In this paper, we consider a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted integrated satellite-high altitude platform-terrestrial networks (IS-HAP-TNs) that can improve network performance by exploiting HAP's stability and RIS's reflection. Specifically, the reflector RIS is installed on the side of HAP to reflect signals from the multiple ground user equipments (UEs) to the satellite. To aim at maximising system sum rate, we jointly optimize the transmit beamforming matrix at the ground UEs and RIS phase shift matrix. Due to the limitation of the unit modulus of the RIS reflective elements constraint, the combinatorial optimization problem is difficult to tackle it effectively by traditional solving methods. Based on this, this paper studies deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithm to achieve online decision making for this joint optimization problem. In addition, it is verified through simulation experiments that the proposed DRL algorithm outperforms the standard scheme in terms of system performance and execution time, and higher computing speed, making real-time decision making truly feasible。

The calculation of the exact value of the square root of 2 is requested. In order to obtain its infinite value, A new concept is proposed where the accumulations of the infinitely many of finity is indicated by the change in direction which means that there is a jump from finity to infinity .The meaningless for an infinite number with a decimal point is indicated by this jump because any decimal number only have meanings within a finite range values and there is only an infinite integer quantity that can not be operated by algorithms like operations of multiplication，division,addition, and subtraction . The final result of the change in direction is two quantity where the second quantity and the first quantity extend in parallel line and never intersect and the second quantity represent the size of the first quantity. The first quantity is the infinitely great that can't be talked about anything outside of it and can compress any quantities outside of it to nothing and it is the exact value of the square root of 2 .

Abstract Although we know something about single cell neuromuscular junction, It is still mysterious how multiple skeletal muscle cells coordinate to complete the intricate spatial curve movement. Here I propose a hypothesis that skeletal muscle cell populations with action potentials are alligned according to a curved manifolds on space(a curved shape on space) and the skeletal muscle also moves according to this corresponding shape(manifolds) when an specific motor nerve impulses are transmitted. the action potential of motor nerve fibers has the characteristics of time curve manifold and this time manifold curve of motor nerve fibers come from visual cortex in which a spatial geometric manifolds are formed within the synaptic connection of neurons. This spatial geometric manifolds of the synaptic connection of neurons orginate from spatial geometric manifolds in outside nature that are transmitted to brain through the cone cells and ganglion cells of the retina.Further,the essence of life is that life is an object that can move autonomously and the essence of life's autonomous movement is the movement of proteins. theoretically, due to the infinite diversity of geometric manifold shapes in nature, the arrangement and combination of 20 amino acids should have infinite diversity, and the geometric manifold formed by protein three-dimensional spatial structure should also have infinite diversity.

An approximate calculation of the spatial characteristics on finite range is required, so one quantitative continuum represents the accumulation of infinite great quantities is artificially divided it into smaller and camparable parts in which calculus operation can be applied .This operation is defined as Theorem 1 in which infinity is not involved, there is a camparable finity is constantly (forever) approaching and not reaching infinity, and only staying within a finite range. Theorem 1 can exist in this paper as a new mathematical basis for physics. Because the essence of all physical quantities is size comparison, and the size comparison relation of matter can only be space/time, so relation formula space/time is the only expression of the concept of matter, all physical quantities are applicable to this expression, each different physical quantity is a multi-dimensional representation of this expression. A new mass energy formula is aslo derived from this paper.

Abstract Unlike accelerated motion or curvalinear motion,a nonlinear motion state(non-inertial system) can be described by differential equations or the other algebric equations in axiom 2, the accelerated motion in axiom 3 can be considered to be described by using the equation of the linear and curvilinear process of the continuum extending to infinitely distance.Further, this linear and curvilinear process of the continuum is a quantitative continuum in essence as a unity of infinitely quantities and infinitely dimensions at infinite distance (infinity) relative to all orientations in which we exist. These indicates that an accelerated motion accumulates continuously started from a finite quantities, leaping to transit from finite to infinite quantities by an infinitely great accelerating force.

Group-IV GeSn photodetectors (PDs) compatible with standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processing have emerged as a new and non-toxic infrared detection technology to enable a wide range of infrared applications. The performance of GeSn PDs is highly dependent on the Sn composition and operation temperature. Here, we develop theoretical models to establish a simple rule of thumb, namely “GeSn-rule 23”, to describe GeSn PDs’ dark current density in terms of operation temperature, cutoff wavelength, and Sn composition. In addition, analysis of GeSn PDs’ performance shows that the responsivity, detectivity, and bandwidth are highly dependent on operation temperature. This rule provides a simple and convenient indicator for device developers to estimate the device performance at various conditions for practical applications.

Taiwan developing offshore wind power to promote green energy and self-electricity production. In this study, a Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) was set up at Chang-Hua development zone one on the sea and 10km away from the seashore. At Lidar location, WRF (3.33km & 2km grid lengths) model and WAsP were used to simulate the wind speed at various elevations. Three days mean wind speed of simulated results were compared with Lidar data. From the four wind data sets, developed five different comparisons to find an error% and R-Squared values. Comparison between WAsP and Floating Lidar was shown good consistency. Lukang meteorological station 10 years wind observations at 5m height were used for wind farm energy predictions. The yearly variation of energy predictions of traditional and TGC wind farm layouts are compared under purely neutral and stable condition. The one-year cycle average surface heat flux over the Taiwan Strait is negative (-72.5 (W/m2) and 157.13 STD), which represents stable condition. At stable condition TGC (92.39%) and 600(92.44%), wind farms were shown higher efficiency. The Fuhai met mast wind data was used to estimate roughness length and power law exponent. The average roughness lengths are very small and unstable atmosphere.

Aflatoxin biosynthesis is correlated with oxidative stress and is proposed to function as a secondary defense mechanism to redundant intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). We find that the antioxidant gallic acid inhibits aflatoxin formation and growth in A. flavus in a dose-dependent manner. Global expression analysis (RNA-Seq) of gallic acid treated A. flavus showed that 0.8% (w/v) gallic acid revealed two possible routes of aflatoxin inhibition. Gallic acid significantly inhibited the expression of farB, encoding a transcription factor that participates in peroxisomal fatty acid β oxidation, a fundamental contributor to aflatoxin production. Secondly, the carbon repression regulator encoding gene creA was significantly down regulated by gallic acid treatment. CreA is necessary for aflatoxin synthesis and aflatoxin biosynthesis genes were significantly downregulated in DcreA mutants. In addition, the results of antioxidant enzyme activities and the lipid oxidation levels coupled with RNA-Seq data of antioxidant genes indicated that gallic acid may reduce oxidative stress through the glutathione- and thioredoxin-dependent systems in A. flavus.

In 2020 the world experienced the threat of the COVID-19 epidemic, as seniors and chronic disease patients typically try to reduce their exercise and social activities to avoid increasing the risk of infection, which could lead to increased loneliness and even many diseases. This research combining golf croquet games with AIoT companion robots constructs a home-based intelligent exercise system thus uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), deduces users’ intention to use this system based on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, and adds the needs of love and belonging, esteem, cognitive, aesthetic, and self-actualization in Maslow’s needs theory to conduct system needs analysis. The analysis results show that participants have a high level of acceptance of this system, believing that it is easy to learn and operate, can increase interaction with others, also found that this system can improve self-confirmation, satisfying the third for knowledge, feeling happy, and self-actualization needs are easier to fulfill. In the future, we shall collect and record the seniors in the process of use, so as to find out their health problems as soon as possible, expand their daily life through this exercise, and achieve the goal of happy living and health care.

LiFePO4 (LFP) has undergone extensive research and is a promising cathode material for Li-ion batteries. The high interest is due to its low raw material cost, good electrochemical stability, and high-capacity retention. However, poor electronic conductivity and a low Li+ diffusion rate decrease its electrochemical reactivity, especially at fast charge/discharge rates. In this work, the volumetric energy density of lithium-ion batteries is successfully increased by using different amounts of conductive carbon (Super P) in the active material content. The particle size and morphology of the electrode material samples are studied using field emission scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Two-point-probe DC measurements and adhesive force tests are used to determine the conductivity and evaluate adhesion for the positive electrode. Cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and charge/discharge tests are used to analyze the electrochemical properties of the battery. The samples containing 88% LFP, 5.5% Super P and 6.5% PVDF perform best, with discharge capacities reaching 169.8 mAhg-1 at 0.1C, and they can also manage charging/discharging of 5C. EIS indicates that this combination produces the lowest charge-transfer impedance (67 Ω) and the highest Li+ ion diffusion coefficient (5.76 x 10-14 cm2s-1).

The log interpretation and evaluation of Chang 8 tight sandstone reservoir in Longdong West area, Ordos Basin, is facing great challenges due to the existence of low resistivity contrast oil pays. To better guide the exploration of oil resources in this area, the characteristics and control mechanism of low resistivity contrast oil pays were studied in this research. Firstly, according to the relative value of apparent resistivity increase rate of the target formation, the reservoir was divided into two types: low resistivity contrast oil pay (LRCP) and high resistivity oil pay (HRP). Then, the reservoir characteristics were studied by comparing and analyzing the experimental data, formation water data and logging data collected from the two reservoir types. On this basis, the control mechanism of LRCP was studied and summarized into reservoir micro factors and regional macro factors, respectively. It is found that the reservoir rock composition between LRCP and HRP is basically the same. Compared with HRP reservoir, the average porosity and permeability of LRCP reservoir are relatively better, but the pore structure is relatively poorer because of the high content of micro pores. When the filling pressure of crude oil is sufficient enough, the high oil saturation can be formed in LRCP reservoir. The high irreducible water saturation and high formation water salinity are the main micro factors reduced the reservoir resistivity. Besides, the difference of hydrocarbon expulsion capacity of source rock and the regional difference of formation water salinity are the macro factors influenced the distribution of LRCP and HRP from vertical and horizontal of the region. The formation of LRCP is controlled by the comprehensive influence of reservoir micro factors and regional macro factors. And the comprehensive consideration of the influence of micro factors and macro factors on LRCP is suggested during the log interpretation and evaluation.

A fast and effective determination method of different species of vegetable seeds oil is vital in the plant oil industry. The near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) method was developed in this study to massively analyze the oil and moisture contents of Camellia gauchowensis Chang and C. semiserrata Chi seeds kernels. In the prediction models of NIRS, the levels of accuracy obtained were sufficient for C. gauchowensis Chang and C. semiserrata Chi, the correlation coefficient of which oil were 0.983 and 0.962, respectively, while which of moisture were 0.937 and 0.907, respectively. The near infrared spectrum of crush seeds kernels was more precise compared to intact kernels. Based on the calibration models of the two Camellia species, the NIRS predictive oil contents of C. gauchowensis Chang and C. semiserrata Chi seeds kernels were 48.71 ± 8.94% and 31.71 ± 7.39%, respectively, and the NIRS predictive moisture contents were 4.39 ± 1.08% and 3.49 ± 0.71%, respectively. Compared with the traditional chemical measurement, the rapid, precise measurement of oil and moisture of C. gauchowensis Chang and C. semiserrata Chi seeds kernels can be actualized by NIRS method.

Entrepreneurship has been viewed as an opportunity for economic development and changing economic scenarios in global markets. Women are viewed as a reservoir of entrepreneurial talent, so they can be growth engines in novel markets. Previous studies have considered entrepreneurship as the most effective way towards the economic empowerment of women. Female students engaged in entrepreneurial education have been addressed persistently, while what transforms them in an education process is still unclear. Considering the transforming global economy and its influence on higher education, this study aims to detect female students transforming entrepreneurial competency, mindset, and intention into sustainable entrepreneurship. Using a self-compiled survey, we targeted 752 female students to investigate their entrepreneurial competency, mindset, and intention. SPSS and AMOS were used to transform the data for interpretation. We assumed that the impact of female students’ entrepreneurial competency could be modified by an entrepreneurial mindset and result in entrepreneurial intention. To detect this causal relationship, this study employed reliability, factor, structural equation modeling (SEM), and bootstrap-ping analyses to verify the evidence. The result of the SEM confirms that female students’ entrepreneurial competency will, through their entrepreneurial mindset, impact entrepreneurial intention. With bootstrapping, 5000 samples were collected, and it was demonstrated that the measure constructs were still reliable in the model. This study found that there is a mediation effect between entrepreneurial competency and entrepreneurial intention. The entrepreneurial mindset plays a crucial role in the transformation process. Without an entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurial competency cannot exert a significant effect on entrepreneurial intention. The findings can help reinvent related entrepreneurial education in higher education.

A novel scheme that can simultaneously measure the Doppler frequency shift (DFS) and angle of arrival (AOA) of microwave signals is proposed. At the signal receiving unit (SRU), two echo signals and the reference signal are modulated by a Sagnac loop structure and sent to the central station (CS) for processing. At the CS, two low-frequency electrical signals are generated after polarization control and photoelectric conversion. The DFS without direction ambiguity and wide AOA measurement can be real-time acquired by monitoring the frequency and power of the two low-frequency electrical signals. In the simulation, an unambiguous DFS measurement with errors of ±3×10-3 Hz and a -90° to 90° AOA measurement range with errors of less than ±0.5° are realized. The safety and robustness of the system to environmental disturbance are improved, and it is more suitable for the modern electronic warfare system.

