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Phenols are highly toxic chemicals that are extensively used in industry and produce large amounts of emissions. Notably, phenols released into the soil are highly persistent, causing long-term harm to human health and the environment. In this study, a gram-positive, aerobic, and rod-shaped bacterial strain, Z13T, with efficient phenol degradation ability, was isolated from the soil of sugarcane fields. Based on the physiological properties and genomic features, strain Z13T is considered as a novel species of the genus Rhodococcus, for which the name Rhodococcus sacchari sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Z13T (= CCTCC AB 2022327T = JCM 35797T). This strain can use phenol as its sole carbon source. Z13T was able to completely degrade 1200 mg/L phenol within 20 h; the maximum specific growth rate was μmax = 0.93174 h−1, and the maximum specific degradation rate was qmax = 0.47405 h−1. Based on whole-genome sequencing and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, strain Z13T contains a series of phenol degradation genes, including dmpP, CatA, dmpB, pcaG, and pcaH, and can metabolize aromatic compounds. Moreover, the potential of strain Z13T for soil remediation was investigated by introducing Z13T into simulated phenol-contaminated soil, and the soil microbial diversity was analyzed. The results showed that 100% of the phenol in the soil was removed within 7.5 d. Furthermore, microbial diversity analysis revealed an increase in the relative species richness of Oceanobacillus, Chungangia, and Bacillus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, by integrating the advantages of multi-granulation fuzzy rough set (MGFRS) and variable precision fuzzy rough set (VPFRS), we introduce a new model of multi-granulation granular variable precision fuzzy rough set (MGVPFRS) and study its basic properties. The new model includes three basic models: optimistic, pessimistic, and compromise variable precision model, so it has better tolerance and diversity. Later, by combining MGVPFRS with traditional TOPSIS method, we propose a novel multi-criteria decision-making method (MCDM). In which, MGVPFRS is applicable to acquire criterion weights. This acquisition method is more convincing, because the criteria weights are computed, not given by experts. Finally, we apply our novel method to the challenging bone graft selection problem. Through a series of experiments and comparative analysis, the validity and reliability of our model are tested. In particular, the three strategies of optimism, pessimism, and compromise enable doctors and patients to make decisions according to their personal preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenols are highly toxic chemicals that are extensively used in industry and produce large amounts of emissions. Notably, phenols released into the soil are highly persistent, causing long-term harm to human health and the environment. In this study, a gram-positive, aerobic, and rod-shaped bacterial strain, Z13T, with efficient phenol degradation ability, was isolated from the soil of sugarcane fields. Based on the physiological properties and genomic features, strain Z13T is considered as a novel species of the genus Rhodococcus, for which the name Rhodococcus sacchari sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Z13T (= CCTCC AB 2022327T = JCM 35797T). This strain can use phenol as its sole carbon source. Z13T was able to completely degrade 1200 mg/L phenol within 20 h; the maximum specific growth rate was μmax = 0.93174 h−1, and the maximum specific degradation rate was qmax = 0.47405 h−1. Based on whole-genome sequencing and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, strain Z13T contains a series of phenol degradation genes, including dmpP, CatA, dmpB, pcaG, and pcaH, and can metabolize aromatic compounds. Moreover, the potential of strain Z13T for soil remediation was investigated by introducing Z13T into simulated phenol-contaminated soil, and the soil microbial diversity was analyzed. The results showed that 100% of the phenol in the soil was removed within 7.5 d. Furthermore, microbial diversity analysis revealed an increase in the relative species richness of Oceanobacillus, Chungangia, and Bacillus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic liquids (ILs) are widely adopted as lubricating materials in engineering fields for steel sliding contacts, and the adsorption structure and kinematic state of friction surfaces are crucial for understanding the improvement of tribological properties in experiments. In this study, we employed molecular dynamics methods to examine the structure and shear dynamics of five ILs with the same cationic triethanolamine paired with carboxylate anions of different alkyl chain length, confined between two crystalline iron surfaces. The results show that the chain length of anions influence the quantity of hydrogen bonds formed, the distribution on the iron surfaces, the thickness of the adsorption layers during the sliding process and the overall motion state. Under elastohydrodynamic lubrication conditions, ILs with longer alkyl chain exhibit less friction on a macroscopic scale due to the weaker hydrogen bonds between the anions and cations, the formation of thicker adsorption layers between sliding surfaces, and the overall pronounced layering phenomenon. These atomic insights into the structure and state of motion during friction can help promote the use of ILs as lubricating materials in engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor neuron degeneration. The development of ALS involves metabolite alterations leading to tissue lesions in the nervous system. Recent advances in neuroimaging have significantly improved our understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of ALS, with findings supporting the corticoefferent axonal disease progression theory. Current studies on neuroimaging in ALS have demonstrated inconsistencies, which may be due to small sample sizes, insufficient statistical power, overinterpretation of findings, and the inherent heterogeneity of ALS. Deriving meaningful conclusions solely from individual imaging metrics in ALS studies remains challenging, and integrating multimodal imaging techniques shows promise for detecting valuable ALS biomarkers. In addition to giving an overview of the principles and techniques of different neuroimaging modalities, this review describes the potential of neuroimaging biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognostication of ALS. We provide an insight into the underlying pathology, highlighting the need for standardized protocols and multicenter collaborations to advance ALS research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 70% of the potash fertilizer globally is produced by the froth flotation process, in which 4-dodecylmorpholine (DMP) serves as a reverse flotation agent. As the potash fertilizer production rapidly rises, the increased DMP levels in discharged brine pose a threat to the production of high-value chemicals. In this paper, composite particles of basic magnesium sulfate@TiO2 (BMS@TiO2) were prepared using a simple and mild loading method. These particles were utilized for the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of DMP in brine. Compared with normal powdered materials, the granular BMS@TiO2 in this study can be easily separated from