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Strong salinity stratification induced by large freshwater fluxes in the northern Bay of Bengal (BOB) results in the formation of a quasi-permanent barrier layer (BL) that covers almost the entire BOB and leads to a unique temperature inversion within the thick BL in winter. In the presence of temperature inversions, the entrainment process at the bottom of the mixed layer (ML) induces warming effects in the ML, but little is known about this. In this paper, we quantify the contribution of the entrainment process to the ML temperature (MLT) in the northern BOB during the winter of 2013 using monthly and daily data from the Ocean General Circulation Model for the Earth Simulator version 2 (OFES2). It is found that the warming effect of the daily entrainment heat flux (EHF), which resolved the high-frequency variations, is 4 orders of magnitude larger than the monthly EHF for most of the wintertime. This significantly enhanced warming effect in daily data offsets up to 87% of the surface cooling induced by net heat flux during wintertime. A further analysis reveals that the larger daily EHF warming effect compared to its monthly counterpart is closely related to the deepened ML, the larger temperature difference within the ML and vertical velocity at the bottom of the ML.

Preplanetary nebulae (PPNe) are formed from mass-ejecting late-stage AGB stars. Much of the light from the star gets scattered or absorbed by dust particles, giving rise to the observed reflection nebula seen at visible and near-IR wavelengths. Precursors to planetary nebulae (PNe), PPNe generally have not yet undergone any ionization by UV radiation from the still-buried stellar core. Bipolar PPNe are a common form of observed PPNe. This study lays the groundwork for future dynamical studies by reconstructing the dust density distribution of a particularly symmetric bipolar PPN, M1-92 (Minkowski’s Footprint, IRAS 19343+2926). For this purpose, we develop an efficient single-scattering radiative transfer model with corrections for double-scattering. Using a V-band image from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), we infer the dust density profile and orientation of M1-92. These results indicate that M1-92’s slowly expanding equatorial torus exhibits an outer radial cutoff in its density, which implicates the influence of a binary companion during the formation of the nebula.

In this paper, we investigate the electro-osmotic flow (EOF) and mass transfer of a Newtonian fluid propelled by a pressure gradient and alternating current (AC) electric field in a parallel microchannel with sinusoidal roughness and modulated charged surfaces. The two-wall roughness is described by in-phase or out-of-phase sine functions with a small amplitude δ. By employing the method of perturbation expansion, the semi-analytical solutions of the Poisson–Boltzmann (P–B) equation based on the Debye–Hückel approximation and the modified Navier–Stokes (N–S) equation are obtained. The numerical solution of the concentration equation is obtained by the finite difference method. The effects of sinusoidal roughness, modulated charged surface, and the AC electric field on the potential field, velocity field, and concentration field are discussed. Under the influence of the modulated charged surface and sinusoidal roughness, vortices are generated. The velocity oscillates due to the effect of the AC electric field. The results indicate that solute diffusion becomes enhanced when the oscillation Reynolds number is below a specific critical value, and it slows down when the oscillation Reynolds number exceeds this critical value.

The spaceborne turntable is a piece of precision optical equipment utilized for monitoring space information and facilitating laser communication. The measurement accuracy of optical instruments is correlated to some extent with the mechanical properties of the structure. Addressing the design challenge posed by the U-frame in the spaceborne optoelectronic tracking and pointing turntable, this paper proposes a multi-constraint topology optimization method utilizing Abaqus/CAE and TOSCA. This method offers insights for U-frame design and has undergone scientific validation. Initially, the empirical design structure is established, optimization design areas are defined, and the initial model undergoes pre-processing in Abaqus/CAE. Subsequently, conceptual and mathematical models for topology optimization are developed, with the objective of minimizing structural compliance (thereby maximizing stiffness), and including constraints related to volume fraction, first-order natural frequency, and stress. Utilizing TOSCA, the U-frame topology optimization design is finalized, resulting in an optimized conceptual model. A comparative analysis of the optimized design against the empirical design structure demonstrates a significant 27.53% reduction in maximum stress, enhanced static stiffness, an increase of 11.48% in the first natural frequency, and a 4.3% reduction in mass. Moreover, the turntable that utilizes the optimized design structure not only meets reliability requirements in spacecraft structural design but also provides a stable platform for precise optical load alignment. The static and dynamic performance of the optimized U-frame has been enhanced, effectively mitigating the impact of external excitation on optical instrument measurement accuracy and meeting the lightweight design requirements for the U-frame, thus demonstrating the efficacy of the topology optimization method. This research offers valuable insights into U-frame design for spaceborne optoelectronic tracking and pointing turntables and carries significant guiding implications.

The two-phase seepage fluid (i.e., air and water) behaviors in undisturbed granite residual soil (U-GRS) have not been comprehensively studied due to a lack of accurate and representative models of its internal pore structure. By leveraging X-ray computed tomography (CT) along with the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) enhanced by the Shan–Chen model, this study simulates the impact of internal pore characteristics of U-GRS on the water–gas two-phase seepage flow behaviors. Our findings reveal that the fluid demonstrates a preference for larger and straighter channels for seepage, and as seepage progresses, the volume fraction of the water/gas phases exhibits an initial increase/decrease trend, eventually stabilizing. The results show the dependence of two-phase seepage velocity on porosity, while the local seepage velocity is influenced by the distribution and complexity of the pore structure. This emphasizes the need to consider pore distribution and connectivity when studying two-phase flow in undisturbed soil. It is observed that the residual gas phase persists within the pore space, primarily localized at the pore margins and dead spaces. Furthermore, the study identifies that hydrophobic walls repel adjacent fluids, thereby accelerating fluid movement, whereas hydrophilic walls attract fluids, inducing a viscous effect that decelerates fluid flow. Consequently, the two-phase flow rate is found to increase with then-enhanced hydrophobicity. The apex of the water-phase volume fraction is observed under hydrophobic wall conditions, reaching up to 96.40%, with the residual gas-phase constituting 3.60%. The hydrophilic wall retains more residual gas-phase volume fraction than the neutral wall, followed by the hydrophobic wall. Conclusively, the investigations using X-ray CT and LBM demonstrate that the pore structure characteristics and the wettability of the pore walls significantly influence the two-phase seepage process.

