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Offshore floating wind turbines may undergo swaying motions, resulting in significant changes in the wake wind field characteristics of the wind turbine, which can seriously affect the applicability and accuracy of existing wake models. This paper systematically investigates the turbulent wake flows of floating wind turbine with swaying motion based on an improved actuator disk method (ADM). The improved ADM is introduced to reproduce the wake flows of wind turbines, and the characteristics of the turbulent wind fields (i.e., mean wind velocity, turbulence intensity and Reynolds stress) are verified by wind tunnel tests. Furthermore, the wind fields of a floating wind turbine with different swaying amplitudes under turbulent atmospheric boundary layer are simulated, and the mean wind fields and turbulent statistics are analyzed. The performance of various existing wake models (i.e., Jensen model, modified Jensen model and Gaussian model) are compared, and a Gaussian-Shear wake model is proposed for floating wind turbines, which can account for non-uniform inflow and accommodate different swaying amplitudes. The results indicate that the proposed Gaussian-Shear wake model outperforms the other three models in describing the wake flows of floating wind turbines with swaying motions, which can be used for layout optimization and yaw control of offshore floating wind turbines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of new towns is one of the main measures to evacuate urban populations and promote regional coordination and urban–rural integration in China. Mining the spatio-temporal pattern of new town hot spots based on multivariate data and analyzing the influencing factors of new town construction hot spots can provide a strategic basis for new town construction, but few researchers have extracted and analyzed the influencing factors of new town internal hot spots and their classification. In order to define the key points of Wuhan's new town construction and promote the construction of new cities in an orderly and efficient manner, this paper first constructs a space-time cube based on the luminous remote sensing data from 2010 to 2019, extracts hot spots and emerging hot spots in Wuhan New City, selects 14 influencing factor indicators such as population density, and uses bivariate Moran's index to analyze the influencing factors of hot spots, indicating that the number of bus stops and vegetation coverage rate are the most significant. Secondly, the disorderly multivariate logistic regression model is used to analyze the influencing factors of emerging hot spots. The results show that population density, vegetation coverage, road density, distance to water bodies, and distance to train stations are the most significant factors. Finally, based on the analysis results, some relevant suggestions for the construction of Wuhan New City are proposed, providing theoretical support for the planning and policy guidance of new cities, and offering reference for the construction of new towns in other cities, promoting the construction of high-quality cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) (collectively PCDD/Fs) are toxic and persistent contaminants produced as unintentional by-products of anthropogenic activities. Human exposure to PCDD/Fs occurs primarily through consumption of contaminated food, though point-source soil contamination can also meaningfully contribute to exposure. Environmental soil quality guidelines (ESQGs) for PCDD/Fs have been developed worldwide. In Canada, the 2002 federal ESQG of 4 ng/kg has been adopted by most provinces and is based on limited background soil data. In the remaining provinces, ESQGs derived to be protective of human health range from 15 ng/kg to 95 ng/kg. Internationally, 70% of human health protective ESQGs adopted since 2010 range from 20 ng/kg to 120 ng/kg. Considering the consistency in human health protective ESQGs observed worldwide, the ongoing inputs of PCDD/Fs to the environment and the evolving scientific understanding of PCDD/F toxicity over the last two decades, the federal ESQG appears outdated. As ESQGs are of specific importance in the management of contaminated sites, they must remain protective of human health without being unreasonably cautious. Federal agency review and update of the ESQG for PCDD/Fs appears warranted and should consider the establishment of a risk-based guideline protective of human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important component contributing to the onset of epilepsy is the death of hippocampal neurons. Several studies have shown that Dravet syndrome model mice: Scn1a KO mice have a high number of apoptotic neurons following seizures, but the precise mechanism underlying this remains unclear. The aim of this research was to elucidate the potential molecular mechanism of neuronal apoptosis in Scn1a KO mice by integrating proteomics and transcriptomics, with the ultimate goal of offering better neuroprotection. We found