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Abstract The primary objective of this research was to investigate the determinants influencing bilingual instruction at the tertiary level in the Chinese educational context. A complex network analysis was adopted for this study. Twenty-one factors were first identified using the Delphi method, a qualitative research method. A complex network was then designed for analysis of the factors. The results indicate that the network is a scale-free network with certain key factors. The findings further reveal that the subject language feature and bilingual instruction models have more connections with other factors, and thus they are the most significant factors to ensure the effective implementation of bilingual instruction. The findings of this research may provide implications for bilingual education.

Abstract Background Malnutrition is linked to a higher risk of unfavorable outcomes in various illnesses. The present investigation explored the correlation between inadequate nutritional condition and outcomes in older individuals diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. Methods The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) was used to evaluate the nutritional status. All patients were divided into two groups according to GNRI. A Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess the survival rates of different groups at risk of malnutrition. In addition, GNRI was used in COX proportional risk regression models to evaluate its predictive effect on both overall mortality and cardiovascular mortality among patients with hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, the study employed restricted cubic splines (RCS) to examine the nonlinear correlation between GNRI and mortality. Results The study included 4,532 elderly individuals diagnosed with hyperlipidemia. During a median follow-up duration of 139 months, a total of 1498 deaths from all causes and 410 deaths from cardiovascular causes occurred. The Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significantly poorer survival among individuals at risk of malnutrition, as indicated by the GNRI. In the malnutrition risk group, the modified COX proportional hazards model revealed that a decrease in GNRI was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR=1.686, 95% CI 1.212-2.347) and cardiovascular mortality (HR=3.041, 95% CI 1.797-5.147). Furthermore, the restricted cubic splines revealed a non-linear association between GNRI and both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality (p-value for non-linearity = 0.0039, p-value for non-linearity=0.0386). Conclusions In older patients with hyperlipidemia, lower levels of GNRI are associated with mortality. The GNRI could potentially be used to predict all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality.

ABSTRACT: The health benefits conferred by probiotics is specific to individual probiotic strains, highlighting the importance of identifying specific strains for research and production purposes. Streptococcus thermophilus CICC 6038 and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus CICC 6047 are exceedingly valuable for commercial use with an excellent mixed-culture fermentation. To differentiate these 2 strains from other S. thermophilus and L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, a specific, sensitive, accurate, rapid, convenient, and cost-effective method is required. In this study, we conducted a pan-genome analysis of S. thermophilus and L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus to identify species-specific core genes, along with strain-specific SNPs. These genes were used to develop suitable PCR primers, and the conformity of sequence length and unique SNPs was confirmed by sequencing for qualitative identification at the strain level. The results demonstrated that SNPs analysis of PCR products derived from these primers could distinguish CICC 6038 and CICC 6047 accurately and reproducibly from the other strains of S. thermophilus and L. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, respectively. The strain-specific PCR method based on SNPs herein is universally applicable for probiotics identification. It offers valuable insights into identifying probiotics at the strain level that is fit-for-purpose in quality control and compliance assessment of commercial dairy products.

Abstract Particle collisions at the energy frontier can probe the nature of invisible dark matter via production in association with recoiling visible objects. We propose a new potential production mode, in which dark matter is produced by the decay of a heavy dark Higgs boson radiated from a heavy W′ boson. In such a model, motivated by left-right symmetric theories, dark matter would not be pair produced in association with other recoiling objects due to its lack of direct coupling to quarks or gluons. We study the hadronic decay mode via W′ → tb and estimate the LHC exclusion sensitivity at 95% confidence level to be 102 − 105 fb for W′ boson masses between 250 and 1750 GeV.

Abstract Background The health and size of the testes are crucial for boar fertility. Testicular development is tightly regulated by epigenetics. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a prevalent internal modification on mRNA and plays an important role in development. The mRNA m6A methylation in boar testicular development still needs to be investigated. Results Using the MeRIP-seq technique, we identify and profile m6A modification in boar testes between piglets and adults. The results showed 7783 distinct m6A peaks in piglets and 6590 distinct m6A peaks in adults, with 2,471 peaks shared between the two groups. Enrichment of GO and KEGG analysis reveal dynamic m6A methylation in various biological processes and signalling pathways. Meanwhile, we conjointly analyzed differentially methylated and expressed genes in boar testes before and after sexual maturity, and reproductive related genes (TLE4, TSSK3, TSSK6, C11ORF94, PATZ1, PHLPP1 and PAQR7) were identified. Functional enrichment analysis showed that differential genes are associated with important biological functions, including regulation of growth and development, regulation of metabolic processes and protein catabolic processes. Conclusion The results demonstrate that m6A methylation, differential expression and the related signalling pathways are crucial for boar testicular development. These results suggest a role for m6A modification in boar testicular development and provided a resource for future studies on m6A function in boar testicular development.

In agricultural ecosystems, incorporation of crop residues has been practiced as a recycling approach for sustaining soil organic matter (SOM) and soil fertility. However, how crop residue amendments in different forms (direct straw return, converted as manure and pyrolyzed as biochar) affect soil organic carbon (SOC) pools and SOM composition is not well known. In this study, a short-term (2015–2019) field experiment in paddy soil was conducted with a one-time maize residue amendment, consistently in a single doses of 10 Mg ha−1 organic carbon (OC) equivalent, in three forms: air-dried straw (CS), cattle manure (CM) and biochar (CB). No residue amendment (CK) was used as control. Topsoil organic matter changes were analysed using 13C isotopic tracing, biomarker analysis, and solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in combination with soil aggregate density/size fractionation. After four cropping cycles following amendment, SOC content was unchanged under CS and CM but increased by 24% under CB; However, the OC pool ratio of particulate organic matter (POM) to mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) significantly increased under all amendments compared to CK. The δ13C values indicated that maize-derived OC was preserved the most in the POM within the macroaggregates, particularly under CB. Regarding the molecular composition, all residue amendments increased the abundance ratio of plant- to microbe-derived lipids. Plant-derived lipids were primarily concentrated in macroaggregates, whereas microbial lipids were more prevalent in the silt–clay fractions. Lignin phenols were significantly enriched only in microaggregates under CS relative to CK. Overall, SOM changes in the paddy topsoil following crop residue amendment in different forms were depicted by OC pool redistribution and molecular composition alteration. The study highlighted that biochar amendment, instead of straw or manure, greatly enhanced SOC accumulation by promoting macro-aggregation, which in turn preserved plant-derived carbon through the direct input of the persistent char in a rice paddy.

