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Abstract [Objective] The study aims to explore the effects of compound fungi inoculant application on the growth, root morphology, and photosynthetic characteristics of Chinese flowering cabbage seedlings, and provide a theoretical basis for the application of compound fungi inoculant to alleviate the obstacle of continuous cropping of Chinese flowering cabbage. [Methods] The Chinese flowering cabbage variety ‘Jianye- 70’, with which microbial agents and soil had been continuously cropped for 9 years, were used in pot experiments. Four treatments were set up: No compound microbial agents (control), foliar spraying, soil spraying, and foliar spraying plus soil spraying. The plant growth indicators, root system configuration, and leaf photosynthetic characteristics were observed after sowing for 30 days. [Results] Every application method could increase growth indicators, root system conformation, leaf photosynthetic characteristics net photosynthetic rate (Pn), actual photochemical efficiency (ΦPSⅡ ), and photochemical quenching coefficient (qp) etc., as well as decrease transpiration rate (Tr), intercellular carbon dioxide concentration (Ci), and non photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) etc. Among the application methods, foliar spraying had the best effect. Its above-ground and underground dry weight and root length were significantly increased by 128.57%, 85.71%, and 91.81%. Pn, qp, and ΦPSⅡ were significantly increased by 24.55%, 22.68%, and 23.93%, while Tr, Ci, and NPQ were significantly decreased by 72.73%, 20.01%, and 39.78%, respectively. [Conclusion] Foliar spraying of compound fungi can effectively promote the growth of continuous cropping cabbage seedlings, improve root configuration, enhance plant photosynthetic efficiency, which is the best way of compound fungi application

Objective To explore the bidirectional causal relationships between periodontitis and asthma using the two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method to provide a basis for exploring the etiology and formulating preventive and therapeutic measures of periodontitis and asthma. Methods We performed two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis using publicly released European genome-wide association studies (GWAS) statistics for periodontitis (n = 34 615) and asthma (n = 408 422). The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was employed as the main approach to estimate the bidirectional causal relationships between periodontitis and asthma. In addition, weighted median (WM), MR-Egger regression, maximum likelihood, and Mendelian randomization robust adjusted profile score (MR-RAPS) were used as supplementary analyses. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using Cochran's Q test, Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO), and leave-one-out analysis. Results A total of 12 and 43 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were included as instrumental variables for periodontitis and asthma, respectively. The results of IVW, WM, MR-Egger regression, maximum likelihood, and MR-RAPS showed that periodontitis was not causally related to the risk of asthma (IVW: OR: 1.003, 95% CI: 0.973-1.035, P = 0.828, WM: OR: 0.990, 95% CI: 0.951-1.031, P = 0.641; MR-Egger regression: OR: 0.988, 95% CI: 0.960-1.028, P = 0.573; maximum likelihood: OR: 1.003, 95% CI: 0.972-1.035, P = 0.834; MR-RAPS: OR: 1.002, 95% CI: 0.970-1.036, P = 0.890) among the European population, and no causal effect of asthma on periodontitis was found (IVW: OR: 1.021, 95% CI: 0.938-1.111, P = 0.633, WM: OR: 1.011, 95% CI: 0.894-1.142, P = 0.866; MR-Egger regression: OR: 1.042, 95% CI: 0.824-1.319, P = 0.731; maximum likelihood: OR: 1.021, 95% CI: 0.938-1.112, P = 0.631; MR-RAPS: OR: 1.017, 95% CI: 0.931-1.110, P = 0.713) among the European population. Cochran's Q test showed no heterogeneity among the included instrumental variables, MR-PRESSO test found no horizontal pleiotropy, and the leave-one-out method did not identify outlier SNPs. Conclusion The results of this study, based on European genetic data, do not support a bidirectional causal association between periodontitis and asthma in the European population.

Developing large-scale complex information systems, such as the Smart Court system-of-systems (SoSs) of China, is a worldwide engineering challenge. This paper, from a methodological perspective, aims to expound the theoretical construction and practical progress of Smart Court system-of-systems engineering (SoSE) of China. The concept and key task requirements of SoSE are explored, technical difficulties faced by the Smart Court SoSE are analyzed, and a “two-track parallel, six-ring linkage” pattern framework is proposed for the progressive collaboration SoSE of large-scale autonomous information systems. Based on the theories including a universal information model, information metric system, and dynamic configurations of information systems, a key evaluation indicator system for an information SoSs is proposed. To satisfy the SoSE design requirements, an overall design method based on information relationships and its enabling tool are proposed, and a reference model of the Smart Court SoSs is designed to provide a top-level reference for the system development and integration of the Smart Court. Moreover, the development and collaborative integration of the autonomous and backbone systems in the Smart Court SoSE are presented in a comprehensive manner. The nationwide application and promotion of the Smart Court SoSs support the upgrade and transformation of the conventional judicial operation pattern of people's courts in China. Through continuous analyses of the quality and effectiveness of the Smart Court based on the key evaluation indicators, targeted improvement can be conducted to further enhance the SoSs capabilities, thereby contributing to the progress of judicial civilization in the information age.

