Distribution Of Components Research Articles

Changes in the Serum and Tissue Levels of Free and Conjugated Sialic Acids, Neu5Ac, Neu5Gc, and KDN in Mice after the Oral Administration of Edible Bird’s Nests: An LC–MS/MS Quantitative Analysis

Edible bird’s nests have a variety of biological activities, the main components of which are sialic acids. Sialic acids are a group of nine-carbon N-acetylated derivatives of neuraminic acid containing a keto group at position C2 and play important roles in many biological processes. To verify whether the oral administration of edible bird’s nests would change the content and distribution of sialic acid components in vivo, a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry method for the quantitative analysis of sialic acid levels in serum and tissues was developed. In the negative ion mode, the mobile phases consist of 0.1% formic acid in water (A) and acetonitrile (v/v) (B). Isocratic elution was performed with 60% B for 0−15 min. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Morphling HILIC Amide column (2.1 mm × 150 mm, 5 μm) at a flow rate of 0.5 mL min−1. The results showed that the correlation coefficients of the typical calibration curves were all higher than 0.995, exhibiting good linearity. The levels of free and conjugated forms of N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), and 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galactonononic acid (KDN) in the serum and different tissues were simultaneously detected after the oral administration of the edible bird’s nests at a daily dose of 300 and 700 mg Kg−1 for seven days in mice. Our study found that the oral administration of edible bird’s nests can significantly increase the concentration of total sialic acids (Neu5Gc + Neu5Ac + KDN) in serum and spleen and lungs tissues, which may be related to the anti-inflammatory and immune function of edible bird’s nest, but further studies are needed to verify this. Neu5Ac was the dominant sialic acid in brain tissue, and Neu5Gc was the dominant sialic acid in serum and other tissues, including heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidney. Moreover, we found that the forms of Neu5Ac and Neu5Gc were mainly conjugated in all groups except liver tissue. In conclusion, the method we established had good linearity and accuracy; it allowed the analytes to be effectively separated from the matrix and endogenous substances in serum or tissues, so it could effectively detect the distribution and concentration of free and conjugated forms of sialic acids in serum and tissues, which was beneficial to the research and exploitation of edible bird’s nests and sialic acids.

Performance assessment of a novel porous catalytic reactor with a hydrogen-selective membrane for enhanced methane dry reforming process – CFD investigation

This manuscript offers a thorough examination of the efficiency of a reactor-assisted membrane system for the production of syngas through a process of methane dry reforming (DRM). The proposed strategy aims to bring attention to the optimization of the DRM and reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reactions, towards achieving increased conversions of methane and carbon dioxide, as well as increased purity in syngas production. This goal will be accomplished by integrating a selectively permeable membrane within the central region of the tubular catalytic porous bed reactor. The primary objective of the current research is to quantitatively assess the impact of operational parameters on both the hydrogen flux and concentration distribution of the various components residing in the reactor. This study highlights the impact of inlet feed pressure on hydrogen flux. It is found that an elevation in the inlet feed pressure from 1 to 4 bar yields an average increase in hydrogen flux from 2.60 to 4.21 kg/(m2.h), particularly when the inlet feed pressure is set at 2 bar. However, a subsequent increase to attain a pressure of 4 bar results in a decline in hydrogen flux to a rate of 2.78 kg/(m2.h). Moreover, increasing the inlet feed temperature from 900 to 1100 K leads to a substantial augmentation in the average hydrogen flux, from 7.08 to 8.56 kg/(m2.h), while maintaining a reactor wall temperature of 1000 K. As another finding, a molar ratio of CH4/CO2 of 1 leads to the greatest mean hydrogen flux of 4.73 kg/(m2.h) across the membrane interface. The current research work could provide useful tips/guidelines for efficient reactor design and optimization; it also enhances comprehension of reactor-assisted membrane systems in the context of syngas production.

