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Abstract Hormonal changes in pregnant and lactating women significantly affect bone metabolism and overall stress levels, positioning them as a unique group within the orthodontic population. Fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone, prolactin, and other hormones are closely linked to bone remodeling and the periodontal tissue’s response to inflammation caused by dental plaque. Hormones such as thyrotropin, leptin, and melatonin also play crucial roles in pregnancy and bone remodeling, with potential implications for orthodontic tooth movement. Additionally, adverse personal behaviors and changes in dietary habits worsen periodontal conditions and complicate periodontal maintenance during orthodontic treatment. Notably, applying orthodontic force during pregnancy and lactation may trigger stress responses in the endocrine system, altering hormone levels. However, these changes do not appear to adversely affect the mother or fetus. This review comprehensively examines the interaction between hormone levels and orthodontic tooth movement in pregnant and lactating women, offering insights to guide clinical practice.

Abstract Immune evasion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) facilitates intracellular bacterial growth. The mechanisms of immune evasion, however, are still not fully understood. In this study, we reveal that tristetraprolin (TTP), one of the best characterized RNA‐binding proteins controlling the stability of targeted mRNAs, mediates innate immune evasion of mycobacteria. We found that TTP knockout mice displayed reduced bacterial burden in the early stage after Mtb aerosol challenge. Macrophages deficient in TTP also showed an inhibition in intracellular mycobacterial growth. Live mycobacteria induced TTP protein expression in macrophages, which was blocked by the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin. Rapamycin and AZD8055 specifically blocked 4EBP1 phosphorylation in infected macrophages and suppressed intracellular BCG growth. Rapamycin promoted TTP protein degradation through the ubiquitination pathway, whereas the proteasome inhibitor MG‐132 blocked rapamycin function and thus stabilized TTP protein. TTP induction suppressed the expression of iNOS/TNF‐α/IL‐12/IL‐23, and weakened protective immune responses in macrophages, whereas rapamycin enhanced the bactericidal effects through TTP inhibition. Moreover, blocking TTP binding increased the expression of TNF‐α and iNOS and suppressed intracellular mycobacterial growth. Overall, our study reveals a novel role for RNA‐binding protein TTP in Mtb immune evasion mechanisms and provides a potential target for host‐directed therapy against tuberculosis (TB).

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed severe threats to global sustainable development. However, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of the impacts of COVID-19 on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is still lacking. This research quantified the post-COVID-19 SDG progress from 2020 to 2024 using projected GDP growth and population and machine learning models including support vector machine, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting. The results show that the overall SDG performance declined by 7.7% in 2020 at the global scale, with 12 socioeconomic SDG performance decreasing by 3.0%–22.3% and 4 environmental SDG performance increasing by 1.6%–9.2%. By 2024, the progress of 12 SDGs will lag behind for one to eight years compared to their pre-COVID-19 trajectories, while extra time will be gained for 4 environment-related SDGs. Furthermore, the pandemic will cause more impacts on countries in emerging markets and developing economies than those on advanced economies, and the latter will recover more quickly to be closer to their pre-COVID-19 trajectories by 2024. Post-COVID-19 economic recovery should emphasize in areas that can help decouple economic growth from negative environmental impacts. The results can help government and non-state stakeholders identify critical areas for targeted policy to resume and speed up the progress to achieve SDGs by 2030.

Mg–1Mn alloy, extruded at a low temperature in our published protocol, contributed to the intensified basal texture and extremely refined microstructure with spheroidal nanoscale precipitates dispersing throughout the matrix and along the grain boundaries, consequently resulting in the excellent mechanical properties where the alloy exhibited a tensile yield strength of 204.3 MPa and a ductility of 38.8% at room temperature. Therefore, Mg–1Mn alloy was recommended as one of the potential materials for structural applications. In the present investigation, hot deformation behavior through constitutive analysis and extrusion temperature-dependent microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of as-extruded Mg–1Mn alloy were investigated, aiming at revealing how extrusion temperature affected microstructure, texture, and mechanical properties of as-extruded Mg–1Mn alloy. X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrated that phase components of the experimental alloys consisted of the α-Mg matrix and Mn precipitates. Optical microscopy images indicated a significant increase in average grain size of the alloys as the extrusion temperature increasing from 250 °C to 400 °C. Scanning electron microscopy graphics revealed that coarsened particles identified as Mn precipitates by EDS were observed within the matrix when extrusion temperature reached 400 °C. Inverse pole figure maps of the experimental samples subjected to different extrusion temperatures in the present work exhibited the typical basal texture, suggesting that basal slip was activated hardly during the tensile stress applied along the extrusion direction. Consequently, extrusion temperature displayed the significant impact on microstructure, texture, and mechanical properties of as-extruded Mg–1Mn alloy. The alloy extruded at both 250 °C and 300 °C exhibited the strong basal texture and refined microstructure with spheroidal nanoscale precipitates dispersing within the matrix and along the grain boundaries, which contributed to their excellent comprehensive mechanical properties. The alloy extruded at 400 °C possessed the typical basal texture and coarsened microstructure, leading to the extremely poor mechanical properties. Simultaneously, the constitutive model of the Arrhenius equation based on Zener-Hollomon parameters was also established in the present investigation. Therefore, optimizing the extrusion temperature to regulate the microstructure, grain orientation distribution, and morphology of precipitates was considered as one of the effective approaches for achieving the excellent mechanical properties of Mg alloys.

For the collaborative treatment and resource utilization of an industrial coke oven on municipal solid waste (MSW), this study used MSW to prepare refuse-derived fuel (RDF). The influence of different mix ratio between RDF and coal on coking products was considered, and technical and economic analyses were conducted. The results showed that under the low mixture ratio (3%), the pyrolytic carbon obtained basically met the class III standard of metallurgical carbon. In the experiment of medium mixture ratio (25%, 30%, 35%), the product contained a certain amount of calorific value, lower than that of the metallurgical coke. It might be that the ash content increased, and such product can be used for civil coke or chemical coke. When the mixture ratio was 100%, the calorific value of pyrolysis carbon was 7.53 MJ/kg, representing 25.7% of the calorific value of ordinary coke. The gas production rate of the discharged gas was 0.35, and the calorific value is 14.0 MJ/kg, reaching 73.6% of the coke oven gas. Under the condition of no coal input, the MSW was converted into usable energy. The results demonstrated that coke oven pyrolysis with 100% RDF addition is the most feasible way to recycle resources and energy.

Abstract Accelerating efforts for the Sustainable Development Goals requires understanding their synergies and trade-offs at the national and sub-national levels, which will help identify the key hurdles and opportunities to prioritize them in an indivisible manner for a country. Here, we present the importance of the 17 goals through synergy and trade-off networks. Our results reveal that 19 provinces show the highest trade-offs in SDG13 (Combating Climate Change) or SDG5 (Gender Equality) consistent with the national level, with other 12 provinces varying. 24 provinces show the highest synergies in SDG1 (No Poverty) or SDG6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) consistent with the national level, with the remaining 7 provinces varying. These common but differentiated SDG priorities reflect that to ensure a coordinated national response, China should pay more attention to the provincial situation, so that provincial governments can formulate more targeted policies in line with their own priorities towards accelerating sustainable development.

