In this work, a rheological study of automotive lubricant oils, neutral light paraffinic (NLP) and neutral medium paraffinic (NMP), additivated with two commercial viscosity index improvers-VIIs, based on hydrogenated...In this work, a rheological study of automotive lubricant oils, neutral light paraffinic (NLP) and neutral medium paraffinic (NMP), additivated with two commercial viscosity index improvers-VIIs, based on hydrogenated poly (isoprene-co-styrene), at different concentrations, was carried out. The study included the determination of the kinematic viscosity of the mixtures, the calculation of the viscosity indexes and their behavior when subjected to various rheometric experiments, including stress sweep, steady state flow, creep and recovery, and temperature ramp oscillatory tests. The obtained results showed the efficacy of the additives as viscosity index improvers, enabling a significant increase in the viscosity index of the pure oils at relatively low concentrations. The determination of the storage (G’) and of the loss (G”) moduli for the mixtures oil/VII additives showed a large predominance of the viscous effect over the elastic one. Except when under low shear stress, the mixtures showed a pseudoplastic behavior, with the flow curves being adjusted to fit the Ostwald-de-Waele model (Power Law), with negative flow behavior indexes.展开更多
Commonly used flow improvers in oilfields,such as ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer(EVA),poly(octadecyl acrylate)(POA),and polymethylsilsesquioxane(PMSQ)are proven to be effective to enhance the flowability of crude o...Commonly used flow improvers in oilfields,such as ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer(EVA),poly(octadecyl acrylate)(POA),and polymethylsilsesquioxane(PMSQ)are proven to be effective to enhance the flowability of crude oil.However,the addition of these flow improvers may change the stability of the emulsion and make the crude oil treatment process challenging.In this research,the impacts of different flow improvers on the interfacial properties of the emulsions containing asphaltenes are systematically investigated.The co-adsorption behaviors of the flow improvers and asphaltenes are analyzed through dynamic interfacial tension(DIFT).The rheological properties of the interfacial layer after the adsorption are explored via dilational viscoelasticity.Significant difference is observed in the structural properties of the interface adsorbed by different flow improvers,which is attributed to different interactions between the flow improvers and asphaltenes.To investigate these interactions,conductivity,asphaltenes precipitation,dynamic light scattering(DLS),and contact angle experiments are conducted systematically.Results show that EVA and POA can alter the interfacial properties by changing the asphaltene dispersion state.The interaction between EVA and asphaltenes is stronger than that between POA and asphaltenes due to the difference in molecular structures.Unlike EVA and POA,the change of interfacial property with the addition of PMSQ is attributed to the partial adsorption of asphaltenes on PMSQ.展开更多
One of the requirements of engine lubricating oil is that it must have a low enough viscosity at low temperatures to assist in cold starting and a high enough viscosity at high temperatures to maintain its load-bearin...One of the requirements of engine lubricating oil is that it must have a low enough viscosity at low temperatures to assist in cold starting and a high enough viscosity at high temperatures to maintain its load-bearing characteristics. Viscosity Index (VI) is one approach used widely in the lubricating field to assess the variation of viscosity with temperature. The VI of both mineral and synthetic base oils can be improved by the addition of polymeric viscosity modifiers (VMs). VI improvement by VMs is widely attributed to the polymer coil size expanding with increasing temperature. However, there is very little physical data supporting this generally accepted mechanism. To address this issue, intrinsic viscosity measurements and Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) have been used to study the variation of polymer coil size with changing temperature and concentration in a selection of solvents. The results will show that coil size expansion with temperature is not necessary to achieve significant elevation of viscosity index.展开更多
The new flow improvers for super-viscous crude oils were developed via esterification of polybasic high carbon alcohol with methacrylate and copolymerizafion of monomers followed by amination of copolymers. The struct...The new flow improvers for super-viscous crude oils were developed via esterification of polybasic high carbon alcohol with methacrylate and copolymerizafion of monomers followed by amination of copolymers. The structure of the synthesized polymer flow improver additive was confirmed by IR spectroscopy and the crystal structure of the flow improver additives were determined by X-ray diffrac- tion analysis. The structure of wax crystals was also studied at the same time. The results showed that the wax crystal structure was closely related with the crystal structure of the flow improver, which could change the pour point depression and viscosity reduction behavior of the crude oil. When the wax crystal structure matched well with that of the additive, the wax crystals were dispersed satisfactorily, resulting in favorable effects in terms of pour point depression and viscosity reduction. The new synthe- sized aminated polymer flow improver additive was most efficient for treating super-viscous crude oils. The super-viscous crude oil had a high content of resins and asphaltenes, which might aggregate onto the surface of wax crystals to form blocks to limit the crude oil fluidity. However, amination of copolymers having similar structure with the resins and asphaltenes contained in crude oil could dissolve the huge polar groups to make the deposit formation difficult.展开更多
