Heavy-duty hexapod robots are well-suited for physical transportation, disaster relief, and resource exploration. The immense locomotion capabilities conferred by the six appendages of these systems enable traversal over unstructured and challenging terrain. However, tipping can be a serious concern when moving with a tripod gait in these challenging environments, which may cause irreversible consequences such as compromised movement control and potential damage. In this paper, we focus on heavy-duty hexapod robot sideline tipping judgment and recovery during tripod gait motion, and a novel sideline tipping judgment and recovery method is proposed by adjusting an optimal swinging leg to the stance state. Considering the locomotion environments, motion mode, and tipping analysis, the robot’s stability margin is quantified, and the tipping event is evaluated by the Force Angle Stability Measure (FASM). The recovery method is initiated upon detecting that the robot is tipping, which involves the selection of an adjustment leg and the determination of an optimal foothold. Since the FASM is based on the foot force and robot center of gravity (CoG), the stability margin quantification expression is reformulated to the constraint form of quadratic programming (QP). Furthermore, a foot force distribution method, integrating stability margin considerations into the QP model, has been devised to ensure post-adjustment stability of the landing leg. Experiments on tipping judgment and recovery demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches on tipping judgment and recovery.

Product graphics interchange formats (GIFs) employ this format to show the features of the product and make up for the lack of physical experience online. These GIFs have been widely applied in domains such as e-shopping and social media, aiming to interest and impress viewers. Contrary to this wide application, most designers in this domain lack expertise and produce GIFs of varied quality. Moreover, the knowledge of techniques to enhance viewers’ engagement with product GIFs is also lacking. To bridge the gap, we conducted a series of studies. First, we collected and summarized seven design factors referring to existing literature and semi-structured interviews. Then, the impacts of these design factors were revealed through an online study with 106 product GIFs among 307 participants. The results showed that visual-related factors such as color contrast and moving intensity mainly impact viewers’ interest, while content-related factors such as scenario and style matching impact viewers’ impressions. The simplicity of GIFs also impressed viewers with a quick viewing mode. Finally, we conducted a workshop and verified that these results support large-scale production of product GIFs. Our studies might support the codesign methods of product GIFs and enhance their quality in design practice.

Biological materials represent a major source of inspiration to engineer protein-based polymers that can replicate the properties of living systems. Combined with our ability to control the molecular structure of proteins at the single amino acid level, this results in a vast array of attractive possibilities for materials science, an interest that is undeniably related to simplified procedures in gene synthesis, cloning, and biotechnological production. In parallel, it has been increasingly appreciated that living organisms exploit liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) to fabricate extracellular structures. In this article, we discuss the central role of protein LLPS in the fabrication of selected biological structures, including biological adhesives and hard biomolecular composites, and how physicochemical lessons from these systems are being replicated in synthetic analogs. Recent translational applications of protein LLPS are highlighted, notably aqueous-resistant adhesives, stimuli-responsive therapeutics carriers, and matrix materials for green structural composites.

A simple, compact, double-pass pumped Nd:YVO4 thin disk laser is demonstrated. Its continuous-wave performance with different Nd doping concentrations and thicknesses is investigated experimentally. The maximum output power of 17.7 W is achieved by employing a 0.5 at.% doped sample, corresponding to an optical-to-optical efficiency of 46% with respect to the absorbed pump power. In addition, a numerical analysis and an experimental study of the temperature distribution, and thermal lens effect of the Nd:YVO4 thin disk, are presented considering the influence of the energy transfer upconversion effect and the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity tensor. The simulated results are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Underground Nuclear Astrophysics in China (JUNA) will take the advantage of the ultra-low background in Jinping underground lab. High current accelerator with an ECR source and detectors were commissioned. JUNA plans to study directly a number of nuclear reactions important to hydrostatic stellar evolution at their relevant stellar energies. At the first period, JUNA aims at the direct measurements of 25Mg(p,γ)26 Al, 19F(p,α) 16 O, 13C(α, n) 16O and 12C(α,γ) 16O near the Gamow window. The current progress of JUNA will be given.

