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Non-terrestrial networks (NTN) provide a revolutionary solution to bridge the digital divide in areas underserved by terrestrial network (TN). Particularly, low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations can substitute for offering data services to mobile devices like UAVs when flying into TN service-deficient areas. In this paper, viewing TN and NTN as both competitors and collaborators, we present a novel approach to optimize UAV mobility management in integrated TN and NTN, thereby improving network service continuity. Specifically, we enable UAVs to opportunistically handover (HO) between TN and NTN during flight to maintain reliable data reception while minimizing HO overhead. The decision to switch from TN to NTN involves comparative assessments of service capabilities and HO rates between two segments over time, considering their link quality variations during UAV flight, TN coverage distributions, and orbital dynamics of LEO satellites. Our system-level case studies, based on a practical LEO constellation, demonstrate the significant advantages of UAV HO planning in integrated TN and NTN over standalone TN or NTN for HO numbers and service rates. We also demonstrate that in various scenarios, our UAV mobility management solution consistently outperforms existing heterogeneous HO methods that underrate the dynamic differences in service capabilities between TN and NTN.

Accurate spectrum prediction in design of terahertz (THz) devices remains challenging, especially for THz fibers. In this article, we propose an approach based on artificial intelligence (AI) assisted finite element method (FEM) to achieve accurate spectrum prediction for the design of THz fiber operating in 6G communication window. The antiresonant THz fiber has been selected to verify the effectiveness of this method. Initially, the principle and physical modeling of antiresonant THz fiber are analyzed. The spectra of THz fibers with different structural parameters are designed and predicted by FEM simulation. Then, the THz fibers are fabricated by 3D printing technology and the spectra are measured by a THz time domain spectroscopy system. The spectral dataset obtained by both forms are prepared for the modeling of AI-assisted FEM methods. Different AI algorithms are induced in FEM to predict experimental spectrum, including elman neural network (Elman), support vector machines (SVM), and general regression neutral network (GRNN). The prediction performance obtained by different methods are compared and analyzed comprehensively to confirm the effectiveness of proposed methods. The AI-assisted FEM methods show great improvement of prediction accuracy in the design of THz fibers. It provides accurate data support for THz device modeling assisted by machine learning.

In practical applications, sampled-data systems are often affected by unforeseen physical constraints that may cause deviations in the sampling interval from the expected value and result in fluctuations in a probabilistic way, where the probability distribution of stochastic sampling intervals is often time-varying and unknown. How to design a stable tracking controller for sampled-data control systems affected by unknown stochastic sampling probability is a challenging task. A stochastic sampled-data model predictive control (SSDMPC) strategy for T-S fuzzy systems (TSFSs) is proposed to overcome this challenge. First, based on the input delay approach, the considered system is modeled as a continuous-time TSFS with stochastic input delay. Then, the stochastic nature of the sampling interval is effectively mapped to the input delay within the TSFS. Second, considering the unknown characteristic of the sampling interval, a Q-learning-based online estimation algorithm is developed to acquire the sampling probability, and an event-triggered mechanism is designed to reduce the computational burden of the estimation algorithm. Furthermore, the mapped stochastic input delay probability can be obtained. Third, to achieve stable tracking control of the abovementioned continuous-time TSFS with stochastic input delay, a predictive controller is designed to obtain the control law. Finally, the stability of SSDMPC is analyzed theoretically to ensure its reliability. Additionally, the effectiveness of SSDMPC is confirmed through numerical simulations.

External disturbances and packet dropouts will lead to poor control performance for the wastewater treatment process (WWTP). To address this issue, a robust model-free adaptive predictive control (RMFAPC) strategy with a packet dropout compensation mechanism (PDCM) is proposed for WWTP. First, a dynamic linearization approach (DLA), relying only on perturbed process data, is employed to approximate the system dynamics. Second, a predictive control strategy is introduced to avoid a short-sighted control decision, and an extended state observer (ESO) is used to attenuate the disturbance effectively. Furthermore, a PDCM strategy is designed to handle the packet dropout problem, and the stability of RMFAPC is rigorously analyzed. Finally, the correctness and effectiveness of RMFAPC are verified through extensive simulations. The simulation results indicate that RMFAPC can significantly reduce IAE by 0.0223 and 0.1976 in two scenarios, regardless of whether the expected value remains constant or varies. This comparison to MFAPC demonstrates the superior robustness of RMFAPC against disturbances. The ablation experiment on PDCM further confirms its capability in handling the packet dropout problem.

The welding characteristics of 5052 aluminum alloy and Q235 low-carbon steel sheet were systematically studied by the refilled friction stir spot welding. The effects of rotation speed and pressure speed on weld forming, tensile strength, and welded joint structure were analyzed in different welding modes. The results indicated two different connection modes: the chimeric mode and the non-chimeric mode. The corresponding depression depth are 2 and 2.4 mm, respectively. In the non-chimeric connection mode, the steel/aluminum metallurgical interface is a smooth transition, the hook structure is obvious, and the welding mechanism mainly depends on the mutual diffusion between atoms. However, in the chimeric mode, a hook structure will be formed at the metallurgical interface of steel and aluminum. The connection mechanism is determined by mechanical interlocking and mutual diffusion. The maximum strength value is 7.48 kN in non-chimeric mode. At this time, the spindle speed is 1300 r/min and the pressure speed is 1 mm/s. There were two types of fractures: the button fracture mode and the peel fracture mode.

Quantum tunneling conductance of molecular junctions originates from the charge transport through the π-orbitals (π-transport) and the σ-orbitals (σ-transport) of the molecules, but the σ-transport can not be observed due to the more rapid decay of the tunneling conductance in the σ-system compared to that in the π-system. Here, we demonstrate that dominant σ-transport can be observed in π-conjugated molecular junctions at the sub-nanometer scale using the scanning tunneling microscope break junction technique (STM-BJ). We have found that the conductance of meta-connected picolinic acid, which mainly occurs by σ-transport, is ∼35 times higher than that of its para-isomer, which is entirely different from what is expected from π-transport through these systems. Flicker noise analysis reveals that the transport through the meta-connection exhibits more through-bond transport than the para-counterpart and density functional theory (DFT) shows that the σ-system provides the dominant transport path. These results reveal that the σ-electrons, rather than the π-electrons, can dominate charge transport through conjugated molecular junctions at the sub-nanometer scale, and this provides a new avenue toward the future miniaturization of molecular devices and materials.

