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• Quantifying ecosystem service changes on the Northern Slope of the Tianshan Mountains. • Spatial heterogeneity of land use transformation and ecosystem services is revealed. • Anthropogenic land use transformation led to severe degradation of ecosystem services. • Active promoting vegetation restoration is crucial for enhancing ecosystem services. Land utilization transformation (LUT) is a key factor affecting ecosystem services (ESs). The urban agglomeration on the Northern Slope of the Tianshan Mountains (UATM) is located in a typical arid region with extremely fragile ecological environment. However, the impact of LUT on the spatial pattern of ESs in the region over the past 20 years is not clear. This study aimed to explore LUT characteristics of the urban agglomeration on the UATM using a land transfer matrix, information entropy, land utilization intensity, and land utilization dynamic degree. Various ESs indexes were quantitatively measured using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model, and the effect of LUT on ESs was revealed through a geographic detector and spatial auto-correlation analyses. The results of this study led to the following conclusions: First, between 2000 and 2020, the primary land utilization types in UATM were arable land, grassland, and bare land, with significant cross-transformations occurring among these types. Meanwhile, LUT showed marked differences among different regions. LUT changed rapidly and significantly in the central region; in contrast, slower and slight changes were observed in the northern and southern regions. Second, during the research period, habitat maintenance, water yield and carbon sequestration decreased, and the soil retention function increased. The accelerated urban development in the second decade led to more rapid changes in ESs. Finally, both the structure and intensity of land utilization showed the strongest explanatory capability for changes in ESs. Different dimensions of LUT showed significant interactions with ESs. Therefore, it is advisable to guide LUT scientifically, promote vegetation restoration projects, alleviate the impacts of human activities and climate change on ESs, and enhance the ecological safety and environmental sustainability of UATM and even arid regions in Central Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anesthesia techniques and drug selection may influence tumor recurrence and metastasis. Neutrophil extracellular trapping (NETosis), an immunological process, has been linked to an increased susceptibility to metastasis in individuals with tumors. Furthermore, recurrence may be associated with vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), a mediator of angiogenesis. This study investigates the impact of lidocaine (combined with sevoflurane or propofol anesthesia) during breast cancer surgery inhibits the expression of biomarkers associated with metastasis and recurrence (specifically H3Cit, NE, MPO, MMP-9 and VEGF-A). Methods: We randomly assigned 120 women undergoing primary or invasive breast tumor resection to receive one of four anesthetics: sevoflurane (S), sevoflurane plus i.v. lidocaine (SL), propofol (P), and propofol plus i.v. lidocaine (PL). Blood samples were collected before induction and 3 h after the operation. Biomarkers associated with NETosis (citrullinated histone H3 [H3Cit], myeloperoxidase [MPO], and neutrophil elastase [NE]) and angiogenesis were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results: Patient and breast tumor characteristics, along with perioperative management, did not differ between study groups. In intra-group comparisons, S and P groups demonstrated a statistically significant increase in post-operative MPO (S group: 10.39[6.89–17.22] vs. 14.31[8.55–20.87] ng ml-1, P = 0.032; P group: 9.45[6.73–17.37] vs. 14.34[9.87–19.75] ng ml-1, P = 0.035)and NE(S group: 182.70[85.66-285.85] vs. 226.20[91.85-391.65] ng ml-1, P = 0.045; P group: 154.22[97.31–325.30] vs. 308.66[132.36-483.57] ng ml-1, P = 0.037) concentrations compared to pre-operative measurements, whereas SL and PL groups did not display a similar increase. H3Cit, MMP-9, and VEGF-A concentrations were not significantly influenced by the anesthesia techniques and drugs. Conclusions: Regardless of the specific technique employed for general anesthesia, there was no increase in the postoperative serum concentrations of MPO and NE after perioperative lidocaine infusion compared to preoperative serum concentrations. This supports the hypothesis that intravenous lidocaine during cancer surgery aimed at achieving a cure may potentially decrease the likelihood of recurrence. Further interpretation and discussion of clinical implications are warranted, emphasizing the significance of these findings in the context of cancer surgery and recurrence prevention. Clinical trial registration: ChiCTR2300068563. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen leakage has become the biggest bottleneck restricting the development of hydrogen energy. Accurately locating the leakage is conducive to improving the hydrogen energy safety technology system. In this paper, a deep belief network pre-training and fine-tuning (DBN-PF) leakage source positioning coordinate method based on the fully confined space hydrogen Gaussian distribution model is proposed. Firstly, a fully confined space hydrogen Gaussian distribution model is established, and then a pre-training dataset is generated. The Gaussian-Gaussian Restricted Boltzmann Machine (GGRBM) in Deep Belief Network (DBN) is unsupervised pre-trained layer by layer, and the back propagation (BP) neural network in DBN is supervised pre-trained. Secondly, the hydrogen leakage experiment in the fully confined space was carried out, in which 8 hydrogen concentration sensors (HCSs) were placed on the top of the fully confined space, and the leakage experiment was carried out in sequence at 25 leakage locations. Finally, the HCS experimental data of one leakage location is extracted to fine-tune DBN. The experimental data at the other leakage locations were used to verify the positioning results. The results show that the positioning results average error of the proposed method is 20.62 mm. The average error accounts for 2.97% of the diagonal length of the closed model XY plane. Compared with BP neural network trained directly with the same fine-tuning dataset, the positioning error is reduced by at least 82.37%. Compared with the BP neural network with the same pre-training and fine tuning, the positioning error is reduced by at least 39.31%. The positioning technology developed in this study can achieve good hydrogen leak source location accuracy in a fully confined space only with the help of HCSs and a small amount of data. • A pre-training and fine-tuning method is proposed to locate hydrogen leakage source in a fully confined space. • A fully confined space Gaussian distribution model is established to generate a pre-training dataset. • Hydrogen leakage experiments were used to fine-tuning the deep belief networks and verify the positioning results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor (TF) family is one of the biggest TF families identified so far in the plant kingdom, functioning in diverse biological processes including plant growth and development, signal transduction, and stress responses. For Perilla frutescens, a novel oilseed crop abundant in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (especially α-linolenic acid, ALA), the identification and biological functions of bZIP members remain limited. In this study, 101 PfbZIPs were identified in the perilla genome and classified into eleven distinct groups (Groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, S, and UC) based on their phylogenetic relationships and gene structures. These PfbZIP genes were distributed unevenly across 18 chromosomes, with 83 pairs of them being segmental duplication genes. Moreover, 78 and 148 pairs of orthologous bZIP genes were detected between perilla and Arabidopsis or sesame, respectively. PfbZIP members belonging to the same subgroup exhibited highly conserved gene structures and functional domains, although significant differences were detected between groups. RNA-seq and RT-qPCR analysis revealed differential expressions of 101 PfbZIP genes during perilla seed development, with several PfbZIPs exhibiting significant correlations with the key oil-related genes. Y1H and GUS activity assays evidenced that PfbZIP85 downregulated the expression of the PfLPAT1B gene by physical interaction with the promoter. PfLPAT1B encodes a lysophosphatidate acyltransferase (LPAT), one of the key enzymes for triacylglycerol (TAG) assembly. Heterogeneous expression of PfbZIP85 significantly reduced the levels of TAG and UFAs (mainly C18:1 and C18:2) but enhanced C18:3 accumulation in both seeds and non-seed tissues in the transgenic tobacco lines. Furthermore, these transgenic tobacco plants showed no significantly adverse phenotype for other agronomic traits such as plant growth, thousand seed weight, and seed germination rate. Collectively, these findings offer valuable perspectives for understanding the functions of PfbZIPs in perilla, particularly in lipid metabolism, showing PfbZIP85 as a suitable target in plant genetic improvement for high-value vegetable oil production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytophthora root rot is a devastating disease of soybean caused by Phytophthora sojae. However, the resistance mechanism is not yet clear. Our previous studies have shown that GmAP2 enhances sensitivity to P. sojae in soybean, and GmMYB78 is downregulated in the transcriptome analysis of GmAP2-overexpressing transgenic hairy roots. Here, GmMYB78 was significantly induced by P. sojae in susceptible soybean, and the overexpressing of GmMYB78 enhanced sensitivity to the pathogen, while silencing GmMYB78 enhances resistance to P. sojae, indicating that GmMYB78 is a negative regulator of P. sojae. Moreover, the jasmonic acid (JA) content and JA synthesis gene GmAOS1 was highly upregulated in GmMYB78-silencing roots and highly downregulated in overexpressing ones, suggesting that GmMYB78 could respond to P. sojae through the JA signaling pathway. Furthermore, the expression of several pathogenesis-related genes was significantly lower in GmMYB78-overexpressing roots and higher in GmMYB78-silencing ones. Additionally, we screened and identified the upstream regulator GmbHLH122 and downstream target gene GmbZIP25 of GmMYB78. GmbHLH122 was highly induced by P. sojae and could inhibit GmMYB78 expression in resistant soybean, and GmMYB78 was highly expressed to activate downstream target gene GmbZIP25 transcription in susceptible soybean. In conclusion, our data reveal that GmMYB78 triggers soybean sensitivity to P. sojae by inhibiting the JA signaling pathway and the expression of pathogenesis-related genes or through the effects of the