Mechanical ventilation (MV), used in patients with acute lung injury (ALI), induces diaphragmatic myofiber atrophy and contractile inactivity, termed ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase- (PI3K-) is crucial in modulating fibrogenesis during the reparative phase of ALI; however, the mechanisms regulating the interactions among MV, myofiber fibrosis, and PI3K- remain unclear. We hypothesized MV with or without bleomycin treatment would increase diaphragm muscle fibrosis through the PI3K- pathway. Five days after receiving a single bolus of 0.075 units bleomycin intratracheally, C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 6 or 10 mL/kg MV for 8 h after receiving 5 mg/kg of AS605240 intraperitoneally. In wild-type mice, bleomycin exposure followed by MV 10 mL/kg prompted significant increases in disruptions of diaphragmatic myofibrillar organization, transforming growth factor-1, oxidative loads, Masson’s trichrome staining, extracellular collagen levels, positive staining of -smooth muscle actin, PI3K- expression, and myonuclear apoptosis (P < 0.05). Decreased diaphragm contractility and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor- coactivator-1 levels were also observed (P < 0.05). MV-augmented bleomycin-induced diaphragm fibrosis and myonuclear apoptosis were attenuated in PI3K-γ-deficient mice and through AS605240-induced inhibition of PI3K- activity (P < 0.05). MV-augmented diaphragm fibrosis after bleomycin-induced ALI is partially mediated through PI3K-γ. Therapy targeting PI3K-γ may ameliorate MV-associated diaphragm fibrosis.

Abstract: Background: The optimal strategy for the microelimination of HCV within community settings remains ambiguous. We evaluated the percentage of participants who achieved linkage to care (LTC) following the conclusion of the screening campaign, and examined the diverse factors influencing LTC among these individuals. The effectiveness of recall intervention for the non-LTC population and its barriers were analyzed. Methods: We initiated an HCV patients recall program to identify the HCV participants who might not be treated after the HCV screening campaign. A program staff recalled HCV participants who lost to follow-up through the telephone from March 2019 to June 2019. They were informed of HCV treatment's importance, efficacy, availability, and safety. Result: Among 185 HCV-infected participants, 109 (58.9%) HCV-infected participants had obtained LTC. Compared with those who had LTC, those without LTC were older, lower education levels, were less aware of their HCV infection, less frequently lived in urban areas, and had less health insurance. At the end of the recall program, 125 (67.6 %) persons had liked to care. The proportion of LTC increased by 8.7 %. 119 persons had an HCV RNA test, and 82 (68.9%) had viremia. Of 82 patients with viremia, 78 (95.1%) received antiviral therapy. 76 (97.4 %) of them achieved a sustained virological response. Conclusion: After a community screening campaign, 59 % of participants with anti-HCV positive had LTC. The recall program can increase by 9 %. However, there were still 32% of HCV participants who couldn't be linked to care. Outreach care for non-LTC patients is a way worth trying to achieve micro-elimination of HCV in the rural community.

The Mine Internet of Things (MIoT), as a key technology for reconstructing post-disaster communication networks, enables to realize the safety monitoring and controlling of the affected roadway. However, due to the challenging underground mine environment, the MIoT suffers from severe signal attenuation, vulnerable nodes, and limited energy, which result in low network reliability of the post-disaster MIoT. To improve the transmission reliability as well as to reduce energy consumption, a directional-area-forwarding-based energy-efficient opportunistic routing (DEOR) for the post-disaster MIoT is proposed. DEOR defines a forwarding zone (FZ) for each node to route packets toward the sink. The candidate forwarding set (CFS) is constructed by the nodes within the FZ that satisfy the energy constraint and the neighboring node degree constraint. The nodes in CFS are prioritized based on the routing quality evaluation by taking the local attributes of nodes into consideration, such as the directional angle, transmission distance, and residual energy. DEOR adopts a recovery mechanism to address the issue of void nodes. The simulation results validate that the proposed DEOR outperforms ORR, OBRN and ECSOR in terms of energy consumption, average hop count, packet delivery rate, and network lifetime.

We report a diode pumped solid state (DPSS) laser used for intracavity pump-enhanced difference frequency generation (DFG) to create a 3.5 micron laser. Using a 50 mm-long periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal inside the cavity of an Nd:YVO4 solid state laser at 1064 nm with 4.5 W pump power at 808 nm, and a 310 mW C-band signal at 1529 nm, up to 31 mW of mid-infrared output power at 3499 nm is obtained. The cavity requires no active stabilization and/or locking, and the entire cavity is <8 cm in length. The obtained output power corresponds to a black box efficiency of 2.20 %W-1, which is the highest value reported to date for continuous wave DFG based on a bulk nonlinear optical crystal with no active stabilization. Potential future applications in free space optical communication are discussed as well.

Dysregulation of cartilage homeostasis and the changes in the density and the architecture of the subchondral bone were postulated as a potent mechanically pathological activity contributing to osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a new, none invasive and effective method in the treatment of animal OA model. In the current study, we demonstrated that shockwave induced the expression of protein-disulfide isomerase-associated 3 (Pdia-3) which is a multifunctional protein hypothesized to be a significant mediator for 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)₂D₃) signaling pathway using two-dimensional electrophoresis. Histological analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were verified and observed that the expression of Pdia-3 at 2 weeks was significantly higher than that of any other group at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks post-shockwave treatment in early OA knee of rat. The other factors of the 1α,25(OH)₂D₃ rapid membrane signaling pathway including extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 (ERK1), osteopontin (OPG), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP13) were measured and significantly increased by qPCR at 2 weeks post-shockwave treatment in early OA knee. Our proteomic data revealed significant Pdia-3 expression in microenvironments of joint tissue that could be actively responded to ESWT, which may potentially regulate biological function of chondrocytes and osteoblasts in the treatment of OA knee.

Chinese calligraphy, revered globally for its therapeutic and mindfulness benefits, encompasses styles such as Regular (Kai Shu), Running (Xing Shu), Official (Li Shu), and Cursive (Cao Shu) scripts. Beginners often start with Regular script, advancing to more intricate styles like Cursive. Each style, marked by unique historical calligraphers' contributions, requires learners to discern distinct nuances. The integration of AI in calligraphy analysis, collection, recognition, and classification are pivotal. This study introduces an innovative Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture, pioneering the application of CNN in the classification of Chinese calligraphy. Focusing on the four principal calligraphers' styles from the Tang dynasty (690-907 A.D), this research spotlights the era when the traditional regular script font (Kai Shu) was refined. A comprehensive dataset of 8282 samples from these calligraphers, representing the zenith of regular style, was compiled for CNN training and testing. The model distinguishes personal styles for classification, showing superior performance over existing networks. Achieving 89.5-96.2% accuracy in calligraphy classification, our approach underscores the significance of CNN in both font and artistic style categorization. This research paves the way for advanced studies in Chinese calligraphy and its cultural implications.

This study aimed to identify whether gyrate atrophy of the choroid and retina (GACR) heterozygous individuals have possible clinical manifestations and to explore the potential pathogenic mechanism. In this retrospective study, we surveyed a two-generation pedigree of an individual diagnosed with GACR. Two family members underwent ophthalmological, hematologic, and genetic tests. An arginine-restricted diet with vitamin B6 supplementation was implemented; clinical assessments were repeated every 3 months during follow-up. Relative OAT mRNA expression was determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The 19-year-old compound heterozygous daughter (OAT: c.1186C>T; c.748C>T), had bilateral high myopia, posterior staphyloma, chorioretinal atrophy, macular abnormalities, and elevated hematologic ornithine. The 54-year-old heterozygous mother (OAT: c.1186C>T), presented with bilateral severe myopia, asymmetric posterior staphyloma, retina and choroidal capillary layer atrophy, retinal pigment epithelium abnormalities, and mildly elevated hematologic ornithine. Compared to normal individuals, the daughter and mother had 29% and 46% relative OAT mRNA expression, respectively (P<0.001). We believe that this is the first report of a carrier of one OAT variant allele with mild phenotypes, suggesting that family members should be aware of the possible involvement of autosomal recessive conditions. Additional data suggests nonsense mediated decay-initiated mRNA degradation may cause GACR.

Background: miRNA-122 has been reported to be a useful tool for monitoring ACR after LT. IL-28B SNP rs8099917 genotype is known to contribute to the control of HCV infection. We sought to investigate the relationship between IL-28B SNP rs8099917 genotype and miRNA-122 expression and immune mechanism of ACR after LT using hepatitis C antibody calibration. Patients and Methods: A total of 45 patients with chronic hepatitis C received LDLT. IL-28B SNP rs8099917 genotyping was used to divide TT and GT groups. The relative expression levels of miRNA-122 were calculated by quantitative PCR as 2[(Ct of miR-122) (Ct of U6)] normalized to a reference gene and compared to a control sample, and the anti-HCV titers before and after LT were tracked to observe the relationship with ACR. Results: In the genotype of rs8099917, TT was significantly more associated with higher serum miRNA-122 levels than GT (p = 0.029). The ACR was significantly higher in genotype TT than in GT (p = 0.002). TT was significantly associated with low levels of pre-LT anti-HCV compared with GT (p = 0.022). Multivariate analysis with 95% confidence intervals showed a significant association between rs8099917 genotype TT, lower pre-LT and higher post-LT anti-HCV and ACR. Conclusion: Based on our current data, IL-28B SNP rs8099917 genotype TT may express higher miRNA-122 and correlate with lower Pre-LT and higher Post-LT anti-HCV titers, and may correlate to the pathogenesis of ACR after LT.

Abstract: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a continually advancing respiratory disorder, characterized by enduring airflow limitation along with long-lasting inflammation in the airways. An expanding pool of evidence is emphasizing how mitochondrial dysfunction directly impacts the development and progression of COPD. This comprehensive review delves deeper into the intricate cellular and molecular biology of mitochondria within the framework of COPD, spotlighting significant alterations in structure and function that accompany mitochondrial dysfunction. In this narrative, we delve into the observed changes in mitochondrial shape, behavior, and respiratory chain complex alterations seen in individuals afflicted with COPD. The discussion includes implications on cellular signaling pathways and how this affects the natural process of programmed cellular death (apoptosis) and cellular aging, particularly in reference to COPD. Additionally, we consolidate ongoing therapeutic strategies, honing in on the management of COPD through a focus on mitochondrial dysfunction. Prominent among these strategies is the potential role of antioxidants and mitochondrial biogenesis inducers, which are emerging as promising fields of intervention. Furthermore, we embark on an overview of the possible use of mitochondrial biomarkers as innovative tools in diagnosing COPD, evaluating disease progression, and monitoring the efficacy of COPD treatments. As we unravel the rather complex interplay between mitochondrial biology and COPD, this review highlights the critical importance of formulating treatments that target mitochondrial dysfunction. The ultimate goal of these strategic interventions is to slow down the rate of COPD progression and significantly improve patient outcomes. Lastly, though our understanding of the nexus between COPD and mitochondrial dysfunction has significantly enhanced, ample scope remains for further investigation. Improved insights into the mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction, discovered biomarkers, and targeted therapies could encompass a revolutionary step towards comprehensive disease management. The future of COPD treatment seems to lean towards a combination of strategies, prioritizing not only the management of symptoms but also focused on preserving and restoring lung function, improving physical capacity, and enhancing quality of life for COPD patients.

Regeneratively cooled scramjet has already been successfully verified as propulsion device for hypersonic vehicle. As a result, dynamic process of flow and heat transfer in cooling channel is commonly occurred which may bring hazard and control difficulties for scramjet. To study transient flow and heat transfer process in cooling channel, a dynamic numerical model is established. Dynamic characteristics of flow and heat transfer under different conditions are calculated and discussed, which includes change of inlet fuel mass flow, heat flux and pressure working conditions. Results show that stable time of cooling channel outlet fuel temperature is related to the change rate of inlet mass flow and heat flux. The stable time of outlet fuel temperature under heat flux decreasing working conditions are about 12.5 s. The initial response of working pressure fluctuation will lead to fuel temperature fluctuation, which has little effect on wall temperature.

The calcium-sensing receptor (CAS), as a chloroplast thylakoid membrane protein, involved in the process of [Ca2+] ext-induced [Ca2+]cyt increase (CICI) in the plant. However, the underlying mechanism regulating this process is lacking. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that CAS may perform additional roles in the plant. Here, we provide an update covering the multiple roles of CAS in stomatal movement regulation and calcium signaling in the plant. We also analysis the possible phosphorylation mechanism of CAS by light and discuss the role of CAS in abiotic stress (drought, salt stress) and biotic stresses (plant immune signaling). Finally, we provide a perspective for future experiments which are required to fill gaps in our understanding of the biological function of CAS in the plant.

In the broad context of vulnerability detection, deep learning has achieved considerable progress but faces generalization challenges in multilingual environments . We introduce a novel approach named AST-FMVD, which leverages transfer learning and abstract syntax trees. By employing semantic similarity clustering and context-aware technology, the method constructs node mapping relationships between different languages, enabling zero-shot learning in vulnerability detection. The method was validated by applying Java's vulnerability detection model in the Python domain, successfully demonstrating that AST-FMVD retains the original model's detection capabilities in the target domain. In conclusion, the proposed method offers a promising solution to the inherent problems in multi-language vulnerability detection, signifying a potential leap in the application of deep learning, transfer learning, and abstract syntax trees for improved cross-domain performance.

This paper gives both a general canonical quantum gravity theory and the general canonical quantum gravity theories of the Universe and general black hole, and discovers the relations reflecting symmetric properties of the standard nonlinear gravitational Lagrangian, which are not relevant to any concrete metric models. This paper concretely shows the general commutation relations of the general gravitational field operators and their zeroth, first, second and third style, respectively, of high order canonical momentum operators for the general nonlinear system of the standard gravitational Lagrangian, and then has finished all the four styles of the canonical quantization of the standard gravity.

