The ability of queens and males of most ant species to disperse by flight has fundamentally contributed to the group’s evolutionary and ecological success and is a determining factor to take into account for biogeogr...The ability of queens and males of most ant species to disperse by flight has fundamentally contributed to the group’s evolutionary and ecological success and is a determining factor to take into account for biogeographic studies(Wagner and Liebherr 1992;Peeters and Ito 2001;Helms 2018).展开更多
The rocket sled system is not only a high-speed dynamic ground test system,but also one of the future aerospace horizontal launch schemes.The winged load,as a common type of payload,has greater vibration and noise int...The rocket sled system is not only a high-speed dynamic ground test system,but also one of the future aerospace horizontal launch schemes.The winged load,as a common type of payload,has greater vibration and noise intensity than the wingless load.Due to the severe aerodynamic instability prior to separation,the head-up or head-down phenomena are more evident and the test accuracy significantly decreases.The high-precision computer fluid dynamics and aeroacoustic analysis are employed to explore the multifield coupling mechanism of a rocket sled with the winged payload in the wide speed range(Ma=0.5–2).The results show that as the incoming velocity increases,the cone angle of the shock wave of the rocket sled decreases,the shock pressure increases quickly,and the vortex between the slippers splits and gradually shrinks in size.The velocity of the rocket sled exerts little influence on the modal resonance frequency.The wing has a significant impact on aerodynamic noise,and as the sound pressure level rises,the propagation direction gradually shifts towards the rear and upper regions of the wing.展开更多
Synthetic analysis is conducted to the wind tunnel experiment results of zero lift drag coefficient and lift coefficient for large aspect ratio winged rigid body.By means of wind tunnel experiment data,the dynamics mo...Synthetic analysis is conducted to the wind tunnel experiment results of zero lift drag coefficient and lift coefficient for large aspect ratio winged rigid body.By means of wind tunnel experiment data,the dynamics model of the zero lift drag coefficient and lift coefficient for the large aspect ratio winged rigid body is amended.The research indicates that the change trends of zero lift drag coefficient and lift coefficient to Mach number are similar.The calculation result and wind tunnel experiment data all verify the validity of the amended dynamics model by which to estimate the zero lift drag coefficient and lift coefficient for the large aspect ratio winged rigid body,and thus providing some technical reference to aerodynamics character analysis of the same types of winged rigid body.展开更多
A total of 16 specimens of fossil-winged fruits were found from the Middle Miocene marine deposits, Duho Formation, Pohang Basin, Korea. They were identified into two structurally different groups： 15 specimens into ...A total of 16 specimens of fossil-winged fruits were found from the Middle Miocene marine deposits, Duho Formation, Pohang Basin, Korea. They were identified into two structurally different groups： 15 specimens into a winged fruit of Fraxinus, and one specimen of Liriodendron. The most samaras （13 specimens） were identified as Fraxinus oishii, which is characterized by narrowly ovate or ovate-elliptic shapes that are 2.7-3.6 cm in length and 0.7-1 cm in width （i/w ratio=3.4-4）. The apexes of the Fraxinus oishii samara are round or slightly emarginated, and a seed of the samara is always located at the base, of which the general shape is narrow rhombic-ellipsoidal. The seed is 1.2-2 cm long and 0.5-0.7 cm wide. Two specimens are different from the samara of Fraxinus oishii. They have a 6.6 length/width ratio （3.3 cm long and 0.5 cm wide）, and thus, are temporarily classified into the Fraxinus sp. One specimen was recognized as a winged seed of Liriodendron meisenense. The wing is broadly lanceolate to elliptic in shape, has a smooth, acute apex, and is approximately 3 cm long and 0.7 cm wide. Samaras of Fraxinus oishii and Liriodendron meisenense were early reported from the Middle Miocene deposits from North Korea, but these specimens are the first discovery in South Korea. Further study of the Duho Formation may connect flora relationships between North and South Korea.展开更多
Winged bean[Psophocarpus tetragonolobus(L.)DC.]is a vegetable legume crop.The center of origin,diversity and domestication of this crop are not known.In this study,we assessed the genetic diversity and population stru...Winged bean[Psophocarpus tetragonolobus(L.)DC.]is a vegetable legume crop.The center of origin,diversity and domestication of this crop are not known.In this study,we assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of 457 accessions of winged bean collected from six geographical regions(North,Northeast,East,West,and central,and South)in Thailand using 14 simple sequence repeat(SSR)markers.In total,the SSR markers detected only 55 alleles with an average of 3.9 alleles per locus.Observed heterozygosity was relatively high(0.15)and overall gene diversity was moderate(0.487).Gene diversity,allelic richness and observed heterozygosity in the six regions were comparable,while the estimated out-crossing rate was relatively high(16.4%).STRUCTURE analysis grouped the 457 winged bean accessions into three subpopulations.Neighbor-joining(NJ)analysis grouped all the accessions into two major clusters.Genetic groups identified by both STRUCTURE analysis and NJ analysis were unrelated to geographical origins.Principal coordinate analysis revealed no clear clustering of the winged bean accessions.Although genetic groups were not unrelated to geographical origins,most of the winged bean accessions with long pods(30 cm or higher in length)or having purple seed coats or purple young pods were grouped together.This suggested that the winged beans with long pods or with purple seed or purple young pods may have a single origin.Altogether,these results demonstrated that the genetic diversity of winged bean in Thailand was moderate with high genetic admixture.We argue that the high genetic admixture of the winged bean in Thailand is due to seed migration and relatively high outcrossing rate.展开更多
