Effect of Ferulic Acid on Semen Quality of Goat Bucks during Liquid Storage at 17 °C.

This study investigated the effect of different concentrations of ferulic acid (FA) on the quality of goat semen preserved at 17 °C. First, semen was collected from three black-headed goat bucks using an artificial vagina. Then, the mixed semen was diluted with basal dilutions containing different concentrations of FA (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 µmol/L) and stored at 17 °C. Sperm total motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) were measured during semen storage. The results showed that sperm total motility, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity were significantly improved in the 50 µmol/L FA group compared with the control group (0 µmol/L) on days 1-5, and the level of T-AOC significantly increased, while the contents of ROS and MDA significantly reduced. Meanwhile, the goats' conception rate showed that supplementing semen with 50 µmol/L FA preserved at 17 °C for 3 days had no significant effect on fertility. Taken together, our findings suggest that adding 50 µmol/L FA in dilution at 17 °C can improve goat bucks' semen quality.

Toward robust solid-state lithium metal batteries by stabilizing a polyethylene oxide-based solid electrolyte interface with a biomass polymer filler.

Achieving all-solid-state lithium-based batteries with high energy densities requires lightweight and ultrathin solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) with high Li+ conductivity, but this still poses significant challenges. Herein, we designed a robust and mechanically flexible SSE (denoted BC-PEO/LiTFSI) by using an environmentally friendly and low-cost approach that involves bacterial cellulose (BC) as a three-dimensional (3D) rigid backbone. In this design, BC-PEO/LiTFSI is tightly integrated and polymerized through intermolecular hydrogen bonding, and the rich oxygen-containing functional groups from the BC filler also provide the active site for Li+ hopping transport. Therefore, the all-solid-state Li-Li symmetric cell with BC-PEO/LiTFSI (containing 3% BC) showed excellent electrochemical cycling properties over 1000 h at a current density of 0.5 mA cm-2. Furthermore, the Li-LiFePO4 full cell showed steady cycling performance under 3 mg cm-2 areal loading at a current of 0.1 C, and the resultant Li-S full cell maintained over 610 mAh g-1 for upward of 300 cycles at 0.2 C and 60 °C.

Unknown System Dynamics Estimator for Active Vehicle Suspension Control Systems With Time-Varying Delay.

This article proposes a novel control method for vehicle active suspension systems in the presence of time-varying input delay and unknown nonlinearities. An unknown system dynamics estimator (USDE), which employs first-order low-pass filter operations and has only one tuning parameter, is constructed to deal with unknown nonlinearities. With this USDE, the widely used function approximators (e.g., neural networks and fuzzy-logic systems) are not needed, and the intermediate variables and observer used in the traditional estimators are not required. This estimator has a reduced computational burden, trivial parameter tuning and guaranteed convergence. Moreover, a predictor-based compensation strategy is developed to handle the time-varying input delay. Finally, we combine the suggested USDE and predictor to design a feedback controller to attenuate the vibrations of vehicle body and retain the required suspension performances. Theoretical analysis is carried out via the Lyapunov-Krasovkii functional to prove the stability of the closed-loop system. Simulation results based on professional vehicle simulation software Carsim are provided to show the efficiency of the proposed control scheme.

Vertical Suspension Optimization for a High-Speed Train with PSO Intelligent Method.

Intelligent methods and algorithms have promoted the development of the intelligent transportation system in many ways. In the rail transportation, the vertical performance of a high-speed train suspension system has a great impact on the riding comfort of the train. Based on the intelligent optimization method of particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, different inerter-spring-damper (ISD) suspension layouts are proposed for better riding comfort. A 10-degree-of-freedom (10-DOF) vertical dynamic model of a high-speed train is established, and the new suspension layouts are applied to the primary and secondary suspension of the train at the same time. Optimizations are carried out for the suspension parameters of the high-speed train. Performances of different suspension layouts at different running speeds are analysed and compared. The best layout for suspension is concluded. What is more, the virtual prototype simulation and analysis of a high-speed train with consideration of nonlinear inerters are carried out. Friction of a rack-pinion inerter is simulated in the virtual prototype simulation. And the influence of nonlinearity is discussed compared with the ideal suspensions. All the results can represent a guidance for future train suspension design and help the intelligent rail transportation system to be more comfortable.