Five new perylenequinone derivatives, altertoxins VIII-XII (1-5), as well as one known compound cladosporol I (6), were isolated from the fermentation broth of Cladosporium sp. KFD33 from a blood cockle from Haikou Bay, China. Their structures were determined based on spectroscopic methods and ECD spectra analysis along with quantum ECD calculations. Compounds 1-6 exhibited quorum sensing inhibitory activities against Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 with MIC values of 30, 30, 20, 30, 20 and 30 μg/well, respectively.

We used the Bootstrap ARDL method to test the relationship between the export trades, FDI and CO₂ emissions of the BRICS countries. We found that China's foreign direct investment and the lag one period of CO₂ emissions have a cointegration on exports. South Africa's foreign direct investment and CO₂ emissions have a cointegration relationship with the lag one period of exports, and South Africa's the lag one period of exports and foreign direct investment have a cointegration relationship with the lag one period of CO₂ emissions. But whether it is China or South Africa, these three variables have no causal relationship in the long-term. Among the variables of other BRICS countries, Russia is the only country showed degenerate case #1 in McNown et al. mentioned in their paper. When we examined short-term causality, we found that CO₂ emissions and export trade showed a reverse causal relationship, while FDI and carbon emissions were not so obvious. Export trade has a positive causal relationship with FDI. Those variables are different from different situations and different countries.

Antibiotic beads were used to treat surgical infections. In this study, polylactide–polyglycolide (PLGA) was mixed with vancomycin, osteogenic enhancer lithium chloride (LiCl), and hot com-pressing to form PLGA-vancomycin-LiCl delivery beads to treat bone infection. An elution method was employed to characterize the in vitro release characteristics of the vancomycin and the Li over a 42-day period. The released profiles lasted for more than 42 days for vancomycin and 28 days for Li. The concentration of vancomycin in each sample was well above the breakpoint sensitivity. Lithium co-treatment enhanced the bactericidal effect of vancomycin. Released Li and vancomycin increased mRNA or protein expressions of osteogenic markers of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In vivo, the PLGA delivery systems were implanted into the rabbit distal femoral cavities and the cavity fluid content was aspirated and analyzed at each time point. The released Li and vancomycin lasted more than 6 weeks, and vancomycin concentrations were much above the breakpoint sensitivity. Four rabbits in each group were killed at 8 weeks for histologic observation. More mature bone tissue was shown in the Li treatment group. This study provides a PLGA drug delivery system to meet the requirements of patients with bone infections.

This paper presents an optimized energy management strategy for Li-ion power batteries used on electric vehicles (EVs) at low temperatures. Under low-temperature environments, EVs suffer a sharp driving range loss resulted from the energy and power capability reduction of the battery. Simultaneously, because of Li plating, battery degradation becomes an increasing concern as temperature drops. All these factors could greatly increase the total vehicle operation cost. Prior to battery charging and vehicle operating, preheating battery to a battery-friendly temperature is an approach to promote energy utilization and reduce total cost. Based on the proposed LiFePO4 battery model, the total vehicle operation cost under certain driving cycles is quantified in the present paper. Then given a certain ambient temperature, a target temperature of preheating is optimized under the principle of minimizing total cost. As for the preheating method, a liquid heating system is also implemented on an electric bus. Simulation results show that the preheating process becomes increasingly necessary with a decreasing ambient temperature; however, the preheating demand declines as driving range grows. Vehicle tests verify that the preheating management strategy proposed in this paper is able to save total vehicle operation cost.

Anthracnose is one of primary diseases in tea plants that affects tea yield and quality. The geographical distribution, occurrence regularity, and agronomic measures of tea plants with anthracnose have been researched for decades. However, the pathogenic cause of anthracnose in tea plants is diverse in different regions of the world. Identifying the specific pathogenic fungi causing tea anthracnose is an essential control measure to mitigate this disease. In this study, 88 Diaporthales and 45 Colletotrichum isolates were obtained from 3 different types of diseased tea leaves. Based on multilocus phylogenetic and morphological analysis, 3 known species, including Discula theae-sinensis, Diaporthe ueckerae, Diaporthe lithocarpus, and 3 indistinguishable species of Diaporthales were identified. In adddition, 8 known species of Colletotrichum, C. fructicola, C. camelliae, C. aenigma, C. siamense, C. henanense, C. karstii, C. tropicicola, C. gigasporum, were identified. This study is the first to report C. tropicicola and C. gigasporum in tea plant in China. Discula theae-sinensis was the most common species in this study and caused disease lesions around wounded areas of tea leaves. The dual trials in vitro indicated Discula theae-sinensis and Colletotrichum were slight inhibition. Co-inoculating Discula theae-sinensis and C. fructicola was superior to single inoculation at low concentration.

Arc sensors have been used in seam tracking and widely studied since the 80s; commercial arc sensing products for T and V shaped grooves have been developed. However, it is difficult to use these arc sensors in narrow gap welding because arc stability and sensing accuracy are not satisfactory. Pulse gas melting arc welding (P-GMAW) has been successfully applied in narrow gap welding and all position welding processes, so it is worthwhile to research P-GMAW arc sensing technology. In this paper, we derived a linear mathematical P-GMAW model for arc sensing, and the assumptions for the model are verified through experiments and finite element methods. Finally, the linear characteristics of the mathematical model were investigated. In torch height changing experiments, uphill experiments, and groove angle changing experiments the P-GMAW arc signals all satisfied the linear rules. In addition, the faster the welding speed, the higher the arc signal sensitivities; the smaller the groove angle, the greater the arc sensitivities. The arc signal variation rate needs to be modified according to the welding power, groove angles, and swing or rotate speed.

A low-cost bio-mass-derived carbon substrate has been employed to synthesize MoS₂@carbon composites through a hydrothermal method. Carbon fibers derived from natural cotton provide a three-dimensional and open framework for the uniform growth of MoS₂ nanosheets, thus constructing hierarchically coaxial architecture. The unique structure could synergistically benefit fast Li-ion and electron transport from the conductive carbon scaffold and porous MoS₂ nanostructures. As a result, the MoS₂@carbon composites, when served as anodes for Li-ion batteries, exhibit a high reversible specific capacity of 820 mAh g^-1, high-rate capability (457 mAh g^-1 at 2 A g^-1), and excellent cycling stability. The superior electrochemical performance makes the MoS₂@carbon composites to be low-cost and promising anode materials for Li-ion batteries.

This investigation introduces an efficient method for assessing the reliability of semi-rigid steel frame connections in existing buildings, explicitly targeting the Top Angle and Seat Pad (TA-SP) semi-rigid connection commonly used in Australian cities' high-rise buildings. The moment capacity of these connections was examined through parameter power model testing, meticulously considering the bending, shear, and prying forces actions to determine the weakest elements in the connection system. A plastic hinge model was applied to ensure computational efficiency and accuracy in assessing the connections' ultimate strength. Comparatively, the finite element (F.E) method M−θ curves were introduced to scrutinise the nonlinear behaviour of the connection, providing validation for the predicted analytical approach. Further emphasis was placed on identifying the reliability of the weakest elements in the connection system, employing the First-Order and Second-Order Reliability Methods models to estimate their reliability index. The correlation between the model's failure probability and a percentile error was also explored, utilising Monte Carlo simulation reference for refined validation. Novel formulas and methodologies were introduced to compute the locked-chain-series system reliability, which accounts for the inherent material and geometric variability. The findings highlight the critical significance of the weakest element in determining the overall reliability of the existing TA-SP connection.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant polyphenol in green tea. In this study, the effects of dietary EGCG on oxidative stress and the metabolism and toxicity of acetaminophen in liver were investigated. Rats were fed the diets with (0.54 %) or without EGCG supplementation for four weeks and were then intraperitoneally injected with acetaminophen (1g/kg). Results showed EGCG lowered hepatic oxidative stress and cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2, 2E1, and 3A, and UDP-glucurosyltransferase activities prior to acetaminophen injection. After acetaminophen challenge, the elevations in plasma alanine aminotransferase activity and histological changes in liver were ameliorated by EGCG treatment. EGCG reduced acetaminophen-induced apoptosis by increasing the Bax/Bcl2 ratio in liver. EGCG mildly increased autophagy by increasing the LC3B II/I ratio. Lower hepatic acetaminophen-glutathione and acetaminophen-protein adducts contents were observed after EGCG treatment. EGCG increased glutathione peroxidase and NAD(P)H quinone 1 oxidoreductase activities and reduced organic anion-transporting polypeptides 1a1 expression in liver after acetaminophen treatment. Our results indicate that EGCG may lower oxidative stress and reduce the metabolism and toxicity of acetaminophen. The reductions in CYP-mediated acetaminophen bioactivation and uptake transporter, as well as enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, may limit the accumulation of toxic products in liver and thus lower hepatotoxicity

Few-shot classification is challenging since the goal is to classify unlabeled samples with very few labeled samples provided. It has been shown that cross attention helps generate more discriminative features for few-shot learning. This paper extends the idea and proposes two cross attention modules, namely the cross scaled attention (CSA) and the cross aligned attention (CAA). Specifically, CSA scales different feature maps to make them better matched, and CAA adopts the principal component analysis to further align features from different images. Experiments showed that both CSA and CAA achieve consistent improvements over state-of-the-art methods on four widely used few-shot classification benchmark datasets, miniImageNet, tieredImageNet, CIFAR-FS, and CUB-200-2011, while CSA is slightly faster and CAA achieves higher accuracies.

The prolonged lockdown imposed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic prevented many people from direct contact with nature and greenspaces, raising alarms for a possible worsening of mental health. This study investigates the effectiveness of a simple and affordable remedy for improving psychological well-being, based on audio-visual stimuli brought by a short computer video showing forest environments, with an urban video as a control. Randomly selected participants were assigned the forest or urban video, to look at and listen early in the morning, and filled questionnaires. In particular, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Form Y, collected in baseline condition and at the end of the study, and the Part II of the Sheehan Patient Rated Anxiety Scale (SPRAS), collected every day immediately before and after watching the video. The virtual exposure to forest environments showed effective to reduce perceived anxiety levels in in people forced by lockdown in limited spaces and environmental deprivation. Although significant, the effects were observed only in the short term, highlighting the limitation of the virtual experiences. The reported effects might also represent a benchmark to disentangle the determinants of health effects due to real forest experiences, for example, the inhalation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC).

Research on the development of new lightweight Al-Li alloys using selective laser melting pro-cess has great potential for industrial applications. This paper reports on the development of novel aluminum-lithium alloys using selective laser melting technology. Al-Cu-Li-Mg-Ag-Sc-Zr pre-alloyed powders with lithium contents of 1 wt.%, 2 wt.% and 3 wt.%, respectively, were prepared by inert gas atomization. After SLM process optimization, the microstructure and me-chanical properties of the as-formed specimens were investigated. The densification of the three newly developed alloys are 99.51 %, 98.96 % and 92.01 %, respectively. They all have good form-ability, with the lithium loss rate about 15 %. The as-formed alloy with 1% Li content presents good comprehensive properties with a yield strength of 412.6 ± 16.0 MPa, an ultimate tensile strength of 461.1 ± 11.7 MPa, and an elongation of 13.6 ± 1.1%. The three alloys exhibit a layered molten pool stacking morphology and have a typical heterostructure. The columnar crystals and equiaxed fine grains are alternately arranged, and most of the precipitated phases are enriched at the grain boundaries. The change of Li content mainly affects the precipitation of Cu-containing phase. When the Li content is 1 wt.%, there are θ phase, T1 phase and TB phase. When Li increased to 2 wt.%, T1 and T2 phases precipitated together. When Li reaches 3 wt.%, δ' phase precipitates with T2 phase. This study provides useful guidance for the future SLM form-ing of new crack-free and high-strength Al-Li alloys.

The Loess Plateau is an important region for vegetation restoration in China, however, changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), soil nutrients, and stoichiometry after restoration in this vulnerable ecoregion are not well understood. Typical restoration types, including orchardland (OL), grassland (GL), shrubland (SL), and forestland (FL) were chosen to examine changes in the stocks and stoichiometry of SOC, soil total nitrogen (TN), and soil total phosphorus (TP) at different soil depths and recovery times. Results showed that SOC stocks first increased and then stabilized in OL, GL, and SL at 0–30 cm depth, while in FL, stocks gradually increased. Soil TN stocks first increased and then decreased in OL, SL, and FL with vegetation age at 0–30 cm depth, while soil TP stocks showed little variation between restoration types. In the later stages of restoration, the stocks of SOC and soil TN at 0–30 cm soil depth were still lower than those in natural grassland (NG) and natural forest (NF). The overall C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios increased with vegetation age. Additionally, the SOC, soil TN and soil TP stocks, and C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios decreased with soil depth. The FL had the highest rate of change in SOC and soil TN stocks, at 0-10 cm soil depth. These results indicate a complex response of SOC, soil TN, and soil TP stocks and stoichiometry to vegetation restoration, which could have important implications for understanding C, N, and P changes and nutrient limitations after vegetation restoration.

