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This study examined the mediating role of intergroup orientation in the relationship between ethnic and national identification. Our participants were 1320 Yi minority youths from a secondary school located in the Yi ethnic autonomous prefecture of southwest China. The participants completed three self-report questionnaires measuring ethnic and national identification, and intergroup orientation, respectively. Structural equation modeling was employed to determine the relationships between ethnic and national identification and intergroup orientation, and to explore the mechanism underlying the association between ethnic and national identification. The results showed that Yi minority youths with a stronger sense of ethnic identity had a stronger sense of national identity. The results further indicated that stronger ethnic identity led to a more positive intergroup orientation, which in turn predicted a stronger national identity. Our findings may facilitate the cultivation of positive attitudes between national subgroups in multiethnic countries and help ethnic minority youth develop a stronger awareness of national identity while retaining their ethnic identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant efforts have been expended for improved characterization of hydraulic conductivity (K) and specific storage (Ss) to better understand groundwater flow and contaminant transport processes. Conventional methods including grain size analyses (GSA), permeameter, slug, and pumping tests have been utilized extensively, while Direct Push‐based Hydraulic Profiling Tool (HPT) surveys have been developed to obtain high‐resolution K estimates. Moreover, inverse modeling approaches based on geology‐based zonations, and highly parameterized Hydraulic Tomography (HT) have also been advanced to map spatial variations of K and Ss between and beyond boreholes. While different methods are available, it is unclear which one yields K estimates that are most useful for high resolution predictions of groundwater flow. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to evaluate various K estimates at a highly heterogeneous field site obtained with three categories of characterization techniques including: (1) conventional methods (GSA, permeameter, and slug tests); (2) HPT surveys; and (3) inverse modeling based on geology‐based zonations and highly parameterized approaches. The performance of each approach is first qualitatively analyzed by comparing K estimates to site geology. Then, steady‐state and transient groundwater flow models are employed to quantitatively assess various K estimates by simulating pumping tests not used for parameter estimation. Results reveal that inverse modeling approaches yield the best drawdown predictions under both steady and transient conditions. In contrast, conventional methods and HPT surveys yield biased predictions. Based on our research, it appears that inverse modeling and data fusion are necessary steps in predicting accurate groundwater flow behavior. Article impact statement: Evaluating K from various approaches showed that inverse modeling and data fusion are necessary steps in building robust groundwater models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of how to better prepare ethnic minority students to access higher music education has raised concerns around the world in terms of educational equity and cultural diversity. In China, despite similar concerns, little is known about the preparation process and experiences of ethnic minority students to take the Music College Entrance Examination (MCEE). In this qualitative case study, we investigated the facilitators and barriers faced by 22 high school students of Yi, Mongolian and Tibetan backgrounds while preparing for the MCEE in a multi-ethnic school in Sichuan province, southwestern China. The methods included participant observation and semi-structured interviews. The facilitators identified in the study were support from family members, local teachers’ devotion, positive peer influences and nationally renowned ethnic musicians as role models. The five main barriers were financial difficulties, parents’ misconception of the value of the MCEE, limited expertise of local music teachers, exam-oriented school climate and the MCEE’s structure based on Western classical music. Based on the findings, suggestions for adopting affirmative action and reforming the structure of the MCEE are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Many obligate endosymbionts colonize an invertebrate host and are directly transferred maternally to the host's embryo. Consequently, the symbiotic bacteria from diverse host species evolve independently, reflecting the host's phylogeny. Whiteflies, which consist of thousands of species, harbor obligate endosymbionts of the Portiera genus. The divergence status of these bacteria, after a long history of coevolution with their hosts, remains ambiguous. In the present study, we aim to unravel the divergence of obligate endosymbionts from different whitefly species through genome comparison. Our findings indicate that these endosymbionts have diverged into at least three disparate genetic groups. Such findings underscore the divergence of whitefly obligate endosymbionts and provide a cue for investigation into the co-divergence between obligate endosymbionts and their hosts. Maternally inherited obligate endosymbionts codiverge with their invertebrate hosts and reflect their host's evolutionary history. Whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) harbor one obligate endosymbiont, Candidatus Portiera aleyrodidarum (hereafter Portiera). Portiera was anciently acquired by whitefly and has been coevolving with its host ever since. Uncovering the divergence of endosymbionts provides a fundamental basis for inspecting the coevolutionary processes between the bacteria and their hosts. To illustrate the divergence of Portiera lineages across different whitefly species, we sequenced the Portiera genome from Aleyrodes shizuokensis and conducted a comparative analysis on the basic features and gene evolution with bacterial genomes from five whitefly genera, namely Aleurodicus, Aleyrodes, Bemisia, Pealius, and Trialeurodes. The results indicated that Portiera from Bemisia possessed significantly larger genomes, fewer coding sequences (CDSs), and a lower coding density. Their gene arrangement differed notably from those of other genera. The phylogeny of the nine Portiera lineages resembled that of their hosts. Moreover, the lineages were classified into three distinct genetic groups based on the genetic distance, one from Aleurodicus (Aleurodicinae), one from Bemisia (Aleyrodinae), and another from Aleyrodes, Pealius, and Trialeurrodes (Aleyrodinae). Synonymous and nonsynonymous rate analyses, parity rule 2 plot analyses, neutrality plot analyses, and effective number of codons analyses supported the distinction of the three genetic groups. Our results indicated that Portiera from distant hosts exhibit distinct genomic contents, implying codivergence between hosts and their endosymbionts. This work will enhance our understanding of coevolution between hosts and their endosymbionts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the new era, the Chinese government has implemented a strategic arrangement of high-quality development and a dual circulation development pattern, which injects new content and driving force into China's new urbanization. To reveal these changes, this paper constructs a quadrilateral diamond structure model of urbanization development dynamics of four-dimensional force + institutional force + innovation force, based on the comprehensive connotation of urbanization. Then the standard variance method and global principal component regression model are applied to empirically analyze the urbanization level and its development dynamics for Chongqing, a typical representative city of strategic importance in China, from 2000 to 2018. The results show that the following. (1) The urbanization level and all subsystems in Chongqing have shown a significant growth trend, of which the population and social subsystems have been maintaining relatively high growth rates, mapping the urbanization from a traditional efficiency-first economic growth model to a comprehensive benefit maximization model, focusing on people's livelihood and sustainable development. (2) The urbanization of Chongqing in the new era is an endogenous growth-oriented model driven by administrative, market, intrinsic, exterior, innovational, and institutional forces. This reflects the diversified and contemporary characteristics of the driving forces of urbanization in the new era, as well as the rationality and superiority of the institutional arrangement of the Chinese government. (3) The quadrilateral diamond structure model, which is based on the endogenous growth of the two forces of institutions and scientific and technological innovation, reveals the regional attributes and contemporary characteristics of the driving forces of urbanization in the new era. It can illustrate the Chinese experience for world urbanization research, and provides basic material for the world to understand and explore the characteristics and patterns of China's urbanization development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a new infectious disease first discovered in Ta-pieh Mountains in central China in 2009. It is caused by a novel bunyavirus infection (SFTSV). Since the first discovery of SFTSV, there have been case reports and epidemiological studies on SFTS in several East Asian countries, such as South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and so on. With the rising incidence of SFTS and the rapid spread of the novel bunyavirus around the world, it is clear that the virus has a