In this paper,we present the development of our latest flapping-wing micro air vehicle(FW-MAV),named Explobird,which features two wings with a wingspan of 195 mm and weighs a mere 25.2 g,enabling it to accomplish vert...In this paper,we present the development of our latest flapping-wing micro air vehicle(FW-MAV),named Explobird,which features two wings with a wingspan of 195 mm and weighs a mere 25.2 g,enabling it to accomplish vertical take-off and hover flight.We devised a novel gear-based mechanism for the flapping system to achieve high lift capability and reliability and conducted extensive testing and analysis on the wings to optimise power matching and lift performance.The Explobird can deliver a peak lift-to-weight ratio of 1.472 and an endurance time of 259 s during hover flight powered by a single-cell LiPo battery.Considering the inherent instability of the prototype,we discuss the derivatives of its longitudinal system,underscoring the importance of feedback control,position of the centre of gravity,and increased damping.To demonstrate the effect of damping enhancement on stability,we also designed a passive stable FW-MAV.Currently,the vehicle is actively stabilised in roll by adjusting the wing root bars and in pitch through high-authority tail control,whereas yaw is passively stabilised.Through a series of flight tests,we successfully demonstrate that our prototype can perform vertical take-off and hover flight under wireless conditions.These promising results position the Explobird as a robust vehicle with high lift capability,paving the way towards the use of FW-MAVs for carrying load equipment in multiple tasks.展开更多
Brandisia hancei(Paulowniaceae)is a widely distributed shrub in karst regions in southwestern China.Its seeds have a membranous wing,and they mature just before the rainy season begins.To assess the effect of the wing...Brandisia hancei(Paulowniaceae)is a widely distributed shrub in karst regions in southwestern China.Its seeds have a membranous wing,and they mature just before the rainy season begins.To assess the effect of the wing on seed dispersal and germination of B.hancei,we measured the dispersal distance at varying wind speeds and release heights,falling duration from different release heights,floating duration on still water,rates of imbibition of water,and drying and soil adherence to seeds.Germination experiments were conducted on intact and de-winged seeds immediately after harvest.The wing increased the falling duration in still air and the floating ability on water.Dispersal distance of winged and de-winged seeds did not differ at a wind speed of 2.8 m s1,but at 3.6 and 4.0 m s1 dispersal distances were greater for de-winged than for winged seeds.Seed wing had little effect of absorption and retention of water,but significantly increased soil adherence to the seeds.Mature seeds were non-dormant and germinated to over 90%with a mean germination time of about 10 days.By combining the environmental conditions in karst habitat with the seed traits of B.hancei,we conclude that dispersal and germination of winged seeds are adapted to the precipitation seasonality in heterogeneous habitats absence of soil.展开更多
We analyze morphometrics from a sample of 276 White-winged Black Tern(Chlidonias leucopterus) caught in north-west Australia on 4 March 2011. An estimated 40000 terns were present — the largest concentration of this ...We analyze morphometrics from a sample of 276 White-winged Black Tern(Chlidonias leucopterus) caught in north-west Australia on 4 March 2011. An estimated 40000 terns were present — the largest concentration of this species yet reported from Australia. When comparing juveniles with adults, only wing length and body mass differed significantly; however, juveniles were still easily recognized by plumage and wing molt as late as March. There was little evidence of any dramatic weight gain in adults before their northward migration. No morphological characteristic distinguishing sex was found. We confirmed that terns caught in this study did not appear to differ morphologically from those of the western palearctic populations. We describe wing molt based on data from 354 individuals captured and banded in Australia over 28 years. Wing molt proceeds in much the same way as found in other small terns.展开更多
Background:Red-winged Blackbirds(Agelaius phoeniceus),hereafter red-wings,are much less frequently parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds(Molothrus ater)in eastern North America than in central North America and had not...Background:Red-winged Blackbirds(Agelaius phoeniceus),hereafter red-wings,are much less frequently parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds(Molothrus ater)in eastern North America than in central North America and had not been recorded as hosts in our study area in southeastern Pennsylvania.Although hosts of Old World cuckoos(Cuculidae)often show geographic variation in egg rejection behavior,cowbird hosts typically exhibit uniform responses of all acceptance or all rejection of cowbird eggs.Thus,geographic variation in cowbird parasitism frequencies might reflect a different behavioral response to parasitism by hosts where only some populations reject parasitism.In this study,we tested whether egg rejection behavior may explain the lack of parasitism observed in our eastern red-wing population,which may provide insight into low parasitism levels across eastern North America.Methods:We parasitized red-wing nests with model cowbird eggs to determine their response to parasitism.Nests were tested across three nest stages and compared to control nests with no manipulations.Because rejection differed significantly by stage,we compared responses separately for each nest stage.We also monitored other songbird nests to identify parasitism frequencies on all potential hosts.Results:Red-wings showed significantly more rejections during the building stage,but not for the laying and incubation stages.Rejections during nest building involved mostly egg burials,which likely represent a continuation of the nest building process rather than true rejection of the cowbird egg.Excluding these responses,red-wings rejected 15%of cowbird eggs,which is similar to rejection levels from other studies and populations.The overall parasitism frequency on 11 species surveyed in our study area was only 7.4%.Conclusions:Egg rejection behavior does not explain the lack of parasitism on red-wings in our eastern population.Alternatively,we suggest that cowbird preference for other hosts and the low abundance of cowbirds in the east might explain the lack of parasitism.Future research should also explore cowbird and host density and the makeup of the host community to explain the low levels of parasitism on red-wings across eastern North America because egg rejection alone is unlikely to explain this broad geographic trend.展开更多
Ethnic people living on the Tibetan Plateau during the Tubo period have been well-known as not only strong and brave on horses,but they were also an ethnic group enriched with powerful creativity and rich imagination....Ethnic people living on the Tibetan Plateau during the Tubo period have been well-known as not only strong and brave on horses,but they were also an ethnic group enriched with powerful creativity and rich imagination.From Tubo’s cultural art,we can observe a large amount of extremely fine artifacts.For instance,among展开更多