Due to the special terrain of Urumqi (in the valley area), which often triggers strong foehn weather, and causes huge losses to local people's lives and social economy. This study uses in-situ surface meteorological variables (including the hourly temperature, pressure, humidity, wind, etc.) from the Urumqi Meteorological Station (downstream station, DS) and the Dabancheng Meteorological Station (upstream station, US) in the Middle Tianshan Valley and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data from 2008 to 2022. A dataset of the foehn weather process at DS in the past 15 years is established and the variation patterns of each meteorological variable during the process of foehn is analyzed. Based on the physical mechanism of the occurrence of foehn, a three-element identification standard for foehn in Urumqi is established by comparing and analyzing the variation of wind direction (WD), wind speed (WS), and the difference of potential temperature (Δθ) between DS and US during the period of foehn and non-foehn from 2013 to 2022, namely: 94°≤ 2-minute average WD ≤168°, 2-minute average WS ≥2.0 m/s, and Δθ between DS and US ≥ 0.29 K. According to the test and evaluation, the three-element identification standard has an accuracy of 82.96%, and a hit rate of 89.50% for the occurrence of foehn in Urumqi from 2008 to 2012. Moreover, the hit rate of foehn identification is 100% for strong wind or above (i.e., 2-minute average WS ≥10.8 m/s) WS. In addition, combined with two predictors of sea-level pressure difference (ΔP) and Δθ between DS and US, forecasting foehn can be more accurately predicted than a single forecasting factor. When ΔP ≤ -12 hPa and Δθ≥5 K, the probability of the occurrence of foehn is more than 90%. This study provides certain reference and application value for the weather forecasting operation of foehn.

This study delves into the complex dynamics of Underwater Wireless Optical Communication (UWOC) in varied Harbor water conditions. Focusing on four distinct types of Harbor water, the research employs the Monte Carlo method to simulate photon transmission and analyze critical UWOC characteristics. Key parameters such as the transmitted full divergence angle, received aperture, and Field of View (FOV) are meticulously evaluated for their impact on communication efficacy. The study first explores the relationship between laser power variation, attenuation length, and divergence angle, revealing how different water qualities influence received power and time delay spread. Notably, the received normalized power loss and time delay spread are found to be more significantly affected by communication distance than water quality. In addition, under the condition of small received aperture and FOV, the influence on normalized power loss and time spread is more obvious in Harbor water. The findings offer novel insights into the challenges of UWOC in Harbor waters, particularly in terms of light scattering and absorption properties, and contribute to the optimization of communication systems in such complex underwater environments. Furthermore, the analysis of time pulse spread in turbid water quality is of great significance for the analysis and improvement of underwater wireless optical timing, ranging and positioning.

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a major public health problem worldwide. In this work, we investigated the effects of a purified Laminaria japonica polysaccharide (LJP61A) on the renal function using adenine-induced CRF mice model. Results exhibited that adenine treatment caused serious renal pathological damages and elevation of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen of mice. However, these changes could be significantly reversed by the administration of LJP61A in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, LJP61A could dramatically reduce the weight loss, improve the urine biochemical index, and regulate the electrolyte disturbance of CRF mice. These results suggested that the renal functions of adenine-induced CRF mice could be improved by LJP61A, which might be developed to a potential therapeutic agent for CRF patients.

A solid structure, such as a road, building wall or envelop, used as a solar collector is considered an effective and new way to use renewable energy. This paper focused on the temperature characteristics of four structures exposed to sunshine: asphalt, red brick, composite cement and concrete road slab. Furthermore, the collected heat based on a hydraulic system was investigated experimentally. For the four structure slabs, their temperature differences are due to solar radiation absorption varied greatly by the material’s heat absorptance and color. Through the test, asphalt slab attained the highest temperature and had the weakest reflection among the structures. Compared with the others, the temperature of the asphalt slab was greater by 8.1%, 14.9% and 16.4% than the brick, composite cement and concrete, respectively. The reflection intensity growth ratio was defined and indicates the growth potential for absorbing radiation in the solid slab surface. From the experiments, it was concluded that a suitable selection of road materials can greatly improve the thermal absorption, conduction and penetration into the solid slab. The collected heat capability was approximately 250 W/m2 to 350 W/m2 in the natural summer condition. A black coating or a surface modification can collect more heat, reaching greater than 250 W/m2. The solar collecting heat efficiency with a surface configuration of the road slab can reach above 30% in the summer time.

In the field of computer vision, large-scale image classification tasks are both important and highly challenging. With the ongoing advances in deep learning and optical character recognition (OCR) technologies, neural networks designed to perform large-scale classification play an essential role in facilitating OCR systems. In this study, we developed an automatic OCR system designed to identify up to 13,070 large-scale printed Chinese characters by using deep learning neural networks and fine-tuning techniques. The proposed framework comprises four components, including training dataset synthesis and background simulation, image preprocessing and data augmentation, the process of training the model, and transfer learning. The training data synthesis procedure is composed of a character font generation step and a background simulation process. Three background models are proposed to simulate the factors of the background noise and anti-counterfeiting patterns on ID cards. To expand the diversity of the synthesized training dataset, rotation and zooming data augmentation are applied. A massive dataset comprising more than 19.6 million images was thus created to accommodate the variations in the input images and improve the learning capacity of the CNN model. Subsequently, we modified the GoogLeNet neural architecture by replacing the FC layer with a global average pooling layer to avoid overfitting caused by a massive amount of training data. Consequently, the number of model parameters was reduced. Finally, we employed the transfer learning technique to further refine the CNN model using a small number of real data samples. Experimental results show that the overall recognition performance of the proposed approach is significantly better than that of prior methods and thus demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed framework, which exhibited a recognition accuracy as high as 99.39% on the constructed real ID card dataset.

In the paper, the authors establish two identities to express the generating function of the Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind and its higher order derivatives in terms of the generating function and its derivatives each other, deduce an explicit formula and an identities for the Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind, derive the inverse of an integer, unit, and lower triangular matrix, present several identities of the Catalan numbers, and give some remarks on the closely related results including connections of the Catalan numbers respectively with the Chebyshev polynomials, the central Delannoy numbers, and the Fibonacci polynomials.

Semisolid casting can provide excellent castings, but the nature of the pore-forming mechanisms has not been properly clarified. In the current communication, it was suggested that hydrogen precipitated during slurry making might have a decisive role in the formation of both gas and shrinkage porosity. Intensive stirring at the end of the slurry making process may act as a degassing step. Without the intense stirring, structures of primary slurry particles form around the hydrogen pores, strongly affecting pore formation and feeding during the intensification stage.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of a freeform fabrication of porous ceramic parts through selective laser sintering (SLS). SLS was proposed to manufacture ceramic green parts because this additive manufacturing technique can be used to fabricate three-dimensional objects directly without a mold, and the technique has the capability of generating porous ceramics with controlled porosity. However, ceramic printing has yet fully achieved its 3D fabrication capabilities without using polymer binder. Except for the limitation of high melting point, brittleness and low thermal shock resistance from instinct ceramic material properties, the key hurdle lies on very poor absorptivity of oxide ceramics to fiber laser which is widely installed in the commercial SLS equipment. An alternative solution to overcome the poor laser absorptivity via improving material compositions was presented in this study. The positive effect of carbon additive on the absorptivity of silica powder to fiber laser will be discussed. To investigate the capabilities of the SLS process, 3D porous silica structures were successfully prepared and characterized.

Cervical cancer is the most common female reproductive tract tumor and is currently the only cancer that can be prevented by vaccination. Early detection and treatment of cervical cancer can be achieved through regular screening for human papillomavirus (HPV). Therefore, in this paper, an electrochemical sensor was designed to detect HPV 16 using a dual signal amplification technique. APTES modified glassy carbon electrode to improve stability. Combining gold nanoparticles and chain amplification reactions for signal amplification purposes. The limit of detection (LOD) was 1.731×10-16 mol/L, and the detection range of this electrochemical sensor was increased in comparison to previous research, with a linear response range from 1.0×10-13 mol/L to 1.0×10-5 mol/L (R2 = 0.99232) for the target detector.In addition, the sensor showed equally good recovery in sophisticated human serum samples. It shows that it has good interference resistance and the designed biosensor can be a powerful and reliable tool for clinical disease diagnosis.

A single fracture is the basic unit of fracture medium, and the roughness of fracture wall surface is an important factor influencing hydraulic characteristics of the flow in bedrock fracture. However, effects of the shape and density of roughness elements (various bulges/pits on rough fracture wall surfaces) on water flow in a single rough fracture have not been thoroughly discovered. Thus the water flow in single fracture with different shapes and densities of roughness elements was simulated by using Fluent software in this study. The results show that in wider fractures the flow rate mainly depends on fracture aperture, while in narrow and close fracture medium the surface roughness of fracture wall is the main factor of head loss of seepage; there is a negative power exponential relation between the hydraulic gradient index and the average fracture aperture, i.e. with the increase of fracture aperture, the relative roughness of fracture and the influence weight of hydraulic gradient both decrease; and in symmetrical-uncoupled fractures there is a super-cubic relation between the discharge per unit width and average aperture. Above results would help to deepen the understanding of rough fracture seepage.

Ensuring equal access to affordable higher education for women and men has become a crucial target of UNESCO’s SDG4-Education 2030. Currently, about one-third of the world's college-age population participates in higher education, while the gender disparity persists in various systems. This study employed GDP per capita, gross enrollment ratio (GER), and the gender parity index (GPI) to demonstrate how the education systems have expanded resulting in the transformation of gender parity. We selected Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the UK as research targets using a cross-correlation function and trend analysis to detect concurrent relationships and future trends with GDP per capita, GER, and GPI. The findings suggest Japan, Korea, and the UK continue to show gender disparity and need to respond to this issue in their policy intervention for SDG4-Education 2030. The results reveal a potential problem in the UK when GPI growth might become unlimited with females dominated. This study suggests the higher education expansion phenomenon and gender diversity in mass and universal systems can be detected by the trend analysis with GDP per capita, GER, and GPI in different settings. The design of the study provides an example to explore the gender diversity patterns in higher education systems for sustainable development.

The aspirated hypersonic air-breathing propulsion system requires a large amount of power generation, but its special structure makes it impossible to adopt common power generation methods. The high-temperature gaseous hydrocarbon fuel thermal power generation (TPG) system was developed to solve the power generation problem for hypersonic air-breathing propulsion system. But off-design operating conditions of the hypersonic propulsion system results in a more complex process for both propulsion system and the TPG system. To better analyzing the dynamic thermos-physical characteristics of hypersonic airbreathing propulsion system considering thermal-mechanical coupling process among cooling/TPG system, a dynamic analytical model was developed, and the dynamic thermos-physical characteristics of TPG system under different off-design working conditions were conducted. It can be concluded from the analytical results that the dynamic process of thermos-physical characteristics shows a complex trend under the flight Mach number and fuel equivalence ratio off-design working conditions. Such complexity of dynamic characteristics brings difficulties in fuel supply for the propulsion system.

Clematis Florida (CF) is a folk medicinal herb in the southeast of China, which is traditionally used for treating osteoarticular diseases. However, the mechanism of action remains unclear. The present study used network pharmacology and experimental validation to explore the mechanism of CF in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) identified 50 main compounds of CF, then the targets of them were obtained from TCMSP, ETCM, ITCM and Swiss TargetPrediction databases. RA disease related targets were obtained from DisGenet, OMIM and GeneCards databases. 99 overlapped targets were obtained using Venn diagram. The protein-protein interaction network (PPI)、the compound-target network (CT) and the compound-potential target genes-signaling pathways network (CPS) were built and analyzed. The results showed that the core compounds were screened as oleanolic acid, oleic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and syringic acid. And the core therapeutic targets were identified as PTGS2 (COX-2), MAPK1, NF-κB1, TNF, RELA by network pharmacology analysis, which belong to the MAPK signaling pathway and NF-κB signaling pathway. The animal experiments indicated that topical application of CF showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in mice model of xylene-induced ear edema and strong analgesic effect on acetic acid-induced withing. Furthermore, in the rat model of adjuvant arthritis (AA), topical administration of CF could alleviate toe swelling and ameliorate joint damage. The elevation of serum content of IL-6, COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and RF caused by adjuvant arthritis were reduced by CF treatment. Western blotting tests showed that CF may exert regulation on the ERK and NF-κB pathway. The results provided a new perspective for the topical application of CF on RA.

Lithium rich layered oxides (LRLO) are a wide class of innovative active materials for positive electrodes in lithium-ion (LIB) and lithium-metal secondary batteries (LMB). LRLOs are over-stoichiometric layered oxides rich in lithium and manganese, with general formula Li1+xTM1-xO2, where TM is a blend of transition metals comprising Mn (main constituent), Ni, Co, Fe and others. Due to the very variable composition and the extended defectivity their structural identity is still debated among researchers being likely an unresolved hybrid between a monoclinic (mC24) and a hexagonal lattice (hR12). Once casted in composite positive electrode films and assembled in LIBs or LMBs, LRLOs can delivery reversible specific capacities above 220-240 mAhg-1, thus beyond any other available intercalation cathode material for LIBs, with mean working potential above 3.3-3.4 V vs Li for hundreds of cycles in liquid aprotic commercial electrodes. In this review we critically outline the recent advancements in the fundamental understanding of the physico-chemical properties of LRLO as well as the most exciting innovations in their battery performance. We focus in particular on the elusive structural identity of these phases, on the complexity of the reaction mechanism in batteries as well as on practical strategies to minimize or remove cobalt from the lattice while preserving the outstanding performance upon cycling.

