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To examine the variances in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and sensory attributes across various hop cultivars, an analytical approach was employed. Specifically, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) were employed to scrutinize the VOCs and sensory characteristics of four distinct hop varieties, namely Magnum, Palisade, Saaz, and Hersbrucker. The outcomes of QDA revealed a diverse array of sensory profiles in the hops, encompassing citrus and non-citrus fruit aromas, woody, floral, herbal, spicy, and green aromas, with noticeable distinctions in sensory attributes discernible among the various hop cultivars. The results showed that 79 VOCs were identified in the GC-IMS spectra of different varieties of hops, including terpenes, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and ketones. 140 VOCs were identified in the GC-MS spectra of different varieties of hops, including terpenes, alcohols, ketones, esters, acids, and aldehydes, with terpenes and esters emerging as the prevailing constituents in hops. The principal component analysis (PCA) of different hop VOCs was performed to effectively identify the differences among hop varieties. This study can provide a valuable reference for the comprehensive analysis of VOCs and sensory attributes in hops. Furthermore, it contributes theoretical underpinnings to inform the precise application of hops in the context of beer brewing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Loess Plateau is an important source of particulate matter pollution in North China. In order to establish and repair shelterbelts and improve their function of inhibiting wind erosion and dust, four typical shelterbelts (Populus simonii, Pinus tabulaeformis Carr., Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. × Populus simonii and Caragana korshinskii Kom.) were selected to investigate the inhibition rate of soil wind-erosion and the reduction rates of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 by stand type, stand structure and soil properties. A sample plot survey and semi-fixed observation method were used to measure wind speed and particulate matter concentration and to calculate wind protection effect, sand transport rate, vertical flux of particulate matter, wind-erosion inhibition rate and particulate matter reduction rate. The results showed that the Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. forest and Caragana korshinskii Kom. forest had the best windproofing effect, at 2 m (82.9% ± 23.8%) and 0.5 m (54.4% ± 21.5%), respectively. The distribution curve of the sediment flux of shelterbelts is a logarithmic function. The wind-erosion inhibition rate and PM1 reduction rate of the Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. forest were significantly greater than those of other stand types (p < 0.05). The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) shows that the DBH variation coefficient (CV) can effectively explain the reduction rate of PM1. It is suggested that policies be enacted to add or replace Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. forest in polluted areas to prevent wind erosion and dust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea ice affects the Earth's energy balance and ocean circulation and is crucial to the global climate system. However, research on the decadal variations in the mean sea-level pressure patterns in recent winters (2001–2020) and the characteristics of sea ice motion (SIM) in the Western Arctic region is very limited. In this study, we utilized the Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis method to investigate the potential impacts of Arctic Oscillation (AO) and Arctic Dipole (AD) on the Beaufort High (BH) during the period 2001–2020 and discuss the changes in SIM intensity in the Western Arctic. The results indicate that the negative phases of AO and AD are connected with (tend to bring about) a higher BH, strengthening anticyclonic circulation in the Arctic region. Conversely, the positive phases of AO and AD led to the collapse of the BH, resulting in a reversal of sea ice movement. Additionally, during the period 2001–2020, the BH consistently explained 67% of the sea ice motion (had the highest explanatory degree for sea ice advection within the region (weighted average 61.71%)). Meanwhile, the sea ice advection has become more sensitive to change in various atmospheric circulations. This study contributes to an in-depth understanding of the response of sea ice motion to atmospheric circulation in the Western Arctic in recent years, offering more explanations for the anomalous movement of sea ice in the Western Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice density is an important physical parameter affecting the mechanical properties of ice. Due to bad field environments, the traditional density measurement method cannot achieve continuous monitoring of ice density. Therefore, the authors of this paper propose a new idea: to use the acoustic characteristics of ice to obtain ice density. The acoustic and physical properties of artificially frozen ice samples, with salinity values in the range of 0~8.5‰, were tested using a nonlinear high-energy ultrasonic testing system to explore the relationships among ice density, sound velocity, temperature, and salinity when the temperatures of the ice samples rose from −30 °C to −5 °C. The test results show that the freshwater ice density decreases from 915.5 kg/m3 to 911.9 kg/m3 when the ice temperature rises from −30 °C to −5 °C. The density of saltwater ice varies from 899.8 kg/m3 to 912.9 kg/m3. When the salinity remains the same, the density of an ice sample decreases with an increase in temperature and increases with an increase in sound velocity. When the ice temperature remains the same, the density of saltwater ice increases with an increase in salinity and decreases with an increase in sound velocity. Based on the test results, a prediction model of ice density with respect to sound velocity, temperature, and salinity is established. The root mean square error between the predicted values of the model and the measured values is 0.337 kg/m3, indicating that the prediction accuracy is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving energy efficiency is a crucial aspect of building a sustainable smart city and, more broadly, relevant for improving environmental, economic, and social well-being. Non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) is a computing technique that estimates energy consumption in real-time and helps raise energy awareness among users to facilitate energy management. Most NILM solutions are still a single machine approach and do not fit well in smart cities. This work proposes a model-agnostic hybrid federated learning framework to collaboratively train NILM models for city-wide energy-saving applications. The framework supports both centralised and decentralised training modes to provide a cluster-based, customisable and optimal learning solution for users. The proposed framework is evaluated on a real-world energy disaggregation dataset. The results show that all NILM models trained in our proposed framework outperform the locally trained ones in accuracy. The results also suggest that the NILM models trained in our framework are resistant to privacy leakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] Available water for irrigation in Hetao irrigation district has been reduced consistently over the past decades. Improving its water management to alleviate soil salinity is critical to sustaining crop production in this region. The purpose of this paper is to seek optimal water-saving irrigation schemes for this region by using process-based models. [Method] The semi-distributed hydrological model (SahysMod) is used in our study. We consider spatial variability of numerous factors in the modelling, which include meteorology, hydrogeology, soil, irrigation and crops. The model is then combined with GIS to simulate the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil water and salt under different scenarios. Data measured from 2007 to 2012 and 2013-2016 were used to calibrate and verify the model, respectively. [Result] ①In a business as usual scenario, the annual drainage decreases first before gradually stabilizing, with the average annual drainage being 531 million m³; salinized lands in the middle and upper reaches of the irrigation district decrease slightly, but increase significantly in the lower reach. ②Considering water-saving in the whole irrigation district and ecological demand for water in the downstream and the Wuliangsuhai lake, the total water diversion from the canal head should be reduced by 15% from the current level. This will save up to 646 million m³ of water. ③If the current irrigation amount remains unchanged, the water utilization coefficient of the canal can be improved 17.6% at the best. ④If the reduction in total water diversion from Yellow River is the same, reducing irrigation amount in the field is the best way to boost salt leaching. In this scenario, reducing irrigation amount should be the priority, followed by improving water utilization coefficient of the canal. [Conclusion] In addition to saving water, considering ecological demand of the downstream for water is also important in optimizing water management in Hetao Irrigation District. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing use of distributed energy resources changes the way to manage the electricity system. Unlike the traditional centralized powered utility, many homes and businesses with local electricity generators have established their own microgrids, which increases the use of renewable energy while introducing a new challenge to the management of the microgrid system from the mismatch and unknown of renewable energy generations, load demands, and dynamic electricity prices. To address this challenge, a rank-based multiple-choice secretary algorithm (RMSA) was proposed for microgrid management, to reduce the microgrid operating cost. Rather than relying on the complete information of future dynamic variables or accurate predictive approaches, a lightweight solution was used to make real-time decisions under uncertainties. The RMSA enables a microgrid to reduce the operating cost by determining the best electricity purchase timing for each task under dynamic pricing. Extensive experiments were conducted on real-world data sets to prove the efficacy of our solution in complex and divergent real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the difficulty of power supply for automatic observation equipment in the polar regions, this paper introduced a small standalone renewable energy system with wind–solar co-generation as the energy supply scheme. Mathematical models were given, including solar photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, solar irradiance, wind energy density, and renewable energy assessment. ERA-Interim atmospheric reanalysis data were used to evaluate solar energy resources, and the synergistic effect of