The Qinba Mountain area, located in the southern part of Shaanxi Province, serves as a crucial ecological barrier and cultural melting pot. It is home to valuable agroforestry resources and cultural heritage. Simultaneously, the area is economically underdeveloped, with issues such as low agricultural product prices, hindrances to the sale of agricultural and sideline products, sluggish tourism and cultural creative industry growth, and barriers to the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. In this context, the aim is to integrate the agricultural, intangible cultural heritage, and tourism resources in the southern region of Shaanxi Province. Through a series of design techniques, these resources can be transformed into new economic growth points to promote the sale of local agricultural products, stimulate the development of tourism, cultural and creative industries, and promote the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage. We systematically explored and studied the cultural resources of the Qinba Mountain area in southern Shaanxi Province through field visits and research. Based on this, we designed an IP image that reflects the local cultural characteristics. We then derived a product cluster centred on tourism cultural and creative products, packaging of agricultural products, and packaging of intangible cultural heritage. By integrating tourism resources, agricultural products, and intangible cultural heritage, we have promoted local economic development and the preservation of cultural heritage. This provides reference methods and ideas for exploring the sales of agricultural products, preserving intangible cultural heritage, and developing tourism resources in remote mountainous areas of China.

Abstract Nephrotoxicity is a significant concern during the development of new drugs or when assessing the safety of chemicals in consumer products. Traditional methods for testing nephrotoxicity involve animal models or 2D in vitro cell cultures, the latter of which lack the complexity and functionality of the human kidney. 3D in vitro models are created by culturing human primary kidney cells derived from urine in a 3D microenvironment that mimics the fluid shear stresses of the kidney. Thus, 3D in vitro models provide more accurate and reliable predictions of human nephrotoxicity compared to existing 2D models. In this review, we focus on precision nephrotoxicity testing using 3D in vitro models with human autologous urine-derived kidney cells as a promising approach for evaluating drug safety.

The stigma of social networks may be more noticeable in collectivist societies like China, but research in this area has largely been overlooked due to a lack of reliable measurement. To address this gap, this study tested the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Perceptions of Stigmatization by Others for Seeking Help (PSOSH) scale in the Chinese general population, and tested its invariance across gender and prior therapy experience. In a national online survey, 640 adults completed the PSOSH and conceptually related scales: Self-stigma of Seeking Help (SSOSH), Stigma of Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (SSPPH, i.e., public stigma) and Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form (ATSPPH-SF). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the unidimensional structure of the original PSOSH. The Cronbach’s α coefficient was 0.84 and the 3-week test–retest reliability of was 0.77. The PSOSH showed moderate correlations with the three conceptually related scales, supporting its concurrent validity. Importantly, the PSOSH significantly predicted self-stigma scores, even when considering demographic variables and public stigma, supporting its incremental validity. The scale also demonstrated scalar invariance across gender and across subgroups who had vs. did not have previous therapy experience, supporting comparisons of latent means across these groups. The PSOSH is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing social network stigmatization of professional help-seeking in Chinese community samples.

Abstract Using the high‐time‐resolution data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, precursor waves upstream of foreshock transient (FT) shocks are statistically investigated using the four‐spacecraft timing method. The wave frequencies and wave vectors determined in the plasma rest frame (PRF) are shown to follow the cold plasma dispersion relation for whistler waves. Combining with the feature of the right‐hand polarization in the PRF, the precursors are identified as whistler‐mode waves around the lower hybrid frequency. The occurrence of whistler precursors is independent of the Alfvén Mach number and the FT shock normal angle. More importantly, all the whistler precursors have group velocities pointing upstream in the shock frame, suggesting the dispersive radiation to be a possible generation mechanism. The study improves the understanding of not only the whistler precursors but also the overall FT shock dynamics.

Defect detection on wafers holds immense significance in producing micro- and nano-semiconductors. As manufacturing processes grow in complexity, wafer maps may display a mixture of defect types, necessitating the utilization of more intricate deep learning models for effective feature learning. However, sophisticated models come with a demand for substantial computational resources. In this paper, we propose an efficient deep learning framework designed explicitly for mix-type wafer map defect pattern recognition. Our proposed model incorporates several crucial design elements, including lightweight convolutions, bottleneck residual connections, efficient channel attention mechanisms, and optimized activation functions, enabling it to learn spatial and channel features efficiently. We conduct evaluations on a real-world dataset containing 38 mixed-type defect patterns. The experimental results demonstrate that our framework maintains a high level of accuracy while possessing a compact parameter size and remarkably fast inference speed.

The direct growth of III–V semiconductors on silicon holds tremendous potential for photonics applications. However, the inherent differences in their properties lead to defects in the epitaxial layer, including threading dislocations (TDs), antiphase boundaries (APBs), and thermal cracks, significantly impacting device performance. Current processes struggle to suppress these defects simultaneously, necessitating the development of methods to inhibit TDs and APBs in a thin buffer on silicon. This study introduces a GaSb buffer layer during GaAs epitaxy on a silicon (001) substrate. This approach successfully suppresses defect formation by promoting the formation of interfacial misfit dislocation arrays at both the AlSb/Si and GaAs/GaSb interfaces. The resulting GaAs layer exhibits a step-flow surface with a rough mean square of ∼3.8 nm and a full width at half maximum of 158 arcsec. Remarkably, the growth is achieved without any observable interfacial intermixing. Building on this platform, InAs/GaAs quantum dots are grown with a density of 3.8 × 1010 cm−2, emitting at a wavelength of 1288 nm. This breakthrough holds immense promise for developing high-quality GaAs films with reduced defect densities on silicon for O band lasers, laying the foundation for the mass production of silicon-based integrated circuits.

Abstract Objective Our study was to elucidate the role of RNA helicase DEAD‐Box Helicase 17 (DDX17) in NAFLD and to explore its underlying mechanisms. Methods We created hepatocyte‐specific Ddx17‐deficient mice aim to investigate the impact of Ddx17 on NAFLD induced by a high‐fat diet (HFD) as well as methionine and choline‐deficient l‐amino acid diet (MCD) in adult male mice. RNA‐seq and lipidomic analyses were conducted to depict the metabolic landscape, and CUT&Tag combined with chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and luciferase reporter assays were conducted. Results In this work, we observed a notable increase in DDX17 expression in the livers of patients with NASH and in murine models of NASH induced by HFD or MCD. After introducing lentiviruses into hepatocyte L02 for DDX17 knockdown or overexpression, we found that lipid accumulation induced by palmitic acid/oleic acid (PAOA) in L02 cells was noticeably weakened by DDX17 knockdown but augmented by DDX17 overexpression. Furthermore, hepatocyte‐specific DDX17 knockout significantly alleviated hepatic steatosis, inflammatory response and fibrosis in mice after the administration of MCD and HFD. Mechanistically, our analysis of RNA‐seq and CUT&Tag results combined with ChIP and luciferase reporter assays indicated that DDX17 transcriptionally represses Cyp2c29 gene expression by cooperating with CCCTC binding factor (CTCF) and DEAD‐Box Helicase 5 (DDX5). Using absolute quantitative lipidomics analysis, we identified a hepatocyte‐specific DDX17 deficiency that decreased lipid accumulation and altered lipid composition in the livers of mice after MCD administration. Based on the RNA‐seq analysis, our findings suggest that DDX17 could potentially have an impact on the modulation of lipid metabolism and the activation of M1 macrophages in murine NASH models. Conclusion These results imply that DDX17 is involved in NASH development by promoting lipid accumulation in hepatocytes, inducing the activation of M1 macrophages, subsequent inflammatory responses and fibrosis through the transcriptional repression of Cyp2c29 in mice. Therefore, DDX17 holds promise as a potential drug target for the treatment of NASH.

