Search

Hydropower development taking place on the Mekong River's mainstream and tributaries across the river basin, including Cambodia, is threatening livelihoods and food security by altering critical mobilities associated with the unique ecosystems of the Mekong River. In this paper, we seek to understand how a politics of mobility around hydropower development links both human and nonhuman entities along the Mekong River in Cambodia. We examine how dams transform myriad localized cross-border and riparian political geographies of the physical-human landscape through partial enclosures, up-downstream reorderings and b/orderings of hydrosocial relations. To explain these transformations, we posit that it is necessary to pay attention to the politics of human and nonhuman (such as water, sediment, and fish) mobilities that are shaped by hydropower dams and the new forms of mobilities engendered as a result. We examine how hydropower development renders water, fish, and sediment immobile, or alters their routes and rhythms in ways that optimize the generation of hydropower but which create new concerns around these changing nonhuman mobilities for riparian communities in Cambodia. There is a tension that exists between technical representations and community experiences of these nonhuman mobilities, which raise implications for the exacerbation of vulnerabilities among Cambodian Mekong communities. In this paper, we focus our analysis on selected sites in Cambodia: 1) Stung Treng Province, downstream of Laos' Don Sahong Dam and the Cambodia-Lao border riverscape, and 2) the Tonle Sap Lake (water-based and floodplain areas), to highlight these changing mobilities and the critical processes of b/ordering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a ubiquitous process in which proteins, RNA, and biomolecules assemble into membrane‐less compartments, playing important roles in many biological functions and diseases. The current knowledge on the biophysical and biochemical principles of LLPS is largely from in vitro studies; however, the physiological environment in living cells is complex and not at equilibrium. The characteristics of intracellular dynamics and their roles in physiological LLPS remain to be resolved. Here, by using single‐particle tracking of quantum dots and dynamic monitoring of the formation of stress granules (SGs) in single cells, the spatiotemporal dynamics of intracellular transport in cells undergoing LLPS are quantified. It is shown that intracellular diffusion and active transport are both reduced. Furthermore, the formation of SG droplets contributes to increased spatial heterogeneity within the cell. More importantly, the study demonstrated that the LLPS of SGs can be regulated by intracellular dynamics in two stages: the reduced intracellular diffusion promotes SG assembly and the microtubule‐associated transport facilitates SG coalescences. The work on intracellular dynamics not only improves the understanding of the mechanism of physiology phase separations occurring in nonequilibrium environments but also reveals an interplay between intracellular dynamics and LLPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

* Context.--Breast cancer with low (1%-10%) estrogen receptor (ER) expression (ER--low positive) constitutes a small portion of invasive breast cancers, and the treatment strategy for these tumors remains debatable. Objective.--To characterize the features and outcomes of ER--low positive patients, and clarify the clinical significance of FOXC1 and SOX10 expression in ER--low positive/HER2-negative tumors. Design.--Among 9082 patients diagnosed with primary invasive breast cancer, the clinicopathologic features of those with ER--low positive breast cancer were characterized. FOXC1 and SOX10 mRNA levels were analyzed in ER--low positive/HER2-negative cases from public data sets. The expression of FOXC1 and SOX10 in ER--low positive/HER2-negative tumors was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Results.--The clinicopathologic study of ER--low positive tumors indicated more aggressive characteristics compared with those tumors with ER .10%, while they had more overlapping features with ER-negative tumors irrespective of the HER2 status. The intrinsic molecular subtype of ER--low positive cases with high FOXC1 and SOX10 mRNA expression was more likely to be nonluminal. Among the ER--low positive/HER2-negative tumors, 56.67% (51 of 90) and 36.67% (33 of 90) were positive for FOXC1 and SOX10, respectively, which was significantly positively correlated with CK5/6 expression. In addition, the survival analysis demonstrated no significant difference between patients who received and who did not receive endocrine therapy. Conclusions.--ER--low positive breast cancers biologically overlap more with ER-negative tumors. ER--low positive/HER2-negative cases demonstrate a high rate of FOXC1 or SOX10 expression, and these cases might be better categorized as a basal-like phenotype/subtype. FOXC1 and SOX10 testing may be used for the intrinsic phenotype prediction for ER--low positive/HER2-negative patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underground powerhouse of the Shuangjiangkou hydropower station is one of the largest caverns under construction in China, and its stability during construction is crucial for safe construction. To study the stability of the surrounding rock during excavation, the displacement and stress of the surrounding rock were monitored by multi-point displacement meters and bolt stress meters. Based on the monitoring data, the elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, friction angle, and cohesion of surrounding rock were inversely analyzed by the PSO-BP algorithm. Then, the back-analyzed parameters were used to simulate the subsequent excavations and predict the stability of surrounding rock during the following construction. The analysis results show that the surrounding rocks were generally stable during the initial four stages of excavation, and the main factors affecting their stability were blasts and unfavorable geological structures, including the lamprophyre vein and the F1 fault. These unfavorable geological structures also significantly decrease the mechanical parameters of surrounding rock as demonstrated by back analysis, and the stability prediction results show that the omnibus bar cave and the tailrace tunnel were at the greatest risk of instability during the subsequent excavations. This study provides a practical analysis for engineering excavation of the underground caverns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the regulation relationship of Teneleven translocation 1 (Tet1) in DNA demethylation and the proliferation of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in chickens. Methods: siRNA targeting Tet1 was used to transiently knockdown the expression of Tet1 in chicken PGCs, and the genomic DNA methylation status was measured. The proliferation of chicken PGCs was detected by flow cytometry analysis and cell counting kit-8 assay when activation or inhibition of Wnt4/β-catenin signaling pathway. And the level of DNA methylation and hisotne methylation was also tested. Results: Results revealed that knockdown of Tet1 inhibited the proliferation of chicken PGCs and downregulated the mRNA expression of Cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), as well as pluripotency-associated genes (Nanog, PouV, and Sox2). Flow cytometry analysis confirmed that the population of PGCs in Tet1 knockdown group displayed a significant decrease in the proportion of S and G2 phase cells, which meant that there were less PGCs entered the mitosis process than that of control. Furthermore, Tet1 knockdown delayed the entrance to G1/S phase and this inhibition was rescued by treated with BIO. Consistent with these findings, Wnt/β-catenin signaling was inactivated in Tet1 knockdown PGCs, leading to aberrant proliferation. Further analysis showed that the methylation of the whole genome increased significantly after Tet1 downregulation, while hydroxymethylation obviously declined. Meanwhile, the level of H3K27me3 was upregulated and H3K9me2 was downregulated in Tet1 knockdown PGCs, which was achieved by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Conclusion: These results