Spatial Distribution of Intracluster Light versus Dark Matter in Horizon Run 5

One intriguing approach for studying the dynamical evolution of galaxy clusters is to compare the spatial distributions among various components such as dark matter, member galaxies, gas, and intracluster light (ICL). Utilizing the recently introduced weighted overlap coefficient (WOC), we analyze the spatial distributions of components within 174 galaxy clusters (M tot > 5 × 1013 M ⊙, z = 0.625) at varying dynamical states in the cosmological hydrodynamical simulation Horizon Run 5. We observe that the distributions of gas and the combination of ICL with the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) closely resembles the dark matter distribution, particularly in more relaxed clusters, characterized by the half-mass epoch. The similarity in spatial distribution between dark matter and BCG+ICL mimics the changes in the dynamical state of clusters during a major merger. Notably, at redshifts >1, BCG+ICL traced dark matter more accurately than the gas. Additionally, we examined the one-dimensional radial profiles of each component, which show that the BCG+ICL is a sensitive component revealing the dynamical state of clusters. We propose a new method that can approximately recover the dark matter profile by scaling the BCG+ICL radial profile. Furthermore, we find a recipe for tracing dark matter in unrelaxed clusters by including the most massive satellite galaxies together with the BCG+ICL distribution. Combining the BCG+ICL and the gas distribution enhances the dark matter tracing ability. Our results imply that the BCG+ICL distribution is an effective tracer for the dark matter distribution, and the similarity of the spatial distribution may be a useful probe of the dynamical state of a cluster.

Numerical modeling of edge inhomogeneity in a macro cantilever beam

This study explores the inhomogeneity problem near the edge of a cantilever beam. Common in gears and turbine blades, inhomogeneities under local edge contact, coupled with macroscale bending effects, result in extreme and complex stress concentration. This model employs the Conjugate Gradient Method to combines the macroscopic beam theory and microscopic elasticity. The Eshelby inclusion method for simulating inhomogeneities. The Hetényi image method is used for address edge contacts in the beam. Enhanced by the Discrete Convolution fast Fourier Transform algorithm, the model’s accuracy and efficiency are validated with the Finite element method. Parametric analysis highlights the influence of distance between indenter and edge, stress components distribution and potential failure in cross-scale challenges.

Effective N‐Doping of Non‐Fullerene Acceptor via Sequential Deposition Enables High‐Efficiency Organic Solar Cells

AbstractCharge transport in the active layer, which can be effectively modulated by molecular doping of organic semiconductors, significantly affects the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). However, it is difficult to control the dopant distribution in the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) films, which hinders efficient doping in OSCs. Herein, an effective n‐doping strategy is developed via sequential deposition (SD) of D18 donor and doped acceptor. The favorable vertical component distribution in SD films helps to optimize carrier transport pathways. The SD method confines the n‐dopant N‐DMBI to the acceptor layer, allowing positive effects of molecular doping. Consequently, the doped SD device exhibits superior charge transport with suppressed charge recombination, lower trap density, and enhanced charge extraction compared to the undoped one, resulting in a high power conversion efficiency of 19.55% for D18/L8‐BO binary OSCs. In addition, the doping does not affect the thermal stability of the devices, with the doped SD device retaining over 90% of its initial efficiency after 1200 h of heating at 80 °C. The universality of the SD doping method is also verified in other non‐fullerene acceptor systems. These results demonstrate the great potential of SD doping strategy for building high‐performance OSCs with enhanced charge transport.

Optical and Degradation Characteristics of Green Synthesized Cornstarch-Base Bioorganic Polymer

Chemical-base polymers are mostly related to environmental pollution since their poisonous, non-biodegradable wastes, and negatively impact plants, animals, and people. In many locations where petroleum-based plastics are used, bioorganic polymers and biomaterials can play a promising role and are accepted. In one such attempt, glycerol was used as a natural plasticizer, and cornstarch was used to create bioorganic polymers and biocomposites. Resulting in a highly degradable bioorganic polymer in water and soil, display FE-SEM images of a BOP's top and cross-section views, flat surface and smooth, the inner structure of BOP does not demonstrate any bubbles, cracking, flipping, or splitting., estimate the optical band gap indirect of BOP of 3.69 eV that can absorb 96% of UV light and transmit 98 % of visible light. The FTIR assay detects the functional aggregates of the BOP as well as the presence of a hydrogen bond in the BOP matrix. Raman spectroscopy detection composition and scope distribution of the various components in a prepared BOP. The decay constants of BOP were gaged as 12.4 ± 1.8 and 3.49 ± 0.41 for the water and soil, respectively. The decay values show an acceptable variation due to the nature of the BOP on one side and the water and soil on the other side. These findings conclude diverse applications highlighting BOP as a candidate, e.g., UV screening or protective layer, food packaging, and replacing the chemical fertilizer with BOP agent to deliver the organic substances to the plants.

