Let N be a sufficiently large integer. We prove that, with at most $O(N^{23/48+\varepsilon })$ exceptions, all even positive integers up to N can be represented in the form $p_1^2+p_2^3+p_3^3+p_4^3+p_5^3+p_6^4$ , where $p_1,p_2,p_3,p_4,p_5,p_6$ are prime numbers.

The southern Great Xing’an Range (SGXR), located in the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), is one of the most economically important Cu–Mo–Fe–Sn–Pb–Zn–Ag metallogenic provinces in China. The newly discovered Panjiaduan Cu–Pb–Zn deposit (9.3 Mt; at 1.36% Cu, 2.90% Pb, 3.80% Zn and 38.12 g/t Ag), located in the SE segment of the SGXR, is primarily hosted in fracture zones in volcanic rocks and granodiorite of the Manitu Formation. Four paragenetic stages of metallic mineralization are identified: (I) quartz-pyrite-arsenopyrite; (II) quartz-polymetallic sulphide; (III) quartz-galena-sphalerite-argentite; and (IV) quartz-calcite-minor sulphide. The hydrothermal quartz contains three types of primary fluid inclusion (FIs): vapour-rich two-phase liquid-vapour (LV-type), liquid-rich two-phase liquid-vapour (VL-type) and three-phase liquid-vapour-solid FIs (SL-type). Stages I and II contain all types with homogenization temperatures (Th) of 324–386 °C and 276–334 °C as well as salinities of 0.7–38.0 wt% and 0.9–34.7 wt%, respectively, whereas stage III is composed of VL- and LV-type FIs with Th of 210–269 °C and salinities of 0.5–7.2 wt%. Only VL-type FIs occur in stage IV, with Th of 139–185 °C and salinities of 1.6–4.2 wt%. The δ18OH2O and δD values vary from −15.7 to 2.6‰ and −132.7 to −110.2‰, respectively, indicating predominant meteoric water with an initial magmatic source. The He–Ar isotopic compositions of the pyrite inclusions from the Panjiaduan Cu–Pb–Zn veins suggest that fluids were derived from the crust.

Shifts in the maternal gut microbiota have been implicated in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Understanding the interaction between gut microbiota and host glucose metabolism will provide a new target of prediction and treatment. In this nested case-control study, we aimed to investigate the causal effects of gut microbiota from GDM patients on the glucose metabolism of germ-free (GF) mice. Stool and peripheral blood samples, as well as clinical information, were collected from 45 GDM patients and 45 healthy controls (matched by age and prepregnancy body mass index (BMI)) in the first and second trimester. Gut microbiota profiles were explored by next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and inflammatory factors in peripheral blood were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fecal samples from GDM and non-GDM donors were transferred to GF mice. The gut microbiota of women with GDM showed reduced richness, specifically decreased Bacteroides and Akkermansia, as well as increased Faecalibacterium. The relative abundance of Akkermansia was negatively associated with blood glucose levels, and the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium was positively related to inflammatory factor concentrations. The transfer of fecal microbiota from GDM and non-GDM donors to GF mice resulted in different gut microbiota colonization patterns, and hyperglycemia was induced in mice that received GDM donor microbiota. These results suggested that the shifting pattern of gut microbiota in GDM patients contributed to disease pathogenesis.

In order to reveal the quantitative relationship between fatigue crack deflection path and cross-sectional grain boundary (GB) arrangement of metallic nanolayered composites (NLCs), a stochastic model was established based on the interface-dominant fatigue damage for the ultrafine-scale NLCs. The model indicates that the crack deflection length decreases with decreasing GB arrangement deviation and grain size of constituent layers. The observation and quantitative analysis of fatigue cracking behavior of the Cu/W multilayers with a layer thickness of 5 and 20 nm was conducted to verify the model.

Fatigue performance of metallic nanolayered composites (NLCs) has been gaining more and more attention due to the rapid development in the field of both micro-electro-mechanical systems and high-performance engineering structure materials and the increasing demand for long-term fatigue reliability. Metallic NLCs have exhibited different damage behaviors due to the effect of high-density heterogeneous interface compared with bulk materials and thin metal films. In this review paper, the cyclic deformation damage behavior, fatigue cracking feature, and fatigue properties of some metallic NLCs are reviewed. Effects of length scales, including layer thickness and grain size, on fatigue damage behaviors of the NLCs are revealed, and the transition of the fatigue cracking behavior and the corresponding damage mechanism are discussed. Then, the fatigue properties of some typical metallic NLCs are presented and compared with that of bulk materials and metal thin films. The effect of interface type and grain boundary alignment is also discussed to correlate with fatigue cracking resistance of the NLCs. Finally, some prospective research topics on fatigue performance of metallic NLCs are addressed.