liquid, and the degradation intermediates will not enter the brine without causing secondary pollution. BMS@TiO2 consists of 5·1·7 phase (5Mg(OH)2·MgSO4·7H2O) whisker clusters embedding 2.3% TiO2. The adsorption equilibrium of DMP on BMS@TiO2 particles was achieved through hydrogen bonding and pore interception with the adsorption capacity of approximately 5 mg g−1 after 6 h. The photodegradation efficiency of DMP adsorbed on BMS@TiO2 reached about 92% within 16 h, which is compared with that of pure TiO2 nanoparticles. Additionally, excellent stability and recyclability of BMS@TiO2 were also observed in five cycle tests of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of DMP, and the possible photocatalytic degradation pathways and mechanism of DMP are proposed following molecular electrostatic potential analysis. This work provides a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach for eliminating organic micropollutants from water environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ketogenic diet (KD) alleviates refractory epilepsy and reduces seizures in children. However, the metabolic/cell biologic mechanisms by which the KD exerts its antiepileptic efficacy remain elusive. Herein, we report that KD-produced β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) augments brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the GABA/glutamate ratio to inhibit epilepsy. The KD ameliorated pentetrazol-induced epilepsy in mice. Mechanistically, KD-produced BHB, but not other ketone bodies, inhibited HDAC1/HDAC2, increased H3K27 acetylation, and transcriptionally upregulated SIRT4 and glutamate decarboxylase 1 (GAD1). BHB-induced SIRT4 de-carbamylated and inactivated glutamate dehydrogenase to preserve glutamate for GABA synthesis, and GAD1 upregulation increased mouse brain GABA/glutamate ratio to inhibit neuron excitation. BHB administration in mice inhibited epilepsy induced by pentetrazol. BHB-mediated relief of epilepsy required high GABA level and GABA/glutamate ratio. These results identified BHB as the major antiepileptic metabolite of the KD and suggested that BHB may serve as an alternative and less toxic antiepileptic agent than KD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) can significantly improve the turbine blades' high-temperature tolerance in turbine engines, the high surface roughness for the as-sprayed coating can have an adverse effect on engine performance. In order to reduce the roughness of the blade surface coating, for aero-engines and gas turbines blades, the industry's traditional method uses abrasive belts to polish the coating by manual pickup or robot clamping. The aero-engine blade studied in this paper, itself small size, the surface exhibits significant variations in curvature, the use of abrasive belt polishing method, difficult to control the polishing effect. For the current use of the model surface-based grid point division method, due to casting errors, the generated polishing path, and the actual blade, there is part of the accuracy error. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a polishing path planning method for surface TBCs applied to small blades of aero-engine turbines. By pre-processing and point cloud slicing the 3D point cloud of the blades, a polishing path is created using point cloud discretization and the B-spline curve fitting approach, guaranteeing that the accuracy error is within 0.1 mm. Simulation and experimental verification show that the method can reduce the surface roughness of blade coating to below Ra0.7 μm, which can meet the requirements and accuracy of polishing processing, while ensuring the effective thickness of the coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Coupling membrane is used widely in the field of power transmission for misalignment reduction between the driving and the driven shafts. Knowledge of coupling dynamics is useful for improving the coupling membrane design. Traditional intrusive frequency measurement may lead to a disturbance in the coupling operation, which could cause its mechanical failure. Methods: Here we attempt to use high-speed imaging methods in the frequency study. An industrial six-bolt coupling membrane stack has been studying on John Crane Test Rig. Of the total of 14 study cases, Cases 1 to 4 are steady torque conditions, and the rest cases are cyclic torque conditions. Imaging-based measurement proposed here has successfully detected dynamic attributes of the coupling membrane in terms of rotation frequency (fr), cyclic frequency (fc) and vibration frequency (fv). Results: At 3036 Nm the coupling membrane stack was designed to bow for preventing its mechanical failure or the shaft bending. This bowing phenomenon has been observed successfully, and it is notable that the bowing areas have strong correlations with the bowing position and the frequency (fv) is found not to vary with the steady torque accordingly, even the torque increased significantly. The results show that taking advantage of the optical intensity variation reflected by the membrane stack is found to be effective in conjunction with imaging-based measurement for frequency detection. Conclusions: Imaging-based frequency measurement has been performed on a six-bolt coupling membrane stack, experimenting on Jhon Crane Test Rig. This simulates variable torque and vibration exerting on the couplings to validate the effectiveness of the proposed frequency measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives: To characterize demographics, birth parameters, and social determinants of health among mother-infant dyads affected by neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in Pennsylvania. Methods: We linked 2018–2019 NAS surveillance data to birth record data using probabilistic methods and then geospatially linked to local social determinants of health data based on residential address. We generated descriptive statistics and used multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression to model the association between maternal characteristics, birth parameters, social determinants of health, and NAS. Results: In adjusted models maternal age > 24, non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, low educational attainment, Medicaid as payor at delivery, inadequate or no prenatal care, smoking during pregnancy, and low median household income were associated with NAS. We found no significant associations between NAS and county-level measures of clinician supply, number of substance use treatment facilities, or urban/rural designation. Conclusions for Practice: This study characterizes mother-infant dyads affected by NAS using linked non-administrative, population data for Pennsylvania. Results demonstrate a social gradient in NAS and inequity in prenatal care receipt among mothers of infants with NAS. Findings may inform implementation of state-based public health interventions. Significance: This article is the first to characterize Pennsylvania mother-infant dyads affected by NAS that is not reliant on administrative data. Findings demonstrating a social gradient in NAS and inequity in receipt of care will inform state-based public health practice to better support pregnant people using opioids. Additionally, Pennsylvania was among the first states to initiate NAS surveillance. While data are from 2018 to 2019, they represent the first datasets available, and the methods and limitations described in the article may be instructive to other jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The high proportion of HCC in CEUS LR-M decreases the sensitivity of LR-5 for the diagnosis of HCC. However, when modifying LR-M criteria to further improve the sensitivity of LR-5, it is also important not to compromise the diagnostic performance (especially sensitivity) of LR-M for non-hepatocellular carcinoma malignancies (non-HCCMs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of CEUS LI-RADS (2017 version) for non-HCCMs and to explore the impact of modified CEUS LI-RADS on the diagnostic performance of LR-M. Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with pathologically confirmed non-HCCMs were evaluated. Two radiologists independently interpreted the major CEUS features and categorized the liver lesions. New LR-M criteria were applied: early washout (< 45 s) or marked washout (< 5 min). The sensitivity values of the current and modified CEUS LR-M were assessed and then compared using a paired χ2 test. Cohen's κ was used to compare the inter-reader agreement of the LI-RADS categories. Results: A total of 131 non-HCCMs were ultimately selected, including 71 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas, 26 combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinomas, 29 metastases, and 5 other non-HCCMs. The numbers of LR-M, LR-5, LR-4, and LR-3 in liver lesions were 111, 18, 1, and 1, respectively. The inter-reader agreement of the LI-RADS categories for non-HCCMs was 0.59. The sensitivity of the current CEUS LR-M in diagnosing non-HCCMs was 84.7%. By adjusting the early washout time to < 45 s, the sensitivity of LR-M was 80.9%. By adjusting the marked washout time within 5 min, the sensitivity of LR-M was 72.5%. Conclusion: CEUS LR-M has high sensitivity in diagnosing non-HCCMs. For LR-M nodules with nonrim arterial phase hyperenhancement and early washout, advancing the time of early washout to < 45 s has a minimal impact on the sensitivity of LR-M in diagnosing non-HCCMs compared to the condition of increasing the marked washout within 5 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discover a new wave localization mechanism in a periodic wave system, which can produce a novel type of flat band and is distinct from the known localization mechanisms, i.e., Anderson localization and flat band lattices. The first example we give is a designed electron waveguide (EWG) on 2DEG with special periodic confinement potential. Numerical calculations show that, with proper confinement geometry, electrons can be completely localized in an open waveguide. We interpret this flat band localization (FBL) phenomenon by introducing the concept of self-localized orbitals. Essentially, each unit cell of the waveguide is equivalent to an artificial atom, where the self-localized orbital is a special eigenstate with unique spatial distribution. These self-localized orbitals form the flat bands in the waveguide. Such self-localized orbital induced FBL is a general phenomenon of wave motion, which can arise in any wave systems with carefully engineered boundary conditions. We then design a metallic waveguide (MWG) array to illustrate that similar FBL can be readily realized and observed with electromagnetic waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Ni(II) sandwich-like coordinated compounds were synthesized by the reaction of nickel dichloride and ten 4′-(4-substituent phenyl)-2′,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine ligands, and their structures were confirmed by elemental analysis, FT-IR, ESI–MS, solid state ultraviolet spectroscopy and X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis. Three human cancer cell lines and a normal human cell line were used for anti-proliferation potential study: human lung cancer cell line (A549), human esophageal cancer cell line (Eca-109), human liver cancer cells (Bel-7402) and normal human liver cells (HL-7702). The results show that these nickel complexes possess good inhibitory effects on the cancer cells, outperforming the commonly used clinical chemotherapy drug cisplatin. Especially, complexes 3 (-methoxyl) and 7 (-fluoro) have strong inhibitory ability against Eca-109 cell line with IC50 values of 0.223 μM and 0.335 μM, complexes 4 and 6 showed certain cell selectivity, and complex 6 can inhibit cancer cells and slightly poison normal cells when the concentration was controlled. The ability of these complexes binding to CT-DNA was studied by UV titration and CD spectroscopy, and CD spectroscopy was also used to study the secondary structural change of BSA under the action of the complexes. The binding of these complexes with DNA, DNA-Topo I and bovine serum protein has been simulated by molecular docking software, and the docking results and optimal binding conformation data showed that they interacted with DNA in the mode of embedded binding, which is consistent with the experimental results. These complexes are more inclined to move to the cleavage site when docking with DNA-Topo I, so as to play a role of enzyme cleavage, while BSA promotes the action of the complexes by binding to effective binding sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetorheological shear thickening polishing (MRSTP) was experimentally demonstrated to achieve nano-level surface quality in previous studies. The aim of work is to further investigate numerical simulation and material removal characteristics during the MRSTP process. The apparatus of magnetic field generation was designed and developed. The model of magnetic field distribution was imported to computational fluid dynamics (CFD) module to generate desired polishing environment. Polishing stress behaviors were analyzed based on various polishing parameters through the CFD simulation results. It was found that the pressure on the workpiece surface decreased with the increase of the rotational speed of the workpiece while it increased with the increase of the flow velocity of the MRSTP media. A continuous increment in shear stress on the workpiece surface was observed with the increase of the rotation speed of the workpiece and the flow velocity of the MRSTP media. Based on the characteristics of polishing pressure, material removal rate (MRR) model of MRSTP process was established. A serial of MRSTP experiments were conducted on aluminum 6061. Surface roughness (Sa) of 79.0 nm was obtained, which was improved over 77%. The simulated model and MRR model were experimentally validated. The average error between theoretical and experimental results was 4.1%. It can provide a useful guidance for the novel MRSTP process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac fibrosis is a common feature of chronic heart failure. Iroquois homeobox (IRX) family of transcription factors plays important roles in heart development; however, the role of IRX2 in cardiac fibrosis has not been clarified. Here we report that IRX2 expression is significantly upregulated in the fibrotic hearts. Increased IRX2 expression is mainly derived from cardiac fibroblast (CF) during the angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced fibrotic response. Using two CF-specific Irx2-knockout mouse models, we show that deletion of Irx2 in CFs protect against pathological fibrotic remodelling and improve cardiac function in male mice. In contrast, Irx2 gain of function in CFs exaggerate fibrotic remodelling. Mechanistically, we