In December 2021, the Datong Archaeological Research Institute conducted an excavation of the Lv Xu’s tomb in Zhijiabao Village, Pingcheng District, Datong. The Lv Xu’s tomb is a newly excavated tomb of the Pingchen...In December 2021, the Datong Archaeological Research Institute conducted an excavation of the Lv Xu’s tomb in Zhijiabao Village, Pingcheng District, Datong. The Lv Xu’s tomb is a newly excavated tomb of the Pingcheng period of Northern Wei Dynasty, which contains a rare painted shallow relief stone coffin. On the northern side of the coffin, there is a picture of ascending owner flanked by an ox-headed bird with wings and a mouse-headed bird with wings on each side. There are also images of azure dragon, white tiger and vermilion bird in the lower part of the east, west and north walls respectively. The identity information and the roles these images played in the tomb are not to be clarified yet. This paper aims to use iconographic methods to interpret the painted shallow relief carvings of winged divine beasts on the stone coffin, to identify their characteristics, schematic sources, and cultural attributes, and to provide some foundational work for further research on the stone coffin of the Lv Xu’s tomb.展开更多
High-aspect-ratio aircraft are widely used in military and civilian fields,such as reconnaissance,surveillance,and attacks,due to their high lift-to-drag ratio,strong payload capability,significant endurance effect,an...High-aspect-ratio aircraft are widely used in military and civilian fields,such as reconnaissance,surveillance,and attacks,due to their high lift-to-drag ratio,strong payload capability,significant endurance effect,and good stealth performance.However,compared to conventional aircraft,high-aspect-ratio aircraft are more susceptible to gust disturbances during flight.In response to this phenomenon,a full-scale dynamic model of a high-aspect-ratio unmanned aerial vehicle was developed.Considering the coupling among control surfaces,structural forces,and aerodynamic forces,along with sensor,actuator,and delay effects,an H_(∞)control law was designed using the principle of singular value energy flow reduction and weighted function,with a PID(Proportional-Integral-Derivative)control law for comparison.The two controllers were then subjected to pulse-response and jury stability tests.Finally,wind tunnel tests were conducted to investigate the gust alleviation principle,in which gust disturbances were generated using gust generators and control surface self-excitation.The results present that the average wing root bending moment and wing tip overload under the PID control law decrease by approximately 30%,while under the H_(∞)control law,both the average wing root bending moment and wing tip overload reduction rate exceed 50%,with peaks reaching 60%.This validates the feasibility and efficiency of the designed H_(∞)controller.展开更多
The design of unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)revolves around the careful selection of materials that are both lightweight and robust.Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer(CFRP)emerged as an ideal option for wing construction...The design of unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)revolves around the careful selection of materials that are both lightweight and robust.Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer(CFRP)emerged as an ideal option for wing construction,with its mechanical qualities thoroughly investigated.In this study,we developed and optimized a conceptual UAV wing to withstand structural loads by establishing progressive composite stacking sequences,and we conducted a series of experimental characterizations on the resulting material.In the optimization phase,the objective was defined as weight reduction,while the Hashin damage criterion was established as the constraint for the optimization process.The optimization algorithm adaptively monitors regional damage criterion values,implementing necessary adjustments to facilitate the mitigation process in a cost-effective manner.Optimization of the analytical model using Simulia Abaqus~(TM)and a Python-based user-defined sub-routine resulted in a 34.7%reduction in the wing's structural weight after 45 iterative rounds.Then,the custom-developed optimization algorithm was compared with a genetic algorithm optimization.This comparison has demonstrated that,although the genetic algorithm explores numerous possibilities through hybridization,the custom-developed algorithm is more result-oriented and achieves optimization in a reduced number of steps.To validate the structural analysis,test specimens were fabricated from the wing's most critically loaded segment,utilizing the identical stacking sequence employed in the optimization studies.Rigorous mechanical testing revealed unexpectedly high compressive strength,while tensile and bending strengths fell within expected ranges.All observed failure loads remained within the established safety margins,thereby confirming the reliability of the analytical predictions.展开更多
Avian wings are central to their remarkable flight ability and diverse life history strategies,including behaviors such as fighting and mating.These multifaceted functions are intricately tied to wing shape,which vari...Avian wings are central to their remarkable flight ability and diverse life history strategies,including behaviors such as fighting and mating.These multifaceted functions are intricately tied to wing shape,which varies significantly across species because of the complex interplay of evolutionary and ecological pressures.Many indices have been developed to quantify wing characteristics to facilitate the study and comparison of avian wing morphology across species.This study provides a comprehensive overview of existing quantitative methods for analyzing avian wing shapes.We then constructed a new quantification framework through the beta distribution,which can generate indices reflecting the shape of avian wings(center,dispersion,skewness,and kurtosis).Next,we used the flight feathers of 613 bird species to perform different quantitative analyses and explore the relationships between various wing shape quantification methods and life history traits,which serve as proxies for the selective forces shaping wing morphology.We find that the wing shape indices are more strongly associated with ecological variables than with morphological variables,especially for migration,habitat and territoriality.This research guides the selection of appropriate methods for wing shape analysis,contributing to a deeper understanding of avian morphology and its evolutionary drivers.展开更多