This research proposes an improved Puma optimization algorithm(IPuma)as a novel dynamic recon-figuration tool for a photovoltaic(PV)array linked in total-cross-tied(TCT).The proposed algorithm utilizes the Newton-Raph...This research proposes an improved Puma optimization algorithm(IPuma)as a novel dynamic recon-figuration tool for a photovoltaic(PV)array linked in total-cross-tied(TCT).The proposed algorithm utilizes the Newton-Raphson search rule(NRSR)to boost the exploration process,especially in search spaces with more local regions,and boost the exploitation with adaptive parameters alternating with random parameters in the original Puma.The effectiveness of the introduced IPuma is confirmed through comprehensive evaluations on the CEC’20 benchmark problems.It shows superior performance compared to both established and modern metaheuristic algorithms in terms of effectively navigating the search space and achieving convergence towards near-optimal regions.The findings indicated that the IPuma algorithm demonstrates considerable statistical promise and surpasses the performance of competing algorithms.In addition,the proposed IPuma is utilized to reconfigure a 9×9 PV array that operates under different shade patterns,such as lower triangular(LT),long wide(LW),and short wide(SW).In addition to other programmed approaches,such as the Whale optimization algorithm(WOA),grey wolf optimizer(GWO),Harris Hawks optimization(HHO),particle swarm optimization(PSO),gravitational search algorithm(GSA),biogeography-based optimization(BBO),sine cosine algorithm(SCA),equilibrium optimizer(EO),and original Puma,the indicated method is contrasted to the traditional configurations of TCT and Sudoku.In addition,the metrics of mismatch power loss,maximum efficiency improvement,efficiency improvement ratio,and peak-to-mean ratio are calculated to assess the effectiveness of the indicated approach.The proposed IPuma improved the generated power by 36.72%,28.03%,and 40.97%for SW,LW,and LT,respectively,outperforming the TCT configuration.In addition,it achieved the best maximum efficiency improvement among the algorithms considered,with 26.86%,21.89%,and 29.07%for the examined patterns.The results highlight the superiority and competence of the proposed approach in both convergence rates and stability,as well as applicability to dynamically reconfigure the PV system and enhance its harvested energy.展开更多
The International Standardization Youth Star Competition is held for three consecutive years.We have witnessed continuous improvement in the competition each year,which is a result of our collective efforts.
Introduction:The choice is no longer whether—but when and how!Today,organizations can no longer choose whether or not to engage with stakeholders;the only real decision is when and how to do it successfully.Engaging ...Introduction:The choice is no longer whether—but when and how!Today,organizations can no longer choose whether or not to engage with stakeholders;the only real decision is when and how to do it successfully.Engaging stakeholders is essential for any type of organization,public,private,or civil society.In fact,it is a fundamental part of effective governance,continuous improvement,and social responsibility.The principle behind stakeholder engagement is simple yet powerful:those who can influence or be affected by an organization's mission must be given the opportunity to express their views and contribute to shaping the decisions that impact them.展开更多
Many reviewers contributed their insights and advice to the International Journal of Nursing Sciences in 2025,along with suggestions for improving manuscripts that were submitted for publication.These peer reviewers,l...Many reviewers contributed their insights and advice to the International Journal of Nursing Sciences in 2025,along with suggestions for improving manuscripts that were submitted for publication.These peer reviewers,listed below,have generously given their time and wisdom.The editorial team is grateful to all colleagues who have participated in this worthwhile endeavour.展开更多
Small datasets are often challenging due to their limited sample size.This research introduces a novel solution to these problems:average linkage virtual sample generation(ALVSG).ALVSG leverages the underlying data st...Small datasets are often challenging due to their limited sample size.This research introduces a novel solution to these problems:average linkage virtual sample generation(ALVSG).ALVSG leverages the underlying data structure to create virtual samples,which can be used to augment the original dataset.The ALVSG process consists of two steps.First,an average-linkage clustering technique is applied to the dataset to create a dendrogram.The dendrogram represents the hierarchical structure of the dataset,with each merging operation regarded as a linkage.Next,the linkages are combined into an average-based dataset,which serves as a new representation of the dataset.The second step in the ALVSG process involves generating virtual samples using the average-based dataset.The research project generates a set of 100 virtual samples by uniformly distributing them within the provided boundary.These virtual samples are then added to the original dataset,creating a more extensive dataset with improved generalization performance.The efficacy of the ALVSG approach is validated through resampling experiments and t-tests conducted on two small real-world datasets.The experiments are conducted on three forecasting models:the support vector machine for regression(SVR),the deep learning model(DL),and XGBoost.The results show that the ALVSG approach outperforms the baseline methods in terms of mean square error(MSE),root mean square error(RMSE),and mean absolute error(MAE).展开更多
Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)is a staple hexaploid crop with numerous wild relatives.However,domestication and modern breeding have significantly narrowed its genetic diversity,diminishing its capacity to adapt to...Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)is a staple hexaploid crop with numerous wild relatives.However,domestication and modern breeding have significantly narrowed its genetic diversity,diminishing its capacity to adapt to climate change.Wild relatives of wheat serve as a vital reservoir of genetic diversity,offering traits thatenhance its resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses.Over recent decades,remarkable progress has been made in utilizing superior genes from wild relatives to bolster wheat's defenses against diseases and pests,though the exploration of genes conferring abiotic stress tolerance has lagged behind.In this review,we summarize key advancements in the utilization of wild relatives for wheat enhancement over the past century,emphasizing both theoretical and technological innovations.Furthermore,we evaluate the potential contributions of wild relatives to address production challenges posed by climate change.We also explore strategies for isolating superior genes and developing prebreeding germplasm to support the future development of climate-resilient wheat varieties.展开更多