Numerous Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) programs have been implemented simultaneously around the world but their outcomes in the literature are not consistent and their interactive effects remain understudied. The Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) and Grain to Green Program (GTGP) are two largest PES programs in the world, and many studies have evaluated their effects on household income. However, the identified effects often varied across different studies and the factors explaining this variation are poorly understood. This study used linear regression and geographic detector analysis, based on questionnaire survey data from 14 giant panda natural reserves (NRs) in southwestern China, to evaluate the effects of the NFCP and GTGP on household income and the factors which moderate these effects. The results revealed that the effects of two PES programs on household income were spatially heterogeneous and enhanced by each other and livelihood activities, suggesting a synergistic interaction between policies and livelihood activities, particularly tourism. This study also found that livelihoods activities (e.g., labor migration and tourism), household capital (i.e., house area and farmland area) and demographic factors (i.e., number of labor and non-labor members), exhibit spatial heterogeneity in their effects on household income across NRs. These findings underscore the importance of considering local socioeconomic conditions and the interaction between policy and socio-economic conditions in PES program design to achieve desired outcomes, providing insights for policymakers and practitioners worldwide.

Abstract Platinum‐based alloy nanoparticles are the most attractive catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction at present, but an in‐depth understanding of the relationship between their short‐range structural information and catalytic performance is still lacking. Herein, we present a synthetic strategy that uses transition‐metal oxide‐assisted thermal diffusion. PtCo/C catalysts with localized tetragonal distortion were obtained by controlling the thermal diffusion process of transition‐metal elements. This localized structural distortion induced a significant strain effect on the nanoparticle surface, which further shortened the length of the Pt–Pt bond, improved the electronic state of the Pt surface, and enhanced the performance of the catalyst. PtCo/C catalysts with special short‐range structures achieved excellent mass activity (2.27 A mgPt−1) and specific activity (3.34 A cm−2). In addition, the localized tetragonal distortion‐induced surface compression of the Pt skin improved the stability of the catalyst. The mass activity decreased by only 13% after 30,000 cycles. Enhanced catalyst activity and excellent durability have also been demonstrated in the proton exchange membrane fuel cell configuration. This study provides valuable insights into the development of advanced Pt‐based nanocatalysts and paves the way for reducing noble‐metal loading and increasing the catalytic activity and catalyst stability.

Dimension reduction is an effective method for system’s resilience analysis. In this paper, we investigate the effect of network structure on the accuracy of resilience dimension reduction. First, we introduce the resilience dimension reduction method and define the evaluation indicator of the resilience dimension reduction method. Then, by adjusting node connections, preferential connection mechanisms, and connection probabilities, we generate artificial networks, small-world networks and social networks with tunable assortativity coefficients, average clustering coefficients, and modularities, respectively. Experimental results for the gene regulatory dynamics show that the network structures with positive assortativity, large clustering coefficient, and significant community can enhance the accuracy of resilience dimension reduction. The result of this paper indicates that optimizing network structure can enhance the accuracy of resilience dimension reduction, which is of great significance for system resilience analysis and provides a new perspective and theoretical basis for selecting dimension reduction methods in system resilience analysis.

Abstract Objectives Calcifying nanoparticles (CNPs), referred to as nanobacteria (NB), are recognized to be associated with ectopic calcification. This study aims to isolate and culture CNPs from the dental plaque of patients with periodontal disease and investigate their possible role in unravelling the aetiology of periodontal disease. Material and Methods Supragingival and subgingival plaques were sampled from 30 periodontitis patients for CNPs isolation and culture. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) content changes were tracked over time. Positive samples underwent thorough morphological identification via hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, Alizarin red S (ARS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The chemical composition of CNPs analysis involved calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) content determination, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Results The subgingival plaque dental group exhibited a higher CNPs isolation rate at 36.67% (11/30) compared to the supragingival dental plaque group at 66.67% (20/30). ALP activity varied among the positive, negative and control groups. Morphological observation characterized the CNPs as round, oval, and ellipsoid particles with Ca deposits. Chemical analysis revealed the Ca/P ratio was 0.6753. Hydroxyl, methyl, carbonate, phosphate, hydrogen phosphate, and dihydrogen phosphate were detected by FTIR; the main chemical components detected by XRD were hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate. Conclusion CNPs were found in periodontitis‐related dental plaque and exhibited the potential to develop calcified structures resembling dental calculus. However, the potential involvement of ALP in CNPs formation requires deeper exploration, as does the precise nature of its role and the interrelation with periodontitis demand a further comprehensive investigation.

Experimental tests and molecular dynamics simulations were employed to investigate the effect of Ni concentration on the toughness and hydrogen embrittlement resistance of pipeline steel. A slow strain rate test (SSRT) was conducted under both air and electrochemical hydrogen charging conditions. The results indicate that the tensile toughness, impact toughness, and hydrogen embrittlement resistance of steel increase when Ni concentration is less than 1 %, followed by a decrease when Ni concentration exceeds 1 %. Additionally, an increase in Ni concentration leads to a reduction in both the free surface energy and stacking fault energy of Fe-Ni alloys. Since Ni has a greater influence on the stacking fault energy, dislocation emission is facilitated, which aids in releasing strain energy. However, when the Ni concentration surpasses 1 %, the formation of carbides, which are sensitive to hydrogen embrittlement, occurs. Consequently, when the Ni concentration is higher than 1 %, the toughness and hydrogen embrittlement resistance of steel decrease.

Typhoons' rapid variation makes effective hazard prevention difficult, which remains a challenging research topic requiring novel observation technology and analysis methodology. We developed an automatic methodology for mining the information on the rapid variation of typhoon cloud-top motion from high-spatial-temporal-resolution satellite cloud images, which has steps of estimating and decomposing the typhoon cloud-top motion, locating the typhoon cloud-top center, and analyzing the motion and center position variations. The Gaofen-4 satellite acquired 50-m-1-min-resolution cloud images of Typhoon Megi's (2016) landfall over mountainous Taiwan Island. The data provide an excellent chance to explore what such high-spatial-temporal-resolution successive observations can tell about the cloud-top motion variation of a typhoon landfall using the methodology. Before its landfall, Typhoon Megi's cloud-top center dramatically increased the northwestward migration speed from ∼22 to ∼58 km/h in only ∼2.5 h. It also presented small-scale oscillation along its migration path with a 1.6-to-2.4-km amplitude, a 31-to-33-km spatial period, and a 1.46-to-1.48-h temporal period. We averaged the motion speeds (velocity magnitudes) in each motion field to assess the field strength. The so-calculated cloud-top average rotation speed of Typhoon Megi decreased quickly during landfall. Meanwhile, its average divergence speed increased dramatically by ∼30% in a short period of ∼2.5 h, reaching ∼2 times the rotation speed. This result means that Megi's cloud-top motion rapidly changed from a typical rotation motion-dominated status to a divergence motion-dominated status. This rapid transformation from typical rotation motion dominance to divergence motion dominance implies intense upward warm and moist airflows that cause severe precipitation.

