The Effects of Processing Parameters during the Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing of 308L Stainless Steel on the Formation of a Thin-Walled Structure.

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) excels in producing medium to large components with a high deposition rate. Process optimization is crucial for uniform, defect-free components. This research employs orthogonal experimental design and response surface methodology (RSM) to control TIG WAAM-ed 308L stainless steel components. Varied parameters, including tungsten electrode angle, welding current, and speed, target weld bead attributes. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) evaluates multi-processing parameter influence on weld bead formation. Comparison with experimental results confirms accurate modeling of the relationship between parameters and bead attributes. The study optimizes process parameters and swing to enhance dimensional accuracy in single-layer and multi-layer components, improving precision, quality, and accuracy in thin-walled structures.

Acute ischemic stroke prediction and predictive factors analysis using hematological indicators in elderly hypertensives post-transient ischemic attack.

Elderly hypertensive patients diagnosed with transient ischemic attack (TIA) are at a heightened risk for developing acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This underscores the critical need for effective risk prediction and identification of predictive factors. In our study, we utilized patient data from peripheral blood tests and clinical profiles within hospital information systems. These patients were followed for a three-year period to document incident AIS. Our cohort of 11,056 individuals was randomly divided into training, validation, and testing sets in a 5:2:3 ratio. We developed an XGBoost model, developed using selected indicators, provides an effective and non-invasive method for predicting the risk of AIS in elderly hypertensive patients diagnosed with TIA. Impressively, this model achieved a balanced accuracy of 0.9022, a recall of 0.8688, and a PR-AUC of 0.9315. Notably, our model effectively encapsulates essential data variations involving mixed nonlinear interactions, providing competitive performance against more complex models that incorporate a wider range of variables. Further, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the importance and sensitivity of each selected indicator and their interactions. This research equips clinicians with the necessary tools for more precise identification of high-risk individuals, thereby paving the way for more effective stroke prevention and management strategies.

Preparation, Characterization, and Lubrication Performances of Water-Based Nanolubricant for Micro Rolling Strips.

Water-based nanolubricants are widely used in rolling processes due to their unique characteristics. As a common additive, nanoparticles could significantly improve the tribological properties of the lubricant. However, the effect of the physical properties of the particles on the anti-friction behavior is unclear. In this study, the effect of Fe3O4 nanoparticles as an additive for the prepared lubricant is studied. The tribological properties of Fe3O4 water-based nanolubricant are examined using a tribometer and a scratch meter. The absorption energy is calculated using the molecular dynamic simulation method, and the best parameters for the preparation of the nanolubricant are obtained. The developed nanolubricant is used in the rolling process. The results show that the processing quality of samples is promoted and the tribological properties of water-based lubricant can be significantly promoted by an Fe3O4 nanoparticle additive. An economical and environmentally friendly method is presented through which the water-based Fe3O4 nanolubricant can be prepared for the replacement of oil-based lubricant in cold rolling strips.

Optimising Two-Stage Vacuum Heat Treatment for a High-Strength Micro-Alloyed Steel in Railway Spring Clip Application: Impact on Microstructure and Mechanical Performance.

The heat treatment process is a vital step for manufacturing high-speed railway spring fasteners. In this study, orthogonal experiments were carried out to obtain reliable optimised heat treatment parameters through a streamlined number of experiments. Results revealed that a better comprehensive mechanical performance could be obtained under the following combination of heat treatment parameters: quenching temperature of 850 °C, holding time of 35 min, medium of 12% polyalkylene glycol (PAG) aqueous solution, tempering temperature of 460 °C, and holding time of 60 min. As one of the most important testing criteria, fatigue performance would be improved with increasing strength. Additionally, a high ratio of martensite to ferrite is proven to improve the fatigue limit more significantly. After this heat treatment process, the metallographic microstructure and mechanical properties satisfy the technical requirements for the high-speed railway practical operation. These findings provide a valuable reference for the practical forming process of spring fasteners.

TRIM3 attenuates cytokine storm caused by Dabie bandavirus via promoting Toll-like receptor 3 degradation.