In the field of high-power microwave (HPM) devices with low magnetic fields, the efficiency, impedance, and stability of the diode are significantly reduced by the backward current. This article investigates the process that backward current bombards the anode, leading to anode ions bombarding the cathode rod, and ultimately enhancing the cathode rod emission. The study also examines the reasons behind the sharp change in diode impedance and the effect of the anode material on the diode. Finally, methods for suppressing the backward current are presented, including the anode material and cathode rod structure. The experiments demonstrate that these methods can suppress the backward current, enhance diode impedance, and improve diode impedance stability and structure lifetime.

World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) Technical Benchmark of Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Electroacupuncture, developed under the leadership of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, was approved by WFAS. This technical benchmark was issued on October 9, 2023, and implemented on December 31, 2023. The main contents include the scope, normative references, terms and definitions, acupuncture and moxibustion procedures and rules, and safety. This article focuses on the above contents. An outlook on the application, popularization, and update plan of this technical benchmark is proposed.

Objectives Psoriasis vulgarisis an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease that is associated with depression. In this study, we investigated the effect of Xiegan–Liangxue–Jiedu (XGLXJD) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, on psoriasis based on network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments.Materials and Methods A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the overlapping targets of XGLXJD decoction and psoriasis. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed using Metascape database. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to investigate the main compounds of XGLXJD decoction. Molecular docking was performed to predict the potential interaction between the main compounds and proteins of interest. A C57 mouse model of psoriasis was established via continuous exposure to imiquimod. Seven days later, the XGLXJD decoction was orally administered at increasing doses for 6 days. The psoriasis area and severity index were calculated. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to examine skin morphology. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the serum levels of adenylyl cyclase (AC), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), protein kinase A (PKA), interleukin-17 (IL-17), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Sucrose preference test and forced swimming test were used to assess depression-like behavior. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and immunofluorescence were used to investigate the cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway.Results Overall, 162 overlapping targets were generated. A total of 398 biological processes, 84 molecular functions, and 47 cellular components were identified via GO analysis, whereas 140 pathways were identified via KEGG pathway analysis. The most notable signaling pathways were cAMP as well as downstream IL-17 and TNF-α signaling pathways. HPLC analysis revealed that the main compounds of XGLXJD decoction were paeoniflorin, isorhamnetin, quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, and baicalein. The molecular docking assay indicated that the docking energies of the main compounds of XGLXJD decoction to the top hub genes were less than −5 kcal/mol. ELISA revealed that the administration of XGLXJD decoction decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-17). Furthermore, the AC, cAMP, and PKA levels were enhanced after its administration. IHC staining demonstrated that the administration of XGLXJD decoction activated the AC–cAMP–PKA–CREB signaling pathway in skin. In addition, it enhanced sucrose preference and forced swimming time percentage. It also enhanced the expression of cAMP and PKA in the hippocampus.Conclusion XGLXJD decoction alleviated psoriasis and depression-like behavior. The AC–cAMP–PKA–CREB signaling pathway may play a crucial role in mediating this effect.

Background Previous research has highlighted the regulatory role of miR-182-5p in targeting TLR4 during the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis. In a different context, TLR4 has been identified as a crucial factor in the development of lung ischemia-reperfusion injury, where its upregulation is believed to initiate the injury process. Additionally, miR-199a-3p has been shown to possess cardioprotective properties in simulated ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury models.Materials and Methods HE and TUNEL were performed to evaluate the cardiac injury and cellular apoptosis of I/R mice under distinct conditions. Real-time PCR was used to analyze the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs under differential conditions.Results Pretreatment by Shexiang Tongxin Dropping (SXTXD) has been shown to significantly augment the therapeutic efficacy of MSC-derived exosomes (MSC-EXOs) in attenuating cardiac injury in I/R mice. MSC-EXOs effectively restored the repressed miR-182/miR-199a-3p expressions and activated TLR4/CD44 expressions in I/R mice, while SXTXD pretreatment remarkably strengthened the efficiency of MSC-EXOs. Moreover, SXTXD pretreatment notably reinforced the capability of MSC-EXOs to maintain cardiac parameters, including iNOS and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Furthermore, the luciferase assay indicated that miR-182-5p and miR-199a-3p effectively suppressed the luciferase activities of TLR4 and CD44, respectively, through binding to the 3´ UTR. The overexpression of miR-182-5p and miR-199a-3p significantly suppressed the expression of TLR4 and CD44 in H2C6 and RAW264.7 cells.Conclusion In conclusion, our investigation indicates that MSC-derived exosomes, pretreated with SXTXD, hold promise in mitigating cardiac I/R injury by modulating inflammatory responses through the miR-182-5p/TLR4 axis and miR-199a-3p/CD44 axis. These findings suggest potential therapeutic strategies for addressing I/R-related cardiac complications.

Metallene materials with atomic thicknesses are receiving increasing attention in electrocatalysis due to ultrahigh surface areas and distinctive surface strain. However, the continuous strain regulation of metallene remains a grand challenge. Herein, taking advantage of autocatalytic reduction of Cu2+on biaxially strained, carbon-intercalated Ir metallene, we achieve control over the carbon extraction kinetics, enabling fine regulation of carbon intercalation concentration and continuous tuning of (111) in-plane (−2.0%–2.6%) and interplanar (3.5%–8.8%) strains over unprecedentedly wide ranges. Electrocatalysis measurements reveal the strain-dependent activity toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), where weakly strained Ir metallene (w-Ir metallene) with the smallest lattice constant presents the highest mass activity of 2.89 A mg–1Irat −0.02 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). Theoretical calculations validated the pivotal role of lattice compression in optimizing H binding on carbon-intercalated Ir metallene surfaces by downshifting the d-band center, further highlighting the significance of strain engineering for boosted electrocatalysis.