As sessile organisms,plants must adapt various stresses.Accordingly,they have evolved several plant-specific growth and developmental processes.WRKY53 is a member of the WRKY transcription factor family,which plays a ...As sessile organisms,plants must adapt various stresses.Accordingly,they have evolved several plant-specific growth and developmental processes.WRKY53 is a member of the WRKY transcription factor family,which plays a crucial role in rice growth and development,stress response,and hormone signal transduction.This review discusses the role of WRKY53 in stress response,focusing on its functions in cold tolerance,salt tolerance,disease resistance,and pest defense,and explores its role in regulating rice leaf senescence and seed germination.This article also proposes future research directions,including functional genomics studies,protein interaction network analyses,hormone signal transduction pathways,genetic improvement strategies,applications of gene editing technologies,molecular basis of stress responses,cross-species functional conservation,and bioinformatics and comparative genomics research.This review highlights the importance of WRKY53 in rice biology and provides new perspectives and strategies for future research and genetic improvement of rice.展开更多
The ultracold neutron(UCN)transport code,MCUCN,designed initially for simulating UCN transportation from a solid deuterium(SD_2)source and neutron electric dipole moment experiments,could not simulate UCN storage and ...The ultracold neutron(UCN)transport code,MCUCN,designed initially for simulating UCN transportation from a solid deuterium(SD_2)source and neutron electric dipole moment experiments,could not simulate UCN storage and transportation in a superfluid^(4)He(SFHe,He-Ⅱ)source accurately.This limitation arose from the absence of an^(4)He upscattering mechanism and the absorption of^(3)He.And the provided source energy distribution in MCUCN is different from that in SFHe source.This study introduced enhancements to MCUCN to address these constraints,explicitly incorporating the^(4)He upscattering effect,the absorption of^(3)He,the loss caused by impurities on converter wall,UCN source energy distribution in SFHe,and the transmission through negative optical potential.Additionally,a Python-based visualization code for intermediate states and results was developed.To validate these enhancements,we systematically compared the simulation results of the Lujan Center Mark3 UCN system by MCUCN and the improved MCUCN code(iMCUCN)with UCNtransport simulations.Additionally,we compared the results of the SUN1 system simulated by MCUCN and iMCUCN with measurement results.The study demonstrates that iMCUCN effectively simulates the storage and transportation of ultracold neutrons in He-Ⅱ.展开更多
The northeastern permafrost region of China is one of the most vulnerable areas to climate warming in midlatitude areas.Despite this,the specific pathways of water vapor circulation and transport in this area remain p...The northeastern permafrost region of China is one of the most vulnerable areas to climate warming in midlatitude areas.Despite this,the specific pathways of water vapor circulation and transport in this area remain poorly understood.Additionally,there is ongoing debate on whether the oxygen isotope of precipitation(δ^(18)O_(p))is primarily influenced by the temperature or the precipitation amount effects.Tree-ring samples were collected from various sites and tree species across the region,and 12 stable oxygen isotopes(δ18Oc)series constructed to investigate the water vapor signals embedded within.Our findings revealed consistentδ18Oc variations across different sites and species,reflecting relative humidity signals during the growing season(June to September)(r=−0.764,P<0.001,n=40).By applying an improved model to simulateδ^(18)O_(p),a“temperature effect”was identified.Bothδ18Oc andδ^(18)O_(p) provided valuable insights into the regional water vapor circulation,withδ18Oc offering a stronger climate signal.A binary linear regression model further revealed thatδ^(18)O_(p) had a greater influence onδ18Oc than relative humidity.The regional climate is primarily driven by the East Asian summer monsoon and large-scale water vapor circulation associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation.Because of future warming and drying trends,trees in this region are expected to face increasing drought stress.展开更多
To address the issues of insufficient and imbalanced data samples in proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC)performance degradation prediction,this study proposes a data augmentation-based model to predict PEMFC per...To address the issues of insufficient and imbalanced data samples in proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC)performance degradation prediction,this study proposes a data augmentation-based model to predict PEMFC performance degradation.Firstly,an improved generative adversarial network(IGAN)with adaptive gradient penalty coefficient is proposed to address the problems of excessively fast gradient descent and insufficient diversity of generated samples.Then,the IGANis used to generate datawith a distribution analogous to real data,therebymitigating the insufficiency and imbalance of original PEMFC samples and providing the predictionmodel with training data rich in feature information.Finally,a convolutional neural network-bidirectional long short-termmemory(CNN-BiLSTM)model is adopted to predict PEMFC performance degradation.Experimental results show that the data generated by the proposed IGAN exhibits higher quality than that generated by the original GAN,and can fully characterize and enrich the original data’s features.Using the augmented data,the prediction accuracy of the CNN-BiLSTM model is significantly improved,rendering it applicable to tasks of predicting PEMFC performance degradation.展开更多