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease that was caused by the Dabie bandavirus (DBV), and it has become a global public health threat. Cytokine storm is considered to be an important pathogenesis of critical SFTS. Tripartite motif-containing 3 (TRIM3), as a member of the TRIM protein family, may contribute to the regulation of the immune and inflammatory responses after viral infection. However, whether TRIM3 plays a major role in the pathogenesis of SFTS has not yet been investigated. Methods: TRIM3 mRNA levels were detected in PBMCs between 29 SFTS patients and 29 healthy controls by qRT-PCR. We established the pathogenic IFNAR-/- SFTS mouse model successfully by inoculating subcutaneously with DBV and testing the expression levels of TRIM3 mRNA and protein by qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence in the livers, spleens, lungs, and kidneys. TRIM3OE THP-1 cells and peritoneal macrophages extracted from TRIM3-/- mice were infected with DBV. The effect of TRIM3 on cytokines was detected by qRT-PCR and ELISA. Then we examined Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and protein phosphorylation in the MAPK pathway after DBV infection using Western blot. Flow cytometry was used to verify TLR3 expression on peripheral blood monocytes in SFTS patients. We further explored the interaction between TRIM3 and TLR3 using CO-IP and Western blot. Results: Compared to healthy controls, TRIM3 mRNA expression in PBMCs is decreased in SFTS patients, especially in severe cases. TRIM3 mRNA and protein were synchronously reduced in the livers, spleens, lungs, and kidney tissues of the IFNAR-/- SFTS mice model. In the DBV-infected cell model, TRIM3 overexpression can inhibit the DBV-induced release of IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α, the expression of TLR3, and protein phosphorylation in the MAPK pathway, which plays an anti-inflammatory role, while TRIM3 deficiency exacerbates the pro-inflammatory effects. We further found that TRIM3 can promote TLR3 degradation through K48-linked ubiquitination. Conclusion: TRIM3 can inhibit the production of cytokines by regulating the degradation of TLR3 through K48-linked ubiquitination, which can be a therapeutic target for improving the prognosis of SFTS.

Cryptotanshinone induces apoptosis of activated hepatic stellate cells via modulating endoplasmic reticulum stress.

BACKGROUND: Cryptotanshinone (CPT) has wide biological functions, including anti-oxidative, antifibrosis, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effect of CPT on hepatic fibrosis is unknown. AIM: To investigate the effects of CPT treatment on hepatic fibrosis and its underlying mechanism of action. METHODS: Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and normal hepatocytes were treated with different concentrations of CPT and salubrinal. The CCK-8 assay was used to determine cell viability. Flow cytometry was used to measure apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analyses were used to measure mRNA levels and protein expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) signaling pathway related molecules, respectively. Carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) was used to induce in vivo hepatic fibrosis in mice. Mice were treated with CPT and salubrinal, and blood and liver samples were collected for histopathological examination. RESULTS: We found that CPT treatment significantly reduced fibrogenesis by modulating the synthesis and degradation of the extracellular matrix in vitro. CPT inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase in cultured HSCs. Furthermore, we found that CPT promoted apoptosis of activated HSCs by upregulating expression of ERS markers (CHOP and GRP78) and activating ERS pathway molecules (PERK, IRE1α, and ATF4), which were inhibited by salubrinal. Inhibition of ERS by salubrinal partially eliminated the therapeutic effect of CPT in our CCL4-induced hepatic fibrosis mouse model. CONCLUSION: CPT can promote apoptosis of HSCs and alleviate hepatic fibrosis through modulating the ERS pathway, which represents a promising strategy for treating hepatic fibrosis.

Physical Simulation and Numerical Simulation of Flash Butt Welding for Innovative Dual Phase Steel DP590: A Comparative Study.

In this study, the microstructure and performance of newly designed dual-phase steel (DP590) after joining by flash butt welding (FBW) for vehicle wheel rims was analysed and compared by two simulations, i.e., physical simulation and numerical simulation, due to the high acceptance of these two methodologies. Physical simulation is regarded as a thermal-mechanical solution conducted by the Gleeble 3500 simulator and which can distribute the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the obtained weld joint into four typical HAZs. These are coarse-grained HAZ, fine-grained HAZ, inter-critical HAZ and sub-critical HAZ. A combination of ferrite and tempered martensite leads to the softening behaviour at the sub-critical HAZ of DP590, which is verified to be the weakest area, and influences the final performance due to ~9% reduction of hardness and tensile strength. The numerical simulation, relying on finite element method (FEM) analysis, can distinguish the temperature distribution, which helps us to understand the relationship between the temperature distribution and real microstructure/performance. Based on this study, the combination of physical and numerical simulations can be used to optimise the flash butt welding parameters (flash and butt processes) from the points of temperature distribution (varied areas), microstructure and performance, which are guidelines for the investigation of flash butt welding for innovative materials.