pandemic potential and may pose a threat to global public health in the future. Early studies have suggested that ticks are an important medium for the transmission of SFTSV to humans; in recent years, it has been reported that there is also human-to-human transmission. In endemic areas, potential hosts include a variety of livestock and wildlife. When people are infected with SFTV, the main clinical manifestations are high fever, thrombocytopenia, leukocytopenia, gastrointestinal symptoms, liver and kidney function damage, and even MODS, with a mortality rate of about 10–30%. This article reviews the latest progress of novel bunyavirus, including virus transmission vector, virus genotypic diversity and epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestation and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Unstable intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) are more likely to rupture and cause serious consequences. Evaluating the stability of unruptured aneurysms facilitates clinical management stratification. Purpose: To compare and evaluate the predictive performance of qualitative and quantitative wall enhancement (aneurysmal wall enhancement [AWE], circumferential aneurysmal wall enhancement [CAWE], wall enhancement ratio [WER]) on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the vessel wall to predict the presence of UIA. Material and Methods: Original articles describing the depiction of aneurysmal wall enhancement on 3.0-T or 1.5-T high-resolution vessel wall imaging were retrieved from the Web of Science, Medline/PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases up to 15 February 2022. The combined sensitivity, specificity, and summary area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were calculated, and meta-regression analysis was performed. Results: In total, 12 original articles involving 1619 intracranial aneurysms (IAs) were included. The combined sensitivity and specificity of AWE, CAWE, and WER were 91% and 67%, 59% and 83%, and 86% and 75%, respectively, in the diagnosis of UIA. The summary AUC values of these items were, in order from high to low, 0.88 (WER), 0.84 (AWE), and 0.77 (CAWE), and the differences among them were significant (z = 2.976, P = 0.003 and z = 2.950, P = 0.003). The meta-regression analysis identified average size and 2D/3D magnetic imaging technology as possible sources of heterogeneity. Conclusion: Qualitative and quantitative wall enhancement showed moderate accuracy in predicting UIA, and WER had the highest accuracy among them in this meta-analysis. Two covariates were found to explain the heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma hamatum is a filamentous fungus that serves as a biological control agent for multiple phytopathogens and as an important resource promising for fungicides. However, the lack of adequate knockout technologies has hindered gene function and biocontrol mechanism research of this species. This study obtained a genome assembly of T. hamatum T21, with a 41.4 Mb genome sequence comprising 8170 genes. Based on genomic information, we established a CRISPR/Cas9 system with dual sgRNAs targets and dual screening markers. CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid and donor DNA recombinant plasmid were constructed for disruption of the Thpyr4 and Thpks1 genes. The result indicates the consistency between phenotypic characterization and molecular identification of the knockout strains. The knockout efficiencies of Thpyr4 and Thpks1 were 100% and 89.1%, respectively. Moreover, sequencing revealed fragment deletions between dual sgRNA target sites or GFP gene insertions presented in knockout strains. The situations were caused by different DNA repair mechanisms, nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), and homologous recombination (HR). Overall, we have successfully constructed an efficient and convenient CRISPR/Cas9 system in T. hamatum for the first time, which has important scientific significance and application value for studies on functional genomics of Trichoderma and other filamentous fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interface characteristics and formation mechanism of explosive welded waveform structures still lack a detailed and in-depth research. Thus, a combination of advanced characterization and numerical simulation methods were performed in this study to investigate the phase constitution, texture distribution, 3D interface morphology and wave formation mechanism of Sn/Cu explosive welded interface. The microstructure analyses indicated that the typical waveform structures composed of fine crystal band and elongated grains zone were formed at the Sn/Cu joining interface. The dynamic recrystallized structures and local high strain at the waveform were attributed to severe rheological deformation and rapid solidification of liquid metals. In addition, the S, copper, brass and fiber deformation textures and the cube and gross recrystallization textures were found. The CT results indicated the 3D Sn/Cu joining interface morphology presents a regular convex waveform feature, which is related to periodic pulse load caused by explosive detonation. Furthermore, based on the simulation results, the 2D joining interface presents similar experimental waveform structure, and the 3D interface evolution characteristic was consistent with the shock wave propagation characteristics on the flying plate to some extent, which was in good agreement with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated visual arts college students' perceptions of the gender stereotyping of creativity and the influence of this stereotyping on creative self‐efficacy. The sample consisted of 1198 Chinese visual arts college students. The results showed that (a) both male and female students identified stereotypically masculine traits as more important to creativity than stereotypically feminine traits are, (b) male students demonstrated higher creative self‐efficacy than their female counterparts did, and (c) students' gender significantly moderated the effect of the gender stereotyping of creativity on creative self‐efficacy. Specifically, the gender stereotyping of creativity had a positive effect on male students and a negative effect on female students. These findings revealed that gender stereotypes dominate concepts of creativity in Chinese art education and may hinder female students' development of creative self‐efficacy, resulting in gendered inequality in the visual arts field. The implications of these findings for visual arts education in China are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hydrogen has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and is beneficial to multiple organs. However, its effect on alveolar macrophage (AM) pyroptosis induced by burns is still unclear. The purpose of this research was to study the possible positive effects of hydrogen on burn-induced lung injury and the effects of hydrogen on AM pyroptosis during acute lung injury (ALI) induced by burns. Methods: In this study, histological changes in rat lungs in vivo were evaluated by micro-CT, and histological changes in isolated lungs were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The expressions of leucine rich repeat (LRR) and pyrin domain (PYD) containing protein 3 (NLRP3), caspase-1 and Gasdermin-D (GSDMD) were analyzed by Western blotting. The expression of GSDMD was measured by immunofluorescence to evaluate the levels of lung inflammation and pyroptosis. The level of inflammation was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pyroptosis was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results: We observed that severe burn resulted in increased IL-1β and IL-18, overexpression of NLRP3 and caspase-1 proteins, and pyroptosis in rat lung tissues, as demonstrated by GSDMD overexpression and electron microscopy of AMs. We also observed that hydrogen treatment partially reversed the increase in lung tissue density and reduced pulmonary inflammation. Moreover, hydrogen reduced the HE pathological injury score in the lung tissues of severely burned rats. Hydrogen treatment significantly reduced the contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in the lung tissues and decreased the expression of NLRP3, caspase-1 and GSDMD proteins compared with the burn group. Transmission electron microscopy results also showed that the number of AM membrane pores was significantly reduced in the hydrogen treatment group. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that hydrogen may protect against ALI induced by burn injury by inhibiting pyroptosis of macrophages via NLRP3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This ethnographic case study explored the benefits associated with culturally responsive art learning experience in a Chinese rural town in the process of urbanisation. The case of this study, Fuchong Art Education Programme (FAEP), provided culturally relevant art activities for primary and secondary rural students who cannot access enriched art programmes in schools. Art studio learning, a summer art camp, an art exhibition, neighbourhood sketching, online teaching, student home visits and teacher meetings were documented and examined over an eight‐month period of fieldwork. Semi‐structured interviews with the participating students, their teachers and parents and the programme coordinator were conducted to elicit the participants' perspectives on the FAEP experience, the benefits of participation and the challenges involved in implementing a culturally responsive art programme. The emerging themes included artistic, personal, social and external benefits, which were examined in relation to previous research on the intrinsic and instrumental benefits of art learning and a local understanding of the value of community art engagement in the lives of rural people. The implications offer guidance for promoting culturally responsive art learning in rural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored how the neural efficiency and proficiency worked in athletes with different skill levels from the perspective of effective connectivity brain network in resting state. The deconvolved conditioned Granger causality (GC) analysis was applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of 35 elite athletes (EAs) and 42 student‐athletes (SAs) of racket sports as well as 39 normal controls (NCs), to obtain the voxel‐wised hemodynamic response function (HRF) parameters representing the functional segregation and effective connectivity representing the functional integration. The results showed decreased time‐to‐peak of HRF in the visual attention brain regions in the two athlete groups compared with NC and decreased response height in the advanced motor control brain regions in EA comparing to the nonelite groups, suggesting the neural efficiency represented by the regional HRF was different in early and advanced skill levels. GC analysis demonstrated that the GC values within the middle occipital gyrus had a linear trend from negative to positive, suggesting a stepwise "neural proficiency" of the effective connectivity from NC to SA then to EA. The GC values of the inter‐lobe circuits in EA had the trend to regress to NC levels, in agreement with the neural efficiency of these circuits in EA. Further feature selection approach suggested the important role of the cerebral‐brainstem GC circuit for discriminating EA. Our findings gave new insight into the complementary neural mechanisms in brain functional segregation and integration, which was associated with early and advanced skill levels in athletes of racket sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cu/Al composite tube has been shown to significantly increase heat exchange capacity and reduce production costs which are extensively used in condensers, evaporators, refrigeration equipment, and so on. In this work, a Cu/Al composite tube was successfully fabricated by explosive welding technique. The interface morphology and grain information in the radial-axial direction (RD-AD) and radial-tangential direction (RD-TD) sections were investigated by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). The results showed that the Cu/Al composite tube had a well-welded bonding interface without obvious defects. A flat wavy structure composed of fine grains was generated at the bonding interface in the RD-TD section while a small wavy structure was formed in the RD-AD section. In addition, the phase transformation occurred in both bonding regions which produced mainly CuAl and Khatyrkite metallic phases. Furthermore, the distinct impact pressure and plastic deformation patterns in the two sections lead to different dynamic recrystallization structures and texture distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid cancer is the most common form of endocrine cancer around the world, and among which papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most ubiquitous pathological sub-kind. Sushi repeat-containing protein X-linked 2 (SRPX2) was reported to be an independent prognostic factor and significantly overexpressed in advanced PTC patients. However, the biological functions of SRPX2 remain ambiguous in PTC. Here, we explored SRPX2 expression profiles and functions in PTC, finding that SRPX2 expression was remarkably upregulated in PTC tissues and cell lines. Further colony formation, CCK-8, as well as transwell assay, suggested that SRPX2 silencing remarkably dampened PTC growth and migration. Mouse xenograft models were established to find that SRPX2 silence remarkably suppressed PTC proliferation and migration in vivo. Following mechanism studies revealed that SRPX2 realized its functions in the PTC process partially through activating the Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation. In conclusion, this study investigated the functions and mechanisms of the SRPX2/FAK pathway in PTC progression. SRPX2 could act as a prospective biologic signature and therapeutic target molecule for PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global agriculture is confronted with multiple challenges in meeting the increasing demand for food production while adhering to planetary boundaries set to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Here, the challenge is addressed by proposing a new variety-based low emergy system (LES) for maize production through nitrogen (N) optimization. It is found that the LES and the current farmers' system (CFS) in North China Plain achieve similar grain yields (>11.2 Mg ha−1). The optimized N rate averages 157 kg N ha−1 for the new variety in LES, 41.85 % decreases compared to CFS with a traditional variety (270 kg N ha−1). The LES with new variety exhibits a 6.7 % higher grain protein concentration, attributed to increased N remobilization from stem as demonstrated by both field and 15N tracer experiments. The implementation of the LES with optimized N fertilization resulted in 18.2 % improvement in sustainability (emergy sustainability index) compared to CFS, while simultaneously reducing N and carbon footprints, ecological and human health costs by 33.0%–39.3 %. These findings demonstrate that the proposed system provides better coordination between grain yield, resource input and emergy cost to ensure both food and environmental securities for Sustainable Development Goals. • Global agriculture must realize the UN sustainable development goals. • We optimized N fertilization in the new variety-based low emergy system for maize. • >11.2 Mg ha−1 yield at three sites in three years was achieved. • The optimized N rate was reduced from 270 kg N ha−1 in CFS to 157 kg ha−1 in LES. • The emergy sustainability index was improved by 18.2 % for LES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of personal, parental, and school-related musical factors on music participation among public elementary and secondary school students in an economically advantaged urban area in China. A total of 12,155 students from sixth, eighth, and 11th grades reported their demographic information, musical interest, attitude, self-concept, perceived parental support, and perceived school music environment. The results indicated that (a) the female students and those with higher socioeconomic status had higher levels of musical interest, more positive attitudes, a stronger musical self-concept, greater perceived parental support, and better perceived school music environments; (b) there was a gap between National Curriculum Standards and actual music education delivery at the elementary level; (c) students’ demographic and personal factors were more influential than parental and school factors in predicting music participation; (d) there was a significant association between socioeconomic status and engagement in out-of-school music activities; and (e) parental support and the perceived school music environment moderated the relationships between personal factors and music participation. By illuminating the complex dynamics that affect music participation in a metropolitan Chinese context, we hope to enhance global understanding and foster cross-cultural discourse on music education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with the increasing prevalence of obesity worldwide, the deleterious effects of high-calorie diet are gradually recognized through more and more epidemiological studies. However, the concealed and chronic causality whitewashes its unhealthy character. Given an ingenious mechanism orchestrates the metabolic adaptation to high-fat high-fructose (HFF) diet and connive its lipotoxicity, in this study, an experimental rat/mouse model of obesity was induced and a comparative transcriptomic analysis was performed to probe the mystery. Our results demonstrated that HFF diet consumption altered the transcriptomic pattern as well as different high-calorie diet fed rat/mouse manifested distinct hepatic transcriptome. Validation with RT-qPCR and Western blotting confirmed that SREBP1-FASN involved in de novo lipogenesis partly mediated metabolic self-adaption. Moreover, hepatic ACSL1-CPT1A-CPT2 pathway involved in fatty acids β-oxidation, played a key role in the metabolic adaption to HFF. Collectively, our findings enrich the knowledge of the chronic adaptation mechanisms and also shed light on future investigations. Meanwhile, our results also suggest that efforts to restore the fatty acids metabolic fate could be a promising avenue to fight against obesity and associated steatosis and insulin resistance challenged by HFF diet. Overconsumption of HFF diet unbalances the energy intake and expenditure and usually leads to obesity and associated complications. Different kinds of high-calorie diet fed rats/mice manifest distinct hepatic transcriptome and the underlying ingenious regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. Downregulation of some key proteins (SREBP1, FASN) involved in de novo lipogenesis and ACSL1-CPT1A-CPT2 pathway positively mediate the metabolic adaptation to HFF. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The crack propagation process and its strain evolution were captured using the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) device combined with high-speed digital image processing. • The relationship between dynamic mode Ⅰ fracture toughness and crack propagation velocity of bedding shale with bedding and loading rate was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. • Based on the Traction-Separation Law, the method of global cohesive element was used to simulate the dynamic crack propagation and calculate the fracture toughness of bedding shale. The fracture behavior and various of mechanical mechanisms of shale are greatly influenced by the bedding surface. To study the effects of bedding angles on the crack propagation patterns and dynamic fracture properties, the shale notched semi-circular bend (NSCB) specimens were studied by the modified split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) device, three-dimensional digital image correlation (3D-DIC) system with the high-speed (HS) photography and ABAQUS finite element software. The research results showed that at the same impact velocity, the 30°, 45° and 60° beddings played an obvious deflexion effect on the shale crack propagation. However, the 0° and 90° bedding did not deflect the crack propagation. The dynamic fracture toughness of shale NSCB specimens increased with the increase of impact loading rate but the increase magnitude decreased with the higher impact rate. The kinetic energy during specimen fracture was calculated by the extracting displacement data from the 3D-DIC, and it was found that the kinetic energy accounted for less than 6% of the absorbed energy during the dynamic compression of the shale. The crack propagation characteristics of ABAQUS simulation was approximately consistent with the experimental results. It is conducive to the study of shale gas fracturing and the formation of complex seam networks in shale and it is of great research significance for the efficient extraction of shale gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and HIP followed by hot rolling (HIP+HR) were employed to process high-performance Mo 10Nb alloys, respectively. The relative density, O content, oxide types, grain size and shape, and texture type of HIP-processed Mo 10Nb alloys before and after HR were systematically investigated. The results indicate that the relative densities of Mo 10Nb alloys prepared by the two methods are both over 98%. The oxygen content of HIP-processed and (HIP+HR)-processed Mo 10Nb alloys is 638 ± 38 ppm and 2297 ± 152 ppm, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) confirms that the main oxides in HIP-processed Mo 10Nb alloys are MoO 2 , MoO 3 , NbO and Nb 2 O 5 while those in (HIP+HR)-processed Mo 10Nb alloys are stable MoO 3 and Nb 2 O 5 resulting from the oxygen contamination during HR. More importantly, HR crushes large Nb-rich phase particles and elongates equiaxed grain in HIP-processed Mo 10Nb alloys. The high temperature during HR leads to the moderate growth of grains. Noteworthy, two weak textures along {001}〈110〉 and {111}<110 > orientations were found in HIP-processed Mo 10Nb alloys after HR, which could be caused by the incomplete development of deformation textures and recrystallization textures. This work helps us to clarify the microstructure difference of HIP-processed Mo 10Nb alloys before and after HR, which can provide some valuable science and technology guidance for fabrication of refractory alloys by powder metallurgy and the following plastic deformation. • Relative densities of Mo 10Nb alloys prepared by HIP and HIP+HR are both over 98%. • Oxygen content in HIP-processed Mo 10Nb alloys increases ∼3.5 times after HR. • Metastable MoO 2 and NbO are transformed to stable MoO 3 and Nb 2 O 5 after HR. • Grain sizes grow a little and Nb-rich phase particles are refined after HR. • Weak textures along {001}<110 > and {111}<110 > orientations are found after HR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the application of MEC multiserver heuristic joint task in resource allocation of the educational resource database. After constructing the scenario of educational resource database, a mathematical model is constructed from the dimensions of local execution strategy, unloading execution, and given educational resource allocation, in order to optimize the optimal allocation of educational resources through MEC. The results show that the DOOA scheme has good performance in terms of calculation cost and timeout rate. Compared with other benchmark schemes, the DQN-based unloading scheme has better performance, can effectively balance the load, and is better than the random unloading scheme and the SNR-based unloading scheme in terms of delay and calculation cost. The results show that the total hits of all category 1 users' content requests account for the proportion of the total content requests. The images have a small downward trend at the 15000 and 30000 time slots and then continue to rise. This shows that the proposed scheme can automatically adjust the caching strategy to adapt to the changes of content popularity, which proves that the agent can correctly perceive the changing trend of content popularity when the popularity of network content is unknown and improve the caching strategy accordingly to improve the cache hit rate. Therefore, the allocation of educational resources based on the MEC multiserver heuristic joint task is more reasonable and can achieve the optimal solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: As a common complication of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), malignant ascites contributes to the peritoneal metastasis of EOC. CircRNAs play essential roles in tumor metastasis. However, no circRNAs have been reported to be involved in EOC peritoneal metastasis via ascites.Methods: Total of 22 samples from 9 EOC patients containing primary lesions (T), tumor cells from ascites (ASC), and metastatic lesions (M) were included for RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed circRNAs and mRNAs among different tumors. Bioinformatic analyses, including single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis and soft cluster analysis, were performed to find circRNAs potentially correlated with ascitic metastasis. Wound healing and transwell analysis were performed to evaluate tumor cells metastasis in vitro. Quantitative real-time PCR and western-blot were used for gene expression evaluation.Results: According to transcriptomic analysis, ASC showed mesenchymal phenotype while T and M showed epithelial phenotype. 10 circRNAs were differentially expressed among ASC, T, and M. Among them, hsa_circ_0000497 and hsa_circ_0000918 were significantly up-regulated in ASC. Functional analysis showed that both hsa_circ_0000497 and hsa_circ_0000918 promoted metastasis of EOC via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro. The regulatory network construction identified 8 miRNAs and 19 mRNAs, and 7 miRNAs and 17 mRNAs as potential downstream target genes of hsa_circ_0000497 and hsa_circ_0000918, respectively, which may play pivotal roles in EOC ascitic metastasis.Conclusions: circRNAs (hsa_circ_0000497 and hsa_circ_0000918) contribute to metastasis of EOC via ascites by regulating EMT. These circRNAs may serve as novel potential therapeutic targets or prognostic biomarkers for EOC peritoneal metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horizontal drilling is the major method of shale gas extraction, and hydraulic fracturing improves the gas production effectively. However, as the main gas migration channel, shale microstructures, such as the natural fractures and pores, are extremely complicated, and it is difficult to characterize them quantitatively by conventional approaches. Besides, the microstructural evolution of the hydraulic fracture (HF) area is more intricate. In order to quantitatively characterize the evolution of shale microstructure after hydraulic fracturing, and to investigate the contribution to the gas extraction process, a fully coupled fractal thermal–hydrological–mechanical permeability model is proposed. And the interaction of shale microstructure, thermal–hydrological–mechanical effects, and gas permeability in the HF area is also quantitatively investigated. Shale thermal conduction, gas pressure, and adsorption–desorption effect are defined as functions of the effective stress responsible for shale matrix deformation, and operate directly on shale porosity, which induces changes in shale microstructure, including the shale fractal dimension (for characterizing the density of natural fractures in shale) and the maximum fracture length. Multiphysical effects have a major impact on gas seepage, and directly affecting the permeability. Furthermore, compared to the widely used cubic permeability model, this model is significantly superior in analyzing the permeability evolution in the hydraulically fractured area, and the reliability is verified by the production data from the Marcellus Shale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the differences and explored the associations between ethnic identity and Chinese national identity, and the intergroup attitudes of adolescents from the Yi, Han, and Mongolian ethnicities in a Yi ethnic autonomous region in China. The participants (N = 1830, 50% female) were middle school students (n = 910, Mage = 13.51) and high school students (n = 920, Mage = 17.71). We found (a) significant ethnic differences between the high school students in the subscales of behavior, self-identification, and achievement; (b) that the three ethnic groups exhibited nonsignificant differences in their perceptions of Chinese national identity; (c) a positive association between ethnic identity and Chinese national identity for the adolescents across ethnicities; (d) a positive association between ethnic identity and intergroup attitudes for the Yi adolescents only; and (e) that Chinese national identity was positively associated with intergroup attitudes for the Yi and Han adolescents and for the Mongolian middle school students, but not for the Mongolian high school students. This suggests that age and context play central roles in shaping the ethnic and national identities of adolescents in such regions, and those who grow up in an inclusive environment are more likely to develop positive intergroup attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra-broadband-emitting phosphors are crucial for achieving high-quality