Public perception of endangered species is crucial for successful management of community-based conservation and sustainability of national parks. By the method of choice experiment, our study evaluated conservation preferences and willingness to donate money for flagship and non-flagship species using a choice experiment with 409 residents living near the Lanstang river source of Sanjiangyuan National Park, China. We found that flagship species such as the Snow leopard (Pristine plateau) and White-lipped deer (Przewalskium albirostris) generated more conservation funds than non-flagship species. However, not all flagship species were accepted. Respondents disliked Tibetan brown bears (Ursus arctos pruinosus) due to direct human-wildlife conflicts such as bodily injury and property damage. Heterogeneity of preference was influenced by household income, religious beliefs, ethnicity, culture, and conservation awareness. Results can be used to establish a local community-participative framework by combining conservation motivations that alleviate human-wildlife conflict.

The impact of biochar application on crop yield has always been a topic of concern. However, most current research focuses on the short-term effects of biochar on crop growth. Investigating the long-term effects of biochar in increasing crop yields is crucial for food security and sustainable agricultural development. To address this issue, this study performed a coupling of meta-analysis and structural equation model (SEM) based on the establishment of a dataset containing 981 sets of observations. The results demonstrated that biochar significantly and durably boosted crop yield, and biochar also has shown an average increase of 36.2% in SOC over a monitoring period exceeding 2 years. Crop yields increased by an average of 16% after biochar application for the long-term scale, although the increase varied across crop types, and biochar application performed better on corn and wheat than paddy rice production. It is noteworthy that the yield still increased by 15% on average after 6 years of biochar application. According to SEM, the yield increase was positively correlated with the application amount of biochar, and the yield increase was higher under low nitrogen (N) input than under high N input. The long-term yield-increasing effect of biochar was more attributable to its enhancement of SOC rather than its effects on soil bulk density and pH.

Biochar amendment to soils is regarded as the potential practice to mitigate climate change while also increasing yields. However, geographical differences in the effects of biochar on cereal production and greenhouse gas emissions are not well understood at the global scale. Random forest, a classic machine learning algorithm, was employed to reveal the drivers of geographical differences in the effects of biochar on cereals yield and greenhouse gas emissions. The potential for yield increases and greenhouse gas emission reduction was predicted in this study. The results indicate that nitrogen fertilizer rate is the most important factor determining the impact of biochar on cereal yield, while biochar application rate strongly affected greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, the maximum increase in cereal crop yields under biochar application was 14.1%. To achieve the largest increment globally, recommended values of biochar application, mineral nitrogen application rate and pyrolysis temperature were predicted to be around 36.3 t ha−1, 193.7 kg N ha−1 and 420 °C, respectively. The maximum reductions of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from paddy fields around the world were 21.6% and 31.0%, and from maize and wheat fields 35.7% and 36.1%, respectively. Although biochar can potentially improve yields while reducing greenhouse gas emissions worldwide under proper management, the performance of biochar showed great heterogeneity.

Paddy rice cultivation is a vital food source but also a significant contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly methane. Management measures such as improved water management and fertilization are being pursued to sustain rice production while cutting down the emissions. However, climate change may pose further challenges for sustainable rice agriculture by either impacting rice production or GHG emissions. Based on a database consisting of 1216 observations across China, we established machine learning models predicting rice yield and GHG emissions, taking into account climate, soil, and management variables. We tested three machine learning methods including random forest, support vector machine and artificial neural networks. The models were trained on 70% of the dataset with the remaining 30% used to evaluate the model performance. Random forest performed best with R2 of 0.59 to 0.72 and modelling efficiency of 52% to 72%. Farmland management emerged as the most important variable to the model prediction, followed by climate and soil variables. Rice production and GHG emissions were estimated to be 245.36 Tg and 218.95 Tg CO2-eq in 2018, respectively. By the year 2050, rice yield was expected to experience a modest decrease ranging from 0.6% to 1.2% due to the combined effects of global change variables, but GHG emissions were projected to increase by 2.1% to 4.9% under different climate change scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways) in China. A large spatial variability in the impact of climate change was observed, and climate change will have the most significant impact in the Northeast agricultural region of China due to the warming effect. Through the analysis of region-specific farmland management scenarios, this study underscores a “Code Red” situation, signifying that future climate change could pose unprecedented risks to the sustainability of rice production in China, despite ongoing management improvements.

This paper concerns the regularity criteria of the three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) system in anisotropic Lebesgue spaces. Two regularity results were proved under additional assumptions on the horizontal components of the velocity field $ {{\bf{u}}} $ and the magnetic field $ {{\bf{B}}} $, or directions of Elsässer's variables $ {{\bf{u}}}\pm{{\bf{B}}} $.

Abstract In this paper, we study the complete convergence and complete moment convergence of linear processes generated by negatively dependent random variables under sub-linear expectations. The obtained results complement the ones of Meng, Wang, and Wu (Commun. Stat., Theory Methods 52(9):2931–2945, 2023) in the case of negatively dependent random variables under sub-linear expectations.

This paper considers the following fractional $ (p, q) $-Laplacian equation: $ (-\Delta)_{p}^{s} u+(-\Delta)_{q}^{s} u+V(x)\left(|u|^{p-2} u+|u|^{q-2} u\right) = \lambda f(u)+|u|^{q^*_s-2}u \quad \text { in } \mathbb{R}^{N}, $ where $ s \in(0, 1), \lambda > 0, 2 < p < q < \frac{N}{s} $, $ (-\Delta)_{t}^{s} $ with $ t \in\{p, q\} $ is the fractional $ t $-Laplacian operator, and potential $ V $ is a continuous function. Using constrained variational methods, a quantitative Deformation Lemma and Brouwer degree theory, we prove that the above problem has a least energy sign-changing solution $ u_{\lambda} $ under suitable conditions on $ f $, $ V $ and $ \lambda $. Moreover, we show that the energy of $ u_{\lambda} $ is strictly larger than two times the ground state energy.

