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Abstract Background Calmodulins (CaMs)/CaM-like proteins (CMLs) are crucial Ca2+-binding sensors that can decode and transduce Ca2+ signals during plant development and in response to various stimuli. The CaM/CML gene family has been characterized in many plant species, but this family has not yet been characterized and analyzed in peanut, especially for its functions in response to Ralstonia solanacearum. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis to analyze the CaM/CML genes and their functions in resistance to R. solanacearum. Results Here, 67, 72, and 214 CaM/CML genes were identified from Arachis duranensis, Arachis ipaensis, and Arachis hypogaea, respectively. The genes were divided into nine subgroups (Groups I-IX) with relatively conserved exon‒intron structures and motif compositions. Gene duplication, which included whole-genome duplication, tandem repeats, scattered repeats, and unconnected repeats, produced approximately 81 pairs of homologous genes in the AhCaM/CML gene family. Allopolyploidization was the main reason for the greater number of AhCaM/CML members. The nonsynonymous (Ka) versus synonymous (Ks) substitution rates (less than 1.0) suggested that all homologous pairs underwent intensive purifying selection pressure during evolution. AhCML69 was constitutively expressed in different tissues of peanut plants and was involved in the response to R. solanacearum infection. The AhCML69 protein was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Transient overexpression of AhCML69 in tobacco leaves increased resistance to R. solanacearum infection and induced the expression of defense-related genes, suggesting that AhCML69 is a positive regulator of disease resistance. Conclusions This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of the AhCaM/CML gene family and potential genetic resources for the molecular design and breeding of peanut bacterial wilt resistance.

Geo-solar systems, comprising ground-source heat pumps (GSHP) and solar thermal collectors, offer promising solutions for sustainable space heating and hot water provision in residential buildings. However, optimizing these systems for maximum energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness remains a challenge. In this context, this study presents a comprehensive approach to enhancing the performance and cost-effectiveness of geo-solar systems. The proposed methodology integrates artificial neural network (ANN) techniques and multi-aspect optimization to optimize system parameters. The detailed of building mathematical model incorporating energy and exergy equations, thermodynamic, and economic relations for all system components. The neural network model inputs to the include five neurons represents Geothermal temperature, Solar radiation levels, System pressure levels, Ambient temperature, and Operational time, and the model outputs represent Energy efficiency and Exergy destruction rate. Through the training of ANN using simulation data and the application of a multi-objective genetic algorithm, the system is optimized for energy efficiency, cost, and environmental impact simultaneously. The results of analysis show that the exergy efficiency of system is 22.02 % and turbine generates 1963 kW. Changes in P10, ranging from 2000 to 3400 kPa leads to the exergy destruction reduction from 8350 kW to 8000 kW, while the other parameters exhibit an increasing trend.

Fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely considered as a vital candidate of aerial base station in beyond Fifth Generation (B5G) systems. Accurate knowledge of air-to-ground (A2G) wireless propagation is important for A2G communication system development and testing where, however, there is still a lack of A2G wideband channel models for such a purpose. In this paper, we present a wideband fixed-wing UAV-based A2G channel measurement campaign at 2.7 GHz, and consider typical flight phases, based on which a wide-sense stationary uncorrelated scattering (WSSUS)-based tapped delay line (TDL) wideband channel model is proposed. Parameters of individual channel taps are analyzed in terms of gain, amplitude distribution, Rice factor and delay-Doppler spectrum. It is shown that UAV flight phases significantly influence the channel tap parameters. Particularly, the “Bell”-type spectrum is found to be the most suitable model for the delay-Doppler spectrum under various flight scenarios for A2G propagation. The proposed channel model can provide valuable assistance and guidance for UAV communication system evaluation and network planning.

The application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has recently attracted considerable interest in various areas. A three-dimensional multiple-input multiple-output concentric two-hemisphere model is proposed to characterize the scattering environment around a vehicle in an urban UAV-to-vehicle communication scenario. Multipath components of the model consisted of lineof-sight and single-bounced components. This study focused on the key parameters that determine the scatterer distribution. A time-variant process was used to analyze the nonstationarity of the proposed model. Vital statistical properties, such as the space-time-frequency correlation function, Doppler power spectral density, level-crossing rate, average fade duration, and channel capacity, were derived and analyzed. The results indicated that with an increase in the maximum scatter radius, the time correlation and levelcrossing rate decreased, the frequency correlation function had a faster downward trend, and average fade duration increased. In addition, with the increase of concentration parameter, the time correlation, space correlation, and levelcrossing rate increased, average fade duration decreased, and Doppler power spectral density became flatter. The proposed model was compared with current geometry-based stochastic models (GBSMs) and showed good consistency. In addition, we verified the nonstationarity in the temporal and spatial domains of the proposed model. These conclusions can be used as references in the design of more reasonable communication systems.