Abstract Domestic attempts to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a country can have synergistic and/or trade-off effects on the advancement of SDGs in other countries. Transboundary SDG interactions can be delivered through various transmission channels (e.g., trade, river flow, ocean currents, and air flow). This study quantified the transboundary interactions through these channels between 768 pairs of SDG indicators. The results showed that although high income countries only comprised 14.18% of the global population, they contributed considerably to total SDG interactions worldwide (60.60%). Transboundary synergistic effects via international trade were 14.94% more pronounced with trade partners outside their immediate geographic vicinity than with neighbouring ones. Conversely, nature-caused flows (including river flow, ocean currents, and air flow) resulted in 39.29% stronger transboundary synergistic effects among neighboring countries compared to non-neighboring ones. To facilitate the achievement of SDGs worldwide, it is essential to enhance collaboration among countries and leverage transboundary synergies.

Cartilage regeneration remains difficult due to a lack of blood vessels. Degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) causes cartilage defects, and the ECM provides the natural environment and nutrition for cartilage regeneration. Until now, collagen hydrogels are considered to be excellent material for cartilage regeneration due to the similar structure to ECM and good biocompatibility. However, collagen hydrogels also have several drawbacks, such as low mechanical strength, limited ability to induce stem cell differentiation, and rapid degradation. Thus, there is a demanding need to optimize collagen hydrogels for cartilage regeneration. In this review, we will first briefly introduce the structure of articular cartilage and cartilage defect classification and collagen, then provide an overview of the progress made in research on collagen hydrogels with chondrocytes or stem cells, comprehensively expound the research progress and clinical applications of collagen‐based hydrogels that integrate inorganic or organic materials, and finally present challenges for further clinical translation.

Aim To explore the effects of tibial osteotomy varus angle combined with posterior tibial slope (PTS) on the stress of polyethylene liner in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by building finite element model (FEM). Methods Established the FEM of standard TKA with tibial osteotomy varus angle 0° to 9° were established and divided into 10 groups. Next, each group was created 10 FEMs with 0° to 9° PTS separately. Calculated the stress on polyethylene liner in each group in Abaqus. Finally, the relevancy between tibial osteotomy angle and polyethylene liner stress was statistically analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Results As the varus angle increased, the area of maximum stress gradually shifted medially on the polyethylene liner. As the PTS increases, the percentage of surface contact forces on the medial and lateral compartmental of the polyethylene liner gradually converge to the same. When the varus angle is between 0° and 3°, the maximum stress of the medial compartmental surfaces of polyethylene liner rises smoothly with the increase of the PTS. When the varus angle is between 4° and 9°, as the increase of the PTS, the maximum stress of polyethylene liner rises first and then falls, forming a trough at PTS 5° and then rises again. Compared to the PTS, the varus angle has a large effect on the maximum stress of the polyethylene liner ( p < .001). Conclusion When the varus angle is 0° to 3°, PTS 0° is recommended, which will result in a more equalized stress distribution of the polyethylene liner in TKA.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone tumor. In the clinic, usual strategies for OS treatment include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. However, all of these therapies have complications that cannot be ignored. Therefore, the search for better OS treatments is urgent. Black phosphorus (BP), a rising star of 2D inorganic nanoparticles, has shown excellent results in OS therapy due to its outstanding photothermal, photodynamic, biodegradable and biocompatible properties. This review aims to present current advances in the use of BP nanoparticles in OS therapy, including the synthesis of BP nanoparticles, properties of BP nanoparticles, types of BP nanoparticles, and modification strategies for BP nanoparticles. In addition, we have discussed comprehensively the application of BP in OS therapy, including single, dual, and multimodal synergistic OS therapies, as well as studies about bone regeneration and antibacterial properties. Finally, we have summarized the conclusions, limitations and perspectives of BP nanoparticles for OS therapy.

Objective: Late-onset myasthenia gravis (LOMG) often has comorbidities, and its initial symptoms may be ignored or misdiagnosed as other diseases. There were few large surveys on LOMG. Our study aimed to summarize clinical characteristics of LOMG to improve the rate of correct MG diagnosis. Methods: A retrospective cohort study included 240 LOMG patients with onset age ≥65 years old who were treated at PLA General Hospital from January 1, 2003 to January 1, 2023. Results: The male to female ratio was 1:1.2 (P = 0.699). MGFA clinical classification: Class I 31.3%, Class IIa 12.9%, Class IIb 51.3%, Class IIIa 0.8%, Class IIIb 0.8%, Class IV 0.4%, Class V2.5%. The onset symptom was ptosis in 78.8% and diplopia was in 18.8%. Swallowing dysfunction in the stage of LOMG was in 41.7%. The incidence of thymoma in LOMG was 14.2%. 85.4% of patients antibodies against the muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) are detected. The overall incidence of supramaximal repetitive nerve stimulation (Jolly test) was 57.1%, among which the highest positive rate (50.7%) was in the facial nerve. Jolly test of Class IIb was tested in the highest positive rate and Class I was in the lowest one (χ2 = 7.023, P = 0.030). Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the incidence of LOMG between males and females. The clinical manifestations were mainly Class I and Class II, and severe MG was rare. The most common onset symptom was ptosis. The incidence of LOMG with thymoma was low. Supramaximal repetitive nerve stimulation (Jolly test) of the facial nerve was the easiest to detect and Jolly test of Class IIb was tested in the highest positive rate and Class I was in the lowest one.

Based on the perspective of spatial economy, this paper focuses on the primary effects and spatial characteristics of Digital Financial Inclusion (DFI) on the upgrading of rural consumption structure (URCS) in China, conducting a literature review and theoretical analysis. It then uses statistical data collected over the years and the Digital Financial Inclusion Index (DFII) of Peking University to prepare panel data for 31 provinces in China (aside from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) from 2011 to 2020 for empirical testing. The results are as follows: DFI can considerably boost URCS, and there is a strong spatial neighbor impact, that is, it is affected by random shocks in surrounding provinces via its spatial effect; DFI has nonlinear characteristics in the process of fostering URCS, with the threshold variables of income level and family sizes; the impact of DFI on URCS is spatially heterogeneous, and the promotion of the eastern region is better than other zones. These results can inform policymakers about rural development and provide valuable references to push forward rural vitalization.