Objective:In recent decades,studies have underscored nuclear proteins and signaling pathways in prostate cancer(PCa)development.Key biomarkers like Enhancer of zeste homolog 2(EZH2)and Forkhead box M1(FOXM1)are expres...Objective:In recent decades,studies have underscored nuclear proteins and signaling pathways in prostate cancer(PCa)development.Key biomarkers like Enhancer of zeste homolog 2(EZH2)and Forkhead box M1(FOXM1)are expressed in both healthy and malignant prostate cells.This study aimed to demonstrate the relationship between pathological characteristics,survival,recurrence,and tissue expression of EZH2 and FOXM1 in high-risk PCa patients.Methods:PCa tissues were used in a retrospective analysis that spanned from September 2009 to August 2019.Inclusion criteria comprised pathological tumor stage(pT)3 patients with positive surgical margins or tumor proximity to inked margins within 5 mm.After case selection,tissue slides were stained for EZH2 and FOXM1 antibodies,and Allred scores were calculated.Patients or relatives of deceased patients were contacted for signed agreements and disease follow-ups.Results:The pT3b,ductal carcinoma component,and moderate EZH2 expression were associated with relapse(odds ratio[OR]6.21,95%confidence interval[CI]1.41-27.27,p=0.016;OR 7.29,95%CI 1.03-51.43,p=0.046;OR 5.96,95%CI 1.09-32.48,p=0.039;respectively).The unilateral and bilateral seminal vesicle invasion increased the likelihood of recurrence by 9.98 times and 5.36 times,and the risk of death by around 9.78 times and 10.79 times,respectively.The pT3b was linked to higher death likelihood(OR 7.16,95%CI 1.38-37.23,p=0.019),while moderate EZH2 expression did not show statistical significance(OR 4.54,95%CI 0.87-23.60,p=0.072,marginally).Pathological regional lymph node stage(pN)1 had significantly higher probability of mortality than pN unknown(3.9%vs.27%,p<0.001).PCa in the neck and apex of the prostate gland increased death risk tenfold.Conclusion:Sufficient immunoexpression of EZH2,ductal carcinoma component,and neoplastic proliferation in the seminal vesicles,apex and neck of the prostate gland correlates with elevated risks of recurrence and mortality.Clinicians should use these criteria for appropriate patient referrals,and a multicenter trial could provide accurate classifications.展开更多
The spatial constraints of aircraft have accelerated the development of multi-wing deployable mechanisms.These systems enable the rapid,sub-second deployment of multiple folding wings,which generate high-energy impact...The spatial constraints of aircraft have accelerated the development of multi-wing deployable mechanisms.These systems enable the rapid,sub-second deployment of multiple folding wings,which generate high-energy impacts upon locking-resulting in oscillations that can adversely affect aerodynamic performance.Despite their importance,the transient dynamic characteristics during deployment and locking remain insufficiently explored.This study presents an integrated dynamic model for a single-actuator,multi-wing deployable mechanism that accounts for joint clearances,component elasticity,and locking collisions.This model is used to analyze the influence of transient driving on the motion errors of multiple folding wings,the locking oscillation amplitude,and the complete stabilization time.Results indicate that as the driving force and transient deployment speed increase,all dynamic performance characteristics are notably affected.Specifically,raising the transient driving force from 3000 to 7000 N leads to a maximum increase of 60.8%in oscillation amplitude and 78.4%in stabilization time.By comparing the results of the prototype experiment with the theoretical model,it is found that the errors of the maximum locking oscillation amplitude and the complete stabilization time for the three groups of folding wings are all within the acceptable range,which verifies the theoretical model.These findings advance the theoretical understanding of transient deployment dynamics and locking oscillations in high-speed deployable mechanisms.展开更多
Modeling the dynamics of flapping wing aerial vehicle is challenging due to the complexity of aerodynamic effects and mechanical structures.The aim of this work is to develop an accurate dynamics model of flapping win...Modeling the dynamics of flapping wing aerial vehicle is challenging due to the complexity of aerodynamic effects and mechanical structures.The aim of this work is to develop an accurate dynamics model of flapping wing aerial vehicle based on real flight data.We propose a modeling framework that combines rigid body dynamics with a neural network to predict aerodynamic effects.By incorporating the concept of flapping phase,we significantly enhance the network’s ability to analyze transient aerodynamic behavior.We design and utilize a phase-functioned neural network structure for aerodynamic predictions and train the network using real flight data.Evaluation results show that the network can predict aerodynamic effects and demonstrate clear physical significance.We verify that the framework can be used for dynamic propagation and is expected to be utilized for building simulators for flapping wing aerial vehicles.展开更多
This paper introduces an innovative approach to the deployment of folding wings on cruise missiles,aiming to overcome the issues associated with explosive devices.The proposed solution involves employing NiTi shape me...This paper introduces an innovative approach to the deployment of folding wings on cruise missiles,aiming to overcome the issues associated with explosive devices.The proposed solution involves employing NiTi shape memory wires for a nonexplosive self-deploying wing mechanism.The fundamental concept of the design revolves around the utilization of NiTi wires,which contract upon electric heating.This contraction action severs the shear pin,consequently releasing the folded wings.The operational performance of the NiTi wire is thoroughly examined through a series of electro-thermo-mechanical tests,offering valuable insights for selecting the appropriate wire material.Moreover,the mechanical dynamics involved in the self-deploying process are elucidated through finite element simulations.The simulations highlight that the thermally-induced phase transformation within the NiTi wires generates substantial actuation forces,exceeding 700 N,and strokes of over 6 mm.These forces are deemed sufficient for breaking the aluminum shear pin and effecting wing deployment.The proposed mechanism’s practical viability is substantiated through prototype tests,which conclusively establish the superiority of the nonexplosive self-deploying wing mechanism when compared to conventional methods.The experimental outcomes underscore the mechanism’s capability to markedly reduce overload stress while remaining compliant with the designated requirements and constraints.展开更多
基金funded by the“Departments of Excellence”program of the Italian Ministry for University and Research(MIUR,2018-2022 and MUR,2023-2027).
