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To improve the recognition effect of the folk dance image recognition model and put forward new suggestions for teachers’ teaching strategies, this study introduces a Deep Neural Network (DNN) to optimize the folk dance training image recognition model. Moreover, a corresponding teaching strategy optimization scheme is proposed according to the experimental results. Firstly, the image preprocessing and feature extraction of DNN are optimized. Secondly, classification and target detection models are established to analyze the folk dance training images, and the C-dance dataset is used for experiments. Finally, the results are compared with those of the Naive Bayes classifier, K-nearest neighbor, decision tree classifier, support vector machine, and logistic regression models. The results of this study provide new suggestions for teaching strategies. The research results indicate that the optimized classification model shows a significant improvement in classification accuracy across various aspects such as action complexity, dance types, movement speed, dance styles, body dynamics, and rhythm. The accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 scores have increased by approximately 14.7, 11.8, 13.2, and 17.4%, respectively. In the study of factors such as different training images, changes in perspective, lighting conditions, and noise interference, the optimized model demonstrates a substantial enhancement in recognition accuracy and robustness. These findings suggest that, compared to traditional models, the optimized model performs better in identifying various dances and movements, enhancing the accuracy and stability of classification. Based on the experimental results, strategies for optimizing the real-time feedback and assessment mechanism in folk dance teaching, as well as the design of personalized learning paths, are proposed. Therefore, this study holds the potential to be applied in the field of folk dance, promoting the development and innovation of folk dance education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the micro-cross-sectional data from the Chinese Household Finance Survey in 2017 to systematically investigate the influence of house purchasing intention on household participation in the financial market by adopting probit, tobit and bootstrap methods. First, house purchasing intention had a significant positive impact on household participation in the financial market. Second, family risk preference played a significant mediating effect in the relation stated above. The results of the paper revealed that the impact of housing market prosperity on participation in the financial market was not only through the stock of real estate in the housing market but also through house purchasing intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xinjiang unearthed brocade as a significant cultural heritage records the historical and cultural information of diverse ethnic groups, and it also influences cultural product development. However, the existing knowledge concerning these brocades is disorganized, fragmented, and incomplete, hindering a comprehensive understanding of their intricate relationships. To address these issues, this study has developed an integrated ontological model for Xinjiang's unearthed brocades (XJUBontology). By applying Conceptual Reference Model of International Committee for Documentation (CIDOC CRM) ontology and the Remanufactured Process Planning (RPP) approach, this XJUBontology comprises knowledge about both the brocades and their cultural derivatives, and knowledge in these two domains are able to be organized and refined. The implementation of XJUBontology in Protégé and validation via SPARQL queries not only centralize and manage Xinjiang unearthed brocade-related knowledge but also establish vital connections among this fragmented information. The contribution is to help in associating, managing, and sharing knowledge in the domain of Xinjiang unearthed brocades, providing a framework for establishing related data repository, and helping researchers, apparel and accessories designers, museums, and other cultural and tourism institutions to access a more systematic information to assist their works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) is sensitive to supra‐optimal temperature, which makes summer bentgrass decline (SBD) a main conundrum troubling turf manager. Diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (DA‐6) is an artificial and bioactive plant growth regulator affecting tolerance to various abiotic stresses. It is commercially available for field application due to multiple advantages such as low cost, environmentally friendly compound, and sustainable effect. However, the positive effect and mechanism of DA‐6‐mediated heat tolerance in cool‐season grass species and SBD are not yet been explored. Objectives of the study were to screen the optimal dose of DA‐6 for improvement in thermotolerance and to investigate roles of DA‐6 in regulating photosynthesis, osmotic balance, and antioxidant homeostasis in two creeping bentgrass cultivars (heat‐tolerant 13 M and heat‐sensitive Seaside II) in controlled heat condition. Summer heat tolerance induced by the DA‐6 was further evaluated for 2 years under field conditions in a subtropical zone. Results demonstrated that the optimal dose of DA‐6 was screened as 0.1 mM based on analyses of chlorophyll content, photochemical efficiency, and cell membrane stability under heat stress. Foliar application of DA‐6 significantly alleviated heat‐induced leaf senescence by improving photosynthetic performance, accumulation of sugars (sucrose, fructose, and glucose) for osmotic homeostasis, and total antioxidant capacity for reactive oxygen species scavenging in the two cultivars. A 2‐year field test was further carried out to demonstrate that turf quality of the two cultivars was significantly improved after being treated by foliar DA‐6 during hot summer months in 2020 and 2021. Current findings suggested that DA‐6‐mediated thermo‐resistant mechanism was associated with photosynthesis, osmotic adjustment, and antioxidant in cool‐season grass species. Foliar application of DA‐6 could be a cheap, effective, and environmentally friendly strategy to alleviate SBD. Core Ideas: Foliar application of Diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (DA‐6) could be a cheap, effective, and environmentally friendly strategy to alleviate summer bentgrass decline (SBD).DA‐6‐mediated thermo‐resistant mechanism was associated with photosynthesis, osmotic adjustment, and antioxidant.The optimal dose of DA‐6 for thermotolerance of creeping bentgrass was screened as 0.1 mM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how China’s COVID-19 prevention policy during the pandemic affected the physical and mental well-being of Chinese students overseas returning home, and how their perceptions of ‘home’ were both challenged and reinforced through their interactions with China’s virus prevention and control measures. We first review the literature on the vulnerability of transnational students during the pandemic, with a focus on transnational Chinese students. Then we explore the concept of ‘homing’ within the context of China’s cultural definition of ‘roots’ (gen, 根). Drawing from participant narratives, we identified three interwoven themes highlighting challenges faced during their journey home – reconnecting with cultural roots, negotiating with critical institutions, and struggling with in-between identities, and analysed their relationships with their health identity and the concept of home. Our findings offer practical insights for improving the well-being of these transnational migrants during times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding plastic deformation behaviour is key to optimising the mechanical properties of nano-polycrystalline layered composites. This study employs the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to comprehensively investigate the effects of various factors, such as grain sizes, strain rates, and the interlayer thicknesses of the intermetallic compounds (IMCs), on the plastic deformation behaviour of nano-polycrystalline Al/Mg layered composites. Our findings reveal that the influence of grain size on deformation behaviour is governed by the strain rate, and an increase in grain size is inversely proportional to yield stress at low strain rates, whereas it is positively proportional to tensile stress at high strain rates. Moreover, an optimal thickness of the intermediate layer contributes to enhanced composite strength, whereas an excessive thickness leads to reduced tensile strength due to the fewer grain boundaries (GBs) available for accommodating dislocations. The reinforcing impact of the intermediate IMCs layer diminishes at excessive strain rates, as the grains struggle to accommodate substantial large strains within a limited timeframe encountered at high strain rates. The insights into grain sizes, strain rates, and interlayer thicknesses obtained from this study enable the tailored development of nanocomposites with optimal mechanical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous scholars have identified the shortcomings of imprecise terminology and substantial computational inaccuracies in the current models for predicting the axial compression capacity of CFRPstrengthened reinforced concrete (RC) cylinders. To improve the prediction accuracy of the axial compressive capacity model for CFRP-strengthened