Previous studies have demonstrated adverse mental health effects of Pb exposure. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between consumption of preserved egg (PE), a high-Pb-containing food and depressive symptoms among adults in China. A sample of 25 213 adults (mean age 41·4 (sd 11·8) years; males, 53·9 %) in Tianjin, China, was studied in a cross-sectional analysis. Dietary intake including PE was assessed using a valid self-administered FFQ. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). The association was estimated by OR using logistic regression models adjusted for multiple confounders. The prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms was 6·6 % (SDS≥50). Compared with the least frequent PE consumption (<once/week), multivariable adjusted OR for elevated depressive symptoms were 1·52 (95 % CI 1·28, 1·81), 2·24 (95 % CI 1·76, 2·81) and 3·31 (95 % CI 2·52, 4·30) for consumption of once, 2–3 times and ≥4 times/week, respectively (Pfor trend<0·0001), indicating a clear dose–response relationship. The results suggested that higher consumption of PE was strongly associated with depressive symptoms among adults in China. These findings underscore the need to consider dietary Pb exposure as a risk factor for psychological distress.

Three gravity cores (LZK1, ZKA4, and CSJA6) from the incised Yangtze paleo-valley comprise a thick sequence of the post-glacial deposit. Nineteen genera (26 species) of the benthic foraminifers are described from these cores, with detailed down-core foraminiferal variations to investigate their paleoenvironmental implications. Three foraminiferal assemblages are recognized for the lower, middle, and upper parts of the cores respectively. The lower part is dominated by Ammonia beccarii var. and Florilus decorus with lower abundance and diversity. In the middle part, the foraminifers are abundant and diverse, dominated by both Ammonia beccarii var. and Elphidium advenum. Cavarotalia annectens, Pararotalia nipponica, and porcellaneous benthic foraminiferal forms are always present, sometimes abundant. The upper part is characterized by the Ammonia beccarii-Elphidium magellanicum assemblage, except for the Core ZKA4, which is barren of foraminifers in this interval. AMS 14C dates and foraminiferal assemblages both confirm that the transgression-regression sequence in these cores belongs to the “Ammonia transgression” during the Holocene. In addition to documenting the post-glacial sea-level fluctuations, the benthic foraminifers also reflect a warmer climate during the early–middle Holocene. The foraminiferal differences among the three cores can be used to interpret the influence of seawater during the post-glacial sea-level fluctuations. The area in the vicinity of Core ZKA4 was affected by marine water only during the middle Holocene, which was much shorter than the areas of the other cores.

Previous studies have supported the theory that there is a positive association between ferritin and carotid atherosclerosis in Western people. Diet plays an important role in determining serum ferritin concentration. Asian dietary patterns are different from Western dietary patterns, implying that there may be a difference in the association of ferritin with carotid atherosclerosis between Asian and Western people. However, few studies focus on the association between ferritin and carotid atherosclerosis among Asians. The aim of this study was to investigate how serum ferritin levels are associated with carotid atherosclerosis in an Asian adult population. A cross-sectional assessment was performed in 8302 adults in Tianjin, China. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques were assessed using ultrasonography, and serum ferritin was measured using the protein chip-chemiluminescence method. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between quartiles of serum ferritin concentration and carotid atherosclerosis. In the present study, the overall prevalence of IMT and carotid plaques in participants is 29·2 and 22·7 %, respectively. In women, after adjustments for potentially confounding factors, the OR of IMT and carotid plaques by increasing serum ferritin quartiles were 1·00, 1·39 (95 % CI 0·98–1·99), 1·39 (95 % CI 0·99–1·97), 1·81 (95 % CI 1·30–2·55) (Pfor trend<0·001) and 1·00, 1·24 (95 % CI 0·89–1·73), 1·18 (95 % CI 0·85–1·65), 1·59 (95 % CI 1·15–2·20) (Pfor trend<0·01), respectively. However, no association was found between serum ferritin and carotid atherosclerosis in men. The study demonstrated that increased serum ferritin levels are independently associated with IMT and carotid plaques in Asian women but not in Asian men.

Compound effects of B and Y additions on the microstructures and properties of a new type of high-strength and high-conductivity (HSHC) Cu–Mg–Te alloys are investigated on the aspects of purification and precipitation. Because of the purification function of B and Y additions, the tensile strength increased superlatively by the amplitude of 21.7% with a similar increase of elongation and the electrical conductivity of 4.2%. By comparison of the calculated decomposition pressures of B2O3 and Y2O3 at different temperatures, it can be concluded that the boron oxide is more stable than the yttrium oxide in the copper liquid, indicating the superior deoxygenization purification of the rare earth yttrium. The dispersive distribution of the Y–B compounds (YB6) was another factor for the improvement of the mechanical properties of the copper alloy. Finally, the copper alloy treated by hot rolling, cold rolling, and annealing processes in sequence exhibits HSHC with the tensile strength of 610.7 MPa and the electrical conductivity of 53.1%IACS.