full-spectrum WLEDs. However, it is difficult to achieve ultra-broadband emission by doping a single luminescent center. In this work, we propose a strategy to achieve ultra-broadband orange-red emission through utilizing Eu2+ selective occupation in multi-cation sites whitlockite-type phosphate Sr 8 Mg 2 Na(PO 4) 7. The result indicates that Eu2+ can occupy Sr1Mg1, Sr2Mg2, and Sr3Mg3 sites, and generate an ultra-broadband emission ranging from 400 to 800 nm with dominant emission at 620 nm and a FWHM of 220 nm upon 385 nm excitation. Interestingly, a new emission shoulder at 430 nm is obtained, which is demonstrated to ascribed to Eu2+ occupying the Mg4Na1 site in a weak crystal field. As an ultra-broadband-emitting and red-light abundant phosphor, the full-spectrum WLEDs shows much higher color index than that of YAG: Ce3+. Moreover, an ultraviolet light pumped full-spectrum WLED with a high Ra (∼92) and low CCT (∼4275 K) is fabricated by mixing the Sr 8 Mg 2 Na(PO 4) 7 : Eu2+ and commercial phosphors BAM: Eu2+, Mn2+. In summary, this work deeply investigated the luminescence properties of Eu2+ in whitlockite-type phosphor Sr 8 Mg 2 Na(PO 4) 7 and is expected to guide the design of novel broadband-emitting phosphors with multi cationic sites for emerging full-spectrum WLED applications. • SMNPO was demonstrated to have multi-cation sites for luminescent center to occupy. • Ultra-broadband emission was achieved by doping Eu2+ ions into SMNPO. • The selective occupation of Eu2+ ions in multiple sites was analyzed in detail. • A full-spectrum WLED with high Ra (∼92) and low CCT (∼4275 K) was prepared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmful algal blooms (HABs), caused by the rapid proliferation or aggregation of microorganisms, are catastrophic for the environment. The Prymnesium parvum is a haptophyte algal species that is found worldwide and is responsible for extensive blooms and death of larval amphibians and bivalves, causing serious negative impacts on the ecological environment. For the prevention and management of environmental pollution, it is crucial to explore and develop early detection strategies for HABs on-site using simple methods. The major challenge related to early detection is the accurate and sensitive detection of algae present in low abundance. Herein, recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) was combined with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and Cas12a protein (CRISPR - LbaCas12a) systems, and the lateral flow dipstick (LFD) was used for the first time for early detection of P. parvum. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of P. parvum was selected as the target sequence, and the concentration of single - strand DNA reporters, buffer liquid system, reaction time, and amount of gold particles were optimized. The RPA-CRISPR - LbaCas12a - LFD approach demonstrated highly specificity during experimental testing, with no cross - reaction against different microalgae used as controls. In addition, the lowest detection limit was 10,000 times better than the lowest detection limit of the standalone RPA approach. The feasibility and robustness of this approach were further verified by using the different environmental samples. It also observed that P. parvum are widely distributed in Chinese Sea, but the cell density of P. parvum is relatively low (<0.1 cells/mL). The developed approach has an excellent specificity and offers 10,000 times better sensitivity than the standalone RPA approach. These advantages make this approach suitable for early warning detection and prevention of HAB events in environmental water. Also, the outcomes of this study could promote a shift from traditional laboratory-based detection to on-site monitoring, facilitating early warning against HABs. [Display omitted] • First application to use RPA with CRISPR - LbaCas12a systems and LFD for the detection of Prymnesium parvum. • In this study, the additions of CRISPR made the method more specific and 10,000 times more sensitive than standalone RPA. • The detection period was short, and the RPA - CRISPR - LbaCas12a - LFD reaction could be completed in two steps. • The feasibility and robustness of RPA - CRISPR - LbaCas12a - LFD assay for detection of P. parvum was verified by using environmental water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient heat dissipation and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding are essential demands on packaging intensively integrated circuits in advanced electronics. Multicompetent polymer composites with thermal conduction and EMI shielding capacity have attracted tremendous interest in the material science community. Herein, we report the preparation of thermally conductive polymer composites with superior EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) by building a 3D interconnected conductive network under close-packing circumstances. The build of the 3D network relies on the coordinated stacking of flaky and spherical fillers, where the asymmetric graphite flakes (FG) are confined in the interstitial regions of the close-packing structures of hollow glass microspheres (HGμS). The "rigid" close-packing structure of HGμS inhibits the in-plane orientation of FG along the flow direction during melt processing and facilitates the exfoliation of FG under external forces producing a conductive network with enhanced interconnectedness. The model system comprised of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), FG and HGμS has attained in-plane and through-plane thermal conductivity of 20.54 W m−1 K−1 and 6.55 W m−1 K−1 with 30 vol% FG (while maintaining a low mass density of 1.15 g cm−3, identical to neat TPU). Meanwhile, a high EMI SE of 69 dB has been achieved at a thickness of 1 mm. [Display omitted] • The strategy of close-packing spherical/flaky fillers in polymer composites produces an efficient 3D conductive network. • The rigid confinement of flakes in the inter-spherical regions inhibits flake orientation and promotes flake exfoliation. • The polymer composites have attained in-plane and through-plane thermal conductivity of 20.54 W m−1 K−1, 6.55 W m−1 K−1. • The polymer composites show a maximum EMI SE value of 69 dB (1 cm) and the lowest mass density of 1.15 g cm−3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing effective and stable catalysts for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO x remains challenging. Herein, we constructed a hierarchical structure by loading CoMn 2 O 4 onto Ti-doped CeO 2 , that CoMn 2 O 4 /CeTiO x catalyst has shown superior deNO x activity (>95% at 100–225 °C), prominent reaction activation energy (28.8 ± 0.9 kJ mol−1) and outstanding stability (>75% at 100–200 °C within H 2 O and SO 2). The "low-temperature active sites" and "dual anti-poisoning sites" contribute to excellent activity and stability. Firstly, the hierarchical structure boosts generation of active metal-support interface, which is conducive to oxygen migration (including adsorbed oxygen (O ads), lattice oxygen (O lat) and oxygen vacancy (O v)) and metal charge transfer (Mn2+/3++Ce4+↔Mn3+/4++Ce3+, Ti4++Ce3+↔Ce4++Ti3+). This is the key to breaking through the limits of catalytic activity stability. Secondly, enhanced surface acidity favors NH 3 adsorption and activation, which accelerates -NH 2 /-NH concatenate with NO x through Eley-Rideal mechanism to generate N 2 and H 2 O. Thirdly, the dual strong SO 2 affinity sites by Ti-induced CeO 2 crystal reconstruction retard the active center affected by the sulfate species, which contributes to striking stability. This work highlights the importance of design of isolated active sites to improve SO 2 and H 2 O endurance. [Display omitted] • The CoMn 2 O 4 /CeTiOx catalyst exhibited excellent low-temperature SCR performance. • The CoMn 2 O 4 /CeTiOx catalyst took on a superior endurance to water and sulfur volatility at low-temperature. • The existence of cooperative interface of metal-support promotes electron cycling and reaction gas adsorption activation. • The supported catalysts were dominated by Eley-Rideal mechanism which was less effected by SO 2. • The presence of dual sacrifice sites delayed the deactivation of low-temperature active components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was defined as a species of beta coronavirus causing atypical respiratory disease in humans. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented health and economic crisis worldwide. Little is known about the specifics of its influence on people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (PLWHA). In this study, we aim to investigate the prevalence and mortality in PLWHA co-infected with COVID-19. Methods: The databases PUBMED, EMBASE, BioRxiv, and medRxiv were searched up to 9 March 2021 to explore the prevalence and mortality rate of COVID-19 in PLWHA. Cohort studies and case series meeting the inclusion criteria were included in this review. Results: We identified 14 eligible studies, 9 of which were cohort and 5 were case series. A total of 203,761 patients with COVID-19 were identified (7718 PLWHA vs. 196,043 non-PLWHA). Meta-analyses estimated the prevalence and mortality rate of COVID-19 in PLWHA was 0.774% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.00393–0.01517] and 8.814% (95% CI 0.05766–0.13245) respectively. COVID-19 co-infected PLWHA do not seem to be associated with higher mortality, as compared to non-PLWHA [relative risk (RR) 0.96 (95% CI 0.88–1.06)]. The presence of comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, RR 5.2 (95% CI 4.25–6.36), hypertension and chronic cardiac disease, RR 4.2 (95% CI 1.09–16.10), and chronic kidney disease, RR 8.43 (95% CI 5.49–12.93) were associated with an increased mortality in COVID-19 co-infected PLWHA. Conclusion: The estimated prevalence and mortality rate of COVID-19 in PLWHA were 