Microstructural Evolution in Chroming Coatings Friction Pairs under Dry Sliding Test Conditions

The microstructures of subsurface layers of 20CrMnTi steel pins against chroming and nonchroming T10 under dry sliding tests were studied by means of OM (optical microscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), and SEM (scanning electron microscopy). Results showed that the chroming coating strengthened the disc surface and significantly affected microstructural evolution. Three layers—the matrix, deformation layer (DL), and surface layer (SL)—formed in 20CrMnTi for the chroming T10. The matrix and deformation layer (DL) formed in 20CrMnTi for the nonchroming T10. The formation of the microstructure was considered as a result of the shear deformation

Modulation of Metabolome and Bacterial Community in Whole Crop Corn Silage by Inoculating Homofermentative Lactobacillus plantarum and Heterofermentative Lactobacillus buchneri

The present study investigated the species level based microbial community and metabolome in corn silage inoculated with or without homofermentative Lactobacillus plantarum and heterofermentative Lactobacillus buchneri using the PacBio SMRT Sequencing and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS). Chopped whole crop corn was treated with (1) deionized water (control), (2) Lactobacillus plantarum, or (3) Lactobacillus buchneri. The chopped whole crop corn was ensiled in vacuum-sealed polyethylene bags containing 300 g of fresh forge for 90 days, with three replicates for each treatment. The results showed that a total of 979 substances were detected, and 316 different metabolites were identified. Some metabolites with antimicrobial activity were detected in whole crop corn silage, such as catechol, 3-phenyllactic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, azelaic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 4-hydroxycinnamic acid. Catechol, pyrogallol and ferulic acid with antioxidant property, 4-hydroxybutyrate with nervine activity, and linoleic acid with cholesterol lowering effects, were detected in present study. In addition, a flavoring agent of myristic acid and a depression mitigation substance of phenylethylamine were also found in this study. Samples treated with inoculants presented more biofunctional metabolites of organic acids, amino acids and phenolic acids than untreated samples. The Lactobacillus species covered over 98% after ensiling, and were mainly comprised by the L. acetotolerans, L. silagei, L. parafarraginis, L. buchneri and L. odoratitofui. As compared to the control silage, inoculation of L. plantarum increased the relative abundances of L. acetotolerans, L. buchneri and L. parafarraginis, and a considerable decline in the proportion of L. silagei was observed; whereas an obvious decrease in L. acetotolerans and increases in L. odoratitofui and L. farciminis were observed in the L. buchneri inoculated silage. Therefore, inoculation of L. plantarum and L. buchneri regulated the microbial composition and metabolome of the corn silage with different behaviors. The present results indicated that profiling of silage microbiome and metabolome might improve our current understanding of the biological process underlying silage formation

Quantitative prediction of fluvial sandbodies by combining seismic attributes of neighboring zones

The geological and geophysical characterization of hydrocarbon-bearing sandstones of fluvial origin is a challenging task. Channel sandbodies occurring at different stratigraphic levels (i.e., in a reservoir interval of interest as well as in overlying and underlying stratigraphic intervals) but overlapping in planview usually cause significant seismic interference due to limitations in seismic resolution: this can produce significant error in the prediction of sand location and thickness using seismic attributes. To mitigate the effect of seismic interferences by zones neighboring a target reservoir interval, a new method is proposed that combines multiple seismic attributes of the target interval and of its interfering neighboring zones, implemented by a supervised machine learning algorithm using support vector regression (SVR). Since the thickness of neighboring intervals causing seismic interference has a constant value of a quarter of a wavelength (1/4 λ), the stratal slice corresponding with the top horizon of the target interval is taken as the base of a window of 1/4 λ to calculate seismic attributes for the overlying zone; similarly, the stratal slice corresponding with the bottom horizon is taken as the top of a window of 1/4 λ to calculate seismic attributes for the underlying zone. The proposed method was applied to a subsurface dataset (including a 3D seismic dataset and 255 wells) of the Chengdao oilfield, in the Bohai Bay Basin (China). The interval of interest is located in the Neogene Guantao Formation, whose successions are interpreted as fluvial in origin. This application demonstrates how the proposed method results in remarkably improved sandstone thickness prediction, and how consideration of multiple attributes further improves the accuracy of predicted values of sandstone thickness

Formation of Nanocrystallized Structure in Worn Surface Layer of T10 Steel against 20CrMnTi Steel during Dry Rubbing

T10 steel slid against 20CrMnTi steel on a pin-on-disc wear test rig. Optical Microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) methods were used to analyze the microstructures in the worn surface layers. The microstructures in the worn surface layers of pins and discs were all severely plastically deformed. Furthermore, the ultrafine and even nanoferrite structure (10 nm to 100 nm) was observed when the normal load reached 60 N. The mechanism of forming nanocrystalline structure in the sliding friction induced deformation layer (SFIDL) was elucidated as the result of the simultaneous and recursive actions of (i) severe shear deformation and (ii) friction heat on the contact surface

Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytokines in Patients with Neurosyphilis: The Significance of Interleukin-10 for the Disease