suggested that the self-renewal of chicken PGCs and the maintenance of their characteristics were regulated by Tet1 mediating DNA demethylation through the activation of Wnt4/β-catenin signaling pathway [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of type 2 diabetes is high, and the existing metformin hydrochloride (MH) tablets of 250 mg cannot meet the demands of the Chinese drug market. This study aimed to evaluate the bioequivalence and safety of generic formulations of MH tablets (test formulation [T], 250 mg/tablet) and innovative products (reference formulation [R], 250 mg/tablet) under fasting conditions. This was an open‐label, single‐dose, 2‐period, 2‐sequence crossover, single‐center, randomized phase I clinical trial. T and R were considered bioequivalent if the adjusted geometric mean ratios (GMRs) and 90% confidence intervals of the area under the curve (AUC) and maximum concentration (Cmax) were within the range of 0.8‐1.25. Thirty‐five participants completed the trial. The T/R adjusted GMRs (95.7% for Cmax, 98.7% for AUC0→t, 98.8% for AUC0→∞) were within the acceptable bioequivalence range of 80%‐125%. No serious adverse events or suspected or unexpected serious adverse reactions occurred during this trial. The study findings confirmed that generic MH is a well‐tolerated and bioequivalent alternative to innovative products under fasting conditions in healthy Chinese participants. (www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn; registration no. CTR20190356) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each year, hundreds of millions of people are infected with arboviruses such as dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika, which are all primarily spread by the notorious mosquito Aedes aegypti. Traditional control measures have proven insufficient, necessitating innovations. In response, here we generate a next-generation CRISPR-based precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) for Ae. aegypti that disrupts genes essential for sex determination and fertility, producing predominantly sterile males that can be deployed at any life stage. Using mathematical models and empirical testing, we demonstrate that released pgSIT males can effectively compete with, suppress, and eliminate caged mosquito populations. This versatile species-specific platform has the potential for field deployment to effectively control wild populations of disease vectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate temperature prediction is vital for the canned permanent magnet synchronous motor (CPMSM) used in the vacuum pump, as it experiences severe heating. In this paper, a novel motor temperature calculation method is proposed, which takes into account the temperature impact on the heat transfer capacity. In contrast to existing electromagnetic-thermal coupled calculation methods, which solely address the temperature effect on the motor electromagnetic field, the proposed method comprehensively considers its impact on motor losses, permanent magnet magnetic properties, thermal conductivity, and heat dissipation ability of motor components, resulting in a motor temperature simulation that closely resembles the actual physical process. To verify the reliability of the proposed temperature calculation method, a 1.5 kW CPMSM was chosen as the research subject. The method was used to analyze the temperature distribution characteristics of the motor and assess the impact of ambient temperature on motor temperature rise. Furthermore, a prototype was fabricated, and an experimental platform was established to test the motor temperature. The results demonstrate good agreement between the calculated results obtained using the proposed method and the experimental data. This research not only provides a theoretical foundation for optimizing the design of the CPMSM but also provides valuable insights into its operational safety and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thoracic outlet syndrome presents with complex clinical symptoms and poses significant challenges to treatment. By analyzing its anatomical structure, our study focuses on the motion acupuncture points of the anterior and middle scalene muscles and uses the motion acupuncture techniques to release tension of the related myofascial. This method can effectively alleviate the nerve and vascular compression. Therefore, satisfactory therapeutic effects can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the impact of isolated static stretching (4 sets of 30 seconds) and its combined form with 10 repetitive drop jumps on lower limb performance during squat jumps at different knee joint starting angles (60°, 90°, and 120°). Thirteen participants completed three randomly ordered experimental visits, each including a standardized warm-up and squat jumps at three angles, apart from the intervention or control. Information was gathered through a three-dimensional movement tracking system, electromyography system, and force platform. The electromyography data underwent wavelet analysis to compute the energy values across the four wavelet frequency bands. The average power (Pavg), peak power (Ppeak), peak ground reaction force (GRF-peak), peak center of mass velocity (Vpeak), and force-velocity relationship at peak power (SFv) were extracted from the force and velocity-time data. The results revealed no significant influence of isolated static stretching, or its combined form with drop jumps, on the energy values across the frequency bands of the gastrocnemius, biceps femoris and rectus femoris, or the Pavg or Ppeak (P > 0.05). However, at 120°, static stretching reduced the GRFpeak (P = 0.001, d = 0.86) and SFv (P < 0.001, d = 1.12), and increased the Vpeak (P = 0.001, d = 0.5). The GRFpeak, Pavg, Ppeak, and SFv increased with an increase in the joint angle (P < 0.05), whereas the Vpeak decreased (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that static stretching does not diminish power output during squat jumps at the three angles; however, it alters GRFpeak, Vpeak, and the relative contributions of force and velocity to peak power at 120°, which can be eliminated by post-activation performance enhancement. Moreover, compared to 60° and 90°, 120° was more favorable for power and peak force output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on evaluating Next Basket Recommendation (NBR) methods for suggesting items in users future shopping baskets. It discusses the distinction between repeat and explore items in recommendations, introduces novel metrics for NBR evaluation, and highlights the variations in method performance across different datasets and scenarios, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities in this area of research.

Platelets are small anucleated blood cells primarily known for their vital hemostatic role. Allogeneic platelet concentrates (PCs) collected from healthy donors are an essential cellular product transfused by hospitals to control or prevent bleeding in patients affected by thrombocytopenia or platelet dysfunctions. Platelets fulfill additional essential functions in innate and adaptive immunity and inflammation, as well as in wound-healing and tissue-repair mechanisms. Platelets contain mitochondria, lysosomes, dense granules, and alpha-granules, which collectively are a remarkable reservoir of multiple trophic factors, enzymes, and signaling molecules. In addition, platelets are prone to release in the blood circulation a unique set of extracellular vesicles (p-EVs), which carry a rich biomolecular cargo influential in cell–cell communications. The exceptional functional roles played by platelets and p-EVs explain the recent interest in exploring the use of allogeneic PCs as source material to develop new biotherapies that could address needs in cell therapy, regenerative medicine, and targeted drug delivery. Pooled human platelet lysates (HPLs) can be produced from allogeneic PCs that have reached their expiration date and are no longer suitable for transfusion but remain valuable source materials for other applications. These HPLs can substitute for fetal bovine serum as a clinical grade xeno-free supplement of growth media used in the in vitro expansion of human cells for transplantation purposes. The use of expired allogeneic