Cone snails (genus Conus) are venomous marine snails that inject prey with a lethal cocktail of conotoxins, small, secreted, cysteine-rich peptides. Given the diversity and often high affinity for their molecular targets, consisting of ion channels, receptors or transporters, many conotoxins have become invaluable pharmacological probes, drug leads and therapeutics. Transcriptome sequencing of Conus venom glands followed by de novo assembly and homology-based toxin identification and annotation is currently the state-of-the-art for discovery of new conotoxins. However, homology-based search techniques, by definition, can only detect novel toxins that are homologous to previously reported conotoxins. To overcome these obstacles for discovery we have created ConusPipe, a machine learning tool that utilizes prominent chemical characters of conotoxins to predict whether a certain transcript in a Conus transcriptome, which has no otherwise detectable homologs in current reference databases, is a putative conotoxin. By using ConusPipe on RNASeq data of 10 species, we report 5,230 new putative conotoxin transcripts that have no homologues in current reference databases. 893 of these were identified by at least 3 out of 4 models used. These data significantly expand current publicly available conotoxin datasets and our approach provides a new computational avenue for the discovery of novel toxin families.

Various vaccines have been developed in response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and the safety of vaccines has become an important issue. COVID-19 vaccines-related central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating diseases (CNS IDDs) have been reported recently. We present one case of AstraZeneca vaccine-related myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease and literature review another 78 patients published from January 2020 to October 2022. Patients were divided into three vaccine groups (viral vector, mRNA and inactivated vaccines) for further analyses. Among 79 patients with COVID-19 vaccines-related CNS IDDs, 49 (62%) cases received viral vector vaccines, 20 (25.3%) received mRNA vaccines and 10 (12.7%) received inactivated vaccines. Twenty-seven cases (34.2%) were confirmed with autoantibodies, including 15 patients (19%) with anti-MOG, 11 (13.9%) with anti-aquaporin 4 (AQP4), and one (1.3%) with both antibodies. Significantly, more males developed CNS IDDs post viral vector vaccines compared to mRNA and inactivated vaccines. Patients receiving mRNA vaccines were older than other groups. Furthermore, mRNA and inactivated vaccines correlated more with anti-AQP4 antibodies, while viral vector vaccines showed higher MOG positivity. The research suggests potential associations between COVID-19 vaccines-related CNS IDDs and gender, age, and autoantibodies, contingent on vaccine types. Protein sequence analysis implies similarities between the S protein and AQP4/MOG. Further studies may elucidate the mechanisms of CNS IDDs, aiding vaccine selection for specific groups.

This research is aimed to investigate the effects of Lactoplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) on growth performance, oxidation resistance, immunity, as well as cecal microbiota in broilers. This work classed three hundred and sixty 1-day-old broilers as three groups randomly, including control (CON, basal diet), antibiotic (ANT, 75 mg kg-1 chlortetracycline added into basal diet), or probiotic group (LP, 5×108 CFU kg-1 Lactoplantibacillus plantarum HJLP-1 contained within basal diet). Animal were then fed for 42 days, and each group consisted of 15 broilers for 8 replicates. Compared with CON, L. plantarum supplementation significantly improved the average weight daily gain (AWDG) (P < 0.05) while reducing feed-to-gain ratio over the entire supplemental period (P < 0.05). Birds fed L. plantarum had marked lower serum ammonia and xanthine oxidase levels (P < 0.05) than those in ANT and CON. Significant improvements (P < 0.05) of superoxide dismutase, catalase, serum IgM and IgY contents in broilers fed L. plantarum were also observed when compared those in CON and ANT groups. Both L. plantarum and antibiotics decreased the pro-inflammatory factor IL-1β level significantly (P < 0.05), while only L. plantarum promoted the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 level dramatically in the serum (P < 0.05) compared with CON. The L. plantarum dramatically (P < 0.05) increased acetic acid and butyric acid concentrations in the cecal contents，when compared to those in CON and ANT. Among the differences revealed by 16S rRNA analysis, L. plantarum markedly improved the community richness of cecal microbiota. At the genus level, butyric acid-producing bacteria Ruminococcus and Lachnospiraceae were found in higher relative abundance in samples of L. plantarum treated birds. In conclusion, dietary L. plantarum supplementation promoted the growth and health of broilers, likely by inducing a shift in broiler gut microbiota toward short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria. Therefore, L. plantarum has tremendous potential as an alternative for antibiotics in poultry breeding.

Biodiversity plays an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of the earth. The study of traditional knowledge related to biological resources is a hot issue in the field of international biodiversity conservation. Xishuangbanna is a key area of biodiversity and a cultural hotspot of international significance. According to the Technical Regulation for Classification, Investigation, and Inventory of Traditional Knowledge Relating to Biological Diversity issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, we investigated and catalogued the traditional knowledge related to biodiversity of the Jino people who have lived in Xishuangbanna for generations, and collected 490 entries of traditional knowledge related to biodiversity of the Jino people. Drawing on the traditional knowledge diversity index calculation method proposed by Wang Guoping, the overall traditional knowledge α-diversity index of the Jino people is 0.63, indicating that the richness of the traditional knowledge of the Jinuo people is relatively high. The traditional culture related to biodiversity, the traditional knowledge related to agricultural genetic resources, and the traditional technology related to the sustainable utilization of biological resources are relatively rich and diverse. The diversity index is 0.86, 0.82 and 0.79 respectively. In addition, Xishuangbanna has invested a lot of energy in biodiversity protection, including the establishment of nature reserves, botanical gardens, zoos, ecological tea gardens and other species reserves, the promulgation of laws and policies related to biodiversity protection, and has achieved remarkable results in in-situ protection and ex-situ protection. On the basis of analyzing the progress and achievements of biodiversity conservation in Xishuangbanna, this study points out that Xishuangbanna faces challenges such as the loss of traditional knowledge, insufficient conservation efforts, and great changes in land use, and puts forward corresponding suggestions.

In this research, a design method for the graded triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures with lightweight, high-strength, and high sound absorption properties is proposed. The graded TPMS structures are controlled by linear, quadratic, and sine functions. Uniform TPMS and graded TPMS were manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) with AlSi7Mg powder, and an acoustic impedance tube test, compression test, and digital image correlation (DIC) test were ap-plied to obtain the sound absorption and compression properties. The sound absorption coefficient of a uniform Gyroid increases as the number of layers and surface thickness increase, and it in-creases as element size decreases. The sound absorption peak shifts to low frequencies as the number of layers increases. The sound absorption property of Type-Ⅰ graded TPMS is superior to the Type-Ⅱ, and the G-LinearⅠ has the highest sound absorption properties among the three functions. It reveals that the graded TPMS has superior sound absorption performance at low and medium frequencies. The compression and DIC results of graded TPMS also show excellent mechanical properties and energy absorption characteristics.

Macrobrachium rosenbergii is a valuable freshwater prawn in Asian aquaculture. In recent years, a new symptom that was generally called as ‘white head’ caused high mortality in M. rosenbergii farms in China. Samples of M. rosenbergii, M. nipponense, Procambarus clarkii, M. superbum, Penaeus vannamei, and Cladocera from a farm suffering from ‘white head’ in Jiangsu Province were collected and analyzed in this study. Pathogen detection showed that all samples were positive for Shrimp hemocyte iridescent virus (SHIV). Histopathological examination revealed dark eosinophilic inclusions and pyknosis in hematopoietic tissue, hepatopancreas and gills of M. rosenbergii and M. nipponense. Blue signals of in situ DIG-labeled LAMP (ISDL) appeared in hematopoietic tissue, hemocytes, hepatopancreatic sinus, and antennal gland. TEM of ultrathin sections showed a large number of SHIV particles with a mean diameter about 157.9 nm. The virogenic stromata and budding virions were observed in hematopoietic cells. Quantitative detection by TaqMan probe based real-time PCR of different tissues in natural infected M. rosenbergii showed that hematopoietic tissue contained the highest SHIV load with a relative abundance of (25.4±16.9)%. Hepatopancreas and muscle contained the lowest SHIV load with a relative abundance at (2.44±1.24)% and (2.44±2.16)%, respectively. Above results verified that SHIV is the pathogen causing ‘white head’ in M. rosenbergii, and M. nipponense and Pr. clarkii are also the susceptible species of SHIV.

(1) Background: Previous systematic review suggested a beneficial effect of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. However, poor quality of eligible studies impaired the reliability and validity of findings. Moreover, additional potential studies with good quality published in Chinese language have been published recently. The aim of the present systematic review was to investigate the value of PMR training in preventing and alleviating nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy among cancer patients. (2) Methods: We assigned two independent investigators to search all potential studies in PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trial (CENTRAL), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), China Biomedical Literature database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang data. We used data extraction sheet extracted all essential information, and used the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool to appraise the quality of eligible studies. Finally, we qualitatively summarized the results of all included studies. (3) Results: Six studies enrolling 288 patients were considered to meet our selection criteria finally. Of these 6 studies, three were labeled as moderate quality, and the remaining studies were low quality. All included studies consistently suggested that PMR has a positive impact on nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy among cancer patients especially alleviating the incidence, frequency and degree of delayed nausea and vomiting. (4) Conclusions: Independent studies indicated that PMR was a beneficial approach to prevent and alleviate nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy among cancer patients. However, further studies considering other types of primary tumors should be designed in order to increase the generality of PMR because studies included in the present systematic review mainly enrolled lung cancer and breast cancer.

Accurate estimation of Remaining Useful Life (RUL) for aircraft engines is essential for ensuring safety and uninterrupted operations in the aviation industry. Numerous investigations have leveraged the success of attention-based Transformer architecture in sequence modeling tasks, particularly in its application to RUL prediction. These studies primarily focus on utilizing onboard sensor readings as input predictors. While various Transformer-based approaches have demonstrated improvement in RUL predictions, their exclusive focus on temporal attention within multivariate time series sensor readings, without considering sensor-wise attention, raises concerns about potential inaccuracies in RUL predictions. To address this concern, our paper proposes a novel solution in the form of a two-stage attention based hierarchical transformer (STAR) frame-work. This approach incorporates a two-stage attention mechanism, systematically addressing both temporal and sensor-wise attentions. Furthermore, we enhance the STAR RUL prediction framework by integrate hierarchical encoder-decoder structures to capture valuable information across different time scales. By conducting extensive numerical experiments with the CMAPSS datasets, we demonstrate that our proposed STAR framework significantly outperforms current state-of-the-art models for RUL prediction.

Estimating the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of aircraft engines holds a pivotal role in enhancing safety, optimizing operations, and promoting sustainability, thus being a crucial component of modern aviation management. Precise RUL predictions offer valuable insights into an engine’s condition, enabling informed decisions regarding maintenance and crew scheduling. In this context, we propose a novel RUL prediction approach in this paper, harnessing the power of Bi-directional LSTM and Transformer architectures, known for their success in sequence modeling, such as natural languages. We adopt the encoder part of the full Transformer as the backbone of our framework, integrating it with a self-supervised denoising autoencoder that utilizes Bidirectional LSTM for improved feature extraction. Within our framework, a sequence of multivariate time series sensor measurements serves as the input, initially processed by the Bidirectional LSTM autoencoder to extract essential features. Subsequently, these feature values are fed into our Transformer encoder backbone for RUL prediction. Notably, our approach simultaneously trains the autoencoder and Transformer encoder, different from the naive sequential training method. Through a series of numerical experiments carried out on the C-MAPSS datasets, we demonstrate that the efficacy of our proposed models either surpasses or stands on par with that of other existing methods.

Traditional potential transformers have problems of large volume, difficulty in insulation, iron core saturation, ferroresonance overvoltage and poor transient response characteristics. The voltage sensor based on the principle of electric field coupling and differential input structure does not need to contact the measured object or ground, and can avoid the above problems. However, it requires a sufficiently high capacitance between the differential electrodes to obtain sufficient accuracy and a high voltage division ratio. The existing method of using mutual capacitance between the differential electrodes will cause many problems and fail to meet the practical needs. To solve the above problems, this paper innovatively uses multi-layer ceramic capacitor to replace the mutual capacitance and designs a new type of voltage sensor. In addition, by using single bypass small resistance grounding method to increase the input impedance of the differential signal processing circuit, error of the sensor is further reduced. The experimental results show that the sensor has excellent accuracy and great transient response characteristics. The ratio error under power frequency is within ±0.5% and the phase error is within 1. The ratio error in the range of 500 Hz∼30 kHz is within ±5% and the phase error is within 5. Moreover, it has the advantages of low cost, miniaturization, flexible shape and easy to adjust the voltage division ratio. These characteristics indicate that the sensor has good voltage measurement and sensor network potential.

Land-cover classification that uses very-high-resolution (VHR) remote sensing images is a topic of considerable interest. Although many classification methods have been developed, there is still room for improvements in the accuracy and usability of classification systems. In this paper, a novel post-processing approach based on a dual-adaptive majority voting strategy (D-AMVS) is proposed for improving the performance of initial classification maps. D-AMVS defines a strategy for refining each label of a classified map that is obtained by different classification methods from the same original image and fusing the different refined classification maps to generate a final classification result. The proposed D-AMVS contains three main blocks. 1) An adaptive region is generated by extending gradually the region around a central pixel based on two predefined parameters (T1 and T2) in order to utilize the spatial feature of ground targets in a VHR image. 2) For each classified map, the label of the central pixel is refined according to the majority voting rule within the adaptive region. This is defined as adaptive majority voting (AMV). Each initial classified map is refined in this manner pixel by pixel. 3) Finally, the refined classified maps are used to generate a final classification map, and the label of the central pixel in the final classification map is determined by applying AMV again. Each entire classified map is scanned and refined pixel by pixel based on the proposed D-AMVS. The accuracies of the proposed D-AMVS approach are investigated through two remote sensing images with high spatial resolutions of 1.0 and 1.3 m, respectively. Compared with the classical majority voting method and a relatively new post-processing method called general post-classification framework, the proposed D-AMVS can achieve a land-cover classification map with less noise and higher classification accuracies.