find that IRX2 directly binds to the promoter of the early growth response factor 1 (EGR1) and subsequently initiates the transcription of several fibrosis-related genes. Our study provides evidence that IRX2 regulates the EGR1 pathway upon Ang II stimulation and drives cardiac fibrosis. Cardiac fibrosis is a common feature of chronic heart failure, and the mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis are unclear. Here, the authors show that iroquois homeobox 2 (IRX2) regulates the early growth response factor 1 (EGR1) pathway upon fibrotic stimulation and drives cardiac fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) produces uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) to facilitate O-linked GlcNAc (O-GlcNAc) protein modifications, and subsequently enhance cell survival under lethal stresses. Transcript induced in spermiogenesis 40 (Tisp40) is an endoplasmic reticulum membrane-resident transcription factor and plays critical roles in cell homeostasis. Here, we show that Tisp40 expression, cleavage and nuclear accumulation are increased by cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Global Tisp40 deficiency exacerbates, whereas cardiomyocyte-restricted Tisp40 overexpression ameliorates I/R-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and acute cardiac injury, and modulates cardiac remodeling and dysfunction following long-term observations in male mice. In addition, overexpression of nuclear Tisp40 is sufficient to attenuate cardiac I/R injury in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistic studies indicate that Tisp40 directly binds to a conserved unfolded protein response element (UPRE) of the glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1 (GFPT1) promoter, and subsequently potentiates HBP flux and O-GlcNAc protein modifications. Moreover, we find that I/R-induced upregulation, cleavage and nuclear accumulation of Tisp40 in the heart are mediated by endoplasmic reticulum stress. Our findings identify Tisp40 as a cardiomyocyte-enriched UPR-associated transcription factor, and targeting Tisp40 may develop effective approaches to mitigate cardiac I/R injury. Cardiac I/R injury is a deleterious issue in the clinic. Here, the authors show that Tisp40 facilitates HBP flux and protein O-GlcNAcylation through binding to the promoter of GFPT1, thereby preventing cardiac I/R injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High myopia (HM) is a leading cause of visual impairment in the world. To expand the genotypic and phenotypic spectra of HM in the Chinese population, we investigated genetic variations in a cohort of 113 families with nonsyndromic early-onset high myopia from northwestern China by whole-exome sequencing, with focus on 17 known genes. Sixteen potentially pathogenic variants predicted to affect protein function in eight of seventeen causative genes for HM in fifteen (13.3%) families were revealed, including seven novel variants, c.767 + 1G > A in ARR3, c.3214C > A/p.H1072N, and c.2195C > T/p.A732V in ZNF644, c.1270G > T/p.V424L in CPSF1, c.1918G > C/p.G640R and c.2786T > G/p.V929G in XYLT1, c.601G > C/p.E201Q in P4HA2; six rare variants, c.799G > A/p.E267K in NDUFAF7, c.1144C > T/p.R382W in TNFRSF21, c.1100C > T/p.P367L in ZNF644, c.3980C > T/p.S1327L in CPSF1, c.145G > A/p.E49K and c.325G > T/p.G109W in SLC39A5; and three known variants, c.2014A > G/p.S672G and c.3261A > C/p.E1087D in ZNF644, c.605C > T/p.P202L in TNFRSF21. Ten of them were co-segregated with HM. The mean (± SD) examination age of these 15 probands was 14.7 (± 11.61) years. The median spherical equivalent was − 9.50 D (IQ − 8.75 ~ − 12.00) for the right eye and − 11.25 D (IQ − 9.25 ~ − 14.13) for the left eye. The median axial length was 26.67 mm (IQ 25.83 ~ 27.13) for the right eye and 26.25 mm (IQ 25.97 ~ 27.32) for the left eye. These newly identified genetic variations not only broaden the genetic and clinical spectra, but also offer convincing evidence that the genes ARR3, NDUFAF7, TNFRSF21, and ZNF644 contribute to hereditable HM. This work improves further understanding of molecular mechanism of HM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tooth breakage caused by microcracks at tooth root produced during gear service threatens production safety. Shot peening technology produces elastic–plastic deformation on the surface of the tooth root through the high-speed impact of projectiles. The residual stress induced by shot peening inhibits crack initiation and propagation as well as prolongs the gear service life. In this study, to optimize the shot peening process of the tooth root, the contour method is used to measure the residual stress distribution at the tooth root. A simulation model is established based on the discrete element method and finite element method (DEM-FEM) coupling method, and the effects of different projectile parameters on the residual stress distribution are studied through experimental verification. The results suggest that the greater the equivalent stiffness of the projectile impact, the greater the compressive residual stress; the greater the kinetic energy of the projectile, the greater the compression zone depth. The established shot peening simulation model provides a reference for improving the shot peening process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface defect detection is an important part of the process of product quality control in the industry. Automatic detection of surface defects based on machine learning is an up-and-coming research field, and there have been many successful cases. Deep learning has become the most suitable detection method for this task. Most algorithms require a large number of defect samples to achieve good results. However, defect samples in actual production are very limited. Although some unsupervised or semi-supervised methods can reduce training costs, their accuracy is difficult to guarantee, so they are difficult to be applied in industrial inspection. In this paper, we propose a detail-semantic guide network (DSGNet), which can achieve better result with fewer training samples. It is a two-stage neural network framework. In the first stage, we design a new semantic branch based on the modified residual shrinkage network and the proposed joined atrous spatial pyramid pooling (JASPP) module. This is the first time that residual shrinkage network is applied to defect detection and achieves good results. Also, we design a clear and efficient detail branch based on dense connection network. Specially, we propose a new detail-semantic guide module (DSGM), which can better integrate the feature information of the two branches. In the training phase, we propose a weight mask based on defect area to improve the ability of extracting small defects. We did experiments on four datasets and our method achieved excellent detection results even with only a small number of training samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) image reconstruction is emerging as a leading challenge for 3D media on the Internet and virtual reality. In this regard, compression performance in 3D technology is one of the most important issues. Various codecs such as HEVC and AV1 have been suggested to improve compression performance in 3D technology. In this study, a hybrid method based on AV1 codec combined with mathematical methods is proposed for improving the quality of this codec. In the proposed method, two AV1 