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Sonic layer depth (SLD) is crucial in ocean acoustics research and profoundly influences sound propagation and Sonar detection. Carrying 90% of oceanic kinetic energy, mesoscale eddies significantly impact the propagation of acoustic energy in the ocean. Recent studies classified mesoscale eddies into normal eddies (warm anticyclonic and cold cyclonic eddies) and abnormal eddies (cold anticyclonic and warm cyclonic eddies). However, the influence of mesoscale eddies, especially abnormal eddies, on SLD remains unclear. Based on satellite altimeter and reanalysis data, we explored the influence of mesoscale eddies on seasonal variations in SLD in the South China Sea. We found that the vertical structures of temperature anomalies within the eddies had a significant impact on the sound speed field. A positive correlation between sonic layer depth anomaly (SLDA) and eddy intensity (absolute value of relative vorticity) was investigated. The SLDA showed significant seasonal variations: during summer (winter), the proportion of negative (positive) SLDA increased. Normal eddies (abnormal eddies) had a more pronounced effect during summer and autumn (spring and winter). Based on mixed-layer heat budget analysis, it was found that the seasonal variation in SLD was primarily induced by air–sea heat fluxes. However, for abnormal eddies, the horizontal advection and vertical convective terms modulated the variations in the SLDA. This study provides additional theoretical support for mesoscale eddy–acoustic coupling models and advances our understanding of the impact of mesoscale eddies on sound propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The substitution of natural gas hydrates with CO2 offers a compelling dual advantage by enabling the extracting of CH4 while simultaneously sequestering CO2. This process, however, is intricately tied to the mechanical stability of CO2-CH4 heterohydrates. In this study, we report the mechanical properties and cage transformations in CO2-CH4 heterohydrates subjected to uniaxial straining via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and machine learning (ML). Results indicate that guest molecule occupancy, the ratio of CO2 to CH4 and their spatial arrangements within heterohydrate structure greatly dictate the mechanical properties of CO2–CH4 heterohydrates including Young's modulus, tensile strength, and critical strain. Notable, the introduction of CO2 within clathrate cages, particularly within 512 small cages, weakens the stability of CO2–CH4 heterohydrates in terms of mechanical properties. Upon critical strains, unconventional clathrate cages form, contributing to loading stress oscillation before fracture of heterohydrates. Intriguingly, predominant cage transformations, such as 51262–4151063 or 425864 and 512–425861 cages, are identified, in which 4151062 appears as primary intermediate cage that is able to transform into 4151063, 425862, 425863, 512 and 51262 cages, unveiling the dynamic nature of heterohydrate structures under straining. Additionally, ML models developed using MD data well predict the mechanical properties of heterohydrates, and underscore the critical influence of the spatial arrangement of guest molecules on the mechanical properties. These newly-developed ML models serve as valuable tools for accurately predicting the mechanical properties of heterohydrates. This study provides fresh insights into the mechanical properties and cage transformations in heterohydrates in response to strain, holding significant implications for environmentally sustainable utilization of CO2–CH4 heterohydrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gray mold caused by the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea is one of the most destructive diseases in rose (Rosa spp.). Rose infection by B. cinerea leads to severe economic losses due to necrosis, tissue collapse, and rot. In rose, cytokinins (CKs) positively regulate a defense response to B. cinerea , but little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, we characterized two ethylene/jasmonic acid-regulated transcription factors, RhEFR005 and RhCCCH12, that bind to the promoter region of PATHOGENESIS-RELATED 10.1 (RhPR10.1) and promote its transcription, leading to decreased susceptibility to B. cinerea. The RhEFR005/RhCCCH12–RhPR10.1 module regulated cytokinin content in rose, and the susceptibility of RhEFR005 -, RhCCCH12 -, and RhPR10.1 -silenced rose petals can be rescued by exogenous CK. In summary, our results reveal that the RhERF005/RhCCCH12–RhPR10.1 module regulates the CK-induced defense response of rose to B. cinerea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using event-related potentials (ERPs), this study examined the impact of reward expectations on working memory of emotional faces under different levels of cognitive load in a task combining the N-back paradigm and the reward expectation paradigm. The experiment involved presenting high- or low-reward cues followed by an N-back task for emotional faces with different loads. The accuracy results showed that under a high task load, both reward and emotion effects were significantly observed. However, these effects disappeared under a low task load. Analysis of the ERP data revealed that the early P2 and VPP components exhibited greater responses to fearful faces than to neutral faces. In the later stages, the P3 and LPP components showed greater reactions to high rewards than to low rewards. Additionally, the P2 component was found to be modulated by task load in relation to rewards, the EPN component demonstrated task load modulation with respect to emotions, and the N170 component showed an interaction effect between rewards and emotions. These findings imply that load regulates the reward effect and the emotional superiority effect in the process of working memory for emotional faces. In the cognitive processing of working memory, motivation and emotion jointly influence processing. Emotional factors have a greater impact in the early stage of processing, while motivation factors have a greater impact in the late stage of processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, pristine kiwi peel (KP) and nitric acid modified kiwi peel (NA-KP) based adsorbents were prepared and evaluated for selective removal of cationic dye. The morphology and chemical structure of KP and NA-KP were fully characterized and compared, and results showed nitric acid modification introduced more functional groups. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics and isotherms of malachite green (MG) by KP and NA-KP were investigated and discussed. The results showed that the adsorption process of MG onto KP followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model, while the adsorption process of MG onto NA-KP followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model. Notably, the Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity of NA-KP was 580.61 mg g−1, which was superior to that of KP (297.15 mg g−1). Furthermore, thermodynamic studies demonstrated the feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic nature of the adsorption process of MG by NA-KP. Importantly, NA-KP showed superior selectivity to KP towards cationic dye MG against anionic dye methyl orange (MO). When the molar ratio of MG/MO was 1:1, the separation factor (αMG/MO) of NA-KP was 698.10, which was 5.93 times of KP. In addition, hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and electrostatic interaction played important roles during the MG adsorption process by NA-KP. This work provided a low-cost, eco-friendly, and efficient option for the selective removal of cationic dye from dyeing wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceria-doped tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Ce-TZP) ceramics possess significant toughness and aging resistance, while their strength is relatively limited due to the high tendency of grain growth, which has long hindered their versatile applications. This work demonstrates an effective method to combine stereolithography with pre-sintering and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) to obtain dense Ce-TZP ceramics with a reduced grain size of about 420 nm. In addition to the contribution of smaller grains, the Ce-rich phase Ce 0.75 Zr 0.25 O 2 precipitates at the grain boundaries during HIP hinders grain growth and strengthens the grain boundaries, together leads to a transgranular-dominant fracture mode. As a result, the achieved Ce-TZP ceramic simultaneously reaches a high flexural strength of 770.90 ± 76.06 MPa and an excellent fracture toughness of 11.96 ± 1.31 MPa·m1/2, which are 48% and 29% higher, respectively, compared to the pressureless-sintered samples. This method is expected to enable broader applications of pure Ce-TZP ceramics and to be further extended for designing and manufacturing densified and fine-grained components with complex structures. • Densified pure Ce-TZP ceramics with nanograins of about 420 nm is successfully achieved without introducing other dopants. • High strength of 770.90 ± 76.06 MPa and high toughness of 11.96 ± 1.31 MPa·m1/2 are simultaneously achieved in pure Ce-TZP. • The combination of stereolithography and sinter-HIP can be a universal way for dense, nanosized oxide ceramic parts design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DC microgrids, considered building blocks of smart grid technologies, are subjected to small-signal instability due to the extensive introduction of power electronics devices. Therefore, in this paper, a sequence Virtual Filter (VF) controller, which considers not only the longitudinal virtual parameters but also the lateral capacitance and resistance, is first developed to increase the flexibility of system stability adjustment compared to the Virtual Impedance (VI) controller. Then, as distribution feeders are normally unbalanced and the application of the proposed sequence VF controller may amplify the distortion of imbalances on DC voltage, a novel Reference Current Generation (RCG) strategy considering the VF controller is proposed for Grid-Connected Converter (GCC) to improve DC microgrid power quality. The double-frequency fluctuation of the DC-link voltage is eliminated by regulating the oscillation of the active power flowing into the converter instead of the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) to 0. The PSCAD simulation results illustrate that the sequence VF controller can enhance the stability