Objective The purpose of this study is to analyze the clinical characteristics of a Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) patient carrying a de novo variant of TCOF1, and briefly analyze the correlation between genetic results and clinical features. Also, the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of TCS are reviewed.Design A Chinese pedigree with TCS containing 8 members was enrolled. Phenotype of the proband was evaluated by a surgeon, then whole exome sequencing of the proband was performed. Then we verified the proband-derived variants by Sanger sequencing in the pedigree. Correlation between genotype and phenotype was analyzed.Setting The study was conducted in a stomatological hospital.Patients, participants A Chinese pedigree with TCS containing 8 members.Main outcome measures To ascertain the genetic variants in the Chinese pedigree with TCS.Interventions Blood samples were collected.Results We reported a case of typical TCS with a de novo missense variant (NM_001371623.1:c.38T>G, p.(Leu13Arg)) in exon 1 of TCOF1, who presented asymmetrical facial abnormalities, including downward slanting of the palpebral fissures, sparse eyebrows, lateral tilt of the eyeballs, bilateral external ears deformities, hypoplasia of midface, reduction of the zygomatic body, bilateral orbital invagination, right external auditory canal atresia, mandibular ramus short deformity, cleft palate and the whole face was convex.Conclusions This research found a novel variant of TCS in Chinese, expanding the spectrum of TCS pathogenic variants. Genetic results combined with clinical phenotype can make a definite diagnosis and provide genetic counseling for the family.

A method of measuring field emission current under high-voltage (HV) pulse is proposed. The method makes it more convenient to study electron emission under HV pulse. Based on the Kirchhoff law, this method can fundamentally solve the problem, which the emission current is usually covered up by the displacement current. In addition, the method can ensure the safety of oscilloscope and the accuracy of the measurement when the gap gets breakdown. The resolution analysis of this method is carried out. The resolution is positively correlated with the output resistance and negatively correlated with the summation of output capacitance and electrodes capacitance. The resolution, under microsecond and millisecond HV pulse, can achieve $\mu $ A to A class. The measurement platform based on this method contains an energy-storage capacitor, a load resistor, an HV pulse power supply, an electrode cavity, and three resistor-capacitor (R–C) voltage dividers.

Orthogonal Time Frequency Space (OTFS) technique has received significant research attentions as a potential solution for ensuring robust and reliable communication in high-mobility mobile communication scenarios in recent years. In this letter, we propose a model-driven deep learning based orthogonal approximate message passing (OAMP) detector to harvest the time and frequency diversity promised by OTFS modulation and improve the detection performance in the presence of channel estimation error. The intelligent detector is designed by unfolding the OAMP detector with adding several learnable parameters. Simulation results demonstrate that, with much reduced complexity and much fewer parameters, the proposed detector can achieve better error performance under channel estimation errors compared with other nonlinear detectors.

With the advantages of low cost and flexible deployment, low earth orbit satellite (LEO-Sat) communications have received widespread attentions, such as providing global wireless access with enhanced data rates in future 6G networks. However, due to the feature of high-mobility, LEO-Sat communications are facing severe Doppler effects, which heavily degrades the link reliability. The existing approaches for coping with Doppler effects, such as phase locked loop, mainly carry out the prediction and compensation for Doppler frequency shifts, which demands high implementation complexity, as well as accurate channel estimation. Against this background, this article portrays a new paradigm of reliable LEO-Sat communications with the aid of orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS) modulation scheme, which can average out the channel dynamics through modulating information in the delay-Doppler (DD) domain, thereby overcoming severe Doppler effects. In particular, we start with studying the Doppler effect characteristics of LEO-Sat communications, which serves as the motivations of using OTFS. Then, we conceive a case study to show the feasibility of OTFS enabled LEO-Sat communication by evaluating the reliability performance. Finally, we discuss a range of promising research opportunities and potential challenges.

Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) has attracted much attention as it provides promising solutions to improve traffic performance in many scenarios, especially unsignalized intersections. However, as for unsignalized intersections where both CAV and Human-driven Vehicle (HDV) exist, to reduce the impact of HDV uncertain behaviors, existing related research tend to simplify the scenario or HDV behavior characteristics at unsignalized intersections, or ensuring passing safety without collaborative decision-making on traffic efficiency optimizations. To address these problems, this paper presents a method of reservation-prioritization-based mixed-traffic cooperative control at unsignalized intersections. Firstly, reservation rights of CAVs are prioritized by solving minimization problems, to optimize the reservation order of CAV on the behalf of traffic efficiency. Secondly, a reservation and speed planning mechanism considering HDV behaviors is designed, which develops and re-decides CAV's reservation result based on HDV free-driving behavior, and plans speed for CAVs based on their reservation results by solving constrained nonlinear programming problems. The proposed method is evaluated under different traffic volumes and CAV penetration rates on SUMO platform. Results show that the proposed reservation-prioritization-based method gains higher intersection throughput and averaged velocity under all scenarios, including a maximum throughput improvement rate of 17.77% and a maximum averaged velocity improvement rate of 66.37% compared with the comparative methods.

Gaining insight into anthropogenic influence on seasonality is of scientific, economic and societal importance. Here we show that a human-caused signal in the seasonal cycle of sea surface temperature (SST) has emerged from the noise of natural variability. Geographical patterns of changes in SST seasonal cycle amplitude (SSTAC) reveal two distinctive features: an increase at Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes related to mixed-layer depth changes and a robust dipole pattern between 40° S and 55° S that is mainly driven by surface wind changes. The model-predicted pattern of SSTACchange is identifiable with high statistical confidence in four observed SST products and in 51 individual model realizations of historical climate evolution. Simulations with individual forcings reveal that GHG increases are the primary driver of changes in SSTAC, with smaller but distinct contributions from anthropogenic aerosol and ozone forcing. The robust human ‘fingerprint’ identified here is likely to have wide-ranging impacts on marine ecosystems.

In this article, a high-performance flexible near-infrared-II phototransistor (NIR-II PT) based on the charge-transfer-complex (CTC)/organic planar heterojunction and the gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) modification has been designed and fabricated. The effects of the different stacking sequences of the CTC/organic layers on the device performances were studied, and the best CTC-based PT structure was obtained. The devices were further significantly improved by the modification of the Au-NPs layer. Compared with the devices on the rigid substrate, the devices prepared on the flexible substrate have better performances. It has been shown that this may be attributed to the better adhesion and large grain size of copper phthalocyanine deposited on PET-ITO substrates, with better carrier transport performance under illumination, and the ITO film reflects the infrared light, which increases the path of infrared light and leads to the enhancement of light absorption efficiency of photosensitive layer. The flexible NIR-II PT with Au-NPs layer obtains the maximum photoresponsivity of 5.54 A/W, the ON-state maximum light/dark current ratio of 13.1, and the specific detection rate ( ${D} ^{\ast} $ ) of $6.82\times 10^{{11}}$ Jones, which maintains 72.7% photoelectric performances after 2000 flexural tests. The near-infrared hyperchromic effects of CTCs based on the organic/metal-oxide hybrid system provide more options for NIR-II light detection. Both of the phototransistors (PT) prepared on rigid and flexible substrates by using this CTC films achieve better performances. This indicates that the flexible infrared detectors based on the organic/metal-oxide CTC films have great potential for the future applications in wearable consumer electronics and healthcare.