GmbHLH122-GmMYB78-GmbZIP25 cascade pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nPlain Language SummaryResearch on the relationship between macrophages and neuropathic pain has flourished in the past two decades. It has long been believed that macrophages are strong immune effector cells that play well-established roles in tissue homeostasis and lesions, such as promoting the initiation and progression of tissue injury and improving wound healing and tissue remodeling in a variety of pathogenesis-related diseases. They are also heterogeneous and versatile cells that can switch phenotypically/functionally in response to the micro-environment signals. Apart from microglia (resident macrophages of both the spinal cord and brain), which are required for the neuropathic pain processing of the CNS, neuropathic pain signals in PNS are influenced by the interaction of tissue-resident macrophages and BM infiltrating macrophages with primary afferent neurons. And the current review looks at new evidence that suggests sexual dimorphism in neuropathic pain are caused by variations in the immune system, notably macrophages, rather than the neurological system.Neuropathic pain is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain as pain triggered or caused by primary damage to or dysfunction of the nervous system. Following intensive research into the mechanisms of neuropathic pain, macrophages have been revealed to play an important role in pathologic pain following nerve injury. Macrophages dynamically monitor the microenvironment to maintain tissue homeostasis. Once a macrophage is exposed to a pathologic stimulus, it in turn alters its functional phenotype and interacts with nociceptors, leading to neuropathic pain. This review wants to delve into the biology of macrophages in the central and peripheral nervous system, how they are related to play a role in neuropathic pain and whether there is sexual dimorphism in macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) on the clinical outcomes and maternal and infant safety of in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) procedures in young women aged ≤ 35 years. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze the clinical data of 4,203 infertile women aged ≤ 35 years who underwent fresh embryo transfer (ET) in IVF/ICSI cycles. The data were collected from their initial visits to Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital between January 2015 and January 2022. Based on their ovarian reserve, the participants were categorized into two groups: DOR group (n = 1,027) and non-DOR group (n = 3,176). A propensity score matching (PSM) method was employed to ensure a relatively balanced distribution of covariates. The primary outcome assessed in this study was the live birth rate, while the secondary observation indicators included rates of high-quality embryo development, blastocyst formation, clinical pregnancy, and miscarriage, along with perinatal complications, neonatal birth weight, and the incidence of low birth weight (LBW). Results: The DOR group showed notably lowered rates of blastocyst formation (59.8% vs. 64.1%), embryo implantation (29.8% vs.33.3%), clinical pregnancy (47.9% vs. 53.6%), and live birth (40.6% vs. 45.7%) compared to the non-DOR group (all P < 0.05). However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the high-quality embryo rate, miscarriage rate, perinatal complications, neonatal birth weight, or LBW incidence in infants between both groups (all P > 0.05). Conclusion: DOR has been found to reduce both clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in young females undergoing fresh ET in IVF/ICSI cycles. However, this reduction does not increase the risk of perinatal complications or LBW of infants through live birth cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relationship between temperament—i.e., negative affectivity (NA) and effortful control (EC)—and depression in preadolescents, considering emotion regulation (ER) strategies as mediating mechanisms in this relationship. We examined data from 535 children aged 8–12 years (M ± SD = 10.01 ± 1.42) who completed self-report measures related to NA, EC, ER strategies, depressive symptoms, and depressive mood. The results demonstrated that NA was significantly positively related to both depressive symptoms and depressive mood, while EC was significantly negatively related to both depressive symptoms and depressive mood. The structural equation model of latent variable analysis showed that cognitive reappraisal mediated the relationship between NA and depressive symptoms and depressive mood. Moreover, cognitive reappraisal was also identified as a mediator of the association between EC and depressive symptoms and depressive mood. However, expressive suppression only mediated the relationship between NA and depressive symptoms. Interventions aimed at ER strategies would be an effective program for preadolescents with depression and further improve preadolescents' social-emotional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the value of quantitative parameters derived from gadobenate dimeglumine–enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for predicting molecular subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and overall survival. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 218 solitary HCC patients who underwent gadobenate dimeglumine–enhanced MRI. All HCC lesions were resected and pathologically confirmed. The lesion-to-liver contrast enhancement ratio (LLCER) and lesion-to-liver contrast (LLC) were measured in the hepatobiliary phase. Potential risk factors for proliferative HCC were assessed by logistic regression. The ability of LLCER and LLC to predict proliferative HCC was assessed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Prognostic factors were evaluated using the Cox proportional hazards regression model for survival outcomes. Results: LLCER was an independent predictor of proliferative HCC (odds ratio, 0.015; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.008–0.022; p < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve was 0.812 (95% CI, 0.748–0.877), higher than that of LLC, alpha-fetoprotein > 100 ng/ml, satellite nodules, and rim arterial phase hyperenhancement (all p ≤ 0.001). HCC patients with LLCER < −4.59% had a significantly higher incidence of proliferative HCC than those with the LLCER ≥ −4.59%. During the follow-up period, LLCER was an independent predictor of overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.070; 95% CI, 0.015–0.324; p = 0.001) in HCC patients. Conclusions: Gadobenate dimeglumine–enhanced quantitative parameter in the hepatobiliary phase can predict the proliferative subtype of solitary HCC with a moderately high accuracy. Clinical relevance statement: Quantitative information from gadobenate dimeglumine–enhanced MRI can provide crucial information on hepatocellular carcinoma subtypes. It might be valuable to design novel therapeutic strategies, such as targeted therapies or immunotherapy. Key Points: • The lesion-to-liver contrast enhancement ratio (LLCER) is an independent predictor of proliferative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). • The ability of LLCER to predict proliferative HCC outperformed lesion-to-liver contrast, alpha-fetoprotein > 100 ng/ml, satellite nodules, and rim arterial phase hyperenhancement. • HCC patients with LLCER < −4.59% had a significantly higher incidence of proliferative HCC than those with the LLCER ≥ −4.59%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 NPs restrained As(V) release, and stimulated As(III) release. • The released As co-precipitated with Fe after Fe 2 O 3 NPs addition. • The released As adsorbed on TiO 2 NPs after TiO 2 NPs addition. • NPs additions changed the relative abundance of soil bacterial community. • NPs additions had a negative impact on soil microbial population in a long term. Environmental effects of nano remediation engineering of arsenic (As) pollution need to be considered. In this study, the roles of Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) on the microbial mediated As mobilization from As contaminated soil were investigated. The addition of Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 NPs restrained As(V) release, and stimulated As(III) release. As(V) concentration decreased by 94% and 93% after Fe 2 O 3 addition, and decreased by 89% and 45% after TiO 2 addition compared to the Biotic and Biotic+Acetate (amended with sodium acetate) controls, respectively. The maximum values of As(III) were 20.5 and 27.1 µg/L at 48 d after Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 NPs addition, respectively, and were higher than that in Biotic+Acetate control (12.9 µg/L). The released As co-precipitated with Fe in soils in the presence of Fe 2 O 3 NPs, but adsorbed on TiO 2 NPs in the presence of TiO 2 NPs. Moreover, the addition of NPs amended with sodium acetate as the electron donor clearly promoted As(V) reduction induced by microbes. The NPs addition changed the relative abundance of soil bacterial community, while Proteobacteria (42.8%-70.4%), Planctomycetes (2.6%-14.3%), and Firmicutes (3.5%-25.4%) were the dominant microorganisms in soils. Several potential As/Fe reducing bacteria were related to Pseudomonas, Geobacter, Desulfuromonas , and Thiobacillus. The addition of Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 NPs induced to the decrease of arrA gene. The results indicated that the addition of NPs had a negative impact on soil microbial population in a long term. The findings offer a relatively comprehensive assessment of Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 NPs effects on As mobilization and soil bacterial communities. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An inorganic hexalanthanide-oxo-cluster-encapsulated antimotungstate, K2Na3H43[Nd6(OH)6(H2O)6(B-α-SbW9O33)4]2·67H2O (1), has been successfully synthesized by a facile one-step hydrothermal reaction method. The tetrahedron-shaped two-shell {Nd6(OH)6(H2O)6(B-α-SbW9O33)4}(1a) polyanion is composed of a novel pure lanthanide-oxo {Nd6(μ3-OH)6(H2O)6} octahedron and {(B-α-SbW9O33)4} tetrahedron. After being effectively loaded onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by electrostatic adsorption using polydiallyldimethyl ammonium chloride (PDDA)-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), compound 1 exhibits electrochemical activity for the reduction of bromate ions with good selectivity, a high sensitivity of 186 μA mM−1 and a detection limit that has reached 1.9 μM. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of an amperometric bromate sensor based on Ln-containing antimotungstates, which will provide new materials for electrochemical sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Maternal sleep is closely related to subsequent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in natural pregnancies. However, whether this connection exists in pregnant women conceiving with the help of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has not been confirmed. Hence, in this study, we evaluated whether early pregnancy sleep duration or sleep quality is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in ART‐pregnant women, as well as the influence of maternal age on this association. This prospective birth cohort study included 856 pregnant women who successfully conceived with the help of ART treatment. The sleep parameters of ART‐pregnant women were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in early pregnancy. We explored the association between sleep and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus using an unconditional binary logistic regression model. Different models were constructed to examine the robustness of the estimation by incorporating different confounding factors. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that sleep duration of more than 10 h among ART‐pregnant women was significantly associated with the risk of GDM, and the association between sleep duration and gestational diabetes mellitus varied by maternal age. We found an increased risk of subsequent gestational diabetes mellitus with increasing sleep duration only in pregnant women aged <35 years. Additionally, no statistically significant association between sleep quality and gestational diabetes mellitus was found in this study. In conclusion, excessive sleep duration (≥10 h) is associated with a high risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women who conceived with the help of assisted reproductive technology, and maternal age may modify this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) inhibitors is considered an effective strategy for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the limited blood–brain barrier (BBB) penetration and poor Aβ-targeting capability restricts the therapeutic efficiency of candidate drugs. Herein, we have proposed to engineer transthyretin (TTR) by fusion of the Aβ-targeting peptide KLVFF and cell-penetrating peptide Penetratin to TTR, and derived a fusion protein, KLVFF-TTR-Penetratin (KTP). Moreover, to introduce the scavenging activity for reactive oxygen species (ROS), a nanocomposite of KTP and manganese dioxide nanoclusters (KTP@MnO2) was fabricated by biomineralization. Results revealed that KTP@MnO2 demonstrated significantly enhanced inhibition on Aβ aggregation as compared to TTR. The inhibitory effect was increased from 18%, 33%, and 49% (10, 25, and 50 μg/mL TTR, respectively) to 52%, 81%, and 100% (10, 25, and 50 μg/mL KTP@MnO2). In addition, KTP@MnO2 could penetrate the BBB and target amyloid plaques. Moreover, multiple ROS, including hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and Aβ-induced-ROS, which cannot be scavenged by TTR, were scavenged by KTP@MnO2, thus resulting in the mitigation of cellular oxidative damages. More importantly, cell culture and in vivo experiments with AD nematodes indicated that KTP@MnO2 at 50 μg/mL increased the viability of Aβ-treated cells from 66% to more than 95%, and completely cleared amyloid plaques in AD nematodes and extended their lifespan by 7 d. Overall, despite critical aspects such as the stability, metabolic distribution, long-term biotoxicity, and immunogenicity of the nanocomposites in mammalian models remaining to be investigated, this work has demonstrated the multifunctionality of KTP@MnO2 for targeting Aβ in vivo, and provided new insights into the design of multifunctional nanocomposites of protein–metal clusters against AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adult head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma (HNRMS) is an exceptionally rare malignancy, and there is a paucity of data and research dedicated to understanding its characteristics and management in adult populations. This study aimed to assess the outcomes and identify survival predictors in adult HNRMS. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 42 adult patients (> 16 years) with HNRMS who received radiotherapy (RT)-based treatment at our institute between 2008 and 2022. We analysed the clinical characteristics and prognosis of these patients, including the locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS), using the Kaplan–Meier method. The chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to analyse differences between groups for dichotomous and categorical variables, respectively. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Prognostic variables were assessed through univariate Cox analyses. Results: The median patient age was 28 years (range, 16–82 years). Alveolar RMS was the most common histological type, observed in 21 patients (50.0%), followed by embryonal in 16 patients (38.1%). The anatomic sites of origin were orbital in one (2.4%), parameningeal in 26 (61.9%), and non-orbital/non-parameningeal in 15 (35.7%) patients. Nineteen patients (45.2%) had regional lymph node metastasis, and five patients (11.9%) presented with distant metastatic disease. Distant metastasis (n = 17) was the primary cause of treatment failure. At a median follow-up of 47.0 months, the 5-year LRFS, PFS, and OS rates were 69.0%, 39.7%, and 41.0%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that tumour size, lymph node involvement, and the local treatment pattern (surgery and RT vs. RT alone) were significant predictors of survival. Conclusions: The main failure pattern in patients with HNRMS receiving RT-based treatment was distant metastasis. Tumour size > 5 cm and lymph node involvement were predictors of worse LRFS. Multimodality local treatment, combining surgery and RT, is effective and provides survival benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on intense real-life faces has shown that although there was an objective difference in facial activities between intense winning faces and losing faces, viewers failed to differentiate the valence of such expressions. In the present study, we explored whether participants could perceive the difference between intense positive facial expressions and intense negative facial expressions in a forced-choice response task using eye-tracking techniques. Behavioral results showed that the recognition accuracy rate for intense facial expressions was significantly above the chance level. For eye-movement patterns, the results indicated that participants gazed more and longer toward the upper facial region (eyes) than the lower region (mouth) for intense losing faces. However, the gaze patterns were reversed for intense winning faces. The eye movement pattern for successful differentiation trials did not differ from failed differentiation trials. These findings provided preliminary evidence that viewers can utilize intense facial expression information and perceive the difference between intense winning faces and intense losing faces produced by tennis players in a forced-choice response task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drip irrigation with brackish water increases the risk of soil salinization while alleviating water shortage in arid areas. In order to alleviate soil salinity stress on crops, polymer soil amendments are increasingly used. But the regulation mechanism of a polymer soil amendment composed of polyacrylamide polyvinyl alcohol, and manganese sulfate (PPM) on rapeseed photosynthesis under drip irrigation with different types of brackish water is still unclear. In this field study, PPM was applied to study the responses of the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) phenotype, photosynthetic physiology, transcriptomics, and metabolomics at the peak flowering stage under drip irrigation with water containing 6 g·L−1 NaCl (S) and Na2CO3 (A). The results showed that the inhibitory effect of the A treatment on rapeseed photosynthesis was greater than that of the S treatment, which was reflected in the higher Na+ content (73.30%) and lower photosynthetic-fluorescence parameters (6.30–61.54%) and antioxidant enzyme activity (53.13–77.10%) of the A-treated plants. The application of PPM increased the biomass (63.03–75.91%), photosynthetic parameters (10.55–34.06%), chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (33.83–62.52%), leaf pigment content (10.30–187.73%), and antioxidant enzyme activity (28.37–198.57%) under S and A treatments. However, the difference is that under the S treatment, PPM regulated the sulfur metabolism, carbon fixation and carbon metabolism pathways in rapeseed leaves. And it also regulated the photosynthesis-, oxidative phosphorylation-, and TCA cycle-related metabolic pathways in rapeseed leaves under A treatment. This study will provide new insights for the application of polymer materials to tackle the salinity stress on crops caused by drip irrigation with brackish water, and solve the difficulty in brackish water utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: As one of the most common hereditary diseases, thalassemia affects a large number of people in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a method based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) for screening of thalassemia carriers among high school students in the Shaoguan area. Materials and Methods: The NGS-based method was performed using 25,910 high school students recruited from 38 schools. The screening yield was systematically analyzed. Before screening, a lecture on how the disease is inherited, the symptoms of thalassemia, and how to prevent it was given to 28,780 students. Results: Implying successful delivery of information on the disease, 90.03% (25,910 of 28,780) of the students agreed to join this program for thalassemia screening. A thalassemia carrier rate of 15.99% (4144 of 25,910) was found. Also, 69 rare genotypes (28 of α-thalassemia and 41 of β-thalassemia) and 9 novel variants were identified. Conclusions: This NGS-based method provided a feasible platform for high school population thalassemia screening. Combined with a clinical follow-up strategy, it could help eventually to prevent the births of affected children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulva prolifera is the causative species of the annually occurring large-scale green tides in China since 2007. Its specific biological features on reproductivity strategies, as well as intra-species genetic diversity, are still largely unknown, especially at the genome level, despite their importance in understanding the formation and outbreak of massive green tides. In the present study, the restriction site-associated DNA genotyping approach (2b-RAD) was adopted to identify the genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 54 individual thalli including samples collected from Subei Shoal in 2019 and Qingdao coast from 2019 to 2021. SNPs genotype results revealed that most of the thalli in 2019 and 2020 were haploid gametophytes, while only half of the thalli were gametophytes in 2021, indicating flexibility in the reproductive strategies for