An Optimized Method for Terrain Reconstruction Based on Descent Images

An optimization method is proposed to perform high-accuracy terrain reconstruction of the landing area of Chang'e III. First, feature matching is conducted using geometric model constraints. Then, the initial terrain is obtained and the initial normal vector of each point is solved on the basis of the initial terrain. By changing the vector around the initial normal vector in small steps a set of new vectors is obtained. By combining these vectors with the direction of light and camera, the functions are set up on the basis of a surface reflection model. Then, a series of gray values is derived by solving the equations. The new optimized vector is recorded when the obtained gray value is closest to the corresponding pixel. Finally, the optimized terrain is obtained after iteration of the vector field. Experiments were conducted using the laboratory images and descent images of Chang'e III. The results showed that the performance of the proposed method was better than that of the classical feature matching method. It can provide a reference for terrain reconstruction of the landing area in subsequent moon exploration missions

Chandra Observation of a Weak Shock in the Galaxy Cluster A2556

Based on a 21.5 ks \chandra\ observation of A2556, we identify an edge on the surface brightness profile (SBP) at about 160$h_{71}^{-1}$ kpc northeast of the cluster center, and it corresponds to a shock front whose Mach number $\mathcal{M}$ is calculated to be $1.25_{-0.03}^{+0.02}$. No prominent substructure, such as sub-cluster, is found in either optical or X-ray band that can be associated with the edge, suggesting that the conventional super-sonic motion mechanism may not work in this case. As an alternative solution, we propose that the nonlinear steepening of acoustic wave, which is induced by the turbulence of the ICM at the core of the cluster, can be used to explain the origin of the shock front. Although nonlinear steepening weak shock is expected to occur frequently in clusters, why it is rarely observed still remains a question that requires further investigation, including both deeper X-ray observation and extensive theoretical studies.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Ap

Regulation of MicroRNA-378 expression in mature human adipose tissue cells by adiponectin, free fatty acids and dexamethasone

Purpose: To investigate the effects of adiponectin (ADPN), free fatty acids (FFAs), growth hormone (GH), and dexamethasone (DEX) on miR-378 expression in human adipose tissue cells, and their influence on regulation of obesity and insensitivity to insulin.Methods: Human pre-adipocytes were cultured and differentiated. Adipocytes were treated with ADPN, FFAs, GH and DEX. RNA was isolated and quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR).Results: Stimulation with FFA led to significant up-regulation of the expression of MiR-378(approximately 3.8-fold) relative to control at the 4th hour (p < 0.01) in human mature adipose tissue cells. The expression of MiR-378 was increased almost 1.5-fold by ADPN within 24 h, relative to untreated control (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that miR-378 expression is influenced by FFAs, ADPN, and DEX, the interaction of which may be involved in the pathogenesis of obesity-induced insensitivity to insulin. Thus, miR-378 is a potential biomarker for predicting the risk of complications, especially insulin resistance in obesityKeywords: MiR-378, Adipocytes, Adiponectin, Free fatty acids, Growth hormone, Dexamethasone, Obesity, Insulin resistanc

Electroneutral quaternization and sulfosuccination of cornstarch for improving the properties of its low-temperature sizing to viscose yarns

The objective of this work is to evaluate the influences of electroneutral quaternization and sulfosuccination(electroneutral QS) on the adhesion of starch to viscose fibres and sizing properties of starch to viscose yarns at lowtemperature in order to study if the derivatization can improve the serviceability of starch applied for sizing viscose yarns atlow temperature. The quaternized and sulfosuccinylated starch (QSS) with electroneutrality has been synthesized in aqueousdispersion by a quaternization of hydrolyzed cornstarch (HS) with N-(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) trimethylammoniumchloride and a further sulfosuccination is done for introducing a fixed mole ratio of 3-(trimethylammonium chloride)-2-hydroxypropyl (TACHP) substituents to sulfosuccinate (SS) substituents onto starch chains. It is found that electroneutralQS is available to ameliorate the adhesion at different temperatures. The amelioration in the adhesion depends on the levelof the modification. In addition, the modification improves the mechanical properties of the sized viscose yarns,and decreases hairiness of sized yarns, even if the temperature of the electroneutral QSS paste is lowered to 60 °C.Electroneutral QSS with a degree of substitution of 0.0438 is expected to show a potential application in sizing viscoseyarns at 60 °C

An Inverse Finite Element Analysis and A Parametric Study of Small Punch Tests

Small punch test (SPT) has been widely used to evaluate in-service materials in nuclear fusion facilities. Early use of SPTs is largely based on empirical relations or curve fitting from experimental data, while recent applications of SPTs take advantage of finite element methods. In this study, an improved inverse finite element analysis procedure is proposed to obtain constitutive relations from load-displacement curves recorded in SPTs. In addition, a parametric study is performed to evaluate the effects of SPT parameters including friction coefficient, punch head diameter, sample thickness, specimen scale and boundary conditions. The proposed inverse finite element (FE) method improves the accuracy of existing inverse FE methods, and the current parametric study provides a basis for the standardization of SPT procedures in the future