As we welcome the spring of 2026,we extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to colleagues worldwide in the field of crop science,our partners,and all those committed to sustainable agricultural development!The Ye...As we welcome the spring of 2026,we extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to colleagues worldwide in the field of crop science,our partners,and all those committed to sustainable agricultural development!The Year of the Horse symbolizes endeavor and far-reaching journeys,reflecting our own spirit of continuous exploration and breakthrough innovation on the path of crop science.Here,I extendmysincere appreciation to all our authors and reviewers for their invaluable time,expertise,and dedication,which are instrumental in the success of The Crop Journal,establishing it as a premier platform for the global crop science research community.The Crop Journal publishes its 2026 first issue as a special issue themed“Synthetic Biology for Crop Improvement”,ably vip-edited by four young scientists.The issue provides a comprehensive overview of major advances in the field.In the past few years,crop science has made long strides in metabolic engineering of important pathways in secondary metabolism.The achievements expedite the emergence of synthetic biology as a potent methodology for crop breeding and represent a fundamental paradigm shift from“deciphering crops”to“designing crops”,which is further empowered by artificial intelligence(AI).At this turning point of the New Year,I would like to take this opportunity to provide a brief retrospective and future perspective.展开更多
China Improves Child Welfare,Strengthens Care for Minors China's Ministry of Civil Affairs has released two regulatory documents aimed at improving the approach to child welfare and assistance for minors,both of w...China Improves Child Welfare,Strengthens Care for Minors China's Ministry of Civil Affairs has released two regulatory documents aimed at improving the approach to child welfare and assistance for minors,both of which are set to take effect on April 1.Under the newly formulated interim measures,assistance and protection facilities for minors are established by governments.展开更多
In winter 2018,an aerosol physicochemical experiment was conducted in the Western Pacific Ocean(WPO)aboard the Research Vessel KEXUE of Chinese Academy of Sciences.This study systematically investigated both natural a...In winter 2018,an aerosol physicochemical experiment was conducted in the Western Pacific Ocean(WPO)aboard the Research Vessel KEXUE of Chinese Academy of Sciences.This study systematically investigated both natural and anthropogenic effects on marine aerosols optical properties,as well as the applicability of multi-satellite products and IMPROVE equation.The averaged aerosol optical depth(AOD500 nm)was 0.31±0.16 andÅngström exponent440–675 nm was 0.29±0.30.In offshore China,significant anthropogenic emissions affected the marine environment.In remote WPO,dust aerosols transported from northern China,Siberia,Central Asia,and those settling from the upper troposphere originating from north Africa,Arabian peninsula,and western India,were dominant.The spatial trends of AOD were opposite in the mid-latitude and southern seas of WPO.The highest AOD,0.32±0.23,appeared along the coast of South Asia at mid-latitude,decreasing from offshore seas to remote oceans.In low-latitude and equatorial seas,AOD significantly increased from coast to remote oceans.Ångström exponent dropped significantly from the coast to remote oceans as anthropogenic influence diminished across the entire WPO.Correlation analysis showed that both MODIS-C6 and Himawari AOD prod-ucts showed similar applicability in coastal urban areas,while Himawari AOD is highly recommended for coastal background and marine environment due to its finer resolution.The extinction coefficient derived from PM_(2.5) chemical compositions using IMPROVE algorithm exhibited a significant correlation(R^(2)=0.58)with the con-currently measured AOD in the absence of long-distance transport,suggesting that the IMPROVE is a reasonable proxy of the columnar average of marine aerosol extinctions free from transport influences.展开更多
The purpose of this study is to gain perspectives on introducing IBCTL(International Baccalaureate Certificate in Teaching and Learning)into graduate school of teacher education in Japan,which are currently providing ...The purpose of this study is to gain perspectives on introducing IBCTL(International Baccalaureate Certificate in Teaching and Learning)into graduate school of teacher education in Japan,which are currently providing advanced teacher training programs aimed at cultivating student agency,a comprehensive set of skills necessary for children living in the future,as advocated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD)Education 2030 Project.To achieve this goal,I examined the curriculum and structure that are important for IB teacher training and the introduction of IBCTL.I attempted to achieve this goal by examining the curriculum being developed at a graduate school of teacher education attempting to implement IBCTL and the creation of a syllabus based on that curriculum through lesson planning.As a result,I examined the curriculum and structure as a perspective for introducing IBCTL into graduate school of teacher education in Japan,where advanced teacher training is required.I found that a core curriculum and structure that incorporates the core of the IBCTL into the core of graduate school of teacher education programs is important for implementing an IB education that is aligned with the advancement of teacher training and the development of student agency.展开更多
[Objectives]To assess the effects of endophytic bacteria on the growth,antioxidant responses,and the production of key secondary metabolites in Emilia prenanthoidea DC.[Methods]Three endophytic strains(H1,H2,L1)were i...[Objectives]To assess the effects of endophytic bacteria on the growth,antioxidant responses,and the production of key secondary metabolites in Emilia prenanthoidea DC.[Methods]Three endophytic strains(H1,H2,L1)were inoculated onto tissue-cultured seedlings and cultivated for 20 d under greenhouse conditions.Growth traits,reactive oxygen species(ROS)indicators,antioxidant enzyme activities,and the content of chlorogenic acid and quercetin were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey s test.[Results]Bacterial inoculation significantly enhanced plant performance.Treatment H2 increased plant height by 27%,chlorophyll content by 73%,and fresh weight by 31%.Levels of ROS(O^(-)_(2),H_(2)O_(2))and MDA decreased markedly,whereas the activities of POD and CAT increased.Additionally,the content of chlorogenic acid and quercetin increased by up to 67%and 64%,respectively,with both H2 and L1 treatments showing the most pronounced effects.[Conclusions]Endophytic bacteria markedly improve growth,redox balance,and phenolic accumulation in E.prenanthoidea.Strain H2 represents a promising bioinoculant for improving the medicinal quality of this species.展开更多