the formation of the green tides among different years and the dominance of asexual and vegetative reproductive mode for the floating period. Besides, population analysis was conducted and revealed a very low genetic diversity among samples from Subei Shoal and the Qingdao coast in the same year and a higher divergence among samples in different years. The results showed the efficiency of 2b-RAD in the exploration of SNPs in U. prolifera and provided the first genome-wide scale evidence for the origin of the large-scale green tides on the Qingdao coast. This study improved our understanding of the reproductive strategy and genetic diversity of the green tide causative species and will help in further revealing the biological causes of the green tide in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt and nutrient transport and transformations during water infiltration directly influence saline soil improvement and the efficient use of water and fertilizer resources. The effects of soil initial salinity (18.3 g/kg, 25.5 g/kg, 42.2 g/kg, 79.94 g/kg, and 165 g/kg, respectively, labeled S1 to S5) on the infiltration and leaching characteristics of water, salt, and nitrogen were analyzed via a one-dimensional vertical fertilizer infiltration experiment. Meanwhile, the estimation models of cumulative infiltration and wetting front, including the effect of soil initial salinity, were established. The results showed that, with the increase in soil initial salinity, the cumulative infiltration within the same time decreased, and the migration time of wet front to 45 cm was longer. The time required for S5 to reach the preset cumulative infiltration was more than six times that of S1, and, for the wet front migration to 45 cm, the time requirement for S5 was about four times that of S1. In the established Kostiakov model and wetting front model, the coefficients all decreased with the increase in soil initial salinity, and the test index R2 values both reached 0.999. In the Kostiakov model, coefficient K had a linear relationship with the natural logarithm of initial soil salt content, while index a had a direct linear relationship with initial soil salt content. The cumulative leachate volume decreased with the increase in soil initial salinity, and the corresponding data of S3 and S5 were reduced by 37% and 57.3%, respectively, compared with S1. The electrical conductivity values of S1, S3, and S5 were 15.4, 209.8, and 205.6 ms/cm, respectively, being affected by the initial content in soil, soil moisture transport rate, and exogenous potassium nitrate (KNO3) addition. The NO3−-N concentrations in the leachates of S1, S3, and S5 at the end of leaching were 55.26, 16.17, and 3.2 mg/L, respectively. Based on the results of this study, for soil with high initial salinity, the conventional irrigation amount (2250 m3/ha) of the general soil in the study area could not meet the requirements of leaching salt. These results can provide a reference for the formulation of irrigation and fertilization strategies for soils with different salinity and contribute to the sustainable development of saline soil agriculture and the ecological environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Our ability to predict temperature responses of leaf respiration in light and darkness (RL and RDk) is essential to models of global carbon dynamics. While many models rely on constant thermal sensitivity (characterized by Q10), uncertainty remains as to whether Q10 of RL and RDk are actually similar.We measured short‐term temperature responses of RL and RDk in immature and mature leaves of two evergreen tree species, Castanopsis carlesii and Ormosia henry in an open field. RL was estimated by the Kok method, the Yin method and a newly developed Kok‐iterCc method.When estimated by the Yin and Kok‐iterCc methods, RL and RDk had similar Q10 (c. 2.5). The Kok method overestimated both Q10 and the light inhibition of respiration. RL/RDk was not affected by leaf temperature. Acclimation of respiration in summer was associated with a decline in basal respiration but not in Q10 in both species, which was related to changes in leaf nitrogen content between seasons. Q10 of RL and RDk in mature leaves were 40% higher than in immature leaves.Our results suggest similar Q10 values can be used to model RL and RDk while leaf development‐associated changes in Q10 require special consideration in future respiration models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scrub typhus may be one of the world’s most prevalent, neglected and serious, but easily treatable, febrile diseases. It has become a significant potential threat to public health in China. In this study we used national disease surveillance data to analyze the incidence and spatial–temporal distribution of scrub typhus in mainland China during 1952–1989 and 2006–2018. Descriptive epidemiological methods and spatial–temporal epidemiological methods were used to investigate the epidemiological trends and identify high-risk regions of scrub typhus infection. Over the 51-year period, a total of 182,991 cases and 186 deaths were notified. The average annual incidence was 0.13 cases/100,000 population during 1952–1989. The incidence increased sharply from 0.09/100,000 population in 2006 to 1.93/100,000 population in 2018 and then exponentially increased after 2006. The incidence was significantly higher in females than males (χ2 = 426.32, P < 0.001). Farmers had a higher incidence of scrub typhus than non-farmers (χ2 = 684.58, P < 0.001). The majority of cases each year were reported between July and November with peak incidence occurring during October each year. The trend surface analysis showed that the incidence of scrub typhus increased gradually from north to south, and from east and west to the central area. The spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that a spatial positive correlation existed in the prevalence of scrub typhus on a national scale, which had the characteristic of aggregated distribution (I = 0.533, P < 0.05). LISA analysis showed hotspots (High–High) were primarily located in the southern and southwestern provinces of China with the geographical area expanding annually. These findings provide scientific evidence for the surveillance and control of scrub typhus which may contribute to targeted strategies and measures for the government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Touch induces marked morphological changes in plants, including reduced rosette diameters and delayed flowering, a process called thigmomorphogenesis. Previous studies have revealed that thigmomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) results from touch-induced accumulation of jasmonic acid (JA) and GIBBERELLIN 2-OXIDASE7 (GA2ox7) transcripts, which encode a gibberellin (GA) catabolism enzyme, leading to reduced levels of active GAs. However, the mechanisms underlying thigmomorphogenesis remain uncharacterized. Here, we showed that touch induces ethylene (ET) production in Arabidopsis. After touch treatment, ET biosynthesis and signaling mutants exhibited even greater thigmomorphogenic changes and more decreased GA4 contents than did wild-type (WT) plants. Biochemical analysis indicated that the transcription factor ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3) of the ET pathway binds to the promoter of GA2ox8 (encoding another GA 2-oxidase performing the same GA modification as GA2ox7) and represses GA2ox8 transcription. Moreover, MYC2, the master regulator of JA signaling, directly promoted GA2ox7 expression by binding the G-box motif on GA2ox7 promoter. Further genetic analysis suggested that the ET and JA pathways independently control the expression of GA2ox8 and GA2ox7, respectively. This study reveals that the ET pathway is a novel repressor of touch-induced thigmomorphogenesis and highlights that the ET and JA pathways converge on GA catabolism but play opposite roles to fine-tune GA4 content during thigmomorphogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dissection of the genetic architecture and the detection of the loci for adaptive traits are important for marker-assisted selection (MAS) for breeding. A spring wheat diversity panel with 251 cultivars, mainly from China, was obtained to conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to detect the new loci, including the heading date (HD), maturating date (MD), plant height (PH), and lodging resistance (LR). In total, 41 loci existing in all 21 chromosomes, except for 4A and 6B, were identified, and each explained 4.3–18.9% of the phenotypic variations existing in two or more environments. Of these, 13 loci are overlapped with the known genes or quantitative trait loci (QTLs), whereas the other 28 are likely to be novel. The 1A locus (296.9–297.7 Mb) is a multi-effect locus for LR and PH, whereas the locus on chromosome 6D (464.5–471.0 Mb) affects both the HD and MD. Furthermore, four candidate genes for adaptive traits were identified, involved in cell division, signal transduction, and plant development. Additionally, two competitive, allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers, Kasp_2D_PH for PH and Kasp_6D_HD for HD, were developed and validated in another 162 spring wheat accessions. Our study uncovered the genetic basis of adaptive traits and provided the associated SNPs and varieties with more favorable alleles for wheat MAS breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) that combine electrochemistry with biological methods have gained attention in the remediation of polluted environments, including wastewater, sludge, sediments, and soils. The most attractive advantage of BESs is that the solid electrode is used as an inexhaustible electron acceptor or donor, and biocurrent directly converted from organics can afford the reaction energy of contaminant breakdown, crossing the internal energy barrier of endothermic degradation, which achieves a continuous biodegradation process without the simultaneous use of exogenetic chemicals and bioelectricity recovery. However, soil BESs are hindered by expensive electrode materials, difficult pollutant and electron transfer, low microbial competitive activity, and biocompatibility in contamination remediation. Fortunately, introducing biochar into soil BESs could reveal a high potential in addressing these BES inadequacies. The characteristics of biochar, e.g., conductivity, transferability, high specific surface area, high porosity, large functional groups, and biocompatibility, can improve the performance of soil BESs. In fact, biochar not only carries electrons but also transfers nutrients, pollutants, and even bacteria by facilitating transmission in the bioelectric field of BESs. Consequently, the abilities of biochar make for better functionality of BESs. This review collates information on the roles, application, and progress of biochar in soil BESs, and future prospects are given. It is beneficial for environmental researchers and engineers to extend BES application in environmental remediation and to assist the progress of carbon sequestration and emission reduction based on the inertia of biochar and the blocking of electron flow to form methane. A feature comparison between BES and conventional techniques was made. Biochar characteristics match the deficiencies of bioelectrochemical remediation. Behind roles of biochar in the contamination remediation were summarized. Application potential and direction of biochar in BES were emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) pollution not only poses a threat to the environment but also adversely affects the growth and development of plants, with potential repercussions for animals and humans through bioaccumulation in the food chain. Maize, a crucial source of food, industrial materials, and livestock feed, requires special attention in understanding the genetic factors influencing mercury accumulation. Developing maize varieties with low mercury accumulation is vital for both maize production and human health. In this study, a comprehensive genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using an enlarged SNP panel comprising 1.25 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 230 maize inbred lines across three environments. The analysis identified 111 significant SNPs within 78 quantitative trait loci (QTL), involving 169 candidate genes under the Q model. Compared to the previous study, the increased marker density and optimized statistical model led to the discovery of 74 additional QTL, demonstrating improved statistical power. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that most genes participate in arsenate reduction and stress responses. Notably, GRMZM2G440968, which has been reported in previous studies, is associated with the significant SNP chr6.S_155668107 in axis tissue. It encodes a cysteine proteinase inhibitor, implying its potential role in mitigating mercury toxicity by inhibiting cysteine. Haplotype analyses provided further insights, indicating that lines carrying hap3 exhibited the lowest mercury content compared to other haplotypes. In summary, our study significantly enhances the statistical power of GWAS, identifying additional genes related to mercury accumulation and metabolism. These findings offer valuable insights into unraveling the genetic basis of mercury content in maize and contribute to the development of maize varieties with low mercury accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rubidium (Rb) deposits mostly occur in the South China and Central Asia orogenic belts and are often closely associated with highly differentiated granites. This study investigates a newly‐discovered giant Rb deposit at Gariatong in the Central Lhasa terrane in Tibet. Detailed field studies and logging data revealed that the Rb mineralization mainly occurs in monzogranite and is related to greisenization. LA‐ICP‐MS U‐Pb dating of zircon yielded ages of 19.1 ± 0.2 Ma and 19.0 ± 0.2 Ma for greisenized monzogranite and fresh monzogranite, respectively. The monzogranites are characterized as strongly peraluminous, with high contents of SiO2, Al2O3, K2O and Na2O as well as a high differentiation index. They are enriched in light rare earth and large ion lithophile elements with significant negative Eu anomalies and depleted high field‐strength elements. Petrological and geochemical features of these ore‐related monzogranites suggest that they are highly fractionated S‐type granites, derived from remelting of crustal materials in a post‐collisional setting. The geochemistry of zircon and apatite points to a low oxygen fugacity of the ore‐related monzogranite during the magma's evolution. The discovery of the Gariatong Rb deposit suggests that the Central Lhasa terrane may be an important region for rare metal mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated energy system (IES) plays a vital role in achieving energy revolution and the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. The optimal planning of IES is of great significance for improving the overall efficiency of the system and promoting its sustainable development. Focusing on this issue, this paper proposes a planning framework integrating multi-objective optimization with fuzzy multi-criteria decision making (MCDM). In this framework, IES planning is modeled as a multi-objective optimization problem that, for the first time, simultaneously minimizes energy consumption, carbon emissions, and economic costs. Thereafter, the optimization problem is solved by a multi-objective state transition algorithm based on decomposition (MOSTA/D), which generates a Pareto set that realizes multiple conflicting objective tradeoffs. Furthermore, to comprehensively evaluate the Pareto optimal solutions, an evaluation criteria system is established from various perspectives, and a novel MCDM approach is proposed. This approach combines the analytic network process-entropy weighting technique, which takes into account the correlation between criteria as well as subjective preference and objective information, with fuzzy TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) for scientifically ranking and selecting solutions under uncertainty. The simulation results of an IES planning case study demonstrate that the optimal scheme determined by the proposed method achieves the best overall benefit for IES, with significant annual economic cost savings, primary energy savings, and carbon dioxide emission reduction rates of 2.27%, 40.36%, and 56.25%, respectively, proving the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-abatement strategies that can reduce both CO 2 and air pollutants emissions are essential for the green and low-carbon transition of China's iron and steel industry. Most previous studies analyzed CO 2 and air pollutants reduction policies independently, but the synergies and tradeoffs between the two types of policies have rarely been investigated. By establishing a bottom-up simulation model that considers combinations of different policy objectives, crude steel demand and technology development options, this study couples air pollutants reduction into the carbon neutrality pathways to evaluate the synergistic effects of different abatement strategies in China's iron and steel industry. The study also incorporates the indirect CO 2 and air pollutants emissions from the upstream energy production sectors into pathway analysis, in order to avoid cross-sectoral carbon and air pollution leakages. The results show that the current emissions reduction policies in the iron and steel industry are far from achieving the carbon neutrality goals. To achieve synergistic reduction in CO 2 and air pollutants emissions, the short term policies should mainly rely on increasing the share of the scrap-electric arc furnace (EAF), while reducing crude steel demand and promoting breakthrough technologies, particularly hydrogen-based direct reduction, should play a major role in the long term. Meanwhile, China should promote the decarbonization of power generation and hydrogen production to reduce indirect CO 2 and air pollutants emissions from the upstream sectors. [Display omitted] • Explore pathways for CO 2 and air pollutants co-abatement in iron and steel industry. • Evaluate contributions and synergistic effects of different abatement strategies. • Stronger policy measures are needed to achieve carbon neutrality target. • Decarbonization of upstream energy sectors is critical to reduce indirect emissions. • Material efficiency and structural adjustment have greater synergistic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Saccharification of cellulose to glucose was achieved on immobilized enzymes. • Tri-enzyme biocatalyst of cellulase, β-glucosidase and pectinase was prepared. • The glucose was obtained from cellulose with conversion rate of 74.45%. Herein, three enzymes (cellulase, β-glucosidase, and pectinase) with synergistic effects were co-immobilized on the Eudragit L-100, and the recovery of co-immobilized enzymes from solid substrates were achieved through the reversible and soluble property of the carrier. The optimization of enzyme ratio overcomed the problem of inappropriate enzyme activity ratio caused by different immobilization efficiencies among enzymes during the preparation process of co-immobilized enzymes. The co-immobilized enzymes were utilized to catalytically hydrolyze cellulose from corn straw into glucose, achieving a cellulose conversion rate of 74.45% under conditions optimized for their enzymatic characteristics and hydrolytic reaction conditions. As a result of the reversibility and solubility of the carrier, the co-immobilized enzymes were recovered from the solid substrate after five cycles, retaining 54.67% of the enzyme activity. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of co-immobilizing multiple enzymes onto the Eudragit L-100 carrier for the synergistic degradation of straw cellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elongated nanoparticles show distinct advantages over spherical nanoparticles in bioimaging because of surface area-to-volume, rate of clearance from the body and elimination mechanism. In this work, we investigated the fluorescence emission properties of the hybrid system by decorating silver sulfide quantum dots (Ag 2 S QDs) in situ on the surface of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) with unique rod shape, modifiability and biocompatibility. This water-dispersible fluorescent probe has both absorption and fluorescence in near-infrared (NIR) region. By varying the amount of surface ligands, uniformly dispersed Ag 2 S QDs with different crystalline states but similar sizes were prepared due to the anchoring effect of CNC. The fluorescence quantum yield of fluorescent probes can be improved up to 109-fold (from 0.04 % to 4.36 %). In addition, the CNC-restricted interparticle spacing of Ag 2 S QDs (< 10 nm), in combination with the overlap of wide fluorescence emission and ultraviolet absorption, significantly enhanced the 1070 nm emission in the NIR-II region via fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Further conjugation of these CNC probes with folic acid-polyethylene glycol-amino (FA-PEG-NH 2) enables in vitro bioimaging of Hela cells, which are potentially applicable for in vivo cancer detection system. The synthetic strategy provides a new way for one-pot preparation of fluorescent probes with both high NIR-I absorption and NIR-II fluorescence. • Ag 2 S QDs were controllably loaded on CNC via in situ grown. • Both the absorption and fluorescence of the nanocomposite were located in the NIR region. • FRET between Ag 2 S QDs was realized to enhance the NIR-II fluorescence intensity. • NIR-II fluorescence imaging of the CNC-based fluorescent probe in Hela cells was completed for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variations of elemental abundance and their ratios along the Galactocentric radius result from the