In-situ observation on the austenite grain growth and martensite transformation in a developed NM500 wear-resistant steel were conducted on a Confocal Laser Scanning High-temperature Microscope (CSLM). Results indicated that the martensite nucleation did not synchronously proceed during quenching process. The selective prenucleation dominated in martensite nucleation, which dividing untransformed austenite into several regions, and resulting in the larger size of fresh martensite. Martensite can not only nucleate at parent austenite grain boundaries, but also nucleate in the preformed martensite laths and twins. Smaller constraint in the martensite growth was achieved in a larger parent austenite grain size, leading to the longer fresh martensite and secondary martensite. Besides, the transformation kinetics of martensite was accelerated in a higher quenching temperature. Moreover, the martensitic laths presented in parallel laths (0~2°) based on the pre-formed lath or distributed in triangle, parallelogram or hexagon with an angle of 60° or 120°. Interestingly, martensitic lath also traversed the unstable new parent austenitic grain boundaries. In addition, the size of austenite grains increased with the quenching temperature, and austenite grains coarsened in a short time at a higher quenching temperature of 1160 ℃. Furthermore, a large amount fine dispersed particles redissolved and ripped at 1160 ℃, resulting in the many large and visible carbonitrides.

Taiwan’s auditors have suffered from processing excessive audit data, including drawing audit evidence. This study advances sampling techniques by integrating machine learning with sampling. This machine learning integration helps avoid sampling bias, keep randomness and variability, and target the risker samples. We first apply a Naive Bayes classifier to classify data into some classes. Next, a user-based, item-based, or hybrid approach is employed to draw audit evidence. The representativeness index is the primary metric for measuring the representativeness of audit evidence. The user-based approach denotes the selection of samples between two percentiles in a class as audit evidence. It may be equivalent to a combination of monetary and variable sampling methods. The item-based approach represents the choice of risky samples as audit evidence. It may be identical to a combination of non-statistical and monetary sampling methods. Auditors can hybridize those user-based and item-based approaches to balance representativeness and riskiness in selecting audit evidence. Three experiments show that sampling using machine learning integration has the benefits of drawing unbiased samples, handling complex patterns, correlations, and unstructured data, and improving efficiency in sampling big data. However, the limitations are the classification accuracy output by machine learning algorithms and the range of prior probabilities.

The eco-efficiency of cultivated land use (ECLU) is an important indicator for the construction of ecological civilization in China. Exploring the spatiotemporal dynamic evolution of the ECLU is helpful for sustainable use of arable land, ensuring food security and ecological security. However, previous studies have mostly focused on the use of a slacks-based measure (SBM) model for ECLU measurement, ignoring the more accurate epsilon-based measure (EBM) model. Therefore, in this study, firstly, we explored the conceptual framework of ECLU, and then, based on the panel data of the counties in the region around Beijing and Tianjin from 2005 to 2020, we investigated the spatial and temporal evolution of ECLU by using the Super-EBM model, kernel density estimation method, and spatial Markov chain model. Results displayed: (1) From 2005 to 2020, the ECLU in the region around Beijing and Tianjin displayed an increasing state, but the average value was only 0.55. (2) The time evolution of the ECLU has gradually polarized, the internal gap has widened, but it tends to stabilize. (3) The ECLU in the region around Beijing-Tianjin was more inclined to keep it the same and there was a "club convergence" phenomenon, which was meaningfully affected by the background of neighboring areas. In the light of local conditions, the government should reasonably formulate the path to optimize the ECLU, strengthen the linkage with the surrounding cities, and bring into play the positive spillover effect.

The human serotonin transporter (hSERT) terminates neurotransmission by removing serotonin from the synaptic cleft, which is an essential process plays an important role in depression. In addition to substrate serotonin, hSERT is also the target of drugs of abuse like cocaine and clinically used antidepressants such as escitalopram and paroxetine. To date, few studies attempt to investigate the unbinding mechanism underlying the orthosteric and allosteric modulation of hSERT. The high-resolution X-ray structure of hSERT resolved recently enables us to theoretically study the unbinding of the above four ligands against the S1 or S2 site of hSERT, by means of molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) and potential of mean force (PMF) simulations. We proved that for either the S1 or S2 site, the other three ligands (cocaine, escitalopram and paroxetine) are much more favorable than the original substrate serotonin, whether in kinetics along the unbinding pathways or in thermodynamics at the equilibrium states. Furthermore, the S1 site is much more favorable than the S2 site, for each ligand. Interestingly, inspection revealed that there are ~ 3Å lengths between the allosteric site of serotonin and cocaine, and an unseen un-binding pathway for escitalopram at the S1 site except for verification of the broadest trail.

The shield tunnels inevitably endure various damage with the service time increasing. Meanwhile, steel corrugated plate has been used extensively in multiple conditions and proved effective to strengthen the segmental joints by full-scale tests. A numerical model is proposed to probe the feasibility of using new Stainless Steel Corrugated Plate (SSCP) to reinforce the shield tunnel segments. A new method, called virtual tracking element technology, is employed to achieve the simulation of realistic stress state of the segmental joint. Moreover, the segmental joint component analysis and parametric study are conducted based on the numerical model. The results demonstrate that: (1) the virtual tracking element technology proves valid and efficient to simulate the secondary stress state of segmental joint; (2) SSCP reinforcement is not fully utilized when the grade of segmental concrete is C50 and it has abundant safety margin for potential overload; (3) SSCP reinforcement is well-performed regardless of the burial depth and reinforcement in advance is recommended.

Emerging evidence demonstrated that using a new manufacturing technology to produce γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-fortified oolong (GO) tea could relieve human stress and exert versatile physiological benefits. The purpose of this human research aims to investigate therapeutic effects of daily GO tea consumption on the improvement of blood pressure, relaxation-related brain waves and quality of life (QOL) during a period of 28 consecutive days. Total polyphenols, major catechins and free amino acids were analyzed via HPLC assay. Changes of heart rate, blood pressure, α-brain wave (index of relaxation) and eight-item QOL score were investigated on day 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28, respectively. The chemical analysis results showed that GO tea contained the most abundant amino acids and GABA, contributing to the relaxation activity. Among all study participants, daily drinking GO tea could reduce systolic blood pressure on day 21 and diastolic blood pressure on day 28 (p &lt; 0.05, respectively). For participants with pre-hypertension, GO tea could effectively reduce heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure on day 28 (p &lt; 0.05). At the end of the study, incremental changes in alpha-brain wave and QOL scores were also demonstrated (p &lt; 0.05, respectively). This study recommended that GO tea might potentially serve as a natural source of alternative therapy to benefit blood pressure, stress-relief and QOL.

This study proposes and validates a novel combustion control system for Oil-Fired Boilers aimed at reducing air pollutant emissions through flame image prediction. The proposed system is easily applicable to existing ships. Traditional proportional combustion control systems supply fuel and air at fixed ratios according to the set steam load, without considering the emission of air pollutants. To address this, a stable and immediate control system is proposed, which adjusts the air supply to modify the combustion state. The combustion control system utilizes oxygen concentration predictions from flame images via SEF+SVM as control inputs, and applies Internal Model Control (IMC)-based Proportional-Integral (PI) control for real-time combustion control. Due to the complexity of modeling the image-based system, IMC parameter tuning through experimentation is essential for achieving effective control performance. Experiments conducted on a 3000 kg/h marine oil-fired boiler in actual operation optimized the controller parameters for stability and responsiveness, and validated their effectiveness. The results demonstrate the potential of the proposed system to improve combustion efficiency and reduce emissions of air pollutants. This study provides a feasible and effective solution for enhancing the environmental performance of marine oil-fired boilers. Given its ease of application to existing ships, it is expected to contribute to sustainable air pollution reduction across the maritime environment.

We report on the role of synergistic polarization of Ba0.9Sr0.1TiO3 (BST) nanoparticles in sulfur cathodes to enhance the redox kinetics of polysulfides for high-capacity Li-S batteries. Ferroelectric nanoparticles are known to significantly improve the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries due to their inherent self-polarization and high adsorption capacity towards polysulfides. X-ray diffraction spectra confirmed the tetragonal symmetry (c/a=1.0073), while Raman spectroscopic analysis validated the presence of tetragonal orientation Raman modes in BST-modified composites. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed a homogeneous distribution of BST in the sulfur cathode system, with grain sizes ranging from 1 to 1.5 μm. Notably, the BST-coupled S50BST30CB10PVDF10 composite cathode achieved a capacity of approximately 820 mAh/g at 100 mA/g, maintaining stability over 100 cycles, demonstrating improved electrochemical performance. Two distinct plateaus between 2.3 V to 2.0 V and 2.0 V to 1.5 V further underscore the superior performance of BST ferroelectric nanoparticles in enhancing the redox kinetics of Li-S batteries. By leveraging the favourable affinity of polar substances towards polysulfides, we aimed to create a more stable reactive environment within the cathodic site, effectively trapping polysulfide intermediates through the synergistic polarization of BST nanoparticles. The synergistic polarization induced by the asymmetric crystal structure of ferroelectrics is anticipated to generate internal electric fields, enhancing chemisorption with heteropolar reactive. The observed high cyclic stability further validates the efficacy of these composite cathodes in mitigating the polysulfide shuttle effect, offering promising prospects for advancing Li-S battery technology.

In the context of rapid urbanization, the spatiotemporal patterns of socio-economic exposed to high seismic hazard in large cities lacks quantitative assessment, thus, it is difficult to understand the evolution of earthquake catastrophe risk there. In this paper, exposure change rate, and absolute and relatively exposure indices were proposed to quantitatively study the changes of spatiotemporal exposure to high seismic hazard in urban areas of large cities (i.e., permanent residents in urban areas more than 1 million) in Chinese mainland, using a set of multi-temporal population, GDP, and built-up datasets and a seismic hazard zoning map. The results show that, 64 out of 78 large cities are entirely or partially located in high seismically hazardous zones. Although the urban areas of large cities in high seismically hazardous zones (HSHUAs) cover only 1.73% (167177 km²) of mainland China, their share of population, GDP, and built-up land amounted to 18.14%, 30.24% and 24.55%, respectively, in 2015. Unprecedented urbanization has led to a dramatic exposure growth in HSHUAs between 1990 and 2015. The population, GDP, and built-up land in HSHUAs increased by 110 million people (with an average annual growth rate of 2.37%), 273.71 trillion USD(average annual growth rate of 11.15%), and 10593 km2 (average annual growth rate of 2.02%), respectively. HSHUAs experienced much faster population and GDP growth than the whole country, while relatively slower growth in built-up land. Exposure growth in HSHUAs also was varied for different types of large cities. Megacities had a higher proportion of increased GDP and population in HSHUAs, induced by industry and population agglomeration. Whereas, Type II large cities had a higher proportion of increased built-up land in HSHUAs, driven mainly by urban sprawl. Our analysis indicates that, for large cities under rapid urbanization, it is an urgent need to strengthen resilient urban planning, renewal and construction.

Earthquake-triggered landslides represent a significant seismic-related disaster, posing threats to both the lives and properties of individuals in affected areas. Furthermore, they can result in road and river blockages, as well as other secondary disasters, significantly impacting post-earthquake rescue efforts. Efficient and accurate rapid assessment of high-risk landslide zones carries important implications for decision-making in disaster response and for mitigating potential secondary disasters. This study uses the high-intensity Zone VII to IX of the 5 September 2022 Luding Ms6.8 earthquake as a case study. The "difference method" and the "cumulative displacement method," based on the simple Newmark model, are employed to assess earthquake-triggered landslides. The evaluation results from both methods demonstrate that the areas posing an ex-tremely high risk of earthquake-triggered landslides are predominantly situated on the western side of the Xianshuihe Fault. Actual landslide data verification shows that both models have high predictive accuracy, with the difference method model slightly outper-forming the cumulative displacement method model. Moreover, the study recommends determining threshold values for each landslide hazard interval with significant physical meaning using past strong earthquake data as soon as possible when utilizing the difference method to assess the risk of earthquake-triggered landslides.

In order to realize the sustainable utilization of water resources and the sustainable development of economy, the evaluation index system of water use efficiency system and economic development system was constructed. Entropy weight method and comprehensive evaluation method were adopted to determine the index weights and conduct comprehensive evaluation for the two systems. The coupling coordination model was used to calculate the coupling degree, coordination degree and coupling coordination degree of the two systems. The annual coupling stage and coupling coordination intensity of the two systems were analyzed and determined. The results showed that the comprehensive evaluation values of both water use efficiency system and economic development system in Jinan City increased greatly from 2008 to 2017, and showed a changing trend of ups and downs. The two systems were in the antagonistic stage, and were gradually approaching the running-in stage, indicating that they were in the state of common development. The coupling coordination degree of the two systems gradually increased in waves, progressed from the moderately to the highly coordinated coupling. In the future, if the water control path appropriate to Jinan City can be explored actively, the water-saving kinetic energy of economic development can be increased constantly, and the linkage effect between economic development and water resources utilization can be given full play to, the two systems will be in the orbit with the benign interaction and healthy harmonious development.