RC cylinders, the present axial compressive capacity model for CFRP-strengthened RC cylinders was scrutinized and evaluated. Drawing on Mander's constraint theory and the concrete triaxial strength model, a novel axial compressive capacity model for CFRP-strengthened RC cylinders was proposed. This study collected 116 experimental data on the axial compression of CFRP-strengthened RC cylinders and analyzed the accuracy of various models using the data. The findings indicate that the model proposed in this study outperforms other models in predicting axial compression capacity and demonstrates high prediction accuracy. Furthermore, an analysis is conducted on the variation law of the model's predicted value with respect to the design parameters. The proposed model in this study identifies concrete strength, stirrup spacing, and elastic modulus of CFRP as the primary factors that influence the axial compression capacity of CFRP-strengthened RC cylinders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knockout of the MSTN gene is linked to the enlarged tongue, and it causes suckling difficulty in animals. The suckling difficulty has a severe effect on animal mortality. Thus, special care was required to ensure their survivability. Here, it is critical to promptly ascertain the genotype of all pigs after birth. The main objective of the present study was to develop the restriction enzyme-mediated PCR-RFLP assay for MSTN mutant pig genotyping. To accomplish this, conserved oligonucleotide primer and restriction site were deduced according to the mutated sequence of the MSTN mutant pigs. PCR amplification yielded a 176 bp band for all homozygous MSTN mutant (MSTN–/–), heterozygous MSTN mutant (MSTN+/–) and wild-type (WT) pigs. However, MSTN+/– samples produced two fragments with 176 and 87 bp, and WT samples produced one fragment with 87 bp after being digested by BstNI. MSTN–/– samples were not digested by BstNI and yielded a 176 bp band. Thus, we were able to determine the genotype of all pigs using BstNI restriction enzyme-mediated PCR-RFLP method. Overall, the present study reported a simple and fast PCR-RFLP genotyping method for MSTN mutant pig breeding. The present study may contribute to the establishment of commercial breeding systems and the production of double muscle pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the level of coupling coordination between the digital economy (DIE) and carbon emission efficiency (CEE) is not only an inevitable choice for achieving the goals of energy conservation and emission reduction and promoting green development in China, but also a key path to implementing China's "Double Carbon" strategy. Based on the relevant statistical data of 30 provincial-level regions in China from the period covering 2011 to 2019, this paper empirically analyzed the coupling coordination between the DIE and CEE and its influencing factors. In this study, an improved coupling coordination degree (CCD) model was used to evaluate the degree of the coupling and coordinated development of the DIE and CEE in provincial regions of China. Finally, based on the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method was employed to identify the realization path of the coupling and coordinated development of the DIE and CEE from the perspective of configuration. The results demonstrated that the coupling coordination between the DIE and CCE in China demonstrated a gradual upward trend, and exhibited regional differences, showing a decreasing trend of east > middle > west. Regarding the influencing factors, no single influencing factor could act as a necessary condition for the high CCD, the coupling and coordinated development of the DIE and CEE is a multifactorial synergy. There were five paths for the high degree of coupling coordination between the DIE and CEE, which were divided into three types: organization-environment-led type, environment-led type, and technology-organization-led type. Furthermore, technological innovation level and industrial structure could substitute for one another in some conditions, and environmental regulation and economic development level were synchronized. These conclusions provide a theoretical basis for countries to formulate policies to promote the coupling and coordinated development of their DIE and CEE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To conduct the association between vitamin B12 and mental health in children and adolescents. Five databases were searched for observational studies in any language reporting on mental health and vitamin B12 levels or intake in children and adolescents from inception to March 18, 2022. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed study quality. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of data were performed. The review was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42022345476). Fifty six studies containing 37,932 participants were identified in the review. Vitamin B12 levels were lower in participants with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (standardized mean difference [SMD], -1.61; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], -2.44 to -0.79; p < 0.001), attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (SMD, -0.39; 95% CI, -0.78 to -0.00; p = 0.049) compared with control group. Vitamin B12 intake were lower in participants with ASDs (SMD, -0.86; 95% CI, -1.48 to -0.24; p = 0.006) compared with control group, but showed no difference between depression group (SMD, -0.06; 95% CI, -0.15 to 0.03; p = 0.17) and the control group. Higher vitamin B12 intake were associated with lower risk of depression (odds ratio [OR], 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.98; p = 0.034) and behavioral problems (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.69-0.99; p = 0.04). The vast majority of included studies supported potential positive influence of vitamin B12 on mental health, and vitamin B12 deficiency may be a reversible cause for some mental health disorders in children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNAs that occupy a significant role in biological processes as important regulators of intracellular homeostasis. First, we will discuss the biological genesis and functions of the miR‐302/367 cluster, including miR‐302a, miR‐302b, miR‐302c, miR‐302d, and miR‐367, as well as their roles in physiologically healthy tissues. The second section of this study reviews the progress of the miR‐302/367 cluster in the treatment of cancer, inflammation, and diseases associated with aging. This cluster's aberrant expression in cells and/or tissues exhibits similar or different effects in various diseases through molecular mechanisms such as proliferation, apoptosis, cycling, drug resistance, and invasion. This article also discusses the upstream and downstream regulatory networks of miR‐302/367 clusters and their related mechanisms. Particularly because studies on the upstream regulatory molecules of miR‐302/367 clusters, which include age‐related macular degeneration, myocardial infarction, and cancer, have become more prevalent in recent years. MiR‐302/367 cluster can be an important therapeutic target and the use of miRNAs in combination with other molecular markers may improve diagnostic or therapeutic capabilities, providing unique insights and a more dynamic view of various diseases. It is noted that miRNAs can be an important bio‐diagnostic target and offer a promising method for illness diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Significance statement: Eight microRNA precursors and five microRNA matrices are produced by the miR‐302/367 cluster, which is found on human chromosome 4. In addition to playing an important function in both health and disease, miR‐302/367 can affect how certain drugs for cancer work. The miR‐302/367 cluster's regulation mechanism is made up of an enormous number of components. An increasing body of research is being done on this network's targets, signaling pathways, and other associated molecular mechanisms. The bio‐diagnostic target activities of the miR‐302/367 cluster can be thoroughly investigated in the future to support clinical translation and raise the cluster's clinical utility. Our research uncovered some intriguing data that can offer pertinent hints for upcoming investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a typical warm-season grass, bermudagrass growth and turf quality begin to decrease when the environmental temperature drops below 20 °C. The current study investigated the differential responses of three bermudagrass genotypes to chilling stress (8/4 °C) for 15 days and then freezing stress (2/−2 °C) for 2 days. The three genotypes exhibited significant variation in chilling and freezing tolerance, and Chuannong-3, common bermudagrass 001, and Tifdwarf were ranked as cold-tolerant, -intermediate, and -sensitive genotypes based on evaluations of chlorophyll content, the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, oxidative damage, and cell membrane stability, respectively. Chuannong-3 achieved better tolerance through enhancing the antioxidant defense system to stabilize cell membrane and reactive oxygen species homeostasis after being subjected to chilling and freezing stresses. Chuannong-3 also downregulated the ethylene signaling pathway by improving CdCTR1 expression and suppressing the transcript levels of CdEIN3-1 and CdEIN3-2; however, it upregulated the hydrogen sulfide signaling pathway via an increase in CdISCS expression under cold stress. In addition, the molecular