compression steps are used to estimate the AV1 codec error using a linear relationship and added to the basic codec output to improve the compression performance. The proposed method shows better quality in the Cartesian form (real and imaginary parts) of the hologram in Holo and Object plane when compared to new codecs that have been proposed in the field of 3D compression. In addition, the proposed method can be used as a general compression method for 2D images. Based on simulation results, the proposed method improved the quality of reconstructed hologram by up to 63% and 5 dB in terms of BDRate and BDPSNR, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the electronic structure of double-twisted few-layer graphite (DTFLG), which consists of three few-layer graphites (FLGs), i.e., an ABA-stacked graphene multilayer, stacked with two twist angles. We consider two categories of DTFLG, the alternately and chirally twisted cases, according to the rotation direction of the two twist angles. We show that, once the middle FLG of DTFLG is not thinner than the trilayer, both types of DTFLG can remarkably host two pairs of degenerate Moiré flat bands (MFBs) at EF, twice that of the magic angle twisted bilayer graphene (TBG). The doubled MFBs of DTFLG lead to a doubled density of states (DOS) at the Fermi level EF, which implies much stronger correlation effects than TBG. The degeneracy of MFBs can be lifted by a perpendicular electric field, and the isolated MFBs have a nonzero valley Chern number. We also reveal the peculiar wave function patterns of the MFBs in DTFLG. Our results establish a new family of Moiré systems that have a much higher DOS at EF and thus possibly much stronger correlation effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gejiu ore district (~ 3.2 Mt Sn) is located in eastern Yunnan Province, southwest China, and is one of the largest Sn polymetallic ore districts in the world. Athough it has been widely studied, the petrogenesis of ore-related granites is still unclear. In this paper, we present petrological, geochemical, and geochronological data on the granites associated with the Kafang Cu–Sn deposit in the Gejiu ore district (65 Mt Cu ore at a grade of 1.2% and 32 Mt Sn ore at a grade of 0.6%). We use these data to constrain the source, evolution, oxygen fugacity, and tectonic setting of the granitic magmatism. Zircon U–Pb dating yielded an age of 82.8 ± 0.6 Ma for the Kafang granite. The high zircon δ18O values (7.45–9.74‰; mean = 8.80‰) and narrow range of εNd(t) values (–9.0 to –7.7) of the Kafang granite indicate a highly evolved S-type granite derived by partial melting of metamorphic basement rocks of the Jiangnan orogenic belt. Rayleigh fractional crystallization modeling, along with the increase in Hf and Sn contents and decrease in Eu/Eu* values of zircons, record extensive fractional crystallization, and Sn enrichment during magmatic evolution. The Kafang granite was relatively reduced, as evidenced by low zircon Ce/Ce* (10.0–366; mean = 171), (Ce/Nd)N (0.76–8.32; mean = 4.41), △FMQ (–2.5 to 1.2) values, and Fe3+-depleted biotite compositions (Fe3+/(Fe3+ + Fe2+) = 0–0.10), which were favorable for Sn mineralization but not for Cu mineralization. Copper in the Kafang deposit may not have been derived from the granite. Our results suggest that biotite and zircon geochemical compositions, particularly biotite Mg# and A/CNK values and zircon Hf contents, Eu anomalies, and Ce/Ce* and (Ce/Nd)N ratios, are robust tracers of different types of magmatic-hydrothermal ore deposits (i.e., Cu, Mo, W, and Sn). Late Cretaceous magmatism in the Gejiu region and other areas along the southern margin of South China formed an E–W-trending igneous belt that was likely related to northward subduction of the Neo-Tethyan plate rather than northwestward subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report that the twisted few layer graphite (tFL-graphite) is a new family of moiré heterostructures (MHSs), which has richer and highly tunable moiré flat band structures entirely distinct from all the known MHSs. A tFL-graphite is composed of two few-layer graphite (Bernal stacked multilayer graphene), which are stacked on each other with a small twisted angle. The moiré band structure of the tFL-graphite strongly depends on the layer number of its composed two van der Waals layers. Near the magic angle, a tFL-graphite always has two nearly flat bands coexisting with a few pairs of narrowed dispersive (parabolic or linear) bands at the Fermi level, thus, enhances the DOS at EF. This coexistence property may also enhance the possible superconductivity as been demonstrated in other multiband superconductivity systems. Therefore, we expect strong multiband correlation effects in tFL-graphite. Meanwhile, a proper perpendicular electric field can induce several isolated nearly flat bands with nonzero valley Chern number in some simple tFL-graphites, indicating that tFL-graphite is also a novel topological flat band system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free-form surface is widely applied in the manufacturing industries due to its excellent geometric characteristics. Surface finishing of free-form surface is a critical manufacturing process to meet the target quality requirement. In this work, a magnetorheological shear thickening finishing (MSTF) method was employed with the designed finishing tool and the developed MSTF media for the finishing of a typical free-form surface, i.e., Sine surface. The finishing tool was designed as a slotted cylindrical permanent magnetic pole with radial magnetization. The magnetic pole was fabricated to dominate MSTF performance of the finishing media. To obtain sufficiently large magnetic flux density and magnetic field gradients in the finishing zone, finite element analysis (FEA) was used to optimize the dimension of the finishing tool. The MSTF principle was illustrated in detail. The mathematical model of the material removal was established. Finishing experiments were conducted on the SUS304 Sine surface using the developed MSTF media. The effects of finishing parameters on surface roughness were evaluated quantitatively. The results showed that the material was uniformly removed across the entire Sine surface with over 87% improvement in surface roughness (Sa). It is quite potential for the surface finishing free-form surface in a wide manufacturing industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been confirmed to be involved in the regulation of malignant progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Our research aims to explore the role and mechanism of circTMEM59 (hsa_circ_0012634) in CRC progression. The expression of circTMEM59, miR-410-3p and Homeobox D8 (HOXD8) was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed by EdU assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay. Marker protein expression was evaluated by western blot analysis. In addition, RNA interaction was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay, RIP assay and RNA pull-down assay. CircTMEM59 was lowly expressed in CRC tumor tissues and cells. Upregulation of circTMEM59 repressed CRC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. MiR-410-3p could be sponged by circTMEM59, and its mimic also reversed the inhibition effect of circTMEM59 on CRC cell proliferation and metastasis. Also, HOXD8 was targeted by miR-410-3p, and its knockdown abolished the