Nickel is widely used in industrial processes and plays a crucial role in many applications. However, most of the nickel resource mainly exists as nickel oxide in laterite nickel ore with complex composition, resulting in difficulty in upgrading the nickel content using physical separation methods. In this study, high-grade ferronickel concentrates were obtained through a carbothermal reduction and magnetic separation using laterite nickel ore and anthracite as raw materials. The effects of different types of additives (CaF2, Na2SO4 and H3BO3), carbon ratio (nc/no in metal oxides) and grinding time on the recoveries and grades of ferronickel concentrates were experimentally investigated, along with the microstructure and chemical composition of the products. CaF2 was proved to be the primary active additive in the aggregation and growth of the ferronickel particles, and the improvement of the grade of the product. Under the optimal conditions of CaF2 addition of 12 wt.%, carbon ratio of 1.4, and grinding time of 240 s, high-grade magnetically separable ferronickel concentrate with nickel grade 8.93 wt.% and iron grade 63.96 wt.% was successfully prepared. This work presents a practical method for the highly efficient recovery and utilization of iron and nickel from low-grade laterite nickel ore, contributing to the development of strategies for the sustainable extraction and utilization of nickel resources.

A reduced-dimension (RD) method based on the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) technology and the linearized Crank-Nicolson mixed finite element (CNMFE) scheme for solving the 2D nonlinear Extended Fisher-Kolmogorov (EFK) equation is proposed. The method reduces CPU runtime and error accumulation by reducing the dimension of the unknown CNMFE solution coefficient vectors. For this purpose, The CNMFE scheme of the EFK equation is established and the uniqueness, stability and convergence of the CNMFE solutions are discussed. Subsequently, the matrix-based RDCNMFE scheme is derived by applying the POD method. Furthermore, the uniqueness, stability and error estimates of the linearized RDCNMFE solution are proved. Finally, numerical experiments are carried out to validate the theoretical findings. In addition, we contrast the RDCNMFE method with the CNMFE method, highlighting the advantages of the dimensionality reduction method.

The Paeonia suffruticosa, called as 'Feng Dan', has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine. In our chemical investigation on the root bark of the plant, five new phenolic dimers, namely paeobenzofuranone A‒E (1‒5), have been characterized. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis including 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, UV, and IR, as well as ECD calculations. Compounds 2, 4, and 5 showed cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 6.7 to 25.1 μM. Compounds 1 and 2 showed certain inhibitory activity on NO production. To the best of our knowledge, the benzofuranone dimers and their cytotoxicity of P. suffruticosa are reported for the first time.

Although the similarity laws were widely used in impact fields, the scaling relations of anisotropic elastic structures often were broken when the geometric distortion (not equal scaling in different spatial directions) and the material distortion (different materials used for scaled model and full-size prototype) were considered. To overcome the difficulty of geometric and material distortion, a directional framework of similarity laws, termed as oriented-density-length-velocity (ODLV) system, is proposed for the anisotropic elastic structure under impact loads. Different from previous similarity law systems using scalar dimensional analysis, the directional similarity law framework mainly considers spatial anisotropy for structural geometry and material parameters. Based on the oriented dimensional analysis and the orthotropic Hooke's law, directional dimensionless numbers and directional scaling relations with geometric power properties for the elastic modulus and the Poisson's ratio are presented systematically. By selecting the dominant material parameters controlling similarity, three important scaling techniques with correction of geometric width and thickness are proposed to compensate for the difficulty of distortion. A clamped square plate with different anisotropic and isotropic elastic materials subjected to dynamic pressure pulse is verified numerically and discussed in detail. The results show that the thin square plate prototype must be scaled to be the thinner/thicker rectangular plate, and the components of displacement, stress and strain between scaled model and full-scale prototype behave good consistency in both spatial and temporal fields.

According to many research groups, high glucose induces over production of superoxide anions, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in general is the link between high glucose levels and the toxicities seen at cellular levels. Respiratory complex anomalies could lead to the production of ROS. Calcium [Ca2+], at physiological levels serves as a second messenger in many physiological functions. Accordingly, mitochondrial calcium [Ca2+]m overload leads to ROS production which could be lethal to the mitochondria through various mechanisms. The F1F0-ATPase (ATP syn-thase or complex V) is the enzyme that is responsible for catalyzing the final step of oxidative phosphorylation. It does so by coupling the translocation of protons in the mitochondrial in-termembrane space and shuttling them to the mitochondrial matrix for ATP synthesis to take place. Mitochondrial complex V T8993G mutation specifically blocks the translocation of protons across the intermembrane space thereby blocking ATP synthesis leading to Neuropathy, Ataxia and Retinitis Pigmentosa Syndromes (NARP). This study seeks to explore the possibility of [Ca2+]m overload mediating the pathological roles of high glucose in defective respiratory chain mediated mitochondrial stress. The NARP cybrids are the in vitro experimental models for the cells with F1FO-ATPase defects, these cells harbor 98% of mtDNA T8993G mutation. Their coun-terparts 143B osteosarcoma cell lines are the parental cell lines used for comparisons. We uncov-ered that, NARP cells mediated and enhanced the death of the cells (apoptosis) when incubated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and high glucose respectively as depicted by the MTT assay of cell viability. Furthermore, using the fluorescence probe-coupled laser scanning confocal imag-ing microscopy, NARP cells significantly enabled mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) formation and enhanced the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Elucidating the mechanisms of sugar enhanced toxicity on mitochondria would help in the fu-ture to alleviate the symptoms of patients associated with (NARP) syndromes.

Declining agricultural productivity caused by soil salinization are becoming global dilemmas in recent years. Biofertilizers show great potential as a sustainable and environmentally friendly fertilization strategy for soil improvement, but their effectiveness for saline soil amendment and improving plant growth under saline stress is not well understood. Assess the effectiveness of biofertilizers in improving saline soils and enhancing crop growth under saline stress, as well as investigate its related potential mechanisms. Changes in soil physico-chemical properties, plant physiological parameters and soil microbial communities were analyzed through pot experiments. The results showed that the application of biofertilizer reduced total soluble salts (TSS) in soil by 30.8% and increased the Brassica rapa L. biomass by 8.4 times. Biofertilizer application increased soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN) and available phosphorus (AP). Biofertilizer applications also increased the SOD, CAT, chl.a, chl.b, total soluble sugars, and Proline content. Biofertilizers present plant growth promotion and potential pathogenic fungi reduction by increasing the abundance of Bacillus and Planococcus and decreasing the abundance of Mortierella and Aspergillus. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated the excellent efficacy of biofertilizers in improving saline soils, and the application of biofertilizer strategies will greatly promote agricultural production.

Codon use bias is an important characteristic in the process of genetic information transmission of species. With the publication of the genome of C. panzhihuaensis, it is of great significance to investigate the codon use bias for understanding the genetic evolution of this species and for molecular breeding. In this study, Perl language and CodonW 1.4.2 software was used to systematically analyze the coding gene sequences of the C. panzhihuaensis genome, obtain the characteristics of codon use, and identify the sources of variation affecting codon use. The results showed that GC3s content, GCall content, and ENC value were 46.75%, 47.67%, and 52.8 respectively. As the first seed plant, the GC3 content of Cycas is similar to that of most gymnosperms and most dicotyledons, but considerably different from that of monocotyledons.RSCU value was greater than 1, among which 21 codons ended in U or A. Enc-plot analysis, PR2-plot neutral plot analysis, and correlation coefficient analysis of Axis1 with GC3s and CAI revealed that the codon bias was mainly affected by natural selection, but also by mutation pressure and other factors. Thirty-one optimal codons of Cycas genes were screened. This research can provide a reference for the phylogeny and genome codon evolution of Cycas.

To prepare an edible coating with a good preservative effect on sweet cherries, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) and gelatin (GL) were selected as the film-forming matrix in this experiment, and CaCl2 and ascorbic acid (AA) were added as crosslinking agents and antioxidants, respectively. First, the film was prepared by the casting method, and the film formula with better mechanical and barrier performance was filtered out by one-factor and response surface optimization test, and the differences in the preservation effect of different film formulations (CMCS-GL, CaCl2- CMCS-GL, AA -CaCl2- CMCS-GL) on sweet cherries were compared. and then the different film formulations were compared. The difference in film formulation on the preservation effect of sweet cherries was investigated. The results showed that the optimal formulation for an edible film based on CMCS-GL with good performance was CMCS: GL (w:w)=2:1, with the additional amount of 1% glycerol, 2% CaCl2, 0.1% Tween-20, 2% AA, the tensile strength, elongation at break, oxygen permeability and water vapor permeability of the film obtained with this formula were: 16.28 MPa, 71.46%, 1.39×10-12 g- cm/(cm2-s-Pa), 5.10×10-11 cm3-cm/(m2-s-Pa), respectively. In the preservation of sweet cherries, all three film formulations effectively reduced the rotting rate and weight loss during storage while preserving the high hardness and skin color of the fruit. Among them, the formulation AA -CaCl2- CMCS-GL showed the best preservation effect and can be used as a new method for postharvest preservation of sweet cherries.

Forest resources are an important material basis for ecological protection and economic devel-opment, and are responsible for the dual mission of guaranteeing national ecological safety and grain safety. Forest land is an important carrier of forest resources, and forest landowner is a direct component of forest land management. Forest landowners’ willingness to engage in forest man-agement affects whether the important value function of forest resources can be implemented. Are there differences in the willingness and behavior of forest management between ethnic minority foresters and ordinary foresters? How to stimulate the forest management willingness and behavior of forest farmers in ethnic minority areas?These questions will be about the realization of the value of forest resources. Through the analysis of 185 questionnaires in Yunnan Province, this paper clarifies the current situation of forest management of forest farmers in minority areas. Then, using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, we select three indicators including the socio-economic at-tributes of individual farmers, the cognition and experience of forest landowners, and policy guidance. And we use the binary logistic regression model to analyze the factors affecting the willingness of forester to participate in forest management. Through the above analysis, we find that: (1) Forest landowners' willingness to engage in forest management in minority regions is relatively high, at 71.98%. (2) Individual farmers’ socioeconomic attributes have the most significant degree of influence on willingness to engage in forest management, while forest landowners' cognitive and related experiences, policy guidance and other related variables influence willingness to engage in forest management at the macro level. (3) Literacy has a significant positive contribution to man-agement intentions, while forest land area, living standard, whether they are compensated by public welfare forest, and whether they participate in the project of returning farmland to forest and grass have a significant negative effect on management intentions. (4) There are significant differences between forest landowners' willingness to engage in forest management and the influencing factors between minority regions and non-minority regions. Finally, we suggest to improve the willingness to engage in forest management and forestry industry development in minority regions through innovative management methods, concentrated and continuous large-scale management, en-couraging capital investment and driving forest landowners to "nearby employment", optimizing the logging quota system and raising the compensation standard for public welfare forests. This study has important practical significance for promoting the realization of forest ecological products value, consolidating the achievement of poverty alleviation in forest areas and realizing rural re-vitalization in China.

To investigate the effects of predation of the paddle crab Charybdis japonica on the culture and survival of scallops (Mizuhopecten yessoensis) during bottom culture, we investigated the behavioral characteristics of three sizes (small, medium, and large) of scallops in response to exposure to crabs. We also measured the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, arginine kinase, and octopine dehydrogenase in the gill, adductor muscle, and mantle of scallops before and after exposure to predation. Tissues that showed significant differences between control and test specimens were selected for deep sequencing of the transcriptome to identify and validate the key genes that were sensitive to predation. We found when M. yessoensis is stimulated by the presence of predators, its behavioral characteristics and related physiological and ecological indexes undergo significant changes. The results are relevant for developing specifications for M. yessoensis seedling casting during bottom culture.

Following our previous success in identifying new steroid-based anticancer agents, we herein disclosed the structural requirements for retaining high potency against cancer cells and associated modes of action. The structurally novel steroidal dimer by001 inhibited growth of different esophageal cancer cells and colony formation at low micromolar levels, elevated cellular ROS levels and caused mitochondrial dysfunction. Mechanistic studies showed that by001 induced cell death through the mitochondria and death receptor-mediated apoptotic pathways and autophagy induction, as well as inhibited migration.

We tested selecting data randomly or proportionally in class imbalanced sample. Collecting data into the training and test set according to the initial ratio of QSOs, galaxies and stars were rec-ommended. We experimented using the original imbalanced data or introducing the class balance technologies: SMOTE, SMOTEENN, SMOTETomek, ADASYN, BorderlineSMOTE1, Border-lineSMOTE2, and RandomUndersampling. The SMOTEENN performed the best in the Sample 1. The LightGBM, CatBoost, XGBoost, and RF were compared when adopting the SMOTEENN using the petroMag_u, petroMag_g, petroMag_r, petroMag_i, petroMag_z, J, H, Ks, W1, W2, W3, W4 magnitudes as features. All of the precisions or recalls exceeded 0.94. The RF cost a little more time than the other three algorithms, but resulted in the best evaluating indicators. Utilizing the SMOTEENN +RF technology, the precision, recall and f1-score for QSOs (galaxies, stars) could achieve 0.98 (0.99, 0.98), 0.99 (0.96, 1.00), 0.98 (0.97, 0.99) respectively in Sample 1. Utilizing the SMOTEENN +RF technology, the precision, recall and f1-score for QSOs (galaxies, stars) could achieve 0.94 (0.96, 0.96), 0.98 (0.90, 0.97), 0.96 (0.93, 0.97) using the petroMag_u, petroMag_g, petroMag_r, petroMag_i, petroMag_z, W1, W2, W3, W4 magnitudes as features.