The aim of this study is to describe technical considerations and short-term outcomes of the first officially published robot-assisted remote radical distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer with 5G technology.

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) have the potential to adversely affect public health through the production of toxins such as microcystins, which consist of numerous molecularly distinct congeners. Microcystins have been observed in the atmosphere after emission from freshwater lakes, but little is known about the health effects of inhaling microcystins and the factors contributing to microcystin aerosolization. This study quantified total microcystin concentrations in water and aerosol samples collected around Grand Lake St. Marys (GLSM), Ohio. Microcystin concentrations in water samples collected on the same day ranged from 13 to 23 μg/L, dominated by the d-Asp3-MC-RR congener. In particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM2.5), microcystin concentrations up to 156 pg/m3were detected; the microcystins were composed primarily of d-Asp3-MC-RR, with additional congeners (d-Asp3-MC-HtyR and d-Asp3-MC-LR) observed in a sample collected prior to a storm event. The PM size fraction containing the highest aerosolized MC concentration ranged from 0.44 to 2.5 μm. Analysis of total bacteria by qPCR targeting 16S rDNA revealed concentrations up to 9.4 × 104gc/m3in aerosol samples (≤3 μm), while a marker specific to cyanobacteria was not detected in any aerosol samples. Concentrations of aerosolized microcystins varied even when concentrations in water were relatively constant, demonstrating the importance of meteorological conditions (wind speed and direction) and aerosol generation mechanism(s) (wave breaking, spillway, and aeration systems) when evaluating inhalation exposure to microcystins and subsequent impacts on human health.

The formulas related to electron emission are reviewed in this article. The mechanisms of different electron emission models are analyzed systematically. The metallic microprotrusion model and the microdielectrics model are compared. The field enhancement factor $\beta $ in different models is derived and compared, and the reason why the theoretical $\beta $ is greater than the measured value is explained. The reason lies in that the traditional theoretical calculation only takes into account the contribution of the metallic microprotrusion in the pre-emission stage but neglects the electron emission of the microdielectrics, which makes it necessary for the same current density to have a larger metallic microprotrusion.

Plasmonic waveguides have attracted tremendous interest due to efficiently confining photons on the subwavelength spatial scale to be beating the propagation diffraction limit. Transition metal molybdenum (Mo) exhibits outstanding properties in light trapping and electromagnetic field confining, making it potentially valuable in 1.55 μm plasmonic waveguide applications. However, the reliable fabrication of high-quality Mo plasmonic waveguides is a significant challenge. A real-space micro-imaging study of the surface plasmon on Mo structures is still absent. In this study, we successfully prepared a single-crystalline Mo microrod waveguide structure and fabricated subwavelength gratings on it. The diffraction gratings were designed, optimized, and etched to excite the surface plasmon polariton behaviour of Mo for the first time. The grating-optimized Mo microrod single-crystal reveals highly efficient waveguide performance around near-infrared spectroscopy, exhibiting a long propagation length of 32 μm and a low transmission loss of 0.067 dB μm−1. The results provide an alternative to advanced materials research and optical device applications of plasmonic waveguide systems.

With exploiting massive spectrum resources, millimeter wave (mmWave) communications significantly improve the offloading capability for future mobile edge computing (MEC) techniques, which however is constrained by blockage problem in dynamic environments. In this paper, we study the resource allocation problem for the conceived mmWave MEC system with dynamic offloading process, in which the UEs are characterized by being mobile and having the imperfect knowledge of the offloading tasks coming. By introducing the multi-objective Markov decision process (MOMDP), the resource allocation problem is modeled by simultaneously minimizing the delay and energy consumption, where jointly considering the multi-beam assignment (mBA) and beamwidth and power optimization (BPO). To tackle this problem, we innovatively propose a matching-aided-learning (MaL) resource allocation scheme, with the aid of a learnable weight based attention mechanism (LW-AM) for adapting the dynamic offloading process. In particular, our MaL scheme includes many-to-one matching (M2O-M) based mBA algorithm and deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) based BPO algorithm, which are executed iteratively and converge with relatively low number of iterations. The simulation results show the practical value of the proposed MaL, which can approach the performance of benchmark scheme with perfect knowledge of offloading tasks.

In this paper, we investigate a covert cooperative cognitive radio (CCCR) system, where multiple primary transmitters (PTs) transmit information with the aid of multiple secondary transmitters (STs) in order to conserve power consumption. In return, by opportunistically accessing PT's spectrum, STs send confidential information to a secondary receiver (SR) in the presence of external eavesdropper (Eve). Aiming to maximize covert rate, we model our CCCR framework as an evolutionary game in which each PT and ST make decisions based on their utility histories. By introducing the evolutionary game, we propose a game-oriented secondary user scheduling (G-SUS) scheme to find when multiple STs determine to access PTs' spectrum. Moreover, we analyze covert performance of the proposed scheme and obtain a closed-form expression for Eve's detection error probability. Numerical results show that, the minimal detection error probability at Eve can be effectively impacted by creating channel uncertainty and noise uncertainty. Furthermore, the results also demonstrate the proposed scheme can converge quickly, which stimulates its practical implementation.

The cooperation between connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) has emerged as a promising way to improve traffic efficiency and safety for ramp merging on highways. Existing research mostly focused on the collaboration of individual CAVs, while the cooperative merging strategy in mixed traffic considering vehicle platoons has been less explored. To address the above problem, this study aims to build connections between sequence scheduling and motion planning in mixed traffic, where individual CAVs, CAVs platoons, and mixed platoons coexist. First, optimal control strategies are presented for vehicles with flexible merging points based on Pontryagin’s minimum principle (PMP), and the final vehicle states in variable conditions are summarized in a phase diagram. Subsequently, the optimal final-state phase diagram is introduced into the passing sequence tree search process, which is designed for different vehicle groups in mixed traffic. Heuristic pruning rules are added to the depth-first search strategy to facilitate finding the optimal solution. Finally, an event-triggered receding horizon optimization algorithm is developed for continuous implementation. The numerical simulations are conducted in multiple traffic volumes, and the simulation results reveal that our proposed algorithm significantly improves the overall traffic efficiency and reduces vehicle-passing delays compared with the traditional FIFO-based cooperation method.