文摘The ability of queens and males of most ant species to disperse by flight has fundamentally contributed to the group’s evolutionary and ecological success and is a determining factor to take into account for biogeographic studies(Wagner and Liebherr 1992;Peeters and Ito 2001;Helms 2018).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12104047)。
文摘The rocket sled system is not only a high-speed dynamic ground test system,but also one of the future aerospace horizontal launch schemes.The winged load,as a common type of payload,has greater vibration and noise intensity than the wingless load.Due to the severe aerodynamic instability prior to separation,the head-up or head-down phenomena are more evident and the test accuracy significantly decreases.The high-precision computer fluid dynamics and aeroacoustic analysis are employed to explore the multifield coupling mechanism of a rocket sled with the winged payload in the wide speed range(Ma=0.5–2).The results show that as the incoming velocity increases,the cone angle of the shock wave of the rocket sled decreases,the shock pressure increases quickly,and the vortex between the slippers splits and gradually shrinks in size.The velocity of the rocket sled exerts little influence on the modal resonance frequency.The wing has a significant impact on aerodynamic noise,and as the sound pressure level rises,the propagation direction gradually shifts towards the rear and upper regions of the wing.
文摘Synthetic analysis is conducted to the wind tunnel experiment results of zero lift drag coefficient and lift coefficient for large aspect ratio winged rigid body.By means of wind tunnel experiment data,the dynamics model of the zero lift drag coefficient and lift coefficient for the large aspect ratio winged rigid body is amended.The research indicates that the change trends of zero lift drag coefficient and lift coefficient to Mach number are similar.The calculation result and wind tunnel experiment data all verify the validity of the amended dynamics model by which to estimate the zero lift drag coefficient and lift coefficient for the large aspect ratio winged rigid body,and thus providing some technical reference to aerodynamics character analysis of the same types of winged rigid body.
基金supported by BK21 project of Department of Geology,Kyungpook National University, KNU
文摘A total of 16 specimens of fossil-winged fruits were found from the Middle Miocene marine deposits, Duho Formation, Pohang Basin, Korea. They were identified into two structurally different groups： 15 specimens into a winged fruit of Fraxinus, and one specimen of Liriodendron. The most samaras （13 specimens） were identified as Fraxinus oishii, which is characterized by narrowly ovate or ovate-elliptic shapes that are 2.7-3.6 cm in length and 0.7-1 cm in width （i/w ratio=3.4-4）. The apexes of the Fraxinus oishii samara are round or slightly emarginated, and a seed of the samara is always located at the base, of which the general shape is narrow rhombic-ellipsoidal. The seed is 1.2-2 cm long and 0.5-0.7 cm wide. Two specimens are different from the samara of Fraxinus oishii. They have a 6.6 length/width ratio （3.3 cm long and 0.5 cm wide）, and thus, are temporarily classified into the Fraxinus sp. One specimen was recognized as a winged seed of Liriodendron meisenense. The wing is broadly lanceolate to elliptic in shape, has a smooth, acute apex, and is approximately 3 cm long and 0.7 cm wide. Samaras of Fraxinus oishii and Liriodendron meisenense were early reported from the Middle Miocene deposits from North Korea, but these specimens are the first discovery in South Korea. Further study of the Duho Formation may connect flora relationships between North and South Korea.
基金supported by Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute,Kasetsart University,Thailandfunded by the Thailand Research Fund through the Senior Research Scholar Project(Grant No.RTA6180002)。
文摘Winged bean[Psophocarpus tetragonolobus(L.)DC.]is a vegetable legume crop.The center of origin,diversity and domestication of this crop are not known.In this study,we assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of 457 accessions of winged bean collected from six geographical regions(North,Northeast,East,West,and central,and South)in Thailand using 14 simple sequence repeat(SSR)markers.In total,the SSR markers detected only 55 alleles with an average of 3.9 alleles per locus.Observed heterozygosity was relatively high(0.15)and overall gene diversity was moderate(0.487).Gene diversity,allelic richness and observed heterozygosity in the six regions were comparable,while the estimated out-crossing rate was relatively high(16.4%).STRUCTURE analysis grouped the 457 winged bean accessions into three subpopulations.Neighbor-joining(NJ)analysis grouped all the accessions into two major clusters.Genetic groups identified by both STRUCTURE analysis and NJ analysis were unrelated to geographical origins.Principal coordinate analysis revealed no clear clustering of the winged bean accessions.Although genetic groups were not unrelated to geographical origins,most of the winged bean accessions with long pods(30 cm or higher in length)or having purple seed coats or purple young pods were grouped together.This suggested that the winged beans with long pods or with purple seed or purple young pods may have a single origin.Altogether,these results demonstrated that the genetic diversity of winged bean in Thailand was moderate with high genetic admixture.We argue that the high genetic admixture of the winged bean in Thailand is due to seed migration and relatively high outcrossing rate.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.51975023&52322501supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.U22B2040.