Abstract: Background: We previously found that forest bathing significantly reduced the scores for negative emotions and in-creased the score for vigor in the profile of mood states (POMS) test in both males and females and increased the sero-tonin level in males, indicating the potential for beneficial effect on depressive status. In the present study, we investi-gated the effects of forest bathing on the levels of serotonin, oxytocin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) in blood, Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores, POMS, subjective fatigue symptoms and subjective sleep quality in female subjects with depression/depressive tendencies. Methods: Thirty-one female subjects aged 40.1±2.4 years with depression/depressive tendencies were recruited after obtaining informed consent. These subjects took day trips to a forest park, the birthplace of forest bathing in Japan named Akasawa Shizen Kyuyourin in Nagano Prefecture, and to a city area of Nagano Prefecture as a control in June 2023. On both trips, they walked 2.2-2.5 km for two hours each in the morning and afternoon on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Blood was sampled in the afternoon before and after each trip. Concentrations of serotonin, oxytocin, IGF-1 and lactic acid in blood were measured. The SDS scores, POMS test, and questionnaires for subjective fatigue symptoms and subjective sleep quality were conducted before and after the trips. Ambient temperature and humidity were monitoring during the trips. The Nippon Medical School Central Ethics Committee approved this study. Results: Forest bathing significantly decreased SDS scores and the effect lasted for one week after forest bathing. Forest bath-ing also significantly increased the level of serotonin in serum in subjects who were not taking antidepressants, significantly increased the levels of oxytocin and IGF-1 in blood, significantly increased the scores for vigor-activity and friendliness and de-creased the scores for anger-hostility, confusion-bewilderment, fatigue-inertia, tension-anxiety, depression-dejection and total mood disturbance compared with city walking (all p

Gastric inflammation-related disorders are commonly observed digestive system illnesses char-acterized by the activation of proinflammatory cytokines, particularly tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). This results in the induction of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)/prostaglandin E2 (PEG2) and matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9). These factors contribute to the pathogenesis of gastric in-flammation disorders. We examined the preventive effects of Lonicera japonica Thunb. ethanol ex-tract (Lj-EtOH) on gastric inflammation induced by TNF-α in normal GES-1 cells. The GES-1 cell line was used to establish a model that simulated the overexpression of COX-2/PGE2 and MMP-9 proteins induced by TNF-α, to examine the anti-inflammatory properties of Lj extracts. The re-sults indicated that Lj-EtOH exhibits significant inhibitory effects on COX-2/PEG2 and MMP-9 ac-tivity, attenuates cell migration, and provides protection against TNF-α-induced gastric inflam-mation. The protective effects of Lj-EtOH are associated with the modulation of COX-2/PEG2 and MMP-9 through activation of TNFR–ERK 1/2 signaling pathways as well as the involvement of c-Fos and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways. Based on our findings, Lj-EtOH ex-hibits a preventive effect on human gastric epithelial cells. Consequently, it may represent a novel treatment for the management of gastric inflammation.

G protein-coupled receptor 15 (GPR15, also known as BOB) is an extensively studied orphan GPCR involving HIV infection, colonic inflammation and smoking-related diseases. Recently, GPR15 was deorphanized and its corresponding natural ligand demonstrated an ability of inhibiting cancer cell growth. However, no study reported the potential role of GPR15 in a pan-cancer manner. Using large-scale publicly available data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases, we found that GPR15 expression is significantly lower in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) than in normal tissues. And among 33 cancer types, GPR15 expression is significantly correlated with the prognoses of COAD, neck squamous carcinoma (HNSC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) positively and stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) negatively. This study also revealed that commonly upregulated gene set in the high GPR15 expression group (stratified via median) of COAD, HNSC, LUAD and STAD are enriched in immune systems, indicating that GPR15 might be considered as a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, we modelled the 3D structure of GPR15 and conducted the structure-based virtual screening. The top 8 hits compounds were screened and then subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) simulation for stability analysis. Our study provided novel insights into the role of GPR15 in a pan-cancer manner and discovered a potential hit compound for GPR15 antagonists.

The early Paleozoic is a crucial period in the formation and evolution of the Eastern Kunlun Orogenic Belt (EKOB), and is of great significance for understanding the evolutionary history of the Proto-Tethyan Ocean. This paper presents new petrography, geochemistry, zircon U–Pb dating, and Lu–Hf isotopic research on the Yuejingshan gabbro from the eastern segment of the EKOB. Zircon U–Pb data suggests that the gabbro formed in the Early Silurian (435 ± 2 Ma). All samples have relatively low TiO₂ contents (0.45–2.97%), widely varying MgO (6.58–8.41%) and Mg^# (58–65) contents, and are rich in large ion lithophile elements (LILE such as Rb, Ba, Th, and U) and light rare earth elements (LREE). This indicates that it has a similar geochemical composition to island arc basalt. The major element features indicate that the formation of this gabbro underwent fractional crystallization of clinopyroxene, olivine, and plagioclase. The depletion of high field strength elements (HFSE, such as Nb, Ta, and Ti), and a slightly positive Hf isotope (with εHf_(t) ranging from 1.13 to 2.45) may be related to the partial melting of spinel-bearing peridotite, led by slab fluid metasomatism. The gabbro likely represents magmatic records of the latest period of the early Paleozoic oceanic crust subduction in the Eastern Kunlun. Therefore, the final closure of the Proto-Tethyan Ocean and the beginning of collisional orogeny occurred before the Early Silurian.

Programmed cell death 4 (Pdcd4) is a tumor suppressor, which has been demonstrated to efficiently suppress tumorigenesis. Biochemically, Pdcd4 binds with translation initiation factor 4A and represses protein translation. Beyond its role in tumor suppression, increasing evidence indicates that Pdcd4 enhances the chemosensitivity of several chemotherapeutic drugs. To date, several translational targets of Pdcd4 have been identified. These targets govern important signal transduction pathways, and their attenuation may enhance chemosensitivity or overcome drug resistance. This review will discuss the signal transduction pathways regulated by Pdcd4 and the potential mechanisms through which Pdcd4 enhances chemosensitivity or counteracts drug resistance.

The papaya mealybug Paracoccus marginatus is an invasive, polyphagous pest and poses a quarantine threat to tropical and subtropical countries. Infested commodity internationally should be undergoing phytosanitary treatment, while irradiation is recommended to replace methyl bromide fumigation. Dose-response tests were conducted on the 2-, 4-, and 6-d-old eggs and gravid females of P. marginatus using the X-ray radiation doses of 15–105 Gy with an interval of 15 Gy, respectively. Radiotolerance was compared using fiducial overlapping and lethal dose ratio (LDR) test, resulting in insignificant difference except for LDR test at LD90 (leading 90% mortality at 95% confidence level (CL)); the estimated dose for 99.9968% mortality at 95% CL was 176.5–185.2 Gy, which was validated in the confirmatory tests using gamma irradiation because gammy and X-rays have equal biological effect on pests. Therefore, a total of estimating 60,386 gravid females of papaya mealybug irradiated with 146.8–185.0 Gy resulted in no F1 nymphs developing. Eggs can therefore be used as an alternative to gravid females for dose-response tests; the recommended minimum dose for phytosanitary treatment of P. marginatus on infested commodity is 185 Gy, with treatment efficacy ≥ 99.9950% at 95% CL.

Applied talent is not only a builder of human civilization but also a promoter of economic development. They not only need systematic and solid engineering theoretical knowledge but also rich engineering practical experience. Applied undergraduate colleges are the cradle for cultivating applied talent and shoulder the important mission of cultivating various types of applied talent for society. With the rapid development of higher education, the number of applied undergraduate institutions has sharply increased, but the quality of applied talent cultivated by them has shown a significant decline, which greatly restricts the pace of industrial development in the world. This article proposes a new concept of promoting the "three certificates" (graduation certificate, degree certificate, and skill certificate) education model in applied undergraduate colleges, which is of great significance for the country to cultivate composite talents with the ability of "product design, production management, and product processing" at the same time.

Intercropping significantly improves land use efficiency and soil fertility. This study examines the impact of three cultivation systems (monoculture sugarcane, peanut-sugarcane and soybean-sugarcane intercropping) on soil properties and diazotrophs. Sugarcane rhizosphere soil was sampled from the farmers’ field. Soil properties and nifH gene abundance were analyzed by high throughput sequencing. Moreover, a total of 436,458 nifH gene sequences were obtained and classified into the 3201 unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Maximum unique OTUs resulted with soybean-sugarcane intercropping (<375). The dominant groups across all cultivation were Alpha-proteobacteria and Beta-proteobacteria. On the basis of microbial community structure, intercropping systems were more diverse than monoculture sugarcane. In the genus level, Bradyrhizobium, Burkholderia, Pelomonas, and Sphingomonas were predominant in the intercropping systems. Moreover, diazotrophic bacterial communities of these cultivation systems were positively correlated to the soil pH and soil enzyme protease. Moreover, low available P recovered from intercropping system showed a strong correlation with higher nutrient uptake activity of soil microbes. Based on the results, our investigation concluded that intercropping system caused a positive effect on the growth of diazotrophic bacterial communities and it might boost the soil fertility and this kind of study helps to develop an eco-friendly technology for sustainable sugarcane production.

Little is known about the association between equol and bioavailable testosterone (BT) in adults. We examined the associations of urinary equol concentrations with serum total, bioavailable and free testosterone (FT), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfide (DHEAS), free androgen index (FAI) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations. This cross-sectional study included 1904 women aged 59.7 years. Urinary equol and serum sex hormone concentrations were measured. Overall, urinary equol tended to be inversely associated with bioactive forms of androgenic indices (BT, FT or FAI) but not with total testosterone (TT) or DHEAS. Urinary equol was also positively associated with SHBG. In multi-covariate-adjusted analyses stratified by menopausal status, graded and inverse associations between urinary equol and bioactive forms of androgenic indices (BT, FT and FAI) were observed in postmenopausal women (all p-trends <0.05), but not in premenopausal women. A significant positive association between urinary equol and SHBG was observed only in postmenopausal women. No significant associations were observed between urinary equol and TT or DHEAS in either group. A path analysis indicated that these associations of equol with androgens in postmenopausal women might be mediated by SHBG. Our findings indicated urinary equol exhibited graded and inverse associations with BT or FT but not TT in women.

We estimated the daily intakes of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin via ingestion of indoor dust and outdoor soils using the Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation Model on a probabilistic approach for Taiwan’s homes. Variable information for the daily intake estimation, such as concentration, ingestion rate, body weight, was adopted from previous studies. Monte Carlo simulation was performed with 1,000,000 iterations to simulate a single daily intake, which was shown in terms of percentage of the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of either insecticide. The daily intakes were minimal with a 99% probability; at 99.9th percentile, however, the total intakes leaped to 13.1% and 20.0% of the respective ADIs of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin. The sensitivity analysis indicated that concentration was the most determinant variable. Compared to the data of daily intakes via dietary ingestion of vegetables derived from a previous study, the estimated intakes by this study were considerable at the highest percentile, which referred to insecticide residues few days after insecticide application. Consequently, the non-dietary ingestion exposure to either insecticide was negligible in most cases; nevertheless, for those with indoor insecticide applications, the daily intakes for young children could be of concern. Frequently home cleaning is recommended to reduce the exposure.

Lactobacillus plantarum has been observed to play a crucial role in shaping the sensory properties of chili sauce. However, the specific taste-active metabolites responsible for the desirable flavor profile of chili sauce remain inadequately characterized. This study employed a combination of metabolomics and web-based computational tools analysis to investigate the dynamic changes in taste-active metabolites during chili sauce fermentation. Initially, metabolites were rapidly annotated using a feature-based molecular network, leading to the tentative annotation of 206 metabolites, of which a significant proportion had not been previously reported. Subsequently, the VirtualTaste tool identified dihydrosphingosine, lactic acid, isoleucine, phytosphingosine, and gluconic acid as potential taste markers for quality control. Finally, pathway enrichment analysis revealed that these components were primarily associated with amino acid tRNA, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis, as well as sphingolipid metabolism. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the formation of the distinctive flavor of chili sauce.

Aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn) toxicity are the top two constraints to crop production in acid soil. Crops have evolved common and specific mechanisms to tolerate the two stresses. In the present study, the responses (toxicity and tolerance) of wheat near-isogenic lines (ET8 and ES8) and their parents (Carazinho and Egret) to Al and Mn were compared by determining physiolog-ical parameters and transcriptome profiling of roots. The results showed that: (1) Carazinho and ET8 exhibited dual tolerance to Al and Mn as compared with Egret and ES8, indicated by higher relative root elongation and SPAD; (2) After entering into roots, Al was mainly distributed in the root and fixed in the cell wall, while Mn was mainly distributed in the cell sap and then trans-ported to leaves. Both Al and Mn stresses decreased the contents of Ca, Mg, and Zn; Mn stress al-so inhibited the accumulation of Fe, while Al showed an opposite effect; (3) Transcriptomic analy-sis identified 5581 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under Al stress and 4165 DEGs under Mn stress. Among these, 2774 DEGs were regulated by both Al and Mn stresses, while 2280 and 1957 DEGs were exclusively regulated by Al and Mn stress, respectively. GO and KEGG analyses indi-cated that cell wall metabolism responds exclusively to Al, while nicotianamine synthesis exclu-sively responds to Mn. Pathways such as signaling, phenylpropanoid metabolism, and metal ion transport showed commonality and specificity to Al and Mn. TFs, such as MYB, WRKY, and AP2 families, were also regulated by Al and Mn, and WGCNA identified PODP7, VATB2, and ABCC3 as the hub genes for Al tolerance and NAS for Mn tolerance. The identified genes and pathways can be used as targets for pyramiding genes and breeding multi-tolerant varieties.