Although our understanding of the effects of microplastics on the dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM) has considerably advanced in recent years, the fundamental mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we examine the effects of polyethylene and poly(lactic acid) microplastics on SOM processes via mineralization incubation. Accordingly, we evaluated the changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) production. An O2planar optical sensor was used to detect the temporal behavior of dissolved O2during incubation to determine the microscale oxygen heterogeneity caused by microplastics. Additionally, the changes in soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) were evaluated using a combination of spectroscopic approaches and ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry. Microplastics increased cumulative CO2emissions by 160–613%, whereas CH4emissions dropped by 45–503%, which may be attributed to the oxygenated porous habitats surrounding microplastics. Conventional and biodegradable microplastics changed the quantities of soil dissolved organic carbon. In the microplastic treatments, DOM with more polar groups was detected, suggesting a higher level of electron transport. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the carbon concentration, electron-donating ability, and CO2emission. These findings suggest that microplastics may facilitate the mineralization of SOM by modifying O2microenvironments, DOM concentration, and DOM electron transport capability. Accordingly, this study provides new insights into the impact of microplastics on soil carbon dynamics.

Lead (Pb) can cause neurobehavioral abnormalities. Isochlorogenic acid B (ICAB), a dietary flavonoid found in tea, sweet potato, artichoke, propolis and several plants, exhibited potential neuroprotective properties. In this study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms of Pb-induced anxiety, depression and neuroinflammation, and the neuroprotective effect of ICAB in mouse brains. We found that ICAB supplementation significantly improved behavioral abnormalities, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress induced by Pb. ICAB attenuated Pb-induced anxiety and depression behavior in mice, as indicated by decreasing the duration of immobility in tail suspension test and increasing the crossing number, rearing number and time in center in open field test. Accordingly, ICAB inhibited oxidative stress by decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) level and increasing the antioxidant enzyme activity. ICAB also inhibited Pb-induced inflammation in brain, as indicated by decreasing the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. ICAB increased the expression levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the phosphorylation of cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB), phosphoinositide 3-kinases-protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT). Furthermore, ICAB decreased the levels of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) and p38. Collectively, this study demonstrated that ICAB improved Pb-induced anxiety, depression, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress by regulating the BDNF signaling pathway.

Epilepsy is not well controlled by current anti-seizure drugs (ASDs). High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a DNA-binding protein in the nucleus regulating transcriptional activity and maintaining chromatin structure and DNA repair. In epileptic brains, HMGB1 is released by activated glia and neurons, interacting with various receptors like Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and downstream glutamatergic NMDA receptor, thus enhancing neural excitability. But there is a lack of small-molecule drugs targeting the HMGB1-related pathways. In this study we evaluated the therapeutic potential of inflachromene (ICM), an HMGB-targeting small-molecule inhibitor, in mouse epilepsy models. Pentylenetetrazol-, kainic acid- and kindling-induced epilepsy models were established in mice. The mice were pre-treated with ICM (3, 10 mg/kg, i.p.). We showed that ICM pretreatment significantly reduced the severity of epileptic seizures in all the three epilepsy models. ICM (10 mg/kg) exerted the most apparent anti-seizure effect in kainic acid-induced epileptic status (SE) model. By immunohistochemical analysis of brain sections from kainic acid-induced SE mice, we found that kainic acid greatly enhanced HMGB1 translocation in the hippocampus, which was attenuated by ICM pretreatment in subregion- and cell type-dependent manners. Notably, in CA1 region, the seizure focus, ICM pretreatment mainly inhibited HMGB1 translocation in microglia. Furthermore, the anti-seizure effect of ICM was related to HMGB1 targeting, as pre-injection of anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody (5 mg/kg, i.p.) blocked the seizure-suppressing effect of ICM in kainic acid-induced SE model. In addition, ICM pretreatment significantly alleviated pyramidal neuronal loss and granule cell dispersion in kainic acid-induced SE model. These results demonstrate that ICM is an HMGB-targeting small molecule with anti-seizure potential, which may help develop a potential drug for treating epilepsy.

The enrichment of organic matter is of great significance to the formation of source rocks, while its mechanism in the Chang 7 Member (Chang 71, Chang 72, and Chang 73periods) of the southwestern Ordos Basin has not been studied in depth. Forty-eight samples obtained from Chang 7 Member were subjected to rock pyrolysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, and determination experiments of major and trace elements to evaluate the hydrocarbon potential of the source rock, to reconstruct the sedimentary environment, and to analyze the factors of the organic matter enrichment. The results showed that the average total organic carbon (TOC) contents were 0.70%, 5.48%, and 7.70% for Chang 71, Chang 72, and Chang 73, respectively. From Chang 73to Chang 71period, the contents of TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, and P2O5represented a gradual increase of terrigenous input and a gradual decrease in volcanism; the Chemical Alteration Index and the Sr/Cu values reflected warm and humid paleoclimate conditions with a gradual decrease in temperature; the V/(V+Ni) and the Mo-U covariation revealed an anoxic environment with a weakened reduction; and the P/Ti-Cu/Ti model indicated a gradual decrease in paleoproductivity. The linear relationship between indicators of paleoenvironment and TOC indicated that a small amount of terrigenous input, volcanism, warm and humid climate and reducing conditions were more conducive to the enrichment of organic matter; thus we propose a Chang 73organic matter enrichment production model and a Chang 71organic matter enrichment preservation-dilution model.

Supramolecular radical chemistry is an emerging area bridging supramolecular chemistry and radical chemistry, and the integration of radicals into the supramolecular architecture offers a new dimension for tuning their structures and functions. Although various efforts have been devoted to the fabrication of supramolecular junctions, the charge transport characterization through the supramolecular radicals remained unexplored due to the challenges in creating supramolecular radicals at the single-molecule level. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication and charge transport investigation of a supramolecular radical junction using the electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope-based break junction (EC-STM-BJ) technique. We found that the conductance of a supramolecular radical junction was more than 1 order of magnitude higher than that of a supramolecular junction without a radical and even higher than that of a fully conjugated oligophenylenediamine molecule with a similar length. The combined experimental and theoretical investigations revealed that the radical increased the binding energy and decreased the energy gap in the supramolecular radical junction, which leads to the near-resonant transport through the supramolecular radical. Our work demonstrated that the supramolecular radical can provide not only strong binding but also efficient electrical coupling between building blocks, which provides new insights into supramolecular radical chemistry and new materials with supramolecular radicals.