Layered double hydroxides(LDHs)hold great promise as cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries(AZIBs).Nevertheless,they also face challenges of sluggish kinetics and rapid capacity loss.Herein,a conformational ...Layered double hydroxides(LDHs)hold great promise as cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries(AZIBs).Nevertheless,they also face challenges of sluggish kinetics and rapid capacity loss.Herein,a conformational entropy regulation strategy has been applied to surmount the shortcomings.A medium-entropy iron-based metal organic framework(MIL-88)derived NiCoFeInZnV-based layered double hydroxide with carbon loaded(ME-NiCoFeInZnV-LDH/C)has been first proposed and prepared with a designed method.The increased entropy optimizes electron conductivity and alleviates structure alteration and diffusion barrier during interactions with charge carriers,due to electron-induced effect and“cocktail”effect.Moreover,the nanosheet assembled hollow prismatic structures could homogenize flux distribution and electric field distribution.Therefore,the electrochemical kinetics,crystal structure stability,and activity could be dramatically improved.Leveraging the advantages of structure and composition regulation,Zn||ME-NiCoFeInZnV-LDH/C zinc battery delivers high specific capacities,rate performance,and cycling stability.This work proposes a novel and feasible medium-entropy strategy to prepare a high-performance cathode for advanced AZIBs,which is of prominent significance for the development of charge storage devices.展开更多
文摘In this work, a rheological study of automotive lubricant oils, neutral light paraffinic (NLP) and neutral medium paraffinic (NMP), additivated with two commercial viscosity index improvers-VIIs, based on hydrogenated poly (isoprene-co-styrene), at different concentrations, was carried out. The study included the determination of the kinematic viscosity of the mixtures, the calculation of the viscosity indexes and their behavior when subjected to various rheometric experiments, including stress sweep, steady state flow, creep and recovery, and temperature ramp oscillatory tests. The obtained results showed the efficacy of the additives as viscosity index improvers, enabling a significant increase in the viscosity index of the pure oils at relatively low concentrations. The determination of the storage (G’) and of the loss (G”) moduli for the mixtures oil/VII additives showed a large predominance of the viscous effect over the elastic one. Except when under low shear stress, the mixtures showed a pseudoplastic behavior, with the flow curves being adjusted to fit the Ostwald-de-Waele model (Power Law), with negative flow behavior indexes.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51704315)。
文摘Commonly used flow improvers in oilfields,such as ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer(EVA),poly(octadecyl acrylate)(POA),and polymethylsilsesquioxane(PMSQ)are proven to be effective to enhance the flowability of crude oil.However,the addition of these flow improvers may change the stability of the emulsion and make the crude oil treatment process challenging.In this research,the impacts of different flow improvers on the interfacial properties of the emulsions containing asphaltenes are systematically investigated.The co-adsorption behaviors of the flow improvers and asphaltenes are analyzed through dynamic interfacial tension(DIFT).The rheological properties of the interfacial layer after the adsorption are explored via dilational viscoelasticity.Significant difference is observed in the structural properties of the interface adsorbed by different flow improvers,which is attributed to different interactions between the flow improvers and asphaltenes.To investigate these interactions,conductivity,asphaltenes precipitation,dynamic light scattering(DLS),and contact angle experiments are conducted systematically.Results show that EVA and POA can alter the interfacial properties by changing the asphaltene dispersion state.The interaction between EVA and asphaltenes is stronger than that between POA and asphaltenes due to the difference in molecular structures.Unlike EVA and POA,the change of interfacial property with the addition of PMSQ is attributed to the partial adsorption of asphaltenes on PMSQ.
文摘One of the requirements of engine lubricating oil is that it must have a low enough viscosity at low temperatures to assist in cold starting and a high enough viscosity at high temperatures to maintain its load-bearing characteristics. Viscosity Index (VI) is one approach used widely in the lubricating field to assess the variation of viscosity with temperature. The VI of both mineral and synthetic base oils can be improved by the addition of polymeric viscosity modifiers (VMs). VI improvement by VMs is widely attributed to the polymer coil size expanding with increasing temperature. However, there is very little physical data supporting this generally accepted mechanism. To address this issue, intrinsic viscosity measurements and Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) have been used to study the variation of polymer coil size with changing temperature and concentration in a selection of solvents. The results will show that coil size expansion with temperature is not necessary to achieve significant elevation of viscosity index.
文摘The new flow improvers for super-viscous crude oils were developed via esterification of polybasic high carbon alcohol with methacrylate and copolymerizafion of monomers followed by amination of copolymers. The structure of the synthesized polymer flow improver additive was confirmed by IR spectroscopy and the crystal structure of the flow improver additives were determined by X-ray diffrac- tion analysis. The structure of wax crystals was also studied at the same time. The results showed that the wax crystal structure was closely related with the crystal structure of the flow improver, which could change the pour point depression and viscosity reduction behavior of the crude oil. When the wax crystal structure matched well with that of the additive, the wax crystals were dispersed satisfactorily, resulting in favorable effects in terms of pour point depression and viscosity reduction. The new synthe- sized aminated polymer flow improver additive was most efficient for treating super-viscous crude oils. The super-viscous crude oil had a high content of resins and asphaltenes, which might aggregate onto the surface of wax crystals to form blocks to limit the crude oil fluidity. However, amination of copolymers having similar structure with the resins and asphaltenes contained in crude oil could dissolve the huge polar groups to make the deposit formation difficult.