chemical evolution of the Milky Way discs. The |$\rm ^{12}C/^{13}C$| ratio in particular is often used as a proxy to determine other isotopic ratios, such as |$\rm ^{16}O/^{18}O$| and |$\rm ^{14}N/^{15}N$|⁠. Measurements of |$\rm ^{12}CN$| and |$\rm ^{13}CN$| (or |$\rm C^{15}N$|⁠) – with their optical depths corrected via their hyper-fine structure lines – have traditionally been exploited to constrain the Galactocentric gradients of the CNO isotopic ratios. Such methods typically make several simplifying assumptions (e.g. a filling factor of unity, the Rayleigh–Jeans approximation, and the neglect of the cosmic microwave background) while adopting a single average gas phase. However, these simplifications introduce significant biases to the measured |$\rm ^{12}C/^{13}C$| and |$\rm ^{14}N/^{15}N$|⁠. We demonstrate that exploiting the optically thin satellite lines of 12CN constitutes a more reliable new method to derive |$\rm ^{12}C/^{13}C$| and |$\rm ^{14}N/^{15}N$| from CN isotopologues. We apply this satellite-line method to new IRAM 30-m observations of 12CN, 13CN, and C15N N  = 1 → 0 towards 15 metal-poor molecular clouds in the Galactic outer disc (R gc > 12 kpc), supplemented by data from the literature. After updating their Galactocentric distances, we find that |$\rm ^{12}C/^{13}C$| and |$\rm ^{14}N/^{15}N$| gradients are in good agreement with those derived using independent optically thin molecular tracers, even in regions with the lowest metallicities. We therefore recommend using optically thin tracers for Galactic and extragalactic CNO isotopic measurements, which avoids the biases associated with the traditional method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma metabolomics profiling is an emerging methodology to identify metabolic pathways underlying cardiovascular health (CVH). The objective of this study was to define metabolomic profiles underlying CVH in a cohort of Black adults, a population that is understudied but suffers from disparate levels of CVD risk factors. The Morehouse-Emory Cardiovascular (MECA) Center for Health Equity study cohort consisted of 375 Black adults (age 53 ± 10, 39% male) without known CVD. CVH was determined by the AHA Life's Simple 7 (LS7) score, calculated from measured blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose and total cholesterol, and self-reported physical activity, diet, and smoking. Plasma metabolites were assessed using untargeted high-resolution metabolomics profiling. A metabolome wide association study (MWAS) identified metabolites associated with LS7 score after adjusting for age and sex. Using Mummichog software, metabolic pathways that were significantly enriched in metabolites associated with LS7 score were identified. Metabolites representative of these pathways were compared across clinical domains of LS7 score and then developed into a metabolomics risk score for prediction of CVH. We identified novel metabolomic signatures and pathways associated with CVH in a cohort of Black adults without known CVD. Representative and highly prevalent metabolites from these pathways included glutamine, glutamate, urate, tyrosine and alanine, the concentrations of which varied with BMI, fasting glucose, and blood pressure levels. When assessed in conjunction, these metabolites were independent predictors of CVH. One SD increase in the novel metabolomics risk score was associated with a 0.88 higher LS7 score, which translates to a 10.4% lower incident CVD risk. We identified novel metabolomic signatures of ideal CVH in a cohort of Black Americans, showing that a core group of metabolites central to nitrogen balance, bioenergetics, gluconeogenesis, and nucleotide synthesis were associated with CVH in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-immobilization of laccase and mediator 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) for wastewater treatment could simultaneously achieve the reusability of laccase and avoid secondary pollution caused by the toxic ABTS. Herein, Fe-induced mineralization was proposed to co-immobilize laccase and ABTS into a metal–organic framework (ZIF-8) within 30 min. Immobilized laccase (Lac@ZIF-8-Fe) prepared at a 1:1 mass ratio of Fe2+ to Zn2+ exhibited enhanced catalytic efficiency (2.6 times), thermal stability, acid tolerance, and reusability compared to free laccase. ABTS was then co-immobilized to form Lac+ABTS@ZIF-8-Fe (ABTS = 261.7 mg/g). Lac@ZIF-8-Fe exhibited significantly enhanced bisphenol A (BPA) removal performance over free laccase due to the local substrate enrichment effect and improved enzyme stability. Moreover, the Lac+ABTS@ZIF-8-Fe exhibited higher BPA removal efficiency than the free laccase+ABTS system, implying the presence of a proximity effect in Lac+ABTS@ZIF-8-Fe. In the successive malachite green (MG) removal, the MG degradation efficiency by Lac@ZIF-8-Fe was maintained at 96.6% at the fifth reuse with only an extra addition of 0.09 mM ABTS in each cycle. As for Lac+ABTS@ZIF-8-Fe, 58.5% of MG was degraded at the fifth cycle without an extra addition of ABTS. Taken together, this research has provided a novel strategy for the design of a co-immobilized laccase and ABTS system for the degradation of organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consequences of relying on solid fuels are disproportionately borne by minorities, the marginalized, and rural communities. However, the social disparities in transitioning from polluting energy to clean energy are not well understood. We track changes in the main energy source used for cooking among Chinese households between 2010 and 2018. We find that the proportion of households who rely on clean energy increased from 53.7% in 2010 to 80.1% in 2018. We detect substantial disparities in clean energy use between rural and urban areas, across regions, and between ethnic minorities and the Han majority. Urban status, regional variations, and household characteristics entirely accounted for the observed ethnic differences in clean energy use. Over time, disparities across rural–urban, regional, and ethnic boundaries declined, and household characteristics became irrelevant to the ethnic differences. Therefore, China's efforts to mitigate the imbalance in socioeconomic development also reduced ethnic inequalities in clean energy use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron accumulation is one of the most essential pathological events after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Ferroportin1 (FPN1) is the only transmembrane protein responsible for exporting iron. Hepcidin, as the major regulator of FPN1, is responsible for its degradation. Our study investigated how the interaction between FPN1 and hepcidin contributes to iron accumulation after SAH. We found that iron accumulation aggravated after SAH, along with decreased FPN1 in neurons and increased hepcidin in astrocytes. After knocking down hepcidin in astrocytes, the neuronal FPN1 significantly elevated, thus attenuating iron accumulation. After SAH, p -Smad1/5 and Smad4 tended to translocate into the nucleus. Moreover, Smad4 combined more fragments of the promoter region of Hamp after OxyHb stimulation. By knocking down Smad1/5 or Smad4 in astrocytes, FPN1 level restored and iron overload attenuated, leading to alleviated neuronal cell death and improved neurological function. However, the protective role disappeared after recombinant hepcidin administration. Therefore, our study suggests that owing to the nuclear translocation of transcription factors p -Smad1/5 and Smad4, astrocyte-derived hepcidin increased significantly after SAH, leading to a decreased level of neuronal FPN1, aggravation of iron accumulation, and worse neurological outcome. [Display omitted] • Hepcidin increased after SAH, along with decreased ferroportin1. • Astrocytes-derived hepcidin degrades neuronal ferroportin1 after SAH. • Abnormal hepcidin-ferroportin1 axis aggravates neuronal iron overload after SAH. • Translocation of Smad transcription factors promotes astrocytes producing hepcidin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent amendments to design ground snow load requirements in current US standards have reduced the size of case-study regions by 91% from what they were in previous standards, primarily in western states. This reduction is made possible through the development of highly accurate regional generalized additive models (RGAMs), stitched together with a novel smoothing scheme implemented in the R software package remap, to produce the continental-scale maps of reliability-targeted design ground snow loads available in current standards. This approach allows for better characterizations of the changing relationship between temperature, elevation, and ground snow loads across the conterminous US (CONUS). RGAMs are shown to have 10% or better improvement in mean absolute mapping error in two independently created data sets when compared with traditional mapping techniques. Structures must be able to withstand environmental stresses without collapsing, including snow. Design ground snow loads are estimated using snow measurements taken at weather stations throughout the US. Mapping techniques allow design ground snow loads to be estimated at regions between weather stations. This paper describes a regional approach for mapping design ground snow loads in CONUS and demonstrates the improved accuracy of the approach, relative to previous methods, on two independently created national data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rail surface damage occurs due to repeated overstressing of the surface by wheel-rail contact cycles, which is also known as rolling contact fatigue, and causes regular costly maintenance expenses to railways. The preventive strategies to reduce rail damage can be conservative if it is not based on measured data. A validated digital model of the physical system can provide data for maintenance decision. Interaction between a physical system and a digital model has evolved at the beginning of this century into a new process commonly referred to by the term 'Digital Twin'. There is a lack of a Digital Twin framework in decision-making on railway maintenance. The term Digital Twin is often confused with advanced simulation methods where the communication of data is only one way, i.e. sensor or design data of the physical system input to a model. In this paper, a Digital Twin has been developed to predict rolling contact fatigue rail surface damage, corresponding to traffic passing along a railway network. Differences between the Digital Twin and advanced simulation techniques have been presented. Finally, a predictive assessment tool has been proposed to provide prediction from the Digital Twin to the physical twin, and results are discussed. Abbreviations: AS: Advanced Simulations; DS: Digital Shadow; DT: Digital Twin; HPC: High Performance Computing; LTS: Longitudinal Train Simulation; MBS: Multibody Simulation; MGT: Million Gross