Study on Wear Characteristics of a Guide Vane Centrifugal Pump Based on CFD–DEM

Guide vane submersible centrifugal pumps are a kind of submersible pump, and the fluid inside the pump is often mixed with gravel and other impurities during operation, affecting the pump’s operating efficiency and life expectancy. However, past studies on solid–liquid two-phase flow (STF) and wear characteristics in guided vane centrifugal pumps have been limited to the particle trajectory and wear region distribution. These studies have lacked research on the effect of particles on the fluid flow and the specific amount of wear on the overflow components. Additionally, most of them have used the DPM discrete-phase model, which does not consider the particle–particle and particle–wall interactions. This paper is based on the CFD–DEM method, combined with the Archard wear model. A solid–liquid two-phase flow simulation is carried out for pumps with different particle sizes and particle shapes to analyze the particle movement inside the pump, the wear distribution and average wear amount of the overflow components, and the effect of particles on the turbulent kinetic energy of the fluid. The results show that the particles mainly collide with the leading and trailing edges of the impeller blades and the leading edge of the guide vane blades and form a buildup at the trailing edge of the concave surface of the guide vane blades, resulting in the wear being mainly distributed in these regions. With an increase in particle size and a decrease in sphericity, the average wear on the overflow components increases. The change of particle size directly affects the resistance of the fluid and the structure of the flow field, which has a large impact on the fluid flow pattern and generates large turbulent kinetic energy fluctuations. The shape of the particles only changes the structure of the local flow field, which has a small impact on the fluid flow pattern.

Study of the distribution of residual stresses across the surface layer depth following machining through probing hole drilling and digital image correlation

The article aims to study the distribution of residual stresses across the surface layer depth following the machining of test specimens (free orthogonal cutting and burnishing). The machining by cutting and burnishing of 45 steel specimens was carried out using a milling machine with numerical control under varying machining factors. For a comparative analysis, the processes were also modeled via the finite element method using identical experimental values of geometric parameters and machining modes. In order to obtain residual stress distributions across the surface layer depth, probe holes having depths of 0.5; 0.75; 1; 1.5; and 2 mm were drilled. By differentiating the displacement of specimen surface particles, measured using digital image correlation, radial strains around the probe holes were determined. Then, these values were used to determine the residual stress components for each probe hole, and the averaged values of each residual stress component were calculated using the calculation algorithm presented in this article. After burnishing the specimen with a force of 3400 N, the test value of the σx component within the depth range (from the surface) of 0.5–0.75 mm amounted to -250 MPa. Model and experimental distributions of residual stress tensor components across the surface layer depth were obtained following machining via two methods. The experimental values of residual stresses were found to have good convergence with each other and with model distributions at depths up to 1 mm from the machined surface at a drill diameter of 1.7 mm. The proposed approach provides a means to obtain the residual stress distribution across the surface layer depth by drilling probe holes of different depths and estimating radial strains on the specimen surface using the digital image correlation method.

Modulating surface microenvironment based on Ag-adorned CuO flower-liked nanospheres for strengthening C-‍C coupling during CO2RR