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs), mainly short-chain CPs (SCCPs) and medium-chain CPs (MCCPs), are currently the most produced and used industrial chemicals related to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) globally. These chemicals are widely detected in the environment and in the human body. As the release of SCCPs and MCCPs from products represents only a small fraction of their stock in products, the potential long-term release of CPs from a large variety of products at the waste stage has become an issue of great concern. The results of this study showed that, by 2050, SCCPs and MCCPs used between 2000 and 2021 will cumulatively generate 226.49 Mt of CP-containing wastes, comprising 8610.13 kt of SCCPs and MCCPs. Approximately 79.72 Mt of CP-containing wastes is predicted to be generated abroad through the international trade of products using SCCPs and MCCPs. The magnitude, distribution, and growth of CP-containing wastes subject to environmentally sound disposal will depend largely on the relevant provisions of the Stockholm and Basel Conventions and the forthcoming global plastic treaty. According to multiple scenarios synthesizing the provisions of the three conventions, 26.6–101.1 Mt of CP-containing wastes will be subject to environmentally sound disposal as POP wastes, which would pose a great challenge to the waste disposal capacity of China, as well as for countries importing CP-containing products. The additional 5-year exemption period for MCCPs is expected to see an additional 10 Mt of CP-containing wastes subject to environmentally sound disposal. Thus, there is an urgent need to strengthen the Stockholm and Basel Conventions and the global plastic treaty.

The heavy reliance on fossil-based industries for basic chemicals not only contributes to severe global environmental problems but also hampers the sustainable development of the whole society. In addressing this issue, electrocatalysis utilizing biomass-derived platform chemicals provides a promising solution for the directed preparation of high-value chemicals. Among the various electrocatalysts, the remarkable appeal of COFs-based electrocatalysts has engendered great enthusiasm among researchers over the past decade due to the well-defined structure and large surface area of COFs. In this focused review, we highlight vital perspectives on the design, synthesis, and progress of COFs-based electrocatalysts in the electrocatalytic upgrading of biomass-derived platform chemicals. We provide a rational design of COFs-based electrocatalysts by incorporating metal species into the COFs frameworks and then regulate the local coordination environment and microstructure to facilitate efficient access to active centers, mass transportation, and electron transfer. This review offers a comprehensive understanding of the design principles underlying COFs-based electrocatalysts for platform molecules and its derivatives. Specifically, we thoroughly investigate the relationship between structure and performance, as well as synergistic effects within COFs-based electrocatalysts, aiming to shed light on the future design of next-generation electrocatalysts.

Abstract Objectives The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of chewing gum on orthodontic pain and to determine the rate of bracket breakage associated with fixed orthodontic appliances. Methods This review and its reporting were performed according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the PRISMA guidelines. Six electronic databases were searched up to March 16, 2023, to identify relevant studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Furthermore, grey literature resources were searched. The Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool 2 was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan, and sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis were performed using STATA software. GRADE tool was used to evaluate the certainty of evidence. Results Fifteen studies with 2116 participants were ultimately included in this review, and 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with the blank group, chewing gum had a significant pain relieving effect at all times after fixation of the initial archwire (P ≤ 0.05). No significant difference was found between the chewing gum group and the analgesics group at any timepoints (P > 0.05). Only four studies evaluated the rate of bracket breakage and revealed that chewing gum did not increase the rate of bracket breakage. The sensitivity analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the pooled outcomes after the included studies were removed one at times, and Egger analysis revealed no significant publication bias in included studies (P > 0.05). Conclusions Chewing gum is a non-invasive, low-cost and convenient method that has a significant effect on relieving orthodontic pain and has no effect on the rate of bracket breakage. Therefore, chewing gum can be recommended as a suitable substitute for analgesics to reduce orthodontic pain.

Abstract Superhydrophobic coatings show great application potential in many fields, but they have not been widely used due to poor stability. A Ni-PTFE-SiC composite coating was proposed in this paper. Firstly, the Ni-PTFE-SiC coating structure was designed by molecular dynamics simulations. The feasibility of superhydrophobic effect of this structure and the adsorption stability of the composite coatings were proved. This approach can also be used to avoid trial and errors when selecting other similar candidate substances. Then, the Ni-PTFE-SiC superhydrophobic coatings were successfully prepared by composite electrodeposition, with the water contact angle of more than 155° and the sliding angle of close to 0°. The effects of current density, deposition time and nanoparticle concentration on the wettability and morphology of the coatings were also investigated. Through comparative experiments, the best preparation parameters were: PTFE 14 g L−1, SiC 6 g L−1, primary current density 7 A dm−² (10 min) and secondary current density 15 A dm−² (5 min). This preparation method doesn’t need additional modification with low surface energy substances like the traditional preparation process, and greatly improves the corrosion resistance, wear resistance and durability of the coatings.

Abstract Soil salinization is one of the most common abiotic stresses of rice, which seriously affects the normal growth of rice. Breeding salt-tolerant varieties have become one of the important ways to ensure food security and sustainable agricultural development. However, the mechanisms underlying salt tolerance control still need to be clarified. In this study, we identified a mutant, termed salt-tolerant and small grains(sts), with salt tolerance and small grains. Gene cloning and physiological and biochemical experiments reveal that sts is a novel mutant allele of Mitogen-activated protein Kinase Kinase 4 (OsMKK4), which controls the grain size, and has recently been found to be related to salt tolerance in rice. Functional analysis showed that OsSTS is constitutively expressed throughout the tissue, and its proteins are localized to the nucleus, cell membrane, and cytoplasm. It was found that the loss of OsSTS function enhanced the salt tolerance of rice seedlings, and further studies showed that the loss of OsSTS function increased the ROS clearance rate of rice seedlings, independent of ionic toxicity. In order to explore the salt tolerance mechanism of sts, we found that the salt tolerance of sts is also regulated by ABA through high-throughput mRNA sequencing. Salt and ABA treatment showed that ABA might alleviate the inhibitory effect of salt stress on root length in sts. These results revealed new functions of grain size gene OsMKK4, expanded new research ideas related to salt tolerance mechanism and hormone regulation network, and provided a theoretical basis for salt-tolerant rice breeding.

Since the utilization of abundant biomass to develop advanced materials has become an utmost priority in recent years, we developed two sustainable routes (i.e., the impregnation method and the one-pot synthesis) to prepare the hydrochar-supported catalysts and tested its catalytic performance on the reductive amination. Several techniques, such as TEM, XRD and XPS, were adopted to characterize the structural and catalytic features of samples. Results indicated that the impregnation method favors the formation of outer-sphere surface complexes with porous structure as well as well-distributed metallic nanoparticles, while the one-pot synthesis tends to form the inner-sphere surface complexes with relatively smooth appearance and amorphous metals. This difference explains the better activity of catalysts prepared by the impregnation method which can selectively convert benzaldehyde to benzylamine with an excellent yield of 93.7% under the optimal reaction conditions; in contrast, the catalyst prepared by the one-pot synthesis only exhibits a low selectivity near to zero. Furthermore, the gram-scale test catalyzed by the same catalysts exhibits a similar yield of benzylamine in comparison to its smaller scale, which is comparable to the previously reported heterogeneous noble-based catalysts. More surprisingly, the prepared catalysts can be expediently recycled by a magnetic bar and remain the satisfying catalytic activity after reusing up to five times. In conclusion, these developed catalysts enable the synthesis of functional amines with excellent selectivity and carbon balance, proving cost-effective and sustainable access to the wide application of reductive amination.