adjustment since, in some cases, the system can only be stabilized by adjusting lateral parameters. On the other hand, the proposed RCG strategy can significantly reduce DC voltage fluctuations compared to the traditional approach. Furthermore, incorporating the proposed strategy with the sequence VF controller offers greater flexibility in reducing the negative-sequence current while maintaining a power transfer capacity for GCCs in a master–slave-based DC microgrid, comparable to that of the traditional strategy. • Develop a sequence VF controller for GCC operating under unbalanced conditions to increase the flexibility of stability adjustment compared to the VI controller. • Propose a novel RCG strategy considering the sequence VF controller to improve the power quality of DC microgrids interconnected with unbalanced grids. • Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controllers. Furthermore, the proposed controllers offer greater flexibility in reducing the negative-sequence current while maintaining power transfer capacities for GCCs in a master-slave-based DC microgrid, comparable to that of the traditional strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the full waveform inversion, it is necessary to provide an accurate source wavelet for forwarding modeling in the iteration. The source wavelet estimation method based on deconvolution technology can solve this problem to some extent, but we find that the estimated source wavelet is not accurate and needs to be manually corrected repeatedly in the iteration. This process is highly operator-intensive, and the update process is time-consuming and increases the potential for errors. We propose a source-independent waveform inversion (SIEWI) scheme for cross-hole GPR data, and use the envelope objective function combined with this method to effectively reduce the nonlinearity of inversion. The residual field used by SIEWI to construct the gradient inherits the characteristics of the envelope wavefield. Compared with full waveform inversion (FWI), SIEWI is more robust and less sensitive to frequency components and inaccurate source wavelet. To avoid cycle jumping, the multi-scale strategy effectively utilizes the properties of convolutional wavefields. In one iteration, the wavefield is decomposed into multiple frequency bands through multiple convolutions in the time domain to construct a multi-scale inversion strategy that preferentially inverts low-frequency information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Runoff complexity is an important indicator reflecting the sustainability of a watershed ecosystem. In order to explore the multiscale characteristics of runoff complexity and analyze its variation and influencing factors in the Yanhe watershed in China during the period 1991–2020, we established a new analysis method for watershed runoff complexity based on the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN) method for the decomposition of multiscale characteristics and the refined composite multiscale entropy (RCMSE) method for the quantification of the system complexity. The results show that runoff and its components all present multiscale complexity characteristics that are different from random signals, and the intermediate frequency modes contribute the most to runoff complexity. The runoff complexity of the Yanhe watershed has decreased gradually since 1991, and 2010 was a turning point of runoff complexity, when it changed from a decline to an increase, indicating that the ecological sustainability of this basin has improved since 2010, which was mainly related to the ecological restoration measures of the Grain for Green Project. This study expands the research perspective for analyzing the variation characteristics of runoff at the multiscale, and provides a reference for the study of watershed ecological sustainability and ecological management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The antifreeze PVA/CNF-H 2 SO 4 gel electrolyte was constructed through hydrogen bond crosslinking, and the resulting material exhibited a significant reduction in its freezing point, reaching −77.35 °C. • The construction of a two-dimensional porous Ti 3 C 2 T x electrode enhances the rate performance and pseudocapacitance behaviour of MXene material at low temperatures. • The maximum areal energy and power densities of our C7-SSC achieve 113 μWh cm-² and 0.4 μW cm-² at −50 °C, respectively, exceeding the performance of the majority of state-of-the-art devices. The electrochemical performance of aqueous electrolytes at low temperatures is frequently suboptimal due to their low freezing point (0 °C). In this study, we constructed MXene-based ultra-low temperature polyvinyl alcohol/nanocellulose-H 2 SO 4 (PVA/CNF-H 2 SO 4) hydrogel electrolytes utilising hydrogen bonding between water molecules and nanocellulose. The process results in a reduction in the amount of free water present in the hydrogel electrolyte, lowering its freezing point to -77.35 °C. PVA/CNF-H 2 SO 4 -based solid-state supercapacitors (C7-SSC) demonstrate a capacitance of up to 813 mF cm-2 at -50 °C, exhibiting high-rate performance at low temperatures. The capacitance remains at 45 F g-¹ at a current density of 20 A g-¹. The maximum areal energy and power densities of our C7-SSC achieve 113 μWh cm-² and 0.4 μW cm-² at -50 °C, respectively, surpassing the majority of state-of-the-art devices. This work provides new insights into MXene-based hydrogel manufacturing and expands the range of potential applications for such materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The hollow cubic octahedral structure of Fe 3 O 4 were successfully prepared by a simple template method. • The hollow cubic octahedral structure of Fe 3 O 4 exhibits improved electromagnetic wave properties compared with previous works. • The mechanism of EMW absorption was explored by experimental and theoretical study. The unique nanostructure combined with high dielectric and magnetic losses is essential for electromagnetic wave (EMW) attenuation in microwave-absorbing materials (MAM). In this paper, using cubic octahedral Cu 2 O as a template, we synthesized hollow cubic octahedral Fe(OH) 3 at first. After annealing at 450 °C, the hollow cubic octahedral structure Fe 3 O 4 could be obtained. When the filling ratio was 40 %, the minimum reflection loss (RL min) reached -66.08 dB, and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) was 5.38 GHz at a thickness of 1.84 mm, exhibiting improved EMW properties compared with previous works. The hollow cubic octahedral structure of Fe 3 O 4 enhances EMW absorption characteristics, which is attributed to abundant dipole polarization, interface polarization, and good conduction loss. These results indicate that Fe 3 O 4 with the hollow cubic octahedral structure can be used as potential candidates for efficient and broadband EMW absorbers. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of existing low-light image enhancement (LLIE) approaches typically require expensive pairs of training data, which presents significant challenges in practice. On the other hand, unsupervised methods, that depend on unpaired data and handcraft prior knowledge, often suffer from problems such as structural blurring, color distortion, and even unpredictable and ineffective enhancement in complex scenarios. To address this issue, we propose a novel unsupervised method, i.e. , Degraded Structure and Hue Guided Auxiliary Learning (SHAL-Net). It is designed to be efficient, light-weight and strike a balance between inference speed, low data dependency, and visually pleasing result. SHAL-Net extensively explores degraded features of low-level input from multiple dimensions, which enables self-guided auxiliary learning. Specifically, we present a learnable Structure-contrast Recovery (SCR) module that integrates tightly with our designed Decomposition Net (Decom-Net). Through such cascaded auxiliary learning, Decom-Net and SCR mutually constrain each other. This regularization technique restricts the parameter space of Decom-Net, helping it avoid local optima. Moreover, we also introduce an efficient Enhancement stage in inference, further improving the performance. Extensive experiments and ablation studies are conducted on several public benchmarks, demonstrating the superiority of SHAL-Net over the state-of-the-art unsupervised methods and even some representative supervised approaches. Our code and models are available at: https://github.com/hmx-harry/SHAL-Net. • Proposing unsupervised auxiliary learning pipeline for low-light image enhancement. • Blending of traditional methods with deep learning in a cascade learning structure. • Introducing structure-aware module for degraded implicit information mining. • Our method outperforms most unsupervised SOTA methods on several benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wall-associated kinase (WAK)/WAK-like (WAKL) is one of the subfamily of receptor like kinases (RLK). Although previous studies reported that WAK/WAKL played an important role in plant cell elongation, response to biotic and abiotic stresses, there are no systematic studies on RcWAK/RcWAKL in rose. Results: In this study, we identified a total of 68 RcWAK/RcWAKL gene family members within rose (Rosa chinensis) genome. The RcWAKs contained the extracellular galacturonan-binding domain and calcium-binding epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domain, as well as an intracellular kinase domains. The RcWAKLs are missing either calcium-binding EGF-like domain or the galacturonan-binding domain in their extracellular region. The phylogenetic analysis showed the RcWAK/RcWAKL gene family has been divided into five groups, and these RcWAK/RcWAKL genes were unevenly distributed on the 7 chromosomes of rose. 12 of RcWAK/RcWAKL genes were significantly up-regulated by Botrytis cinerea-inoculated rose petals, where RcWAK4 was the most strongly expressed. Virus induced gene silencing of RcWAK4 increased the rose petal sensitivity to B. cinerea. The results indicated RcWAK4 is involved in the resistance of rose petal against B. cinerea. Conclusion: Our study provides useful information to further investigate the function of the RcWAK/RcWAKL gene family and breeding research for resistance to B. cinerea in rose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The WRKYs are a major family of plant transcription factors that play roles in the responses to biotic and abiotic stresses; however, a comprehensive study of the WRKY family in roses (Rosa sp.) has not previously been performed. Results: In the present study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the WRKY genes in the rose (Rosa chinensis), including their phylogenetic relationships, gene structure, chromosomal locations, and collinearity. Using a phylogenetic analysis, we divided the 56 RcWRKY genes into three subgroups. The RcWRKYs were unevenly distributed across all seven rose chromosomes, and a study of their collinearity suggested that genome duplication may have played a major role in RcWRKY gene duplication. A Ka/Ks analysis indicated that they mainly underwent purifying selection. Botrytis cinerea infection induced the expression of 19 RcWRKYs, most of which had undergone gene duplication during evolution. These RcWRKYs may regulate rose resistance against B. cinerea. Based on our phylogenetic and expression analyses, RcWRKY41 was identified as a candidate regulatory gene in the response to B. cinerea infection, which was confirmed using virus-induced gene silencing. Conclusions: This study provides useful information to facilitate the further study of the function of the rose WRKY gene family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petroleum sulfonate is one of the most important surfactant in tertiary oil recovery process. Among complex components, low polarity petroleum sulfonate account for about 70% of total, but the main contributing components are still unknown, and the accurate evaluation method is imperative. In this work, low polarity petroleum sulfonate was successfully separated into four parts. All the separated samples were characterized by mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance. The average carbon number, average aromatic carbon number, average saturated carbon number, and the average number of methyl were obtained. The results revealed that average relative molecular mass and branched degree are the main factors of varied polarities of petroleum sulfonate. What more, this study provided a reliable evaluation and characterization method of low polarity petroleum sulfonate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Fe 3 O 4 -C 3 N 4 -Ag 2 MoO 4 ternary system showed superior hydroxyl radical productivity and considerable photocatalytic performance. Highlights • Novel Fe 3 O 4 -C 3 N 4 -Ag 2 MoO 4 ternary system was successfully synthesized. • Fe 3 O 4 -C 3 N 4 -Ag 2 MoO 4 ternary system showed superior hydroxyl radical productivity. • Fe 3 O 4 -C 3 N 4 -Ag 2 MoO 4 ternary system efficiently facilitated the separation of charge carriers. • Fe 3 O 4 -C 3 N 4 -Ag 2 MoO 4 ternary system remarkably enlarged the light absorption range. • The possible OH generate procedure of superior photocatalyst was discussed. Abstract Novel Fe 3 O 4 -C 3 N 4 -Ag 2 MoO 4 series photocatalysts were designed and successfully synthesized. UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) indicated that the Fe 3 O 4 -C 3 N 4 -Ag 2 MoO 4 ternary system efficiently enlarged the light absorption range from 360 nm to 550 nm in comparison with that of pristine Ag 2 MoO 4. The hydroxyl radicals (OH) probe experiment suggested that the formation of C 3 N 4 -Ag 2 MoO 4 heterojunction efficiently produced the powerful OH, and the load of Fe 3 O 4 further increased the amount of OH. The photocatalytic performances of as-prepared samples were evaluated by degrading 4-Chlorophenol (4-CP), which only can be degraded in the presence of OH radicals. The degradation results suggested that Fe 3 O 4 -C 3 N 4 -Ag 2 MoO 4 ternary system showed outstanding photocatalytic performance in comparison with that of C 3 N 4 -Ag 2 MoO 4 , and inactive Ag 2 MoO 4. The mechanism of enhanced OH productivity was also discussed. This study proved that novel Fe 3 O 4 -heterojunction system could efficiently enhance the light harvesting and the productivity of OH, which could be a potential strategy for enhancing the photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Ag@AgBr-Ag 2 Mo 3 O 10 ternary core-shell system and a series of AgBr-Ag 2 Mo 3 O 10 hybrids were prepared using a facile in-situ anion-exchange method. Structure and morphology characterization revealed the formation of the Ag@AgBr-Ag 2 Mo 3 O 10 ternary system. Photoluminescence (PL) results indicated the heterojunction structure and the Ag 0 synergistically facilitated the separation of the photogenerated charge carriers. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) demonstrated that photosensitive AgBr and Ag strongly broadened the visible light absorption range, with the onset of absorption extending from 460 nm to 500 nm. Degradation experiments suggested that the photocatalytic performance of the Ag@30%AgBr-Ag 2 Mo 3 O 10 sample was remarkably improved compared to those of the Ag 2 Mo 3 O 10 and the AgBr-Ag 2 Mo 3 O 10 hybrids. Significantly, radical trapping experiments revealed that although the conduction band (CB) potentials of Ag 2 Mo 3 O 10 and AgBr were not suitable for the formation of the superoxide radical ( O 2 − ), the ternary system produced O 2 − efficiently. The enhanced production of the O 2 − radical may be due to the band bending of CB that was caused by the equilibration of the Fermi energies of Ag and AgBr-Ag 2 Mo 3 O 10 . This study strongly suggests that design and synthesis of novel photocatalysts that increase the amount of radical species is a potential strategy for boosting photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a 12–27 GHz VGA with low phase shift variation and dB-linear gain. A pre-distortion technique for extending the gain tuning range is employed to allow a dB-linear dynamic range of 31 dB, and a compensation structure for reducing the phase shift variation is adopted to make the phase shift varies less than 4° within the entire gain range. Besides, a DAC cell is innovatively introduced to achieve the dB linearity and low phase shift variation balance. A fourth-order LC-ladder filter is used for input matching and a peak inductor technique is used to broaden bandwidth of the VGA. The proposed variable gain amplifier operating in Ku and K bands is implemented in 0.18 μm BiCMOS technology. The simulation results show that the input and output return loss are less than −10 dB in the whole work frequency band, an IIP3 of −2.8 dBm, an IP 1dB of −12 dBm and a power consumption of 62.1 mW are achieved at maximum gain mode in center frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant melanoma (MM) is a highly aggressive form of skin cancer with increasing global incidence rates, particularly in developed countries. Variations in the prevalence and quality of care provided to patients with melanoma exist across different regions and across different sex and age. Assessing the global burden of melanoma and evaluating the quality of care can provide valuable insights for developing targeted interventions in certain underperforming regions and improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to systematically analyze the Global Burden of Disease Study from 1990 to 2019 to assess the quality of care for skin malignant melanoma on a global scale. We conducted a comprehensive literature review and extracted data on melanoma incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from the Global Burden of Disease Study. We incorporated these variables using principal component analysis (PCA) to form an informative single variable of quality of care index (QCI) and analyzed its spatial–temporal variations as well as disparities across age, sex and socio-demographic index (SDI). The overall Quality of Care Index (QCI) for melanoma improved from 82.81 in 1990 to 91.29 in 2019. The QCI score showed a positive correlation with socioeconomic status across regions. Australia ranked highest in QCI (99.96), while Central African Republic, and Kiribati had the lowest scores. China and Saudi Arabia showed significant QCI improvement, while the QCI of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Zimbabwe, and Guam decreased from 1990 to 2019. The highest QCI scores were observed in the age groups of 20–39 years old (93.40–94.65). Gender disparities narrowed globally in these three decades, but lower Socio-demographic Index (SDI) regions showed increased gender inequities. Our findings highlighted the spatial–temporal variations in the quality of care of MM as well as its disparities across different SDI levels, age groups and sex. These findings offer valuable insights and guidance for implementing focused interventions and resource allocation to enhance the quality of care and overall outcomes for MM worldwide, especially for underperforming regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term exposure experiments with single and combined pollutants of copper (Cu)/perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were conducted to explore the influence on activated sludge in SBRs. Compared with the control, the removal of organics, nitrogen and phosphorus in the presence of PFOS exhibited no apparent difference, but reduced in different degrees when Cu and Cu/PFOS existed. PFOS exposure deteriorated the settling performance of activated sludge with SVI value and amount of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) increasing, but posed little impacts on microbial activity (dehydrogenase, protease) and antioxidant activity (SOD, CAT). Under Cu and Cu/PFOS loading, dehydrogenase and protease activity were observed to decrease as well as SOD and CAT activity. The sequencing results revealed that bacterial richness and community diversity reduced under Cu and Cu/PFOS exposure. Overall, adverse effect of combined pollution was lower than that of single Cu in long-time due to antagonistic effect existed between Cu and PFOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen vacancy and mid-gap in N-doped Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 significantly enhanced the photocatalytic ability of tetracyclines under visible light irradiation.▪ [Display omitted] • A novel N-doped Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 photocatalyst was synthesized by a hydrothermal method. • Oxygen vacancy and mid-gap introduced by N enhanced the photocatalytic activity. • The possible mechanism of tetracyclines degradation process was discussed. • The study could provide a reference for doping non-metallic species of Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3. A novel non-metal doped Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 photocatalyst with flower-like microstructure was synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The incorporation location of nitrogen was proved by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) revealed mid-gap from the dope of nitrogen strongly enhanced the visible-light absorption ability. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the morphology of doped samples was greatly influenced by nitrogen dopant. Significantly, N-doped Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 exhibits an ideal tetracycline (TC) photocatalytic ability, which can be a potential function material for antibiotics degradation. Photoluminescence (PL) and photocurrent indicated that constract of oxygen vacancy, which modified the surficial chemistry micro-circumstance, greatly depressed the recombination rate of the photo-generated electron–hole pairs. In order to investigate the possible mechanism of promoted TC degradation efficiency, radical trapping experiments of pure Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 and N-doped samples were examined. It was found that superoxide radicals (·O 2 −) and hydroxyl radical (·OH) formed in the visible light excitation process play an important role in the fragmentation reaction. Moreover, the possible ring-opening intermediates were deduced and a reasonable enhancement mechanism of N-doped Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3 TC degradation was also investigated in this study. This investigation could provide an effective reference for doping non-metallic species for improving the photocatalytic activity of Fe 2 (MoO 4) 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:The aim of this research was to develop a novel ALA fusion protein for target to the malignant cells surface with high uPAR expression and locally release of the scorpion toxin AGAP in an uPA-cleavable manner. It will provide an effective approach for controlled release of the peptide toxins to treat cancerous cells. Methods:The ALA fusion proteins were expressed in pichia pastoris, and the recombinant proteins were purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The proteins were added to human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293) in order to investigate the characteristic of selective targeting and releasing of scorpion toxin AGAP in cancer cells with high uPAR expression. The inhibitory effect of ALA on MDA-MB-231, MCF7, LO2 and HEK-293 was evaluated by MTT assay. Moreover, the antiproliferation mechanism of ALA was determined by flow cytometric and western blot analysis. Results:The results showed that ALA could target MDA-MB-231 cells and the scorpion toxin AGAP could be released with high efficiency and selectivity. ALA inhibited the growth and invasion of breast cancer cells MDA-MB231. Also, cell apoptosis pathway was found to be associated with the inhibition mechanism of ALA according to the data of flow cytometric and western blot analysis. Therefore, ALA could be a novel antitumor candidate for targeting treatment of malignant cell. Conclusions:This study successfully demonstrated that fusion of biotoxins with tumor target domain could provide a simple yet effective way to delivery of peptide or protein drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of singlet oxygen during advanced oxidation processes is restricted by the precise cooperation of photogenerated carriers, energy band potentials, and surface adsorbed oxygen. Herein, we report that an in situ BiVO4/Bi4Ti3O12 S-scheme heterojunction could form oxygen vacancies by constructing crystal defects and effectively produce singlet oxygen by adsorbing oxygen on the surface. Moreover, the novel S-scheme heterojunction not only facilitates the separation of charge carriers, but also accumulates photogenerated electrons on the conduction band of the BiVO4 nanosheet, and the interaction rate between photogenerated electrons and oxygen adsorption on the surface is improved, which tremendously prolongs the life span of the singlet oxygen. Consequently, the selective oxidation of singlet oxygen was examined by the catalysis of the obstinate aromatic hydrocarbon pollutant, and BiVO4/Bi4Ti3O12, which additionally produced the singlet oxygen, showed superior catalytic performance in comparison with the pristine BiVO4. This study overcomes the current limitation of singlet oxygen production and provides a promising strategy for the development of novel catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urban expansion caused by vigorous urban population growth brought up various socioeconomic and eco-environmental problems, which have important ramifications for sustainable development across the world. Along with the accelerated urbanization process, accurate and realistic prediction of urban expansion is of great importance to optimize urban planning and urban development. This study proposed a new hybrid model, which combined the urban scaling law (USL) with the ANN-CA model to predict urban expansion. To employ urban scaling law in the model, we innovatively calculated the law exponent at a single-city scale. Based on USL, we estimated urban land demand in the future by panel data regression. Finally, we added the area constraint and ecological constraint into the ANN-CA model to simulate urban expansion spatially. This frame of urban expansion has been successfully applied in Shenzhen, of which the urban land area would increase from 816.45 km2 in 2020 to 842.48 km2 in 2025. By comparing this model with the traditional prediction method, we proved its effectiveness and accuracy. Besides, we found that the scaling exponent can reflect urbanization level and distinguish overconstructed cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study put forward a one-step carbonization method by concentrated sulfuric acid to prepare garlic peel derived biochar, and the synthetic conditions were optimized by L 16 (45) orthogonal experiments. Notably, in order to study the differences between the proposed synthetic method and the conventional pyrolysis method, the concentrated sulfuric acid carbonized garlic peels biochar (CSGPB) was compared with pyrolysis derived garlic peel biochar (HTGPB) in characterization and adsorption capacities for Enrofloxacin (ENR). Results showed that CSGPB exhibited more graphite-like structures with more active functional groups on the surface, and the equilibrium adsorption capacity of CSGPB (142.3 mg g−1) was 13.7 times of HTGPB (10.4 mg g−1) under identical conditions. Moreover, the adsorption behaviors including adsorption kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamics of CSGPB for ENR were fully investigated and discussed. Based on the above experiments, density functional theory (DFT) simulations were performed to reveal the interfacial interaction and adsorption mechanism. Results showed π-π interaction between quinolone moieties of ENR and graphite-like structures in CSGPB might be the dominant mechanism. As for the functional groups, the adsorption energies were −40.46, −15.21 and −5.96 kJ mol−1 for –SO 3 H, –OH and –COOH, respectively, which indicated –SO 3 H was the most active functional groups on the surface of CSGPB. This study provided a new sustainable perspective for the design of efficient biochars, and explored the interfacial interaction mechanism of antibiotics removal on biochars. [Display omitted] • A one-step carbonization method was proposed to prepare garlic peel (GP) biochar. • The synthetic conditions were optimized by L 16 (45) orthogonal experiments. • Concentrated H 2 SO 4 carbonized GP biochar was compared with pyrolyzed GP biochar. • DFT simulations were performed to reveal the interfacial interaction mechanism. • The π-π interaction between Enrofloxacin and CSGPB might be the dominant mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work constructed the relation between light absorption and separation of electron-hole pairs, and creatively proposed a reliable band gap calculation method to forecast and design of efficient photocatalysts. [Display omitted] • The visible light harvesting was enhanced with the increase of V/Bi ratio. • The separation of charge carriers was restrained with the increase of V/Bi ratio. • DFT calculation has been utilized to explain the inconsistency. • A promising formula has been put forward to calculate the regularity. • Constructed the relation between light absorption and separation of charge carriers. The light harvesting and separation of charge carriers are two decisive factors in the photocatalytic process. In order to reveal the synergic effects of light absorption and separation of charge carriers, and put forward the optimal band gaps of specific photocatalytic systems, Bi 8 V 2 O 17 , Bi 4 V 2 O 11 , BiVO 4 and Bi 4 V 6 O 21 series samples with the V/Bi = 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 were successfully designed and synthesized. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) indicated that the visible light harvesting was tremendously enhanced with the increase of V/Bi ratio. Due to the narrow down of band gaps, photoluminescence (PL) illustrated that the separation of electron-hole pairs was gradually restrained. Although Bi 8 V 2 O 17 showed the best separation of electron-hole pairs, and Bi 4 V 6 O 21 had the best light harvesting range, but the photocatalytic experiments showed that the optimal sample is Bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4). Density functional theory (DFT) calculation has been utilized to explain the above inconsistency, and a promising formula has been put forward to calculate the regularity of light harvesting and separation of electron-hole pairs in the photocatalytic systems. This work constructed the relation between light absorption and separation of electron-hole pairs, and creatively proposed a reliable band gap calculation method to forecast and design of efficient photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The charge transfer mechanism of S-scheme heterojunction and hot electron injection process of Bi metal synergistically drove the photocatalytic hydrogen generation by non-noble metal Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 photocatalyst. [Display omitted] • The ternary Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully synthesized via hydrothermal method. • The optimum photocatalytic hydrogen production of Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 was 2306.90 µmol g−1 in 5 h under visible light illumination, which was about 4.3, 29.6 and 2.2 times more than those of original ZnIn 2 S 4 , Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 and Pt/ZnIn 2 S 4 , respectively. • The outstanding hydrogen production performance of the ternary photocatalyst may be attribute to its broad light absorption, more reactive sites and superior carriers separation. • The charge transfer mechanism of S-scheme heterojunction and hot electron injection process of Bi metal synergistically drove the photocatalytic hydrogen generation. Novel Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 is not only cost-effective compared to noble metals, but also shows superior hydrogen production. Comprehensive characterization illustrated that the S-scheme heterojunction and excellent photon utilization capability of the photocatalyst were the main factors that enhanced its hydrogen production performance. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy illustrated the elemental composition of the catalyst and the presence of Bi metal in ternary heterojunction. The photoluminescence and electrochemical characterization proved that S-scheme heterojunction Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 promoted the separation of photogenerated carriers. The amount of hydrogen produced by Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 was 2306.90 µmol g−1 under visible light illumination for 5 h. It was 4.3, 29.6 and 2.2 times more than those of ZnIn 2 S 4 , Bi 2 MoO 6 /ZnIn 2 S 4 and Pt/ZnIn 2 S 4 , respectively. The excellent hydrogen production activity of the ternary complexes may be attributed to the following: (1) Bi/Bi 2 MoO 6 could replace precious metals to enhance reactive sites of ZnIn 2 S 4. (2) Metal Bi could produce surface plasmon resonance effect facilitating light absorption, and Bi acted as an electron bridge promoting charge transfer. (3) The charge transfer mechanism of S-scheme heterojunction and hot electrons injection process of Bi metal synergistically drove the photocatalytic hydrogen production. This work provides an innovative method for the construction of visible-light-driven photocatalysts without using precious metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overuse of nitrogen fertilizer in fields has raised production costs, and caused environmental problems. Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of rice is essential for sustainable agriculture. Here we report the cloning, characterization and roles for rice of OsNPF7.6, a member of the nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family (NPF). The OsNPF7.6 protein is located in the plasma membrane, expressed in each tissue at all stages and is significantly regulated by nitrate in rice. Our study shows that the overexpression of OsNPF7.6 can increase the nitrate uptake rate of rice. Additionally, field experiments showed that OsNPF7.6 overexpression increased the total tiller number per plant and the grain weight per panicle, thereby improving grain yield and agronomic NUE in rice. Thus, OsNPF7.6 can be applied to be a novel target gene for breeding rice varieties with high NUE, and provide a reference for breeding higher yielding rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) have shown osteogenic and bone regenerative potential. Improving the in situ bone regeneration potential of DPSC is crucial for their application as seed cells during bone defect reconstruction in clinics. This study aimed to develop DPSC-derived organoid-like microspheroids as effective seeds for bone tissue engineering applications. DPSC osteogenic microspheroids (70 μm diameter) were cultured in a polydimethylsiloxane-mold-based agarose-gel microwell-culture-system with or without cannabidiol (CBD)-treatment. Results of in vitro studies showed higher osteogenic differentiation potential of microspheroids compared with 2D-cultured-DPSC. CBD treatment further improved the osteogenic differentiation potential of microspheroids. The effect of CBD treatment in the osteogenic differentiation of microspheroids was more pronounced compared with that of CBD-treated 2D-cultured-DPSC. Microspheroids showed a higher degree of bone regeneration in nude mice calvarial bone defect compared to 2D-cultured-DPSC. CBD-treated microspheroids showed the most robust in situ bone regenerative potential compared with microspheroids or CBD-treated 2D-cultured-DPSC. According to mRNA sequencing, bioinformatic analysis, and confirmation study, the higher osteogenic potential of CBD-treated microspheroids was mainly attributed to WNT6 upregulation. Taken together, DPSC microspheroids have robust osteogenic potential and can effectively translate the effect of in vitro osteoinductive stimulation during in situ bone regeneration, indicating their application potential during bone defect reconstruction in clinics. Dental pulp stem cells-derived microspheroids have robust osteogenic potential and can effectively translate the effect of in vitro osteoinductive stimulation during in situ bone regeneration, indicating their application potential during bone defect reconstruction in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• All the Ln 2 O 3 -Bi 2 MoO 6 samples efficiently enhanced the photocatalytic performance. • Specific multivalence Ln 2 O 3 loaded samples additionally produced OH. • The productivity of ·OH was dominated by 4f electronic structure of Ln(n+1)+/Lnn+. • The discipline and possible mechanism of radical production have been put forward. • Provided a foundation for fabricating Ln 2 O 3 -heterojunction photocatalysts. In order to reveal the radicals production mechanism and discipline of heterojunction photocatalysts, a series of novel Ln 2 O 3 -Bi 2 MoO 6 (Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er, Yb and Lu) were designed and successfully synthesized. The photocatalytic experiments and radical trapping experiments illustrated that all the Ln 2 O 3 -Bi 2 MoO 6 samples efficiently enhanced the photocatalytic performance, and the samples loaded by single valence Ln 2 O 3 (Nd 2 O 3 , Gd 2 O 3 , Dy 2 O 3 , Er 2 O 3 and Lu 2 O 3) could only produce superoxide radicals (·O 2 -), and holes (h+) in the photocatalytic process, and the samples loaded by multivalence Ln 2 O 3 (Ce 2 O 3 , Yb 2 O 3 , Pr 2 O 3 , Sm 2 O 3 , Eu 2 O 3 and Tb 2 O 3) additionally produced the powerful hydroxyl radical (·OH), and further enhanced the photocatalytic performance. Significantly, the Ln 2 O 3 -Bi 2 MoO 6 could produce abundant ·OH and show superior photocatalytic performance when both valence states of multivalence lanthanide ions are unstable 4f electronic structure (4f2, 4f1 in Pr3+, Pr4+ and 4f5, 4f6 in Sm3+, Sm2+), and the possible mechanism of radicals production in different Ln 2 O 3 -Bi 2 MoO 6 heterojunctions system was creatively put forward. This study deeply investigated the production discipline and mechanism of hydroxyl radical in Ln 2 O 3 -Bi 2 MoO 6 heterojunction photocatalysts, and provided a theory foundation for fabricating novel lanthanide oxide loaded photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The AP2/ERFs belong to a large family of transcription factors in plants. The AP2/ERF gene family has been identified as a key player involved in both biotic and abiotic stress responses in plants, however, no comprehensive study has yet been carried out on the AP2/ERF gene family in rose (Rosa sp.), the most important ornamental crop worldwide. Results: The present study comprises a genome-wide analysis of the AP2/ERF family genes (RcERFs) in the rose, involving their identification, gene structure, phylogenetic relationship, chromosome localization, collinearity analysis, as well as their expression patterns. Throughout the phylogenetic analysis, a total of 131 AP2/ERF genes in the rose genome were divided into 5 subgroups. The RcERFs are distributed over all the seven chromosomes of the rose, and genome duplication may have played a key role in their duplication. Furthermore, Ka/Ks analysis indicated that the duplicated RcERF genes often undergo purification selection with limited functional differentiation. Gene expression analysis revealed that 23 RcERFs were induced by infection of the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Presumably, these RcERFs are candidate genes which can react to the rose's resistance against Botrytis cinerea infection. By using virus-induced gene silencing, we confirmed that RcERF099 is an important regulator involved in the B.cinerea resistance in the rose petal. Conclusion: Overall, our results conclude the necessity for further study of the AP2/ERF gene family in rose, and promote their potential application in improving the rose when subjected to biological stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to lightning strikes, electric current with high power density flows through the ground grid or driven rod of power distribution line towers to the soil, which may threaten the safety of aquatic organisms in nearby ponds. In engineering practice, there is a lack of an effective risk assessment method for aquatic organisms around earthing devices of power distribution networks under impulse current dissipation caused by lightning strikes. To solve this problem, a method to assess the safety of grass carp is proposed. First, based on a method of equivalent conduction, the conductivity of a typical grass carp is measured, and current threshold values causing different reactions in grass carp are observed and recorded. Then, the steps for risk assessment are given, with consideration given to the probability distribution characteristics of lightning current amplitude. Finally, some protective measures to reduce the threat of lightning current are given. The performances of different protection methods are analyzed based on a case in Foshan city. The results show that implementing protective measures can effectively reduce adverse reactions of grass carp in thunderstorm weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain size is a quantitative trait that is controlled by multiple genes. It is not only a yield trait, but also an important appearance quality of rice. In addition, grain size is easy to be selected in evolution, which is also a significant trait for studying rice evolution. In recent years, many quantitative trait loci (QTL)/genes for rice grain size were isolated by map-based cloning or genome-wide association studies, which revealed the genetic and molecular mechanism of grain size regulation in part. Here, we summarized the QTL/genes cloned for grain size and the regulation mechanism with a view to provide the theoretical basis for improving rice yield and breeding superior varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Rose