Urban heat island (UHI) has posed a threat to sustainable development, and the identification of the spatial characteristics of UHI is a prerequisite for the mitigation of UHI effects. Taking Kunming City and Guiyang City in the karst region of Southwest China as two examples, this study utilized spatial econometric modeling and random forest regression to identify and compare the spatial distribution and impact of urban heat islands related to topographic and urban morphology. The results indicated that the UHI in Kunming and Guiyang mainly monocentrically and polycentrically distributed, respectively, and the urban heat island intensity (UHII) in Kunming was significantly higher than that in Guiyang. The spatial error model effectively reflected the influence of topography and urban form on UHII, and the random forest regression model objectively measured the contribution of different influencing factors to UHII. Enhanced vegetation index (EVI), population density (PD), percentage of impervious surface (PIS), ground sky view factor (GSVF), building density (BD) and percentage of water bodies (PW) had similar effects and contributions to the UHII in the two cities, while urban surface roughness (USR) contributed less than topographic slope (SLOPE) on UHII in Kunming, and the SLOPE contributed less than USR in Guiyang. In the karst ecologically fragile zone, the morphology of Kunming and Guiyang are mainly shaped by the topography, which can be characterized as monocentric and polycentric, respectively. And the UHI distribution and UHII were also closely related to topographic patterns. EVI, SLOPE and PW, all showed inhibitory effects on UHII, and EVI contributed the most. PD, PIS, USR and BD, exacerbate the UHII, with PD contributing the most. The above conclusions can provide a reference for policymakers and urban planners to optimize urban morphology and mitigate urban heat island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An apparatus for explorations of ion transport in a medium and across an interface has been constructed. The ion soft-landing technique is used to deposit low-energy ions onto a pre-adsorbed medium layer on a metal substrate. The designed low-energy ion source can produce a mass-filtered ion beam with tens of nanoampere from solid sources such as bulk metals and salts. The kinetic energy of the ion beam can be lower than 1.0 eV, enabling the ions to be soft-landed onto the medium at the surface. A Kelvin probe with a resolution of less than 32 mV is incorporated to measure the surface potential (SP) variation of the ion-landed sample to monitor the ion transport process in the medium. Temperature-programmed SP measurements on an Ag+-adsorbed ice film prepared on Pt(111) reveal that the temperature threshold for the Ag+-induced SP change of the ice film is about 110 K. The apparatus performance demonstrates its potential in studies of ion transport and related phenomena at both macroscopic and microscopic levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal sprayed aluminum (TSA) coating, as a long-term protective coating, has gradually been widely used in modular construction of LNG plants in recent years. This article summarizes the TSA material selection, process flow, construction precautions and quality control requirements from the aspects of performance comparison between TSA coating and conventional coatings, TSA process, TSA construction and coating quality control in the modular construction process of LNG plants. Corresponding engineering experience recommendations are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder cancer (BC) ranks as the sixth cancer in males and the ninth most common cancer worldwide. Conventional treatment modalities, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, have limited efficacy in certain advanced instances. The involvement of GALNT6-mediated aberrant O-glycosylation modification in several malignancies and immune evasion is a subject of speculation. However, its significance in BC has not been investigated. Through the integration of bioinformatics analysis and laboratory experimentation, we have successfully clarified the role of GALNT6 in BC. Our investigation revealed that GALNT6 has significant expression in BC, and its high expression level correlates with advanced stage and high grade, leading to poor overall survival. Moreover, both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate a strong correlation between elevated levels of GALNT6 and tumor growth, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, there is a negative correlation between elevated GALNT6 levels, the extent of CD8+ T cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment, and the prognosis of patients. Functional experiments have shown that the increased expression of GALNT6 could enhance the malignant characteristics of cancer cells by activating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. In brief, this study examined the impact of GALNT6-mediated abnormal O-glycosylation on the occurrence and progression of bladder cancer and its influence on immune evasion. It also explored the possible molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between tumor cells and immune cells, as well as the bidirectional signaling involved. These findings offer a novel theoretical foundation rooted in glycobiology for the clinical application of immunotherapy in BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]