【Objective】CIPK23 plays an important role in the development and mineral absorption in many plants, however, there are no relevant reports on CIPK23 gene and its function in flowering Chinese cabbage. The research will provide some theoretical references for further study of the function of BcCIPK23 in the growth and development and nitrogen metabolism in flowering Chinese cabbage.【Method】The full-length cDNA sequence of BcCIPK23 was obtained by homologous cloning method from flowering Chinese cabbage variety 'Youlv 501'. The encoded BcCIPK23 protein were analyzed by bioinformatics, and the expression characteristics of BcCIPK23 in different tissues and its response to different nitrogen sources of flowering Chinese cabbage were analyzed.【Result】The CDS full length of BcCIPK23 gene in flowering Chinese cabbage was 1 450 bp, encoding 482 amino acids, with a molecular weight of 53.41 kD, and a theoretical isoelectric point of 9.28. The BcCIPK23 sequence contained the domains of STKc-SnRK3 and CIPK-C, which were the conserved domains of CIPK family. The phylogenetic analysis showed that BcCIPK23 from flowering Chinese cabbage was antigenically closely related to BrCIPK23 from Brassica rapa. The qRT-PCR results showed that BcCIPK23 was expressed in leaves, petioles, stalks, roots, flowers and other tissues of flowering Chinese cabbage, but was mainly expressed in leaves, petioles and stalks. The expression level of BcCIPK23 was significantly affected by different sources and concentrations of nitrogen, decreased significantly with the increase of NO3- or NH4+ concentration. It was predicted that BcCIPK23 may play a key role in the growth and development of leaves and stalks, and the absorption and utilization of nitrogen in flowering Chinese cabbage.【Conclusion】BcCIPK23 is a member of the CIPK gene family, which is highly expressed in leaves and other active organs. It can respond to changes in nitrogen sources and nitrogen concentrations, and is involved in plant growth and development and nitrogen metabolic processes.

As a paradigm of clean energy, hydrogen is gradually attracting global attention. However, its unique characteristics of leakage and autoignition pose significant challenges to the development of high-pressure hydrogen storage technologies. In recent years, numerous scholars have made significant progress in the field of high-pressure hydrogen leakage autoignition. This paper, based on diffusion ignition theory, thoroughly explores the mechanism of high-pressure hydrogen leakage autoignition. It reviews the effects of various factors such as gas properties, burst disc rupture conditions, tube geometric structure, obstacles, etc., on shock wave growth patterns and autoignition characteristics. Additionally, the development of internal flames and propagation characteristics of external flames after ignition kernels generation are summarized. Finally, to promote future development in the field of high-pressure hydrogen energy storage and transportation, this paper identifies deficiencies in the current research and proposes key directions for future research.

The heading date, a critical trait influencing the rice yield and quality, has always been a hot topic in breeding research. Appropriately delaying the flowering time of excellent northern rice varieties is of great significance for improving yields and enhancing regional adaptability during the process for introducing varieties from north to south. In this study, genes influencing the heading date were identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Using KenDao 12 (K12), an excellent cultivar from northern China, as the material, the specific flowering activator, OsMADS50, was edited using the genome-editing method to regulate the heading date to adapt to the southern planting environment. The results indicated that the osmads50 mutant line of K12 flowered about a week later, with a slight increase in the yield and good adaptability in the southern region in China. Additionally, the expressions of key flowering regulatory genes, such as Hd1, Ghd7, Ehd1, Hd3a, and RFT1, were reduced in the mutant plants, corroborating the delayed flowering phenotype. Yield trait analysis revealed that the primary factor for improved yield was an increase in the number of effective tillers, although there is potential for further enhancements in the seed-setting rate and grain plumpness. Furthermore, there were significant increases in the length-to-width ratio of the rice grains, fat content, and seed transparency, all contributing to an overall improvement in the rice quality. In summary, this study successfully obtained a rice variety with a delayed growth period through OsMADS50 gene editing, effectively implementing the strategy for adapting northern rice varieties to southern climates. This achievement significantly supports efforts to enhance the rice yield and quality as well as to optimize production management practices.

Water conservation is an essential parameter for maintaining the ecological balance. The Three-River Source Region (TRSR) cannot be an exception, since it is one of the most influential water conservation reserves in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in China. Therefore, the realization of its scientific significance can determine its future regional sustainable development and the optimal allocation of water resources. The study of the past is critical to predict the future temporal and spatial changes in the water conservation of the TRSR. The first task of this study was to obtain the optimal runoff simulations in the TRSR from 1981 to 2014 by calibrating the adjustable the parameters of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. Then, the water conservation of the TRSR from 1981 to 2014 was quantified. Finally, the future water conservation of the TRSR was also predicted using the optimal SWAT model. The predication took into consideration the three terms including the near-term (2015–2044), mid-term (2045–2074), and long-term (2075–2099) in three different climate scenarios of SSP1-1.9 (SSP119), SSP2-4.5 (SSP245), and SSP5-8.5 (SSP585). The main findings are as follows: (1) both the coefficient of determination (R2) and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) for runoff simulation on the three sub-basins reached above 0.78 during the calibration and validation periods, which indicates the reasonableness of the SWAT model in the TRSR. (2) From 1981 to 2014, the water conservation capacity of the TRSR showed an increasing trend (0.5135 mm/year), and its changes had significant positive correlations with precipitation and temperature. The Yellow River Source (YR) and the Yangtze River Source (YZ) had the strongest and weakest water conservation capacities, respectively. (3) From 2015 to 2099, the water conservation in the TRSR in the SSP119, SSP245, and SSP585 scenarios decreased first and then increased, increased first and then decreased, and increased steadily, respectively.

In this paper, a novel ultraviolet (UV) scatter communication scheme is presented, designed to dynamically adjust the signal duty cycle to optimize on–off keying (OOK) modulation and reduce the bit error rate (BER), particularly under varying rate settings. This approach addresses the significant challenge posed by LED tailing effects, which cause signal fluctuations and increase BER in high-speed communications. This BER suppression scheme is proposed for the first time in UV communication research, enhancing communication performance without the need for additional hardware or complex algorithms. A UV communication model that incorporates both path loss and LED tailing effects is introduced, with the probability density function of the signal from transmitter to receiver derived. By varying the signal duty cycle, tailing-induced BER is effectively minimized. Additionally, a closed-form expression for signal transmission BER using a single-scattering model is provided, and the proposed UV communication system is validated through comprehensive simulations and experimental tests. The results indicate that LED tailing has a pronounced impact on BER at higher communication speeds, while its effects are less significant at lower speeds. By optimizing the duty cycle parameters for various communication rates, findings demonstrate that lower duty cycle settings significantly reduce the BER at higher speeds. This further demonstrates the excellent performance of the proposed UV communication solution for OOK-modulated optical communication.