Abstract Metallic nanostructures are becoming increasingly important for both fundamental research and practical devices. Many emerging applications employing metallic nanostructures often involve unconventional substrates that are flexible or nonplanar, making direct lithographic fabrication very difficult. An alternative approach is to transfer prefabricated structures from a conventional substrate; however, it is still challenging to maintain high fidelity and a high yield in the transfer process. In this paper, we propose a high-fidelity, clean nanotransfer lithography method that addresses the above challenges by employing a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) film as the transferring carrier and promoting electrostatic adhesion through triboelectric charging. The PVA film embeds the transferred metallic nanostructures and maintains their spacing with a remarkably low variation of 2), and complex 3D structures. Moreover, the thin and flexible carrier film enables transfer on highly curved surfaces, such as a single-mode optical fiber with a curvature radius of 62.5 μm. With this strategy, we demonstrate the transfer of metallic nanostructures for a compact spectrometer with Cu nanogratings transferred on a convex lens and for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) characterization on graphene with reliable responsiveness.

Abstract With the deep integration of wireless communication technology and automobile industry, vehicular communication has become one of the key technologies supporting the development of Internet-of-vehicle. Due to the high-speed mobility of vehicles and the rapid change of the propagation environments, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) wireless communication channels are generally non-stationary. Meanwhile, the variability of V2V channel characteristics is obvious in different scattering environments. Focusing on these research points, this paper presents the analysis and comparison of V2V channel characteristics for different scattering scenarios based on a series of 5.9 GHz channel measurements. The measurement data are collected from the iron bridge, the soundproof wall, and the road lamp scenarios. The stationary time and frequency are investigated on the basis of method of local scattering functions. The classical channel characteristics, including power delay profile, Ricean K-factor, root means square (RMS) delay spread and RMS Doppler spread are extracted following the propagation principle. Furthermore, considering the source and birth-death process of multi-path components (MPCs) in different scattering propagation environments, cluster identification and statistical results are presented and compared. The different values of the channel parameters and the different performance of the channel under different scattering environments can help us understand the V2V channel deeply. The research results can be used for the design and optimization of vehicular communication systems in different scattering environments.

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins, with tandem 30–40 amino acids, were characterized as one kind of nucleus coding protein. They have been demonstrated to play important roles in RNA editing, plant growth and development, and plant immunity. Although the PPR gene family has been characterized in some plant species, less is known about this family in peanut, especially their functions in response to Ralstonia solanacearum. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis to identify PPR genes and their functions in resistance to R. solanacearum. Here, 389, 481, and 1079 PPR genes were identified from Arachis duranensis, Arachis ipaensis, and Arachis hypogaea, respectively. Allopolyploidization was the main reason for the increased number of the AhPPR members. Gene duplication brought about 367 pairs of homologous genes of PPRs in A. hypogaea. Whole-genome replication, tandem repeats, scattered repeats, and unconnected repeats constituted the replication types. The substitution rates of nonsynonymous (Ka) versus synonymous (Ks) of all homologous pairs were less than 1.0, suggesting that the homologous AhPPRs underwent intense purifying selection pressure and remained conserved in both structure and function. RNA-seq and RT-qPCR analyses showed that AhPPR598 gene was highly expressed in the aerial part of peanut and involved in response to R. solanacearum. The transient expression of AhPPR598 in Nicotiana benthamiana induced the HR-mediated cell death, up-regulated expression of resistant marker genes, and enhanced the resistance to R. solanacearum, suggesting AhPPR598 was a positive regulator of immunity by regulating the JA and SA pathways. These results provide a new understanding of the origin, distribution, and evolution of the AhPPR gene family and potential gene resources for peanut-resistant breeding.

The propagation of electromagnetic waves on land and sea is significantly different. Although the Los scenario is significant in marine wireless communication, the marine wireless channel exists an obvious two-ray phenomenon due to the strong reflection path reflected through the sea surface. By modeling the measured data of marine wireless channels, this paper calculates the radio propagation characteristics of the Pearl River estuary. In addition, the wave fluctuations and high humidity environment will also impact the properties of the marine wireless channel. Therefore, sea surface morphology models under multiple wind speeds are built. To estimate the path loss in the same area under different conditions, the Monte Carlo method is employed to quantify the results. The simulation results show that the electric wave propagation gradually degenerated from the round earth loss (REL) model to the free space model with increasing wind speed. Moreover, the distribution of the shadow fading varies with distance. The findings provide references for the network planning of marine communication.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to play a key role in regulating tumor microenvironment and immunity. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundant in many tumors. However, the functional and clinical significance of lncRNAs specifically expressed in CAFs has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we identified a list of 95 CAF-specific lncRNAs (FibLnc), including HHLA3, TP53TG1, ST7-AS1, LINC00536, ZNF503-AS1, MIR22HG, and MAPT-AS1, based on immune cell transcriptome expression profiling data. Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus datasets, we found that the FibLnc score predicted differences in overall patient survival and performed well in multiple datasets. FibLnc score was associated with the clinical stage of patients with breast cancer but did not significantly correlate with the PAM50 classification. Functional analysis showed that FibLnc was positively correlated with signaling pathways associated with malignant tumor progression. In addition, FibLnc was positively correlated with tumor mutational load and could predict immunotherapy response in patients with breast cancer receiving anti-PD-1 or anti-CTLA4 therapy. Our proposed FibLnc score was able to reflect the status of the immune environment and immunotherapeutic response in breast cancer, which could help explore potential therapeutic decisions and regulatory mechanisms of CAF-specific lncRNAs.