Glacial lake outburst flood hazards in the Himalayan region have received considerable attention in recent years. Accurate volume estimation for glacial lakes is important for calculating outburst flood peak discharge and simulating flood evolution. Longbasaba lake, a potentially dangerous moraine-dammed lake, is located on the north side of the Himalaya. Its depth was surveyed using the SyQwest Hydrobox™ high-resolution echo sounder, and 6916 measurements were collected in September 2009. The maximum and average depths of the lake were 102 ± 2 and 48 ± 2 m, respectively. The morphology of the lake basin was modeled by constructing a triangulated irregular network, and the lake was found to have a storage capacity of 0.064 ± 0.002 km3. Multi-source remote-sensing images from Landsat MSS, Landsat TM/ETM+ and Terra ASTER and a topographic map were digitized to delineate the outlines of the lake between 1977 and 2009. The results indicate that the length and area of the lake have increased during the past 32 years, with a drastic expansion occurring since 2000. Based on volume and area data of Longbasaba lake in different periods, we deduced an empirical equation of the lake volume-area relationship that can be used to calculate the storage capacity of similar moraine-dammed lakes in the Himalayan region.

The three-dimensional instabilities of axisymmetric flow are investigated in a laterally heated vertical cylinder by linear stability analysis. Heating is confined to a central zone on the sidewall of the cylinder, while other parts of the sidewall are insulated and both ends of the cylinder are cooled. The length of the heated zone equals the radius of the cylinder. For three different aspect ratios, $A= 1.92 $, 2, 2.1 ($A=\mathrm{height}$/radius), the dependence of the critical Rayleigh number on the Prandtl number (from 0.02 to 6.7) has been studied in detail. For such a kind of laterally heated convection, some interesting stability results are obtained. A monotonous instability curve is obtained for $A= 1.92 $, while the instability curves for $A= 2 $ and $A= 2.1 $ are non-monotonous and multivalued. In particular, an instability island has been found for $A=2$. Moreover, mechanisms corresponding to different instability results are obtained when the Prandtl number changes. At small Prandtl number, the flow is oscillatory unstable, which is dominated by hydrodynamic instability. At intermediate Prandtl number, the interaction between buoyancy and shear in the base flow plays a more important role than pure hydrodynamic instability. At even higher Prandtl number, Rayleigh–Bénard instability becomes the dominant process and the flow loses stability through steady bifurcation.

Actin depolymerizing factors regulate actin dynamics involved in cellular processes such as morphogenesis, motility, development and infection. Here, a novel actin depolymerizing factor gene (CiADF2) was cloned from the cDNA library of Cryptocaryon irritans, a parasitic ciliate causing cryptocaryonosis. The full-length cDNA of CiADF2 was 531 bp. Its open reading frame (ORF) was 417 bp, encoding a polypeptide of 138 aa with typical features of the ADF/cofilin family. Reverse transcription-PCR suggested that CiADF2 is expressed in all stages of the life cycle. After site-directed mutagenesis of a non-universal genetic code, the ORF was subcloned in Escherichia coli. The bacteria were induced with the addition of isopropylthio-β-D-galactoside to express a fusion protein of recombinant CiADF2 (rCiADF2) with glutathione S transferase. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot confirmed the predicted molecular mass of rCiADF2 of 16·2 kDa. A mouse antibody against rCiADF2 recognized native CiADF2, and rCiADF2 reacted with mouse antisera against C. irritans trophonts. CiADF2 was abundant in the plasma around cytostomes, suggesting that CiADF2 is involved in ciliate movement. Moreover, rCiADF2 showed F-actin binding and depolymerizing activity. This study will help to clarify the pathogenic biology of the parasite and develop effective control measures for cryptocaryonosis.

Survivin is a novel member of the inhibitor of apoptosis gene family that bear baculoviral IAP repeats (BIRs), whose physiological roles in regulating meiotic cell cycle need to be determined. Confocal microscopy was employed to observe the localization of survivin in rat oocytes. At the germinal vesicle (GV) stage, survivin was mainly concentrated in the GV. At the prometaphase I (pro-MI) and metaphase I (MI) stage, survivin was mainly localized at the kinetochores, with a light staining detected on the chromosomes. After transition to anaphase I or telophase I stage, survivin migrated to the midbody, and signals on the kinetochores and chromosomes disappeared. At metaphase II (MII) stage, survivin became mainly localized at the kinetochores again. Microinjection of oocytes with anti-survivin antibodies at the beginning of the meiosis, thus blocking the normal function of survivin, resulted in abnormal spindle assembly, chromosome segregation and first polar body emission. These results suggest that survivin is involved in regulating the meiotic cell cycle in rat oocytes.