The application of excessive nitrogen fertiliser has been found to have a detrimental impact on the growth and development of cotton in Xinjiang, China. This has resulted in a reduction in cotton yield and economic benefit. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential for reducing the input of inorganic N fertiliser while maintaining the quality and yield formation of cotton. The objective of this study was to examine the growth, photosynthesis, and yield of cotton crops subjected to varying fertiliser treatments. The experiment was conducted in 2021–2022 with eight treatments in the experiment: no fertiliser (CK); conventional application of inorganic nitrogen fertiliser (T0); T1–T3, with 8%, 16%, and 24% reduction in inorganic nitrogen fertiliser application, respectively; and T4–T6, with organic fertilisers replacing the reduced inorganic nitrogen fertiliser application of T1–T3, respectively. In comparison to T0, T5 demonstrated the most notable agronomical performance and yield components across both years. This is attributable to the spatial distribution of cotton bolls, which was more conducive to the net photosynthetic rate and yield formation. This, in turn, led to an augmented photosynthetic capacity, enhanced biomass accumulation, and an elevated harvesting index. The results of the economic benefit analysis demonstrated that in comparison to the control treatment (T0), the net profit of all treatments except T3 increased. In conclusion, the economic benefit reached its maximum in the range of a 9.90–14.10% reduction in nitrogen and a 16.60–17.60% substitution of organic fertiliser.

In order to visualize the content and development patterns of microplastic biodegradation research, the American Chemical Society (ACS), Elsevier, Springer Link, and American Society for Microbiology (ASM) were searched for the years 2012–2022 using Citespace and VOSvivewer for bibliometrics and visual analysis. The biodegradation processes and mechanisms of microplastics were reviewed on this basis. The results showed a sharp increase in the number of publications between 2012 and 2022, peaking in 2020–2021, with 62 more publications than the previous decade. The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Northwest A&F University (NWAFU), and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) are the top three research institutions in this field. Researchers are mainly located in China, The United States of America (USA), and India. Furthermore, the research in this field is primarily concerned with the screening of functional microorganisms, the determination of functional enzymes, and the analysis of microplastic biodegradation processes and mechanisms. These studies have revealed that the existing functional microorganisms for microplastic biodegradation are bacteria, predominantly Proteobacteria and Firmicutes; fungi, mainly Ascomycota; and some intestinal microorganisms. The main enzymes secreted in the process are hydrolase, oxidative, and depolymerization enzymes. Microorganisms degrade microplastics through the processes of colonization, biofilm retention, and bioenzymatic degradation. These studies have elucidated the current status of and problems in the microbial degradation of microplastics, and provide a direction for further research on the degradation process and molecular mechanism of functional microorganisms.

A vehicle-mounted solar occultation flux–Fourier transform infrared spectrometer uses the sun as an infrared light source to quantify molecular absorption in the atmosphere. It can be used for the rapid three-dimensional monitoring of pollutant emissions and the column concentration monitoring of greenhouse gases. The system has the advantages of high mobility and a capacity for noncontact measurement and measurement over long distances. However, in vehicle-mounted applications, vehicle bumps and obstacles introduce aberrations in the measured spectra, affecting the accuracy of gas concentration inversion results and flux calculations. In this paper, we propose a spectral data preprocessing method that combines a self-organizing mapping neural network and correlation analysis to reject anomalous spectral data measured by the solar occultation flux–Fourier transform infrared spectrometer during mobile observations. Compared to the traditional method, this method does not need to adjust the comparison threshold and obtain the training spectra in advance and has the advantage of automatically updating the weights without the need to set fixed correlation comparison coefficients. The accurate identification of all anomalous simulated spectra in the simulation experiments proved the effectiveness of the method. In the vehicle-mounted application experiment, 342 anomalous spectra were successfully screened from 1739 spectral data points. The experimental results show that the method can improve the accuracy of gas concentration measurement results and can be applied to a vehicle-mounted solar occultation flux–Fourier transform infrared spectrometer system to meet the preprocessing needs of a high number of spectral data in mobile monitoring.

To investigate the differences in the bacterial communities of biofilms in the appurtenant facilities of rural sewage collection systems, a pilot research setup was constructed. A study was conducted using real sewage collected in a rural area, and the bacterial communities of biofilms in different appurtenant facilities were characterized using Illumina HiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that there were significant differences in biofilm bacterial communities among the different annexes. The biofilms from all four ancillary facilities (drop manhole, turning inspection well, mud trap, and direct inspection well) contained some amounts of denitrifying bacteria (relative abundance >6 %), but lacked ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (relative abundance

Summary: In most economically underdeveloped areas, scattered farming and human‒livestock cohabitation are common. However, production of bioaerosols and their potential harm in these areas have not been previously researched. In this study, bioaerosol characteristics were analyzed in scattered farming areas in rural Northwest China. The highest bacteria, fungi, and Enterobacteria concentrations were 125609 ± 467 CFU/m³, 25175 ± 10305 CFU/m³, and 4167 ± 592 CFU/m³, respectively. Most bioaerosols had particle sizes >3.3 μm. A total of 71 bacterial genera and 16 fungal genera of potential pathogens were identified, including zoonotic potential pathogenic genera. Moreover, our findings showed that the scattered farming pattern of human‒animal cohabitation can affect the indoor air environment in the surrounding area, leading to chronic respiratory diseases in the occupants. Therefore, relevant government departments and farmers should enhance their awareness of bioaerosol risks and consider measures that may be taken to reduce them.

Abstract According to the latest epidemiology of the US, B-cell cancers account for > 3% of all new cancer cases and > 80% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. However, the disease-modifying small molecular drug suitable for most B-cell cancers is still lacking. RIPK1 (receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1) has been observed to be dysregulated and implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple solid cancers, of which, however, the roles in blood cancers are quite unclear. In our study, to identify multi-function targets for B-cell cancer treatment, we reanalyzed a public transcriptomic dataset from the database of Gene Expression Omnibus, which includes CD19+ B-cell populations from 6 normal donors and patients of 5 CLL, 10 FL, and 8 DLBCL. After overlapping three groups (CLL vs. normal, FL vs. normal, and DLBCL vs. normal) of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), we obtained 69 common DEGs, of which 3 were validated by real-time quantitative PCR, including RIPK3, IGSF3, TGFBI. Interestingly, we found that the loss function of RIPK1 significantly increases the proliferation and viability of GM12878 cells (a normal human B lymphocyte cell line). Consistently, overexpression of RIPK1 in TMD8 and U2932 cells effectively inhibited cell proliferation and growth. More importantly, modifying RIPK1 kinase activity by a small molecule (such as necrostain-1, HOIPIN-1, etc.) alters the cell growth status of B-cell lymphoma, showing that RIPK1 exhibits anti-tumor activity in the context of B-cell lymphoma. Taken together, we consider that RIPK1 may be a potential target in the clinical application of B-cell lymphoma (including CLL, DLBCL, and FL) treatment.