platelet concentrates has opened the way for small-pool or large-pool allogeneic HPLs and HPL-derived p-EVs as biotherapy for ocular surface disorders, wound care and, potentially, neurodegenerative diseases, osteoarthritis, and others. Additionally, allogeneic platelets are now seen as a readily available source of cells and EVs that can be exploited for targeted drug delivery vehicles. This article aims to offer an in-depth update on emerging translational applications of allogeneic platelet biotherapies while also highlighting their advantages and limitations as a clinical modality in regenerative medicine and cell therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective • To summarize the use of Chinese Herbal Medicines (CHMs) for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and provide high-level evidence for clinical decisions. Methods • We analyzed systematic reviews (SRs). Two English-language and three Chinese-language electronic databases were searched from inception to July 1, 2019. Published SRs and meta-analyses evaluating CHM use in IPF and reporting clinically-relevant outcomes such as lung function, PO2, and quality of life were eligible for inclusion in this overview. The methodological qualities of the included SRs were assessed by AMSTAR and ROBIS tools. Results • All reviews were published from 2008 to 2019. 15SRs were published in Chinese-language while 2 were in English. A total of 15550 participants were included. All intervention arms received CHM with or without conventional treatment and were compared with control arms with conventional treatment alone, or hormone therapy. Twelve SRs were assessed with low risk of bias while five were assessed high risk by ROBIS. The quality of evidence was assessed to be “moderate” or “low” or “very low” using GRADE. Conclusions • CHM has potential benefits for patients with IPF especially in improving lung function (forced vital capacity (FVC), total lung capacity (TLC), and diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO)), PO2 level, and the quality of life of patients. Due to the low methodological quality of reviews, our findings should be interpreted with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Sclerotherapy has achieved great success in treating most venous malformation (VM) lesions. OBJECTIVE To compare the effects of foam sclerotherapy on infantile hemangioma and pyogenic granuloma (PG). In addition, we analyzed the data and outcomes of foam sclerotherapy for the VM. MATERIALSAND METHODS Thirty-nine patients with hemangiomas and 83 patients with VMs were treated, and clinical outcomes, resolution, and complication rates were compared. Sclerotherapy data from the VM group were also analyzed. RESULTS The average age of the patients and the distribution and tissue involvement of lesions among the 3 groups were significantly different (p<.001). The average amount of sclerosing foam administered per session in VMs was significantly higher than that in the other 2 groups (p < .0001) (whereas that in the PG group was lower than that in the infantile hemangioma group [p < .0001]). However, the overall therapeutic efficacy and side effects in the 3 groups were not significantly different. For VMs, the frequency of ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy and use of 3% polidocanol increased from superficial to deep lesions, whereas the use of 1% POL decreased (p < .0001). CONCLUSION Infantile hemangioma and PG treatments presented good results and minor adverse reactions comparable with those of VMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many neurological diseases involve coagulopathy, inflammation, and neurovascular dysfunction, contributing to blood component-mediated neuroinflammation and blood–brain barrier breakdown. Furthermore, in infectious diseases, central nervous system (CNS) outcomes can be exacerbated by platelet-enhanced NETosis, which may lead to cytokine storms that mediate uncontrolled neuronal damage and death. Dysfunctional platelets, neutrophils, extracellular vesicles (EVs), and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) contribute to persistent inflammation and neuronal damage. Platelet–neutrophil aggregates and NETs are detrimental in severe neurological disorders. Simultaneous activation of the inflammasome in platelets and neutrophils may worsen the detrimental NETosis loop, provoking neuroinflammation in the CNS. Targeted interventions aimed at platelets, neutrophils, and NETs may provide an effective strategy to treat chronic neuroinflammatory disorders. Systemic inflammation, neurovascular dysfunction, and coagulopathy often occur concurrently in neuropathologies. Neutrophils and platelets have crucial synergistic roles in thromboinflammation and are increasingly suspected as effector cells contributing to the pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory diseases. In this review, we summarize the roles of platelet–neutrophil interactions in triggering complex pathophysiological events affecting the brain that may lead to the disruption of brain barriers, infiltration of toxic factors into the parenchyma, and amplification of neuroinflammation through the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). We highlight the clinical significance of thromboinflammation in neurological disorders and examine the contributions of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) derived from platelets and neutrophils. These DAMPs originate from both infectious and non-infectious risk factors and contribute to the activation of inflammasomes during brain disorders. Finally, we identify knowledge gaps in the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis and emphasize the potential of interventions targeting platelets and neutrophils to treat neuroinflammatory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transboundary Mekong River spans China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and provides critical ecosystem services that support millions of people across the river basin. However, the exploitation of its water resources for state‐led development, especially in the realm of hydropower development, not only threatens the livelihoods and food security of communities across the river basin, but also reveal the challenges of governing the Mekong River as a transboundary commons. In focusing on how environmental injustice is produced through hydropower development and the power dynamics within hybrid governance arrangements in the Mekong River Basin, this paper seeks to examine how a grounded perspective of environmental justice may be understood in this context by linkages between the principles of environmental justice and the Mekong literature in three ways. First, the production of, and challenges against distributive injustice in the Mekong River Basin must engage with a strong tradition of scalar analysis in the field of transboundary water governance, particularly in understanding how a politics of scale underlies contestations around the Mekong River. Second, the principle of justice as recognition can be situated within a body of literature that interrogates the politics of knowledge that runs through Mekong water governance, although the co‐production of knowledge types must be acknowledged. Finally, a recent body of literature questioning the legality of dam‐building and public participation around Mekong hydropower dams are closely tied to issues of procedural justice, and reveal the importance of recognizing plurality in ideas around transparency and accountability. This article is categorized under:Human Water > Water GovernanceHuman Water > Water as Imagined and RepresentedHuman Water > Value of Water [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carpal tunnel is a tightly bounded space, making the median nerve prone to compression and eventually leading to carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel release surgery transects the transverse carpal ligament to expand the tunnel arch space, decompress the median nerve, and relieve the associated symptoms. However, the surgical procedure unavoidably disrupts essential anatomical, biomechanical and physiological functions of the wrist, potentially causing reduced grip strength, pillar pain, carpal bone instability, scar tissue formation, and perineural fibrosis. It is desirable to decompress the median nerve without surgically transecting the transverse carpal ligament. This paper is to review several approaches we have developed for nonsurgical carpal arch space augmentation (CASA), namely, radio ulnar wrist compression, muscle-ligament interaction, palmar pulling, and collagenolysis of the transverse carpal ligament. Briefly summarized is the research work on the CASA topic about theoretical considerations, in vitro and in situ experiment, computational modeling, and human subject studies with asymptomatic and carpal tunnel syndrome hands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transglutaminase (TG, EC 2.3.2.13) is widely used to modify functional properties in food systems, which can catalyze cross-linking reaction of proteins. In this work, microbial transglutaminase (MTG) from Streptomyces netropsis was heterologously expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii (Pichia pastoris). The specific activity of recombinant microbial transglutaminase (RMTG) was 26.17 ± 1.26 U/mg, and the optimum pH and temperature were measured as 7.0 and 50 °C, respectively. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as a substrate to evaluate the effect of cross-linking reaction, and we found that RMTG had significant (p < 0.05) cross-linking effect for more than 30 min reactions. RMTG was further utilized in the investigation of plant-based chicken nuggets. Results showed that the hardness, springiness and chewiness of nuggets increased, and the adhesiveness decreased after RMTG treatment, which can prove that RMTG has the potential to improve the texture properties of plant-based chicken nuggets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breakage, Helmholtz free energy, and nonlinearity are involved in many fundamental phenomena of complex systems across natural sciences. However, a mathematical equation that can express the entire life cycle of complex natural objects (such as rock-like quasi-brittle materials) is lacking. We expand the material body system to an isolated compound thermodynamic system to establish an innovative theoretical model induced by coupling nonlinear separation of Helmholtz free energy and breakage evolution that can be used to express the extreme entire life model of rock under unequal amplitude loading and unloading cycle. We gain crucial insights into the life essence of limestone, which is termed "Negative Dissipation." This study first shows that the change in the mechanical properties of quasi-brittle materials caused by the timely evolution of breakage can be represented by the nonlinear separation of Helmholtz free energy and negative dissipation. An analytical solution to the nonlinear separation variables of Helmholtz free energy is provided by combining the method of solving nonlinear partial differential equations in mathematics and thermodynamic law. An analytical solution of Helmholtz free energy considering nonlinearity and breakage is proposed, and an equation that can reflect the constitutive mechanics law of the entire life cycle of rock in the theoretical model is presented. Theoretical results are consistent with the experimental data obtained from limestone samples with different prefabricated cracks. This original study provides a theoretical foundation for the life model of complex natural objects for nonlinear breakage and an early warning investigation of rocks under various unprecedented conditions. This study first found that the change in the mechanical properties of complex natural objects caused by the timely evolution of breakage can be represented by the nonlinear separation of Helmholtz free energy. We establish an innovative theoretical model induced by coupling nonlinear separation of Helmholtz free energy and breakage evolution. The innovative theory includes three parts: (1) an analytical solution to the nonlinear separation variables of Helmholtz free energy, (2) an analytical solution of Helmholtz free energy considering nonlinearity and breakage, and (3) an equation of the theoretical model that can reflect the constitutive mechanics' law of the entire life of quasi-brittle rocks is presented for the first time. This original research result provides the foundation for a more in-depth life cycle of quasi-brittle rocks to develop the theoretical basis for the nonlinear breakage and early warning research of materials under various unprecedented conditions. We report a route to material microstructure composition, which may open an alternative pathway to quasi-brittle materials, which may, in turn, open a door into the mysterious world of science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cilia build distinct subdomains with variable axonemal structures to perform diverse functions in cell motility and signaling. In sensory cilia across species, an axoneme differentiates longitudinally into a middle segment with nine microtubule (MT) doublets and a distal segment with nine MT singlets that extends from the A tubules of the doublets. Here, we study axoneme differentiation in Caenorhabditis elegans by analyzing the flagellar inner junction protein FAP20 and PCRG1 that connect A and B tubules in Chlamydomonas. The nematode CFAP-20 is restricted to the middle segment with doublets, and its loss disconnects A and B tubules. However, PCRG-1 is absent from most sensory cilia, and its deletion does not disrupt cilia. Ectopic introduction of PCRG-1 into cilia generated abnormal MT doublets in the distal segment and reduced intraflagellar transport and animal sensation. Thus, the absence of an inner junction protein prevents B-tubule extension, which contributes to axoneme differentiation and ciliary function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature has developed starch granules varying in size from less than 1 μm to more than 100 μm. The granule size is an important factor affecting the functional properties and the applicability of starch for food and non-food applications. within the same botanical species, the range of starch granule size can be up to sevenfold. This review critically evaluated the biological and environmental factors affecting the size of starch granules, the methods for the separation of starch granules and the measurement of size distribution. Further, the structure at different length scales and properties of starch-based on the granule size is elucidated by specifying the typical applications of granules with varying sizes. An amylopectin cluster model showing the arrangement of amylopectin from inside toward the granule surface is proposed with the hypothesis that the steric hindrance for the growth of lamellar structure may limit the size of starch granules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex composition, size, and distribution of microstructures of titanium (Ti) alloy affect the mechanical properties of titanium alloy and its application in aerospace, ocean technology, and bioengineering. In this paper, the microstructural components and mechanical behavior of Ti80 are first investigated experimentally. According to the experimental observations of the dual-phased microstructures, a mechanism and microstructure-based constitutive model of Ti80 is established to study the quantitative relationship between mechanical behavior and equiaxed ap + lamellar as + ß microstructures of titanium alloys. And the influence of dislocation evolution and accumulation on the strengthening and work-hardening of materials is also explored in detail, especially the contribution of dislocation pile-up zone at the phase boundary between a phase and ß phase on the strengthening of materials. Numerical results show that the proposed model can describe the constitutive behavior of Ti80 very well, including yield stress and strain hardening. And various strengthening mechanisms originated from the grain boundaries, phase boundaries of ß transformation structure and ß precipitation are analyzed. The proposed model is further applied to predict the constitutive behaviors of the titanium alloy with different sizes and various volume fractions of microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the philosophy of deterrence has long been rooted in the criminal justice system and has informed