Scutellarein is a key active constituent present in many plants, especially in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and Erigeron breviscapus (vant.) Hand-Mazz which possesses both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. It also is the metabolite of scutellarin, with the ability to relieve LPS-induced acute lung injury (ALI), strongly suggesting that scutellarein could suppress respiratory inflammation. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of scutellarein on lung inflammation by using LPS-activated BEAS-2B cells (a human bronchial epithelial cell line) and LPS-induced ALI mice. The results showed that scutellarein could reduce intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation through inhibiting the activation of NADPH oxidases, markedly downregulating the transcription and translation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 8 in LPS-activated BEAS-2B cells. The mechanism study revealed that it suppressed the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα, consequently hindering the translocation of p65 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and its subsequent binding to DNA, thereby decreasing NF-κB-regulated gene transcription. Notably, scutellarein had no impact on the activation of AP-1 signaling. In LPS-induced ALI mice, scutellarein significantly decreased IL-6, CCL2, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, attenuated lung injury, and inhibited neutrophil infiltration. Our findings suggest that scutellarein may be a beneficial agent for the treatment of infectious pneumonia by virtue of its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities.

(1) Background: Public space is an important carrier for maintaining the cultural values of a village and the production and living customs of the villagers, but the use rights and boundaries are in an unstable and ambiguous state, and it is not a completely open and inclusive public space. The study aims to deepen the understanding of the publicness of public space in traditional villages from the perspective of subjective and objective combination, which reveals the relationship between the space and villagers’ behavior. (2) Methods: The research established an evaluation framework for assessing the “publicness” of public spaces in traditional villages by integrating space syntax and cognitive surveys. This framework facilitates the analysis of the extent and dimensions of publicness, along with corresponding behavioral patterns, and explores the underlying mechanisms influencing publicness. (3) Results: The study reveals significant variations in the publicness of traditional village spaces. High-publicness areas tend to cluster, whereas low-publicness areas are more scattered, and riverfront regions exhibit greater publicness compared to mountain-adjacent ones. Villagers exhibit notable differences in their evaluations of public spaces, and individuals aged 14–18 and those over 66 rate the highest. The utilization rate of high-publicness spaces is significantly high, catering to a diverse array of activities. In spaces with lower publicness, the duration and variety of activities tend to be more constrained, often limited to rapid exchanges or brief respites, exhibiting a narrower scope of activities. (4) Conclusions: The study underscores the variability and complexity of publicness in traditional village spaces, which manifest not only in spatial layouts and types but also in villagers’ usage patterns and behavioral preferences. This may be influenced by objective factors such as spatial accessibility, social interaction, and richness of cultural activities.

The erosion of igneous rocks affects the structural and spontaneous combustion characteristics of coal. A series of tests were conducted, including programmed heating, thermogravimetric analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, and pressed mercury experiments on samples from primary coal and coal eroded by igneous rocks from the Tashan Mine and Xiaonan Mine within the same coal seam. Based on these experiments, we analyzed various properties of coal, such as the oxidation characteristics, spontaneous combustion limit, active functional group content, chemical structure, and pore structure, from both macroscopic and microscopic perspectives. The results indicated significant trends after the erosion of igneous rocks: (1) there were increases in the oxygen consumption rate, as well as the CO and CO2 release rates; (2) the upper limit of air leakage intensity increased, the minimum thickness of floating coal decreased, and the lower limit of oxygen volume fraction decreased; (3) there was a decrease in the activation energy required for coal ignition; (4) there was a decrease in the active functional group content while improving the structural stability; and (5) there were the alterations in the pore structure of coal. These promoted the oxidation reactions between oxygen and the active groups within the coal matrix, increasing the propensity for spontaneous combustion, particularly in the igneous rocks with low oxidation activity.

As a result of rapid urbanization in China, the spatial restructuring of towns and cities has significantly impacted urban compactness. The study of the spatio–temporal characteristics and driving mechanisms of urban compactness in central China is a strategic imperative and conducive to promoting regional sustainable development that is based on easing the contradiction between land resource supply and demand and reducing energy consumption. Therefore, this study focused on 80 prefecture-level cities in central China, utilizing barycenter model and GTWR model, among others, to analyze the spatio–temporal evolution pattern of urban compactness from 2006 to 2020 and its driving factors, with the aim of uncovering the intrinsic mechanisms behind enhancing urban compactness in the area. The results show the follows: (1) The urban compactness in central China has generally shown an upward trend, with a pronounced spatial clustering around provincial capital cities and the spatial changes in compactness predominantly concentrated in the north–south direction. (2) Various factors have influenced urban compactness, where government intervention and population aggregation present as bi-directional driving factors, while the effective use of land resources and high-quality industrial development, among others, present as positive driving factors. The spatio–temporal heterogeneity and agglomeration features of each driving factor are significant. (3) Further analysis indicates that the effective use of land resources is the primary factor in enhancing urban compactness, followed by technology. Therefore, we should adhere to the concept of compact cities and gradually promote the compactness of cities in central China based on the impact of the driving factors.

Accurate measurement of coal gas permeability helps prevent coal gas safety accidents effectively. To predict permeability more accurately, we propose the IDBO-BPNN coal body gas permeability prediction model. This model combines the Improved Dung Beetle algorithm (IDBO) with the BP neural network (BPNN). First, the Sine chaotic mapping, Osprey optimization algorithm, and adaptive T-distribution dynamic selection strategy are integrated to enhance the DBO algorithm and improve its global search capability. Then, IDBO is utilized to optimize the weights and thresholds in BPNN to enhance its prediction accuracy and mitigate the risk of overfitting to some extent. Secondly, based on the influencing factors of gas permeability, effective stress, gas pressure, temperature, and compressive strength, they are chosen as the coupling indicators. The SPSS 27 software is used to analyze the correlation among the indicators using the Pearson correlation coefficient matrix. Additionally, the Kernel Principal Component Analysis (KPCA) is employed to extract the original data. Then, the original data is divided into principal component data for the model input. The prediction results of the IDBO-BPNN model are compared with those of the PSO-BPNN, PSO-LSSVM, PSO-SVM, MPA-BPNN, WOA-SVM, BES-SVM, and DPO-BPNN models. This comparison assesses the capability of KPCA to enhance the accuracy of model predictions and the performance of the IDBO-BPNN model. Finally, the IDBO-BPNN model is tested using data from a coal mine in Shanxi. The results indicate that the predicted outcome closely aligns with the actual value, confirming the reliability and stability of the model. Therefore, the IDBO-BPNN model is better suited for predicting coal gas permeability in academic research writing.

