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Abstract Non-radiative optical modes attracted enormous attention in optics due to strong light confinement and giant Q-factor at its spectral position. The destructive interference of multipoles leads to zero net-radiation and strong field trapping. Such radiationless states disappear in the far-field, localize enhanced near-field and can be excited in nano-structures. On the other hand, the optical modes turn out to be completely confined due to no losses at discrete point in the radiation continuum, such states result in infinite Q-factor and lifetime. The radiationless states provide a suitable platform for enhanced light matter interaction, lasing, and boost nonlinear processes at the state regime. These modes are widely investigated in different material configurations for various applications in both linear and nonlinear metasurfaces which are briefly discussed in this review.

Self-directed learning with mobile technology (SDLMT) is critical to students’ learning success. However, only minimal research has been conducted on the manner by which significant aspects (e.g., self-efficacy, student engagement) are related to SDLMT. This study analyzed the answers of 485 Chinese students (seventh to ninth grades) who were surveyed, and evaluated the relationships among self-efficacy (Internet self-efficacy and online communication self-efficacy), student engagement (behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social engagement), and SDLMT. Structural equation model revealed that SDLMT was positively predicted by self-efficacy, and SDLMT was positively impacted by student engagement. Moreover, the mediation analysis was performed using the PROCESS plugin in SPSS and determined that after controlling for gender and grade, the relationship between self-efficacy and SDLMT was partially mediated by student engagement. Findings established the value of self-efficacy for SDLMT, and further emphasized the vital mediating role of student engagement. Hence, developing K–12 students’ SDLMT entails enhancing self-efficacy and student engagement.

Abstract Fungal endophytes, as an untapped resource of glycoside hydrolase biocatalysts, need to be further developed. Mogroside V, the primary active compound in Siraitia grosvenorii fruit, can be converted into other various bioactive mogrosides by selective hydrolysis of glucose residues at C3 and C24 positions. In present study, 20 fungal strains were randomly selected from our endophytic fungal strain library to assess their capability for mogroside V transformation. The results revealed that relatively high rate (30%) endophytic fungal strains exhibited transformative potential. Further analysis indicated that endophytic fungi could produce abundant mogrosides, and the pathways for biotransforming mogroside V showed diverse. Among the given fungal endophytes, Aspergillus sp. S125 almost completely converted mogroside V into the end-products mogroside II A and aglycone within just 2 days of fermentation; Muyocopron sp. A5 produced rich intermediate products, including siamenoside I, and the end-product mogroside II E. Subsequently, we optimized the fermentation conditions for Aspergillus sp. S125 and Muyocopron sp. A5 to evaluate the feasibility of large-scale mogroside V conversion. After optimization, Aspergillus sp. S125 converted 10 g/L of mogroside V into 4.5 g/L of mogroside II A and 3.6 g/L of aglycone after 3 days of fermentation, whereas Muyocopron sp. A5 selectively produced 4.88 g/L of siamenoside I from 7.5 g/L of mogroside V after 36 h of fermentation. This study not only identifies highly effective biocatalytic candidates for mogrosides transformation, but also strongly suggests the potential of plant endophytic fungi as valuable resources for the biocatalysis of natural compounds.

Abstract Background The one-hole split endoscopy (OSE) was first proposed and clinically applied in China in 2019. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of one-hole split endoscopy (OSE) and unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) for treating lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods One hundred sixty patients with LSS who met the inclusion from November 2020 to August 2022 were analyzed and divided into OSE and UBE groups. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to adjust the imbalanced confounding variables between the two groups. After matching, surgical outcomes were recorded, and clinical data, including functional scores and imaging findings, were compared. Functional scores included the visual analog scale of leg pain (VAS-LP) and back pain (VAS-BP), the Japanese Orthopedic Association score (JOA), and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Imaging data included dural sac cross-sectional area (DCSA), lumbar range of motion (ROM), and sagittal translation (ST). Results After PSM, 104 LSS patients were included in the study, and all covariates were well-balanced between the two groups. Among the matched patients, the OSE showed advantages over the UBE regarding operative time (62.42 ± 4.86 vs. 68.96 ± 4.56) and incision length (2.30 ± 0.14 vs. 2.70 ± 0.15) (P 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference regarding VAS-BP, VAS-LP, JOA, and ODI between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, all clinical and functional scores significantly improved postoperatively (P