has 19 MLO genes. Of these, RhMLO1 and RhMLO2 were shown to be required for powdery mildew infection, which suggests their potential as susceptibility targets towards disease resistance. Powdery mildew, caused by Podosphaera pannosa, is one of the most serious and widespread fungal diseases for roses, especially in greenhouse-grown cut roses. It has been shown that certain MLO genes are involved in powdery mildew susceptibility and that loss of function in these genes in various crops leads to broad-spectrum, long-lasting resistance against this fungal disease. For this reason, these MLO genes are called susceptibility genes. We carried out a genome-wide identification of the MLO gene family in the Rosa chinensis genome, and screened for allelic variants among 22 accessions from seven different Rosa species using re-sequencing and transcriptome data. We identified 19 MLO genes in rose, of which four are candidate genes for functional homologs in clade V, which is the clade containing all dicot MLO susceptibility genes. We detected a total of 198 different allelic variants in the set of Rosa species and accessions, corresponding to 5–15 different alleles for each of the genes. Some diploid Rosa species shared alleles with tetraploid rose cultivars, consistent with the notion that diploid species have contributed to the formation of tetraploid roses. Among the four RhMLO genes in clade V, we demonstrated using expression study, virus-induced gene silencing as well as transient RNAi silencing that two of them, RhMLO1 and RhMLO2, are required for infection by P. pannosa and suggest their potential as susceptibility targets for powdery mildew resistance breeding in rose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sarcopenia and multimorbidity are common in older adults, and most of the available clinical studies have focused on the relationship between specialist disorders and sarcopenia, whereas fewer studies have been conducted on the relationship between sarcopenia and multimorbidity. We therefore wished to explore the relationship between the two. Methods: The study subjects were older patients (aged ≥ 65 years) who were hospitalized at the Department of Geriatrics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between March 2016 and September 2021. Their medical records were collected. Based on the diagnostic criteria of the Asian Sarcopenia Working Group in 2019, the relationship between sarcopenia and multimorbidity was elucidated. Results: 1.A total of 651 older patients aged 65 years and above with 2 or more chronic diseases were investigated in this study, 46.4% were suffering from sarcopenia. 2. Analysis of the relationship between the number of chronic diseases and sarcopenia yielded that the risk of sarcopenia with 4–5 chronic diseases was 1.80 times higher than the risk of 2–3 chronic diseases (OR 1.80, 95%CI 0.29–2.50), and the risk of sarcopenia with ≥ 6 chronic diseases was 5.11 times higher than the risk of 2–3 chronic diseases (OR 5.11, 95% CI 2.97–9.08), which remained statistically significant, after adjusting for relevant factors. 3. The Charlson comorbidity index was associated with skeletal muscle mass index, handgrip strength, and 6–meter walking speed, with scores reaching 5 and above suggesting the possibility of sarcopenia. 4. After adjusting for some covariates among 14 common chronic diseases in older adults, diabetes (OR 3.20, 95% CI 2.01–5.09), cerebrovascular diseases (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.33–3.22), bone and joint diseases (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.32–3.14), and malignant tumors (OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.17–6.55) were among those that still a risk factor for the development of sarcopenia. Conclusion: In the hospitalized older adults, the more chronic diseases they have, the higher the prevalence of sarcopenia. When the CCI is 5, attention needs to be paid to the occurrence of sarcopenia in hospitalized older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The petals of ornamental plants such as roses (Rosa spp.) are the most economically important organs. This delicate, short-lived plant tissue is highly susceptible to pathogens, in large part because the walls of petal cells are typically thinner and more flexible compared with leaf cells, allowing the petals to fold and bend without breaking. The cell wall is a dynamic structure that rapidly alters its composition in response to pathogen infection, thereby reinforcing its stability and boosting plant resistance against diseases. However, little is known about how dynamic changes in the cell wall contribute to resistance to Botrytis cinerea in rose petals. Here, we show that the B. cinerea -induced transcription factor RhbZIP17 is required for the defense response of rose petals. RhbZIP17 is associated with phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and binds to the promoter of the lignin biosynthesis gene RhCAD1 , activating its expression. Lignin content showed a significant increase under gray mold infection compared with the control. RhCAD1 functions in the metabolic regulation of lignin production and, consequently, disease resistance, as revealed by transient silencing and overexpression in rose petals. The WRKY transcription factor RhWRKY30 is also required to activate RhCAD1 expression and enhance resistance against B. cinerea. We propose that RhbZIP17 and RhWRKY30 increase lignin biosynthesis, improve the resistance of rose petals to B. cinerea , and regulate RhCAD1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rapidly growing healthcare demand associated with global population aging has spurred the development of new digital tools for the assessment of cognitive performance in older adults. Objective: To develop a fully automated Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) assessment model and validate the model's rating consistency. Methods: The Automated Assessment Model for MMSE (AAM-MMSE) was an about 10-min computerized cognitive screening tool containing the same questions as the traditional paper-based Chinese MMSE. The validity of the AAM-MMSE was assessed in term of the consistency between the AAM-MMSE rating and physician rating. Results: A total of 427 participants were recruited for this study. The average age of these participants was 60.6 years old (ranging from 19 to 104 years old). According to the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), the interrater reliability between physicians and the AAM-MMSE for the full MMSE scale AAM-MMSE was high [ICC (2,1)=0.952; with its 95% CI of (0.883,0.974)]. According to the weighted kappa coefficients results the interrater agreement level for audio-related items showed high, but for items "Reading and obey", "Three-stage command", and "Writing complete sentence" were slight to fair. The AAM-MMSE rating accuracy was 87%. A Bland-Altman plot showed that the bias between the two total scores was 1.48 points with the upper and lower limits of agreement equal to 6.23 points and −3.26 points. Conclusions: Our work offers a promising fully automated MMSE assessment system for cognitive screening with pretty good accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer vision methods for non-contact detection of herd pigs could help detect early disease and reduce mortality rates by analyzing pig behavior. Due to the limitation of breeding space and cost, the unit breeding area is relatively dense, making it difficult to detect all pigs for a long time without interruption. In order to improve the detection performance, this paper proposes an end-to-end efficient and accurate herd pig detection framework based on YOLOv7 target detection model, which is named Ghost-YOLOv7-SIoU. In this framework, the feature extraction backbone network consists of a series of directly connected efficient layer aggregation networks (ELAN) and downsampling modules. The neck network contains a feature pyramid network and path aggregation network. Ghost convolution is adopted to replace the 3 × 3 standard convolution of the ELAN module in backbone network and the scaled-up ELAN module in neck network to obtain rich features while reducing the parameter number and computational effort. Furthermore, to speed up the model convergence and improve the model robustness and accuracy, SIoU loss is used for bounding box regression in the training stage. On the VOC2012 dataset, the number of parameters and floating-point operations decreased by 13.4% and 15.7% compared to YOLOv7, with comparable detection accuracy. Additionally, the number of parameters and floating-point operations decreased by 13.7% and 16.1% on our pig dataset. Ghost-YOLOv7-SIoU is superior to YOLOV4-CSP and YOLOR-CSP in accuracy. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in improving the efficiency of model detection while ensuring detection accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the most popular ornamental plants worldwide, roses (Rosa sp.), are very susceptible to Botrytis gray mold disease. The necrotrophic infection of rose petals by B. cinerea causes the collapse and death of these tissues in both the growth and post-harvest stages, resulting in serious economic losses. To understand the molecular basis of rose resistance against B. cinerea, we profiled the petal transcriptome using RNA-Seq technology. Results: We identified differentially transcribed genes (DTGs) in petals during B. cinerea infection at 30 h post inoculation (hpi) and/or 48 hpi. Gene ontology term enrichment and pathway analyses revealed that metabolic, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, plant-pathogen interaction, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways were involved. The expression of 370 cell-surface immune receptors was upregulated during infection. In addition, 188 genes encoding transcription factors were upregulated, particularly in the ERF, WRKY, bHLH, MYB, and NAC families, implying their involvement in resistance against B. cinerea. We further identified 325 upregulated DTGs in the hormone signal transduction pathways. Among them, the brassinosteroid (BR)-related genes were the most significantly enriched. To confirm the role of BR in Botrytis resistance, exogenous BR was applied to rose flowers before the inoculation of B. cinerea, which enhanced the defense response in these petals. Conclusions: Our global transcriptome profiling provides insights into the complex gene regulatory networks mediating the rose petal response to B. cinerea. We further demonstrated the role of the phytohormone BR in the resistance of petals to necrotrophic fungal pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to elucidate whether malnutrition is associated with cognitive impairment in an older Chinese population. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted in 2365 participants aged 60 years or older from January 2013 to September 2019. Nutritional status was measured by using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA‐SF). Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE). The relationship between malnutrition or each Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form domain and cognitive impairment was examined with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of malnutrition, risk of malnutrition, and cognitive impairment was 5.54%, 33.45%, and 36.74%, respectively. The prevalence was higher in those 80 years and older: 7.88%, 40.75%, and 53.65%, respectively. The Mini‐Mental State Examination score was positively correlated with the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form score (r = 0.364, P < 0.001). After adjustment for age, gender, education, marital status, and living alone, malnutrition (odds ratio (OR) = 3.927, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.650–5.819), anorexia (OR = 1.454, 95%CI: 1.192–1.774), weight loss (OR = 1.697, 95%CI: 1.406–2.047), impaired mobility (OR = 4.156, 95%CI: 3.311–5.218), and psychological stress (OR = 1.414, 95%CI: 1.070–1.869) were significantly associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the prevalence of malnutrition and cognitive impairment is relatively high and increases with age. Malnutrition, anorexia, weight loss, impaired mobility, and psychological stress are significantly associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Therefore, clinicians should assess the nutritional and cognitive status of the elderly regularly to improve early detection and timely intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel g-C 3 N 4 @Bi/BiOBr ternary heterostructured composites were successfully fabricated by a facile solvothermal method, in which ethylene glycol functioned as both a solvent and a reductant. As observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Bi/BiOBr nanoplates were embedded on the surface of layered g-C 3 N 4 to form three-dimensional hierarchical structure. Under visible-light irradiation, the ternary g-C 3 N 4 @Bi/BiOBr composites displayed notably boosted photocatalytic performance for photodegrading tetracycline and rhodamine B. As revealed via the UV–visible diffuse reflection spectra (UV–vis DRS) and photocurrent experiments, the three-dimensional hierarchical structure obviously enhanced the visible-light photoresponse and the ternary heterojunction greatly promoted the separation of photo-induced carriers, thus leading to the high photocatalytic performance. Based on the results of trapping radical experiments and the energy band potentials, an indirect Z-scheme system was proposed to illuminate the possible photodegradation mechanism. This work provides a novel strategy to design the multiple heterostructured photocatalysts with high efficiency for environmental purification and energy conversion. A novel Z-scheme heterojunction was designed to obtain a high-efficiency g-C 3 N 4 @Bi/BiOBr ternary photocatalyst. Image 1 • A novel g-C 3 N 4 @Bi/BiOBr ternary composites displayed boosted photocatalytic activity. • A novel indirect Z-scheme heterojunction system was presented. • Efficient photocatalyst was fabricated combining with multiple methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Gd/Er/Lu co-doping enhances the photocatalytic activity of Bi 2 MoO 6. • The oxidizing ability, light absorption, and separation have all been improved by co-doping. • A new synergistic effect of redox center, upconversion & oxygen vacancy is developed. • All the oxidizability, light absorption and charge separation have been boosted. • Lanthanide ion triple doping is a new approach to boost photocatalytic activity. Abstract Lanthanide doping is an effective and controllable approach for optimizing the oxidation ability, light absorption and charge separation of photocatalysts. However, the multiple drawbacks of mono-component photocatalysts have not been adequately resolved by the doping of only one or two lanthanide ions. Herein, a novel Gd/Er/Lu-triple-doped Bi 2 MoO 6 photocatalyst was synthesized using a hydrothermal method. The results of trapping and 4-Chlorophenol degradation experiments suggested that the oxidizing efficiency of Bi 2 MoO 6 was clearly enhanced by the generation of hydroxyl radicals after doping with the Gd3+ redox centers. The obtained diffuse reflectance spectra demonstrated that introducing Er3+ ions provides energy upconversion centers to improve light absorption. The obtained X-ray photoelectron and photoluminescence spectra demonstrated that abundant oxygen vacancies were produced in the Bi 2 MoO 6 crystal after the doping of Lu3+ ions, contributing to promoting the separation of charge carriers. In summary, Gd/Er/Lu-triple-doped Bi 2 MoO 6 displays much better photocatalytic performance than single- and double-doped Bi 2 MoO 6 materials, which is attributed to the synergistic effects of the Gd3+, Er3+ and Lu3+ ions. These discoveries demonstrate a novel synergistic effect of the redox centers (Gd3+ doping), energy upconversion (Er3+ doping) and oxygen vacancies (Lu3+ doping) for the design and fabrication of high-efficiency photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wall associated kinase (WAK) and WAK-like (WAKL) are typical pattern recognition receptors act as the first sentry of plant defense. But little of WAK/WAKL family is known in Rosaceae. Results: In this study, 131 WAK/WAKL genes from apple, peach and strawberry were identified using a bioinformatics approach. Together with 68 RcWAK/RcWAKL in rose, we performed a comparative analysis of 199 WAK/WAKL in four Rosaceae crops. The phylogenetic analysis divided all the WAK/WAKL into five clades. Among them, the cis-elements of Clade II and Clade V promoters were enriched in jasmonic acid (JA) signaling and abiotic stress, respectively. And this can also be verified by the rose transcriptome responding to different hormone treatments. WAK/WAKL families have experienced a considerable proportion of purifying selection during evolution, but still 26 amino acid sites evolved under positive selection, which focused on extracellular conserved domains. WAK/WAKL genes presented collinearity relationship within and between crops, throughout four crops we mined four orthologous groups (OGs). The WAK/WAKL genes in OG1 and OG4 were speculated to involve in plant-Botrytis cinerea interaction, which were validated in rose via VIGS as well as strawberry by qRT-PCR. Conclusions: These results not only provide genetic resources and valuable information for the evolutionary relationship of WAK/WAKL gene family, but also offer a reference for future in-depth studies of Rosaceae WAK/WAKL genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We have identified 48 RcbZIP family members in the whole genome of R. chinensis. • Their phylogenetic relationships, gene structure, chromosome localizations, and collinearity are investigated. • We further demonstrated that RcbZIP17 was involved in the regulation of B. cinerea resistance in rose petals. • These findings support the idea that RcbZIP family members play an important role in disease resistance. • This study provides useful information for studying the function of the bZIP genes in rose. Rose is an important ornamental plant and a commercial source of natural fragrances and essential oils. However, gray mold is the most serious disease of rose during cultivation and post-harvest. In plants, the bZIP gene family is one of the important families of transcription factors that regulate many biological processes, including pathogen defense, light response, and stress signaling. Although there were reports that bZIPs play a key role in plant pathogen defense, there have been no comprehensive studies or functional analysis of the bZIP gene family in rose (Rosa sp.) yet. In this study, a genome-wide analysis of the bZIP family gene (RcbZIPs) in rose was carried out to investigate their phylogenetic relationships, gene structure, chromosome localizations, collinearity, and the function of RcbZIP17. In the rose genome, 48 RcbZIP genes were identified and divided into 11 subgroups by phylogenetic relationships. Moreover, gene structure analysis agreed with phylogenetic tree grouping. The RcbZIPs were unevenly distributed on all seven chromosomes. The gene duplication events indicated that segmental duplication of the entire genome may play a key role in gene duplication. A Ka/Ks analysis showed that they mainly underwent purifying selection with limited functional differentiation. Gene expression analysis showed that 16 RcbZIPs were significantly differential expressed by Botrytis cinerea infection. It is speculated that these RcbZIPs are candidate genes for regulating the response of rose to gray mold infection. According to virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and overexpression (OE) studies, RcbZIP17 was implicated in the resistance of rose to gray mold. This study provides useful information for further study on the function of the bZIP gene family in rose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Screening cognitive impairment is complex and not an appliance for early screening. Gait performance is strongly associated with cognitive impairment. Objectives: We aimed to explore gait indicators that could potentially screen cognitive dysfunction. Methods: A total of 235 subjects were recruited from June 2021 to June 2022. Four gait tasks, including the walking test, the timed "Up & Go" test (TUG), foot pressure balance (FPB), and one-legged standing with eyes closed test (OLS-EC), were performed. Moreover, in the walking test, participants were instructed to walk at their usual pace for the single-gait test. For the dual-task tests, participants walked at their usual pace while counting backward from 100 by 1s. The data were analyzed by the independent sample t-test, univariate and multivariate logistic regression, a linear trend, stratified and interaction analysis, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and Pearson's correlations. Results: Among the 235 participants, 81 (34.5%) were men and 154 (65.5%) were women. The mean age of participants was 72 ± 7.836 