基金funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research and Libraries,Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University,through the Program of Research Project Funding After Publication,grant No.(RPFAP-82-1445)。
文摘This research proposes an improved Puma optimization algorithm(IPuma)as a novel dynamic recon-figuration tool for a photovoltaic(PV)array linked in total-cross-tied(TCT).The proposed algorithm utilizes the Newton-Raphson search rule(NRSR)to boost the exploration process,especially in search spaces with more local regions,and boost the exploitation with adaptive parameters alternating with random parameters in the original Puma.The effectiveness of the introduced IPuma is confirmed through comprehensive evaluations on the CEC’20 benchmark problems.It shows superior performance compared to both established and modern metaheuristic algorithms in terms of effectively navigating the search space and achieving convergence towards near-optimal regions.The findings indicated that the IPuma algorithm demonstrates considerable statistical promise and surpasses the performance of competing algorithms.In addition,the proposed IPuma is utilized to reconfigure a 9×9 PV array that operates under different shade patterns,such as lower triangular(LT),long wide(LW),and short wide(SW).In addition to other programmed approaches,such as the Whale optimization algorithm(WOA),grey wolf optimizer(GWO),Harris Hawks optimization(HHO),particle swarm optimization(PSO),gravitational search algorithm(GSA),biogeography-based optimization(BBO),sine cosine algorithm(SCA),equilibrium optimizer(EO),and original Puma,the indicated method is contrasted to the traditional configurations of TCT and Sudoku.In addition,the metrics of mismatch power loss,maximum efficiency improvement,efficiency improvement ratio,and peak-to-mean ratio are calculated to assess the effectiveness of the indicated approach.The proposed IPuma improved the generated power by 36.72%,28.03%,and 40.97%for SW,LW,and LT,respectively,outperforming the TCT configuration.In addition,it achieved the best maximum efficiency improvement among the algorithms considered,with 26.86%,21.89%,and 29.07%for the examined patterns.The results highlight the superiority and competence of the proposed approach in both convergence rates and stability,as well as applicability to dynamically reconfigure the PV system and enhance its harvested energy.
文摘The International Standardization Youth Star Competition is held for three consecutive years.We have witnessed continuous improvement in the competition each year,which is a result of our collective efforts.
文摘Introduction:The choice is no longer whether—but when and how!Today,organizations can no longer choose whether or not to engage with stakeholders;the only real decision is when and how to do it successfully.Engaging stakeholders is essential for any type of organization,public,private,or civil society.In fact,it is a fundamental part of effective governance,continuous improvement,and social responsibility.The principle behind stakeholder engagement is simple yet powerful:those who can influence or be affected by an organization's mission must be given the opportunity to express their views and contribute to shaping the decisions that impact them.
文摘Many reviewers contributed their insights and advice to the International Journal of Nursing Sciences in 2025,along with suggestions for improving manuscripts that were submitted for publication.These peer reviewers,listed below,have generously given their time and wisdom.The editorial team is grateful to all colleagues who have participated in this worthwhile endeavour.
基金funding support from the National Science and Technology Council(NSTC),under Grant No.114-2410-H-011-026-MY3.
文摘Small datasets are often challenging due to their limited sample size.This research introduces a novel solution to these problems:average linkage virtual sample generation(ALVSG).ALVSG leverages the underlying data structure to create virtual samples,which can be used to augment the original dataset.The ALVSG process consists of two steps.First,an average-linkage clustering technique is applied to the dataset to create a dendrogram.The dendrogram represents the hierarchical structure of the dataset,with each merging operation regarded as a linkage.Next,the linkages are combined into an average-based dataset,which serves as a new representation of the dataset.The second step in the ALVSG process involves generating virtual samples using the average-based dataset.The research project generates a set of 100 virtual samples by uniformly distributing them within the provided boundary.These virtual samples are then added to the original dataset,creating a more extensive dataset with improved generalization performance.The efficacy of the ALVSG approach is validated through resampling experiments and t-tests conducted on two small real-world datasets.The experiments are conducted on three forecasting models:the support vector machine for regression(SVR),the deep learning model(DL),and XGBoost.The results show that the ALVSG approach outperforms the baseline methods in terms of mean square error(MSE),root mean square error(RMSE),and mean absolute error(MAE).
基金supported by the Biological Breeding-National Science and Technology Major Project(2023ZD04071)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFF1000600)and the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32272084,32372089,and 31971887).
文摘Bread wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)is a staple hexaploid crop with numerous wild relatives.However,domestication and modern breeding have significantly narrowed its genetic diversity,diminishing its capacity to adapt to climate change.Wild relatives of wheat serve as a vital reservoir of genetic diversity,offering traits thatenhance its resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses.Over recent decades,remarkable progress has been made in utilizing superior genes from wild relatives to bolster wheat's defenses against diseases and pests,though the exploration of genes conferring abiotic stress tolerance has lagged behind.In this review,we summarize key advancements in the utilization of wild relatives for wheat enhancement over the past century,emphasizing both theoretical and technological innovations.Furthermore,we evaluate the potential contributions of wild relatives to address production challenges posed by climate change.We also explore strategies for isolating superior genes and developing prebreeding germplasm to support the future development of climate-resilient wheat varieties.
基金supported by the Hubei Provincial Natural Science Foundation,China(Grant No.2024AFB917).
