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As the dimensions of interconnects in integrated circuits continue to shrink, an urgent need arises to understand the physical mechanism associated with electromigration. Using x-ray nanodiffraction, we analyzed the stresses in Blech-structured pure Cu lines subjected to different electromigration conditions. The results suggest that the measured residual stresses in the early stages of electromigration are related to relaxation of stresses caused by thermal expansion mismatch, while a developing current-induced stress leads to reductions in the residual stress after longer test times. These findings not only validate the feasibility of measuring stress in copper lines using nanodiffraction but also highlight the need for a further understanding, particularly through in situ electromigration experiments with x-ray nanodiffraction analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic, university students were exposed to increased stress, which significantly affected their well‐being. This study examines the coping mechanisms employed by Chinese university students during this crisis, with a particular focus on the potential protective role of coping flexibility in maintaining their well‐being. Using the transactional stress model and the dual‐process theory of coping flexibility, this longitudinal study analyzed the responses of 206 Chinese university students at three measurement points in late 2022. The findings suggest that disruptions in daily life during the pandemic likely led students to engage in problematic internet use as a coping strategy, which subsequently led to reduced well‐being. However, the study also shows that coping flexibility plays a crucial protective role in maintaining students' well‐being. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions aimed at enhancing coping flexibility among university students, especially in the evolving post‐pandemic landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining can significantly alter landscapes, impacting wildlife and ecosystem functionality. Natural recovery in open‐pit mines is vital for habitat restoration and ecosystem re‐establishment, although few empirical studies have examined this process. Here, we assessed temporal and spatial responses of small rodents at the community, population, and individual levels during natural mine recovery. We examined the abundance, reproductive potential, and individual health of small rodents at active mines and at former mine sites left to recover naturally for approx. 10 and 20 years. We also assessed the effects of disturbance on rodent recovery processes at three distances from the mine boundary. Rodent numbers peaked after 10–13 years of recovery and exhibited the strongest male bias in the sex ratio. The Chinese white‐bellied rat (Niviventer confucianus) was the most abundant species, achieving its highest population abundance at sites abandoned for 10–13 years and thriving at locations closer to the mine boundary. Only Chevrier's field mouse exhibited morphological responses to the mine recovery category. Ectoparasite load was unaffected by mine or distance‐disturbance categories. Both Chevrier's field mouse (Apodemus chevrieri) and the South China field mouse (Apodemus draco) were affected significantly by vegetation layer cover during recovery succession. Our study highlights the complexities of ecological succession, with a peak in abundance as pioneer communities transition toward a climax seral stage. Careful prior planning and active site management are necessary to optimize abandoned mine recovery. Efforts to accelerate mine recovery through technical restoration should promote conditions that initiate and perpetuate the establishment and succession of wildlife assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an essential compound in living organism, saccharides have attracted enormous attentions from scientists in various fields. Understanding the distribution of saccharides in various samples is of great scientific importance. However, the low signal response and lack of specific recognition technology of saccharides and the complex matrix of samples make the analysis of saccharides a very challenge task. Thus, the development of a simple and straightforward strategy for the analysis of saccharides would represent a great contribution to the field. In this study, by employing the sulfonyl functionalized magnetic dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles as the substrate, we develop an integrated platform for analysis of saccharides. The construction of the platform mainly relied on multi-functional boronic acid, which serves as separation and derivation ligands at the same time. In the general procedure, the boronic acid is first immobilized onto the surface of substrate, then the selective enrichment of saccharides can be realized via boronate affinity separation. Finally, by the rational choice of the solution, we are able to elute the labelled complex (boronic acid-saccharide) from