basis of cold tolerance could be associated with the mediation of key genes in the heat shock pathway (CdHSFA-2b, CdHSBP-1, CdHSP22, and CdHSP40) and the CdOSMOTIN in Chuannong-3 because the accumulation of stress-defensive proteins, including heat shock proteins and osmotin, plays a positive role in osmoprotection, osmotic adjustment, or the repair of denatured proteins as molecular chaperones under cold stress. The current findings give an insight into the physiological and molecular mechanisms of cold tolerance in the new cultivar Chuannong-3, which provides valuable information for turfgrass breeders and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The mechanical response characteristics and failure mode of bimetal composite are changed in the fabrication process. • An analytical model for bending behaviours of bimetal composite is established based on deterministic material properties. • Evidence theory quantify epistemic uncertainty in geometric dimensions and mechanical properties in the analytical model. • Bending properties of bimetal composite are quantitatively analysed under epistemic uncertainty. Bimetal or laminated metal composites consisting of several metal or alloy layers can efficiently absorb the advantageous properties of each metal when utilised as raw materials for future remanufacturing. Their mechanical response characteristics and failure modes face uncertain challenges during the processing owing to the existence of heterogenous interfacial transition zones between layers. This work aims to study the uncertainty quantification in bending processing of a novel bimetal composite as a result of uncertain interfacial zones using an efficient evidence-based reliability analysis method. An analytical model for bending characteristics of bimetal composite was first established based on the deterministic material properties of each component layer, and it was employed to quantitatively analyse the bending uncertainty properties of 2205 duplex stainless steel/AH36 carbon steel bimetal composite (2205/AH36 BC) considering the epistemic uncertainty in geometric dimensions and mechanical properties of component 2205 and AH36 layers. The variation ranges of tangential stress and bending moment along the thickness direction of composite during bending process were effectively estimated, and the confidence level of each possible in the corresponding upper and lower boundaries was given for the tangential stress at each position. The analysis results illustrated that the uncertainty quantification for bending deformation properties of bimetal composite can more comprehensively understand the mechanical behaviors of composite, and provide an effective guidance for the forming fabrication of bimetal composite structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a boundary control with barrier term is proposed for a typical three-dimensional flexible riser system by integrating backstepping technique with barrier Lyapunov functions. The proposed boundary control does not depend on the exact value of interference and can effectively restrain the vibration of the riser and constrain the angle between the riser and the platform. The proposed control has a small amount of calculation and strong robustness, and can effectively restrain the riser vibration when the environmental disturbance changes. In addition, based on the proposed boundary control method, the stability of the closed-loop system in space and time is proved by Lyapunov stability theorem when the initial conditions are satisfied. Numerical simulation shows the effectiveness and superiority of the controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Polygonatum odoratum polysaccharides on the quality of white chili peppers in jars. [Methods] White chili peppers were pickled by adding different concentrations of P. odoratum polysaccharides with traditional pickling technology, and its nitrite content, pH and sensory quality were analyzed and detected. [Results] The results showed that, compared with the control group without adding P. odoratum polysaccharides, the nitrite content in white chili peppers in jars decreased after adding P. odoratum polysaccharides. When the addition amount of P. odoratum polysaccharides was 0.002%, the inhibition rate of nitrite reached the maximum. Under the same fermentation time, P. odoratum polysaccharides could significantly reduce the pH value of pickles. When the addition amount of P. odoratum polysaccharide was 0.002% and the pickling time was 3 months, the sensory' quality of white chili peppers in jars was the best. At this point, white chili peppers in jars had rich aroma and tasted soft and sour, and the sour and salinity were suitable. As the fermentation time continued to increase, the chili aroma of white chili peppers in jars gradually decreased, and the sour taste became more pronounced. [Conclusions] This study can provide reference for the safety and quality control of white chili peppers in jars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging of natural rubber (NR) at high temperatures will seriously affect its service lifetime in many key applications. In the present work, the changes in microstructure and mechanical properties of semi-efficient vulcanized NR/carbon black (CB) vulcanizates during thermo-oxidative aging at high temperatures (150–200 °C) and a moderate temperature (95 °C) were compared. At high temperatures, a two-stage aging behavior, which was characteristic of a first rapid decline and then a continuous rise in the crosslinking density (ve), was identified and was found to be closely related to the depletion behavior of antioxidants. The surface cracking behavior observed in the second stage of high-temperature aging was discussed in terms of the grafting reaction of macromolecular radicals on CB particles and thermal expansion. In contrast, the aging of NR at moderate temperatures was much mild, which featured a continuous increase in ve and an oxidation mechanism dominated by peroxy radicals attacking double bonds. In general, the mechanical properties of NR vulcanizates during high-temperature aging depended on the competition effects of structural evolution in the crosslinked network and oxidation-induced chain scission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a warm‐season turfgrass, bermudagrass (Cynodon) is sensitive to low ambient temperature. The objectives of this study were to evaluate cold tolerance of a new variant Chuannong‐3 under field condition and to further elucidate metabolic and molecular bases of cold tolerance in the Chuannong‐3 as compared to triploid Tifdwarf (Cynodon transvaalensis × Cynodon dactylon) and tetraploid common bermudagrass 001 (C. dactylon). The Chuannong‐3 was identified as a triploid bermudagrass based on ploidy analysis. Chuannong‐3, Tifdwarf, or common bermudagrass 001 exhibited different tolerance to low temperature in field (Chuannong‐3 > common bermudagrass 001 > Tifdwarf). The Chuannong‐3 maintained significantly lower oxidative damage to cell membrane system, chlorophyll loss, and inhibition of photochemical efficiency as well as higher water‐soluble carbohydrate content than Tifdwarf or common bermudagrass 001 in winter of 2022 and 2021. Further study found that Chunanong‐3 exhibited the highest glucose, fructose, sucrose, raffinose content, raffinose synthase activity, and CdSPS1 expression as compared to Tifdwarf and common bermudagrass 001, which provided potential protection against chilling and freezing damages. Chilling and freezing stresses significantly up‐regulated ABA‐dependent (endogenous ABA level, CdABF1, CdDHN4, and CdLEA3) and ABA‐independent (CdWRKY2, CdCBF1, and CdCOR440) pathways in three bermudagrasses, but the most pronounced effects were detected in the Chuannong‐3. These findings indicated that Chuannong‐3 had better ability to acclimate to low temperature stress in relation to up‐regulation of sugar accumulation and metabolism, ABA signaling, and CBF‐COR pathway. This new variant Chuannong‐3 could be a valuable bermudagrass grown in temperate and transition zones. Core Ideas: New bermudagrass variant Chuannong‐3 has dwarf phenotype and strong cold tolerance.Chuannong‐3 is identified as a triploid bermudagrass based on ploidy analysis.Chuannong‐3, common bermudagrass 001, or Tifdwarf is classified as a cold‐tolerant, medium, or sensitive genotype.Chunanong‐3 exhibits strong tolerance to low temperature associated with enhanced sugar metabolism.Chunanong‐3 has strong cold tolerance related to up‐regulation of ABA and CBF pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quantitative flow ratio is a novel technology for the functional assessment of intermediate coronary stenoses. The authors sought to explore the influence of diabetes mellitus on the application of quantitative flow ratio and predictors of discrepancies between quantitative flow ratio and fractional flow reserve. Methods: Quantitative flow ratio was calculated in 224 patients (317 vessels) who underwent fractional flow reserve measurement by professional technicians blinded to fractional flow reserve value. Patients were divided into the diabetes mellitus group and the non-diabetes mellitus group. The diagnostic performance of quantitative flow ratio was assessed using fractional flow reserve as a reference. Results: Good correlation and agreement between quantitative flow ratio and fractional flow reserve can be found in the diabetes mellitus group (r = 0.834, P < .001; mean difference: 0.007 ± 0.108). Prior myocardial infarction showed a statistically significant association with increased classification discrepancy between quantitative flow ratio and fractional flow reserve [odds ratio 3.16 (95% confidence interval: 1.29-7.75), P = .01]. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of quantitative flow ratio showed no significant difference in diabetes mellitus and non-diabetes mellitus groups, hemoglobin A1c = 7% and hemoglobin A1c < 7% groups, diabetic duration = 10 years and diabetic duration < 10 years groups (area under receiver-operating characteristic curve: 0.90 (95% confidence interval: 0.84-0.94) vs. 0.92 (95% confidence interval: 0.87-0.96), P = .54; 0.89 (95% confidence interval: 0.81-0.95) vs. 0.92 (95% confidence interval: 0.81-0.97), P = .65; 0.88 (95% confidence interval: 0.79-0.94) vs. 0.89 (95% confidence interval: 0.79-0.96), P = .83; respectively). Conclusions: Clinical application of quantitative flow ratio is not limited to diabetic patients. The relationship between prior myocardial infarction and quantitative flow ratio needs to be further developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) is one of the most important marine economic viviparous fishes. Recently, germplasm degradation and genetic diversity reduction have occurred due to overfishing and long-term artificial breeding. Germ cell transplantation combined with cryopreservation may be an alternative way to protect genetic resources. However, in viviparous fish that undertake fertilization and embryo development in vivo, transplantation is more difficult than in oviparous fish, including selection of transplantation stage, isolation of germ stem cells, and preparation of sterile recipients. This seriously restricts the development of viviparous transplantation. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to explore a transplantation method suitable for these species. Donor cells were isolated from cryopreserved whole testes of 300-400 g male Sebastes schlegelii in May, labeled by PKH26, and intra-peritoneally transplanted into allogeneic larvae at 5-10 days post-birth. Subsequently, the development of donor-derived cells in recipients were continuously detected by fluorescence labeling, histology, microsatellite markers, and fecundity tests. The results showed that donors were rich in spermatogonia (75%) and recipients maintained a high survival rate after transplantation, with a rate of >20% at sexual maturity. Further, donor-derived cells successfully migrated (100%), colonized, and incorporated into the developing recipient gonad (93.33%). Finally, transplanted recipients could normally develop and differentiate into male and female individuals, with donor-derived gametes found in 65.38% of mature recipients. In the present study, we first establish a simple and suitable transplantation method for Sebastes schlegelii using immature males and specific larvae, which will serve as a promising tool in the protection of germplasm resources for this transplantationrestricted marine viviparous species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aim to combine gene transfection techniques with the modeling methods previously employed by the research group to deeply investigate the corresponding theories of traditional Chinese medicine regarding "myocardial energy metabolism" and "aortic thrombosis". Our goal is to elucidate the biological mechanism underlying the occurrence and development of coronary heart disease with blood stasis syndrome from the perspectives of "heart and vessels" and "Qi (in traditional Chinese medicine, it refers to the most fundamental and subtle substances that constitute the human body and maintain life activities. At the same time, it also has the meaning of physiological function. In terms of traditional Chinese medicine, Qi and different words are used together to express different meanings) and blood". The research content is divided into four modules as follows: 1. establishment of an animal model of coronary heart disease with blood stasis syndrome through fibrinogen overexpression. 2. Investigation of the mitochondrial quality control system in coronary heart disease with blood stasis syndrome under fibrinogen overexpression. 3. Study of platelet autophagy in coronary heart disease with blood stasis syndrome under fibrinogen overexpression. 4. Examination of the relationship between the AMPK-mTOR pathway and metabolism in platelet autophagy of coronary heart disease with blood stasis syndrome under fibrinogen overexpression. Ninety-six Sprague Dawley rats will be randomly assigned to the following groups: control group, model group, fibrinogen group and adeno-associated virus group. All rats will undergo a 14-week model construction process, and modern molecular biology methods will be employed to evaluate the model and examine relevant research indicators. The obtained data will be analyzed according to a predefined statistical analysis plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: to determine the effects of vitamin B12 supplementation on neuropsychological function and disease progression in middle aged and elderly patients with cognitive impairment. Methods: this was a prospective case-control study. From May 2020 to May 2021, 307 participants clinically diagnosed with cognitive impairment in the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were enrolled. A total of 115 patients were included in this study. Meanwhile, 115 participants with cognitive impairment were randomly assigned in equal proportions to two groups: vitamin B12 treatment group (n = 58, vitamin B12 500 mg/d intramuscularly for seven days, followed by cobamamide 0.25 mg/d and methylcobalamin 0.50 mg/d) and the control group (n = 57). Demographic characteristics and blood biochemical variables were obtained from all participants. Cognitive performance was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Cognitive performance was measured at baseline and after six months. Results: the vitamin B12 supplementation treatment patients who presented with cognitive impairment showed significant improvement, especially in attention, calculation (p < 0.01) and visual-constructional ability (p < 0.05), in their neuropsychological function compared to their matched group. Conclusion: vitamin B12 supplementation may improve frontal function in patients with cognitive decline. Vitamin B12 levels should be investigated in all patients with cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Port-wine stains are defined as congenital benign vascular lesions. The treatment of port-wine stains remains a challenge, worldwide. This study aimed to analyze the histological characteristics in different types of port-wine stains and provide guidance for clinical decision-making. Methods and materials: Biopsies were from the hospital from 2015 to 2021. H&E staining, Immunofluorescence staining, Masson's trichrome staining and Weigert staining were performed on the tissues. Results: A total of 35 port-wine stains patients were included in the study of four distinct types, namely red port-wine stains (11 cases), purple port-wine stains (seven cases), hypertrophic port-wine stains (nine cases) and nodular port-wine stains (eight cases). The mean vessel diameter of the different types was 38.7 ± 5.9 µm, 93.5 ± 9.7 µm, 155.6 ± 21.8 µm and 155.6 ± 29.54 µm, respectively. Mean vessel depth was 396.4 ± 31 µm, 944.2 ± 105.4 µm, 2,971 ± 161.3 µm and 3,594 ± 364.6 µm, respectively. The vessels in red port-wine stains, purple port-wine stains and hypertrophic port-wine stains were mainly composed of capillary and venous malformations, whereas those in nodular port-wine stains were venous or arteriovenous malformations. Limitation: The main limitation of the current study was the small number of patients. Conclusion: As the disease progresses, vessel diameters become larger, the vessel wall becomes thicker and vessels were found in a greater depth. A treatment plan should be scientifically formulated keeping in mind the histological characteristics of port-wine stains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sleeve sealing ball seat is one of the important components in the multistage fracturing process of horizontal wells. The erosion and wear of the surface will decrease the sealing performance of the fracturing ball and the ball seat. This leads to pressure leakage during the fracturing process and fracturing failure. In this paper, combined with the actual ball seat materials and working conditions during the fracturing process, the erosion tests of ductile iron and tungsten carbide materials under different erosion speeds, angles, and mortar concentrations are carried out. Then the erosion test results were analyzed by mathematical fitting, and a set of erosion models suitable for sliding sleeve setting ball seat materials were innovatively established. For the first time, this paper combines the erosion model obtained from the experiment and the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with Fluent software to simulate the erosion of the ball seat. Based on the simulation results, the morphology of the sliding sleeve seat ball after erosion is predicted. Through analysis of the test and simulation results, it is showed that the erosion rate of tungsten carbide material is lower and the wear resistance is better under the condition of small angle erosion. This research can offer a strong basis for fracturing site selection, surface treatment methods, and prediction of failure time of ball seats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robert Van