policy and programming, the results of such strategies have been mixed. A handful of research efforts have focused on the relationship between various deterrence perspectives and cyberbullying; however, few address this issue in a non-Western context. To develop a more comprehensive assessment of cyberbullying deterrence and perceptions of punishment among adolescents, this study utilizes a large-scale data set collected from Taiwan. Results indicate a negative association between cyberbullying and a sense of the certainty of punishment from authorities. Moreover, perceptions of the severity of punishment decrease the propensity for cyberbullying behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic noise in big cities impacts the people who live and work in high-rise buildings alongside arterial roads. To determine this impact magnitude, this paper proposes and validates a microscopic level method that locally predicts the total noise level and the spectral characteristics of traffic flow in the near-road region. In the proposed method, the vehicles on the road are considered as multiple queues of moving point sound sources with ground reflection considered. To account for the flow of vehicles on the road, traffic field data, and individual vehicle noise source models are also employed. A field measurement is conducted to validate the proposed method. Results comparison shows that the predicted and the measured overall A-weighted sound pressure level and A-weighted noise spectra are within 3 dBA and 5 dBA, respectively. Based on the validated method, the spatial distribution of traffic noise near the arterial road is investigated for different traffic scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stabilizing piles are extensively used as an effective landslide control treatment, and the soil arching effect is the key element for the performance of the pile system. Most previous studies on soil arching effect and its application in stabilizing piles were conducted with laboratory tests and numerical simulations, while limited efforts have been dedicated to the analytical characterization of such a soilstructure interaction. In this paper, a new stress-reduction model for soil arch in landslides is established by theoretical derivation. Our model calculation has demonstrated an exponential reduction in the stress along the direction of slipping between and behind stabilizing piles and thus justifies the observations of laboratory tests and numerical simulations. Thereafter, the analytical solutions to the two key arch shape parameters, namely the inclination angle at the foothold and the thickness of soil arch, are derived based on the proposed stress-reduction model. Then, the ultimate bearing capacity of soil arch between and behind stabilizing piles is subsequently calculated, and a three-level load sharing model for landslides is thus proposed based on the stress-reduction mode. The load sharing model can well capture the stage characteristics of the interaction between landslide mass and stabilizing piles. Finally, the calculation model of spacing between stabilizing piles is established based on the proposed stress-reduction model, and it turns to be good in field application. The findings of this study can contribute to a better understanding of the soil arching effect as well as a better design of the stabilizing piles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancer (AFPGC) at the single-cell level and to identify regulatory factors for AFP expression and malignancy. Methods: ScRNA-seq was performed on two tumors collected from patients with AFPGC. InferCNV and sub-clustering were applied to identify typical AFPGC cells, followed by AddModuleScore, pathway enrichment, Pseudo-time, and Scenic analyses. Data from a gastric cancer (GC) cohort were collected for conjoint analysis. The analytical results were verified by cell experiments and immunohistochemistry. Results: AFPGC cells are similar to hepatocytes in transcriptome and transcriptional regulation, with kinetic malignancy-related pathways, compared to the common malignant epithelium. In addition, compared to common GC cells, malignancy-related pathways, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis, were upregulated in AFPGC. Mechanistically, Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) was found to be associated with AFP expression and malignant phenotype upon combining our scRNA-seq data with a public database, which was further verified by a series of in vitro experiments and immunohistochemistry. Conclusion: We demonstrated the single-cell characteristics of AFPGC and that DKK1 facilitates AFP expression and malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: STAT4 is a transcriptional regulator that has been reported to have oncogenic activities in various cancers. In our study, the posttranscriptional regulatory effect of miR-200a-3p on STAT4 and the prognostic significance of miR-200a-3p and STAT4 were evaluated in bladder cancer (BCa). Material and methods: Proliferation and apoptosis of BCa cell lines were monitored using CCK-8 and Annexin V-FITC assays, respectively. Gene and protein expression levels in BCa tissues and cells were detected using RTqPCR and western blotting, respectively. Results: Significant downregulation of miR-200a-3p and upregulation of STAT4 were observed in BCa tissues and cells compared with the corresponding non-tumor adjacent tissues. Both STAT4 and miR-200a-3p were validated as independent prognostic indicators in sixty-nine BCa patients for predicting overall survival and disease-free survival. In vitro experimental analyses revealed that knockdown of STAT4 repressed BCa cell growth and elevated cell apoptosis. Molecular interactive analysis revealed STAT4 as a direct target of miR-200a-3p, which could suppress STAT4 protein expression by posttranscriptional repression. Cotransfection of miR-200a-3p mimics and STAT4 overexpression plasmids into BCa cells demonstrated that the antineoplastic activities of miR-200a-3p in vitro were neutralized by overexpressed STAT4. Conclusions: The miR-200a-3p/STAT4 signaling cascade plays an important role in the progression of BCa, which provides a new promising target for targeted BCa therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For high cutting slopes, it is quite necessary to set pre-reinforced structures before the slope excavation to avoid the slope failure during the excavating. In this paper, the multi-wedge translation mechanism is used to analyze the stability of high cutting slopes pre-reinforced with piles. First, the multivariate functions are established to calculate safety factor for the slope during the excavating. Based on the safety factor of the slope during the excavating process, it can be determined that whether the slope need set the pre-reinforced piles before excavating. If need, the most significant factor for pre-reinforced pile design is the stabilising force. Then the expressions are derived to calculate the stabilising force provided by the pre-reinforced piles to increase the safety factor to assure the high cutting slope is stable. At last, an example is taken to illustrate the method proposed in this study. The result shows that the safety factor for the slope is change with the excavating. The stabilising force is influenced by the location of pre-reinforced piles, excavation distance and slope angle. The most suitable location of pre-reinforced piles within the high cutting slope also had been determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to compare the therapeutic effects of femoral neck system (FNS) internal fixation and other internal fixation methods on patients with femoral neck fracture. Thirty patients treated from January 2019 to January 2021 were assigned into control and observation groups. Intraoperative blood loss was less, fluoroscopy frequency was lower, postoperative off-bed ambulation time and length of hospital stay were shorter, and postoperative complication rate was lower in observation group than those in control group (P<0.05). At 1-3 d after operation, the observation group had significantly decreased pain score and levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 compared with the control group (P<0.05). At 3 and 6 months after operation, the