A High Viral Load in Urine Correlates With Acute Kidney Injury and Poor Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients With Severe Fever With Thrombocytopenia Syndrome: A Noninvasive and Convenient Prognostic Marker.

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease with an extensive geographical distribution and high mortality rate. To date, the role of SFTS virus (SFTSV) in urine is still elusive. We aimed to explore the relationship between urinary bunyavirus and acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality in patients with SFTS. Methods: Urine samples were collected from 102 patients to quantify SFTSV load in urine (U-SFTSV). Patient renal function was evaluated on admission. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate the predictive value of U-SFTSV. Viral infectivity assays in Vero cells were performed from 10 urine samples. Results: The U-SFTSV level was positively correlated with SFTSV load in plasma (r = 0.624) and indicators of renal damage. The U-SFTSV level was identified as an independent risk factor for SFTS-associated AKI (odds ratio, 3.631; P = .019). The U-SFTSV showed great value in predicting the fatal outcome of SFTS patients with high area under curve (0.881). The Kaplan-Meier survival comparison showed that patients with U-SFTSV levels greater than 6379 copies/mL were at a higher risk of death within 28 days after onset. In addition, 4 urine samples with high U-SFTSV levels were infectious. Conclusions: Our large cohort study identified that the U-SFTSV level is a novel convenient and noninvasive predictive biomarker for incidence of AKI and poor outcome of patients with SFTS. Urine specimens could be a source of SFTSV infection in humans.

Analysis of TiO2 Nanolubricant Influence in Micro Deep Drawing of Stainless Steel SUS301.

To improve the quality of products produced from microforming, various nanolubricants have been applied in the field of micromanufacturing in recent years. In this paper, the effects of glycerol-based lubricant containing TiO2 NPs (NPs) on micro deep drawing (MDD) of austenitic stainless steel (ASS) SUS301 were studied, and the lubrication mechanism involved was discussed. The MDD experiments were conducted with the SUS301 foils under dry, 1, 2, and 4 wt% TiO2 NP lubrication conditions. The results show that the use of the TiO2 nanolubricants can significantly improve the quality of the drawn cups in terms of decreased wrinkling and surface roughness. Besides, the concentration of TiO2 NPs influences lubricity by reducing friction during the MDD process. The peak drawing force is the lowest when 2 wt% nanolubricant is applied, which drops to 72.54 N from 77.38 N under dry conditions. The micro cup drawn under 2 wt% TiO2 nanolubricant has the best quality among those obtained under all the lubrication conditions. The lubrication mechanisms are derived from the mending effects of TiO2 NPs and the formation of thin lubricant films associated with the open lubricant pockets (OLPs) and close lubricant pocket (CLPs) theory in the MDD. The CLPs function as reservoirs that retain lubricants to counteract the load pressure, whereas the OLPs lead to lubricant leakage due to the higher flow resistance. It was found that the lubricant film and NPs are insufficient at a low concentration (1 wt%), while the lubrication performance can be enhanced with increased NP concentration. However, there exist apparent agglomerations on the surface of the produced micro cup when using 4 wt% nanolubricant, which greatly deteriorates the lubricant performance in the MDD process. It is concluded that the lubricant containing 2 wt% TiO2 NPs demonstrates the best lubrication performance during the MDD of ASS SUS301.

Clinical significance of dynamic variation of low cholesterol and its prognostic value in patients with pyogenic liver abscesses: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Serum lipids variations are closely related to the sepsis progression; however, their value for patients with pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA) has rarely been studied. We investigated the serum lipid level variations in patients with PLA and its predictive value to the disease. METHODS: The study included 328 patients with PLA hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2017 to December 2021; 35 (10.67%) in the severe group (SG) and 293 (89.33%) in the non-severe group (nSG). Their clinical records were analyzed retrospectively, and dynamic curves were drawn to clarify the changes in different indicators during the course of the disease. RESULTS: High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) in the SG were significantly lower than those in nSG (P < 0.001). Total cholesterol (TC) at baseline (OR = 0.184, P < 0.001) was an independent risk factor for severe patients and had the highest predictive value, with an area under the curve of 0.859 and a cut-off value of 2.70 mmol/L (sensitivity = 94.3%, specificity = 63.5%). For patients who met the criteria for drainage surgery, TC, HDL-C and LDL-C levels continued to decrease with antibiotic therapy alone before drainage and began to increase after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Low TC level on admission is an independent risk factor for the progression of severe illness in PLA patients, with the highest predictive value surpassing other routine clinical indices. Abscess drainage should be performed as soon as possible for patients whose TC continues to decline after medical treatment.