Gulik, one of the twentieth century's most prominent sinologists and detective writers, has made significant contributions to the study of Chinese cultures but received inadequate scholarly appraisal until the twenty-first century. Although Van Gulik's Judge Dee mysteries have been well received informally among ordinary readers and scholars, little academic attention has been devoted to Judge Dee's trials of evil clergy due to their covert representation in Van Gulik's narration. This paper pays attention to crimes committed by religious leaders and members of orders to reveal an implicit religion-crime relationship in Van Gulik's works on Judge Dee with the help of Kenneth Burke's pentadic criticism. In our analysis, we find that Van Gulik differentiates between good and evil disciples, the acts of the disciples and the beliefs of religions, and non-mainstream and orthodox religion, presenting a heterogeneous religious crime landscape. As a result, in the misdeeds of clergy and offenses against the sacred religion, a Janus-faced (two-faced) clergy crime is identified in the mysteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work details the synthesis, materials characterization and absorption capacity of graphene aerogel (GA) loaded with UiO-66-NH 2 metal organic framework (MOF). A series of density-tunable MOF/GA composites were synthesized by adjusting the MOF/graphene oxide (GO) mass ratio of the precursors before hydrothermal reduction and subsequent critical point drying to achieve MOF- x %/GA composites, with x, ranging from 0 to 100, denoting the weight percent ratio of MOF to GO in the starting solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) pore size calculations supported that MOF loading enlarged the macroporous (>50 nm) structure of the GA framework but had no influence on the mesoporous (2–50 nm) structure of GA. The degree of MOF loading first decreased and then increased the density of resulting composites, exhibiting a minimum for the 10–30% samples. Such behavior with respect to MOF loading has not been reported previously. MOF- x %/GA samples were further investigated for absorption capacity using various organic liquids. MOF-30%/GA proved to be the best absorbent sample for all solvents tested, achieving the highest capacity for chloroform at 147.0 ± 10.0 mg/mg. The behavior is attributed to the structural changes induced by the MOF incorporation as well as the interactions between the organic molecules and the MOF. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycled corundum is a sustainable CaO–containing fused corundum obtained from aluminum–chromium slag. To effectively promote the application of recycled corundum, we characterized its physicochemical properties, sintering properties, and ladle slag corrosion resistance and compared them with those of white fused corundum. We also performed thermodynamic calculations to analyze the effect of CaO on recycled corundum under sintering and slag corrosion conditions. The experimental results indicated that recycled corundum has a lower thermal conductivity than white fused corundum and comparable sintering performance and better ladle slag resistance properties. The thermodynamic calculation results demonstrated that CaO promoted liquid sintering at temperatures above 1600 °C and a higher amount of CaAl 4 O 7 formed after the ladle slag corrosion. The results of this study provided basic theoretical guidance for using recycled corundum as a substitute for white fused corundum in ladle–lining refractories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytophthora root rot (PRR), caused by Phytophthora sojae, is a devastating disease of soybean. The NBSLRR gene family is a class of plant genes involved in disease resistance. miRNA mediates plant response to biotic stresses by regulating the expression of target genes at the transcriptional or post-translational level. Glyma.16G135500, encoding an NBS-LRR-type protein, is a target of gma-miR1510 that responds to pathogen infections. We cloned and overexpressed Glyma.16G135500 (naming it GmTNL16) and knocked down miR1510 using short tandem target mimic technology to identify the roles of the GmTNL16/gma-miR1510 pair in the interaction of soybean and the oomycete. By overexpressing GmTNL16 in transgenic hairy roots of soybean, we showed that biomass of P. sojae was lower in overexpressing hairy roots than in control roots. Thus, miR1510 expression was reduced upon P. sojae infection, reflecting the induced expression of GmTNL16 conferring resistance to P. sojae in soybean. Differentially expressed genes were enriched in plant-pathogen interaction, plant hormone signal transduction, and secondary metabolism by RNA sequencing analyze. In particular, jasmonate and salicylic acid pathway-associated genes, including JAZ, COI1, TGA, and PR, responded to P. sojae infection. All of these results indicate that the GmTNL16/gma-miR1510 pair participates in soybean defense response via the JA and SA pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter is a response to an article titled "Prognostic and Clinical Significance of Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I Expression in Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis." The authors of the letter congratulate the original authors on their comprehensive meta-analysis but suggest some points for further discussion. They recommend registering the protocol of systematic reviews or meta-analyses in an international database, providing a table of quality assessment for eligible studies, stratifying the studies into "triple-negative breast cancer" and "non-TNBC" groups, and explaining the potential sources of heterogeneity. The authors believe that the meta-analysis provides evidence that HLA class I may serve as a prognostic indicator for breast cancer and could contribute to BC immunotherapy. [Extracted from the article]

Beneficial effects of spermidine (Spd) on alleviating abiotic stress damage have been explored in plants for hundreds of years, but limited information is available about its roles in regulating lipids signaling and metabolism during heat stress. White clover (Trifolium repens) plants were pretreated with 70 μM Spd and then subjected to high temperature (38/33 °C) stress for 20 days. To further investigate the effect of Spd on heat tolerance, transgenic Arabidopsisthaliana overexpressing a TrSAMS encoding a key enzyme involved in Spd biosynthesis was exposed to high temperature (38/33 °C) stress for 10 days. A significant increase in endogenous Spd content in white clover by exogenous application of Spd or the TrSAMS overexpression in Arabidopsisthaliana could effectively mitigate heat-induced growth retardation, oxidative damage to lipids, and declines in photochemical efficiency and cell membrane stability. Based on the analysis of metabolomics, the amino acids and vitamins metabolism, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and lipids metabolism were main metabolic pathways regulated by the Spd in cool-season white clover under heat stress. Further analysis of lipidomics found the TrSAMS-transgenic plants maintained relatively higher accumulations of total lipids, eight phospholipids (PC, phosphatidylcholine; PG, phosphatidylglycerol; PS, phosphatidylserine; CL, cardiolipin; LPA, lysophosphatidic acid; LPC, lyso phosphatidylcholine; LPG, lyso phosphatidylglycerol; and LPI, lyso phosphatidylinositol), one glycoglycerolipid (DGDG, digalactosyl diacylglycerol), and four sphingolipids (Cer, ceramide; CerG2GNAc1, dihexosyl N-acetylhexosyl ceramide; Hex1Cer, hexosyl ceramide; and ST, sulfatide), higher ratio of DGDG: monogalactosyl diacylglycerol (MGDG), and lower unsaturation level than wild-type Arabidopsisthaliana in response to heat stress. Spd-induced lipids accumulation and remodeling could contribute to better maintenance of membrane stability, integrity, and functionality when plants underwent a long period of heat stress. In addition, the Spd significantly up-regulated PIP2 and PA signaling pathways, which was beneficial to signal perception and transduction for stress defense. Current findings provide a novel insight into the function of Spd against heat stress through regulating lipids signaling and reprograming in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the use of the ideograph territorial sovereignty by the Times of India (TOI ; U.S./New Delhi editions) in its reports on China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Using McGee's (1980) notion of ideograph and Entman's (1993) framing theory, it uncovers a discursive strategy used by elite media for swaying public opinion regarding international and domestic information flow when promoting its preferred "Indian" understanding of the BRI. This study reviews historical uses of the ideograph territorial sovereignty to establish an analysis of the TOI 's use of it. Then, following framing theory and a synchronic structure, I explore the ideograph in 40 collected TOI reports by contextualizing relationships supporting and surrounding it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the research of rapidly developed deterministic sub-aperture polishing technologies, the analysis of material removal distribution is vital for promoting the precision, efficiency, and stability of the polishing process. To obtain a high-accuracy material removal distribution over a large-scale freeform surface with a high lateral resolution, sub-aperture stitching measurements are indispensable. Due to the limitation of traditional stitching methods, it remains