hip joint function score and quality-of-life score were significantly improved in both groups in comparison with those before operation (P<0.05). Both FNS and traditional cannulated screw internal fixations can effectively ameliorate the hip joint function, promote fracture healing and improve the quality of life of patients with femoral neck fracture. Compared with cannulated screw internal fixation, however, FNS internal fixation can alleviate operative trauma, postoperative pain sensation and inflammatory response and reduce intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency and postoperative complications, thereby enabling earlier discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mean-field treatment (MFT) is frequently applied to approximately predict the dynamics of quantum optics systems. It simplifies the system Hamiltonian by neglecting the quantum statistics of certain modes that are driven strongly by lasers or couple weakly with other modes. However, the neglected quantum correlations between different modes result in unanticipated quantum effects and might lead to significantly distinct system dynamics. Here, a general and systematic theoretical framework based on perturbation theory in company with MFT is provided to capture these quantum effects. The form of nonlinear dissipation and parasitic Hamiltonian as well as their relationship to the nonlinear coupling rate are predicted. Furthermore, the indicator is also proposed as a measure of the accuracy of mean-field treatment. As an example, this theory is applied to quantum frequency conversion, in which mean-field treatment is commonly applied, to test its limitation under strong pump and large coupling strength. The analytical results show excellent agreement with the numerical simulations. This work clearly reveals the residual quantum effects neglected by MFT and provides a more precise theoretical framework for nonlinear optics and quantum optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers developed a method to apply the row geometric mean method to improve the consistent index of a given reciprocal comparison matrix. We provide a detailed examination of their approach to find out that sometimes their adjustments will violate the 1-9 scale rule proposed by the original restriction in Analytic Hierarchy Process. Hence, their development contained severely questionable results. We advise practitioners with caution when trying to apply their approach to adjust their comparison matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Despite the prevalent use of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) to prevent preterm infants' adverse neonatal complications, there is currently no consensus on administration-to-birth intervals of ACS. International guidelines broadly agree that the administration of antenatal corticosteroids should be within 7 days prior to preterm birth. However, there is little evidence to support narrower optimal ACS administration-to-birth interval time. This study was undertaken to investigate the association between the administration-to-birth interval of ACS which is bounded by 48 hours and neonatal outcomes in very preterm infants. Materials and methods: This is a single-center prospective observational study. Data were collected prospectively from eligible infants from January 2008 to April 2014 at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, neonatal outcomes were compared between two groups based on the interval of antenatal corticosteroid administration-to-birth: the interval of <48h, and the interval of >48h. It was noted that the entire study was completed by Dongli Song et al., and uploaded the data to the DATADRYAD website. The author only used this data for secondary analysis. Results: After adjusting potential confounders (gestational age, sex, birth weight, duration of cord clamping and delivery mode), the interval of >48h group compared to the interval of <48h group had significant reductions in mortality (OR: 0.17; 95% CI: 0.05–0.59), any retinopathy of prematurity (OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.16–0.82), severe retinopathy of prematurity (OR: 0.07; 95% CI: 0.01–0.45), any intubation (OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.20–0.75) and higher 1 min Apgar (β: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.10–1.02). Conclusion: This study shows that in very preterm infants, compared with the interval of ACS<48h, the interval of ACS>48 hours has a significant health promotion effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propylene is a significant basic material for petrochemicals such as polypropylene, propylene oxide, etc. With abundant propane supply from shale gas, propane dehydrogenation (PDH) becomes extensively attractive as an on-purpose propylene production route in recent years. Nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) nanopolyhedra supported cobalt catalysts were synthesized in one-step of ZIF-67 pyrolysis and investigated further in PDH. XPS, TEM and N2 adsorption-desorption were used to study the influence of carbonization temperature on as-prepared NC supported cobalt catalysts. The temperature is found to affect the cobalt phase and nitrogen species of the catalysts. And the positive correlation was established between Co0 proportion and space time yield of propylene, indicating that the modulation of carbonization temperature could be important for catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indosasa lipoensis, an ornamental garden plant, belongs to the Indosasa genus of the subfamily Bambooaceae within Poaceae. Indosasa lipoensis is endangered and requires protection owing to its relatively narrow distribution area. Chloroplast (cp) genome offers a novel awareness of the evolutionary and genetic variation of higher plants. Herein, we assembled and elucidated the complete cp genome of I. lipoensis, and compared it with four previously published cp genomes from this genus. The I. lipoensis cp genome was 139,655 bp in size, with a typical quadripartite structure, encompassing a large single-copy region (LSC, 83,256 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC, 12,809 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IR, 21,795 bp). The cp genome consisted of 130 genes with 84 protein-coding genes (CDS), 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The plastomes were highly conservative, compared to other bamboo species, and exhibited similar patterns of codon usage, number of repeat sequences, and expansion and contraction of the IR boundary. Five hypervariable hotspots were identified as potential DNA barcodes, namely rbcL, petA, petB, trnL-UAG, and ndhE-ndhI, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete cp genomes revealed, with high resolution, that I. lipoensis and I. gigantea were most closely related. Overall, these results provided valuable characterization for the future conservation, genetic evaluation, and the breeding of I. lipoensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a bus transit system with peak and normal periods, we derived an approximated formulated solution, to provide a patchwork for a published paper. Based on the same numerical example of the original model, our approximated solution attains the minimum cost within 0.3% to indicate that our approximated formulated solution is a good supplementary tool to estimate the optimal solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deterioration of fiber properties during recycling processes, especially the loss of tensile strength, raises concerns that paper products made from recycled fibers might not satisfy quality requirements. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the deterioration of tensile strength and the damage in paper sheets made of recycled fibers using the theory of damage mechanics and machine learning methods. Experiments were carried out to recycle wood fibers and nonwood fibers four times, and the physicochemical properties of the handsheets made from these fibers were measured after each recycling. Water retention value and relative bonded area were selected as the features to estimate and predict tensile strength during recycling because they had strong correlations with tensile strength. This paper proposed a damage index to quantitatively express the severity of the damage in paper sheets based on the experimental investigation and the theory of damage mechanics. Thus, the deterioration of tensile strength could be estimated and predicted. To determine the damage index, a curve fitting model based on the hyperbolic theory of pulp properties was developed. The proposed quantitative expression of the damage index is: D = (Ds - h)²/a2 - (Dh - k)²/b2, where the coefficients were determined through the curve fitting model. This paper also developed a long short-term memory recurrent neural network model to determine the damage index according to the sequence of recycling. Both models were trained with the experimental data of water retention value and relative bonded area. The estimation and prediction by the curve fitting model were more accurate than those of the neural network model. The root mean square errors by the curve fitting model were 0.0278 for estimation, 0.1667 for prediction; and by the neural network model were 0.2445 for estimation, 0.2206 for prediction, respectively. After the damage index was determined, the deterioration of tensile strength then could be calculated as T = T0 (1-D). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Erdaopuzi section in the Baishan area of Jilin Province, northeast China, contains abundant late Tremadoc graptolites. However, there are some taxonomic controversies regarding the characters of the hand specimens that are difficult to identify. In this paper, we present our restudy of isolated graptolites from acid residue and discuss the taxonomic problems of the subgenus Clonograptus (Neoclonograptus) Zhao and Zhang. Four genera and six species were identified, including Adelograptus tenellus (Linnarsson), Ancoragraptus gracilis (Zhao and Zhang), Dictyonema sp., Psigraptus jacksoni Rickards and Stait, Psigraptus lenzi Jackson, Psigraptus arcticus Jackson. According to the significant evolution of morphological characters, two graptolite zones (from bottom to top) can be identified in ascending order in the study area, i.e. Adelograptus Zone and the Psigraptus Zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A restudy of the early Darriwilian graptolites from the Dameigou section in the Qaidam Basin provides some new information for graptolite biostratigraphy. The section contains a number of biserial faunas and easily identifiable Holmograptus Kozlowski, 1957, which are the marked faunas of the early Darriwilian. According to the biostratigraphic occurrences of the species, the Levisograptus dentatus Zone and the Holmograptus lentus Zone are identified from the Qaidam Basin. At the same time, the identification of these two graptolite zones provides materials for replacing the old, long-ranging Amplexograptus confertus Zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We intended to investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of EPS8L3 in increase the development of pancreatic cancer (PC). Methods: In order to analyze the relationship between EPS8L3 level and clinicopathological indicators of PC patients, qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of EPS8L3 in tumor specimens of 40 PC patients. EPS8L3 knockdown models were then constructed in PC cell lines. Furthermore, the effect of EPS8L3 on PC cell function was analyzed by CCK-8 and Transwell assay. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay and recovery assay were used to further investigate the underlying mechanism. Results: qRT-PCR results indicated that EPS8L3 was highly expressed in PC tissues compared with adjacent ones. At the same time, the incidence of distant metastasis was higher in PC patients with high EPS8L3 level. In vitro analysis such as CCK-8 and Transwell experimentations indicated that knockdown of EPS8L3 markedly inhibited the proliferative and metastatic ability. Bio-informatics together with luciferase report assay proposing that EPS8L3 can target GSK3B. Western Blot results revealed that knockdown of EPS8L3 markedly reduced the GSK3B expression in PC cells, and there was a positively associated between the two in PC cells. In addition, the recovery experimentation proved that EPS8L3 and GSK3B have a mutual regulation effect. Overexpression of GSK3B can reversal the prohibitive effect of EPS8L3 knockdown on the malignant development of PC cells, thereby jointly regulating the occurrence and development of PC. Background: We intended to investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of EPS8L3 in increase the development of pancreatic cancer (PC). Methods: In order to analyze the relationship between EPS8L3 level and clinicopathological indicators of PC patients, qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of EPS8L3 in tumor specimens of 40 PC patients. EPS8L3 knockdown models were then constructed in PC cell lines. Furthermore, the effect of EPS8L3 on PC cell function was analyzed by CCK-8 and Transwell assay. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay and recovery assay were used to further investigate the underlying mechanism. Results: qRT-PCR results indicated that EPS8L3 was highly expressed in PC tissues compared with adjacent ones. At the same time, the incidence of distant metastasis was higher in PC patients with high EPS8L3 level. In vitro analysis such as CCK-8 and Transwell experimentations indicated that knockdown of EPS8L3 markedly inhibited the proliferative and metastatic ability. Bio-informatics together with luciferase report assay proposing that EPS8L3 can target GSK3B. Western Blot results revealed that knockdown of EPS8L3 markedly reduced the GSK3B expression in PC cells, and there was a positively associated between the two in PC cells. In addition, the recovery experimentation proved that EPS8L3 and GSK3B have a mutual regulation effect. Overexpression of GSK3B can reversal the prohibitive effect of EPS8L3 knockdown on the malignant development of PC cells, thereby jointly regulating the occurrence and development of PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the recent attention focusing on "bad apples" in police departments across the country, police behaviors have been the subject of considerable controversy and protest. Still, research indicates that rates of officially reported police crime are relatively low. In addition, crimes committed by female officers are largely understudied in this male-dominated workplace. Therefore, the current study explores the attributes associated with police crime committed by female officers using national arrest data. Results obtained from a multilevel model demonstrate the influences of individual- and agency-level variables in explaining female officers' criminality. Findings reveal that while on-duty female officers are more likely to commit economically motivated and drug-related crimes, off-duty officers are more likely to engage in violent and alcohol-related crimes. Moreover, contextual factors such as types of agency and numbers of sworn officers predicted female officers' criminality. Current findings highlight the importance of policies that would directly address female criminality in law enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the nonlocal Euler-Bernouli beam model, this paper is carried out to investigate the vibrations and instability of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) conveying fluid subjected to a longitudinal magnetic field. The nanobeam with clamped-clamped boundary conditions lies on the Pasternak foundation. Hamilton's principle is applied to derive the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) governing equation and the corresponding boundary conditions. In the solution part the differential transformation method (DTM) is used to solve the differential equations of motion. The influences of nonlocal parameter, longitudinal magnetic field, Pasternak foundation on the critical divergence velocity of the nanotubes is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural genetic diversity in plant germplasm collections provides the genetic variability for crop improvement. To explore this natural genetic variability, over 8,800 accessions within the USDA cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) germplasm collection were evaluated for several seed