In this study, we investigate the connection between planetary equatorial waves, modulated by the Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the interannual variabilities of the salinity distribution in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) in October–December (OND), along with its associated dynamics, using satellite and reanalysis datasets. In OND 2010 and 2016 (1994, 1997, 2006, and 2019), positive (negative) sea surface salinity anomalies (SSSAs) were distributed in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean (EIO) and Andaman Sea. Moreover, the southward movement of negative (positive) SSSAs along the eastern Indian coast was observed. This phenomenon was caused by large-scale anomalous currents associated with zonal wind over the EIO. During OND 2010 and 2016 (1994, 1997, 2006, and 2019), due to anomalous westerlies (easterlies) over the EIO and anomalous downwelling (upwelling) Kelvin waves, the strengthened (weakened) Wyrtki jet and the basin-scale anomalous cyclonic (anticyclonic) circulation in the BoB gave rise to positive (negative) SSSAs within the eastern EIO and Andaman Sea. In addition, the intensified (weakened) eastern Indian coastal currents led to the southward movement of negative (positive) SSSAs. It is worth noting that downwelling Kelvin waves reached the western coast of India during OND 2010 and 2016, while upwelling Kelvin waves were only confined to the eastern coast of India during OND 1994, 1997, 2006, and 2019. Furthermore, westward salinity signals associated with reflected westward Rossby waves could modulate the spatial pattern of salinity. The distribution of salinity anomalies could potentially influence the formation of the barrier layer, thereby impacting the sea surface temperature variability and local convection.

Ultrasound is a powerful and versatile technology that has been applied extensively in medicine and scientific research. The development of miniature underwater robots focuses on achieving specific tasks, such as surveys and inspections in confined spaces. However, traditional sonar has limited use in micro underwater robots due to its large size and heavy power demands. Conversely, capacitive micromechanical ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) offer various advantages, including a wide bandwidth, compact size, and integration feasibility. These attributes make CMUTs a candidate for obstacle avoidance in micro underwater robots. Hence, a novel CMUT structure using Si-Si bonding is proposed. In this design, a membrane isolation layer replaces the cavity bottom isolation layer, simplifying the process and improving bond reliability. A finite element model of the CMUT was constructed in COMSOL and numerically assessed for the CMUT’s operating frequency, collapse voltage, and submerged depth. The CMUT, manufactured using micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology, undergoes waterproofing with PDMS—A material with similar acoustic impedance to water and corrosion resistance. Underwater tests reveal the CMUT’s resonant frequency in water as approximately 2 MHz, with a −3 dB bandwidth of 108.7%, a transmit/receive beam width of 7.3°, and a standard deviation of measured distance from the true distance of less than 0.05. These outcomes suggest that CMUTs hold promise in obstacle avoidance applications for fish-shaped underwater robots.

Haloxylon ammodendron (H. ammodendron) is a second-class protected plant of national significance in China that is known for its growth in desert and semidesert regions, where it serves as a desert ecosystem guardian by playing a substantial role in maintaining ecosystem structure and function. The changing global climate has substantially altered the growth conditions for H. ammodendron. This study focuses on identifying the key variables influencing the distribution of H. ammodendron and determining their potential impact on future distribution. We employed the Maxent model to evaluate the current climate suitability for H. ammodendron distribution and to project its future changes across various shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios. Our findings indicate that precipitation during the warmest quarter and precipitation during the wettest month are the most influential variables affecting the potentially suitable habitats of H. ammodendron. The highly suitable habitat area for H. ammodendron currently covers approximately 489,800 km2. The Maxent model forecasts an expansion of highly suitable H. ammodendron habitat under all future SSP scenarios, with the extent of unsuitable areas increasing with greater global warming. The increased highly suitable habitats range from 40% (SSP585) to 80% (SSP126) by the 2070s (2060–2080). Furthermore, our results indicate a continued expansion of desertification areas due to global warming, highlighting the significant role of H. ammodendron in maintaining desert ecosystem stability. This study offers valuable insights into biodiversity preservation and ecological protection in the context of future climate change scenarios.

The limit parameters of coal spontaneous combustion are important indicators for determining the risk of spontaneous combustion in coal seams. By analyzing the limit parameters of coal spontaneous combustion, the dangerous areas of coal spontaneous combustion can be determined, and corresponding measures can be taken to avoid the occurrence of fires. In order to accurately predict the limit parameters of coal spontaneous combustion, the prediction model of coal spontaneous combustion limit parameters based on GA-SVM was constructed by coupling genetic algorithm (GA) and support vector machine (SVM). Meanwhile, the GA and particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) were used to optimize the back propagation neural network (BPNN) to construct the GA-BPNN and PSO-BPNN prediction models, respectively. To predict the intensity of air leakage of the upper limit of coal spontaneous combustion in the goaf, the prediction results of the models were compared and analyzed using MAE, MAPE, RMSE, and R2 as the prediction performance evaluation indexes. The results show that the MAE of the GA-SVM model, the PSO-BPNN model, and the GA-BPNN model are 0.0960, 0.1086, and 0.1309, respectively; the MAPE is 2.46%, 3.11%, and 3.69%, respectively; the RMSE is 0.1180, 0.1789, and 0.2212, respectively; and the R2 is 0.9921, 0.9818, and 0.9722. The prediction results of the GA-SVM model are the most optimal in four evaluation indexes, followed by the PSO-BPNN and the GA-BPNN models. Applying each model to the prediction of minimum residual coal thickness in the goaf of a coal mine in Shanxi, the GA-SVM model has higher accuracy, which further verifies the universality and stability of the model and its suitability for the prediction of coal spontaneous combustion limit parameters.

In order to quickly and accurately predict borehole spontaneous combustion danger and avoid borehole spontaneous combustion fires, a borehole spontaneous combustion prediction model combining the Hunger Games search optimization algorithm (HGS) and Random Forest (RF) algorithm was introduced. The number of trees and the minimum number of leaf nodes in RF were optimized by HGS. Based on the data obtained from the temperature rise experiment of spontaneous combustion characteristics in a Shandong mine laboratory, O2, CO, C2H4, CO/∆O2 and C2H4/C2H6 were selected as the input indexes for the prediction of borehole spontaneous combustion, and the spontaneous combustion temperature was selected as the output indexes to train the built model. The prediction performance and accuracy of the model were evaluated using four indexes: the mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2). At the same time, the prediction results of the HGS-RF model were compared with those of the RF model, Sparrow search algorithm (SSA) optimization RF model, particle swarm optimization RF model (PSO) optimization RF model and quantum particle swarm optimization RF model (QPSO) optimization. The results showed that the MAE of the RF, SSA-RF, PSO-RF, QPSO-RF and HGS-RF model samples were 17.541, 15.7752, 12.5903, 6.8594 and 6.6921, respectively. MAPE was 13.81%, 10.9766%, 9.6802%, 4.5731% and 5.1536%, respectively. RMSE values were 21.5646, 15.2017, 17.0091, 11.9879 and 12.1691, respectively. The R2 values were 0.9043, 0.9315, 0.9266, 0.9668, and 0.9717, respectively. At the same time, the reliability of the HGS-RF model was supplemented by taking the test data of the Zhengjia1204 coal mining face as an example. Finally, the model was applied to the prediction of borehole spontaneous combustion in the Jinniu Coal Mine, Shanxi Province. The prediction results show that the HGS-RF model can predict the spontaneous combustion temperature of different boreholes quickly and accurately. The results show that the HGS-RF model is more universal and stable than other models, indicating that the HGS-RF model is more suitable for the prediction of borehole spontaneous combustion.