Modulating the surface microenvironment is crucial in strengthening CC coupling, leading to increasing selectivity in the production of multi-carbon (C2+) products during CO2 electroreduction. Herein, we have concentrated on investigating how to control the effect of surface distribution of active components of a series of Ag-decorated CuO, denoted as xAg/yCuO. These catalysts with similar chemical elements and morphology are designed, but they exhibit different selectivity in the CO2 electroreduction process. As a result, the Ag particles in 3Ag/CuO aggregates, while the Ag in 2Ag/2CuO and Ag/3CuO is uniformly distributed on the flower-like CuO nanosphere. Besides, 3Ag/CuO has the highest Faraday efficiency (FE) of CO with a value of 30.9 % at 0.8 V vs. RHE, demonstrating rich-Ag catalysts are beneficial to produce CO. 2Ag/2CuO shows excellent FEC2H4 of 51.4 % at -1.2 V vs. RHE due to the highly dispersed distribution of Ag on the flower-like CuO and higher vacancy O. Ag/3CuO exhibits higher FEH2 compared to other catalysts across a wide potential range, and its minimal impedance is attributed to its exceptional performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction. The proposed reaction pathway for the most effective catalysts 2Ag/2CuO, as determined by in-situ attenuated total reflectance surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS), involves the following steps: CO2 →*CO2−→ *COOH → *CO→ *CHO→ *OCHCHO→ *OCHCH2→ C2H4. These findings demonstrate that controlling the surface structure can influence the local environment to enhance the efficiency of CO2 electroreduction.

Catalytic Pyrolysis of Naomaohu Coal Using Combined CaO and Ni/Olivine Catalysts for Simultaneously Improving the Tar and Gas Quality

Catalytic pyrolysis of low-rank coal is currently an effective method for producing high-quality tar and gas. In this study, catalytic upgrading of volatiles from Naomaohu (NMH) coal pyrolysis has been conducted in a two-stage fixed-bed reactor using combined CaO and Ni/olivine (Ni-loaded olivine) catalysts. The effect of catalyst distribution modes and catalytic temperature on the tar and gas quality has been investigated. Simulated distillation and GC-MS analysis have been used to investigate the distribution of tar components. The results indicated that the light oil fraction in tar dramatically increased due to the combination of CaO and Ni/olivine. The CaO-Ni/olivine mode is especially better compared to the layouts of the Ni/olivine-CaO mode and the mixed mode. The CaO-Ni/olivine mode ensures a higher light fraction in tar at 69.3% and a light oil fraction at 29.8% at a catalytic temperature of 450 °C, while the heavy tar fraction decreased to 30.7%. Meanwhile, the contents of benzene (heteroatomic substituents) in tar significantly increased from 2.55% to 6.45% compared with the blank test. In this scenario, CaO breaks down macromolecular compounds in tar and cleaves long-chain esters to produce aliphatic hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons are then dehydrogenated to produce lighter aromatic hydrocarbons over the CaO surface. Subsequently, the volatiles pass through the Ni/olivine catalysis, where ether compounds are produced by means of dehydration reactions. In addition, the CaO absorbs the CO2 in the pyrolysis gas, leading to an elevation of CH4 and H2 concentration. Particularly, the concentration of H2 significantly increased from 16.2% to 30.37%, while the concentration of CO2 significantly decreased from 37.9% to 10.57%. These findings suggest that the usage of combined CaO and Ni/olivine catalysts is beneficial for improving both the tar and gas quality.

Role of blockchain technology in changing the structure of a country's monetary base and GDP