0.774% and 8.814%, respectively. Since most of the included studies used unmatched populations, comparisons between PLWHA and non-PLWHA should be interpreted with caution. Further investigations are needed for a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between cluster of differentiation 4 cell count, HIV viral load, antiretroviral therapy, and COVID-19 related prognosis in PLWHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy has been restricted by intensive lymphodepletion and high-dose intravenous interleukin-2 (IL-2) administration. To address these limitations, we conducted preclinical and clinical studies to evaluate the safety, antitumor activity, and pharmacokinetics of an innovative modified regimen in patients with advanced gynecologic cancer. Methods: Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) were established from a local recurrent cervical cancer patient. TILs were expanded ex vivo from minced tumors without feeder cells in the modified TIL therapy regimen. Patients underwent low-dose cyclophosphamide lymphodepletion followed by TIL infusion without intravenous IL-2. The primary endpoint was safety; the secondary endpoints included objective response rate, duration of response, and T cell persistence. Results: In matched patient-derived xenografts (PDX) models, homologous TILs efficiently reduced tumor size (p < 0.0001) and underwent IL-2 absence in vivo. In the clinical section, all enrolled patients received TIL infusion using a modified TIL therapy regimen successfully with a manageable safety profile. Five (36%, 95% CI 16.3–61.2) out of 14 evaluable patients experienced objective responses, and three complete responses were ongoing at 19.5, 15.4, and 5.2 months, respectively. Responders had longer overall survival (OS) than non-responders (p = 0.036). Infused TILs showed continuous proliferation and long-term persistence in all patients and showed greater proliferation in responders which was indicated by the Morisita overlap index (MOI) of TCR clonotypes between infused TILs and peripheral T cells on day 14 (p = 0.004) and day 30 (p = 0.004). Higher alteration of the CD8+/CD4+ ratio on day 14 indicated a longer OS (p = 0.010). Conclusions: Our modified TIL therapy regimen demonstrated manageable safety, and TILs could survive and proliferate without IL-2 intravenous administration, showing potent efficacy in patients with advanced gynecologic cancer. Trial registration: NCT04766320, Jan 04, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although accumulating evidence indicates participation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway or the unfolded protein response (UPR) in immunity, there still exists little information linking ER stress to regulatory T cells (Tregs). To evaluate the potential contribution of the UPR, we tested the effects of thapsigargin (TG), an ER stress inducer, on the function of Tregs. Here we reported that TG stimulation induced the up-regulation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress chaperon Glucose-Regulated Protein 78 (GRP78), which is a master regulator of the UPR, the phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha (elF2α) and the induction of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), which are both protein kinase R (PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK) downstream targets in Tregs. Simultaneously, we demonstrated that, under ER stress conditions, Tregs presented enhanced functional activity upon TCR stimulation, as illustrated with forkhead box transcription factor (Foxp3) expression, interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) production and suppressive functional analysis. Notably, pretreatment with GSK2656157, a potent and selective PERK inhibitor, markedly diminished the TG-induced hyperresponsiveness of Tregs upon T cell antigen receptor (TCR) stimulation. Therefore, our findings illustrated the inter-connection and coordination of the evolutionarily conserved ER stress response and TCR signaling in Tregs and uncover a critical new role of the PERK branch of UPR in the regulation of Tregs function. • Tregs under ER stress conditions respond to TCR stimulation much more robustly. • ER-stressed Tregs are hyperresponsive in a PERK signaling-dependent manner. • Evolutionarily conserved UPR collaborates with TCR-dependent activation in the regulation of Tregs activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stainless steel/Ti/low-carbon steel trimetallic composite plate was successfully fabricated by the explosive welding technique using honeycomb aluminum structure low detonation velocity emulsion explosive. The interfacial microstructure characterizations, elemental distribution, phase transformation and hardness were characterized using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and micro-hardness tester. The results indicated that the trimetallic sheet of stainless steel/Ti/low-carbon steel was successfully welded without visible defects and have an excellent bonding quality. The Ti/;ow-carbon steel joining interface had a typical wavy structure and formed about 3 µm thick transition layer. The stainless steel/Ti joining interface had an almost flat structure; meanwhile, the phase transformation of Fe and Ti and the texture occurred at the joining interfaces. The hardness increased near the welding interface and sharply increased in the melted zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic mechanical experiments were carried out on shales with the different bedding angles (θ = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°) using the 50 mm split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) test system with the thermo-mechanical coupling equipment. Firstly, the dynamic parameter of shales, such as the stress–strain curve, peak stress, peak strain, dynamic elastic modulus, and energy partition were acquired. The failure modes of shale samples were obtained by sorting out the fragments after impact tests. Secondly, the fracture roughness of shale was obtained using the 3D profile scanner. The experimental results revealed that the shale with different bedding angle has different critical temperature, which is based on the relative transition temperature of dynamic mechanical parameters. The dynamic mechanical properties of shale vary greatly before and after the critical temperature. The absorption energy is positively correlated with the crushing degree, the dynamic compressive strength is positively correlated with the fracture roughness, and the failure degree of shale samples is closely related to the temperature. Additionally, the dynamic mechanical properties of the shales with 0° and 90° bedding angles are obviously different from the shales with 30°, 45° and 60° bedding angles. The related findings could provide significant theoretical support for exploitation of shale gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrawideband stacked single-turn spiral antenna with an integrated feeding structure is presented in this communication. The proposed antenna consists of two stacked planar single-turn Archimedean spirals which are wound in orthogonal directions. By connecting these two stacked spirals through two vertical posts, the traveling-wave current path is lengthened and, hence, the operating frequency of Mode 1 is decreased. To reduce the feeding complexity, an integrated tapered microstrip line is used to feed the spiral, which also acts an impedance transformer. It is demonstrated that the proposed antenna can operate across 0.29–5 GHz with |S11| < −10 dB and 0.75–3.64 GHz with axial ratio (AR) < 3 dB. Compared with the single-turn Archimedean spiral with the same radius, the impedance and AR bandwidth of the proposed antenna are enhanced from 5:1 to 17:1 and from 1.6:1 to 4.9:1, respectively, showing that the proposed antenna can be a good candidate for ultrawideband applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the high attention of the international community to CO 2 emissions, the capture utilization and storage (CCUS) and the CO 2 hydrogenation fuel production have become two popular directions, especially for the combination of the two processes. In this paper, the production of liquid fuels via the methanol synthesis pathway in an integrated CCUS system based on Aspen Plus models was studied. The NH 3 -CO 2 -H 2 O absorption was used to capture CO 2 and hydrogen was provided by water electrolysis using renewable energy sources. A two-stage reactor with a recirculating stream was specified for the process of CO 2 hydrogenation to synthesize methanol, and the liquid fuel dimethyl ether (DME) was reproduced by dehydrating methanol (Power-to-Liquid). The amount of absorbent used for the carbon capture process was determined and the yield differences due to the number of cycles in the intermediate methanol synthesis reaction were analyzed. It is possible to convert 4.15 t of CO 2 per tonne of DME produced at the mass material balance of the process. The optimization of the heat exchange network and the energy requirements for the total process were evaluated. It is calculated that the energy involved in producing 1 ton of DME in the process model is 176 GJ. The analysis of the overall process and the evaluation of models could provide options for the possibility of CCUS engineering application. [Display omitted] • An integral process model converts CO 2 to liquid fuels by methanol synthesis. • Treatment options are proposed for emissions that accumulate in the cycle of the process. • The model offers energy requirement assessment for possible engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Different kinds of Ce-based catalysts for NH 3 -SCR in recent years are reviewed. • Strategies to optimize the low-temperature NH 3 -SCR performance are discussed. • Reaction mechanism and anti-poisoning strategies of Ce-based