a great challenge to obtain precise freeform surface topographies. This paper proposes a registration-based stitching method, which minimizes the negative impact of stitching error, to yield a material removal distribution with both high accuracy and fine lateral resolution. Firstly, to obtain an initial estimate of the rigid transformation for each sub-aperture, conventional stitching and registration based on the least-square stitching method and the robust iterative closest point algorithm are implemented. Secondly, a registration-based stitching model considering the invariance characteristic of the unpolished region is developed to cancel out the inconsistent stitching errors for obtaining a more precise material removal distribution. Finally, a polishing experiment has been conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The registration-based stitching method and a commercial stitching program are utilized individually to obtain the material removal distribution. Comparison results show that the proposed method can largely improve the measuring accuracy of material removal distribution, which promotes the further study of the deterministic sub-aperture polishing process. • A material removal distribution with both high accuracy and fine lateral resolution is measured with the proposed method. • A registration-based stitching method based on the consistency characteristic of overlapping regions and the invariance characteristic of unprocessed peripheral regions is proposed. • The proposed method is experimentally validated via polishing process. • A comparison with the built-in stitching algorithm of commercial products is conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important metabolic intermediate, 2-ketoisovalerate has significant potential in the pharmaceutical and biofuel industries. However, a low output through microbial fermentation inhibits its industrial application. The microbial production of 2-ketoisovalerate is representative whereby redox imbalance is generated with two molecules of NADH accumulated and an extra NADPH required to produce one 2-ketoisovalerate from glucose. To achieve efficient 2-ketoisovalerate production, metabolic engineering strategies were evaluated in Escherichia coli. After deleting the competing routes, overexpressing the key enzymes for 2-ketoisovalerate production, tuning the supply of NADPH, and recycling the excess NADH through enhancing aerobic respiration, a 2-ketoisovalerate titer and yield of 46.4 g/L and 0.644 mol/ mol glucose, respectively, were achieved. To reduce the main by-product of isobutanol, the activity and expression of acetolactate synthase were modified. Additionally, a protein degradation tag was fused to pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) to curtail the conversion of pyruvate precursor into acetyl-CoA and the generation of NADH. The resulting strain, 050TY/pCTSDTQ487S-RBS55, was initially incubated under aerobic conditions to attain sufficient cell mass and then transferred to a microaerobic condition to degrade PDH and inhibit the remaining activity of PDH. Intracellular redox imbalance was relieved with titer, productivity and yield of 2-ketoisovalerate improved to 55.8 g/L, 2.14 g/L h and 0.852 mol/mol glucose. These results revealed metabolic engineering strategies for the production of a redox-imbalanced fermentative metabolite with high titer, productivity, and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma (Xp11.2 tRCC) is a unique subtype with poor prognosis, its response to systemic therapy is not fully understood, we evaluated the benefit of systemic therapy in these patients. Patients and Methods: Between May 2006 and December 2019, patients diagnosed with Xp11.2 tRCC from Peking university cancer hospital were collected. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) distributions. Results: Metastatic Xp11.2 tRCC was found in 45 patients. The median PFS and median OS was 7.4 months (4.5-8.8) and 17.9 months (12.4-24.4), respectively. First-line treatment mainly included sunitinib (n = 14), sorafenib (n = 15), axitinib (n = 6), and pazopanib (n = 5), and the median PFS of these regimens were 7.4 months, 5.4 months, 9.4 months, 8.9 months, respectively. Two patients who received Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor - tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR-TKI) plus immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) as first line therapy had a PFS of more than 16.6 months and more than 25.6 months, respectively. Twenty-four patients received subsequent therapies, which included VEGFR-TKI/ICI, VEGFR-TKI and mTOR inhibitor. The ORR and median PFS was 33% and 7.1 months, 7.7% and 4.3 months, 0% and 2.1 months for these treatments, respectively. The estimated median OS was 17.3 months (95% CI, 11.2 to not reached) in patients with TKI/ICI treatment and 11.0 months (95% CI, 6.1 to not reached) without TKI/ICI treatment in subsequent therapies (P = .04). Patients with serous cavity effusion or IMDC poor risk groups had significantly shorter median PFS and median OS. Conclusion: Metastatic Xp11.2 tRCC is an aggressive disease. VEGFR-TKI agents appeared to demonstrate some efficacy, VEGFR-TKI/ICI combination might be a useful tool for the treatment of metastatic Xp11.2 tRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Effect of H 3 PO 4 modification on the photocatalytic CO 2 reduction over g-C 3 N 4 was studied. • H 3 PO 4 modification caused a 4.38 times increase in CO production activity. • The enhanced activity was ascribed to reduced Eg and negatively shifted CB potential. • The positive effect of acid modification was further observed by H 2 SO 4 and HCl modification. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 denoted as CN) is a typical organic polymeric semiconductor photocatalyst for CO 2 reduction to produce solar fuels. In this study, the effect of phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4) modification on the property and photocatalytic performance of CN towards CO 2 reduction was systematically studied. It was found that modification of CN with phosphoric acid (CNP photocatalyst) caused a reduced band gap width and negatively shifted conduction band (CB) potential. The photoreactivity of the optimized photocatalyst (CNP0.75) for CO production rate reaches 35.66 μmolg-1h−1, which is 4.38 times higher than that of CN sample with a CO evolution rate of only 8.14 μmolg-1h−1. The enhanced photoreativity of g-C 3 N 4 towards CO 2 reduction after phosphoric acid modification is ascribed to the combined effects of enhanced adsorption, stimulated charge separation and improved reduction ability of CB electrons. The positive effect of acid modification on the enhanced photocatalytic activity of CN was further observed by sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4) modification and hydrochloric acid (HCl) modification, suggesting the versatility of the method. The present study provides a novel way in preparation of high efficient g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst for CO 2 conversion and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A conceptual model is proposed to categorize soil pore water types. • Quantitative analysis on pore water redistribution during soil dry-wet processes. • The SWCC can be predicted using the NMR cumulative pore water distribution curve. The pore water distribution (PWD) of soil provides key information about soil shear strength, hydraulic conductivity, and water-retention ability. The PWD characteristics of the soil depend on the specimen preparation conditions (i.e., the variations in initial water content or compaction degree) and drying-wetting processes, which were investigated by using the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. The NMR T 2 spectrum is mathematically transformed into the PWD curve to more accurately quantify the variations in pore water content stored with pores of different radii. The pore water in silty clay can be categorized into strongly bound water, intra-aggregate pore water, and inter-aggregate pore water, which are identified by the pore radius of <0.05 μm, 0.05-1.0 μm and >1.0 μm, respectively. The effects of compaction degree and initial water content on the PWD of the soil exhibit distinctions. For unsaturated compacted specimens, the PWDs remain unaffected by changes in compaction degree, while an increase in initial water content promotes the formation of clay aggregates, thereby increasing the maximum water-holding pore radius and the intra-aggregate pore water content. For saturated compacted specimens, the inter-aggregate and intra-aggregate pore water content increases with a decrease in the compaction degree, while the changes in the PWD shape from unimodal to bimodal with an increase in the initial water content. During the soil drying process, inter-aggregate pore water is rapidly drained, the intra-aggregate dominant pore water content increases first and then decreases, and the strongly bound water content remains constant. The relationship between the cumulative pore water distribution curve and the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) can be established through the Young-Laplace theory. The SWCC can be well predicted by using the envelope of the cumulative pore water distribution curves during soil drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bipolar VSC-MTDC is a promising solution to increase power transmission capacity and system reliability for large-scale renewable energy integration. However, traditional