the substrate, which can be direct subjected to HPLC-UV analysis. The reliable precision (<15 %), accuracy (80–100 %), reproducibility (<10 %), improved sensitivity (20x) and limited time-consuming (down to minutes) of the proposed platform are experimentally demonstrated. The successful quantification of different saccharides (alditols, glucose) in real samples is achieved. The proposed strategy is not only straightforward and fast, but also avoid the requirement of special equipment. With these attractive features, we believe that this strategy will greatly prompt the analysis of saccharides in various samples (eg. food, pharmaceutics and biosamples). [Display omitted] • Magnetic dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles were synthesized. • An integrated analytical platform for analysis of saccharides was established. • Efficient analysis of saccharides of different samples was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In current pig farming, pigs are susceptible to stress-induced adverse emotions. Emotional contagion may propagate these emotions within a herd, potentially affecting overall welfare. Typically, treatments of individual pigs should be conducted separately from the group. Thus, after separation from treatment on an individual pig, the behavioral responses and heart rate changes of the companion pig were recorded to determine if the sensory avoidance was effective. It was found that peers were still affected by the treated pigs after sensory avoidance. Separation from treatment does not eliminate the effects of the treated pig on companion pigs, which can still be affected in post-treatment contact. In the pig farming industry, it is recommended to avoid groups when treating individuals to reduce adverse reactions in the group. However, can this eliminate the adverse effects effectively? Piglets were assigned to the Rewarding Group (RG), the Punishing Group (PG), and the Paired Control Group (PCG). There were six replicates in each group, with two paired piglets per replicate. One piglet of the RG and PG was randomly selected as the Treated pig (TP), treated with food rewards or electric shock, and the other as the Naive pig (NP). The NPs in the RG and PG were unaware of the treatment process, and piglets in the PCG were not treated. The behavior and heart rate changes of all piglets were recorded. Compared to the RG, the NPs in the PG showed longer proximity but less contact behavior, and the TPs in the PG showed more freezing behavior. The percentage change in heart rate of the NPs was synchronized with the TPs. This shows that after sensory avoidance, the untreated pigs could also feel the emotions of their peers and their emotional state was affected by their peers, and the negative emotions in the pigs lasted longer than the positive emotions. The avoidance process does not prevent the transfer of negative emotions to peers via emotional contagion from the stimulated pig. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IL-8 and IL-10 are crucial inflammatory cytokines that participate in defending host cells against infections. To demonstrate the function of the two interleukin genes in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), we initially cloned and identified the cDNA sequences of il-8 and il-10 in largemouth bass, referred to as Msil-8 and Msil-10 , respectively. The open reading frame (ORF) of Msil-8 was 324 bp in length, encoding 107 amino acids, while the ORF of Msil-10 consisted of 726 bp and encoded 241 amino acids. Furthermore, the functional domains of the SCY domain in Ms IL-8 and the IL-10 family signature motif in Ms IL-10 were highly conserved across vertebrates. Additionally, both Ms IL-8 and Ms IL-10 showed close relationships with M. dolomieu. Constitutive expression of Msil-8 and Msil-10 was observed in various tissues, with the highest level found in the head kidney. Subsequently, largemouth bass were infected with Nocardia seriolae via intraperitoneal injection to gain a further understanding of the function of these two genes. Bacterial loads were initially detected in the foregut, followed by the midgut, hindgut, and liver. The mRNA expression of Msil-8 was significantly down-regulated after infection, especially at 2 days post-infection (DPI), with a similar expression to Msil-10. In contrast, the expression of Msil-8 and Msil-10 was significantly upregulated in the foregut at 14 DPI. Taken together, these results reveal that the function of IL-8 and IL-10 was likely hindered by N. seriolae , which promoted bacterial proliferation and intercellular diffusion. • The cDNA and amino acid sequences of Ms IL-8 and Ms IL-10 were characterized. • The NJ phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the deduced amino acid sequences of Ms IL-8 and Ms IL-10. • Msil-8 and Msil-10 genes were both highly expressed in the head kidney. • Msil-8 and Msil-10 were significantly down-regulated in all gut sections at the latent period upon Nocardia seriolae infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]