quality traits including seed coat color, 100‐seed weight, oil content, and fatty acid composition. After removing contaminated and/or mixed accessions, the remaining 8,466 accessions were used for further data analysis. The mean of 100‐seed weight was 49.44 g with a wide range of 21.84 to 148.36 g (6.8‐fold difference). Six accessions (PI 414995, PI 648234, PI 318740, PI 336978, PI 320059, and PI 578229) with 100‐seed weight >110 g were identified. The mean of oil content was 48.94% with a range of 36.51 to 59.45% (1.6‐fold difference). Seven accessions (PI 471949, PI 472001, PI 497369, PI 442739, PI 343423, PI 161298, and PI 668582) with oil content >58% were identified. The mean of oleic acid was 45.2% with a wide range of 39.99 to 82.08% (2.1‐fold difference). The mean of linoleic acid was 32.56% with a wide range of 2.0 to 46.68% (23.3‐fold difference). Thirty‐seven accessions were identified with >65% oleic acid. Among them, PI 636472 and PI 596800 had the highest level of oleic acid (82.1 and 81.8%, respectively). Significant variation in these traits was also identified between subspecies and among botanical varieties. Some significantly positive and negative correlations among these traits were also determined. The results presented here will be useful for peanut breeders, geneticists, and other users. Core Ideas: The USDA cultivated peanut germplasm collection is maintained at PGRCU, Griffin, GA.Natural genetic diversity exists in this collection.Seed quality traits were evaluated on this collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entorhinal cortex is of great importance in cognition and memory, its dysfunction causes a variety of neurological diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). Yet so far, research on entorhinal cortex is still limited. Here, we provided the first single‐nucleus transcriptomic map of primate entorhinal cortex aging. Our result revealed that synapse signaling, neurogenesis, cellular homeostasis, and inflammation‐related genes and pathways changed in a cell‐type‐specific manner with age. Moreover, among the 7 identified cell types, we highlighted the neuronal lineage that was most affected by aging. By integrating multiple datasets, we found entorhinal cortex aging was closely related to multiple neurodegenerative diseases, particularly for AD. The expression levels of APP and MAPT, which generate β‐amyloid (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles, respectively, were increased in most aged entorhinal cortex cell types. In addition, we found that neuronal lineage in the aged entorhinal cortex is more prone to AD and identified a subpopulation of excitatory neurons that are most highly associated with AD. Altogether, this study provides a comprehensive cellular and molecular atlas of the primate entorhinal cortex at single‐cell resolution and provides new insights into potential therapeutic targets against age‐related neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lorises are a group of globally threatened strepsirrhine primates that exhibit many unusual physiological and behavioral features, including a low metabolic rate, slow movement, and hibernation. Here, we assembled a chromosome-level genome sequence of the pygmy loris (Xanthonycticebus pygmaeus) and resequenced whole genomes from 50 pygmy lorises and 6 Bengal slow lorises (Nycticebus bengalensis). We found that many gene families involved in detoxification have been specifically expanded in the pygmy loris, including the GSTA gene family, with many newly derived copies functioning specifically in the liver. We detected many genes displaying evolutionary convergence between pygmy loris and koala, including PITRM1. Significant decreases in PITRM1 enzymatic activity in these two species may have contributed to their characteristic low rate of metabolism. We also detected many evolutionarily convergent genes and positively selected genes in the pygmy loris that are involved in muscle development. Functional assays demonstrated the decreased ability of one positively selected gene, MYOF, to up-regulate the fast-type muscle fiber, consistent with the lower proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibers in the pygmy loris. The protein product of another positively selected gene in the pygmy loris, PER2, exhibited weaker binding to the key circadian core protein CRY, a finding that may be related to this species’ unusual circadian rhythm. Finally, population genomics analysis revealed that these two extant loris species, which coexist in the same habitat, have exhibited an inverse relationship in terms of their demography over the past 1 million years, implying strong interspecies competition after speciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the terahertz remote sensing technology is one of the best ways to detect the microphysical properties of ice clouds. Influenced by the representativeness of the ice crystal scattering (ICS) model, the existing terahertz ice cloud remote sensing inversion algorithms still have significant uncertainties. In this study, we developed a terahertz remote sensing inversion algorithm of the ice water path (IWP) and effective particle radius (Re) of ice clouds based on the Voronoi ICS model. This study utilized the single-scattering properties (extinction efficiency, single-scattering albedo and asymmetry factor) of the Voronoi and Sphere ICS models in the terahertz region. Combined with 14,408 groups of particle size distributions obtained from aircraft-based measurements, we completed the Voronoi and Sphere ICS schemes based on the Voronoi and Sphere ICS models. The two schemes were applied to the RSTAR radiative transfer model to carry out the sensitivity analysis of the top of cloud (TOC) terahertz brightness temperature differences (BTDs) on the IWP and Re. The sensitivity results showed that the TOC BTDs between 640 and 874 GHz are functions of the IWP, and the TOC BTDs between 380, 640 and 874 GHz are functions of the Re. The Voronoi ICS scheme possesses stronger sensitivity to the Re than the Sphere ICS scheme. Based on the sensitivity results, we built a multi-channel look-up table for BTDs. The IWP and Re were searched from the look-up table using an optimal estimation algorithm. We used 2000 BTD test data randomly generated by the RSTAR model to assess the algorithm’ s accuracy. Test results showed the correlation coefficients of the retrieved IWP and Re reach 0.99 and 0.98, respectively. As an application, we used the inversion algorithm to retrieve the ice cloud IWP and Re based on the CoSSIR airborne terahertz radiation measurements. Validation against the retrievals of the Bayesian algorithm reveals that the Voronoi ICS model performs better than the Sphere ICS model, with the enhancement of the Mean absolute error of 5.0 % and 12.8 % for IWP and Re, respectively. In summary, the results of this study confirmed the practicality and effectiveness of the Voronoi ICS model in the terahertz remote sensing inversion of ice cloud microphysical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmland area data is one of the important agricultural basic data, which provides parameter basis for the precise operation of agricultural equipment. In order to meet the technical needs of farmers and agricultural machinery operation service billing for acquiring basic information of farmland, this study proposes a farmland area measuring instrument based on the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. Firstly, the overall design scheme of the measuring instrument, the hardware circuit design scheme and the algorithm design scheme are introduced, and the triangulation area measurement algorithm is emphatically analysed. Finally, the design of this research is applied. The farmland area measuring instrument measures the area of different shapes of farmland and verifies the measurement accuracy. The results show that the average relative error of the measuring instrument for measuring the area of irregularly shaped farmland is 0.7%, which realizes the rapid and high-precision measurement of the area of arbitrarily shaped farmland. It is hoped that this study can provide some reference for the research on the area measurement of farmland in my country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]