interpolar active power control methods cannot comprehensively explore the maximum transmission capability of the bipolar VSC-MTDC under abnormal operating conditions. Considering the flexibility of the bipolar VSC-MTDC that the positive-pole and negative-pole DC networks can be operated independently, a novel fault self-recovering control strategy is proposed in this paper to provide automatic, global and timely recovery solutions under various fault conditions: (a) Firstly, a coordinated time-driven and event-driven security monitoring, optimization and recovering control framework is proposed to guarantee the accuracy and speed of the corresponding calculation and control, hence to meet the timeliness requirement of fault self-recovery; (b) Secondly, a global optimal power allocation calculation method is proposed to automatically calculate the optimal power allocation between the positive-pole and negative-pole DC networks; (c) Thirdly, an interpolar active power dispatch method is proposed to realize the fault self-recovering control strategy based on primary control strategies of bipolar VSC-MTDC. Simulation results using MATLAB and PSCAD/EMTDC show that the proposed control strategy can timely and effectively enhance the overall power transmission capability for large-scale renewable energy integration after the fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel global parametric system identification framework is introduced in this work for aeroelastic modeling under varying flight states. The presented framework is based on the functionally pooled (FP) time-series models that enable explicit analytical inclusion of any admissible flight states into the model parameters and thus the system dynamics. In this paper, the autoregressive (AR) type of the FP model, which is designated as the FP-AR, is employed to interpret the aerodynamics of a wing structure. The data were recorded by accelerometers during a dedicated wind-tunnel flutter test with the airspeed increasing all the way to the flutter boundary. Including the varying flight states defined by the increasing airspeed into the system modeling via the FP technique, the global framework provides a more sophisticated identification results compared with the traditional nonparametric Welch-based spectral estimation. Flutter occurrence is indicated by the stability margin of the aeroelastic system evaluated by the estimated FP-AR parameters based on Jury's stability criterion. For online application purpose, an iterative state-based FP-AR process is also proposed in this paper. Compared with the standard FP-AR modeling, the iterative realization is a developing process that provides a global approximation of the system dynamics at each flight state. Experimental evaluation demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed global framework in aeroelastic modeling while facilitating an accurate flutter boundary prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-phase high-entropy alloys with compositionally disordered elemental arrangements have excellent strength, but show a serious embrittlement effect with increasing strength. Precipitation-hardened high-entropy alloys, such as those strengthened by L12-type ordered intermetallics, possess a superior synergy of strength and ductility. In this work, we employ first-principles calculations and thermodynamic simulations to explore the atomic interactions and order–disorder transitions in FeCoNiAl1−xTix high-entropy alloys. Our calculated results indicate that the atomic interactions depend on the atomic size of the alloy components. The thermodynamic stability behaviors of L12 binary intermetallics are quite diverse, while their atomic arrangements are short-range in FeCoNiAl1−xTix high-entropy alloys. Moreover, the order–disorder transition temperatures decrease with increasing Ti content in FeCoNiAl1−xTix high-entropy alloys, the characteristics of order–disorder transition from first-principles calculations are in line with experimental observations and CALPHAD simulations. The results of this work provide a technique strategy for proper control of the order–disorder transitions that can be used for further optimizing the microstructure characteristics as well as the mechanical properties of FeCoNiAl1−xTixhigh-entropy alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keratinocytes are recipients of melanosomes. Although the chemical basis of melanogenesis is well documented, the molecular mechanism of melanosome transfer must be elucidated. TRPA1 is a member of the transient receptor potential A subfamily. Previous studies have shown that inhibition of TRPA1 activity reduces melanin synthesis in human epidermal melanocytes; however, the mechanism remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the roles and mechanism(s) of action of TRPA1 in keratinocytes. The correlation between TRPA1 expression levels and the ability of keratinocytes to phagocytize melanosomes was examined using melanin silver staining. TRPA1 depleted human epidermal keratinocytes and keratinocyte cell lines HaCaT were established using adenovirus-expressing shRNAs against TRPA1. The effects of TRPA1 on keratinocytes and HaCaT cells were determined using cell-based analyses, including light stimulation, calcium imaging, melanin phagocytosis, immunoblotting, and co-immunoprecipitation assays. The degree of epidermal pigmentation was determined in a guinea pig model. TRPA1 mediated the phagocytic activity of keratinocytes. TRPA1 knockdown markedly suppressed melanosome transport to keratinocytes. Mechanistically, TRPA1 was required for PAR-2-induced melanosome phagocytosis in keratinocytes. Furthermore, TRPA1 activation indirectly stabilized microtubules by promoting the competitive binding of CYLD and acetylated α-tubulin. In addition, bortezomib (PS-341), a proteasome inhibitor, increased TRPA1 and CYLD expression and promoted phagocytic activity both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings firstly suggest that TRPA1 promotes melanosome transport in keratinocytes and reveal that TRPA1 is a regulator of PAR-2 activation and microtubule stability via the PAR-2/CYLD axis. • TRPA1 mediated the phagocytic activity of keratinocytes. • TRPA1 knockdown markedly suppressed melanosome transport to keratinocytes. • TRPA1 activation indirectly stabilized microtubules via competitive binding. • Topical application of PS-341 causes pigmentation effects in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the conditional disclosure of secrets (CDS) problem, Alice and Bob (each holds an input and a common secret) wish to disclose, as efficiently as possible, the secret to Carol if and only if their inputs satisfy some function. The capacity of CDS is the maximum number of bits of the secret that can be securely disclosed per bit of total communication. We characterize the necessary and sufficient condition for the extreme case where the capacity of CDS is the highest and is equal to $1/2$. For the simplest instance where the capacity is smaller than $1/2$ , we show that the linear capacity is $2/5$. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial cell factories are critical to achieving green biomanufacturing. A position effect occurs when a synthetic gene circuit is expressed from different positions in the chassis strain genome. Here, we propose the concept of the 'spatial position effect,' which uses technologies in 3D genomics to reveal the spatial structure characteristics of the 3D genome of the chassis. On this basis, we propose to rationally design the integration sites of synthetic gene circuits, use reporter genes for preliminary screening, and integrate synthetic gene circuits into promising sites for further experiments. This approach can produce stable and efficient chassis strains for green biomanufacturing. The proposed spatial position effect brings synthetic biology into the era of 3D genomics. We propose the concept of the spatial position effect to move from the current 1D and 2D genome studies to the 3D genome level. 3D genomics research technologies can accurately reveal the spatial structural characteristics of a chassis genome. By rationally designing the integration sites for synthetic gene circuits according to the spatial structure of the chassis genome and further screening the best integration site that are conducive to high-efficiency expression, rigorous integration principles can be established. 