文摘In this paper,we present the development of our latest flapping-wing micro air vehicle(FW-MAV),named Explobird,which features two wings with a wingspan of 195 mm and weighs a mere 25.2 g,enabling it to accomplish vertical take-off and hover flight.We devised a novel gear-based mechanism for the flapping system to achieve high lift capability and reliability and conducted extensive testing and analysis on the wings to optimise power matching and lift performance.The Explobird can deliver a peak lift-to-weight ratio of 1.472 and an endurance time of 259 s during hover flight powered by a single-cell LiPo battery.Considering the inherent instability of the prototype,we discuss the derivatives of its longitudinal system,underscoring the importance of feedback control,position of the centre of gravity,and increased damping.To demonstrate the effect of damping enhancement on stability,we also designed a passive stable FW-MAV.Currently,the vehicle is actively stabilised in roll by adjusting the wing root bars and in pitch through high-authority tail control,whereas yaw is passively stabilised.Through a series of flight tests,we successfully demonstrate that our prototype can perform vertical take-off and hover flight under wireless conditions.These promising results position the Explobird as a robust vehicle with high lift capability,paving the way towards the use of FW-MAVs for carrying load equipment in multiple tasks.
基金This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China to Xiaoling Tian(No.31901237)it was supported by the Young Academic and Technical Leader Raising Foundation of Yunnan Province to Yongpeng Ma(No.2018HB066).
文摘Brandisia hancei(Paulowniaceae)is a widely distributed shrub in karst regions in southwestern China.Its seeds have a membranous wing,and they mature just before the rainy season begins.To assess the effect of the wing on seed dispersal and germination of B.hancei,we measured the dispersal distance at varying wind speeds and release heights,falling duration from different release heights,floating duration on still water,rates of imbibition of water,and drying and soil adherence to seeds.Germination experiments were conducted on intact and de-winged seeds immediately after harvest.The wing increased the falling duration in still air and the floating ability on water.Dispersal distance of winged and de-winged seeds did not differ at a wind speed of 2.8 m s1,but at 3.6 and 4.0 m s1 dispersal distances were greater for de-winged than for winged seeds.Seed wing had little effect of absorption and retention of water,but significantly increased soil adherence to the seeds.Mature seeds were non-dormant and germinated to over 90%with a mean germination time of about 10 days.By combining the environmental conditions in karst habitat with the seed traits of B.hancei,we conclude that dispersal and germination of winged seeds are adapted to the precipitation seasonality in heterogeneous habitats absence of soil.
文摘We analyze morphometrics from a sample of 276 White-winged Black Tern(Chlidonias leucopterus) caught in north-west Australia on 4 March 2011. An estimated 40000 terns were present — the largest concentration of this species yet reported from Australia. When comparing juveniles with adults, only wing length and body mass differed significantly; however, juveniles were still easily recognized by plumage and wing molt as late as March. There was little evidence of any dramatic weight gain in adults before their northward migration. No morphological characteristic distinguishing sex was found. We confirmed that terns caught in this study did not appear to differ morphologically from those of the western palearctic populations. We describe wing molt based on data from 354 individuals captured and banded in Australia over 28 years. Wing molt proceeds in much the same way as found in other small terns.
基金provided by a BEARS Grant and a Neag Undergraduate Research Grant from Kutztown University
文摘Background:Red-winged Blackbirds(Agelaius phoeniceus),hereafter red-wings,are much less frequently parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbirds(Molothrus ater)in eastern North America than in central North America and had not been recorded as hosts in our study area in southeastern Pennsylvania.Although hosts of Old World cuckoos(Cuculidae)often show geographic variation in egg rejection behavior,cowbird hosts typically exhibit uniform responses of all acceptance or all rejection of cowbird eggs.Thus,geographic variation in cowbird parasitism frequencies might reflect a different behavioral response to parasitism by hosts where only some populations reject parasitism.In this study,we tested whether egg rejection behavior may explain the lack of parasitism observed in our eastern red-wing population,which may provide insight into low parasitism levels across eastern North America.Methods:We parasitized red-wing nests with model cowbird eggs to determine their response to parasitism.Nests were tested across three nest stages and compared to control nests with no manipulations.Because rejection differed significantly by stage,we compared responses separately for each nest stage.We also monitored other songbird nests to identify parasitism frequencies on all potential hosts.Results:Red-wings showed significantly more rejections during the building stage,but not for the laying and incubation stages.Rejections during nest building involved mostly egg burials,which likely represent a continuation of the nest building process rather than true rejection of the cowbird egg.Excluding these responses,red-wings rejected 15%of cowbird eggs,which is similar to rejection levels from other studies and populations.The overall parasitism frequency on 11 species surveyed in our study area was only 7.4%.Conclusions:Egg rejection behavior does not explain the lack of parasitism on red-wings in our eastern population.Alternatively,we suggest that cowbird preference for other hosts and the low abundance of cowbirds in the east might explain the lack of parasitism.Future research should also explore cowbird and host density and the makeup of the host community to explain the low levels of parasitism on red-wings across eastern North America because egg rejection alone is unlikely to explain this broad geographic trend.