Abstract Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the third most common chronic disease in China with frequent exacerbations, resulting in increased hospitalization and readmission rate. COPD readmission within 30 days after discharge is an important indicator of care transitions, patient’s quality of life and disease management. Identifying risk factors and improving 30-day readmission prediction help inform appropriate interventions, reducing readmissions and financial burden. This study aimed to develop a 30-day readmission prediction model using decision tree by learning from the data extracted from the electronic health record of COPD patients in Macao. Health records data of COPD inpatients from Kiang Wu Hospital, Macao, from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019 were reviewed and analyzed. A total of 782 hospitalizations for AECOPD were enrolled, where the 30-day readmission rate was 26.5% (207). A balanced dataset was randomly generated, where male accounted for 69.1% and mean age was 80.73 years old. Age, length of stay, history of tobacco smoking, hemoglobin, systemic steroids use, antibiotics use and number of hospital admission due to COPD in last 12 months were found to be significant risk factors for 30-day readmission of CODP patients (P

Summary: Regulatory T (Treg) cells exhibit immunosuppressive phenotypes and particular metabolic patterns with certain degrees of plasticity. Previous studies of the effects of the co-stimulatory molecule CD226 on Treg cells are controversial. Here, we show that CD226 primarily maintains the Treg cell stability and metabolism phenotype under inflammatory conditions. Conditional deletion of CD226 within Foxp3+ cells exacerbates symptoms in murine graft versus host disease models. Treg cell-specific deletion of CD226 increases the Treg cell percentage in immune organs but weakens their immunosuppressive function with a T helper 1-like phenotype conversion under inflammation. CD226-deficient Treg cells exhibit reduced oxidative phosphorylation and increased glycolysis rates, which are regulated by the adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/myelocytomatosis oncogene (Myc) pathway, and inhibition of Myc signaling restores the impaired functions of CD226-deficient Treg cells in an inflammatory disease model of colitis. This study reveals an Myc-mediated CD226 regulation of Treg cell phenotypic stability and metabolism, providing potential therapeutic strategies for targeted interventions of Treg cell-specific CD226 in inflammatory diseases.

As global environmental pollution and traditional fossil energy consumption continue to intensify, renewable energy such as wind and solar generation gradually becomes preferred primary energy. In order to promote energy transformation, improve the penetration rate of renewable energy and realize the coordination and complementarity of multi-energy, the power system is the core. The integrated energy system is formed by coupling with natural gas system. In this paper, a two-stage stochastic coordinated scheduling of integrated gas-electric distribution systems (IGEDS) considering network reconfiguration is proposed. The objective of the model minimizes the total system operation cost of the IGEDS in the first stage, while ensuring system security considering the uncertainties of wind generation in the second stage. Moreover, network reconfiguration is also included to improve system flexibility and efficiency. Numerical case studies illustrate that the consideration of P2G and network reconfiguration could help improve system flexibility and accommodate wind generation. It is also demonstrated that the proposed two-stage scheduling model could balance system operation cost and security with different forecasting errors of wind generation.

3D imaging technology assisted orthopaedic robot for preoperative planning can improve the accuracy and efficiency of surgery. However, traditional surgical navigation systems based on 3D data currently need pre-operative drawing and manual registration. The surgical steps are cumbersome and new errors may be introduced during manual registration, resulting in the reduction of accuracy. To address this need, in this study, we design a remote device control service protocol (RoboLINK) based on the DICOM protocol, which can be used in operation and provides a novel solution to the current problem. Based on supporting data transmission between two medical devices, motion control instructions can also be transmitted to achieve mutual cooperation between devices. In accordance with this design method, the protocol is tested in a shadow medical 3D C-arm experimental environment and a simulated surgical robot. The results indicate that the RoboLINK protocol can effectively complete the tasks of data transmission and equipment control with the advantages of feasibility and security.

Quasi-thermal noise (QTN) spectroscopy is a valuable method to deduce important parameters in space plasma, such as plasma density and temperature, especially when direct particle measurements are not available. The present study develops a new fitting method to fit the QTN spectra observed by the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) with a comprehensive theoretical QTN spectral model. By combining the steepest descent and Levenberg–Marquardt algorithms, the new method is more flexible with initial guess values but still yields reliable solar wind electron density and temperature values. The new method is applied to derive the solar wind density and core temperature from the QTN measurements during 10 encounters of PSP. The electron density and temperature values obtained vary with the radial distance from the Sun as n _e ∝ r ^−2.12 and T _e ∝ r ^−0.71 , both of which are consistent with existing models and previous results.

The solar wind deceleration upstream of the Martian bow shock is examined using particle and magnetic field measurements obtained by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN). Mars lacks a strong intrinsic magnetic field so its upper atmosphere extends beyond the Martian bow shock and interacts directly with the solar wind. Neutral atoms in the Martian upper atmosphere can be ionized through several physical processes and then start to move with the solar wind flow to form pickup ions. In return, the solar wind is expected to slow down due to the momentum transfer to the pickup ions. The present study surveys the MAVEN solar wind measurements between 2015 and 2019 to evaluate the solar wind deceleration upstream of the Martian bow shock. Different from previous studies of solar wind deceleration, our analysis carefully excludes the solar wind deceleration in the shock foot region. The average solar wind deceleration obtained is about 0.7% of the initial solar wind speed, much smaller than the values given by previous studies. Further calculation using several reasonable Martian upper atmosphere density profiles demonstrates that the deceleration observed is consistent with the pickup ion mass-loading scenario.

Legume crops in rice cultivation are typically rotated and incorporated into the soil as green manure to improve soil fertility. Biochar has recently been co-incorporated with green manure to simultaneously stimulate soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization and increase carbon (C) sequestration. However, few studies examine the effects of the co-incorporation of biochar and green manure on C cycling and the underlying microbial mechanisms in paddy fields. In this study, the effects of the co-incorporation of green manure and biochar on C mineralization, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) characteristics, and microbial community structures were investigated. A pot study was conducted with three treatments: inorganic NPK (NPK), inorganic NPK + green manure (GM), and inorganic NPK + green manure + biochar (GMC). Organic amendments significantly increased cumulative C mineralization, with amounts in the order GMC (3,434 mg·kg−1) > GM (2,934 mg·kg−1) > NPK (2,592 mg·kg−1). Fertilizer treatments had similar effects on DOC concentrations, with amounts in the order GMC (279 mg·kg−1) > GM (255 mg·kg−1) > NPK (193 mg·kg−1). According to fluorescence spectra, the highest microbial humic acid-like fraction and biological index were also in GMC. Co-incorporation of green manure and biochar shifted the composition of bacterial and fungal communities but more importantly, increased fungal network complexity and decreased bacterial network complexity. The increase in fungal network complexity with the increase in DOC concentrations and microbially derived components was the dominant factor in promoting C mineralization. Overall, this study reveals the underlying biochemical mechanism, the interaction between DOC and fungal network of C cycling in paddy soil under the co-incorporation of green manure and biochar management, and provides fundamental knowledge for exploring effective approaches to improve soil fertility and health in the future.