The regeneration of old residential communities in China is one of the most important tasks in urban renewal. In recent years, distinctive models and pathways have emerged in the emerging practice of participatory community regeneration, all of which can be seen as applications of collaborative governance theory at the community level. Collaborative governance is considered an effective way to achieve multiple goals in urban regeneration, but there has been relatively little research on collaborative governance in small-scale regeneration projects. This paper summarizes three nuanced pathways in the collaborative governance model through case studies, which are led by different initiators, resulting in collaborative models, rights dynamics, and implementation pathways that are applicable to different scenarios, effectively resolving community conflicts and producing sustainable practical results. This study compares how the three models achieve their respective objectives in participatory regeneration projects by coordinating the different stakeholder participation processes. These three models complement and extend international experience and will provide a vivid Chinese example for other developing countries around the world.

In order to investigate the crucial role of ZmBT1 in starch accumulation during maize grain development and analyze the expression and distribution of ZmBT1 in various maize tissues, we prepared a polyclonal antibody. Specifically, we successfully expressed the recombinant plasmid pGEX-6p-ZmBT1-C (382-437aa) and purified Gst-ZmBT1-C as the antigen for antibody preparation. Our results confirmed that the ZmBT1 protein in maize tissues can be specifically recognized by the ZmBT1 antibody. Through Western blotting, we observed that the expression protein of ZmBT1 varied by tissues, with the highest content in the grain and endosperm. Furthermore, we employed a combination of Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR to show that the expression level of ZmBT1 can be influenced by plant hormones. This finding suggests that ZmBT1 plays a critical role in the accumulation of starch and opens up new avenues for functional studies of this protein.

Ensuring sufficient food production and guaranteeing the safety and quality of food are crucial aspects of food security, how to achieve the balance between food production efficiency and environmental protection is an urgent problem and challenge to be solved. This study introduced an assessment system for the green production efficiency of grain, and measured China’s green production efficiency of grain by using the slacks-based measurement (SBM) model, kernel density estimation, and Tobit regression model. The findings show the following: (1) From 2000 to 2019, China’s green production efficiency of grain showed an overall upward trend, while in different regions it was shrinking. The central region has the fastest growth rate, the western region and the northeast region have the same growth rate, and the eastern region has the slowest growth rate. (2) According to the kernel density estimation, China’s green production efficiency of grain increased year by year, and the national development was relatively balanced from 2000 to 2104. However, there are obvious regional differences from 2014 to 2019; the eastern and northeastern regions are relatively balanced, and the central and western regions have further expanded over time. (3) From the perspective of whole country, the regional financial support for agriculture and the urbanization rate have a significant positive impact on the green production efficiency of grain, while the crop disaster affected area and agricultural output value have a significant negative impact on green production efficiency. (4) From the regional perspective, the impact of different factors on the level of green production efficiency of grain varies.

The feeding characteristics of viscous miscellaneous fish bait were studied in order to place the bait into existing equipment. Through the feeding experiment and discrete element numerical simulation of miscellaneous fish pellet feed, the feeding characteristics of the sticky miscellaneous fish pellet feed in the silo were analyzed. The main factors affecting the uniform feeding of miscellaneous fish pellet bait were obtained, including the size of the feeding mouth of the silo, the size of the inclination angle of the silo, and the effect of external forces. According to the simulation and experiment results, the optimum design of the discharging device was carried out, including the optimization of the structure of the bin, the design of the agitation device and the optimization of the rotating parameters of the agitation device. The research and development of the stirred discharging device was completed, realizing the uniform, continuous and complete discharging of the mixed fish particle bait. Its feasibility was verified through the simulation and prototype experiment.

NDVI data have been widely used to detect and monitor vegetation status at regional, continental, and global scales. FY-3D MERSI-II NDVI (FNDVI) is a critical operational product used in many studies monitoring ecosystems and agriculture and assessing climate change and its risks, including drought and fire. MERSI-II and MODIS have very similar spectral response functions in the red and near-infrared channels, making MERSI/NDVI an effective replacement for MODIS/NDVI (MNDVI). Therefore, it is critical to conduct a thorough evaluation of the product’s quality. In this study, the consistency characteristics of two normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) products, FY-3D MERSI-II NDVI and MODIS NDVI, were compared and validated at national and regional scales in China from 2020 to 2021. To assess the consistency of these two NDVI datasets, the correlation coefficient, root-mean-square error, and mean bias error were used. The findings revealed that the spatial distribution patterns of FNDVI and MNDVI were highly consistent across the country at the monthly time scale. The correlation coefficients were greater than 0.9475 for the two years 2020–2021, while the average deviation was between 0.02 and 0.05, and the root-mean-square error was 0.11. Based on the difference in the time consistency between FNDVI and MNDVI, the changes in the monthly NDVI values of the two types of satellites are generally consistent across the country. Among the three typical experimental areas, the relative deviation of the regional time series for products was the highest in Xinjiang. The relative average deviation of FNDVI in other regions was low, and its change trend was consistent with that of MODIS.

Based on Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) data and the Ocean Reanalysis System 5 (ORAS5) dataset, positive salinity anomalies exceeding 2 psu in the northern Bay of Bengal (BoB) and negative salinity anomalies with the peak of the freshening anomalies reaching −2 psu around Sri Lanka were observed in autumn 2010. Here, an analysis of the anomalous salt budget revealed that anomalous horizontal advection contributed most to the variability in salinity in the BoB. With the development of La Niña and negative Indian Ocean dipole (nIOD) in summer and autumn, the strong summer monsoon current and Wyrtki jet combined with the anomalous basin-scale cyclonic circulation led to more high-salinity water entering the northern BoB. In addition, more freshwater was transported southward along the eastern coast of India by east Indian coastal current (EICC) in autumn, resulting in extremely negative salinity anomalies around Sri Lanka and positive salinity anomalies in the northern BoB. Moreover, the freshwater around Sri Lanka was carried farther into the southeastern Arabian Sea by the west Indian coastal current (WICC) in November, which affected the salinity stratification in winter and then influenced the variation of the Arabian Sea Mini Warm Pool (ASMWP) in the following spring. The ASMWP could affect the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) through its influence on the monsoon onset vortex (MOV) over the southeast Arabian Sea (SEAS).

