OPTIMIZATION DESIGN OF THE RFQ TRAPEZOIDAL ELECTRODE

In order to reduce the length of a deuteron beam RFQ, trapezoidal modulation is used in the last 3-meter-long section. Because there is no existing tested design procedure fitting for designing this type of unconventional structure, a VBA code used for designing trapezoidal modulation RFQ electrode was developed. VBA is an effective and efficient tool for completing repetitive work. So it can be used to design repetitive analogous cells of electrode of RFQ or DTL or other periodic acceleration structures. By using this VBA code, cell length and the exit energy can be obtained accurately. The feasibility and accuracy of this method have been validated by beam dynamics simulation

Bus timetable optimization model in response to the diverse and uncertain requirements of passengers for travel comfort

Most existing public transit systems have a fixed dispatching and service mode, which cannot effectively allocate resources from the perspective of the interests of all participants, resulting in resource waste and dissatisfaction. Low passenger satisfaction leads to a considerable loss of bus passengers and further reduces the income of bus operators. This study develops an optimization model for bus schedules that considers vehicle types and offers two service levels based on heterogeneous passenger demands. In this process, passenger satisfaction, bus company income, and government subsidies are considered. A bilevel model is proposed with a lower-level passenger ride simulation model and an upper-level multiobjective optimization model to maximize the interests of bus companies, passengers, and the government. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, a real-world case from Guangzhou is presented and analyzed using the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II), and the related Pareto front is obtained. The results show that the proposed bus operation system can effectively increase the benefits for bus companies, passengers, and the governmen

Where to draw the line? Using movement data to inform protected area design and conserve mobile species

Protected areas (PAs) are a cornerstone of modern conservation. For PAs that are established to conserve mobile species, it is important to cover all the key areas regularly used by these species. However, zonation and boundaries of PAs have often been established with limited knowledge of animal movements, leaving the effectiveness of some PAs doubtful. We used radio tracking data to evaluate the extent to which two coastal PAs in mainland China encompassed the full range of habitats used by migratory shorebirds during non-breeding seasons. The core zone (highest restriction on human activities) of the Yalu Jiang Estuary National Nature Reserve (Liaoning) incorporated only 22 ± 6% (n = 34) of the diurnal home range (95% kernel density) of the endangered great knots Calidris tenuirostris. In contrast, the core zone of Chongming Dongtan (Shanghai) incorporated 73 ± 24% (n = 25) of the home range of dunlins Calidris alpina. During high tide, great knots in Yalu Jiang mostly occurred in the experimental zone (least restriction on human activities) or sometimes outside the PA boundary altogether, where the birds could face substantial threats. By investigating satellite tracking records, consulting published literature, interviewing local experts and mapping habitat composition in different coastal PAs in China, we found that wet artificial supratidal habitats were frequently used by migratory shorebirds but the coverage of these habitats in coastal PAs was low. These PA boundaries and/or zonations should be revised to conserve mobile species more effectively. With the increasing number of tracking studies, analysing the spatial relationships between PAs and the movement ranges of mobile species can increasingly inform the development of a representative, comprehensive PA network

Effect of Eucommia ulmoides Leaf Extract on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Parameters of Oxidative Stress, and Lipid Metabolism in Broiler Chickens

Eucommia ulmoides bark has been traditionally used as a Chinese medicine to attenuate stress, but the leaf, which is rich in polyphenols and polysaccharides, has been rarely used. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts (EULEs) on oxidative stress and meat quality of broilers. A total of 252 broilers were randomly divided into 3 treatments and fed with a control basal diet (CON), or a diet containing 250 mg/kg or 1,000 mg/kg of EULE for 51 days. Results showed that dietary supplementation of 250 mg/kg EULE increased significantly the average daily gain of broilers in the early stage (1–21 days), while 250 mg/kg or 1,000 mg/kg of EULE decreased the feed conversion ratio in the whole period (P < 0.05). Supplementation of 250 mg/kg EULE reduced the level of MDA in the liver (P < 0.05), while 1,000 mg/kg EULE decreased the serum level of MDA (P < 0.05), and the HDL level in serum was increased by 250 mg/kg or 1,000 mg/kg EULE (P < 0.05). Additionally, 250 mg/kg EULE decreased abdominal fat ratio and serum triglyceride (TC) level in broilers, while 250 or 1,000 mg/kg of EULE reduced drip loss in breast muscle (P < 0.05), and 1,000 mg/kg EULE reduced the cooking loss in thigh muscle (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 250 mg/kg of EULE could attenuate oxidative stress and improve the growth performance and meat quality in broilers

Research on the Potential of Spherical Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Collecting Vibration Energy and Measuring Vibration