Cardiac hypertrophy is characterized by cardiac structural remodeling, fibrosis, microvascular rarefaction, and chronic inflammation. The heart is structurally organized by different cell types, including cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells. These cells highly interact with each other by a number of paracrine or autocrine factors. Cell-cell communication is indispensable for cardiac development, but also plays a vital role in regulating cardiac response to damage. Although cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts are deemed as key regulators of hypertrophic stimulation, other cells, including endothelial cells, also exert important effects on cardiac hypertrophy. More particularly, endothelial cells are the most abundant cells in the heart, which make up the basic structure of blood vessels and are widespread around other cells in the heart, implicating the great and inbuilt advantage of intercellular crosstalk. Cardiac microvascular plexuses are essential for transport of liquids, nutrients, molecules and cells within the heart. Meanwhile, endothelial cell-mediated paracrine signals have multiple positive or negative influences on cardiac hypertrophy. However, a comprehensive discussion of these influences and consequences is required. This review aims to summarize the basic function of endothelial cells in angiogenesis, with an emphasis on angiogenic molecules under hypertrophic conditions. The secondary objective of the research is to fully discuss the key molecules involved in the intercellular crosstalk and the endothelial cell-mediated protective or detrimental effects on other cardiac cells. This review provides a more comprehensive understanding of the overall role of endothelial cells in cardiac hypertrophy and guides the therapeutic approaches and drug development of cardiac hypertrophy.

Abstract Linear instability analysis as well as a corresponding two‐dimensional hybrid simulation are performed to examine the excitation of the proton cyclotron waves observed upstream of Mars. The waves are believed to be excited by the pickup ions produced from the ionization of the Martian hydrogen exosphere. And previous statistical analysis of wave observations suggested that the waves are mostly related to pickup ion beam velocity distributions. While earlier linear instability analysis of pickup ion beam distributions has mainly been focused on the parallel unstable modes, our analysis reveals that the maximum growth rate occurs at very oblique propagation. The corresponding hybrid simulation confirms the linear analysis results and further demonstrates that the pickup ions are scattered toward an isotropic shell velocity distribution by the waves excited. Interestingly, the waves at oblique propagation gradually damp out and the system is eventually dominated by waves of quasi‐parallel propagation.

Abstract Multidimensional analyses have demonstrated the presence of a unique tumor microenvironment (TME) in liver cancer. Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are among the most abundant immune cells infiltrating the TME and are present at all stages of liver cancer progression, and targeting TAMs has become one of the most favored immunotherapy strategies. In addition, macrophages and liver cancer cells have distinct origins. At the early stage of liver cancer, macrophages can provide a niche for the maintenance of liver cancer stem cells. In contrast, cancer stem cells (CSCs) or poorly differentiated tumor cells are key factors modulating macrophage activation. In the present review, we first propose the origin connection between precursor macrophages and liver cancer cells. Macrophages undergo dynamic phenotypic transition during carcinogenesis. In this course of such transition, it is critical to determine the appropriate timing for therapy and block specific markers to suppress pro‐tumoral TAMs. The present review provides a more detailed discussion of transition trends of such surface markers than previous reviews. Complex crosstalk occurs between TAMs and liver cancer cells. TAMs play indispensable roles in tumor progression, angiogenesis, and autophagy due to their heterogeneity and robust plasticity. In addition, macrophages in the TME interact with other immune cells by directing cell‐to‐cell contact or secreting various effector molecules. Similarly, tumor cells combined with other immune cells can drive macrophage recruitment and polarization. Despite the latest achievements and the advancements in treatment strategies following TAMs studies, comprehensive discussions on the communication between macrophages and cancer cells or immune cells in liver cancer are currently lacking. In this review, we discussed the interactions between TAMs and liver cancer cells (from cell origin to maturation), the latest therapeutic strategies (including chimeric antigen receptor macrophages), and critical clinical trials for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) to provide a rationale for further clinical investigation of TAMs as a potential target for treating patients with liver cancer.

AIM: To explore the relationship between serum uric acid(SUA)and cystatin C(CysC)levels with diabetic retinopathy(DR).METHODS: A prospective study.A total of 53 non-DR patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM; T2DM group)and 83 patients with DR admitted to the hospital between May 2019 and May 2021 were enrolled. In DR patients, there were 47 cases with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDR)in NPDR group and 36 cases with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)in PDR group. A total of 48 healthy people in physical examination center during the same period were enrolled as control group. The serological indexes of all subjects were compared. SUA level was detected by urate oxidase method. The level of serum CysC was detected by immunoturbidimetry. The correlation between serum SUA, CysC and the other serological indexes was analyzed by Spearman. The influencing factors of serum SUA and CysC were analyzed by multivariate linear stepwise regression method. The predictive efficiency of serum SUA and CysC for DR was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.RESULTS: The body mass index(BMI)and systolic blood pressure(SBP)in T2DM, NPDR and PDR group were significantly higher than those in control group(all P0.05). The levels of serum CysC were positively correlated with FPG, HbA1c, TC and TG levels(rs=0.524, 0.692, 0.395, 0.435, P0.05). FPG, HbA1c, TC and TG were influencing factors of serum SUA and CysC levels(P

In this article, we study complete convergence and complete moment convergence for negatively dependent random variables under sub-linear expectations. The results obtained in sub-linear expectation spaces extend the corresponding ones in probability space.

In this paper, we consider the following fractional $ p $-Laplacian equation involving Trudinger-Moser nonlinearity: $ (-\Delta)_{N/s}^{s} u+V(x)|u|^{\frac{N}{s}-2} u = f(u) \ \ {\rm { in }}\ \mathbb{R}^{N}, $ where $ s \in(0, 1), 2 < \frac{N}{s} = p $. The nonlinear function $ f $ has exponential critical growth, and potential $ V $ is a continuous function. By using the constrained variational methods, quantitative Deformation Lemma and Brouwer degree theory, we prove the existence of least energy sign-changing solutions.