4D genomics studies can help to find integration sites for efficient expression of synthetic gene circuits under different growth periods and environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization has become a serious challenge to modern agriculture worldwide. The purpose of the study was to reveal salt tolerance induced by spermine (Spm) associated with alterations in water and redox homeostasis, photosynthetic performance, and global metabolites reprogramming based on analyses of physiological responses and metabolomics in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). Plants pretreated with or without 0.5 mM Spm were subjected to salt stress induced by NaCl for 25 days in controlled growth chambers. Results showed that a prolonged period of salt stress caused a great deal of sodium (Na) accumulation, water loss, photoinhibition, and oxidative damage to plants. However, exogenous application of Spm significantly improved endogenous spermidine (Spd) and Spm contents, followed by significant enhancement of osmotic adjustment (OA), photosynthesis, and antioxidant capacity in leaves under salt stress. The Spm inhibited salt-induced Na accumulation but did not affect potassium (K) content. The analysis of metabolomics demonstrated that the Spm increased intermediate metabolites of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt (GABA, glutamic acid, and alanine) and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle (aconitic acid) under salt stress. In addition, the Spm also up-regulated the accumulation of multiple amino acids (glutamine, valine, isoleucine, methionine, serine, lysine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan), sugars (mannose, fructose, sucrose-6-phosphate, tagatose, and cellobiose), organic acid (gallic acid), and other metabolites (glycerol) in response to salt stress. These metabolites played important roles in OA, energy metabolism, signal transduction, and antioxidant defense under salt stress. More importantly, the Spm enhanced GABA shunt and the TCA cycle for energy supply in leaves. Current findings provide new evidence about the regulatory roles of the Spm in alleviating salt damage to plants associated with global metabolites reprogramming and metabolic homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Extremism and counter-extremism narratives in Pakistan: an analysis of narrative building" is a book that explores the role of narratives in fueling extremism in Pakistan. The author, Sadia Nasir, uses a theoretical framework that combines Aristotle's rhetoric, securitization theory, and constructivism to examine extremist and counter-extremist narratives. Nasir highlights the ways in which extremists exploit language to justify violence and the need for a comprehensive approach to tackle extremism. The book also discusses the limitations of current counter-narrative efforts and offers suggestions for reform. While the book may have a limited analysis of multilingual narratives, it provides valuable insights for researchers, students, and policymakers interested in understanding and addressing extremism in Pakistan. [Extracted from the article]

The ever-increasing world-wide energy consumption and crisis of environmental pollution have aroused enthusiasm on developing high-efficiency and green-clean energy conversion technology. Thermoelectric materials enable an environmentally friendly conversion between heat and electricity, and therefore serve as an optimum candidate for solving the current dilemma and contribute to the carbon-neutral target. Among the thermoelectric family, layered materials have shared a great portion with impressive thermoelectric performance originating from their (quasi-)two-dimensional crystal structure with hierarchical bonding, i.e., strong intralayer and weak interlayer bonds. This structure and bonding feature is believed to be propitious to low lattice thermal conductivity, low-dimensional electrical features, and anisotropic electron and phonon transport behaviors, which offer great opportunity to disentangle the inter-coupled thermoelectric parameters. For those benefits, layered materials emerge endlessly in the field of thermoelectricity and have achieved extensive attention. In this review, we highlight the recent progress in the field of layered thermoelectric materials. The structure and bonding peculiarities of layered thermoelectric materials are outlined. Then, following the classification of single-unit, quasi-double-unit, and double-unit layered thermoelectric materials, the crystal and bonding features in some typical layered thermoelectric materials are discussed, with focus on their current research interest and progresses. The possible mechanisms behind the performance optimization will be analyzed. Finally, some personal views on the prospect of this field, including chemical bond perspective and interlayer electronic transport enhancement are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We elucidate the impact of organic solvents on the solubility of K 3 Fe(CN) 6 /K 4 Fe(CN) 6. • The impact of solvation effect and normalized concentration gradient effect on the thermopower was quantified. • A general strategy to enhance thermoelectric properties by designing solvents to construct large normalized concentration gradient. Emerging thermocells exhibit a significant potential in low-grade heat harvesting owe to their high mV-scale thermopower, low cost, and high robustness. Fundamentally, three effects contribute to the thermopower enhancement of liquid thermocells, i.e. original concentration effect, solvation effect, and normalized concentration gradient effect. Yet, the contribution of the solvation effects and the normalized concentration gradient in organic solvents remains a subject of debate. In this paper, we integrate experiments, spectral analysis, and electrochemical theory to demonstrate that the normalized concentration gradient dominates the enhancement of thermopower in the investigated organic solvents, whereas the solvation effect is weak. Further, the introduction of ethanol results in a thermosensitive solubility of K 4 Fe(CN) 6 and a minimal concentration at the cold end, which establishes a huge substantial normalized Fe(CN) 6 4- concentration gradient and increases the Seebeck coefficient to 3.4 mV/K. Simultaneously, the precipitation resulting from the introduction of an organic solvent notably diminishes the heat convection within the system. As a result, the optimized TC-35EtOH system yields a ZT value (0.094) and Carnot-relative efficiency (2.52 %) that are 7 times greater than those of its initial counterpart. Additionally, the system's high power density of 3.64 W/m2 suggests its potential for harnessing low-grade heat waste energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root-associated microorganisms, which can be recruited specially by plants to cope with environmental stress under extreme conditions, are one of the major mediators of nutrient exchange between plants and the environment. To obtain more crop-beneficial microbes, rhizosphere bacteria of Désirée potatoes cultivated in poor and alkaline soil have been studied. The screening of 83 strains with incomplete identical 16S rDNA sequences showed that 47 strains produced indole acetic acid (IAA), with contents ranging from 0.2 to 42 mg/L, and seven strains were phosphorus-solubilizing, among which six strains significantly increased the growth rate of potato plants. Thirty-seven strains produced siderophore and four strains were zinc-solubilizing, among which three strains significantly alleviated the chlorosis of potato plants. In all of the isolates, the species Variovorax soli (ST98) and Cellulomonas biazotea (ST118) were first found to possess an IAA-secreting ability; the species Leifsonia aquatica (ST172) and Leifsonia naganoensis (ST177) and the genus Sutcliffiella (ST11) were first discovered to be capable of phosphorus solubilization; the species Chryseobacterium daecheongense (ST32) was the first reported to be capable of zinc solubilization; and the species V. soli (ST98), C. biazotea (ST118) and L. naganoensis (ST177) were first found to be capable of plant growth promotion. The discovery of multiple functional bacteria enriched the resources of plant growth-promoting bacteria and provided a foundation for biofertilizer production to improve soil conditions and crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The Schottky contact which is a crucial interface between semiconductors and metals is becoming increasingly significant in nano-semiconductor devices. A Schottky barrier, also known as the energy barrier, controls the depletion width and carrier transport across the metal–semiconductor interface. Controlling or adjusting Schottky barrier height (SBH) has always been a vital issue in the successful operation of any semiconductor device. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the static and dynamic adjustment methods of SBH, with a particular focus on the recent advancements in nano-semiconductor devices. These methods encompass the work function of the metals, interface gap states, surface modification, image-lowering effect, external electric field, light illumination, and piezotronic effect. We also discuss strategies to overcome the Fermi-level pinning effect caused by interface gap states, including van der Waals contact and 1D edge metal contact. Finally, this review concludes with future perspectives in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel IPC was fabricated by filling a printed Ti alloy scaffold with Al alloy. • Compression of IPC and Ti alloy scaffold were conducted on fracture behaviours. • Mechanical properties of IPC are 2.9 times stronger than those of Ti scaffold. Lightweight, energy-absorbing materials with excellent mechanical properties are highly desired in practical engineering applications. A novel Ti-Al interpenetrating phase composite (Ti/Al IPC) was successfully fabricated by filling an Al alloy (ZL102) in the pores of an additively manufactured triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structure composed of Ti alloy (TC4). This IPC demonstrates a remarkable combination of attributes, including a high yield stress of 305 MPa, a Young's modulus of 64 GPa, and an ultimate tensile strength of 420 MPa. These mechanical properties are 1.5 to 2.9 times stronger than those of a single TC4 TPMS structure of the same size. The enhanced performance can be attributed to the synergistic strengthening and toughening effect resulting from the internal interpenetration of the ZL102 phase within the structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]