negative regulation of miR-410-3p inhibitor on CRC cell proliferation and metastasis. Furthermore, circTMEM59 inhibited CRC tumor growth by overexpressing HOXD8 through sponging miR-410-3p. In summary, our results demonstrated that circTMEM59 participated in the regulation of CRC progression through the miR-410-3p/HOXD8 axis, showing that circTMEM59 might be a potential target for the treatment of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preference relations are an efficient technology to derive the priority vectors for the alternatives in group decision-making. In this paper, an analysis of the existing research on group decision-making with intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations (IFPRs) indicates that IFPRs have some desirable properties similar to those in fuzzy situation. Then, generalized intuitionistic fuzzy preference relations (GIFPRs) and their consistency are proposed to model all those desirable properties. The given consistent GIFPRs are completely characterized by intuitionistic fuzzy priority vectors (IFPVs). For inconsistent GIFPRs, the novel δ -acceptable consistency and consensus are proposed to preserve the original preference information as much as possible and methods without thresholds seeking to reach the desirable requirements are provided and visualized. Some numerical examples are given to illustrate the proposed models work; and comparisons with the existing methods are also offered to demonstrate the validity, applicability and advantages of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method was developed for the determination of phosphorus (P) and iodine (I) in phosphate rock. First, the phosphate rock was digested with HCl solution to generate H3PO4, then the remaining HCl was evaporated by distillation, the generated H3PO4 reacted with NaAc to generate HAc, and HAc was evaporated by distillation finally. The processes were conducted continuously in the same apparatus; the escaping gases including HI, I2, HCl and HAc were absorbed by a diluted solution of NaOH and Na2SO3. Cl−, Ac− and I− in the absorption solution were determined by ion chromatography (IC) and the content of P in phosphate rock was confirmed according to the Ac− determination. The results showed that the optimal operating parameters were, respectively, 4.0 mol L−1 HCl, 50 ℃ and 35 min for the acid digestion of phosphate rock, 160 ℃ and 40 min for HCl evaporation, and 140 ℃ and 40 min for H3PO4 reaction and HAc evaporation (HRHE). The correlation coefficients of P and I in this method were good (R2 > 0.999), the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the measured values and the recoveries of P and I ranged from 1.28 to 7.21% and from 91.90 to 98.62%, respectively; the measured values of P and I were in good agreement with the certified reference values (CRVs) of the certified reference materials (CRMs). This method exhibits suitable accuracy and precision, with simple and mild operating conditions and is good for determining P and I in phosphate rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNA (circRNA) has been proved to be a key regulator of gastric cancer (GC) progression. Circ_0009910 was found to be highly expressed in GC and related to GC progression, but its role and mechanism in GC progression need to be further improved. Our study aims to further reveal circ_0009910 roles in GC progression and elucidate its potential molecular mechanism. The expression of circ_0009910, microRNA (miR)-361-3p, and small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide A (SNRPA) mRNA was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Protein expression was determined using western blot analysis. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were evaluated using EDU staining, transwell assay, and flow cytometry. Cell glycolysis were assessed by detecting glucose consumption, lactate production, and glycolysis-related markers protein expression. The relationship between miR-361-3p and circ_0009910 or SNRPA was confirmed by RNA pull-down assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay. In vivo experiments were performed to explore the effect of circ_0009910 silencing on GC tumorigenesis. Circ_0009910 and SNRPA were upregulated in GC tumor tissues and cells. Knockdown of circ_0009910 or SNRPA could inhibit GC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, glycolysis, and promote apoptosis. Circ_0009910 could sponge miR-361-3p, and miR-361-3p could target SNRPA. Further experiments confirmed that circ_0009910 positively regulated SNRPA by sponging miR-361-3p. Additionally, SNRPA overexpression abolished the negative regulation of circ_0009910 silencing on GC progression. Furthermore, silenced circ_0009910 also reduced GC tumorigenesis in vivo. Our data showed that circ_0009910 might be a target for GC treatment, which could promote GC proliferation, metastasis, and glycolysis by the miR-361-3p/SNRPA axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In fish, aggression has significant individual differences, and different personalities exhibit distinct behavioral performances and physiological stress responses. Under intensive culture conditions, Sebastes schlegelii juveniles display severe aggression and cannibalism, causing damage to fish welfare and economic loss. Herein, we investigated the alterations in behavioral performance and physiological stress indicators of Sebastes schlegelii juveniles with different aggressiveness. The results revealed that latency to the first movement, distance to center point, mobile frequency, and immobile frequency were significantly lower in high-aggressive individuals than low-aggressive individuals. In contrast, the immobile time was significantly higher in high-aggressive individuals compared to low-aggressive individuals. PCA was performed to identify the key parameters of fish behavior. From the results of PCA, position, motion state, and physical status could be used as behavioral screening indicators for individuals with different aggressiveness. The 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio was significantly lower in high-aggressive individuals than in low-aggressive individuals. Moreover, cortisol levels were positively correlated with immobile time, and the ratio of 5-HIAA/5-HT was significantly and positively correlated with the distance to the central point. These results suggested that individuals with different aggressiveness can be effectively distinguished in a short period of time according to behavioral factors such as position, motion state, and physical status. For a single measure, the distance to center point associated with brain monoaminergic activity may be a more direct factor. The results could be a non-invasive method to measure fish aggression and fish welfare, and then build on to improve fish welfare and enhance aquaculture management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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DNAJ proteins function as co-chaperones of HSP70 and play key roles in cell physiology to promote protein folding and degradation, especially under environmental stress. Based on our previous study on HSP70, a systematic study of DNAJ was performed in sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus using the transcriptomic and genomic data, identifying 43 AjDNAJ genes, including six AjDNAJA genes, eight AjDNAJB genes, and 29 AjDNAJC genes. Slight