catalysts are reviewed. • Challenges and prospects of Ce-based NH 3 -SCR catalysts are presented. Selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxide (NO x) by ammonia (NH 3 -SCR) is an effective method to remove NO x from major atmospheric pollutants such as coal-burning industry and diesel engines. Among the many low-temperature (＜250 °C) NH 3 -SCR catalysts, Ce-based catalysts have attracted much attention due to their wide operating temperature window, high low-temperature catalytic activity and environmental friendliness. In this review, the research progress of different kinds of Ce-based catalysts (such as pure CeO 2 , mixed CeO 2 oxides depending on the role of Ce species) based on composition, structure and morphology for NH 3 -SCR in recent six years was reviewed, and the relationship between their structure and performance was analyzed. In addition, this review summarizes the poisoning mechanism for SO 2 , H 2 O vapor, alkali/heavy metals and reviews the important published work of Ce-based catalysts. It highlights the reaction mechanism and anti-poisoning strategies of Ce-based catalysts at different levels: including structural design, metal modification, carrier introduction, and acid treatment. Finally, the challenges and prospects of Ce-based NH 3 -SCR catalysts are presented. And the catalyst design strategies to achieve wide operating temperature window and high stability (high toxicity resistance) of NH 3 -SCR reaction are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nocardiosis is an uncommon opportunistic infection seen in immunocompromised patients or those with a dysfunctional immune system. Nocardia asteroides infection in patients with Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) has never been reported.Case Presentation: We report an interesting case of nocardiosis-characterized by pulmonary intra-cavitary infection, in a 54-year-old man with PF and diabetes mellitus. The man finally recovered from the infection.Conclusions: This is the first case reporting pulmonary nocardiosis in a patient with PF. We recommend that physicians be aware of nocardiosis in patients with pemphigus as a possible cause of underlying infectious disease to avoid misdiagnoses and mismanagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible coupling is one of the crucial components for vibration attenuation used in vehicle power train. Vibration attenuation characteristics and stiffness identification of flexible coupling are profoundly studied aiming at one vehicle power train. Firstly, the dynamics model of each crucial transmission component in power train is constructed. And the torsional vibration model of power train is established according to the concentrated mass method. The effects of coupling stiffness on vibration responses of power train are thoroughly analyzed based on system concentrated mass dynamics model. Secondly, the sensitivities of natural frequency and main forced vibration response parameters are calculated. The coupling stiffness is proved to be a sensitive parameter. Finally, taking the Geislinger coupling as an example, the damping and stiffness characteristics are acquired according to the parameter identification method based on the quantity of test data. The results provide the theory basis for the dynamics optimization of power train. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon nanotubes doping with Fe and Fe3C nanocrystal (CNTs@Fe/Fe3C) are successfully synthesized by the gas-liquid detonation (GLD) decomposition of CH4, O2, C10H10Fe and C10H8. The composition and structural properties of the as-obtained composites were investigated by XRD, TEM, XPS and Raman spectroscopy. The obtained composites were also applied to the electric double-layer capacitor. The results showed that the specific capacitance of CNTs@Fe/Fe3C can reach 125 F·g−1 at the current density of 100 mA·g−1 and after 10000 cycles the capacitance retention is 93.1% at a current density of 2 A·g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the agronomic optimal plant density (AOPD) for maximum grain yield is essential to develop enhanced management strategies for maize (Zea mays L.) production. In this study, we used a boundary‐line method to examine the yield response of maize to plant density in China, based on the metadata (2783 data points) gathered from 157 recent studies during 2000–2017. We found the AOPD was 8.5 × 104 plants ha−1 in Northeast China, 9.3 × 104 plants ha−1 on the North China Plain, 10.5 × 104 plants ha−1 in Northwest China, and 8.0 × 104 plants ha−1 in Southwest China. Compared with current practices, potential grain yield with these AOPDs was improved by 13–20% for these major maize regions of China. Across regions, AOPDs were similar for spring‐planted (9.2 × 104 plants ha−1) and summer‐planted maize (9.3 × 104 plants ha−1) systems, although grain yield at the AOPD was 7% greater for the spring‐planted maize system. For different productivity environments, we found that high‐yielding plots obtained a yield of 18.2 Mg ha−1 at an AOPD of 11.6 × 104 plants ha−1, whereas in general productivity plots, 39% lower grain yield was achieved with a 19% lower AOPD (9.4 × 104 plants ha−1). In summary, this study illustrated AOPDs with modern maize hybrids for different productivity environments, cropping systems, and regions. Further study is needed to investigate the possible influence of agronomic factors such as lodging risks by increasing plant density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Art educators have been promoting Community‐Based Art Education (CBAE) in schools in order to enhance students' sense of socio‐cultural identity and contextual learning about local art and culture. It cannot only bridge the gap between the students' daily lives and the communities and art, but can also enhance their inquiry, discovery and meaning‐making abilities. In China, the community‐based approach plays a significant role in the National Standards for Visual Arts, and Chinese art educators have been applying CBAE in school art education for decades. However, Western art educators are still unfamiliar with the issues, practices and challenges related to CBAE in China owing to language constraints. In light of the above, this article aims to initiate a dialogue between Western and Chinese CBAE researchers through discourse and discussions on the main issues related to CBAE in Chinese art education. It outlines current practices of, and issues related to, CBAE from the perspective of Chinese art education. It also discusses the three major challenges to the implementation of CBAE in China, namely the conflict between indigenous knowledge and official knowledge in the school art curriculum, lack of motivation among teachers, and neglect of context in the practice of local art in schools. It is hoped that this article it will enrich our overall knowledge of CBAE and contribute to the understanding of CBAE from a global perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the clinical effect, the healing modes, and the potential influence factors of intentional replantation for periodontally hopeless teeth in combination with regeneration techniques. Materials and methods: Intentional replantation was operated on forty-eight periodontally hopeless teeth from forty-eight patients. The clinical indexes and the X-ray films were recorded during the follow-up period of 18 months. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test or the paired T test was adopted to carry out the statistical analysis. Results: The overall survival rate at the ninth month was 95.8% and declined to 91.7% at the eighteenth month. The improved rate of the mobility was 89.1% at the ninth month and the ankylosis percentage was 77.3% at the eighteenth month. The survival rate and mobility-improved rate of anterior teeth were both better than that of posterior teeth. Probing depth and bone loss decreased while ginginval recession increased (P < 0.05). Smoking had an adverse effect on both mobility improvement and bone gain (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Intentional replantation for periodontally hopeless teeth could achieve favorable outcomes through a reasonable healing mode of tooth ankylosis. Strict control of infection and smoking could improve the success rate of this procedure. Clinical relevance: To provide additional treatment for allowance of flexible options when patients and dentists are faced with periodontally hopeless teeth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis is strongly implicated as key determinant of tumor invasion and metastasis in ovarian cancer. However, little is known about the potential downstream signals of the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis that contribute to ovarian cancer cell invasion and metastasis. ARHGAP10, a member of Rho GTPase activating proteins is a potential tumor suppressor gene in ovarian cancer. In this study, a negative correlation between the protein levels of CXCL12, CXCR4, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) and ARHGAP10 was uncovered in ovarian cancer tissues and paired adjacent noncancerous tissues. CXCL12 stimulation reduced the expression of ARHGAP10. Furthermore, the pretreatment of CXCR4 inhibitor (AMD3100) or the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) inhibitor (SU1498) abrogated the CXCL12-deduced expression of ARHGAP10. Finally, an in vitro functional assay revealed that CXCL12 did not stimulate ovarian cancer cell invasion when ARHGAP10 was overexpressed or when ovarian cancer cells were pre-treated with AMD3100 or SU1498. Knockdown of ARHGAP10 significantly suppressed the inhibitory effects of SU1498 on ovarian cancer cell invasion and lung metastasis. In summary, these findings suggest that CXCL12/CXCR4 promotes ovarian cancer cell invasion by suppressing ARHGAP10 expression, which