Abstract Over the last few years, understanding of the effects of increasingly interconnected global flows of agricultural commodities on coupled human and natural systems has significantly improved. However, many important factors in environmental change that are influenced by these commodity flows are still not well understood. Here, we present an empirical spatial modelling approach to assess how changes in forest cover are influenced by trade destination. Using data for soybean-producing municipalities in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, between 2004 and 2017, we evaluated the relationships between forest cover change and the annual soybean trade destination. Results show that although most of the soybean produced in Mato Grosso during the study period (60%) was destined for international markets, municipalities with greater and more consistent soybean production not destined for international markets during the study period were more strongly associated with deforestation. In these municipalities, soybean production was also significantly correlated with cattle and pasture expansion. These results have important implications for the sustainable management of natural resources in the face of an increasingly interconnected world, while also helping to identify the most suitable locations for implementing policies to reduce deforestation risks.

This is a paper in the field of metallurgical engineering. It aims to find out the coupling law of average particle size and hydrolysis rate of hydrolyzed products determined by titanium hydrolyzed process parameters, so as to improve the properties and quality of hydrolyzed products. Response surface methodology was used to establish a mathematical model of the relationship between hydrolysis temperature, initial concentration of titanium liquid, F value of titanium liquid, hydrolysis time, average particle size and hydrolysis rate. The correctness of the mathematical model was verified by variance analysis and test indexes. Hydrolysis temperature had a significant effect on the average particle size, and the average particle size was inversely proportional to hydrolysis temperature. The hydrolysis temperature has the most significant effect on the hydrolysis rate, followed by the initial concentration of titanium solution. The increase of the concentration of titanium solution makes the hydrolysis increase first and then decrease. With the increase of hydrolysis temperature, the first step of hydrolysis decreases. Taking the average particle size of 2 µm and the highest hydrolysis rate as the objective parameters, the errors between the predicted value and the actual value of hydrolysis rate were 2.86% and 2.01%, respectively, which further verified the accuracy of the model. The research results provide a theoretical basis for the control and prediction of the process and the optimization of the process parameters in the hydrolysis process of titanium liquid in industrial production.

Abstract Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) has become a popular building material due to its eco-friendly features, but the difficulty in predicting the crack resistance of RAC is increasingly impeding its application. In this study, splitting tensile strength is adopted to describe the crack resistance ability of RAC, and physics-assisted machine learning (ML) methods are used to construct the predictive models for the splitting tensile strength of RAC. The results show that the AdaBoost model has excellent predictive performance with the help of the Firefly algorithm, and physical assistance plays a remarkable role in selecting features and verifying the ML models. Due to the limit in data size and the generalizability of the model, the dataset should be supplemented with more representative data, and an algorithm for small sample sizes could be studied in the future.

Drought at the flower and pod stage, which is the most moisture-sensitive stage of soybean development, is the main cause of yield loss in soybean. Nitrogen is a vital nutrient for soybeans. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of post-drought nitrogen fertilization at the soybean (Heihe 45) pod stage to (1) reduce pod shedding and increase yield, and (2) elucidate the mechanisms by which nitrogen fertilization regulates soybean growth under drought stress. The pot experiment was designed with two moisture levels and three nitrogen levels, resulting in a total of six treatments. The results show that nitrogen reduces cellular oxidation by regulating key enzymes of sucrose metabolism, such as sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase; and regulates cellulase to reduce shedding and mitigate drought. Comparison of low and high nitrogen conditions under drought conditions showed that the number of flowers and pods in soybean increased by 30% and 32.94%, respectively, malondialdehyde content decreased by 24%, cellulase activity in flowers and pods decreased by 15.07% and 12.31%, respectively, and yields increased by 29.98% under high nitrogen conditions. The high nitrogen treatment performed optimally and the differences between treatments reached the significant level.

Drought and salt stress are important limiting factors that affect crop growth and yield. As a newly recognized plant hormone, melatonin can participate in the regulation of plant stress tolerance and enhance the tolerance of plants to adversity. In this study, the effects of melatonin (150 µmol·L−1) on agronomic traits, osmotic adjustment substances, antioxidant enzyme activities, and reactive oxygen species content in C. esculentus under different salt (0 and 200 mmol·L−1 NaCl), drought (70% field capacity, 50% field capacity), and salt–drought (200 mmol·L−1 NaCl + 50% field capacity) stress conditions were determined using a pot experiment. Spraying with 150 µmol·L−1 of melatonin effectively improved the plant height, number of blades, biomass, and root growth of C. esculentus seedlings under salt, drought, and combined stress. In addition, this treatment also increased the relative water content, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities, and soluble sugar content of the blades and decreased the relative electroconductivity conductivity and proline, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and superoxide anion contents. A comprehensive analysis showed that spraying the plants with exogenous melatonin could increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the accumulation of osmotic adjustment substances in C. esculentus blades under salt and drought stress, effectively remove excessive reactive oxygen species, alleviate oxidative damage, and enhance the ability of C. esculentus to resist salt and drought stress.

In ultraviolet (UV) communication, On–Off Keying (OOK) is the primary modulation technique. Compared to OOK, frequency modulation offers stronger resistance to path attenuation. Currently, research on frequency modulation demodulation schemes for UV communication is limited, mainly employing waveform detection and laser pulse response methods, which require high detection sensitivity to light. This study presents a novel frequency modulation communication scheme using discrete Poisson channel distribution and optical pulse signal processing algorithms, enhancing the signal processing sensitivity of the existing frequency modulation scheme to the level of photons. The proposed system model is rigorously evaluated through theoretical derivations and simulations. Additionally, a hardware system integrating optical pulse counting, frequency detection, and clock data recovery algorithms is developed. Experimental results show the system achieving a 5 kbps transmission rate under frequency modulation. In non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios, communication reaches up to 65 m, with the receiver elevation angle ranging from 10° to 25° and the bit error rate (BER) stabilized at 10−4, while in line-of-sight (LOS) situations, the BER remains at 10−5 up to 400 m and 10−4 up to 700 m, achieving the farthest distance and fastest communication rate achievable in the current FSK modulation scheme of ultraviolet communication systems. The integrated components enhance its applicability in communication systems. This study offers a valuable addition to UV communication technology.

The Ozone Monitoring Suite-Nadir (OMS-N) instrument is the first hyperspectral remote sensor in the ultraviolet band of China’s Fengyun series satellites. It can be used to detect several kinds of atmospheric constituents. This paper describes the prelaunch spectral calibration of the OMS-N onboard FengYun 3F. Several critical spectral parameters including the spectral resolution, spectral dispersion, and the instrument spectral response function were determined through laser-based measurements. A secondary peak of the instrument spectral response function from the short wavelength side of the ultraviolet band was found, and the possible influence on data applications was analyzed using a reference solar model and radiative transfer model. The results indicate that the spectral resolution and spectral accuracy of OMS-N meet the mission requirements. However, the asymmetries in the instrument spectral response function in the ultraviolet band were found near nadir rows, which are expressed as the “asymmetric central peak” and “secondary peak”. The analysis results show that if the influences of the instrument spectral response function “asymmetric central peak” and “secondary peak” in the ultraviolet band are ignored, they will bring an error as large as 5% at the center of the absorption line.