Tribological Properties and Lubrication Mechanisms of Water-Based Nanolubricants Containing TiO2 Nanoparticles during Micro Rolling of Titanium Foils.

The tribological behavior of traditional oil-in-water (O/W) lubricants (1.0 wt.%) and nano-TiO2 additive lubricants (1.0-9.0 wt.%) during micro rolling of titanium foils were analyzed. In this study, the surface morphologies of titanium foils under various lubrication conditions were assessed, and the corresponding lubrication mechanisms were revealed. The tribological behavior of nano-TiO2 additive lubricants during micro rolling of titanium foils was also explored through a series of characterization methods. The utilization of nano-TiO2 additive lubricants in micro rolling reduces the surface roughness of titanium foils. Moreover, it effectively inhibits the generation of indentations and cracks during rolling processes, enhancing the surface quality of rolled specimens. Additionally, owing to the synergism of rolling, tribo-film, mending and polishing effects of the nanoparticles, both the rolling force and surface roughness were minimized by using lubricants containing 3.0 wt.% TiO2 nanoparticles. Overall, an optimal concentration (3.0 wt.%) of TiO2 nanoparticles in water-based nanolubricants was obtained with enhanced tribological properties and lubrication performance during micro rolling of titanium foils.

Cyclophilin A causes severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus-induced cytokine storm by regulating mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.

Introduction: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) has become a global threat to public health since its first report in China in 2009. However, the pathogenesis of SFTS virus (SFTSV) in humans remains unclear. Also, there are no effective therapeutics for SFTS. Cyclophilin A (CyPA) regulates protein folding and trafficking involved in various viral infectious diseases, but its role in SFTSV infection has not been elucidated. Methods: We detected plasma CyPA levels in 29 healthy subjects and 30 SFTS patients by ELISA. In THP-1 cells and normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), SFTSV-induced extracellular CyPA (eCyPA) was also detected by ELISA. In THP-1, the effects of CyPA on Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and NF-κB were determined by Western blot. We validated the interaction between CypA and CD147 by human recombinant CyPA (hrCyPA) and the CD147 inhibitor. Effects of CyPA inhibitor Cyclosporine A (CsA) on cytokines and SFTSV replication in THP-1 cells was also detected. 8-week-old Interferon-α/ß Receptor (IFNAR) knockout (IFNAR-/-) C57BL/6 mice were divided into mock group, 106TCID50 SFTSV (Untreated) group and 106TCID50 SFTSV+CsA (CsA-treated) group. The changes of body weight, animal behavior and survival time of each group were recorded. Blood samples were collected from tail vein regularly. After death, the liver, spleen, lung, kidney and brain were collected for pathological HE staining and SFTSV-NP immunohistochemical staining. Results: Compared to healthy subjects and SFTS patients in the febrile phase of the disease, plasma CyPA levels in SFTS patients at the multi-organ dysfunction (MOD) phase showed significantly elevated (P < 0.01). Extracellular CyPA activates the MAPK pathway by binding to CD147 in THP-1 infected with SFTSV. CsA inhibits the pro-inflammatory and promoting replication effects of CyPA after SFTSV infection in vitro. In vivo, CsA can prolong the survival time and delay the weight loss of SFTSV mice. CsA reduces multi-organ dysfunction in IFNAR-/- mice infected with SFTSV. Discussion: Our results indicate that CyPA is associated with SFTSV-induced cytokine storm, which can be a potential target for SFTS therapy.

Study on the Tribological Behaviour of Nanolubricants during Micro Rolling of Copper Foils.