This paper is dedicated to studying the following Kirchhoff-Schrödinger-Poisson system: $ \begin{equation*} \left\{\begin{array}{ll} - \left(a+b \int_{ \mathbb{R}^3} |\nabla u|^2 dx \right) \Delta u+V(|x|) u+\lambda\phi u = K(|x|)f(u), & x \in \mathbb{R}^{3}, \\ -\Delta \phi = u^2, & x \in \mathbb{R}^{3}, \end{array}\right. \end{equation*} $ where $ V, K $ are radial and bounded away from below by positive numbers. Under some weaker assumptions on the nonlinearity $ f $, we develop a direct approach to establish the existence of infinitely many nodal solutions $ \{u_k^{b, \lambda}\} $ with a prescribed number of nodes $ k $, by using the Gersgorin disc's theorem, Miranda theorem and Brouwer degree theory. Moreover, we prove that the energy of $ \{u_k^{b, \lambda}\} $ is strictly increasing in $ k $, and give a convergence property of $ \{u_k^{b, \lambda}\} $ as $ b\rightarrow 0 $ and $ \lambda \rightarrow 0 $.

Abstract Baseline left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is associated with subsequent risks of acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality in patients with sepsis. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in hemodynamically unstable patients with severe sepsis and septic shock combined with LV dysfunction. In this multicenter retrospective study, severe sepsis and septic shock patients with LV dysfunction were classified into one of two groups according to the timing of CRRT: the early group (before AKI was detected) or the control group (patients with AKI). Patients from the control group received an accelerated strategy or a standard strategy of CRRT. The primary outcome was all-cause intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. Patients were weighted by stabilized inverse probability of treatment weights (sIPTW) to overcome differences in baseline characteristics. After sIPTW analysis, the ICU mortality was significantly lower in the early group than the control group (27.7% vs. 63.5%, p

Abstract The regulation of soil water retention by biochar amendment has been concerned especially in cropland ecosystem. However, the quantification of biochar's effects on soil hydrological properties and crop water use efficiency (WUE) is still limited, and the factors driving the biochar effect need to be investigated. Based on a database with 681 observations, meta‐analysis and structural equation model (SEM) were employed to reveal how biochar amendment affects water supply capacity and WUE. The results showed that biochar application increased available water content (AWC) and WUE by 26.8% and 4.7% on average, respectively. According to the SEM of AWC (R2 = 0.70–0.96), the increase of soil organic carbon (+36.1%) by biochar application can not only directly improve AWC but also indirectly improve AWC by affecting permanent wilting point (−1.0%) and mean weight diameter (+11.1%). The SEM of WUE (R2 = 0.74) indicated that soil moisture and porosity were increased by 10.8% and 7.0% under biochar amendment, which was the reason why biochar improved WUE. This study emphasized that biochar can improve soil hydrology and crop yield by increasing soil water supply conditions. And a rational rate of biochar is the precondition to obtaining the benefits of soil hydrology, otherwise, the excessive use of biochar may lead to the decline of WUE.

Compressive light field cameras have attracted notable attention over the past few years because they can efficiently determine redundancy from light fields. However, much of the research has only concentrated on reconstructing the entire light field from compressed sampling, which ignores the possibility of directly extracting information such as depth from it. In this paper, we introduce a light field camera configuration with a random color-coded microlens array. Considering the color-coded light fields, we propose a novel attention-based encoder–decoder network. Specifically, the encoder part compresses the coded measurement into a low-dimensional representation that removes most redundancy, and the decoder part constructs the depth map directly from the latent representation. The attention mechanism enables the network to process spatial and angular features dynamically and effectively, thus significantly improving performance. Extensive experiments on synthetic and real-world datasets show that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art light field depth estimation method designed for non-coded light fields. To our knowledge, this is the first study that combines the color-coded light field with the attention-based deep learning approach, which provides a crucial insight into the design of enhanced light field photography systems.

This paper investigates the sparse β model with 𝓁1 penalty in the field of network data models, which is a hot topic in both statistical and social network research. We present a refined algorithm designed for parameter estimation in the proposed model. Its effectiveness is highlighted through its alignment with the proximal gradient descent method, stemming from the convexity of the loss function. We study the estimation consistency and establish an optimal bound for the proposed estimator. Empirical validations facilitated through meticulously designed simulation studies corroborate the efficacy of our methodology. These assessments highlight the prospective contributions of our methodology to the advanced field of network data analysis.

The mechanisms of rape straw biochar that affect the fixation of cadmium (Cd) in paddy soil by influencing redox of iron and sulfur are unclear. Several anaerobic incubation experiments were carried out using Cd-contaminated paddy soils (LY and ZZ). Rape straw biochar at pyrolysis temperatures of 450 °C (LRSB) and 800 °C (HRSB) was selected as the soil remediation agent. The electron exchange capacity and electrical conductivity were higher in HRSB than those in LRSB. The lower pe + pH in HRSB enhanced Fe oxide reduction, with a maximum increase in Fe2+ of 46.0% in ZZ. Compared to treatment without biochar (CK), the poorly crystallized Fe oxide (Feo) in HRSB increased by 16.8% in ZZ. This induced Cd bound to Fe, and Mn oxides fraction (Fe-Mn Cd) increased by 42.5%. The SO42−-S content in LRSB was 4.6 times that of HRSB. LRSB addition increased acid-volatile sulfide by 46.4% and 48.9% in LY and ZZ soils, respectively, compared to CK. This resulted in an increase in sulfide’s contribution to Cd fixation, with values rising from 24.2% to 37.8% in LY and 19.1% to 29.8% in ZZ. Overall, LRSB reduced Cd mobility by forming more sulfide, while HRSB increased Fe-Mn Cd by increasing Feo.

ABSTRACT Chromosome evolution drives species evolution, speciation, and adaptive radiation. Accurate genome assembly is crucial to understanding chromosome evolution of species, such as dikaryotic fungi. Rust fungi (Pucciniales) in dikaryons represent the largest group of plant pathogens, but the evolutionary process of adaptive radiation in Pucciniales remains poorly understood. Here, we report a gapless genome for the wheat leaf rust fungus Puccinia triticina determined using PacBio high-fidelity (HiFi) sequencing. This gapless assembly contains two sets of chromosomes, showing that one contig represents one chromosome. Comparisons of homologous chromosomes between the phased haplotypes revealed that highly frequent small-scale sequence divergence shapes haplotypic variation. Genome analyses of Puccinia triticina along with other rusts revealed that recent transposable element bursts and extensive segmental gene duplications synergistically highlight the evolution of chromosome structures. Comparative analysis of chromosomes indicated that frequent chromosomal rearrangements may act as a major contributor to rapid radiation of Pucciniales. This study presents the first gapless, phased assembly for a dikaryotic rust fungus and provides insights into adaptive evolution and species radiation in Pucciniales. IMPORTANCE Rust fungi (Pucciniales) are the largest group of plant pathogens. Adaptive radiation is a predominant feature in Pucciniales evolution. Chromosome evolution plays an important role in adaptive evolution. Accurate chromosome-scale assembly is required to understand the role of chromosome evolution in Pucciniales. We took advantage of HiFi sequencing to construct a gapless, phased genome for Puccinia triticina. Further analyses revealed that the evolution of chromosome structures in rust lineage is shaped by the combination of transposable element bursts and segmental gene duplications. Chromosome comparisons of Puccinia triticina and other rusts suggested that frequent chromosomal arrangements may make remarkable contributions to high species diversity of rust fungi. Our results present the first gapless genome for Pucciniales and shed light on the feature of chromosome evolution in Pucciniales.