wind–solar resources on renewable energy was also analyzed and discussed. The system composition of the small standalone renewable energy system was proposed in this study. This system deployed near Zhongshan Station was taken as the object of investigation to analyze the operation performance of each component of the system in different months, and the technical feasibility of the system has also been verified. The results showed that the wind–solar resources in the polar regions had a synergistic effect, which can provide an effective and feasible scheme for the power supply of automatic observation equipment. Through research and analysis, it was found that each component of the renewable energy system, including photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and batteries, could meet the long-term power supply requirements of automatic observation regardless of the polar periods, polar day or polar night. This paper can not only provide theoretical and data support for the application of small independent renewable energy systems in the polar regions but also provide feasible solutions for clean energy supply of the systems and equipment for independent observation stations deployed in uninhabited islands and alpine regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaching characteristics of filter materials of the improved subsurface drainage are very important for nitrogen and phosphorus loss. In this paper, the leaching characteristic of soil, sand, straw, and zeolite under different layouts were studied by HYDRUS-2D simulation based on calibration and validation according to laboratory data. Two scenarios were considered, including different soil and filter layouts, and mixed filter materials of straw and sand or zeolite. The results indicate that zeolite showed good adsorption characteristics of both ammonia nitrogen and phosphorus, while the straw's adsorption characteristics were very different between ammonia nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of the outflow were mostly determined by the materials around the outlet. Compared with the cases of no lower soil, when the lower soil depth was 5 cm, the ammonia nitrogen concentrations under sand and straw decreased 54.5% and 96.3%, and the corresponding decreased phosphorus concentrations were 84.1% and 96.2%. In views of mixed filter with straw and the different layouts, that the ratio of straw and sand was 1:1, or the ratio of straw and zeolite was 2:1; at the same time, sand and zeolite should be set around the outlet, and may be better for ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Areas subjected to frequent winds show severe farmland degradation and air pollution caused by wind erosion and particulate matter emissions. Biological soil crust (BCS) coverage can inhibit wind erosion. This study used wind tunnels to analyze the wind erosion and particulate matter emissions of algae crusts and moss crusts for different wind speeds and coverage conditions, providing the proportion of particulate matter emission of the total wind erosion under different conditions. Wind erosion of algae crusts was 33% higher than that of moss crusts, and the average emissions of total suspended particles (TSP), PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 were 51%, 64%, 149%, and 167% higher than those of moss crusts. The wind erosion process pairs of the two biological soil crusts both had strong responses to wind speed and coverage, and particulate matter emissions were particularly sensitive to coverage. The average aerodynamic roughness length of moss crusts was 164% higher than that of algae crusts; with increasing wind speed, the aerodynamic roughness length of algae crusts decreased 60% faster than that of moss crusts. The proportion of particulate matter emissions from biological soil crusts in wind erosion was inversely proportional to wind speed and coverage. The particle emission capacity of moss crusts was directly proportional to the particle size and inversely proportional to the coverage. In contrast, the particle emission capacity of algae crust particles was proportional to the particle size. This study provides information for the management of farmland wind erosion and particulate matter emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk assessment of water environments provides important references for water environment risk management. In this paper, the water environment risk of the upper rivers of the Baiyangdian Lake is assessed, considering both cumulative and sudden environmental risk. For the cumulative environmental risk assessment of the rivers, the characteristics of pollution transmissibility and accumulation in rivers was considered firstly. Furthermore, suggestions for the control of water environment pollution in the Baiyangdian Basin are given. The results indicate that the cumulative water environment risks of the Xiaoyi River—Dingzhou County, Xiaoyi River—Anguo County, Xiaoyi River—Boye County, and Xiaoyi River—Li County are high. The amount of fertilizer applied per unit of cultivated area, water quality, rate of water quality above the standard in water function zoning, and the ratio of environmental investment to gross domestic product (GDP) are important factors influencing the cumulative water environment risk. For sudden water environment assessments, the Xiaoyi River—Boye County is high. In the future, reducing the intensity of fertilizer application, strengthening the water quality control of the rivers, as well as upgrading the industry, should be carried out to