years. The control, MCI, mild AD, and severe AD groups had means of 71, 63, 71, and 30, respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, education, and body mass index (BMI), the dual-task toe-off-ground angle (TOA) (odds ratio (OR) = 0.911, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.847, 0.979), single-task TOA (OR = 0.904, 95% CI: 0.841–0.971), and the timed "Up & Go" time (TUGT) (OR = 1.515, 95% CI: 1.243–1.846) were significantly associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. In addition, the trend test and stratified analysis results had no significant differences (all p > 0.05). The area under the roc curve (AUC) values of TOA in the dual-task and TUGT were 0.812 and 0.847, respectively. Additionally, TOA < 36.75° in the dual-task, TOA < 38.90° in the single-task, and TUGT > 9.83 seconds (s) are likely to indicate cognitive impairment. The cognitive assessment scale scores were significantly correlated with TOA (all r > 0.3, p < 0.001) and TUGT (all r > 0.2), respectively. Conclusion: TOA and TUGT scores are, in some circumstances, associated with cognitive impairment; therefore, they can be used as simple initial screenings to identify patients at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the destruction of exocrine glands, resulting in dry mouth and eyes. Currently, there is no effective treatment for SS, and the mechanisms associated with inadequate salivary secretion are poorly understood. Methods: In this study, we used NOD mice model to monitor changes in mice's salivary secretion and water consumption. Tissue morphology of the submandibular glands was examined by H&E staining, and Immunohistochemical detected the expression of AQP5 (an essential protein in salivary secretion). Global gene expression profiling was performed on submandibular gland tissue of extracted NOD mice model using RNA-seq. Subsequently, a series of bioinformatics analyses of transcriptome sequencing was performed, including differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identification, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, PPI network construction, hub gene identification, and the validity of diagnostic indicators using the dataset GSE40611. Finally, IFN-γ was used to treat the cells, the submandibular gland tissue of NOD mice model was extracted, and RT-qPCR was applied to verify the expression of hub genes. Results: We found that NOD mice model had reduced salivary secretion and increased water consumption. H&E staining suggests acinar destruction and basement membrane changes in glandular tissue. Immunohistochemistry detects a decrease in AQP5 immunostaining within acinar. In transcriptome sequencing, 42 overlapping DEGs were identified, and hub genes (REN, A2M, SNCA, KLK3, TTR, and AZGP1) were identified as initiating targets for insulin signaling. In addition, insulin signaling and cAMP signaling are potential pathways for regulating salivary secretion and constructing a regulatory relationship between target-cAMP signaling-salivary secretion. Conclusion: The new potential targets and signal axes for regulating salivary secretion provide a strategy for SS therapy in a clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-signal stability analysis is essential for the safe operation and parameter design of power electronic-dominated grids. Unbalanced conditions introduce more frequency-coupling terms, which are unneglectable in the stability assessment. This paper proposes a novel Linear Time-Periodic (LTP) theory-based stability analysis method and focuses on grid-connected voltage-source converters (VSCs) without improved unbalancing controls. Firstly, the analysis of fundamental solutions of the LTP system reveals that each LTP mode is characterized by a unique damping factor and multiple oscillation frequencies, defined by LTP eigenvalues and related transformation vectors, i.e., (λ i , V i (t)). Then, a method for calculating (λ i , V i (t)) is proposed using the characteristic matrix of the Harmonic State-Space (HSS) model. An iterative sorting method based on the time-domain interpretation of HSS eigenvalues/eigenvectors is proposed to determine accurate (λ i , V i (t)) in the case of the minimum truncation order. Finally, generalized definitions and calculation methods of the widely used indicators for modal analysis are presented to assess system stability and guide the parameter design. Numerical and simulation results verify the proposed stability analysis method and indicate its advantages compared to the existing Floquet and HSS methods. • Proposes a novel LTP theory-based time-domain stability analysis method. • Fundamental solutions of the LTP system are analyzed, revealing that each LTP mode is characterized by a unique damping factor and multiple oscillation frequencies, defined by LTP eigenvalues and related transformation vectors. • A method for computing LTP eigenvalues and related transformation vectors is proposed using the characteristic matrix of the HSS model. • Generalized definitions and calculation methods of the damping ratio, PFs, and EPSs for LTP systems are proposed for the guidance of parameter design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The triple-doped Yb/Er/Pr-Bi 2 WO 6 photocatalyst presented the optimal degradation performance under visible light irradiation. The enhanced catalytic property mechanism was ascribed to the abundant superoxide anions and hydroxyl radicals production and the inhibition of charge carriers recombination. Yb/Er/Pr-BWO + hv → e- + h±. O 2 + e- → O 2 − 2e- + h± + O 2 − → HO 2. HO 2 + e- → HO 2 − HO 2 − + h± → H 2 O 2. Pr3+ + H 2 O 2 → Pr4+ + OH− + OH. H 2 O 2 + OH → HO 2 + H 2 O. Pr4+ + HO 2 → Pr3+ + O 2 + H±. H 2 O + h± → OH + H±. [Display omitted] • A novel Yb/Er/Pr-Bi 2 WO 6 catalyst was synthesized using one-step hydrothermal method. • TUnder visible light illumination, the Yb/Er/Pr triple-doped Bi 2 WO 6 exhibited outstanding photocatalytic activity. • The photo-degradation efficiency of 2.0%Yb/2.0%Er/2.0%Pr-Bi 2 WO 6 was 8.1 times for Congo Red than that of individual Bi 2 WO 6. • The mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic performance was due to thepromoted reactive oxide species production and photocarrier separation. • Provides a feasible strategy for improving photocatalytic activity of catalysts and deducing the possible mechanism. Superoxide anions (O 2 −) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) are vital reactive oxide species (ROS) in the photocatalytic process. In this study, a novel triple-doped bismuth tungstate (Yb/Er/Pr-Bi 2 WO 6) superior photocatalyst was constructed using hydrothermal method. The yield of O 2 − and OH are concurrently boosted by the synergistic effect for Yb/Er/Pr triple-doping. The X-ray photo-electron spectra confirmed the existence of oxygen vacancy and Pr4+/Pr3+ redox center, which can act as trap electron center to produce more O 2 − and promote electron-holes pairs separation. Meanwhile, Yb and Er doping observably regulated the valence band position of Bi 2 WO 6 from 2.39 V to 2.63 V, which is beneficial to produce more OH. Comprehensive characterization illustrate that Yb/Er/Pr-Bi 2 WO 6 shows superior performance in photocatalytic activity, photocarrier separation and light absorption efficiency compared with the pristine Bi 2 WO 6 , single-doped Bi 2 WO 6 and co-doped Bi 2 WO 6. The research provides a simple and valid method for enhancing the visible-light-responding photocatalytic property and exploring the possible enhanced photocatalytic performance mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the challenges in data acquisition, especially for developing countries and at local levels, spatiotemporal evaluation for SDG11 indicators was still lacking. The availability of big data and earth observation technology can play an important role to facilitate the monitoring of urban sustainable development. Taking Guilin, a sustainable development agenda innovation demonstration area in China as a case study, we developed an assessment framework for SDG indicators 11.2.1, 11.3.1, and 11.7.1 at the neighborhood level using high-resolution (HR) satellite images, gridded population data, and other geospatial big data (e.g., road network and point of interest data). The findings showed that the proportion of the population with convenient access to public transport in the functional urban area gradually improved from 42% in 2013 to 52% in 2020. The increase in built-up land was much faster than the increase in population. The areal proportion of public open space decreased from 56% in 2013 to 24% in 2020, and the proportion of the population within the 400 m service areas of open public space decreased from 73% to 59%. The township-level results indicated that low-density land sprawling should be strictly managed, and open space and transportation facilities should be improved in the three fast-growing towns, Lingui, Lingchuan, and Dingjiang. The evaluation results of this study confirmed the applicability of SDG11 indicators to neighborhood-level assessment and local urban governance and planning practices. The evaluation framework of the SDG11 indicators based on HR satellite images and geospatial big data showed great promise to apply to other cities for targeted planning and assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External humidification has been used as a flexible water management strategy for the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). To study the anode inlet relative humidity (ARH) effect on the performance of PEMFC, the anode inlet water content (AIWC) model is established, including condensation rates and water activity. A comparable analysis between the AIWC model, Fluent model and experiment is conducted at 60 °C operating temperature, four different anode relative humidities (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%), and 100% cathode relative humidity (CRH). The species distributions of water content and hydrogen concentration are presented and analyzed. The results show the relative error of the voltage results derived from the AIWC model has been reduced by 3.2% (the original is 4.6% in the Fluent model) especially at 240 mA·cm−2 for 50% ARH. An increase in hydrogen humidity can improve the PEMFC output at low ARH (25% and 50%). Meanwhile, at high ARH (100%), the excess water produced does not play a positive role. At 50% ARH, the water content and hydrogen distribution are more uniform all over the anode channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]