Tonnes; NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration; RCF: Rolling Contact Fatigue [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the improvement of digital image display technology, the "secondary imaging" caused by digital cameras is also gradually popularized, and the quality of the recaptured image formed by this imaging is also getting higher and higher, and this kind of high-quality fake image has caused great threat to digital images security. We propose a neural network-based recaptured image identification algorithm and use the difference between two types of images to build the identification algorithm in the frequency domain. The algorithm uses filtering to obtain the feature images which are the high-frequency and low-frequency filtering images, in order to further distinguish the image differences, the direction of the filtered image obtained from high-frequency images, each direction of the filtered image contains high-frequency information at different angles, and the low-frequency image is downsampled. At the same time, the low-frequency image is downsampled to obtain a multi-scale filtered image. The algorithm extracts the features from previous images as the feature values for classification, and finally uses neural networks for classification to obtain the classification results, and these prove that the algorithm presented is able to differentiate the recaptured images effectively in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated an electromagnetically induced transparency metamaterial and provided a comprehensive demonstration of its tunable electromagnetic characteristics in the terahertz region. Within a unit cell, a pair of horizontally aligned metal wires induces electric resonance, functioning as bright mode resonators. Additionally, a hybrid structure composed of metal and vanadium dioxide is employed to generate toroidal resonance, serving as dark mode resonators. Analysis of the scattered power reveals an enhancement of the energy associated with toroidal resonance within the transparent window. Simulation results illustrate a gradual reduction in the coupling strength of the electromagnetically induced transparency effect, and the transparency peak shifts toward the lower frequency range with decreasing conductivity of vanadium dioxide. Ultimately, the electromagnetically induced transparency phenomenon dissipates, resulting in a transmission spectrum characterized by a resonance curve. Theoretical analysis based on a two-coupled oscillator model unveils that the tunable effect of the electromagnetically induced transparency metamaterial is attributed to the modulation of damping rate and intrinsic resonant frequency of the dark mode resonator, achieved through adjustments in the conductivity of vanadium dioxide. This proposed approach holds promise for enhancing electromagnetically induced transparency implementations and expanding the application domains of toroidal metamaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MnO 2 is a promising catalyst due to its abundant metal valence and good redox ability. Different crystal phases of MnO 2 have different oxygen species, but the relationship between their catalytic activity and crystal structures is unclear. In this study, four MnO 2 catalysts with crystal structures (α -, β -, γ -, and δ -MnO 2) were selected to unveil the roles of terminal-type (Mn O), superoxide-type Mn(-O-) 2 Mn, and bridge-type (Mn-O-Mn) oxygen species in CO oxidation. γ -MnO 2 has the best CO oxidation performance. Density functional theory calculation results show that Mn O on γ- MnO 2 can adsorb CO easier than other two types of oxygen species. Operando TPR-DRIFTS-MS results show that Mn O on the surface of γ- MnO 2 can react with CO to form terminal-type oxygen vacancies (M2+=□2–) at low temperatures. Meanwhiles, Mn(-□-)(-O-)Mn and Mn-□-Mn can dissociate O 2 to form Mn O under certain conditions to promote CO oxidation. MnO 2 catalysts with more Mn O oxygen species are of great significance for CO oxidation at a low temperature. [Display omitted] • α -, γ -, and δ -MnO 2 have Mn(-O-) 2 Mn and Mn-O-Mn, while β -MnO 2 only has Mn-O-Mn. • Operando TPR-DRIFTS-MS reveals the roles of terminal-type oxygen (Mn O). • Mn O plays a key role in CO low-temperature oxidation. • Bridge-type oxygen vacancies are beneficial to promote Mn O regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Acetal-mediated DES mildly and effectively separated lignin (68%) from BP. • Acetal-mediated DES preserved β-O-4 structures (68.60%) and inhibited low β-5 content (19.51 %) • Regenerated lignin depolymerization monomer yield reaches 40.94% • Lignin with lighter color showed good performance in sunscreen and depolymerization. • Cellulose severed as smart indicator film for visually detecting the freshness of shrimp. Full utilization of biomass after fractionation of its components is an effective way to maximize the value of biomass. Herein, in this study, a new acetal-mediated deep eutectic solvent (DES) was explored and its excellent performance in separating lignin from biomass as well as retarding lignin condensation has been observed. Subsequently, the separated lignin and cellulose-rich residue were used to prepare sunscreen and transparent food indicator films, respectively. The results showed that the acetal-mediated DES pretreatment can reduce the recalcitrance of bagasse, stabilize lignin (β-O-4 content of 68.6% in the lignin), and retain most of the cellulose (ie. 83.43%). Besides, the pretreatment enhanced the subsequent hydrogenolysis of lignin, and the higher β-O-4 content of the lignin contributed to the high yield of aromatic monomers (40.94%). In addition, regenerated lignin was attractive for sunscreen applications due to its lighter color and excellent UV-blocking properties. Furthermore, cellulose smart indicator film was highly sensitive, biodegradable, has excellent physical properties, and allows visual real-time monitoring of seafood spoilage using smartphones. Meanwhile, the yield of the removed hemicellulose converted to xylose in the pretreatment process reached 99.24%. In general, this work proposed a sustainable bio-refinery approach for the full upgrading of biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the outstanding performance, composite materials are widely used and analyzing their properties and designing them based on performance has become a crucial task in the field of many manufacturing industries. Composite materials possess complex multiscale structures, and traditional fine-scale finite element modeling and analysis may lead to severe computational resource challenges. To overcome this difficulty, breakthroughs in key technologies of multiscale accelerated analysis algorithms are required. In this study, an innovative approach based on artificial intelligence and multiscale finite element method is presented. This approach involves partitioning the entire composite material structure into coarse grids that resemble homogenous structures of similar size, providing results consistent to fine-grid finite element analysis. By utilizing CNN for image feature recognition and employing the CGAN adversarial method, coarse-grid equivalent stiffness matrices and multiscale shape functions from completely random microstructures of composite materials can be obtained. Consequently, this enables a rapid response process from microstructure to low-resolution grid to high-resolution physical field, with remarkably accurate physical field results. Moreover, compared to traditional fine-grid finite element methods, this approach significantly reduces memory usage and computation time. This method is applicable to composite materials with varying shaped inclusions, different component properties, and diverse geometric distributions, allowing these materials to perform high-fidelity finite element calculations on coarse grids and predict their mechanical behavior. Furthermore, this breakthrough opens avenues for accelerating the optimization design of composite materials with diverse mechanical functionalities, by employing a bottom-up approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two dysprosium(III)-substituted antimonotungstates were isolated by hydrothermal method. • The variable temperature magnetic susceptibility of the two similar compounds is different. • The magnetic source of the two compounds was analyzed by 2D COS-IR. • The coordination of dy results in the difference of variable temperature magnetic susceptibility. • The two compounds show probable single-molecule-magnet behavior. Two Polyoxometalates have been constructed by simple hydrothermal synthesis using rare-earth (RE) and antimonotungstates (ATs) {B-α-SbW 9 O 33 } as raw materials with the molecular formulas of H 4.5 Na 1.5 (H 2 O) 6 (C 3 H 5 N 2) 3 {Na(Sb 3 O) 2 [B-β-SbW 8 O 31 Dy(H 2 O) 2 ] 3 } · 12H 2 O (1) and H 9 (C 3 H 5 N 2) 5 {[Sb 6 IIISbVDy 2 WO 10 (H 2 O) 5 ][(B-β-SbW 9 O 33) 2 (B-α-SbW 9 O 33)]} · 16H 2 O (2). X-ray Single crystal diffractometer analysis shows that both 1 and 2 possess trimer configurations. Polyoxoanion 1 is assembled from three trilacunary {B-β-SbW 8 O 31 Dy(H 2 O) 2 }p units linked via {Na(Sb 3 O) 2 } cluster, where the trilacunary {B-β-SbW 8 O 31 Dy(H 2 O) 2 } unit is formed by the tetralacunary {B-β-SbW 8 O 31 } unit captures one Dy(H 2 O) 2 3+ cation. Polyoxoanion 2 is composed of a novel 5p−4f heterometallic cluster {Sb 6 IIISbVDy 2 WO 12 (H 2 O) 5 } simultaneously stabilized by two {B-β-SbW 9 O 33 } units and one {B-α-SbW 9 O 33 } unit. In addition, two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy (2D COS-IR) under magnetic disturbance was measured to investigate the difference of the variable temperature magnetic susceptibility between two compounds to explore the source of magnetic properties, and further magnetic property tests indicate that 1 and 2 may exhibit single-molecule-magnet behavior with distinct frequency dependence. This work deepens the theory of 2D COS-IR and also enriches the theoretical and experimental data of magnetism. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the hidden risk of microplastics in the coagulation process has attracted much attention. However, previous studies aimed at improving the removal efficiency of microplastics and ignored the importance of interactions between microplastics and natural organic matter (NOM). This study investigated how polystyrene micro/nano particles impact the release of NOM during the aging of flocs formed by aluminum-based coagulants Al 13 and AlCl 3. The results elucidated that nano-particles with small particle sizes and agglomerative states are more likely to interact with coagulants. After 7 years of floc aging, the DOC content of the nano system decreased by more than 40%, while the micron system did not change significantly. During coagulation, the benzene rings in polystyrene particles form complexes with electrophilic aluminum ions through π-bonding, creating new Al-O bonds. NOM tends to adsorb at micro/nano plastic interfaces due to hydrophobic interactions and conformational entropy. In the aging process, the structure of PS-Al 13 or PS-AlCl 3 flocs and the functional groups on the surface of micro/nano plastics control the absorption and release of organic matter through hydrophobic, van der Waals forces, hydration, and polymer bridging. In the system with the addition of nano plastics, several DBPs such as TCAA, DCAA, TBM, DBCM and nitrosamines were reduced by more than 50%. The reaction order of different morphological structures and surface functional groups of microplastics to Al 13 and AlCl 3 systems is aromatic C-H > C-OH > C-O > NH 2 > aromatic C C > aliphatic C-H and C-O>H-C O> NH 2 >C-OH> aliphatic C-H. The results provided a new sight to explore the effect of micro/nano plastics on the release of NOM during flocs aging. [Display omitted] • Polystyrene plastic particles complex with Al-based coagulants through Al-O bond. • Nano-plastic particles with small sizes are more likely to interact with coagulants. • Micro-nano plastics would affect the reactivity order of functional groups of NOM. • Flocs formed with plastic would adsorb and release NOM in the aging process. • The involvement of Micro-nano plastics may increase the formation of DBPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A bioinspired nanofibrous composite separator (GPS) with concentration gradient along thickness direction was fabricated. • The GPS separator presented significantly improved mechanical strength while maintaining relatively high porosity. • Structural strengthening mechanism and lithium-ion transport ability were verified by simulation and model analysis. • Cell with the GPS separator exhibited high discharge capacity and stable cycling performance. Considering electrospun nanofiber-based membranes that generally exhibit high porosity but poor mechanical property, there is a growing need to fabricate nanofibrous separators with comprehensive performance for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Silkworm cocoon, a source of design inspiration from nature, comprises a multilayer structure with composition change in the thickness direction, thereby endowing the cocoon with relatively high porosity and outstanding mechanical strength. Therefore, a silkworm cocoon-like structured nanofibrous separator (GPS) is fabricated in this work by initially preparing several polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membranes with varied content of carboxyl styrene butadiene latex (SBR) and then laminating them in a concentration gradient sequence. Compared with the pristine PAN membrane, the GPS exhibits comparable porosity, thermal stability and electrolyte wettability due to the existence of PAN nanofibers, while the tensile strength and puncture resistance of the GPS are greatly raised by 5.5 times and 1.5 times, respectively. On account of the structure design, GPS also shows better mechanical strength than PAN/SBR separators without concentration gradient, and the strengthening mechanism has been verified by the finite element analysis. Meanwhile, such gradient structure of GPS renders the battery with desirable ion transport ability and stable cycle properties. Thus, the silkworm cocoon-like structured separator could be a promising separator candidate for LIBs, and the bioinspired design in structure will play an increasingly important role in the development of high-performance battery in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of aging is characterized by structural degeneration and functional decline, as well as diminished adaptability and resistance. The aging kidney exhibits a variety of structural and functional impairments. In aging mice, thinning and graying of fur were observed, along with a significant increase in kidney indices compared to young mice. Biochemical indicators revealed elevated levels of creatinine, urea nitrogen and serum uric acid, suggesting impaired kidney function. Histological analysis unveiled glomerular enlargement and sclerosis, severe hyaline degeneration, capillary occlusion, lymphocyte infiltration, tubular and glomerular fibrosis, and increased collagen deposition. Observations under electron microscopy showed thickened basement membranes, altered foot processes, and increased mesangium and mesangial matrix. Molecular marker analysis indicated upregulation of aging-related β-galactosidase, p16-INK4A, and the DNA damage marker γH2AX in the kidneys of aged mice. In metabolomics, a total of 62 significantly different metabolites were identified, and 10 pathways were enriched. We propose that citrulline, dopamine, and indoxyl sulfate have the potential to serve as markers of kidney damage related to aging in the future. Phosphoproteomics analysis identified 6656 phosphosites across 1555 proteins, annotated to 62 pathways, and indicated increased phosphorylation at the Ser27 site of Minichromosome maintenance complex component 2 (Mcm2) and decreased at the Ser284 site of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K), with these modifications being confirmed by western blotting. The phosphorylation changes in these molecules may contribute to aging by affecting genome stability. Eleven common pathways were detected in both omics, including arginine biosynthesis, purine metabolism and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, etc., which are closely associated with aging and renal insufficiency. [Display omitted] • General phenotype changed in naturally aging mice. • Citrulline, dopamine, and indoxyl sulfate may potentially serve as biomarkers for future identification of aging-associated renal damage. • The role of MCM2 and HNRNPK phosphorylation in aging deserve further attention. • Combining metabolomics and phosphoproteomics to reveal the mechanisms of aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caper spurge (Euphorbia lathyris L.), known for its high content of oleic acid-enriched seed oils, has gained recognition as a valuable non-edible feedstock for biodiesel production. However, there is limited understanding of the biosynthesis and regulation of these desirable seed oils. In this study, an omics-based approach and genetic transformation were employed to investigate the glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) enzyme, which catalyzes the initial acylation reaction in triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis, in caper spurge. Ten genes encoding ElGPAT , identified from the E. lathyris genome, were classified into three phylogenetic groups, exhibiting similar protein motifs and gene structures. RNA-seq data revealed distinct expression patterns of these ElGPAT genes in various tissues and different stages of seed development. Notably, ElGPAT9 showed the highest expression in flowers and developing seeds, with its encoded protein localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. Experiments using a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) expression system demonstrated that ElGPAT9 exhibited strong GPAT enzyme activity, crucial for TAG assembly, and preference for oleic acid (C18:1), as confirmed by feeding tests with exogenous fatty acids (FA). Similarly, stable transgenic lines of Nicotiana tabacum over-expressing ElGPAT9 showed increased levels of total oil and oleic acid, as well as improved pollen viability, without any growth penalty compared to wild-type and empty-vector controls. The transcriptome based WGCNA also identified genes related to lipid synthesis that are co-expressed with ElGPAT9. These findings provide a foundation for further understanding the roles of ElGPAT family members in E. lathyris and suggest the potential of ElGPAT9 as a desirable target for genetic engineering to enhance the production of vegetable oils enriched with C18:1 in caper spurge and other oil crops, contributing to sustainable biodiesel and lipid product production. • Identification of 10 ElGPAT Genes within the Euphorbia lathyris L. Genome. • Significant Differential Expression of ElGPAT Genes Across Various Tissues. • ElGPAT9 Gene Plays a Crucial Role in Lipid Synthesis. • Preference for Oleic Acid Observed in ElGPAT9 Gene. • Key Genes Interacting with ElGPAT9 Identified through WGCNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Self-assembly Bi 2 WO 6 microflowers and TiO 2 microspheres were synthesized via hydrothermal method. • Bi 2 WO 6 /TiO 2 heterojunction has excellent photocatalytic performance for removal RhB dyes. • Possible photocatalytic mechanism of Z-Scheme Bi 2 WO 6 /TiO 2 heterojunction was proposed. Flower-like Bi 2 WO 6 microspheres and TiO 2 spherical particles were prepared by a facile hydrothermal method without any surfactant or template. A unique Z-Scheme Bi 2 WO 6 /TiO 2 heterojunction was successfully synthesized via a simple physical mixing method. The effect of mass ratio on the structure, morphology, optical properties, BET surface area and photocatalytic performance evaluated by degradation of organic dyes including Rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) under solar irradiation was systemically investigated. When the mass ratio of Bi 2 WO 6 to TiO 2 was 1:4, the Bi 2 WO 6 /TiO 2 composites exhibited the highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency, the highest degradation efficiency of RhB and MB reached 95.2 % and 89.3 %, which could be attributed to the construction of heterojunction structure between TiO 2 and Bi 2 WO 6. The optical absorption capacity of Bi 2 WO 6 /TiO 2 composites was stronger than pure TiO 2. Furthermore, the radicalquenching experiments proved that ·O 2 – and h+ played crucial roles in the photocatalytic reaction. The suitable band structure of Bi 2 WO 6 and TiO 2 revealed the Z-Scheme pathway and possible photocatalytic mechanism of Bi 2 WO 6 /TiO 2 composites for organic dyes degradation. Thus, the direct Z-scheme Bi 2 WO 6 /TiO 2 heterojunction effectively promoted separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, resulting in higher photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotary steering systems (RSSs) have been increasingly used to develop horizontal wells. A static push-the-bit RSS uses three hydraulic modules with varying degrees of expansion and contraction to achieve changes in the pushing force acting on the wellbore in different sizes and directions within a circular range, ultimately allowing the wellbore trajectory to be drilled in a predetermined direction. By analyzing its mathematical principles and the actual characteristics of the instrument, a vector force closed-loop control method, including steering and holding modes, was designed. The adjustment criteria for the three hydraulic modules are determined to achieve rapid adjustment of the vector force. The theoretical feasibility of the developed method was verified by comparing its results with the on-site application data of an imported rotary guidance system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]