is mediated by VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling. • ARHGAP10 was negativley correlated with CXCL12, CXCR4, VEGF and VEGFR2 in ovarian tissues. • ARHGAP10 overexpression, CXCR4 inhibitor or VEGFR2 inhibitor inhibited CXCL12-induced ovarian cell invasion. • Knockdown of ARHGAP10 suppressed the inhibitory effects of VEGFR2 inhibitor on cell invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As maize-based crop rotation systems are essential to ensure global food security, understanding the effect of the preceding crops and the associated management on the subsequent maize is crucial. Here we address this view with a 6-year field experiment in the North China Plain's annual winter wheat and summer maize rotation system. Effects of preceding wheat with three water management (conventional irrigation, Con.W/M; optimized irrigation, Opt.W/M; minimum irrigation, Min.W/M) on maize yield and water consumption are investigated. We find that water management in the preceding wheat crop does not affect the subsequent maize yield but increases the interannual yield variability. Over the six years, an average yield of > 10.7 Mg ha-1 is achieved for maize in the three treatments. The highest coefficient of variation (CV) of yield is observed in Min.W/M (12.0%), while there is no significant difference in CV between Con.W/M and Opt.W/M. The annual water consumption follows a decreasing trend in the order of Con.W/M (357 mm), Opt.W/M (332 mm), and Min.W/M (290 mm), which primarily attribute to variations in initial water storage in the deeper soil profile (below 80 cm). The variation in water storage would be eliminated during the following maize growing stages due to ample rainfall in the temperate continental monsoon climate. The findings show that kernel weight (KW) is the primary determinant (accounting for 55–86%) to the observed variations in maize yield. In the Min.W/M treatment, the interactive effect of killing degree days, growing degree days, maximum temperature, and solar radiation accounts for 85% of the variation observed in KW. This study provides insights into the effect of the preceding wheat on the subsequent maize for grain yield and water consumption in the rotation system. • Analyzed wheat irrigation impact on subsequent maize's water use and yield. • Water management in wheat doesn't affect maize yield but raised yield variability. • The highest CV of maize yield is observed in Min.W/M treatment. • Yield variability is mainly from kernel weight in Min.W/M treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Higher than optimal temperature during reproductive stage affected maize production. • Elevating SWC mitigated the impacts of heat during reproductive stage. • Higher SWC improved grain weight by 2.0–14.8% and grain yield by 11.8–13.5%. • Higher SWC significantly improved G mean , G max , P f , DMA, grain weight, and final yield. The occurrence of heat often exacerbates drought stress by increasing atmospheric vapor pressure deficit and decreasing transpiration efficiency. Water replenishment to increase soil water content (SWC) could be an effective measure for improving crop resilience in heat. However, field observational evidence and the underlying mechanism for the mitigation were still limited. For this, two widely adopted maize hybrids (ZD958 and XY335) were planted in 2019 and 2020 in North China Plain with three growth environments during the reproductive stage: Normal field conditions (NC), High-temperature episodes (HT) and High-temperature together with elevating SWC (HT-W). Averagely, high temperature reduced grain yield by 21.6-65.1% in HT treatment compared with NC treatment. In HT-W treatment, grain yield was improved by 11.8-13.5% while SWC was elevated by 27.6–51.5% in 0–80 cm soil profile compared with HT treatment. In HT-W treatment, water replenishment to maize under heat stress improved canopy temperature and grain filling traits. The daily maximum canopy temperature was reduced by 1.0–3.1 °C. The effective grain-filling period (P f) was extended by 1.0–1.6 days and the mean grain-filling rate (G mean) was increased by 8.2%-10.5%. The improvement of G mean and P f for ZD958 was greater than XY335. Furthermore, the significant correlations between SWC in 0–20 cm soil profile and G mean , and between SWC in 40–80 cm soil profile and P f for both hybrids were observed. As a result, the fresh weight, volume, and water content of the grain were significantly improved in HT-W treatment compared with HT treatment. Overall, per unit increase in SWC (0–80 cm) decreased the daily maximum canopy temperature by 0.3 °C, increased dry matter accumulation by 1.5%, and grain yield by 2.1%. The information obtained from this study will be helpful to develop efficient management to protect against heat stress in the field. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Dumbbell-shaped tumor is a type of inner and outer cervical spinal canal tumor, and most of these are neurogenic. Desmoid tumors are rare, and, to the best of our knowledge, no case of desmoid tumors involving intervertebral foramen formed dumbbell-shaped tumors in the cervical spine have been reported before in English literature. Here we report a case of a desmoid tumor occurring in the cervical spine that is presented as a typical dumbbell-shaped tumor. Case Description A 47-year-old woman was admitted to our department with a mass in the left side of her neck. The tumor was initially thought to be a neurogenic cervical dumbbell tumor based on physical and radiologic examination. Postoperative hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining verified the diagnosis of a cervical dumbbell desmoid tumor, which, to our knowledge, had never been reported before. We report our experience and reviewed literature regarding desmoid tumor to share our experience and explore proper treatment options of such lesions. Conclusions Desmoid tumors in the head and neck may present as cervical dumbbell-shaped tumors. Before the treatment plan was made, thorough examinations, including surgical pathology, were necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Here we demonstrate a simple, rapid for the controlled synthesis of core-shell structural graphite coated TiO 2 nanoparticle (TiO 2 @G), which are directly prepared by detonation chemical decomposition of the gas-liquid mixture of CH 4 , O 2 , C 6 H 6 and TiCl 4 in milliseconds. Various techniques, including XPS, TEM, XRD and Raman were employed to investigate the products. It is found that the sphere, good disperse mixed crystal TiO 2 nanoparticles with crystal size of 10–30 nm were coated with thick graphite layers. Based on Zeldovich Neuman-Doring (ZND) model, the detonation synthesis mechanism of core-shell structure TiO 2 @G is discussed. This rapid synthesis method can be extended to the preparation of other core-shell materials. Graphical abstract Schematic diagram of TiO 2 @G nanoparticles growth. Unlabelled Image Highlights • Core-shell structure TiO 2 @G was prepared by a gas-liquid detonation methods. • The influence of carbon-free, carbon-low and carbon-rich environment on the coating structure was discussed. • The growth mechanism of the TiO 2 @G was discussed using ZND model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, the gaseous mixture (CH 4 , C 2 H 2 , H 2 and O 2) and ferrocene were used as raw materials to rapidly synthesize core-shell structure carbon/graphite encapsulated iron-based nanoparticles under high-temperatures and high-pressure environment generated by gaseous-liquid detonation. The obtained black powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and Raman spectroscopy. The results indicated that the uniformly sized (10–50 nm) iron-based core-shell structural composite nanoparticles were effectively synthesized by adjusting the mole ratios of mixture gaseous. In addition, the growth mechanism of carbon/graphite encapsulated metal nanoparticles was also discussed based on the ZND model theory. Graphical abstract Schematic diagram of carbon/graphite encapsulated iron base nanoparticles growth. Unlabelled Image Highlights • Core-shell structure C/GEMNPs were prepared by a gaseous-liquid detonation methods. • The main affecting factors of different coated nanocrystals were discussed. • The growth mechanism of the C/GEMNPs was discussed using ZND model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number (CN) is a biomarker of mitochondrial function and has been reported associated with kidney disease. However, its association with IgA nephropathy (IgAN), the most common cause of glomerulonephritis (GN), has not been evaluated. We included 664 patients with biopsy-proven IgAN and measured mtDNA-CN in peripheral blood by multiplexed real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). We examined the associations between mtDNA-CN and clinical variables and found that patients with higher mtDNA-CN had higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (r = 0.1009, p =.0092) and lower serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA) (r=−0.1101, −0.1023, −0.07806, respectively, all p values <.05). In terms of pathological injury, mtDNA-CN was higher in patients with less mesangial hypercellularity (p =.0385, M0 vs. M1 score by Oxford classification). Multivariable logistic regression analyses also showed that mtDNA-CN was lower for patients with moderate to severe renal impairment (defined as eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) vs. mild renal impairment, with the odds ratio of 0.757 (95% confidence interval: 0.579–0.990, p =.042). In conclusion, mtDNA-CN was correlated with better renal function and less pathological injury in patients with IgAN, proposing that systemic mitochondrial dysfunction may be involved in or reflect the development of IgAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]