This article explores the role of blockchain technology in changing the structure of a country's monetary base. Specifically, it examines the potential benefits and risks of using blockchain in monetary policy, such as efficiency, transparency, and new opportunities for managing the financial system. The article highlights changes in approaches to monetary policy through the use of blockchain-based digital currencies, as well as discusses challenges that may arise in implementing this technology. The conclusions of this article may be valuable for government agencies, central banks, and researchers interested in the impact of blockchain technology on the financial sector. In recent years, the adoption of blockchain technology as an alternative to fiat currencies in various countries around the world has significantly expanded globally, as a significant number of business organizations have recognized the importance of all the advantages that blockchain technology provides. Previously, the focus was on cost control to remain competitive, but lately blockchain technologies have somewhat shifted the significance and monetary mass, influencing the structure of a certain country's monetary base. Based on recent research and publications, the article emphasizes the importance of understanding economic principles that govern the determination of the impacts of various economic and financial indicators on components of economic growth and predicting the consequences of such decisions. It references the seminal work of economists P. Romer, R. Lucas, R. Barro, I. Salla y Martin, and R. Levine, who laid the foundation for studying endogenous economic development. The purpose of this article is to investigate the practice of implementing blockchain technology in the financial support of various economic processes of economic entities and their impact on the structure of a country's monetary base. Thus, it has been identified that the influence of blockchain on the structure of the monetary base itself has received little attention. Despite blockchain being used as an alternative to components of the monetary base, thereby changing its structure within a certain country, most studies focus on literature reviews and provide information for practitioners and academic communities. Therefore, this article aims to bridge the gap by developing a model to identify distortions in the structure of the monetary base under the influence of blockchain. The effective use of blockchain is still being explored. As a result, the operations of many companies using blockchain technologies for payments are vulnerable to technical issues. Blockchain technology is utilized to address this problem and facilitate data exchange among relevant stakeholders. This document presents a benchmark for the impact of blockchain technology on the structure and mass of the monetary base for a specific country, integrating blockchain for sustainable money functioning with the integration of the Internet of Things and big data. Finally, potential benefits and limitations are analyzed during the implementation of this framework. Methods. Macroeconomic analysis, econometric analysis, trend analysis. Results. Determination of the level of influence of blockchain technologies on the change in the structure and volume of the monetary base of a certain country. The study casts doubt on classical economic doctrines by establishing a strong correlation between the distribution of components of the monetary base in its structure and the use of blockchain technology for payments for goods, labor, and services. It emphasizes that the economic growth of a country and the structure of its monetary base depend on the proportion of blockchain technology usage in that country. This research opens up possibilities for further studies in this interdisciplinary field.

Method for predicting the size of Ni1/3Mn1/3Co1/3(OH)2 particles precipitated in a stirred-tank semi-batch crystallizer using CFD and particle agglomeration models

NixMnyCoz(OH)2 is widely used as a precursor for the cathode active material LiNixMnyCozO2 in lithium ion batteries, and the precursor size, which determines the size of the active cathode material, affects the characteristics of lithium-ion batteries. This paper proposes a method for predicting the particle size of Ni1/3Mn1/3Co1/3(OH)2 precipitated by semi-batch reaction crystallization. The distribution of supersaturated components formed in the reactor varies with the reactor scale, feed conditions of the raw material solution, and agitation conditions. Therefore, the method presented in this paper considers the effects of these conditions on particle growth. First, to identify the turbulent dispersion and concentration distribution of the supersaturated components formed in the reaction crystallizer, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was constructed consisting of the governing equations of hydrodynamics and the mass balance equations of the supersaturated components considering the production by neutralization and consumption by precipitation. Next, a model of agglomeration was constructed that focused on the balance of the binding and breaking up energies for the particle pairs. The binding energy was quantified based on the bridging between particle pairs by surface deposition. The breaking up-energy was quantified based on the hydrodynamic forces when the agglomerate passes through the impeller. These models were fitted using experimental results for the final average size of the Ni1/3Mn1/3Co1/3(OH)2 secondary aggregate, which was precipitated in a small-scale stirred-tank type semi-batch reaction crystallizer. The models predicted the experimental results of the final average size in a large-scale crystallizer, with the feeding conditions of the raw material solution and stirring conditions as experimental parameters, within ±20%. The models may be used to analyze semi-batch reaction crystallization systems of NixMnyCoz(OH)2 of any composition by adjusting the model parameters according to the procedure developed in this study.

The effect of EEG microstate on the characteristics of TMS-EEG

ObjectiveDifferences in neural states at the time of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can lead to variations in the effectiveness of TMS stimulation. Strategies that aim to lock neural activity states and improve the precision of stimulation timing in TMS optimization should gradually receive attention. One feasible approach is to utilize microstate locking for TMS stimulation, and understanding the impact of microstates at the time of stimulation on TMS response forms the foundation of this approach. ApproachTMS-EEG data were extracted from 21 healthy subjects through experiments. Based on the different microstates at the time of stimulation, the trials were classified into four datasets. TMS-evoked potential (TEP), topographical distribution, and natural frequency, were computed for each dataset to explore the differences in TMS-EEG characteristics across different microstates. Main resultsThe N100 component of microstate C group (−2.376 μV) was significantly higher (p = 0.003) than of microstate D group (−1.739 μV), and the P180 component of microstate D group (2.482 μV) was significantly higher (p = 0.024) than of microstate B group (1.766 μV) and slightly higher (p = 0.058) than of microstate C group (1.863 μV) by calculating the ROI. The topographical distribution of TEP components during microstate C and microstate D still retained the template characteristics of the microstate at the time of stimulation, and the natural frequencies did not differ among the four classical microstates. SignificanceThis study showed the potential for future closed-loop TMS based on microstates and would guiding the development of microstate-based closed-loop TMS techniques.