Water-based lubricants with different fractions of TiO2 nanoparticles ranging from 1.0 to 9.0 wt.% were utilized to study the lubrication mechanisms during micro rolling tests and the tribological behaviour of nanolubricants during the micro rolling of copper foils. The results indicate that the application of TiO2 nanolubricants remarkably improves the surface quality of rolled copper foils during rolling processes. For lubricants with inadequate TiO2 nanoparticles, it is found that few TiO2 nanoparticles enter the contact regions between the rolls and foils, causing insufficient lubrication during rolling processes. Instead, for lubricants with excessive TiO2 nanoparticles, obvious agglomeration occurs at the contact regions and promotes the generation of voids on the surface of the rolled foils, thereby deteriorating the surface quality of the rolled copper foils. In addition, it is found that the surface quality of rolled foils is improved by utilizing a large reduction ratio. Overall, the fraction of 3.0 wt.% TiO2 nanolubricants is optimal to improve the lubrication conditions at the contact regions, thereby improving the surface quality of the rolled copper foils.

Reachable Set Estimation for Markovian Jump Neutral-Type Neural Networks With Time-Varying Delays.

The reachable set estimation problem for a class of Markovian jump neutral-type neural networks (MJNTNNs) with bounded disturbances and time-varying delays is tackled in this article. With the aid of the delay partitioning method, a novel stochastic Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional containing triple integral terms is constructed in mode-dependent augmented form. To begin with, transition probabilities of the concerned Markovian jump neural networks (NNs) are considered to be completely known. By employing the integral inequality approach and reciprocally convex combination method, it is proved that all state trajectories which start from the origin by bounded inputs can be constrained by an ellipsoid-like set if a group of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) is feasible. Then, the free-connection weighting matrix technique is utilized to handle the case of partially known transition probabilities. As byproducts, some sufficient conditions are also obtained to guarantee the stochastic stability of the concerned NNs. The validity of the theoretical analysis is confirmed by numerical simulations.

Dissipativity-Based Consensus Tracking of Singular Multiagent Systems With Switching Topologies and Communication Delays.

This article, based on dissipativity theory, aims to tackle the consensus tracking issue for Lipschitz nonlinear singular multiagent systems (MASs) with switching topologies and communication delays. Rooted at the leader node, a directed spanning tree is assumed to be contained in the union of all possible interaction graphs. Within the framework of topology switching controlled by a Markov chain, communication delays encountered in the data transmission process are reasonably considered to be time-varying and dependent on Markovian jump modes. By using tools from the stochastic Lyapunov functional technique, algebraic graph theory, and strict (Q,S,R)-α -dissipativity analysis, the consensus controller collecting delayed in-neighboring agents' information is designed to ensure stochastic admissibility and strict dissipativity of the resulting consensus error system. The theoretical analysis is validated by numerical simulations.

Integrative Proteomic Analysis of Multiple Posttranslational Modifications in Inflammatory Response.

Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of proteins, particularly acetylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination, play critical roles in the host innate immune response. PTMs' dynamic changes and the crosstalk among them are complicated. To build a comprehensive dynamic network of inflammation-related proteins, we integrated data from the whole-cell proteome (WCP), acetylome, phosphoproteome, and ubiquitinome of human and mouse macrophages. Our datasets of acetylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination sites helped identify PTM crosstalk within and across proteins involved in the inflammatory response. Stimulation of macrophages by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) resulted in both degradative and non-degradative ubiquitination. Moreover, this study contributes to the interpretation of the roles of known inflammatory molecules and the discovery of novel inflammatory proteins.

Integrative proteomics reveals the role of E3 ubiquitin ligase SYVN1 in hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Tumor metastasis is a major factor for poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the relationship between ubiquitination and metastasis need to be studied more systematically. We analyzed the ubiquitinome of HCC in this study to have a more comprehensive insight into human HCC metastasis. METHODS: The protein ubiquitination levels in 15 HCC specimens with vascular invasion and 15 without vascular invasion were detected by ubiquitinome. Proteins with significantly different ubiquitination levels between HCCs with and without vascular invasion were used to predict E3 ubiquitin ligases associated with tumor metastasis. The topological network of protein substrates and corresponding E3 ubiquitin ligases was constructed to identify the key E3 ubiquitin ligase. Besides, the growth, migration and invasion ability of LM3 and HUH7 hepatoma cell lines with and without SYVN1 expression interference were measured by cell proliferation assay, subcutaneous tumor assay, umphal vein endothelium tube formation assay, transwell migration and invasion assays. Finally, the interacting proteins of SYVN1 were screened and verified by protein interaction omics, immunofluorescence, and immunoprecipitation. Ubiquitin levels of related protein substrates in LM3 and HUH7 cells were compared in negative control, SYVN1 knockdown, and SYVN1 overexpression groups. RESULTS: In this study, our whole-cell proteomic dataset and ubiquitinomic dataset contained approximately 5600 proteins and 12,000 ubiquitinated sites. We discovered increased ubiquitinated sites with shorter ubiquitin chains during the progression of HCC metastasis. In addition, proteomic and ubiquitinomic analyses revealed that high expression of E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase SYVN1 is related with tumor metastasis. Furthermore, we found that SYVN1 interacted with heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and impacted the ubiquitination of eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (EEF2K). CONCLUSIONS: The ubiquitination profiles of HCC with and without vascular invasion were significantly different. SYVN1 was the most important E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase responsible for this phenomenon, and it was related with tumor metastasis and growth. Therefore, SYVN1 might be a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Hot Deformation Behavior and Microstructure Evolution of Fe-5Mn-3Al-0.1C High-Strength Lightweight Steel for Automobiles.