In designing and developing navigation receiver embedded software, the correct scheduling of navigation tasks is critical for ensuring that a receiver works in the right way. If a receiver's timing scheduling becomes abnormal, it may lead to timing conflicts of the multi-tasking navigation receiver, which may seriously influence the system's performance of real-time features and functionalities. This paper models the timing scheduling of navigation receivers by extracting all important timing parameters including the execution time, period, deadline and priority etc., and focusing on the execution time. The maximum execution time of a navigation task relies on the design and implementation algorithms and the computing capability of the processor. The execution time parameter can be properly adjusted in receiver software design or even in the phase of the receiver requirement changes. On the other hand, the other parameters (i.e., the period, deadline and priority) mainly depend on the receiver's technical requirements, and usually these parameters are set to constant values. In this research, a novel off-line method based on the maximum allowed execution time dichotomy optimization is proposed, and the equilibrium rule is proposed to apply to the multi-task maximum allowed execution time dichotomy search and an analysis of time series of those parameters obtained from real observations of receiver tasks was also conducted. Results indicate that the relative equilibrium is more suitable to the multi-task scheduling of receiver navigation, compared to the absolute equilibrium. The proposed method provides a fast off-line scheduling approach for the top level task design of navigation receivers, and remarkably improves the development efficiency of receiver embedded software.

The atomic force microscopes (AFM) images are obtained by keeping the bending of the cantilever unchanged in contact mode. However, it is found that changes in the tip-sample angle during parallel scan result in error in the topographic image. It is also discovered that measurement results obtained in the blind scan region contained large errors. In contrast, regions opposite the blind scan region gave more reliable result. To eliminate this topographic error caused by change in the tip-sample angle, a new operating method with lateral scan is utilized in AFM. Comparative experiments have been performed, and the results show that the error could be eliminated or decreased by using the operating method.

5-AZA-2′-deoxycytidine (5-AZA-CdR) is a demethylating, teratogenic agent and a mutagen, which causes defects in the developing mouse and rat after implantation. Our previous data indicated that 5-AZA-CdR (0.2 and 1.0 μM) inhibited the development of mouse preimplantation embryos. Pronuclear embryos exposed to 5-AZA-CdR at the pronuclear stage were unable to form 8-cell embryos, while 2-cell-stage embryos exposed to 5-AZA-CdR only developed into uncompacted 8-cell-stage embryos. And there was no formation of blastocysts when 4-cell embryos cultured in 5-AZA-CdR. In our present study, we detected Dnmt1o protein and some developmental gene expression in order to find the reasons for the developmental arrest. Dnmt1o could not traffic to 8-cell nuclei as control when embryos were exposed to 5-AZA-CdR. Dnmt1o was in cytoplasm at 2-cell and 4-cell stages before and after treated with 5-AZA-CdR. Gene expression changes were also detected in this research. Our data indicated that connexin 31 (Cx31), connexin 43 (Cx43), connexin 45 (Cx45), E-cadherin (Cdh1) and β-catenin (Ctnnb1) were all downregulated by 5-AZA-CdR. Cx31, Cx43 and Cx45 are members of connexins family, which have a central role in gap junctions. Cdh1 and Ctnnb1 are necessary for the foundation of tight junctions. Therefore, developmental arrest induced by 5-AZA-CdR may be caused by the failure of Dnmt1o cytoplasmic–nuclear traffic and the down-regulation of developmental gene expression. Normal compaction and blastocoel cavitation need Dnmt1o traffic to 8-cell nuclei and the right gene expression, especially the correlative genes in gap junctions and tight junctions.

The Critically Endangered black crested gibbon Nomascus concolor of China, Laos and Vietnam is threatened by deforestation and habitat destruction but there have been no studies of how it uses its forest habitat, probably because of the typically rugged topography and the species' shyness of humans. We studied the forest use of one habituated group between March 2005 and April 2006 on the border of Wuliangshan Nature Reserve, Wuliang Mountain, Yunnan, southern China. The group spent most of its time in the primary forest but preferred secondary forest in February when Leucosceptrum canum blossomed. They used dwarf forest occasionally but never used Eupatorium adenophorum grassland. Primary forest provided sleeping and singing trees, most food resources, safe cover and suitable locomotion supports. This forest is crucial for their survival but regenerates slowly. Even though secondary forest in the area has been regenerating for >50 years it provides only limited food resources for the gibbons. It may, however, comprise a good corridor for their dispersal. Dwarf forest provides a potential corridor for the group to disperse to a population on the other side of the mountain. Selective logging and agriculture encroachment should be forbidden in the primary forest on Wuliang Mountain. We recommend Alnus nepalensis, Myrica esculenta, L. canum and Betula alnoides as the pioneer species to recover the E. adenophorum grassland and for dispersal corridors.

The reserved cast austenitic stainless steels (CASS) for primary circuit piping in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant were studied. The changes of microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture behavior were investigated using SEM, EPMA, TEM and nanoindentation after accelerated aging at 400°C for up to 10000 h. Microhardness of ferrite increased rapidly in the early stage and then increased slowly later. The impact energy of materials declined with the aging time and reduced to a very low level after aging for 10000 hours. Fracture morphology displayed a mixture of cleavage in ferrite along with dimple and tearing in austenite. Two kinds of precipitations were observed in ferrite by TEM after long periods of aging. The fine Cr-enriched α′ phases precipitated homogeneously in ferrite, and a few larger G phases were observed as well. The precipitation of α′ phases was considered to be the primary mechanism of thermal aging embrittlement in CASS.