protect the water environment in the Baiyangdian Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea ice growth and consolidation play a significant role in heat and momentum exchange between the atmosphere and the ocean. However, few in situ observations of sea ice kinematics have been reported owing to difficulties of deployment of buoys in the marginal ice zone (MIZ). To investigate the characteristics of sea ice kinematics from MIZ to packed ice zone (PIZ), eight drifting buoys designed by Taiyuan University of Technology were deployed in the open water at the ice edge of the Canadian Basin. Sea ice near the buoy constantly increased as the buoy drifted, and the kinematics of the buoy changed as the buoy was frozen into the ice. This process can be determined using sea ice concentration, sea skin temperature, and drift speed of buoy together. Sea ice concentration data showed that buoys entered the PIZ in mid-October as the ice grew and consolidated around the buoys, with high amplitude, high frequency buoy motions almost ceasing. Our results confirmed that good correlation coefficient in monthly scale between buoy drift and the wind only happened in the ice zone. The correlation coefficient between buoys and wind was below 0.3 while the buoys were in open water. As buoys entered the ice zone, the buoy speed was normally distributed at wind speeds above 6 m/s. The buoy drifted mainly to the right of the wind within 45° at wind speeds above 8 m/s. During further consolidation of the ice in MIZ, the direct forcing on the ice through winds will be lessened. The correlation coefficient value increased to 0.9 in November, and gradually decreased to 0.7 in April. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a critical infrastructure of urban water systems, sewer networks suffer from serious corrosion and odor problems, which can be controlled by chemical dosing. It is a challenging task to optimize chemical distribution in such a hybrid system with continuous hydraulic flow, discrete pump operations, and dynamic constraints. In this article, we study real-time control of multiple pumps to achieve the desired chemical distribution in a sewer network. A novel hybrid optimization approach is developed, which involves an event-triggered scheme triggered by predicting proper pumping events at uncontrolled pumping stations, and an improved nature-inspired elephant herding optimization (iEHO) algorithm for scheduling pumping at controllable pumping stations. The proposed method is validated through simulation studies of a real-life sewer network using real measured data. Our strategy significantly improves chemical distribution with reduced costs, despite an astronomic searching space. The iEHO algorithm outperforms the genetic algorithm in terms of the quality of solutions and convergence efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic sea ice area and thickness have declined dramatically during the recent decades. Sea ice physical and mechanical properties become increasingly important. Traditional methods of studying ice mechanical parameters such as ice-coring cannot realize field test and long-term observation. A new principle of measuring mechanical properties of ice using ultrasonic was studied and an ultrasonic system was proposed to achieve automatic observation of ice mechanical parameters (Young's modulus, shear modulus and bulk modulus). The ultrasonic system can measure the ultrasonic velocity through ice at different temperature, salinity and density of ice. When ambient temperature decreased from 0°C to −30°C, ultrasonic velocity and mechanical properties of ice increased, and vice versa. The shear modulus of the freshwater ice and sea ice varied from 2.098 GPa to 2.48 GPa and 2.927 GPa to 4.374 GPa, respectively. The bulk modulus of freshwater ice remained between 3.074 GPa and 4.566 GPa and the sea ice bulk modulus varied from 1.211 GPa to 3.089 GPa. The freshwater ice Young's modulus kept between 5.156 GPa and 6.264 GPa and sea ice Young's modulus varied from 3.793 GPa to 7.492 GPa. The results of ultrasonic measurement are consistent with previous studies and there is a consistent trend of mechanical modulus of ice between the process of ice temperature rising and falling. Finally, this ultrasonic method and the ultrasonic system will help to achieve the long-term observation of ice mechanical properties of ice and improve accuracy of sea ice models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beneficial characteristics of polyoxometalate (POM) molecule-based flash memory cells provide interesting opportunities for scaling beyond the limitations of conventional flash cells. In this paper, we study the write, erase, and retention times of POM flash cells using a kinetic Monte Carlo method implemented in the multi-scale Nano-Electronic Simulation Software simulation framework. The POM flash structure is optimized by studying the tradeoffs between program/erase time and retention time. Based on the optimized POM flash structure, the POM molecular layer charging and discharging processes as well as the corresponding threshold voltage variation are analyzed. The distributions of write, erase, and retention times are simulated and analyzed when studying the POM flash dynamic charging and discharging characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