Urban renewal urgently needs to find a new media tool to extensively promote public participation. Professionals also need strong and powerful communication tools for the public. Mass media has the ability to influence human perceptions and behaviors, but its role has been overlooked. This study aims to arouse professionals’ attention to mass media and promote interdisciplinary cooperation through empirical evidence. By observing the performance of participatory urban gardening projects in Chinese newspapers, we highlight the positive effect of mass media on participatory landscape revitalization. We selected two projects in China as samples, collected newspaper reports on them during 2017–2021, and analyzed the textual framing and report communication based on communication theory. According to the result, mass media has four positive effects that not only affect the public but also contribute to participatory landscape revitalization development. Based on the results, we discuss the consistence of views of the mass media and landscape architecture. This study suggests that landscape architecture needs to actively collaborate with public media to better leverage the role of landscape in sustainable urban transformation.

The southern Bay of Bengal (BOB) cold pool (SCP) plays an important role in the regional climate fluctuation of the BOB. However, the interannual variability in the SCP is still unknown. Multisource satellite remote sensing data and assimilation have been applied to explore the interannual variability in the SCP and its relationship with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events for the period 1982–2020. The anomalous SST of the SCP in the summer following the peak phase (i.e., winter) of the ENSO was closely related to the ENSO events. El Niño (La Niña)-induced the warm (cold) anomaly of the SCP starting from May and persisted throughout August with a peak value appearing in June during the El Niño (La Niña) decaying years. In the El Niño decaying years, the southwest monsoon current (SMC) was weakened, forced locally by the weakening southwesterly wind and remotely by the easterly wind anomaly at the equator associated with El Niño. The El Niño-related weakening SMC and the associated less cold advection led to the warm anomaly of the SCP. In addition, El Niño-related atmospheric heating also made a comparable contribution to the evolution of the SCP’s SST. In the early stage (15 May to 10 June), its contribution to the warming of the SCP was much larger than that of the SMC, whereas from mid-June to August, it reversed to have a cooling effect and partially offset the advection heating induced by the SMC on the SCP. In the La Niña decaying years, similar oceanic and atmospheric processes operated but in an opposite way.

Ozone (O3) pollution has negative impacts on human health and property. The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is facing severe O3 pollution problems due to rapid economic development. In this paper, we used sensitivity experiments and GeoDetector to analyze the effects of meteorological factors, anthropogenic emissions, and landscape patterns on O3 concentrations as well as the contributions of NOx and NMVOC (non-methane volatile organic compounds) to the variation of O3 concentrations and the causes of sectoral emissions in the GBA in 2017. The results revealed that, in GBA, the contribution of meteorology to the variation of O3 concentration was dominant both in terms of region and extent, and the contribution of emissions was relatively weak. The contribution of meteorology and emissions to O3 production was mainly contributory. Meteorology contributed significantly to O3, and its non-linear interaction with anthropogenic emissions and surface landscape affected O3 concentration changes. The degree of contribution of NOx and NMVOC varied widely among seasons, and the variation of their relative contribution areas was related to residential sector emissions and agricultural sector emissions. This article enriches the exploration of the O3 formation mechanism in the GBA and provides theoretical support for the implementation of differentiated regional and seasonal mitigation strategies for O3 concentration.

Based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectoradiometer (MODIS) remote sensing data, meteorological observation data, multisource atmospheric circulation, and sea surface temperature (SST) data from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, we estimated the net primary productivity (NPP) of terrestrial natural vegetation in China according to the CASA model and analyzed the linear trend and interannual fluctuation of NPP, as well as the spatial distribution characteristics of the annual NPP response to climatic factors. The obtained results revealed the impact of air–sea interaction on interannual NPP variability in key climatic areas. In China, the annual NPP of natural vegetation, linear NPP trend, and interannual NPP fluctuation showed significant regional characteristics. The annual NPP exhibited a significant increasing trend and interannual fluctuation in North China and Northeast China, with spatially consistent responses from NPP to precipitation and temperature. On the seasonal time scale, NPP in the key climatic area (105~135° E, 35~55° N) exhibited a strong response to both summer precipitation and mean temperature. In the summer atmospheric circulation, the circulation anomaly area is mainly distributed in the northeast cold vortex area in the middle- and high-latitude westerlies in East Asia and in the Sea of Okhotsk with dipole circulation. In the SST of the preceding winter and spring, the key SST anomaly area was the Kuroshio region, with an impact of the Kuroshio SST anomaly on the interannual variation in annual NPP in the key climatic area. The cold vortex in Northeast China played a pivotal role in the influence of the SST anomaly in the Kuroshio region on atmospheric circulation anomalies, resulting in abnormal summer precipitation in the key climatic region and affecting the annual accumulation of NPP of natural vegetation.

Immunoassay for detailed analysis of immune−cancer intercellular interactions can achieve more promising diagnosis and treatment strategies for cancers including nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). In this study, we report a microfluidic live−cell immunoassay integrated with a microtopographic environment to meet the rising demand for monitoring intercellular interactions in different tumor microenvironments. The developed assay allows: (1) coculture of immune cells and cancer cells on tunable (flat or micrograting) substrates, (2) simultaneous detection of different cytokines in a wide working range of 5–5000 pg/mL, and (3) investigation of migration behaviors of mono- and co-cultured cells on flat/grating platforms for revealing the topography-induced intercellular and cytokine responses. Cytokine monitoring was achieved on-chip by implementing a sensitive and selective microbead-based sandwich assay with an antibody on microbeads, target cytokines, and the matching fluorescent-conjugated detection antibody in an array of active peristaltic mixer-assisted cytokine detection microchambers. Moreover, this immunoassay requires a low sample volume down to 0.5 μL and short assay time (30 min) for on-chip cytokine quantifications. We validated the biocompatibility of the co-culture strategy between immune cells and NPC cells and compared the different immunological states of undifferentiated THP-1 monocytic cells or PMA-differentiated THP-1 macrophages co-culturing with NP460 and NPC43 on topographical and planar substrates, respectively. Hence, the integrated microfluidic platform provides an efficient, broad-range and precise on-chip cytokine detection approach, eliminates the manual sampling procedures and allows on-chip continuous cytokine monitoring without perturbing intercellular microenvironments on different topographical ECM substrates, which has the potential of providing clinical significance in early immune diagnosis, personalized immunotherapy, and precision medicine.

Twelve new specimens of sporidesmium-like taxa were collected from freshwater habitats in China and Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis of nuc 28S rDNA (LSU), internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α) and second-largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) sequence data, combined with morphological data, revealed that they are Distoseptispora species. Among them, six new species, including D. aqualignicola, D. aquamyces, D. crassispora, D. curvularia, D. nonrostrata and D. pachyconidia, are introduced. Two new combinations, D. adscendens and D. leonensis, are transferred from Ellisembia. A new habitat and geographical record are reported for D. clematidis, collected from a freshwater habitat in China. New RPB2 sequence data for D. dehongensis are provided.