that apoptotic processes were enriched in both proteomic and transcriptomic GO analyses, and KEGG results also indicated that differential proteins and genes play a role in neurotransmission, the cell cycle, apoptosis, and neuroinflammation. Then, we examined the upstream and downstream KGML interactions of the pathways to determine the relationship between the two omics, and we found that the HIF-1 signaling pathway plays a significant role in the onset and apoptosis of epilepsy. Meanwhile, the expression of the apoptosis-related protein VHL decreased in this pathway, and the expression of p21 was upregulated. Therefore, this study suggests that VHL/HIF-1α/p21 might be involved in the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons in Scn1a KO mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Porcine circovirus (PCV2 and PCV3) currently stands as the primary viral agent afflicting intensive pig farming, inflicting substantial economic losses on farms. This study endeavored to explore the prevalence and genetic diversity of PCVs that have circulated in Guangdong province in recent years, a prominent hub for pig production within China. In the current investigation, the prevalence of PCV2, PCV3, and PCV2/3 co-infection was found to be 56.48%, 8.81%, and 8.81%, respectively. Nonetheless, no evidence of PCV4 presence materialized in the course of this study. Moreover, the co-occurrence of PCV2 with classical swine fever virus (CSFV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), pseudo-rabies virus (PRV), and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) emerged as a common phenomenon, with the co-infection rate with PEDV (23.85%) surpassing that of PRV (9.17%), PRRSV (18.35%), or CSFV (0.92%). Subsequently, a detailed analysis of the Cap protein sequence of the PCV2 and PCV3 isolates unveiled several high-frequency mutation sites within the epitope regions. Collectively, this study imparts valuable insights into the prevalence and evolution of PCV2 and PCV3 in China between 2017 and 2023, thereby contributing to the formulation of efficacious prevention and control strategies. Porcine circovirus disease poses a significant threat to the pig farming industry. Globally, four genotypes of porcine circovirus are circulating, with porcine circovirus type 2 and 3 (PCV2 and PCV3) being most strongly associated with clinical manifestations. The recently discovered porcine circovirus type 4 (PCV4) exhibits clinical symptoms resembling porcine dermatitis nephropathy syndrome. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and genetic characteristics of PCVs in Guangdong province, China. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on 193 samples collected from 83 distinct pig farms during the period of 2017–2023. A conventional PCR was employed to investigate the presence of PCV2, PCV3, and PCV4. Among the samples, 56.48%, 8.81%, and 8.81% tested positive for PCV2, PCV3, and PCV2/3 co-infection, respectively. Interestingly, PCV4 was not detected. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on 80 PCV2 isolates and 7 PCV3 isolates. A phylo-genetic analysis revealed that 12 strains belonged to PCV2a, 8 strains belonged to PCV2b, and 60 strains belonged to PCV2d, indicating the prevailing presence of PCV2d in Guangdong province, China. Furthermore, two PCV3 isolates were classified as PCV3a and five strains as PCV3b. Notably, an in-depth analysis of the Cap protein sequence of the PCV2 and PCV3 isolates identified high-frequency mutation sites located in predicted epitope regions. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the prevalence and evolution of PCV2 and PCV3 during the period of 2017–2023 in Guangdong province, China, thereby contributing to the development of effective prevention and control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore breastfeeding from 6 to 18 months of age and to study the association between breastfeeding and caries prevalence at 5 years of age. The study included 1088 children from one Norwegian county and was based on the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). The children had clinical dental examination at 5 years of age, and parents answered a questionnaire, which included information on breastfeeding, oral health behaviour and child characteristic. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed. The study was ethically approved. Of the studied children, 77% were breastfed at 6 months of age and 16% were still breastfed at 18 months of age. Few children (6%) were breastfed during night at 18 months of age, while 11% received sugary drink during night. No association was found between breastfeeding up to 18 months of age and caries prevalence at 5 years of age (p >.05). Children who at 18 months of age had their teeth brushed less than twice daily (OR 2.4, CI 1.5–3.9), consumed sugary drink once a week or more often (OR 1.7, CI 1.1–2.7) and had non-Western parents (OR 3.4, CI 1.5–8.1) were more likely to have caries experience at 5 years of age than other children. Breastfeeding up to 18 months of age was not associated with caries development during preschool age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultimate purpose of phytoextraction is not only to remove heavy metals from soil but also to improve soil quality. Here, we evaluated how the joint effect of Streptomyces pactum (strain Act12) and inorganic (Hoagland's solution) and organic (humic acid and peat) nutrients affected the phytoextraction practice of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) by potherb mustard, and the microbial community composition within rhizosphere was also investigated. The results indicated that the nutrients exerted synergistically with Act12, all increasing the plant biomass and Cd/Zn uptakes. The inoculation of Act12 alone significantly increased dehydrogenase activity of rhizosphere soil (P < 0.05), while urease and alkaline phosphatase activities varied in different dosage of Act12. Combined application of microbial strain with nutrients increased enzymatic activities with the elevated dosage of Act12. 16S ribosomal RNA high-throughput sequencing analysis revealed that Act12 inoculation reduced the diversity of rhizosphere bacteria. The Act12 and nutrients did not change dominant phyla i.e. , Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Gemmatimonadetes, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria, but their relative abundance differed among the treatments with: Peat > Act12 > Humic acid > Hoagland's solution. Comparatively, Sphingomonas replaced Thiobacillus as dominant genus after Act12 application. The increase in the Sphingomonas and Flavisolibacter abundances under Act12 and nutrients treatments gave rise to growth-promoting effect on plant. Our results revealed the important role for rhizosphere microbiota in mediating soil biochemical traits and plant growth, and our approach charted a path toward the development of Act12 combined with soil nutrients to enhance soil quality and phytoextraction efficiency in Cd/Zn-contaminated soils. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the uniformity of one‐pixel width and continuity of the thinned edges, this paper proposes an edge thinning algorithm acting on grey‐scale edge images based on 24 self‐defined single‐pixel connection patterns. First, for binary or blurred grey‐scale gradient edge images, a distance–greyscale coupling algorithm is proposed to achieve gradient enhancement in the edge width direction. Then the elimination rules of noise points and gradient calculation method are given. Secondly, the marking rules of the first three pixels of each edge are given. The next pixel to be marked must meet that the new last three pixels belong to the 24 connection modes. Whether the qualified pixels are retained depends on its grey value and the local edge gradient. The algorithm is tested on four types of images. The results show that the proposed method can guarantee uniform, smooth, and connected one‐pixel‐wide lines that lie at the centre of the initial edges. The algorithm and the existing algorithms are performed on portrait image and four scenarios of the indoor datasets. Five evaluation indicators are statistically analyzed to prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichomes are epidermal outgrowths on plant shoots. Their roles in protecting plants against herbivores and in the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites have long been recognized. Recently, studies are increasingly showing that trichomes also play important roles in water absorption and metal detoxication, with these roles having important implications for ecology, the environment, and agriculture. However, these two functions of trichomes have been largely overlooked and much remains unknown. In this review, we show that the trichomes of 37 plant species belonging to 14 plant families are involved in water absorption, while the trichomes of 33 species from 13 families are capable of sequestering metals within their trichomes. The ability of trichomes to absorb water results from their decreased hydrophobicity compared to the remainder of the leaf surface as well as the presence of special structures for collecting and absorbing water. In contrast, the metal detoxication function of trichomes results not only from the good connection of their basal cells to the underlying vascular tissues, but also from the presence of metal‐chelating ligands and transporters within the trichomes themselves. Knowledge gaps and critical future research questions regarding these two trichome functions are highlighted. This review improves our understanding on trichomes. Summary statement: The ability of trichomes to absorb water and detoxify metals has important implications for plant growth, ecology, the environment, and agriculture. This review discusses the occurrence, mechanisms, and consequences of water absorption and metal detoxication by trichomes. Critical future research directions regarding these two functions of trichomes are also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]