It is demonstrated that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs can directly inhibit the proliferation of reproductive tissue cancer cells, but the poor pharmacokinetic properties still restrict their application in treating hormone-dependent diseases. Modifications in position 6 and 10 of natural GnRH can improve the metabolic stability. In order to study the effect of incorporation Cys6 substitution with C-terminal Pro9-NHEt modification and dimerization of linear peptides on metabolic stability and antiproliferative activity of GnRH analogs, two new GnRH analogs [l-Cys6, desGly10, Pro9-NHEt]-GnRH (1) and [d-Cys6, desGly10, Pro9-NHEt]-GnRH (2), and their corresponding dimer derivatives ([l-Cys6, desGly10, Pro9-NHEt]-GnRH)2 (3) and ([d-Cys6, desGly10, Pro9-NHEt]-GnRH)2 (4) were synthesized. Incubation of these analogs with human serum was carried out to evaluate their metabolic stability, and direct growth inhibitory effect of the two dimer derivatives 3 and 4 on MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line was examined by MTT assay. The metabolic stability of dimer derivatives 3 and 4 was remarkably improved in comparison with natural GnRH. The d-Cys6 substituted dimer derivative 4 exhibited higher inhibitory effect (29.6–39.7% growth reduction) on cell growth than its corresponding counterpart 3 (21.8–26.2% growth reduction) at concentration range of 50, 100 and 200 μΜ. The cell growth inhibition of leuprolide was 16.4–27.2% at the tested concentrations. The dimer derivative 4 was the most stable and active GnRH analog in this study and has the potential for future preclinical investigations as promising antitumor drug candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has built four stations in Antarctica so far, and Zhongshan Station is the largest station among them. Continuous power supply for manned stations mainly relies on fuel. With the gradual increase in energy demand at the station and cost of fuel traffic from China to Zhongshan station in Antarctica, reducing fuel consumption and increasing green energy utilization are urgent problems. This research considers a standalone renewable energy system. The polar environments and renewable energy distribution of area of Zhongshan station are analyzed. The physical model, operation principle, and mathematical modeling of the proposed power system were designed. Low-temperature performance and state of charge (SOC) estimation method of the lead–acid battery were comprehensively tested and evaluated. A temperature control strategy was adopted to prevent the battery from low-temperature loss of the battery capacity. Energy management strategy of the power system was proposed by designing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control strategies for wind turbine and PV array. The whole power system is broadly composed of a power generator (wind turbine and PV array), an uploading circuit, a three-phase rectifier bridge, an interleaved Buck circuit, a DC/DC conversion circuit, a switch circuit, a power supply circuit, an amplifier, a driver circuit, a voltage and current monitoring, a load, battery units and a control system. A case study in Antarctica was applied and can examine the technical feasibility of the proposed system. The results of the case study reveal that the scheme of standalone renewable energy system can satisfy the power demands of Zhongshan Station in normal operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Continuous power supply for unmanned and automatic observation systems without suitable energy-storage capabilities in the polar regions is an urgent problem and challenge. However, few power-supply systems can stably operate over the long term in extreme environments, despite excellent performance under normal environments. In this study, a standalone hybrid wind–solar system is proposed, based on operation analysis of the observing system in the Arctic Ocean, the polar environments, and renewable-energy distribution in the polar regions. Energy-storage technology suitable for cold regions is introduced to support the standalone hybrid wind–solar system. Mathematical models of the power system at low temperature are also proposed. The low-temperature performance and characteristics of lead–acid battery are comprehensively elucidated, and a dedicated charging strategy is developed. A hybrid wind–solar charging circuit is developed using a solar charging circuit, a wind turbine charging circuit, a driver circuit, a detection circuit, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit, and an auxiliary circuit. The low temperature stability of charging circuit is test from −50 °C to 30 °C. Temperature correction algorithm is designed to improve the efficiency of the power supply system. The power generation energy of the power system was simulated based on the monthly average renewable energy data of Zhongshan Station. A case study was applied to examine the technical feasibility of the power system in Antarctica. The five-month application results indicate that the power system based on renewable energy can maintain stable performance and provide sufficient power for the observing system in low ambient temperatures. Therefore, this power system is an ideal solution to achieve an environmentally friendly and reliable energy supply in the polar regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 ( NFE2L2) is essential for preventing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2 DM)-induced complications in animal models. This case and control study assessed genetic variants of NFE2L2 for associations with T2 DM and its complications in Han Chinese volunteers. T2 DM patients with ( n = 214) or without ( n = 236) complications, or healthy controls ( n = 359), were genotyped for