Significant population genetic structuring in Rhyzopertha dominica across Turkey: Biogeographic and practical implications

Rhyzopertha dominica is a key pest of stored grain. Understanding the movement of this beetle on broad geographic scales is crucial, particularly when developing strategies to prevent the spread of phosphine resistance. We assessed population genetic structuring in this pest across Turkey, using a combination of mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase I) and microsatellite markers. In addition, we screened samples for Wolbachia, as this endosymbiont has previously been suggested to be associated with low mitochondrial genetic diversity in this beetle. Mitochondrial genetic diversity was low, with only six haplotypes identified. The genetic diversity was, however, substantially higher than that previously found in Australia or India, suggesting that R. dominica may have originated in the Middle East. Wolbachia were detected only at a single site, indicating they are not impacting the mitochondrial genetic diversity of R. dominica across Turkey. Microsatellite markers indicated there is significant geographic genetic structuring across Turkey, even among sites less than 100 km apart, suggesting there is little movement of beetles across regions within the country. This contrasts with the significantly higher levels of gene-flow found in Australia and the United States. We suggest that the limited movement of beetles across Turkey may be due to a combination of the historically localised agricultural practices (which limits anthropogenic movement among regions), and the mountainous landscape (which limits active flight among regions). Our results demonstrate that the movement of stored product pests may differ significantly across studies conducted in different countries. As a consequence, phosphine resistance management strategies must incorporate region specific information on the extent of beetle movement.     

膨胀剂对约束条件下UHPC早期抗裂性能影响的试验研究

超高性能混凝土(UHPC)在钢桥面铺装结构中由于铺装材料受到钢板、栓钉等的约束,加上材料本身水胶比小,更易收缩,早期容易承受拉应力导致开裂。通过在拌和过程中添加膨胀剂可以起到减小收缩的作用,但该方法对于约束条件下的UHPC铺装的早期抗裂性能提升是否有促进作用,仍需通过更多试验进行合理评估和深入研究。通过圆环法对3组不同配方的UHPC在均匀约束条件下的早期抗裂性能进行定量测试,并将试验数据进行回归分析和计算,得到了各组的平均应力发展速率,进而评估了各组的开裂风险等级。试验结果表明,通过在UHPC中加入适量膨胀剂,可使其最终收缩应力减小,并可降低其收缩应力发展速率,进一步降低其在约束条件下的开裂风险。     

Hydrothermal Carbonization of Sewage Sludge: Analysis of Process Severity and Solid Content

Hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge was carried out with the aim to evaluate the influence of process severity and initial solid content. Response surface methodology was applied to model yield and C yield responses. Enhanced dewaterability performance was recorded under mild processing conditions. The treatment promoted concentration and immobilization of Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn, and Cu. Variation of the solid content showed a stronger influence than severity on average yield and C yield. Higher heating values (HHVs) and energy retention efficiencies (EREs) of hydrochars obtained at the lowest solid content displayed the lowest values. Hence, the energy requirements of a first dewatering step should be compared with the related improvement in terms of HHV and ERE when sludge is used as feedstock.     

Enhanced ionic conductivity and thermal shock resistance of MgO stabilized ZrO2 doped with Y2O3

The present work focused on the effect of Y₂O₃ co-doping on the phase composition, microstructure, ionic conductivity and thermal shock resistance of 8 mol% MgO stabilized ZrO₂ (Mg-PSZ) electrolyte ceramics for high temperature applications. The addition of Y₂O₃ could promote the process of monoclinic-to-cubic/tetragonal phase transformation and became the metastable phase at room temperature. Meanwhile, the grain size of Mg-PSZ decreased. It was demonstrated that an appreciable increase in the ionic conductivity and compressive strength occurred on substituting MgO with Y₂O₃ in the Mg-PSZ electrolyte ceramics across the measured temperature range. Moreover, the Y₂O₃ addition could restrain the adverse effect of the cyclic thermal shock on the ionic conductivity and compressive strength of Mg-PSZ. The main reason was that the increase of the amount of monoclinic phase caused by cubic/tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation by the cyclic thermal shock was restrained after the Y₂O₃ addition.     

How Far Are We from Prescribing Fasting as Anticancer Medicine?