文摘Ethnic people living on the Tibetan Plateau during the Tubo period have been well-known as not only strong and brave on horses,but they were also an ethnic group enriched with powerful creativity and rich imagination.From Tubo’s cultural art,we can observe a large amount of extremely fine artifacts.For instance,among
文摘In December 2021, the Datong Archaeological Research Institute conducted an excavation of the Lv Xu’s tomb in Zhijiabao Village, Pingcheng District, Datong. The Lv Xu’s tomb is a newly excavated tomb of the Pingcheng period of Northern Wei Dynasty, which contains a rare painted shallow relief stone coffin. On the northern side of the coffin, there is a picture of ascending owner flanked by an ox-headed bird with wings and a mouse-headed bird with wings on each side. There are also images of azure dragon, white tiger and vermilion bird in the lower part of the east, west and north walls respectively. The identity information and the roles these images played in the tomb are not to be clarified yet. This paper aims to use iconographic methods to interpret the painted shallow relief carvings of winged divine beasts on the stone coffin, to identify their characteristics, schematic sources, and cultural attributes, and to provide some foundational work for further research on the stone coffin of the Lv Xu’s tomb.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.12272104,U22B2013).
文摘High-aspect-ratio aircraft are widely used in military and civilian fields,such as reconnaissance,surveillance,and attacks,due to their high lift-to-drag ratio,strong payload capability,significant endurance effect,and good stealth performance.However,compared to conventional aircraft,high-aspect-ratio aircraft are more susceptible to gust disturbances during flight.In response to this phenomenon,a full-scale dynamic model of a high-aspect-ratio unmanned aerial vehicle was developed.Considering the coupling among control surfaces,structural forces,and aerodynamic forces,along with sensor,actuator,and delay effects,an H_(∞)control law was designed using the principle of singular value energy flow reduction and weighted function,with a PID(Proportional-Integral-Derivative)control law for comparison.The two controllers were then subjected to pulse-response and jury stability tests.Finally,wind tunnel tests were conducted to investigate the gust alleviation principle,in which gust disturbances were generated using gust generators and control surface self-excitation.The results present that the average wing root bending moment and wing tip overload under the PID control law decrease by approximately 30%,while under the H_(∞)control law,both the average wing root bending moment and wing tip overload reduction rate exceed 50%,with peaks reaching 60%.This validates the feasibility and efficiency of the designed H_(∞)controller.
基金supported by the Istanbul Technical University Office of Scientific Research Projects(ITUBAPSIS),under grant MYL-2022-43776。
文摘The design of unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)revolves around the careful selection of materials that are both lightweight and robust.Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer(CFRP)emerged as an ideal option for wing construction,with its mechanical qualities thoroughly investigated.In this study,we developed and optimized a conceptual UAV wing to withstand structural loads by establishing progressive composite stacking sequences,and we conducted a series of experimental characterizations on the resulting material.In the optimization phase,the objective was defined as weight reduction,while the Hashin damage criterion was established as the constraint for the optimization process.The optimization algorithm adaptively monitors regional damage criterion values,implementing necessary adjustments to facilitate the mitigation process in a cost-effective manner.Optimization of the analytical model using Simulia Abaqus~(TM)and a Python-based user-defined sub-routine resulted in a 34.7%reduction in the wing's structural weight after 45 iterative rounds.Then,the custom-developed optimization algorithm was compared with a genetic algorithm optimization.This comparison has demonstrated that,although the genetic algorithm explores numerous possibilities through hybridization,the custom-developed algorithm is more result-oriented and achieves optimization in a reduced number of steps.To validate the structural analysis,test specimens were fabricated from the wing's most critically loaded segment,utilizing the identical stacking sequence employed in the optimization studies.Rigorous mechanical testing revealed unexpectedly high compressive strength,while tensile and bending strengths fell within expected ranges.All observed failure loads remained within the established safety margins,thereby confirming the reliability of the analytical predictions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32170491)the Scientific Research Team Project of the College of Life Sciences,Beijing Normal University in 2024。
文摘Avian wings are central to their remarkable flight ability and diverse life history strategies,including behaviors such as fighting and mating.These multifaceted functions are intricately tied to wing shape,which varies significantly across species because of the complex interplay of evolutionary and ecological pressures.Many indices have been developed to quantify wing characteristics to facilitate the study and comparison of avian wing morphology across species.This study provides a comprehensive overview of existing quantitative methods for analyzing avian wing shapes.We then constructed a new quantification framework through the beta distribution,which can generate indices reflecting the shape of avian wings(center,dispersion,skewness,and kurtosis).Next,we used the flight feathers of 613 bird species to perform different quantitative analyses and explore the relationships between various wing shape quantification methods and life history traits,which serve as proxies for the selective forces shaping wing morphology.We find that the wing shape indices are more strongly associated with ecological variables than with morphological variables,especially for migration,habitat and territoriality.This research guides the selection of appropriate methods for wing shape analysis,contributing to a deeper understanding of avian morphology and its evolutionary drivers.