High-resolution monitoring of liquid levels over a wide range has always been a great challenge. In this article, a fiber ring laser (FRL) sensor system with Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) is proposed for the high-resolution measurement of liquid level. The FPI fabricated with a polyimide film is embedded in an FRL for intracavity sensing. It is used as a reflective sensing head, which generates different reflection losses at different liquid levels to modulate the output power of the FRL. With the intracavity sensing, the resolution of the liquid-level sensing system has been significantly improved from 37.5 to 1.5 mm. The measurement range of the liquid-level sensing system is obtained as 0.6 m. The output stability and measurement error of the sensing system have been discussed. The sensor has a compact structure and a broad application prospect in the field of wide-range and high-resolution liquid-level monitoring, such as in chemical and marine applications.

Anthropogenic aerosols and greenhouse gases have played important roles in modulating the storage and distribution of heat in oceans since the industrial age. Here we isolate and quantify the effects of both using coupled climate model simulations. We show that, relative to the pre-industrial ocean, the Southern Ocean imports heat from the Indo-Pacific Ocean but exports heat into the Atlantic Ocean in response to anthropogenic aerosols. Ocean heat uptake diminishes in the subpolar Atlantic. Alterations in ocean circulation and temperature have a weak compensation in contributing to interbasin heat exchange. Consequently, interbasin heat exchange contributes comparably to ocean heat uptake changes to modifying the stored heat in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. The greenhouse-gas-associated changes are the opposite of the aerosol-associated changes. Anthropogenic greenhouse gases promote the ocean heat uptake in the subpolar Atlantic and allow the Southern Ocean to import heat from the Atlantic but export heat to the Indo-Pacific. The cause of this ocean heat redistribution is distinct from the aerosol-forcing scenario, seeing that ocean circulation effects are strongly offset by temperature shifts. Accordingly, interbasin heat exchange is much less important than ocean heat uptake changes for greenhouse-gas-associated ocean heat storage. Our results suggest that the aerosol-driven changes in ocean circulations and associated interbasin heat transports are more effective in altering oceanic heat distribution than those driven by globally increasing greenhouse gases.

This paper investigates the secure hybrid beamforming (HB) design in an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) assisted millimeter-wave (mmWave) system, where an IRS is deployed to help the legitimate transmission from Alice to Bob under the eavesdropping of Eve. To protect the legitimate transmission, Alice employs HB to send both the information signal and the artificial noise, while the IRS employs passive beamforming (PB) to reconstruct the wireless environment. Aiming at the secrecy capacity (SC) maximization, the joint optimization of HB and PB is formulated as a non-convex problem with constant-modulus constraints. To efficiently solve such a challenging problem, the original problem is decomposed into a PB subproblem and an HB subproblem, then these subproblems are sequentially solved by the proposed algorithms. Particularly, for the PB subproblem, we propose a channel information aided PB algorithm, which is proved to converge at a stationary point. With the solution of PB subproblem, two algorithms are proposed for the HB subproblem: 1) near-optimal SC approaching HB algorithm that achieves a near-optimal solution; 2) low-complexity HB algorithm that achieves a slight lower SC with less computational complexity. Simulation results demonstrate the superior performance of proposed algorithms in comparison with the state-of-the-art works.

People tend to prefer a wide range of options, even if it requires more effort to make a decision. The digital environment provides a variety of choices, and people may encounter anxiety when they face such uncertain choices. This study conducted two experiments to examine the effects of trait and state anxiety on the phenomenon of choice overload in the digital environment. Choice deferral served as a measure of choice overload. The results suggested that individuals with high trait/state anxiety were more likely to delay choices when presented with a larger choice set. Anxiety moderated the effect of choice set on choice overload, while choice difficulty played a mediating role. Our results provided insight into the mechanism of choice overload and suggested solutions such as altering the information presentation, to reduce choice overload and assist individuals in making informed decisions. These findings also highlighted the destructive effects of state anxiety on decision making and the necessity of keeping individuals relaxed when making decisions.

As one kind of novel noncoding RNA, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in different biological processes. Although growing evidences have supported the important role of circRNAs in renal diseases, the mechanism remains unclear in neonatal acute kidney injury (AKI). High‐throughput sequencing analysis was used to investigate the expression of circRNAs between hypoxia‐induced AKI neonates and controls. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict the function of differentially expressed circRNAs. Finally, the differentially expressed circRNAs were screened and determined by quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR). (1) A total of 296 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified (Fold change >2 and p< 0.05). Of them, 184 circRNAs were markedly upregulated, and 112 were significantly downregulated in the AKI group. (2) The pathway analysis showed that ubiquitin‐mediated proteolysis, renal cell carcinoma, Jak‐STAT, and HIF‐1 signaling pathways participated in AKI. (3) Top five upregulated and five downregulated circRNAs with higher fold changes were selected for qPCR validation. Hsa_circ_0008898 (Fold Change = 5.48, p= 0.0376) and hsa_circ_0005519 (Fold Change = 4.65, p= 0.0071) were significantly upregulated, while hsa_circ_0132279 (Fold Change = −4.47, p= 0.0008), hsa_circ_0112327 (Fold Change = −4.26, p= 0.0048), and hsa_circ_0017647 (Fold Change = −4.15, p= 0.0313) were significantly downregulated in asphyxia‐induced AKI group compared with the control group. This study could contribute to future research on neonatal AKI and facilitate the identification of novel therapeutic targets.

Sequentially coupled thermal-stress finite element analyses were performed to investigate the mechanical behaviors of an energy pile group subjected to non-uniform thermal loadings. The group effect was highlighted by comparing the thermo-mechanical responses with those of the single pile case. Due to the thermal interactions between piles, the group piles’ temperatures were higher than that of the isolated single pile. If only part of the piles served as heat exchangers, i.e., the pile group was thermal loaded unevenly, there were differential deformations between the heated and the non-heated piles. Due to the pile-raft-pile interaction, the axial forces of the piles changed significantly. The location of the heated pile had an important influence on the thermally induced axial force, while the effect of the soil’s coefficient of thermal expansion was not significant. Inspired by the numerical result, a simplified method was proposed to capture the main characteristics of energy pile groups and to facilitate the design. The proposed method was developed in the framework of the traditional load transfer approach, and the pile-raft-pile interaction was included. By applying different temperature increments to different piles, the non-uniform thermal loading was modeled. The proposed method was verified by comparing with the finite element analysis results and the data collected from the literature.

