protein hydrolysate, these coatings exhibit proper stability in aqueous washing solutions and effectively combat bacterial contamination and prevent biofilm formation. The unique surface architecture promotes the formation of halamine structures, enhancing antimicrobial efficacy with a rapid contact killing effect and reducing microbial contamination by up to 5 log10 cfu·cm–2 against both Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Listeria innocua (Gram-positive). Notably, the coatings are designed for at least five recharging cycles under mild conditions (pH6, 20 ppm free active chlorine) and can be easily removed with hot water or steam to refresh the depositions. This removal process not only conveniently aligns with existing sanitation protocols in the fresh produce industry but also facilitates the complete eradication of potential developed biofilms, outperforming uncoated LDPE coupons. Overall, these coatings represent sustainable, cost-effective, and practical advancements in food safety and are promising candidates for widespread adoption in food processing environments