文摘Objective:In recent decades,studies have underscored nuclear proteins and signaling pathways in prostate cancer(PCa)development.Key biomarkers like Enhancer of zeste homolog 2(EZH2)and Forkhead box M1(FOXM1)are expressed in both healthy and malignant prostate cells.This study aimed to demonstrate the relationship between pathological characteristics,survival,recurrence,and tissue expression of EZH2 and FOXM1 in high-risk PCa patients.Methods:PCa tissues were used in a retrospective analysis that spanned from September 2009 to August 2019.Inclusion criteria comprised pathological tumor stage(pT)3 patients with positive surgical margins or tumor proximity to inked margins within 5 mm.After case selection,tissue slides were stained for EZH2 and FOXM1 antibodies,and Allred scores were calculated.Patients or relatives of deceased patients were contacted for signed agreements and disease follow-ups.Results:The pT3b,ductal carcinoma component,and moderate EZH2 expression were associated with relapse(odds ratio[OR]6.21,95%confidence interval[CI]1.41-27.27,p=0.016;OR 7.29,95%CI 1.03-51.43,p=0.046;OR 5.96,95%CI 1.09-32.48,p=0.039;respectively).The unilateral and bilateral seminal vesicle invasion increased the likelihood of recurrence by 9.98 times and 5.36 times,and the risk of death by around 9.78 times and 10.79 times,respectively.The pT3b was linked to higher death likelihood(OR 7.16,95%CI 1.38-37.23,p=0.019),while moderate EZH2 expression did not show statistical significance(OR 4.54,95%CI 0.87-23.60,p=0.072,marginally).Pathological regional lymph node stage(pN)1 had significantly higher probability of mortality than pN unknown(3.9%vs.27%,p<0.001).PCa in the neck and apex of the prostate gland increased death risk tenfold.Conclusion:Sufficient immunoexpression of EZH2,ductal carcinoma component,and neoplastic proliferation in the seminal vesicles,apex and neck of the prostate gland correlates with elevated risks of recurrence and mortality.Clinicians should use these criteria for appropriate patient referrals,and a multicenter trial could provide accurate classifications.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52192634,92471202,52105013,U2341237,T2388101).
文摘The spatial constraints of aircraft have accelerated the development of multi-wing deployable mechanisms.These systems enable the rapid,sub-second deployment of multiple folding wings,which generate high-energy impacts upon locking-resulting in oscillations that can adversely affect aerodynamic performance.Despite their importance,the transient dynamic characteristics during deployment and locking remain insufficiently explored.This study presents an integrated dynamic model for a single-actuator,multi-wing deployable mechanism that accounts for joint clearances,component elasticity,and locking collisions.This model is used to analyze the influence of transient driving on the motion errors of multiple folding wings,the locking oscillation amplitude,and the complete stabilization time.Results indicate that as the driving force and transient deployment speed increase,all dynamic performance characteristics are notably affected.Specifically,raising the transient driving force from 3000 to 7000 N leads to a maximum increase of 60.8%in oscillation amplitude and 78.4%in stabilization time.By comparing the results of the prototype experiment with the theoretical model,it is found that the errors of the maximum locking oscillation amplitude and the complete stabilization time for the three groups of folding wings are all within the acceptable range,which verifies the theoretical model.These findings advance the theoretical understanding of transient deployment dynamics and locking oscillations in high-speed deployable mechanisms.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.62236007the specialized research projects of Huanjiang Laboratory.
文摘Modeling the dynamics of flapping wing aerial vehicle is challenging due to the complexity of aerodynamic effects and mechanical structures.The aim of this work is to develop an accurate dynamics model of flapping wing aerial vehicle based on real flight data.We propose a modeling framework that combines rigid body dynamics with a neural network to predict aerodynamic effects.By incorporating the concept of flapping phase,we significantly enhance the network’s ability to analyze transient aerodynamic behavior.We design and utilize a phase-functioned neural network structure for aerodynamic predictions and train the network using real flight data.Evaluation results show that the network can predict aerodynamic effects and demonstrate clear physical significance.We verify that the framework can be used for dynamic propagation and is expected to be utilized for building simulators for flapping wing aerial vehicles.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12372156).
文摘This paper introduces an innovative approach to the deployment of folding wings on cruise missiles,aiming to overcome the issues associated with explosive devices.The proposed solution involves employing NiTi shape memory wires for a nonexplosive self-deploying wing mechanism.The fundamental concept of the design revolves around the utilization of NiTi wires,which contract upon electric heating.This contraction action severs the shear pin,consequently releasing the folded wings.The operational performance of the NiTi wire is thoroughly examined through a series of electro-thermo-mechanical tests,offering valuable insights for selecting the appropriate wire material.Moreover,the mechanical dynamics involved in the self-deploying process are elucidated through finite element simulations.The simulations highlight that the thermally-induced phase transformation within the NiTi wires generates substantial actuation forces,exceeding 700 N,and strokes of over 6 mm.These forces are deemed sufficient for breaking the aluminum shear pin and effecting wing deployment.The proposed mechanism’s practical viability is substantiated through prototype tests,which conclusively establish the superiority of the nonexplosive self-deploying wing mechanism when compared to conventional methods.The experimental outcomes underscore the mechanism’s capability to markedly reduce overload stress while remaining compliant with the designated requirements and constraints.