The cultivation of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) on marginal lands is a feasible and effective way to increase food production in Northern China. However, the specific influence of nitrogen fertilizer application on the growth dynamics, tuber expansion, overall yield, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of tiger nuts cultivated on these sandy lands is yet to be fully elucidated. From 2021 to 2022, we conducted a study to determine the effect of N fertilizers on the leaf function morphology, canopy apparent photosynthesis (CAP), tuber yield, and NUE of tiger nut. The results indicate that the tuber yield and NUE are closely related to the specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area index (LAI), leaf nitrogen concentration per area (NA), CAP, and tuber expansion characteristics. Notably, significant enhancements in the SLA, LAI, NA, and CAP during the tuber expansion phase ranging from the 15th to the 45th day under the 300 kg N ha−1 treatment were observed, subsequently leading to increases in both the tuber yield and NUE. Moreover, a maximum average tuber filling rate was obtained under the N300 treatment. These improvements led to substantial increases in the tuber yield (32.1–35.5%), nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE, 2.1–5.3%), nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPP, 4.8–8.1%), and nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE, 3.4–5.7%). Consequently, 300 kg N ha−1 of N fertilizers is the most effective dose for optimizing both the yield of tiger nut tubers and the NUE of tiger nut plants in marginal soils. Structural equation modeling reveals that N application affects the yield and NUE through its effects on leaf functional traits, the CAP, and the tuber filling characteristics. Modeling indicates that tuber expansion characteristics primarily impact the yield, while CAP predominantly governs the NUE. Above all, this study highlights the crucial role of N fertilizer in maximizing the tiger nut tuber yield potential on marginal lands, providing valuable insights into sustainable farming in dry areas.

Recently, thin-film lithium niobate electro-optical modulators have developed rapidly and have become the core solution for the next generation of electro-optical problems. Compared with bulk lithium niobate modulators, these modulators not only retain the advantages of lithium niobate materials, such as low loss, high extinction ratio, high linear response and high optical power handling capabilities, but can also effectively improve some performance parameters, such as the voltage bandwidth performance of the modulator. Unfortunately, the extremely small electrode gap of thin-film lithium niobate EO (electro-optic) modulators causes metal absorption, resulting in higher microwave losses. The electro-optical performance of the modulator, thus, deteriorates at high frequencies. We designed traveling-wave electrodes with microstructures to overcome this limitation and achieve a 3 dB electro-optical bandwidth of 51.2 GHz. At the same time, we maintain low on-chip losses of

Additional Affiliations [...]

Abstract Global agricultural trade creates multiple telecoupled flows of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). The flows of physical and virtual nutrients along with trade have discrepant effects on natural resources in different countries. However, existing literature has not quantified or analyzed such effects yet. Here we quantified the physical and virtual N and P flows embedded in the global agricultural trade networks from 1997 to 2016 and elaborated components of the telecoupling framework. The N and P flows both increased continuously and more than 25% of global consumption of nutrients in agricultural products were related to physical nutrient flows, while virtual nutrient flows were equivalent to one-third of the nutrients inputs into global agricultural system. These flows have positive telecoupling effects on saving N and P resources at the global scale. Reducing inefficient trade flows will enhance resource conservation, environmental sustainability in the hyper-globalized world.

Abstract Private lands are important for conservation worldwide, but knowledge about their effectiveness is still insufficient. To help fill this important knowledge gap, we analyzed the impacts of a national policy for conservation on private lands in Brazil, a global biodiversity hotspot with high potential for nature-based climate solutions. Through the evaluation of over 4 million private rural properties from the Rural Environmental Cadastre, we found that the last policy review in 2012 mainly affected the Amazon Forest. The amnesty granted to 80% of landowners of small properties prevented the restoration of 14.6 million hectares of agricultural land with a carbon sequestration potential of 2.4 gigatonnes. We found that private lands exist within the limits of public conservation areas and that between 2003 and 2020 deforestation rates in these private lands were higher than those across all conservation areas. The Rural Environmental Cadastre can be an effective tool for managing forests within private lands, with potential to integrate governance approaches to control deforestation and mitigate climate change.

A neural network approach, which utilises open-source big data, can help assess sustainable development in smaller cities across China which have limited data availability and may be further behind in reaching Sustainable Development Goals than their larger counterparts

Complex sustainability issues in the Anthropocene, with rapid globalization and global environmental changes, are increasingly interlinked between not only nearby systems but also distant systems. Tobler’s first law of geography (TFL) states “near things are more related than distant things”. Evidence suggests that TFL is not infallible for sustainability issues. Recently, the integrated framework of metacoupling (MCF; human-nature interactions within as well as between adjacent and distant systems) has been applied to analyze the interactions between nearby and distant coupled human and natural systems simultaneously. However, previous work has been scattered and fragmented. It is crucial to understand the extent to which TFL and MCF apply across pressing issues in sustainability. Therefore, we reviewed and synthesized sustainability literature that used TFL and MCF across seven major topics: land change, species migration, tourism, trade, agricultural development, conservation, and governance. Results indicate MCF had a much broader applicability than TFL for these topics. The literature using MCF generally did not or likely did not obey TFL, especially in trade, governance, and agricultural development. In the TFL literature, most topics obeyed TFL, except for species migration and trade. The findings suggest the need to rethink and further test TFL’s relevance to sustainability issues, and highlight the potential of MCF to address complex interactions between both adjacent and distant systems across the world for global sustainability.

Introduction: Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material implants have been applied more and more clinically recently. In order to increase the osteogenic activity of PEEK material, the microstructure change of the material surface and the construction of functional microcoatings have become a hot research topic. This study investigated the ability of PEEK surfaces modified by different methods to carry Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and the osteogenic ability of different PEEK microstructures after carrying PRP in vivo/in vitro.Methods: In this study, PEEK surfaces were modified by sulfuric acid, gaseous sulfur trioxide and sandpaper. Next, PRP from SD rats was prepared and incubated on PEEK material with different surface microstructures. Lactate dehydrogenase test, scanning electron microscope and Elisa assay was used to evaluate adhesion efficiency of PRP. Then in vitro tests such as CCK-8, ALP staining, ARS staining and RT-qPCR et al were used to further evaluate osteogenesis ability of the PRP coating on PEEK surface. Finally, The tibia defects of SD rats were established, and the new bone was evaluated by Micro-CT, HE staining, and immunofluorescence staining.Results: The sandpaper-polished PEEK with the strongest PRP carrying capacity showed the best osteogenesis. Our study found that the modified PEEK surface with PRP coating has excellent osteogenic ability and provided the basis for the interface selection of PRP for the further application of PEEK materials.Discussion: Among the three PEEK modified surfaces, due to the most PRP carrying and the strongest osteogenic ability in vitro/vivo, the frosted surface was considered to be the most suitable surface for the preparation of PRP coating.