six NFE2L2 single nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNPs: rs2364723, rs13001694, rs10497511, rs1806649, rs1962142 and rs6726395) with TaqMan Pre-Designed SNP Genotyping and Sequence System. Serum levels of heme oxygenase-1 ( HMOX1) were determined through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Informative data were obtained for 341 cases and 266 controls. Between T2 DM patients and controls, the genotypic and allelic frequencies and haplotypes of the SNPs were similar. However, there was a significant difference in genotypic and allelic frequencies of rs2364723, rs10497511, rs1962142 and rs6726395 between T2 DM patients with and without complications, including peripheral neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy, foot ulcers and microangiopathy. Furthermore, HMOX1 levels were significantly higher in T2 DM patients with complications than in controls. Multiple logistic regression analysis, however, showed that only rs2364723 significantly reduced levels of serum HMOX1 in T2 DM patients for the GG genotype carriers compared with participants with CG+ CC genotype. The data suggest that although NFE2L2 rs2364723, rs10497511, rs1962142 and rs6726395 were not associated with T2 DM risk, they were significantly associated with complications of T2 DM. In addition, only for rs2364723 higher serum HMOX1 levels were found in the T2 DM patients with CG+ CC than those with GG genotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the perspective of energy providers, accurate short-term load forecasting plays a significant role in the energy generation plan, efficient energy distribution process and electricity price strategy optimisation. However, it is hard to achieve a satisfactory result because the historical data is irregular, non-smooth, non-linear and noisy. To handle these challenges, in this work, we introduce a novel model based on the Transformer network to provide an accurate day-ahead load forecasting service. Our model contains a similar day selection approach involving the LightGBM and k-means algorithms. Compared to the traditional RNN-based model, our proposed model can avoid falling into the local minimum and outperforming the global search. To evaluate the performance of our proposed model, we set up a series of simulation experiments based on the energy consumption data in Australia. The performance of our model has an average MAPE (mean absolute percentage error) of 1.13, where RNN is 4.18, and LSTM is 1.93. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the perspective of energy providers, accurate short-term load forecasting plays a significant role in the energy generation plan, efficient energy distribution process and electricity price strategy optimisation. However, it is hard to achieve a satisfactory result because the historical data is irregular, non-smooth, non-linear and noisy. To handle these challenges, in this work, we introduce a novel model based on the Transformer network to provide an accurate day-ahead load forecasting service. Our model contains a similar day selection approach involving the LightGBM and k-means algorithms. Compared to the traditional RNN-based model, our proposed model can avoid falling into the local minimum and outperforming the global search. To evaluate the performance of our proposed model, we set up a series of simulation experiments based on the energy consumption data in Australia. The performance of our model has an average MAPE (mean absolute percentage error) of 1.13, where RNN is 4.18, and LSTM is 1.93. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortage and soil salinization are the main issues threatening the sustainable development of agriculture and ecology in the Hetao Irrigation District (HID). The application of water-saving practices is required for sustainable agricultural development. However, further study is required to assess the effects of these practices on water and salt dynamics in the long term. In this study, the impacts of different water-saving practices on water and salt dynamics were investigated in the HID, Northwest China. The SAHYSMOD (integrated spatial agro-hydro-salinity model) was used to analyze the water and salt dynamics for different water-saving irrigation scenarios. The results indicate that the SAHYSMOD model shows a good performance after successful calibration (2007–2012) and validation (2013–2016). The soil salinity of cultivated land in the middle and upper reaches of the irrigation district decreased slightly, while that in the lower reaches increased significantly over the next 10 years under current irrigation and drainage conditions. It is predicted that if the amount of water diverted is reduced by up to 15%, the maximum water-saving volume could reach 650 million m3 yr–1. For the fixed reduction rate of total water diversion, the prioritized measure should be given to reduce the amount of field irrigation quota, and then to improve the water efficiency of the canal system. Although a certain amount of water can be saved through various measures, the effect of water saving in the irrigation district should be analyzed comprehensively, and the optimal water management scheme should be determined by considering the ecological water requirement in the HID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water movement research in irrigation districts is important for food production. Many hydrological models have been proposed to simulate the water movement on the regional scale, yet few of them have comprehensively considered processes in