文摘As sessile organisms,plants must adapt various stresses.Accordingly,they have evolved several plant-specific growth and developmental processes.WRKY53 is a member of the WRKY transcription factor family,which plays a crucial role in rice growth and development,stress response,and hormone signal transduction.This review discusses the role of WRKY53 in stress response,focusing on its functions in cold tolerance,salt tolerance,disease resistance,and pest defense,and explores its role in regulating rice leaf senescence and seed germination.This article also proposes future research directions,including functional genomics studies,protein interaction network analyses,hormone signal transduction pathways,genetic improvement strategies,applications of gene editing technologies,molecular basis of stress responses,cross-species functional conservation,and bioinformatics and comparative genomics research.This review highlights the importance of WRKY53 in rice biology and provides new perspectives and strategies for future research and genetic improvement of rice.
基金the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2024YFE0110001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1932219)the Mobility Programme endorsed by the Joint Committee of the Sino-German Center(M0728)。
文摘The ultracold neutron(UCN)transport code,MCUCN,designed initially for simulating UCN transportation from a solid deuterium(SD_2)source and neutron electric dipole moment experiments,could not simulate UCN storage and transportation in a superfluid^(4)He(SFHe,He-Ⅱ)source accurately.This limitation arose from the absence of an^(4)He upscattering mechanism and the absorption of^(3)He.And the provided source energy distribution in MCUCN is different from that in SFHe source.This study introduced enhancements to MCUCN to address these constraints,explicitly incorporating the^(4)He upscattering effect,the absorption of^(3)He,the loss caused by impurities on converter wall,UCN source energy distribution in SFHe,and the transmission through negative optical potential.Additionally,a Python-based visualization code for intermediate states and results was developed.To validate these enhancements,we systematically compared the simulation results of the Lujan Center Mark3 UCN system by MCUCN and the improved MCUCN code(iMCUCN)with UCNtransport simulations.Additionally,we compared the results of the SUN1 system simulated by MCUCN and iMCUCN with measurement results.The study demonstrates that iMCUCN effectively simulates the storage and transportation of ultracold neutrons in He-Ⅱ.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42173080 and 42488201)the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB40010300)the Young Talent Support Plan of Xi’an Jiaotong University.
文摘The northeastern permafrost region of China is one of the most vulnerable areas to climate warming in midlatitude areas.Despite this,the specific pathways of water vapor circulation and transport in this area remain poorly understood.Additionally,there is ongoing debate on whether the oxygen isotope of precipitation(δ^(18)O_(p))is primarily influenced by the temperature or the precipitation amount effects.Tree-ring samples were collected from various sites and tree species across the region,and 12 stable oxygen isotopes(δ18Oc)series constructed to investigate the water vapor signals embedded within.Our findings revealed consistentδ18Oc variations across different sites and species,reflecting relative humidity signals during the growing season(June to September)(r=−0.764,P<0.001,n=40).By applying an improved model to simulateδ^(18)O_(p),a“temperature effect”was identified.Bothδ18Oc andδ^(18)O_(p) provided valuable insights into the regional water vapor circulation,withδ18Oc offering a stronger climate signal.A binary linear regression model further revealed thatδ^(18)O_(p) had a greater influence onδ18Oc than relative humidity.The regional climate is primarily driven by the East Asian summer monsoon and large-scale water vapor circulation associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation.Because of future warming and drying trends,trees in this region are expected to face increasing drought stress.
基金supported by the Jiangsu Engineering Research Center of the Key Technology for Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment and the Suqian Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing(Grant No.M202108).
文摘To address the issues of insufficient and imbalanced data samples in proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC)performance degradation prediction,this study proposes a data augmentation-based model to predict PEMFC performance degradation.Firstly,an improved generative adversarial network(IGAN)with adaptive gradient penalty coefficient is proposed to address the problems of excessively fast gradient descent and insufficient diversity of generated samples.Then,the IGANis used to generate datawith a distribution analogous to real data,therebymitigating the insufficiency and imbalance of original PEMFC samples and providing the predictionmodel with training data rich in feature information.Finally,a convolutional neural network-bidirectional long short-termmemory(CNN-BiLSTM)model is adopted to predict PEMFC performance degradation.Experimental results show that the data generated by the proposed IGAN exhibits higher quality than that generated by the original GAN,and can fully characterize and enrich the original data’s features.Using the augmented data,the prediction accuracy of the CNN-BiLSTM model is significantly improved,rendering it applicable to tasks of predicting PEMFC performance degradation.
文摘As we welcome the spring of 2026,we extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to colleagues worldwide in the field of crop science,our partners,and all those committed to sustainable agricultural development!The Year of the Horse symbolizes endeavor and far-reaching journeys,reflecting our own spirit of continuous exploration and breakthrough innovation on the path of crop science.Here,I extendmysincere appreciation to all our authors and reviewers for their invaluable time,expertise,and dedication,which are instrumental in the success of The Crop Journal,establishing it as a premier platform for the global crop science research community.The Crop Journal publishes its 2026 first issue as a special issue themed“Synthetic Biology for Crop Improvement”,ably vip-edited by four young scientists.The issue provides a comprehensive overview of major advances in the field.In the past few years,crop science has made long strides in metabolic engineering of important pathways in secondary metabolism.The achievements expedite the emergence of synthetic biology as a potent methodology for crop breeding and represent a fundamental paradigm shift from“deciphering crops”to“designing crops”,which is further empowered by artificial intelligence(AI).At this turning point of the New Year,I would like to take this opportunity to provide a brief retrospective and future perspective.