By the new method of Sm—Nd isotopic dating on phosphatic small skeletal fossils and collo-phanite minerals, the Zhongyicun Member of the earliest Cambrian Meishucun Stage at Meishucun in Yunnan, southern China, has been dated at 562.8 ± 7.9 Ma and 562.1 ± 5.7 Ma. Another Sm—Nd age, 570.3 ± 17.1 Ma, has been obtained with samples from the Zhongyicun Member in Yunnan and its stratigraphic equivalents in Sichuan and Xinjiang. These data tend to suggest that the best age estimate of the Precambrian—Cambrian boundary is very likely within the range of 560–570 Ma. As biophosphates and sedimentary phosphates are widely distributed in sequences of the Precambrian—Cambrian transition, the Sm-Nd isotopic method is recommended as an effective approach for precise dating of the initial Cambrian boundary.

The influence of H2 addition on the discharge characteristics of Ne-Xe in a AC-PDP macro-cell was studied in this paper. The experimental results show that there are remarkable decreases of the firing voltage and the minimum sustaining voltage, and a remarkable increase of the discharge current, and an increase of the sustaining voltage memory margin by an amount of H2 addition in Ne + 4%Xe mixture when the sustaining voltage frequency is in the range of 12.5–93.5 kHz. As for H2% = 0.12 and f = 15.5 kHz, the discharge current is 6 times of the discharge current without H2 addition in Ne + 4%Xe mixture. The maximum value of the increase of discharge current can be obtained at f = 32.5 kHz as well as the firing voltage and the minimum sustaining voltage have the decreases of 12 V and 11 V. The maximum value of the sustaining voltage can be obtained at H2% = 0.12 and f = 93.5 kHz. The firing voltage and sustaining voltage can be depressed remarkably without deterioration of the voltage memory margin by an amount of H2 addition in Ne + 4%Xe.

To increase our understanding of the relationships of trunk fat mass (FMtrunk) and four anthropometric indices in Chinese males, 1090 males aged 20–40 years were randomly recruited from the city of Changsha, China. Waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC) were measured using standardized equipment, and three other anthropometric indices of BMI, waist:hip ratio (WHR) and conicity index (CoI) were calculated using weight, height, HC and WC. FMtrunk (in kg) was measured using a Hologic QDR 4500 W dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanner. There was an increasing trend of FMtrunk, %FMtrunk (percentage of FMtrunk) and BMI, WC, WHR, CoI in successively older age groups (e.g. the mean FMtrunk values were 4·63 (sd 2·58), 5·39 (sd 2·74), 5·93 (sd 2·82), 6·57 (sd 2·94) in four 5-year age groups, respectively). FMtrunk and %FMtrunk were significantly correlated with four anthropometric indices with the Pearson's correlation coefficients ranging from 0·25 to 0·86. Principal component analysis was performed to form three principal components that interpreted over 99·5% of the total variation of four related anthropometric indices in all age groups, with over 65% of the total variation accounted by principal component 1. Multiple regression analyses showed that three principal components explained a greater variance (R2 70·0–80·1%) in FMtrunk than did BMI or WC alone (R2 57·8–74·1%). The present results suggest that there is an increasing trend of FMtrunk and four anthropometric indices in successively older age groups; that age has important effects on the relationships of FMtrunk and studied anthropometric indices; and that the accuracy of predicting FMtrunk using four anthropometric indices is higher than using BMI or WC alone.