expansion and conserved genomic structure were observed using the phylogenetic and syntenic analysis. Differential period-specific and tissue-specific expression patterns of AjDNAJs were observed between adult and juvenile individuals during aestivation. Strong tissue-specific expression correlations between AjDNAJ and AjHSP70 genes were found, indicating that the involvements of AjHSP70IVAs in the aestivation of sea cucumbers were regulated by AjDNAJs. Several key genes with significant expression correlations, such as AjDNAJB4L and AjHSP70IVAs, were suggested to function together under heat stress. Together, these findings provide early insight into the involvement of AjDNAJs in the aestivation and their roles as co-chaperones of AjHSP70s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optic pathway glioma (OPG) is a rare brain tumor affecting children, with no standard treatment strategy. This study described the sporadic OPG survival outcomes after surgical treatment and analyzed the role of imaging features and resection status in children receiving different adjuvant treatments. This retrospective study included 165 OPG patients whose clinical information were obtained from the hospital record system. Tumor volume and residual tumor volume were calculated by delineating the lesion area. Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model were conducted to analyze the independent prognosis factor. A total of 165 patients were included in this study. Respectively, the 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 87.58% and 77.87%. Residual tumor size and first adjuvant treatment (AT) after surgery were both associated with PFS. In patients with small-size residual tumors, there was no significant difference in PFS between the AT treatment groups. Moreover, age, exophytic cystic components, leptomeningeal metastases, and AT were associated with OS. In patients with exophytic cystic components and those with leptomeningeal metastases, there was no significant difference in OS. Our results revealed that OPG patients could avoid or defer AT by maximized resection. Age ≤ 2 years was a disadvantageous factor for OS. Patients with exophytic cystic components were more likely to benefit from primary surgery, and CT or RT was not beneficial for these patients. Patients with leptomeningeal metastases had a poor prognosis regardless of the treatment they received. Future prospective clinical studies are needed to develop more effective treatment regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the diagnostic performance and interreader agreement of CEUS LI-RADS in diagnosing ≤ 30 mm liver nodules with different experienced radiologists. Methods: Between January 2018 and October 2020, 244 patients at high-risk for HCC who underwent CEUS were enrolled. Two novice radiologists and two expert radiologists independently evaluated LI-RADS categories and main features. Kappa (κ) and Kendall's tests were employed to evaluate the interreader agreement of CEUS LI-RADS. The diagnostic performance was determined based on sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV and NPV. Results: The interreader agreement for arterial phase hyperenhancement, late and mild washout, early washout, and rim hyperenhancement was moderate to almost perfect (κ, 0.44–0.93) among the different levels of radiologists. The interreader agreement for the LI-RADS categories was substantial to almost perfect (κ, 0.78–0.88). However, the interreader agreement for marked washout was fair to moderate (κ, 0.28–0.50). When CEUS LR-5 was used as a diagnostic criterion for HCC, there were no statistical differences in sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV and NPV among the radiologists (p > 0.05), except for the differences between Reader 4 and the remaining three radiologists in terms of accuracy and sensitivity (p < 0.05). Conclusion: CEUS LI-RADS has good diagnostic agreement for ≤ 30 mm liver nodules among experienced radiologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A novel snapback-free RC-LIGBT with integrated self-biased N-MOSFET is proposed and investigated by simulation. The device features an integrated self-biased N-MOSFET(ISM) on the anode active region. One side of the ISM is shorted to the P + anode electrode of RC-LIGBT and the other side is connected to the N + anode via a floating ohmic contact. The adaptively turn-on/off of the ISM contributes to improve the static and dynamic performance of the ISM RC-LIGBT. In the forward-state, due to the off-state of the ISM, the snapback could be effectively suppressed without requiring extra device area compared to the SSA (separated shorted anode) and STA (segmented trenches in the anode) LIGBTs. In the reverse conduction, the ISM is turned on and the parasitic NPN in the ISM is punched through, which provides a current path for the reverse current. Meanwhile, during the turn-off and reverse recovery states, the ISM turns on, providing a rapid electron extraction path. Thus, a superior tradeoff between the on-state voltage drop (Von) and turnoff loss (Eoff) as well as an improved reverse recovery characteristic can be obtained. Compared to the STA device, the proposed ISM RC-LIGBT reduces Eoff by 21.5% without snapback. Its reverse recovery charge is reduced by 53.7%/58.6% compared to that of the SSA LIGBT with Lb = 40/60 μm at the same Von. Due to the prominent static and dynamic characteristic, the power loss of ISM RC-LIGBT in a completed switching cycle is reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the treatments for postparalysis facial synkinesis are still inadequate. However, neuroimaging mechanistic studies are very limited and blurred. Instead of mapping activation regions, we were devoted to characterizing the organizational features of brain regions to develop new targets for therapeutic intervention. Eighteen patients with unilateral facial synkinesis and 19 healthy controls were enrolled. They were instructed to perform task functional magnetic resonance imaging (eye blinking and lip pursing) examinations and resting-state scans. Then, we characterized group differences in task-state fMRI to identify three foci, including the contralateral precentral gyrus (PreCG), supramarginal gyrus (SMG), and superior parietal gyrus (SPG). Next, we employed a novel approach (using dynamic causal modeling) to identify directed connectivity differences between groups in different modes. Significant patterns in multiple regions in terms of regionally specific actions following synkinetic movements were demonstrated, although the resting state was not significant. The couplings from the SMG to the PreCG (p = 0.03) was significant in the task of left blinking, whereas the coupling from the SMG to the SPG (p = 0.04) was significant in the task of left smiling. We speculated that facial synkinesis affects disruption among the brain networks, and specific couplings that are modulated simultaneously can compensate for motor deficits. Therefore, behavioral or brain stimulation technique treatment could be applied to alter reorganization within specific couplings in the rehabilitation of facial function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "A Path Planning Method for Polishing Thermal Barrier Coatings on the Surface of Aero-Engine Blades Based on Point Cloud Slicing" published in the Journal of Thermal Spray Technology. The correction states that the original article had an incorrect order of authors, and provides the correct order as Wei Han Zhang, Zhen Hua Cai, Ting Yang Chen, Xin Yang Wang, Dong Bo Qu, and Zhen Hua Ma. The original article has been updated to reflect this correction. The publisher, Springer Nature, remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