文摘China Improves Child Welfare,Strengthens Care for Minors China's Ministry of Civil Affairs has released two regulatory documents aimed at improving the approach to child welfare and assistance for minors,both of which are set to take effect on April 1.Under the newly formulated interim measures,assistance and protection facilities for minors are established by governments.
基金supported by the CAS Strategic Priority Research Program(No.XDB0760102),the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2022YFF0802501)the Major Science and Technology Infrastructure Maintenance and Transformation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan-Phospherus Project(No.23YF1426200)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2024YFE0212200).
文摘In winter 2018,an aerosol physicochemical experiment was conducted in the Western Pacific Ocean(WPO)aboard the Research Vessel KEXUE of Chinese Academy of Sciences.This study systematically investigated both natural and anthropogenic effects on marine aerosols optical properties,as well as the applicability of multi-satellite products and IMPROVE equation.The averaged aerosol optical depth(AOD500 nm)was 0.31±0.16 andÅngström exponent440–675 nm was 0.29±0.30.In offshore China,significant anthropogenic emissions affected the marine environment.In remote WPO,dust aerosols transported from northern China,Siberia,Central Asia,and those settling from the upper troposphere originating from north Africa,Arabian peninsula,and western India,were dominant.The spatial trends of AOD were opposite in the mid-latitude and southern seas of WPO.The highest AOD,0.32±0.23,appeared along the coast of South Asia at mid-latitude,decreasing from offshore seas to remote oceans.In low-latitude and equatorial seas,AOD significantly increased from coast to remote oceans.Ångström exponent dropped significantly from the coast to remote oceans as anthropogenic influence diminished across the entire WPO.Correlation analysis showed that both MODIS-C6 and Himawari AOD prod-ucts showed similar applicability in coastal urban areas,while Himawari AOD is highly recommended for coastal background and marine environment due to its finer resolution.The extinction coefficient derived from PM_(2.5) chemical compositions using IMPROVE algorithm exhibited a significant correlation(R^(2)=0.58)with the con-currently measured AOD in the absence of long-distance transport,suggesting that the IMPROVE is a reasonable proxy of the columnar average of marine aerosol extinctions free from transport influences.
文摘The purpose of this study is to gain perspectives on introducing IBCTL(International Baccalaureate Certificate in Teaching and Learning)into graduate school of teacher education in Japan,which are currently providing advanced teacher training programs aimed at cultivating student agency,a comprehensive set of skills necessary for children living in the future,as advocated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD)Education 2030 Project.To achieve this goal,I examined the curriculum and structure that are important for IB teacher training and the introduction of IBCTL.I attempted to achieve this goal by examining the curriculum being developed at a graduate school of teacher education attempting to implement IBCTL and the creation of a syllabus based on that curriculum through lesson planning.As a result,I examined the curriculum and structure as a perspective for introducing IBCTL into graduate school of teacher education in Japan,where advanced teacher training is required.I found that a core curriculum and structure that incorporates the core of the IBCTL into the core of graduate school of teacher education programs is important for implementing an IB education that is aligned with the advancement of teacher training and the development of student agency.
文摘[Objectives]To assess the effects of endophytic bacteria on the growth,antioxidant responses,and the production of key secondary metabolites in Emilia prenanthoidea DC.[Methods]Three endophytic strains(H1,H2,L1)were inoculated onto tissue-cultured seedlings and cultivated for 20 d under greenhouse conditions.Growth traits,reactive oxygen species(ROS)indicators,antioxidant enzyme activities,and the content of chlorogenic acid and quercetin were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey s test.[Results]Bacterial inoculation significantly enhanced plant performance.Treatment H2 increased plant height by 27%,chlorophyll content by 73%,and fresh weight by 31%.Levels of ROS(O^(-)_(2),H_(2)O_(2))and MDA decreased markedly,whereas the activities of POD and CAT increased.Additionally,the content of chlorogenic acid and quercetin increased by up to 67%and 64%,respectively,with both H2 and L1 treatments showing the most pronounced effects.[Conclusions]Endophytic bacteria markedly improve growth,redox balance,and phenolic accumulation in E.prenanthoidea.Strain H2 represents a promising bioinoculant for improving the medicinal quality of this species.
基金the funding support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52202217,52471222)the Natural Science Foundation of Jilin Province(Grant No.YDZJ202201ZYTS375).
文摘Layered double hydroxides(LDHs)hold great promise as cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries(AZIBs).Nevertheless,they also face challenges of sluggish kinetics and rapid capacity loss.Herein,a conformational entropy regulation strategy has been applied to surmount the shortcomings.A medium-entropy iron-based metal organic framework(MIL-88)derived NiCoFeInZnV-based layered double hydroxide with carbon loaded(ME-NiCoFeInZnV-LDH/C)has been first proposed and prepared with a designed method.The increased entropy optimizes electron conductivity and alleviates structure alteration and diffusion barrier during interactions with charge carriers,due to electron-induced effect and“cocktail”effect.Moreover,the nanosheet assembled hollow prismatic structures could homogenize flux distribution and electric field distribution.Therefore,the electrochemical kinetics,crystal structure stability,and activity could be dramatically improved.Leveraging the advantages of structure and composition regulation,Zn||ME-NiCoFeInZnV-LDH/C zinc battery delivers high specific capacities,rate performance,and cycling stability.This work proposes a novel and feasible medium-entropy strategy to prepare a high-performance cathode for advanced AZIBs,which is of prominent significance for the development of charge storage devices.