The traditional downhole drilling vibration measurement methods which use cable or battery as power supplies increase the drilling costs and reduce the drilling efficiency. This paper proposes a spherical triboelectric nanogenerator, which shows the potential to collect the downhole vibration energy and measure the vibration frequency in a self-powered model. The power generation tests show that the output signal amplitude of the spherical triboelectric nanogenerator increases as the vibration frequency increases, and it can reach a maximum output voltage of 70 V, a maximum current of 3.3 × 10−5 A, and a maximum power of 10.9 × 10−9 W at 8 Hz when a 10-ohm resistor is connected. Therefore, if the power generation is stored for a certain period of time when numbers of the spherical triboelectric nanogenerators are connected in parallel, it may provide intermittent power for the low-power downhole measurement instruments. In addition, the sensing tests show that the measurement range is 0 to 8 Hz, the test error is less than 2%, the applicable working environment temperature is below 100 degrees Celsius, and the installation distance between the spherical triboelectric nanogenerator and the vibration source should be less than the critical value of 150 cm because the output signal amplitude is inversely proportional to the distance

On measuring coupling between microservices

In software quality management, the selection strategy for proper metrics varies depending on the application scenarios and measurement objectives. MicroService Architecture (MSA), despite being commonly employed nowadays, still cannot be reliably measured and compared if the microservices in a system are independent. Software managers and architects need to understand whether their microservices are “decoupled enough”, if not, which ones are over-coupled, and by how much. In this paper, we contribute a novel set of metrics – Microservice Coupling Index (MCI) – derived from the relative measurement theory. Instead of measuring coupling evidence with simple counts, we measure how dependent and coupled the microservices are relative to the possible couplings between them. We measured the MCI metrics for 15 open source projects that involve 113 distinct microservices. Empirical investigation confirmed that MCIs differ quite significantly from existing coupling measures and that they are more discriminative than existing ones for separating high and low degrees of microservice couplings and thus more useful in comparing design alternatives. A series of experimental studies were conducted, showing that the larger the MCIs, the less likely the bugs and changes can be localized and separated, and the less likely that the individual microservices in a system can be independently developed and evolved

Investigation on the mercury nucleation mechanism based on the release characteristics of inhalable particles during coupled combustion of sewage sludge-coal washery tailing

Establishing an integrated treatment technology system for sewage sludge and coal washery tailing by mixed combustion can effectively overcome the disadvantages of the low calorific value and utilization efficiency, realizing the efficient resource. The single-component and coupled fuel were analyzed. Aiming at the generated inhalable particulate matter during the combustion process, using multiple characterization means and the fluidized bed experimental system, the micro-characteristics and elemental distribution of coupled fuel and combustion products were obtained, and the theory based on nucleation control was analyzed to reveal particle size distribution and particulate matter emission characteristics under multiparameter coupling conditions. The nucleation mechanism of Hg on the surface of the particulate matter under mixed combustion conditions was clarified. The results show that the weight loss process of sewage sludge in the combustion process mainly includes four stages. An obvious boundary between the volatilization and combustion processes of fixed carbon does not exist; furthermore, there is some overlap between the two processes. Volatiles and minerals interact in the mixed combustion process. The constituent elements of PM1 and PM1∼10 in the generated particulate matter are mainly easily vaporizable and refractory elements, respectively. The particle size of the particles produced presents the characteristics of bimodal distribution. There is a critical value (800 °C) for the influence of combustion temperature on the emission characteristics of particulate matter. It mainly affects the emission characteristics of coarse and fine particles through dominating the occurrence forms of tar, easily gasified and refractory elements, and the collision and aggregation process between particles. Homogeneous nucleation and heterogeneous condensation are the basic pathways for the transition of Hg from the gas phase to particle nucleation, and there are different nucleation control mechanisms. The heterogeneous condensation process includes diffusion control and surface reaction control. In addition, after the coupled fuel is demineralized by acid washing, the nucleation control mechanism changes significantly from diffusion control to chemical reaction control for the particles in the continuum region

A Novel Missense Mutation 224G>T (R75M) in SRY Coding Region Interferes with Nuclear Import and Results in 46, XY Complete Gonadal Dysgenesis.

SRY-mutation-caused sex reversal is a rare disease and mostly associated with a de novo mutation since the patients with defective SRY is infertile. There are many reports about SRY-mutation associated 46, XY ovarian disorder of sex development (DSD), but few described their molecular mechanism. Here we report a de novo mutation 224G>T (R75M) in SRY associated with a phenotypic female, 46, XY karyotype and dysgerminoma. The wild and mutated SRY were cloned into recombinant plasmid and expressed in cells in vitro, the result showed the mutated SRY is greatly accumulated in cytoplasm while the wild type SRY is mostly localized in nucleus. To make sure no other genes were involved, we performed the trio-based whole exome sequencing using the DNA samples from the proband and the parents, and no mutations were identified especially in DHH, NR0B1, NR5A1, SOX9 and MAP3K1, indicating the de novo mutation in SRY is the single defect responsible for the female sex reversal. We also used bioinformatics simulation analysis to predict impact of the mutation on SRY function, and find the R75 in wild type SRY can form a hydrogen bond with serine at 91 (S91) that make the SRY protein well fit into the minor groove of target DNA, while the M75 in the mutated SRY can't. Finally, we reviewed SRY mutations based on the available references and analyzed the mutation distribution patterns according to density and continuity, which may be useful for further study of the SRY structure, function, and its relatedness with DSD