A liquid crystal polarized light microscope (LC PolScope) was used to examine spindle dynamics in living mouse oocytes. Immature oocytes were cultured for 0–48 h and spindles were imaged with the PolScope at various time points of culture. Oocytes at metaphase I (M-I) and metaphase II (M-II) were also exposed to shifts of temperature from 25 to 41 °C to examine the effects of fluctuations of temperature on spindle dynamics. After examination with the PolScope, some oocytes were fixed and examined by immunocytochemical staining and confocal microscopy. After culturing for 6 h, 76% and 2% of the oocytes reached M-I and M-II stages and all oocytes had birefringent spindles. When the oocytes were cultured for 14–16 h, 88% and 6% of oocytes were at M-II and M-I stages respectively and all oocytes had birefringent spindles. However, when the oocytes were cultured for 22–48 h, the proportions of oocytes with birefringent spindles decreased as culture time was increased. Exposure of oocytes to 25 °C induced spindle disassembly within 10–20 min in both M-I and M-II oocytes. Most (93–100%) oocytes reassembled spindles after warming at 37 °C. Furthermore, exposure of oocytes at M-I stage but not at M-II stage, to 30 °C also induced significant microtubule disassembly. However, exposure of oocytes to 38–41 °C did not obviously change the quantity of microtubules in the spindles, which was measured by retardance. This study indicates that the PolScope can be used to examine spindle dynamics in living oocytes, and it has the advantage over the routine fluorescence microscope in that images can be obtained in the same individual oocyte and the quantity of microtubules can be measured by retardance in living oocytes. These results also indicate that the M-II spindle in mouse oocytes is sensitive to oocyte ageing and cooling, but not heating, and M-I spindle is more sensitive to temperature decline than M-II spindle.

The lithospheric mantle beneath the North China Craton changed dramatically in its geophysical and geochemical characteristics from Palaeozoic to Cenozoic times. This study uses samples of Mesozoic basalts and mafic intrusions from the North China Craton to investigate the nature of this mantle in Mesozoic times. Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic data demonstrate that the Late Mesozoic lithospheric mantle was extremely heterogeneous. In the central craton or the Luzhong region, it is slightly Sr–Nd isotopically enriched, beneath the Taihangshan region it has an EM1 character (87Sr/86Sri=0.7050–0.7066; εNd(t)=−17–−10), and beneath the Luxi–Jiaodong region, it possesses EM2-like characteristics (87Sr/86Sri up to 0.7114). Compositional variation with time is also apparent in the Mesozoic lithospheric mantle. Our data suggest that the old lithospheric mantle was modified during Mesozoic times by a silicic melt, where beneath the Luxi–Jiaodong region it was severely modified, but in the Luzhong and Taihangshan regions the effects were much less marked. The silicic melt may have been the product of partial melting of crustal materials brought into the mantle by the subducted slab during the formation of circum-cratonic orogenic belts. This Mesozoic mantle did not survive for a long time, and was replaced by a Cenozoic mantle with depleted geochemical characteristics.

A sol-gel derived Pb(Zr0.3Ti0.7)O3/PbTiO3 (PZT/PT) multilayer thin film structure has been studied for the application of infrared detection. Compared to the pure Pb(Zr0.3Ti0.7)O3 (PZT) thin film deposited by the same process, the multilayer thin film shows a lower dielectric constant and similar pyroelectric coefficient and dielectric loss. The detectivity figures of merit for the PZT/PT and PT thin films are 20.3×10−6 Pa-1/2 and 18.7×10−6 Pa−1/2, and values of voltage response figures of merit are 0.038 m2/C and 0.028 m2/C, respectively. The results show that the multilayer PZT/PT film is a better choice for pyroelectric infrared detection. Pyroelectric infrared detectors have been successfully developed based on the multilayer PZT/PT thin film. A silicon bulk-machined thermal isolation structure has been applied to reduce thermal loss from the sensing thin film to the Si substrate. To evaluate the detector performance and to aid in the thermal structure design, finite element analysis (FEA) of the detector in terms of heat transfer has been carried out by using a software package “ANSYS”. The detector response has been characterized by a modified Chynoweth system. At 7 Hz, the dynamic pyroelectric voltage responsivity is measured to be 108 V/W (in rms) with the sensing element size of 240×360 μm2. The measured results are consistent with the simulated results.

A new method of epitaxial growth of CoSi2 film on Si substrate by ternary solid state interaction is investigated. XRD, RBS and TEM show that single-crystalline CoSi2 can be formed on both Si (111) and (100) substrates by using Co/Ti/Si or TiN/Co/Ti/Si multilayer. The evolution of multilayer structure and its resistivity is studied and epitaxy mechanism is discussed. Experimental results indicate strong affinity between Co and Si. During the ternary interaction the epitaxial CoSi2 can be grown directly on Si and its growth may behave as a diffusion controlled process. The thickness of Ti layer and the annealing procedure have important effect on CoSi2 epitaxial growth.