As a major gaseous pollutant, ozone (O3) adversely affects human health and ecosystems. In recent years, ozone pollution in China has gradually become a prominent issue, especially in the North China Plain (NCP). To study the long-term spatio-temporal variation patterns of O3 in the NCP, this study selected 230 monitoring stations in the NCP from 2016 to 2020 as research objects, used the Kriging interpolation method and global Moran’s index to discuss the spatial-temporal distribution of O3, combining meteorological and social statistical data to analyze the causes underlying regional differences. The temporal analysis demonstrated that the O3-8h average concentrations increased annually from 2016 to 2018 and decreased from 2019 to 2020. The O3 concentrations were higher in spring and summer (117.89–154.20 μg/m3) and lower in autumn and winter (53.81–92.95 μg/m3). The spatial analysis revealed that O3 concentrations were low in the north and south of the NCP but high in the central area. The spatial distribution of O3 exhibited considerable cross-seasonal variability. Both meteorological conditions of high temperature and low pressure increased O3 concentrations. The spatial distribution of O3 varied depending on the period. However, the central and western regions of the Shandong Province were constantly characterized by high O3 concentrations. This pattern has been likely formed by heavy industry in the Shandong Province, as large-scale industrial production and frequent traffic flows produce a large amount of precursors, thereby exacerbating regional O3 pollution. These characteristics were attributed to emission reduction policies, meteorological conditions, the emission intensity of anthropogenic sources, and regional transport in the NCP. Overall, for cities with heavy industrial facilities in the central NCP, a timely adjustment of the energy and industrial structure, effectively controlling the emission of precursors, promoting new clean energy, and strengthening regional joint prevention and control are effective ways to alleviate O3 pollution.

Tubulin is an integral part of the cytoskeleton and plays a pivotal role in cellular signaling, maintenance, and division. β-tubulin is also the molecular target for taxane compounds such as docetaxel (DTX) and cabazitaxel (CTX), both first-line treatments for several solid cancers. Increased expression of Class III β-tubulin (TUBB3), a primarily neural isoform of β-tubulin, correlates with taxane resistance and poor prognosis. Although tyrosine kinase c-Src has been implicated to phosphorylate β-tubulins during both hematopoietic and neural differentiation, the mechanisms by which Src modulates tubulins functions are still poorly understood. Here, we report, for the first time, that TUBB3 is phosphorylated at Tyrosine 340 (Y340) by c-SRC in prostate cancer cells. We also showed that Y340 phosphorylation regulates TUBB3 protein stability and subcellular localization. Furthermore, we demonstrated that inhibition of SRC kinase activity compromises spindle stability in mitotic cells, at least partly due to the lack of TUBB3 Y340 phosphorylation. Given the importance of TUBB3 as a clinical biomarker of poor prognosis and drug resistance, characterization of TUBB3 posttranslational regulation could potentially serve as new biomarkers for disease recurrence and/or treatment failure.

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 (Kip1) is an important regulator of the G1/S checkpoint. It is degraded by the SCF-SKP2 complex in late G1 thereby allowing cells to progress to the S phase. Here we investigated the role of the E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF6 (Ring Finger Protein 6) in cell cycle progression in prostate cancer cells. Our data demonstrate that RNF6 can promote cell cycle progression by reducing the levels of p27. Knockdown of RNF6 led to an increase in the stability of p27 and to the arrest of cells in the G1 phase. RNF6 interacted with p27 via its KIL domain and this interaction was found to be phosphorylation independent. RNF6 enhanced ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of p27 in the early G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. Knockdown of RNF6 expression by short hairpin RNA led to inhibition of the CDK2/Cyclin E complex thereby reducing phosphorylation of Retinoblastoma protein (Rb) and to a subsequent decrease in cell cycle progression and proliferation. Our data suggest that RNF6 acts as a negative regulator for p27kip1 leading to its proteasome-dependent degradation in the early G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle.

During the COVID-19 lockdown in Wuhan, transportation, industrial production and other human activities declined significantly, as did the NO2 concentration. In order to assess the relative contributions of different factors to reductions in air pollutants, we implemented sensitivity experiments by Random Forest (RF) models, with the comparison of the contributions of meteorological conditions, human mobility, and emissions from industry and households between different periods. In addition, we conducted scenario analyses to suggest an appropriate limit for control of human mobility. Different mechanisms for air pollutants were shown in the pre-pandemic, pre-lockdown, lockdown, and post-pandemic periods. Wind speed and the Within-city Migration index, representing intra-city mobility intensity, were excluded from stepwise multiple linear models in the pre-lockdown and lockdown periods. The results of sensitivity experiments show that, in the COVID-19 lockdown period, 73.3% of the reduction can be attributed to decreased human mobility. In the post-pandemic period, meteorological conditions control about 42.2% of the decrease, and emissions from industry and households control 40.0%, while human mobility only contributes 17.8%. The results of the scenario analysis suggest that the priority of restriction should be given to human mobility within the city than other kinds of human mobility. The reduction in the NO2 concentration tends to be smaller when human mobility within the city decreases by more than 70%. A limit of less than 40% on the control of the human mobility can achieve a better effect, especially in cities with severe traffic pollution.

The unsaturated seepage field coupled with heavy rainfall-induced surface flow mainly accounts for the slope instability. If the slope contains macropores, the coupled model and solution process significantly differ from the traditional one (without macropores). Most of the studies on the variation of the water field under the coupled effect of runoff and seepage on the slope did not consider the macropore structure. In this paper, two coupled Richards equations were used to describe the MF (Macropore Flow), and along with the kinematic wave equation, they were applied to establish a coupled model of SR (Slope Runoff) and MF. The numerical solving of the coupled model was realized by the COMSOL PDE finite element method, and an innovative laboratory test was conducted to verify the numerical results. The effects of different factors (i.e., rainfall intensity, rainfall duration, saturated conductivity, and slope roughness coefficient) on water content and ponding depth with and without macropores were compared and analyzed. The results show that infiltration is more likely to happen in MF than UF (Unsaturated Flow, without macropore). The depths of the saturation zone and the wetting front of MF are obviously greater than those of UF. When SR occurs, rainfall duration has the most significant influence on infiltration. When macropores are considered, the ponding depth is smaller at the beginning of rainfall, while the effects are not obvious in the later period. Rain intensity and roughness coefficient have significant influences on the ponding depth. Therefore, macropores should not be ignored in the analysis of the slope seepage field.