Enhancement of vertical phase separation in sequentially deposited organic photovoltaics through the independent processing of additives

Herein, the impact of the independent control of processing additives on vertical phase separation in sequentially deposited (SD) organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and its subsequent effects on charge carrier kinetics at the electron donor-acceptor interface are investigated. The film morphology exhibits notable variations, significantly depending on the layer to which 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) was applied. Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering analysis reveals distinctly separated donor/acceptor phases and vertical crystallinity details in SD films. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis is employed to obtain component distributions in diverse vertical phase structures of SD films depending on additive control. In addition, nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy shows that DIO control significantly affects the dynamics of separated charges in SD films. In SD OPVs, DIO appears to act through distinct mechanisms with minimal restriction, depending on the applied layer. This study emphasizes the significance of morphological optimization in improving device performance and underscores the importance of independent additive control in the advancement of OPV technology.

“Revolving” Ownership: The Interplay between Yang-Ownership and Yin-Ownership

The article examines the concept of “revolving ownership” as a metamodel of property, whose structure allows for the interchange (rotation) of diverse components included in it, each capable of achieving different objectives through varied means. It is noted that the metamodel of revolving ownership can be utilized in the creation and structuring of property models over specific entities, necessitating consideration of specific social and environmental factors. In this context, a distinction is made between yang-ownership (“classic” private ownership used as an instrument for growth through extraction and accumulation, analogous to so-called “extractive” ownership) and yin-ownership (engaged possession involving a healthful balance between rights and obligations, i.e., flexible distribution of various components aimed at achieving sustainable equilibrium, analogous to the so-called “generative” ownership).

Revolving”Ownership: The Interplay between Yang- Ownership and Yin-Ownership

The article examines the concept of “revolving ownership” as a metamodel of property, whose structure allows for the interchange (rotation) of diverse components included in it, each capable of achieving different objectives through varied means. It is noted that the metamodel of revolving ownership can be utilized in the creation and structuring of property models over specific entities, necessitating consideration of specific social and environmental factors. In this context, a distinction is made between yang-ownership (“classic” private ownership used as an instrument for growth through extraction and accumulation, analogous to so-called “extractive” ownership) and yin-ownership (engaged possession involving a healthful balance between rights and obligations, i.e., flexible distribution of various components aimed at achieving sustainable equilibrium, analogous to the so-called “generative” ownership). The thesis is presented that the sooner the “proprietary” nature of yang-ownership is overcome, yielding to its dominance through the integration of balancing yin-components, the more easily and effectively legal professionals can propose novel and diverse ownership models. The recognition and acknowledgment of the complexity of nature imply greater intricacy in contemporary property law. It is time for property law to reconsider its unquestionable axioms and seek an appropriate solution to the challenges humanity faces today.

Performance analysis of an idealized Darrieus–Savonius combined vertical axis wind turbine

AbstractTo investigate the effect of force distributions of each turbine component on the power performance of the Darrieus–Savonius combined vertical axis wind turbine (hybrid VAWT), the hybrid VAWT is modeled as idealized turbine under various force distributions. The goal of idealization is to simplify the intricate interactions between the Savonius and Darrieus components. The simulation actuator surfaces with uniform force distributions lead to a cost‐effective way to identify the optimal force distribution of each turbine component. The numerical model was validated against momentum theory. The results demonstrated that the numerical and theoretical results yield similar predictions in the low‐thrust cases but show differences in the high‐thrust cases. The maximum power coefficient of an idealized hybrid VAWT with given thrust coefficient is lower than that of a single actuator. This is a consequence of the nonoptimal loading on the actuator. The results indicate that an idealized hybrid VAWT does not show a significant power increase compared with an optimal single Darrieus rotor. Therefore, the presence of a Savonius rotor inside a Darrieus rotor leads to a lower power output in any circumstance. The hybrid configuration is primarily advantageous for the start‐up performance of the combined rotor, which is not explored in this study.