The inorganic fractions of biochar are influenced by feedstock and pyrolysis conditions. They act as plant nutrients but can also be harmful to the environment. Pyrolysis alters the content and availability of nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Biochars contain trace elements, such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and silicon as well as heavy metals. We consider the sources of heavy metals in biochar and their bioavailability, focusing on ensuring agricultural application safety. Biochar-derived nanoparticles can transport inorganic compounds, posing environmental threats. Balancing positive contributions while minimizing the negative impacts of inorganic fractions is essential for optimizing agronomic benefits with biochar.

In response to China’s “double carbon” strategic goal, the problem of large emissions of coal gangue and low utilization rate of gangue cemented backfill with fly ash as admixture needs to be solved urgently. Based on this, this paper uses coal gangue powder as admixture and coal gangue as coarse and fine aggregate to prepare coal-gangue-based green cemented filling body (CGGCFB) with different mass concentrations (MC). The workability, mechanical properties, and microscopic pore structure (nuclear magnetic resonance and scanning electron microscope) were measured, respectively, to explore the effect of MC on the above mentioned properties. In terms of macroscopic properties, with the increase of MC from 80% to 82% and 84%, the slump of filling slurry decreased by 18.37% and 32.65%, the expansion decreased by 30% and 54.55%, and the bleeding rate decreased by 28.3% and 60.38%. The uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of CGGCFB at different ages increased to varying degrees, and the maximum was 2.9 times of the original. In terms of microscopic pore structure characteristics, the total number of pores of CGGCFB decreases, the pore size changes from large to small, the shape tends to be uniform and circular, the force characteristics of the pores are improved, the complexity and tortuousness of the pore channels increase, and the inner surface of the pores becomes rough; the test results show that the performance of the backfill with a mass concentration of 82% is reasonable, and the utilization rate of coal gangue can be increased to 72%. The research results of this paper can further improve the utilization rate of coal gangue resources, and provide a theoretical reference for the research and application of coal gangue in mine filling.

The role of biochar–microbe interaction in plant rhizosphere mediating soil-borne disease suppression has been poorly understood for plant health in field conditions. Chinese ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) is widely cultivated in Alfisols across Northeast China, being often stressed severely by pathogenic diseases. In this study, the topsoil of a continuously cropped ginseng farm was amended at 20 t ha–1, respectively, with manure biochar (PB), wood biochar (WB), and maize residue biochar (MB) in comparison to conventional manure compost (MC). Post-amendment changes in edaphic properties of bulk topsoil and the rhizosphere, in root growth and quality, and disease incidence were examined with field observations and physicochemical, molecular, and biochemical assays. In the 3 years following the amendment, the increases over MC in root biomass were parallel to the overall fertility improvement, being greater with MB and WB than with PB. Differently, the survival rate of ginseng plants increased insignificantly with PB but significantly with WB (14%) and MB (21%), while ginseng root quality was unchanged with WB but improved with PB (32%) and MB (56%). For the rhizosphere at harvest following 3 years of growing, the total content of phenolic acids from root exudate decreased by 56, 35, and 45% with PB, WB, and MB, respectively, over MC. For the rhizosphere microbiome, total fungal and bacterial abundance both was unchanged under WB but significantly increased under MB (by 200 and 38%), respectively, over MC. At the phyla level, abundances of arbuscular mycorrhizal and Bryobacter as potentially beneficial microbes were elevated while those of Fusarium and Ilyonectria as potentially pathogenic microbes were reduced, with WB and MB over MC. Moreover, rhizosphere fungal network complexity was enhanced insignificantly under PB but significantly under WB moderately and MB greatly, over MC. Overall, maize biochar exerted a great impact rather on rhizosphere microbial community composition and networking of functional groups, particularly fungi, and thus plant defense than on soil fertility and root growth.

To further investigate the effect of pyrolysis temperature on bioavailable Cd, Pb and As, as well as the bacterial community structure in multi-metal(loid) contaminated paddy soil, six types of biochar derived from wood sawdust and peanut shell at 300 °C, 500 °C and 700 °C were prepared and incubated with Cd, Pb and As contaminated paddy soil for 45 days. The results showed that adding biochar decreased bioavailable Cd by 31.3%− 42.9%, Pb by 0.61–56.1%, while bioavailable As changed from 9.68 mg kg−1 to 9.55–10.84 mg kg−1. We found that pyrolysis temperature of biochar had no significant effect on Cd bioavailability while Pb bioavailability decreased obviously with pyrolysis temperature raising. Biochar reduced the proportion of soluble and exchangeable Cd from 45.0% to 11.2–15.4% in comparison with the control, while no significant effect on the speciation of Pb and As. Wood sawdust biochar (WSBs) had more potential in decreasing bioavailable Cd and Pb than peanut shell biochar (PSBs). Although high-temperature biochar resulted a larger increase in bacterial species than low-and mid- temperature biochar, feedstock played a more important role in altering soil bacterial diversity and community composition than pyrolysis temperature. PSBs increased the diversity of soil bacteria through elevating soil dissolved carbon (DOC). Biochar altered soil bacterial community structure mainly by altering the level of soil electricity conductivity, DOC and bioavailable Cd. In addition, applying high-temperature PSBs increased the genus of bacteria that relevant to nitrogen cycling, such as Nitrospira, Nitrosotaleaceae and Candidatus_Nitrosotalea.