Objective The aim of the present study was to report a novel design of the chimeric deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap (DIEP) to achieve dead space filling, Achilles tendon bridging, and skin resurfacing simultaneously with minimal donor‐site morbidity. Methods From September 2012 to May 2016, a retrospective study was carried out on six pediatric patients with composite soft tissue defects of the heel that were repaired with the chimeric DIEP flap. The chimeric flap design included a flap of the anterior sheath of the rectus, a block of rectus muscle, and a large skin paddle. All the parts were supplied by a common artery. After harvesting the flap, all element parts were inserted at the corresponding sites in a tension‐free manner. With one set of vessel anastomoses at the recipient site, accurate repair with tendon reconstruction, dead space elimination, and wound covering were accomplished. The donor site incisions were closed initially. Data on patient age, medical history, injury severity, defect size, flap dimensions, recipient vessels, donor site closure, complications, and follow‐up were collected and reviewed. Results Five of the six chimeric DIEP flaps survived without complications. The remaining one case experienced partial necrosis of the skin paddle caused by venous congestion, which healed after routine dressing changes. Primary donor site closure was accomplished in all cases. The mean follow‐up was 18.6 months (range, 10–36 months). Five patients had satisfactory aesthetic and functional outcomes; one patient needed a secondary debulking procedure. Compared to the unaffected side, the affected side showed no obvious difference for ankle movement, tiptoe function, and patient gait during the follow‐up period. Good ankle function was observed in all patients. There was no donor site breakdown, with only a slightly noticeable linear scar. Conclusion The chimeric DIEP flap reduced the operative time, solved the problem of deficiency of recipient vessels, and attained satisfactory functional and aesthetic outcomes with low donor site morbidity. Therefore, it is a promising option for three‐dimensional reconstruction of composite defects with dead space and Achilles tendon defects as well as skin loss in children.

For a long time, the development of maritime communication has been restricted by the low data rate, high-latency and high cost of the current communication systems. The upgrade of new generation mobile communication technologies is attracting more and more attention to conduct a shore-based broadband mobile communication network with high-latency and high reliability to serve the maritime industries. This paper presents a solution by means of building a ship-to-infrastructure (S2I) and a ship-to-ship (S2S) wireless communication networks for an offshore region. We characterize the S2I and S2S channels at 5.9 GHz band based on the channel measurements in realistic environments. The channel characteristics, including power delay profile, delay spread, propagation path loss, are extracted and analyzed. In view of the difference between marine and terrestrial communications, we analyze the influencing factors of the offshore water, including effective reflection, divergence and shadowing from the water surface, and diffraction loss caused by the earth curvature. We also predict the power coverage range and the channel capacity for S2I and S2S wireless communications. Finally, the communication performance is evaluated according to the channel measurement and characterization analysis. The research results can be a reference for the construction of maritime communication networks.

This paper reports the results of a car-following measurement of the wireless propagation channel at 5.9 GHz on a seriously congested urban road in Wuhan, China. The small-scale amplitude-fading distribution was determined to be a Ricean distribution using the Akaike information criterion. This result shows that this car-following scenario can be regarded as a line-of-sight radio channel. Moreover, the statistical K-factor features follow a Gaussian distribution. According to the power delay profile and average power delay profile, we found that street buildings in this dense urban environment contributed to very strong reflection phenomena. The impact of a powerful reflection is analyzed through path loss, delay, and Doppler spreads in the channel statistical properties. In the frequency domain, we observe a U-shape delay-Doppler spectrum that proved that the dense urban scenario consists of scattering channels. All these results are summarized in tabular form that will be useful in the modeling of vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communication systems.

In this paper, a propagation path loss model for inland river is proposed by three improvements compared with the Round Earth Loss (REL) model for open-sea environment. Specifically, parameters optimization uses Okumura-Hata model in dB scale to replace the equation transformed from the free space loss in REL model; secondly, diffraction loss caused by the obstacles (e.g., large buildings, bridges, or some other facilities near the river bank) is also taken into account; mixed-path methodology as another improvement is used for Inland River (IR) model because the actual propagation environment between transmitter (TX) antenna and receiver (RX) antenna contains both land part and water part. The paper presents a set of 1.4 GHz measurements conducted along the Yangtze River in Wuhan. According to the comparison between path loss models and experimental results, IR model shows a good matching degree. After that, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Grey Relation Grade and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (GRG-MAPE), Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (PCC-MAPE) are employed to implement quantitative analysis. The results prove that IR model with consideration of mixed path and deterministic information is more accurate than other classic empirical propagation models for these scenarios.