The adverse impact of the outbreak of COVID-19 has reduced ports’ operational efficiency. In addition, ports and inland logistics providers are generally independent of each other and difficult to work together, which leads to time loss. Thus, as the core player, ports can integrate with inland logistics providers to improve the efficiency and resilience of maritime supply chains. This study examines the strategic options of two competing maritime supply chains consisting of ports and inland logistics providers. We investigate the impact of cooperation between ports and inland logistics providers and government regulation on the maritime supply chain by comparing members’ optimal pricing and overall social welfare under centralized, decentralized, and hybrid scenarios. Results indicate that the hybrid scenario is an equilibrium strategy for maritime supply chain, although this strategy is not optimal for governments seeking to improve supply chain resilience and maximize social welfare. Furthermore, observations show that through government economic intervention, both seaborne supplies can be incentivized to adopt an integrated strategy, and business and society can achieve a win–win situation.

This paper investigates the security performance of a cooperative multicast-unicast system, where the users present the feature of high mobility. Specifically, we develop the non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) based orthogonal time frequency space (OTFS) transmission scheme, namely NOMA-OTFS, in order to combat Doppler effect as well as to improve the spectral efficiency. Further, we propose a power allocation method addressing the trade-off between the reliability of multicast streaming and the confidentiality of unicast streaming. Based on that, we utilize the relay selection strategy, to improve the security of unicast streaming. In the context of multicast-unicast streaming, our simulation findings validate the effectiveness of the NOMA-OTFS based cooperative transmission, which can significantly outperform the existing NOMA-OFDM in terms of both reliability and security.

This paper investigates computing task offloading from an Internet-of-Thing (IoT) device with limited transmit power to a mobile-edge computing (MEC) server located beyond the communication range of the IoT device. We propose an opportunistic cooperative offloading (OCO) strategy that recruits the IoT device’s nearby spatially random idle-state users as helpers and opportunistically schedules one of them to partially execute the latency-critical task, and forwards the rest portion of the task to the MEC server. For the OCO strategy, we investigate the helper scheduling under three cases of system information availability, i.e., the global, partial, and distance information cases, and develop an offloading-outage optimal scheduling scheme for each case. For each scheduling scheme, an approximate expression is derived for the offloading-outage probability, with which the achieved diversity order is also theoretically evaluated. Simulation results verify our performance analysis for the OCO strategy using helper scheduling and show its achieved offloading-outage/energy consumption reduction over multi-helper cooperative offloading that fully uses all helpers for cooperation. In addition, the advantages of the proposed helper scheduling schemes over existing scheduling schemes are also demonstrated by simulations.

In this article, we investigate the covert communication for a cooperative cognitive radio (CCR) system, where the secondary transmitters (STs) help the primary transmitter (PT) to transmit information while covertly transmitting their own information to the secondary receiver (SR) against the warden of PT. In particular, the different ST scheduling schemes are proposed for covert communications, namely, covert rate maximization (CRM), best channel gain (BCG), and fairness oriented (FO). The closed-form expression is derived for the expected detection error probability at the warden PT. Based on that, we, respectively, analyze the covert rate and covert outage probability (COP) of the proposed ST scheduling schemes. The simulation results show that, under the both effects of channel uncertainty and noise uncertainty, the CRM scheme achieves the best covert rate performance, and the BCG and FO schemes ensure the quality of service (QoS) and the STs’ fairness as the cost of covert performance degraded.

Extensive research attentions have been devoted to studying cooperative cognitive radio networks (CCRNs), where secondary users (SU) providing cooperative transmissions can be permitted by primary users (PU) to use spectrum. In order to maximize SU's utility, SU may transmit its own information during the period of cooperative transmission, which stimulates the use of covert transmission against PU's monitoring. For this sake, this article reviews the motivations of studying covert communications in CCRN. In particular, three intelligent covert transmission approaches are developed for maximizing SU's utility in CCRNs, namely, intelligent parasitic covert transmission (IPCT), intelligent jammer aided covert transmission (IJCT) and intelligent reflecting surface assisted covert transmission (IRSC). Further, some raw performance evaluations are discussed, and a range of potential research directions are also provided.

Objectives: Cyclosporin is one of the therapeutic regimens for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH); however, the optimal dosage of cyclosporine in children with HLH is unknown. It has been found that piperacillin-tazobactam affects the cyclosporine pharmacokinetic process in pediatric HLH patients. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to recommend cyclosporin dosage for pediatric HLH with and without piperacillin- tazobactam.Methods: A previously established cyclosporine population pharmacokinetic model for pediatric HLH patients has been used in this study to recommend optimal dosage based on Monte Carlo simulation. The pediatric HLH patients have been included in eight weight groups (5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 kg) for sixteen dosages (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 mg/kg), split into one dose or two doses.Results: The optimal cyclosporin dosages for children having HLH without piperacillin-tazobactam have been found to be 15, 13, 12, 11, 10, and 9 mg/kg, split into two doses for weights of 5-7, 7-10, 10-20, 20-28, 28-45, and 45-70 kg, respectively. For children with HLH, optimal cyclosporin dosages with piperacillin-tazobactam have been found to be 8 and 7 mg/kg, split into two doses for weights of 5-20 and 20-70 kg, respectively.Conclusion: It is the first time that the cyclosporin dosage regimens for HLH in children have been developed based on Monte Carlo simulation, and the initial dosage optimizations of cyclosporine in pediatric HLH patients have been recommended.