For urban waterlogging alleviation, green infrastructures have been widely concerned. How to carry out scientific green infrastructure planning becomes an important issue in flood control and disaster relief. Based on historical media records of urban waterlogging from 2017 to 2020 and combined with variables about topography, land cover and socioeconomics, we used the Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN) to conduct urban waterlogging susceptibility assessment and simulate the risk of waterlogging in different scenarios of green land configuration in Shenzhen. The results showed that: (1) high proportions of impervious surface and population could increase the risks in Luohu and Futian districts, followed by Nanshan and Baoan districts, while high proportions of green space could effectively reduce the risks in southeastern Shenzhen; (2) urban waterlogging in Luohu and Futian districts can be alleviated by strengthening green infrastructure construction while Longgang and Longhua districts should make comprehensive use of other flood prevention methods; (3) turning existing urban green space into impervious surfaces would increase the risks of waterlogging, which is more evident in places with high proportions of green space such as Dapeng and Yantian districts. The effectiveness of green infrastructures varies in different spatial locations. Therefore, more attention should be paid to protecting existing green spaces than cultivating more green infrastructures in urban waterlogging alleviation.

Enriching Asian perspectives on the rapid identification of urban poverty and its implications for housing inequality, this paper contributes empirical evidence about the utility of image features derived from high-resolution satellite imagery and machine learning approaches for identifying urban poverty in China at the community level. For the case of the Jiangxia District and Huangpi District of Wuhan, image features, including perimeter, line segment detector (LSD), Hough transform, gray-level cooccurrence matrix (GLCM), histogram of oriented gradients (HoG), and local binary patterns (LBP), are calculated, and four machine learning approaches and 25 variables are applied to identify urban poverty and relatively important variables. The results show that image features and machine learning approaches can be used to identify urban poverty with the best model performance with a coefficient of determination, R2, of 0.5341 and 0.5324 for Jiangxia and Huangpi, respectively, although some differences exist among the approaches and study areas. The importance of each variable differs for each approach and study area; however, the relatively important variables are similar. In particular, four variables achieved relatively satisfactory prediction results for all models and presented obvious differences in varying communities with different poverty levels. Housing inequality within low-income neighborhoods, which is a response to gaps in wealth, income, and housing affordability among social groups, is an important manifestation of urban poverty. Policy makers can implement these findings to rapidly identify urban poverty, and the findings have potential applications for addressing housing inequality and proving the rationality of urban planning for building a sustainable society.

In this paper, the vibration analysis of a partially constrained layer damping plate subjected to moving loads is investigated. In addition, the first four order damping loss factor of the system is optimized with the location of partially constrained layer damping as a design variable. The equations of motion of a partially constrained layer damping plate are derived through the Lagrange equation based on first order shear deformation theory (FSDT). Next, using an extended Rayleigh–Ritz solution together with the penalty method expresses the unknown displacement terms, and the differential quadrature method is proposed to obtain the dynamic response of the system in the time domain. A multi-population genetic algorithm (MPGA) is employed to deal with the optimization of the damping loss factor of a partially constrained layer damping plate. To ensure the accuracy of the method presented in this study, the numerical results are comprehensively verified by experiments and open literature. The optimization results show that the damping loss factor increases when the position of the patch is close to the constraint boundary, and the best strategy is to optimize the low order damping loss factor of the system under moving loads. It is believed that the research results are of interest to engineering science.

The causes of the pan-evaporation decline have been debated, and few researches have been carried out on the possible effect of local land use and land cover change on the regional pan-observation data series. In this paper, the urbanization effect on the estimate of pan-evaporation trends over 1961–2017 was examined for the data series of 331 urban stations, applying a previously developed dataset of the reference stations, in seven large river basins of the China mainland. The trends of pan-evaporation difference series (transformed to anomaly percentage) between urban stations and reference stations were negative and statistically significant in all of the basins, indicating that urbanization significantly reduced the pan-evaporation. The urbanization-induced trend in the whole study region was −2.54%/decade for the urban stations. Except for the Yellow River Basin and the upper Yangtze River Basin, the urbanization effects in the other five large river basins of the country are all significant, with the mid and low reaches of the Yangtze River and the Songhua River registering the largest urbanization effects of −4.08%/decade and −4.06%/decade, respectively. Since the trends of regional average series for reference stations across half of the river basins are not statistically significant, the urbanization effect is a dominant factor for the observed decline in pan-evaporation. This finding would deepen our understanding of the regional and basin-wide change in pan-evaporation observed over the last decades.

Multisource satellite remote sensing data and the World Ocean Atlas 2018 (WOA18) temperature and salinity dataset have been used to analyze the spatial distribution, variability and possible forcing mechanisms of the upwelling off Manaung Island, Myanmar. Signals of upwelling exist off the coasts of Manaung Island, in western Myanmar during spring. It appears in February, reaches its peak in March and decays in May. Low-temperature (31.8 psu) water at the surface of this upwelling zone is caused by the upwelling of seawater from a depth below 100 m. The impact of the upwelling on temperature is more significant in the subsurface layer than that in the surface layer. In contrast, the impact of the upwelling on salinity in the surface layer is more significant. Further research reveals that the remote forcing from the equator predominantly induces the evolution of the upwelling, while the local wind forcing also contributes to strengthen the intensity of the upwelling during spring.

The overexpression of cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR) in human cancers led to the development of radiolabeled minigastrin analogues for targeted radionuclide therapy, which aims to deliver cytotoxic radiation specifically to cancer cells. Alpha emitters (e.g., actinium-225) possess high potency in cancer cell-killing and hold promise for the treatment of malignant tumors. In these preclinical studies, we developed and evaluated CCKBR-targeted alpha particle therapy. The cellular uptake and cytotoxic effect of actinium-225 labeled and HPLC-purified minigastrin analogue [225Ac]Ac-PP-F11N were characterized in the human squamous cancer A431 cells transfected with CCKBR. Nude mice bearing A431/CCKBR tumors were used for biodistribution and therapy studies followed by histological analysis and SPECT/CT imaging. In vitro, [225Ac]Ac-PP-F11N showed CCKBR-specific and efficient internalization rate and potent cytotoxicity. The biodistribution studies of [225Ac]Ac-PP-F11N revealed CCKBR-specific uptake in tumors, whereas the therapeutic studies demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth and extended mean survival time, without apparent toxicity. The histological analysis of kidney and stomach indicated no severe adverse effects after [225Ac]Ac-PP-F11N administration. The post-therapy SPECT-CT images with [111In]In-PP-F11N confirmed no CCKBR-positive tumor left in the mice with complete remission. In conclusion, our study demonstrates therapeutic efficacy of [225Ac]Ac-PP-F11N without acute radiotoxicity in CCKBR-positive cancer model.