(1) Background: the present review provides a comprehensive and up-to date overview of the potential exploitation of fasting as an anticancer strategy. The rationale for this concept is that fasting elicits a differential stress response in the setting of unfavorable conditions, empowering the survival of normal cells, while killing cancer cells. (2) Methods: the present narrative review presents the basic aspects of the hormonal, molecular, and cellular response to fasting, focusing on the interrelationship of fasting with oxidative stress. It also presents nonclinical and clinical evidence concerning the implementation of fasting as adjuvant to chemotherapy, highlighting current challenges and future perspectives. (3) Results: there is ample nonclinical evidence indicating that fasting can mitigate the toxicity of chemotherapy and/or increase the efficacy of chemotherapy. The relevant clinical research is encouraging, albeit still in its infancy. The path forward for implementing fasting in oncology is a personalized approach, entailing counteraction of current challenges, including: (i) patient selection; (ii) fasting patterns; (iii) timeline of fasting and refeeding; (iv) validation of biomarkers for assessment of fasting; and (v) establishment of protocols for patients’ monitoring. (4) Conclusion: prescribing fasting as anticancer medicine may not be far away if large randomized clinical trials consolidate its safety and efficacy.     

多功能橡胶硫化活性剂ZH-73对全钢载重子午线轮胎胎面胶性能的影响

研究多功能橡胶硫化活性剂ZH-73对子午线轮胎胎面胶硫化特性、加工性能、物理性能和动态力学性能等的影响。结果表明:加入2份硫化活性剂ZH-73,混炼胶的门尼焦烧时间略缩短,t90延长,流动性提高,加工性能改善;硫化胶老化前后物理性能相当,60℃的损耗因子明显减小;成品轮胎耐久性能提高,滚动阻力系数降低。     

不同镀层结构钢的耐盐雾腐蚀性能比较

通过盐雾试验模拟潮湿环境,对裸钢试片、电镀锌钢试片、化学镀镍-磷钢试片和化学镀镍-钴-磷钢试片进行了宏观形貌、微观形貌和腐蚀产物成分分析,比较了四个试片的耐盐雾腐蚀性能。结果表明:在盐雾环境中,四个试片均会发生电化学腐蚀,生成不同的腐蚀产物;在盐雾腐蚀周期内,裸钢试片的腐蚀速率最高,化学镀镍-磷钢试片和化学镀镍-钴-磷钢试片的腐蚀速率较低;四个试片在腐蚀过程中的阳极反应和阴极反应不同,腐蚀后的微观形貌存在明显差异。     

温度对化学镀锡层形貌和耐蚀性的影响

对不同温度下制备的化学镀锡层进行了电化学腐蚀试验。使用电化学工作站测试了交流阻抗谱,研究了温度对化学镀锡层形貌和耐蚀性的影响。结果表明:Nyquist图显示不同温度下所得化学镀锡层的电化学阻抗谱都呈现出简单的容抗弧特征,随着温度从40℃升高到80℃,容抗弧半径总体上先增大后减小;Bode图显示不同温度下所得化学镀锡层的相位角与频率之间的关系曲线形状相似,在测试频率范围内都只出现一个相角峰。温度为60℃时制备的化学镀锡层表面块状颗粒的尺寸和分布最均匀,容抗弧半径最大,并且在较宽频率范围内的相位角都接近70°,表现出较好的耐蚀性。     

用于低损耗特种玻璃熔炼的高纯致密锆英石的研制

以纯度大于99.9%(质量分数)的高纯ZrO₂和SiO₂为原料,少量TiO₂为添加剂,采用高温固相法合成高纯锆英石(ZrSiO₄)粉料。研究温度和反应时间对高纯锆英石合成效率的影响,发现粒度小于50 μm的原料粉末经1 500 ℃反应48 h后,ZrSiO₄相的含量可以达到95.77%(质量分数)。将合成的高纯锆英石粉料球磨并冷等静压成型后,在1 550 ℃高温烧结成高纯致密锆英石砖。高纯致密锆英石中杂质Fe的含量仅为29 μg/g,Cu的含量小于1 μg/g,是普通商用致密锆英石的1/10;对磷酸盐玻璃静态光吸收损耗的影响仅为普通致密锆英石材料的1/3。将这种高纯致密锆英石材料用于激光玻璃窑炉,有助于降低玻璃对1 053 nm激光的损耗,提升激光玻璃的激光性能。