It is of significance to elucidate the groundwater quality and hydrogeochemical processes for sustainable utilization of groundwater resources in water shortage regions. A total of 256 groundwater samples were collected in typical watersheds in Zhangjiakou, northern China. The hydrochemical parameters, conventional ions, and trace elements were measured, and δD and δ18O data were collected to delineate the groundwater quality and hydrogeochemical processes. The results showed that 32.91% of the groundwater could be directly used for drinking water sources in the Bashang Plateau, north of the study area. The F− and NO3−-N were the main parameters above the standard threshold for drinking water. In contrast, the groundwater quality in the Baxia River Basins, south of the study area, was of a better scenario. Nonetheless, high concentrations of F−, total hardness, and SO42− were still observed. Most samples in the Bashang Plateau had relatively higher salinity than the Baxia River Basins. Both surface water and groundwater in the study area originated from local meteoric water with considerable hydraulic connections. The high-fluoride groundwater was primarily formed by dissolution of fluoride-rich minerals under conditions of high pH and Na+, low Ca2+, and rich in HCO3−. The dissolution of carbonate and silicate minerals accompanied by strong cation exchange and weak evaporation was the dominant water-rock interaction affecting the hydrochemical composition of groundwater, and anthropogenic NO3− input had an extra influence on hydrochemical process. This study provides a scientific guideline for the protection and allocation of local groundwater resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac endothelium communicates closely with adjacent cardiac cells by multiple cytokines and plays critical roles in regulating fibroblasts proliferation, activation, and collagen synthesis during cardiac fibrosis. E26 transformation-specific (ETS)-related gene (ERG) belongs to the ETS transcriptional factor family and is required for endothelial cells (ECs) homeostasis and cardiac development. This study aims at investigating the potential role and molecular basis of ERG in fibrotic remodeling within the adult heart. We observed that ERG was abundant in murine hearts, especially in cardiac ECs, but decreased during cardiac fibrosis. ERG knockdown within murine hearts caused spontaneously cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction, accompanied by the activation of multiple Smad-dependent and independent pathways. However, the direct silence of ERG in cardiac fibroblasts did not affect the expression of fibrotic markers. Intriguingly, ERG knockdown in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) promoted the secretion of endothelin-1 (ET-1), which subsequently accelerated the proliferation, phenotypic transition, and collagen synthesis of cardiac fibroblasts in a paracrine manner. Suppressing ET-1 with either a neutralizing antibody or a receptor blocker abolished ERG knockdown-mediated deleterious effect in vivo and in vitro. This pro-fibrotic effect was also negated by RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp)-peptide magnetic nanoparticles target delivery of ET-1 small interfering RNA to ECs in mice. More importantly, we proved that endothelial ERG overexpression notably prevented pressure overload-induced cardiac fibrosis. Collectively, endothelial ERG alleviates cardiac fibrosis via blocking ET-1-dependent paracrine mechanism and it functions as a candidate for treating cardiac fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggressive behavior is important for animals to obtain limited resources. Understanding fish behavior and physiological response is of great significance to evaluate aquaculture production and fish welfare. Food is an important trigger of aggressive behavior in juvenile fish under high-density aquaculture conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the aggressive behavior and monoamine levels of juvenile pufferfish (mean body mass of 6.29 ± 0.33 g) under normal feeding and restricted feeding. Our main results included the following: (1) The mortality and fin damage were higher and aggression was more intense of juvenile pufferfish at the 1% ration than those of the 3% ration; (2) during feeding, the velocity, body contact, and activity at the 1% ration were significantly higher than that of the 3% ration; (3) the concentrations of brain 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) at the 1% ration were significantly lower, and dopamine (DA) concentrations were significantly higher. These results suggest that juvenile pufferfish shows serious aggressive behavior at the low ration, which may be related to the decrease of 5-HIAA and MAOA concentrations, and the increase of DA concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpine meadow plants, adapted to humid and cold environments, are highly sensitive to environmental factors such as drought and heat. However, the physiological responses of individual alpine meadow species to drought and heat stress remain unclear. In this study, four representative species of typical functional groups in an alpine meadow of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were selected as experimental materials. Heat (H1, H2), drought (D1, D2), and combined stress (D1H1, D2H2) treatments were implemented to reveal the biomass and physiological characteristics' response to a constant drought and heat environment. Our results showed that the leaf water content (LWC) of Kobresia humilis and Poa annua increased significantly under heat stress and the compound stress (P<0.05). The effect of a single factor on LWC was greater than that of multiple factors. The aboveground biomass (AGB) of Oxytropis ochrocephala and Saussurea pulchra decreased significantly under compound stress (P<0.05). The response patterns of the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and transpiration rate (Tr) of K. humilis and P. annua under various stress treatments were similar; as were those of O. ochrocephala and S. pulchra. The stomatal conductance (Gs) variation in K. humilis, P. annua, O. ochrocephala, and S. pulchra were the same under three kinds of stress treatments. The photosynthetic characteristics were more sensitive to the effects of composite than those of single factors. The drought × heat × species treatment had a significant influence on various indexes except on height (Ht) and the belowground biomass (BGB) (P<0.01). Within a certain range, daytime temperature (DT) promoted the Ht and increased the LWC of the plants, while it inhibited their AGB and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci). The Pn, Tr, and Gs were more sensitive to soil moisture than to DT. The results help improve understanding of the physiological response regularity of representative alpine meadow plant species to continuous drought and high temperature conditions at the species level, and provided experimental data and theoretical basis to identify the decisive factors of stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]