the irrigation districts. A novel physically based distributed model, the Irrigation Districts Model (IDM), was constructed in this study to address this problem. The model combined the 1D canal and ditch flow, the 1D soil water movement, the 2D groundwater movement, and the water interactions among these processes. It was calibrated and verified with two-year experimental data from Shahaoqu Sub-Irrigation Area in Hetao Irrigation District. The overall water balance error is 2.9% and 1.6% for the two years, respectively. The Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) of water table depth and soil water content is 0.72 and 0.64 in the calibration year and 0.68 and 0.64 in the verification year. The results show good correspondence between the simulation and observation. It is practicable to apply the model in water movement research of irrigation districts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate short-term small-area meteorological forecasts are essential to ensure the safety of operations and equipment operations in the Antarctic interior. This study proposes a deep learning-based multi-input neural network model to address this problem. The newly proposed model is predicted by combining a stacked autoencoder and a long- and short-term memory network. The self-stacking autoencoder maximises the features and removes redundancy from the target weather station's sensor data and extracts temporal features from the sensor data using a long- and short-term memory network. The proposed new model evaluates the prediction performance and generalisation capability at four observation sites at different East Antarctic latitudes (including the Antarctic maximum and the coastal region). The performance of five deep learning networks is compared through five evaluation metrics, and the optimal form of input combination is discussed. The results show that the prediction capability of the model outperforms the other models. It provides a new method for short-term meteorological prediction in a small inland Antarctic region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overexpression of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor in many tumors but not in normal tissues makes it possible to use GnRH analogs as targeting peptides for selective delivery of cytotoxic agents, which may help to enhance the uptake of anticancer drugs by cancer cells and reduce toxicity to normal cells. The GnRH analogs [d‐Cys6, desGly10, Pro9‐NH2]‐GnRH, [d‐Cys6, desGly10, Pro9‐NHEt]‐GnRH, and [d‐Cys6, α‐aza‐Gly10‐NH2]‐GnRH were conjugated with doxorubicin (Dox), respectively, through N‐succinimidyl‐3‐maleimidopropionate as a linker to afford three new GnRH‐Dox conjugates. The metabolic stability of these conjugates in human serum was determined by RP‐HPLC. The antiproliferative activity of the conjugates was examined in GnRH receptor‐positive MCF‐7 human breast cancer cell line by MTT assay. The three GnRH‐Dox conjugates showed improved metabolic stability in human serum in comparison with AN‐152. The antiproliferative effect of conjugate II ([d‐Cys6, desGly10, Pro9‐NHEt]‐GnRH‐Dox) on MCF‐7 cells was higher than that of conjugate I ([d‐Cys6, desGly10, Pro9‐NH2]‐GnRH‐Dox) and conjugate III ([d‐Cys6, α‐aza‐Gly10‐NH2]‐GnRH‐Dox), and the cytotoxicity of conjugate II against GnRH receptor‐negative 3T3 mouse embryo fibroblast cells was decreased in comparison with free Dox. GnRH receptor inhibition test suggested that the antiproliferative activity of conjugate II might be due to the cellular uptake mediated by the targeting binding of [d‐Cys6‐des‐Gly10‐Pro9‐NHEt]‐GnRH to GnRH receptors. Our study indicates that targeting delivery of conjugate II mediated by [d‐Cys6‐des‐Gly10‐Pro9‐NHEt]‐GnRH is a promising strategy for chemotherapy of tumors that overexpress GnRH receptors. A novel [d‐Cys6, des‐Gly10, Pro9‐NHEt]‐GnRH‐Doxorubicin conjugate was designed and synthesized. It showed improved human serum stability and targeting antiproliferative effect on GnRH receptor positive MCF‐7 human breast cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature profiles of sea ice have been recorded more than a few decades. However, few high-precision temperature sensors can complete the observation of temperature profile of sea ice, especially in extreme environments. At present, the most widely used sea ice observation instruments can reach an accuracy of sea ice temperature measurement of 0.1 °C. In this study, a multilayer sea ice temperature sensor is developed with temperature measurement accuracy from −0.0047 °C to 0.0059 °C. The sensor system composition, structure of the thermistor string, and work mode are analyzed. The performance of the sensor system is evaluated from −50 °C to 30 °C. The temperature dependence of the constant current source, the amplification circuit, and the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit are comprehensive tested and quantified. A temperature correction algorithm is designed to correct any deviation in the sensor system. A sea-ice thickness discrimination algorithm is proposed in charge of determining the thickness of sea ice automatically. The sensor system was field tested in Wuliangsuhai, Yellow River on 31 January 2018 and the second reservoir of Fen River, Yellow River on 30 January 2018. The integral practicality of this sensor system is identified and examined. The multilayer sea ice temperature sensor will provide good temperature results of sea ice and maintain stable performance in the low ambient temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]