The aim of this study was to examine the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in neurosyphilis (NS), analyze the differences between asymptomatic NS (ANS) and symptomatic NS (SNS), and explore the diagnostic value of these cytokines. We enrolled 45 patients with a diagnosis of NS, including 18 patients with ANS and 27 patients with SNS, whose cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected before penicillin therapy. Twelve patients with syphilis but non-NS (NNS) were also included. We measured the CSF levels of interleukin- (IL-) 1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-21, and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α; the CSF levels of the microglial activation marker soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2); and the CSF levels of the neuronal injury marker neurofilament light proteins (NFL) using the human cytokine multiplex assay or ELISA. Of the measured cytokines in the CSF, only IL-10 levels were significantly increased in NS patients compared to NNS patients (p<0.001). In a subgroup analysis, the CSF levels of IL-10 were significantly elevated in SNS patients compared to ANS and NNS patients (p=0.024 and p<0.001, respectively). The CSF IL-10 levels had a significant correlation with the markers of microglial activation and neuronal injury, and they also correlated with CSF rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titer, CSF white blood cell (WBC) count, and CSF protein concentration. The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of CSF IL-10 in the diagnosis of NS and ANS were 0.920 and 0.891, respectively. The corresponding sensitivities/specificities were 86.7%/91.7% and 83.3%/91.7%, respectively. Therefore, the excessive production of IL-10 might facilitate bacterial persistent infection, play an important role in the pathogenesis of NS, and associate with the progression of the disease. CSF IL-10 concentration had a useful value in the diagnosis of NS, especially in ANS

Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Neurosyphilis in HIV-Negative Patients: A Retrospective Study of 264 Cases

A retrospective study was performed to compare the differences in clinical and laboratory features of asymptomatic neurosyphilis (ANS) and symptomatic neurosyphilis (SNS). A total of 264 HIV-negative inpatients with neurosyphilis were enrolled from Beijing Ditan Hospital and Beijing Tiantan Hospital between January 2014 and May 2018, including 110 SNS and 154 ANS. The SNS group had more patients in males, older median age and without antisyphilis treatment than ANS group (P<0.001, P<0.001, and P<0.001, respectively). The laboratory findings showed that the SNS group had higher pretreatment serum rapid plasma regain (RPR) titer, current serum RPR titer, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) white blood cell (WBC) counts, CSF protein concentrations, and higher positive CSF RPR rate than those in the ANS group (P=0.011, P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001, and P<0.001, respectively). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that male (OR=2.833, P=0.009), age≥45 years (OR=3.611, P=0.001), without antisyphilis treatment (OR=0.247, P<0.001), higher current serum RPR titer (OR=1.373, P=0.022), positive CSF RPR (OR=4.616, P<0.001), and higher CSF protein concentration (OR=1.017, P=0.026) were independent risk predictors for SNS. Therefore, clinical and laboratory features between SNS and ANS are quietly different. Male gender, age≥45 years, and lack of antisyphilis treatment are risk factors for SNS. The elevated level of serum RPR titer, CSF protein concentration, and CSF RPR titer may indicate the development of neurosyphilis and the aggravation of neurological symptoms

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor(NMDAR) antibody encephalitis presents in atypical types and coexists with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder or neurosyphilis

Abstract Background Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is a clinically heterogeneous disorder characterized by epileptic seizures, psychosis, dyskinesia, consciousness impairments, and autonomic instability. Symptoms are always various. Sometimes it presents in milder or incomplete forms. We report 4 cases of anti-NMDAR encephalitis with incomplete forms, 3 cases of which were accompanied by neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder or neurosyphilis respectively. Case presentation A 33-year-old man presented with dysarthria, movement disorder and occasional seizures. He had 6 relapses in 28\ua0years. When suffered from upper respiratory tract syndrome, he developed behavioral and consciousness impairment. Cranial MRI was normal. Viral PCR studies and oncologic work-up were negative. Anti-NMDAR antibody was detected in CSF and serum. A 21-year-old female manifested dizziness and diplopia ten months and six months before, respectively. Both responded to steroid therapy and improved completely. This time she presented with progressive left limb and facial anesthesia, walking and holding unsteadily. Spinal cord MRI follow-up showed abnormality of medulla oblongata and cervical cord(C1). Anti-AQP4 and anti-NMDAR were positive in CSF. Steroid-pulse therapy ameliorated her symptoms. A 37-year-old male experienced worsening vision. He was confirmed neurosyphilis since the CSF tests for syphilis were positive. Protein was elevated and the oligoclonal IgG bands(OB) and anti-NMDAR was positive in CSF. Anti-aquaporin 4(AQP4) antibodies and NMO-IgG were negative. Cranial MRI showed high FLAIR signal on frontal lobe and low T2 signal adjacent to the right cornu posterious ventriculi lateralis. Treatment for neurosyphlis was commenced with gradual improvement. A 39-year-old male, developed serious behavioral and psychiatric symptoms. Examination showed abnormal pupils and unsteady gait. He was confirmed neurosyphilis according to the CSF tests for syphilis. Anti-NMDAR was positive in CSF and serum. Cranial MRI showed lateral ventricles and the third ventricle enlargement and signal abnormality involving bilateral temporal lobe, corona radiate and centrum semiovale. PenicillinG, pulsed methylprednisolone and ..