This paper exploits an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) assisted wireless powered mobile edge computing and caching (WP-MECC) network. In particular, an IRS is utilized to reflect energy signals from a power station (PS) to various IoT devices for energy harvesting during uplink wireless energy transfer (WET). These devices collect energy to support their own partially local computing for computational tasks and their offloading capabilities to an access point (AP), with the help of IRS via time or frequency division multiple access (TDMA or FDMA). The AP is equipped with a local cache connected with a MEC server via a backhaul link, which prefetches the data to facilitate edge computing capabilities. The maximization of a utility function is formulated to evaluate the overall network performance, which is defined as the difference between the sum of computational bits (offloading bits and local computing bits) and total backhaul cost. Due to multiple coupled variables, we first design the optimal caching strategy. Then, an auxiliary vector is introduced to coordinate the energy consumption of local computing and offloading, where its optimal solution can be achieved by an exhaustive search. Moreover, we utilize the Lagrange dual method and the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions to derive the optimal time scheduling for the TDMA scheme or the optimal bandwidth allocation for the FDMA counterpart in closed form. The IRS phase shifts are iteratively designed by employing the quadratic transformation (QT) and the Riemannian Manifold Optimization (RMO). Finally, simulation results are demonstrated to validate the network utility performance and confirm the advantage of the employment of IRS, the optimal IRS phase shift design and caching strategy, in comparison to the benchmark schemes.

Experimental mapping of transmission is essential for understanding and controlling charge transport through molecular devices and materials. Here we developed a single-molecule photoelectron tunnelling spectroscopy approach for mapping transmission beyond the HOMO–LUMO gap of the single diketopyrrolopyrrole molecule junction using an ultrafast-laser combined scanning tunnelling microscope-based break junction set-up at room temperature. Two resonant transport channels of ultrafast photocurrent are found by our photoelectron tunnelling spectroscopy, ranging from 1.31 eV to 1.77 eV, consistent with the LUMO + 1 and LUMO + 2 in the transmission spectrum obtained by density functional theory calculations. Moreover, we observed the modulation of resonant peaks by varying bias voltages, which demonstrates the ability to quantitatively characterize the effect of the electric field on frontier molecular orbitals. Our single-molecule photoelectron tunnelling spectroscopy offers an avenue that allows us to explore the nature of energy-dependent charge transport through single-molecule junctions.

Recently, tunable metagratings have attracted substantial attention in manipulating the diffraction of electromagnetic waves with considerable flexibility, but they are usually limited to inherent ohmic loss due to the metal layers. The all-dielectric schemes can address this issue, but its design and optimization remain challenging in the terahertz regime, especially in the 6G communication window. In this work, an all-dielectric tunable terahertz metagrating is demonstrated in theoretical and experimental investigations. The metagrating operating in the 6G communication window bends the electromagnetic waves beam into the T–1diffraction order by optimizing the unit cell. In the experiments, more than 72.46% of the transmitted energy is concentrated in the desired diffraction order for p-polarized light and more than 66.60% for s-polarized light, which agrees well with the theoretical design. The tunability by angular deflection is reported in this all-dielectric metagrating. Then, based on the all-dielectric metagrating arrays, a metalens with numerical aperture of NA = 0.39 at 0.14 THz is demonstrated. The subwavelength scale focal spot is obtained as 2.0 mm × 2.0 mm with the focusing distance of 117.8 mm. Imaging capability of the metalens is performed utilizing the transmission imaging manner. The measured and anticipated results are satisfactorily congruous with one another, which could validate our design. This work paves the way toward designing highly efficient and tunable devices with potential applications in terahertz communications, sensors, and super-resolution imaging.

Objectives Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL ± P) is one of the most common birth malformations. Currently, numerous susceptibility SNPs have been reported by GWA studies, however, the replications of them among NSCL ± Pfrom Han Chinese were very limited.Design In this study, we selected 16 SNPs around 1q32.2 based on the published GWA studies and replicated them among 302 trios with NSCL ± Pfrom Han Chinese Population. The genotypic data was analyzed with FBAT, PLINK and R package.Setting The study was conducted in a tertiary medical center.Patients, participants 302 patients with CL ± Pand their parents.Main outcome measures To ascertain the genetic variants in 1q32.2 in patients with CL ± Pin Han Chinese Population.Interventions Blood samples were collected.Results We found T allele (Z= 4.26, p= 0.00002) and T/T homozygotes (Z= 4.4, p= 0.000011) at rs12063989 was significantly over-transmitted among non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL ± P).Conclusions We found rs12063989 exhibited significant association with the occurrence of NSCL ± P, which would provide new evidence for the future study in the etiology of NSCL ± P.

A record-breaking heavy rainfall swept across Suizhou of Hubei province in China on August 12, 2021. It was characterized by suddenness and extremeness and caused severe socio-economic losses. To deepen the understanding of such an urban rainstorm and to improve the forecasting ability, this study revealed the dominant atmospheric circulation and moisture sources for this event. We performed a Lagrangian model FLEXPART to understand this event in terms of moisture sources and transport trajectories. Three key circulation systems affecting this extreme event were identified, including the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH), the low-level southwesterly jet and an anticyclone over northern China. The low-level jet was lifted along the northern dry and cold air mass to form a front, resulting in the heavy rain. The moisture sources located on land contributed about 64% of the moisture. The development of the low-level southwesterly jet in southern China was strengthened near the time of the precipitation occurrence, providing the main moisture supply. Southern China (23°–32.5°N, 98°–122°E) was the most important source region, which contributed the most to the precipitation (43.6%). The results highlight the prominent role of the terrestrial water cycle in this extreme precipitation event over Hubei.

The aggregation of nano-aluminum powder seriously hinders the energy release of aluminized explosives. This study developed a strategy of using the droplet microfluidic technology to prepare HMX/15 ​wt% n-Al/2 ​wt% (NC and F2604) high-energy microspheres and systematically studied the effects of different binders on the morphology (i.e., roundness) and dispersion properties of microspheres. Moreover, it investigated the thermal decomposition, mechanical sensitivity, and combustion performance using TG, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and mechanical sensitivity and combustion experiments. Results show that all the prepared microspheres are regular spherical and enjoy excellent dispersion and high packing density. Using NC as a binder offers more advantages, including favorable roundness, angle of repose, and bulk density values, which were found to be 0.921, 27.1°, and 0.723 ​g·cm-3, respectively. Using fluorine rubber (F2604) as a binder promotes the oxidation of nano-aluminum and delays the decomposition of HMX. Meanwhile, the microsphere structure can effectively reduce the sensitivity, and the use of F2604 as a binder can significantly improve the safety performance. As a result, the obtained aluminum-containing explosives have impact and friction sensitivities of 60 ​J and 220 ​N, respectively. In addition, compared to physically mixed samples, the microsphere samples have significantly improved combustion performance, more intense combustion reactions, and a shorter burning time, all of which are attributed to their uniform structures and the interactions between components. These results indicate that the strategy using the droplet microfluidic technology provides a new method for preparing high quality aluminized explosives efficiently and safely.