Objective To explore whether there exist undiscovered transphyseal vasculature‐canal compound structures in immature femurs and tibias, and reveal their potential oncological impact. Methods This investigation was divided into a morphological study and a clinical study. In the morphological part, a new‐identified anatomic structure was investigated by using radiographical, anatomical, and histological methodologies. Twenty‐eight 1‐mm‐slice thickness magnetic resonance images of pediatric knees were generated and 10 pediatric knees were dissected to verify the existence and universality, observe the radiographic and anatomic characteristics, and determined the located region of this structure. Hematoxylin–eosin staining, immunofluorescence, and angiography procedures were performed to illustrate its histological feature, molecular identification, and vascular origination, respectively. In the clinical part, 38 pediatric osteosarcoma patients were enrolled from January 2014 to December 2020. A descriptive clinical study including 13 typical participants was conducted to investigate the oncological significance of this new‐identified structure. Meanwhile, the discrepancy in transphyseal osteosarcoma extension between different physeal regions was evaluated in a cross‐sectional study. Results In the morphological study, we discovered a new‐found vasculature‐canal compound structure, intercondylar transphyseal complex (ITC), which originated from the middle genicular vessels, traversed the whole epiphysis, and breached the intact open physis in the immature proximal tibia or distal femur. The components of ITC included the juxta‐articular, epiphyseal, and transphyseal segments of vessels, the canals that traverse the entire epiphysis and physis and enclosed the vessels, vascular foramina on articular facet and foramina‐covered synovium. Depending on the location, ITCs can be divided into three types: femoral ITC, anterior tibial ITC, and posterior tibial ITC. Clinically, the ITC may facilitate intercondylar transphyseal sarcomatous dissemination without damaging the adjacent physeal cartilage. Compared to bilateral condylar physes, more osteosarcomas transgressed the open growth plates through intercondylar regions in which ITC was located (P = 0.022). Conclusion As the “gap” on intact open physis, ITC, which is a new‐identified compound structure in intercondylar regions of immature femur or tibia, may promote intercondylar transphyseal tumor extension. Moreover, the identification and characterization of ITC subvert some traditional comprehensions about physis and may provide novel perspectives for pediatric osteosarcomas.

Abstract Improving nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) in crop plants is important to reduce the negative impact of excessive N on the environment. Although biochar‐blended fertilizer had been increasingly tested in crop production, the fate of fertilized N in soil and plant had not been elucidated in field conditions. In this study, a novel biochar‐blended urea (BU) was prepared by pelleting maize straw biochar, bentonite, sepiolite, carboxymethylcellulose sodium, and chitosan with urea (commercial urea without biochar [CU]). N fertilization in a winter wheat field was treated with BU and CU at both 265 kg N ha−1 (HL) and 186 kg N ha−1 (LN). Within a treatment plot, a microplot was fertilized with 15N‐labeled urea at a relevant N level. We investigated the influence of fertilizer management on biomass, grain yield, bioaccumulation of nutrient, soil properties, 15N isotopic abundance, and greenhouse gas emissions. Microscopic and spectroscopic analysis showed that micro/nanonetwork of biochar could bind N to form a loss control agglomerated particle, and organo‐mineral coatings on BU may protect N from quick release. Compared with CU, BU significantly increased grain yield by 13% and 38%, and grain N allocation by 19% and 55%, respectively, at HN and LN level. The total recovery of urea 15N in wheat plant (15N based NUE) was 32.8% under CU regardless of N rates but increased to 41.7% (HN rate) and 56.3% (LN rate) under BU. Whereas, the soil proportion (soil residual 15N) was 20.1% and 13.4% under CU but 32.5% and 18.8% under BU, in 0‐20cm topsoil, respectively, at HN and LN rate. Compared with the CU, BU had no effect on CO2 and CH4 emissions but significantly reduced the total N2O emission by 23%–28%. These important findings suggested that BU can be beneficial to uplift plant NUE to reduce reactive N loading but boost crop production.

To explore the relationship between PD-L1 expression and gene mutations and survival. PD L1, ALK and MET protein expression were detected by immunohistochemistry, and EGFR gene mutation by RT-PCR in 209 cases of NSCLC. The correlations between PD-L1 expression and gene mutations, clinicopathological features and survival was analyzed. PD-L1 was expressed in 99/209 cases (47.4%) of NSCLC, including score 1 (≥ 1% to < 5%) 23 cases (11%), score 2 (≥ 5% to 50%) 40 cases (19.1%). There were 89 cases (42.6%) of EGFR mutation, 12 (5.7%) of ALK and 90 (43.1%) of MET protein positive. PD-L1 positive expression occurred more frequently in men and non-adenocarcinoma, and was negatively correlated with EGFR mutation and histological differentiation of NSCLC. PD-L1 expression was concordant in primary and metastatic cancers. There was no any effect of PD-L1 expression on overall survival of patients with NSCLC. These results suggested that PD-L1 expression is not an independent risk factor for survival of patients with NSCLC. Because of mutual complementarities of PD-L1 expression and EGFR mutation in NSCLC, both should be simultaneously detected for the patients to achieve eligible treatments.

Although alcohol is a well-known causal factor associated with liver diseases, challenges remain in inducing liver fibrosis in experimental rodent models. These challenges include rodents’ natural aversion to high concentrations of alcohol, rapid alcohol metabolism, the need for a prolonged duration of alcohol administration, and technical difficulties. Therefore, it is crucial to establish an experimental model that can replicate the features of alcoholic liver fibrosis. The objective of this study was to develop a feasible rat model of alcoholic liver fibrosis that emulates human drinking patterns and combines low-dose chemicals within a relatively short time frame. We successfully developed an 8-week rat model of alcoholic liver fibrosis that mimics chronic and heavy drinking patterns. Rats were fed with a control liquid diet, an alcohol liquid diet, or alcohol liquid diet combined with multiple binges via oral gavage. To accelerate the progression of alcoholic liver fibrosis, we introduced low-dose carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) through intraperitoneal injection. This model allows researchers to efficiently evaluate potential therapeutics in preclinical studies of alcoholic liver fibrosis within a reasonable time frame.

In the process of rapid advancement of agricultural production, the dynamic evolution characteristics of land and water resources in the main grain-producing areas and the influencing factors are less studied. This study takes Heilongjiang Province, the main grain-producing area in China, as an example, constructs an index system from three functions: production, life, and ecology, uses information entropy to determine the weights and importance of each index, uses the rate of change of the index to determine the basic data of the dynamic development of the system, combines the weights to determine the dynamic evolution characteristics, and compares and analyzes them with the static evolution characteristics determined by the actual data. The results showed that there were differences in the important indicators under different conditions, and the important indicators under static and dynamic conditions were the proportion of the tertiary industry to GDP(A7) and GDP per unit area(A8), with importance weights of 7.45% and 8.0%, respectively. The static evolution index of the land and water resource system increased slowly from 0.16 to 0.91, while the dynamic evolution index fluctuated and declined from 0.58 to 0.34, indicating that the ability of the land and water resource system in the study area to maximize comprehensive benefits is constantly weakening. Managers can pre-control the development speed of the important indicators under dynamic conditions and promote the sustainable development of the land and water resource system.