Sub-parsec-scale jet-driven water maser with possible gravitational acceleration in the radio galaxy NGC 1052

Abstract We report sub-parsec-scale observations of the 321 GHz H2O emission line in the radio galaxy NGC 1052. The H2O line emitter size is constrained in <0.6 mas distributed on the continuum core component. The brightness temperature exceeding 106 K and the intensity variation indicate certain evidence for maser emission. The maser spectrum consists of redshifted and blueshifted velocity components spanning ∼400 km s−1, separated by a local minimum around the systemic velocity of the galaxy. The spatial distribution of maser components shows a velocity gradient along the jet direction, implying that the population-inverted gas is driven by the jets interacting with the molecular torus. We identified a significant change of the maser spectra between two sessions separated by 14 days. The maser profile showed a radial velocity drift of 127 ± 13 km s−1 yr−1 implying inward gravitational acceleration at 5000 Schwarzschild radii. The results demonstrate the feasibility of future very long baseline interferometry observations to resolve the jet–torus interacting region.

The modified activity of prolyl 4 hydroxylases reveals the effect of arabinogalactan proteins on changes in the cell wall during the tomato ripening process.

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are proteoglycans with an unusual molecular structure characterised by the presence of a protein part and carbohydrate chains. Their specific properties at different stages of the fruit ripening programme make AGPs unique markers of this process. An important function of AGPs is to co-form an amorphous extracellular matrix in the cell wall-plasma membrane continuum; thus, changes in the structure of these molecules can determine the presence and distribution of other components. The aim of the current work was to characterise the molecular structure and localisation of AGPs during the fruit ripening process in transgenic lines with silencing and overexpression of SlP4H3 genes (prolyl 4 hydroxylase 3). The objective was accomplished through comprehensive and comparative in situ and ex situ analyses of AGPs from the fruit of transgenic lines and wild-type plants at specific stages of ripening. The experiment showed that changes in prolyl 4 hydroxylases (P4H3) activity affected the content of AGPs and the progress in their modifications in the ongoing ripening process. The analysis of the transgenic lines confirmed the presence of AGPs with high molecular weights (120-60 kDa) at all the examined stages, but a changed pattern of the molecular features of AGPs was found in the last ripening stages, compared to WT. In addition to the AGP molecular changes, morphological modifications of fruit tissue and alterations in the spatio-temporal pattern of AGP distribution at the subcellular level were detected in the transgenic lines with the progression of the ripening process. The work highlights the impact of AGPs and their alterations on the fruit cell wall and changes in AGPs associated with the progression of the ripening process.

Tests for homogeneity of distributions of component lifetimes from Type‐II censored system lifetime data with known system structures

AbstractIn system reliability analysis, researchers are interested in evaluating the characteristics of the lifetime distribution of components in a system based on system lifetime data. In collecting system lifetime data, a censoring scheme is often adopted due to time and budget constraints. In this article, we consider the situation where the system lifetime data from two different coherent systems are subjected to Type‐II right‐censoring, and we are interested in testing the homogeneity of component lifetime distributions based on Type‐II censored system lifetime data with known system structures. Based on the Mann‐Whitney test and empirical likelihood ratio tests developed for testing the homogeneity of component lifetime distributions with complete system lifetime data, we propose different non‐parametric test procedures using the permutation of the unobserved censored system lifetimes. We consider a restricted assumption on the censored lifetimes to reduce the permutations required in the computation. The computational approaches to obtain the critical values of the proposed test procedures are provided using the Monte Carlo method. A practical example is used to illustrate the proposed test procedures. Then, the power performance of the proposed test procedures is evaluated and compared through a Monte Carlo simulation study. The simulation results show that the proposed test procedures provide comparable power performance for Type‐II censored system lifetime data in contrast to the complete sample case under different scenarios. Finally, recommendations based on the simulation results and concluding remarks are provided.