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) occultation receiver onboard the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES) can provide dual-frequency observations for both GPS and BDS-2 satellites. In this study, the data quality and orbit determination performance of the CSES are assessed. Severe data loss of about 30% is observed in GPS P2/L2 data, resulting in only 11% of epochs possessing six to eight useful GPS satellites. Due to fewer channels being allocated for BDS signals, less than 5% of epochs have more than three useful BDS satellites. Precise orbit determination (POD) of CSES is firstly carried out using GPS data. The results indicate that the orbit overlap differences improved from 3.65 cm to 2.8 cm in 3D root mean square (RMS) by antenna phase center correction. CSES orbits are then derived from the BDS only, and combined GPS and BDS data. BDS-based POD indicates that adding BDS geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellites could dramatically degrade the orbit accuracy. When excluding BDS GEO satellites, the orbit overlap differences of BDS-based and combined POD are 23.68 cm and 2.73 cm in 3D, respectively, while the differences compared with GPS-based POD are 14.83 cm and 1.05 cm, respectively. The results suggest that the obtained orbit can satisfy centimeter-level requirements. Given that large GPS tracking losses occurred and few channels are allocated for BDS signals, it is expected that POD performance can be further improved by increasing the number of dual-frequency observations.

Background: Drug resistance is one of the most prevalent causes of death in advanced prostate cancer patients. Combination therapies that target cancer cells via different mechanisms to overcome resistance have gained increased attention in recent years. However, the optimal drug combinations and the underlying mechanisms are yet to be fully explored. Aim and methods: The aim of this study is to investigate drug combinations that inhibit the growth of drug-resistant cells and determine the underlying mechanisms of their actions. In addition, we also established cell lines that are resistant to combination treatments and tested new compounds to overcome the phenomenon of double drug-resistance. Results: Our results show that the combination of enzalutamide (ENZ) and docetaxel (DTX) effectively inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells that are resistant to either drug alone. The downregulation of transcription factor E2F1 plays a crucial role in cellular inhibition in response to the combined therapy. Notably, we found that the androgen receptor (AR) variant AR3 (a.k.a. AR-V7), but not AR full length (AR-FL), positively regulates E2F1 expression in these cells. E2F1 in turn regulates AR3 and forms a positive regulatory feedforward loop. We also established double drug-resistant cell lines that are resistant to ENZ+DTX combination therapy and found that the expression of both AR3 and E2F1 was restored in these cells. Furthermore, we identified that auranofin, an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, overcame drug resistance and inhibited the growth of drug-resistant prostate cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion and significance: This proof-of-principle study demonstrates that targeting the E2F1/AR3 feedforward loop via a combination therapy or a multi-targeting drug could circumvent castration resistance in prostate cancer.

Two new acylated flavonol glycosides named kaempferol-3-O-(2-O-sinapoyl)-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (1) and quercetin-3-O-(6-O-benzoyl)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-galactopyranoside-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (2), were isolated together with six known compounds from the seeds of L. sativum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. In vitro 1 and 2 inhibited nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, with IC50 values of 25.36 and 25.08 µM, respectively.

Land surface temperature (LST) is an important parameter in the study of the physical processes of land surface. Understanding the surface temperature lapse rate (TLR) can help to reveal the characteristics of mountainous climates and regional climate change. A methodology was developed to calculate and analyze land-surface TLR in China based on grid datasets of MODIS LST and digital elevation model (DEM), with a formula derived on the basis of the analysis of the temperature field and the height field, an image enhancement technique used to calculate gradient, and the fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering applied to identify the seasonal pattern of the TLR. The results of the analysis through the methodology showed that surface temperature vertical gradient inversion widely occurred in Northeast, Northwest, and North China in winter, especially in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, the northern and the western parts of the Greater Khingan Mountains, the Lesser Khingan Mountains, and the northern area of Northwest and North China. Summer generally witnessed the steepest TLR among the four seasons. The eastern Tibetan Plateau showed a distinctive seasonal pattern, where the steepest TLR happened in winter and spring, with a shallower TLR in summer. Large seasonal variations of TLR could be seen in Northeast China, where there was a steep TLR in spring and summer and a strong surface temperature vertical gradient inversion in winter. The smallest seasonal variation of TLR happened in Central and Southwest China, especially in the Ta-pa Mountains and the Qinling Mountains. The TLR at very high altitudes (>5 km) was usually steeper than at low altitudes, in all months of the year.

High precision real-time orbit of navigation satellites are usually predicted based on batch estimation solutions, which is highly dependent on the accuracy of the dynamic model. However, for the BDS satellites, the accuracy and reliability of the predicted orbit usually decrease due to the inaccurate dynamic model or orbit maneuvers. To improve this situation, the sequential estimation Square Root Information Filtering (SRIF) was applied to determine the real-time BDS orbits. In the filter algorithm, usually a long period is required for the orbit to converge to the final accuracy, due to lake of accurate initial state. This paper focuses on the impact of the initial state with different a priori Standard Deviation (STD) on the BDS orbit convergence performance in both normal and abnormal periods. For the normal period, the Ultra-Rapid (UR) orbit products and the Broadcast Ephemerides (BRDC) used as initial orbits are discussed respectively. For the abnormal period, orbit maneuver is analyzed. Experimental results show that a proper a priori STD of initial state can significantly accelerate the orbit convergence, while a loose a priori STD takes more than 10 h to converge in the radial direction for the BDS GEO/IGSO/MEO satellites. When the UR orbit product is used as the initial orbit, the orbit of the IGSO/MEO satellites can converge to decimeter-level immediately. When the BRDC product is used, the accuracy of meter-level can be obtained for the IGSO/MEO immediately, and converge to decimeter-level in about 6 h. For the period after the orbit maneuver, the real-time orbit accuracy can reach meter-level in about 6 h after the first group of broadcast ephemerides is received.

The nanoscale surface topography of biomaterials can have strong effects on protein adsorption. While there are numerous surface statistical parameters for the characterization of nanorough surfaces, none of them alone provides a complete description of surface morphology. Herein, a selection of nanorough titanium oxide surfaces has been fabricated with root-mean-square roughness ( Sq ) values below 2.7 nm but very different surface morphologies. The adsorption of the proteins myoglobin (MGB), bovine serum albumin (BSA), and thyroglobulin (TGL) at these surfaces was investigated in situ by ellipsometry to assess the importance of six of the most common surface statistical parameters. For BSA adsorption, both protein film thickness and time constant of adsorption were found to scale linearly with Sq s. For TGL, however, the same adsorption characteristics depend linearly on the surface skewness ( Ssk ), which we attribute to the rather extreme size of this protein. Finally, a mixed behavior is observed for MGB adsorption, showing different linear correlations with Sq and Ssk . These results demonstrate the importance of a thorough morphological characterization of the surfaces employed in protein adsorption and possibly also cell adhesion studies.