The hot deformation behavior of a newly designed Fe-5Mn-3Al-0.1C (wt.%) medium manganese steel was investigated using hot compression tests in the temperature range of 900 to 1150 °C, at constant strain rates of 0.1, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 s-1. A detailed analysis of the hot deformation parameters, focusing on the flow behavior, hot processing map, dynamic recrystallization (DRX) critical stress, and nucleation mechanism, was undertaken to understand the hot rolling process of the newly designed steel. The flow behavior is sensitive to deformation parameters, and the Zener-Hollomon parameter was coupled with the temperature and strain rate. Three-dimensional processing maps were developed considering the effect of strain and were used to determine safe and unsafe deformation conditions in association with the microstructural evolution. In the deformation condition, the microstructure of the steel consisted of δ-ferrite and austenite; in addition, there was a formation of DRX grains within the δ-ferrite grains and austenite grains during the hot compression test. The microstructure evolution and two types of DRX nucleation mechanisms were identified; it was observed that discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) is the primary nucleation mechanism of austenite, while continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) is the primary nucleation mechanism of δ-ferrite. The steel possesses unfavorable toughness at the deformation temperature of 900 °C, which is mainly due to the presence of coarse κ-carbides along grain boundaries, as well as the lower strengthening effect of grain boundaries. This study identified a relatively ideal hot processing region for the steel. Further exploration of hot roll tests will follow in the future.

Effect of Different Rotational Speeds on Graphene-Wrapped SiC Core-Shell Nanoparticles in Wet Milling Medium.

The effects of the wet milling rotating speed on the number of graphene layers and graphene quality, and the conversion efficiency of graphite exfoliate to graphene, were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that the number of few-layer graphene nanometer sheets (GNSs) (≤10 layers) gradually increases with the increase of rotational speed in the range of 160-240 rpm. The proportion of GNSs with 0-10 layers reaches more than 80% as the rotational speed is increased to 280 rpm. GNS defect types in the composite materials are marginal defects with minimal influence and almost no oxidation. In the range of 160-280 rpm, the intensity of graphite peak decreases and the conversion efficiency of graphene increases with the increase of rotational speed. This is the same as the experimental result obtained by HRTEM.

Mg alloy surface immobilised with caerin peptides acquires enhanced antibacterial ability and putatively improved corrosion resistance.

Magnesium (Mg) has mechanical properties similar to human bones and Mg alloy is considered ideal medical implant material. However, the high velocity of degradation inside the human inner environment severely hampers the usage of Mg alloys. In this study, caerin peptide 1.9 (F3) and a modified sequence of caerin 1.1 (F1) with anti-bacterial activity, were covalently immobilised on the surface of Mg alloys by plasma chemical click reaction. The in vitro antibacterial activity and corrosion resistance of these caerin peptide-immobilised Mg alloys were investigated in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) solution. Un-immobilised Mg alloy sample, blank drug-sensitive tablet (BASD) and a commonly used antibiotics Tazocin were used for comparison. Results showed that peptide immobilised Mg samples showed observable improved corrosion resistance and prolonged antibacterial effect compared to non-immobilised Mg alloy and free caerin peptides. These results indicate that coating Mg alloy with caerin peptides obviously increases the alloy's antibacterial ability and putatively improves the corrosion resistance in vitro. The mechanism underlying the prolonged antibacterial effect for annealed Mg alloys immobilised with the peptides (especially F3) remains unclear, which worth further experimental and theoretical investigation.