Ketosis is a prevalent metabolic disease in the peripartum period of dairy cows, that causes considerable losses in milk production. In particular, the changes in the gut microbiome influence the occurrence of cow ketosis. In this study, the hindgut microbial communities of ketotic and healthy cows were compared and analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Community composition analysis reveal that the predominant phyl in both groups were Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. At the genus level, Bifidobacterium were more abundant in healthy cows than in ketotic cows. Conversely, the ketotic group exhibited a greater abundance of Bacteroides and Treponema than the healthy group. Differential hindgut fecal bacterial taxa in healthy and ketotic cows were identified by linear discriminant analysis effect size, with increases in Treponema, Bacteroides, and Peptococcaceae and decreases in Christensenellales, Chloroflexi, and Paenibacillaceae in ketotic cows. A distance-based redundancy analysis was conducted to further explore the connection between the gut microbiome, blood β-hydroxybutyrate levels, and milk production traits. The results suggested that the hindgut microflora was significantly correlated with blood β-hydroxybutyrate concentration and somatic cell score. These results improve our understanding of rectal microbes, and may help prevent ketosis in cows.

Abstract Phenotype plasticity and evolution adaptations are the two main ways in which allow populations to deal with environmental changes, but the potential relationship between them remains controversial. Using a reciprocal transplant approach with cattle adapted to the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent lowlands, we aim to investigate the relative contributions of evolutionary processes and phenotypic plasticity in driving both phenotypic and transcriptomic changes under natural conditions. We observed that while numerous genetic transcriptomic changes were evident during the forward adaptation to highland environments, plastic changes predominantly facilitate the transformation of transcriptomes into a preferred state when Tibetan cattle are reintroduced to lowland habitats. Genes with ancestral plasticity are generally reversed by evolutionary adaptations and show a closer expression level to the ancestral stage in evolved Tibetan cattle. A similar trend was also observed at the phenotypes level, with a majority of biochemical and hemorheology phenotypes showing a tendency to revert to their ancestral patterns, suggesting the restoration of ancestral expression levels is a widespread evolutionary trend during adaptation. The findings of our study contribute to the debate regarding the relative contributions of plasticity and genetic changes in mammal environment adaptation. Furthermore, we highlight that the restoration of ancestral phenotypes represents a general pattern in cattle new environment adaptation.

Introduction: For severe degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS), the conventional percutaneous endoscopic translaminar decompression (PEID) has some limitations. The modified PEID, Cross-Overtop decompression, ensures sufficient decompression without excessive damage to the facet joints and posterior complex integrity.Objectives: To evaluate the biomechanical properties of Cross-Overtop and provide practical case validation for final decision-making in severe DLSS treatment.Methods: A finite element (FE) model of L4-L5 (M0) was established, and the validity was verified against prior studies. Endo-ULBD (M1), Endo-LOVE (M2), and Cross-Overtop (M3) models were derived from M0 using the experimental protocol. L4-L5 segments in each model were evaluated for the range of motion (ROM) and disc Von Mises stress extremum. The real clinical Cross-Overtop model was constructed based on clinical CT images, disregarding paraspinal muscle influence. Subsequent validation using actual FE analysis results enhances the credibility of the preceding virtual FE analysis.Results: Compared with M0, ROM in surgical models were less than 10°, and the growth rate of ROM ranged from 0.10% to 11.56%, while those of disc stress ranged from 0% to 15.75%. Compared with preoperative, the growth rate of ROM and disc stress were 2.66%–11.38% and 1.38%–9.51%, respectively. The ROM values in both virtual and actual models were less than 10°, verifying the affected segment stability after Cross-Overtop decompression.Conclusion: Cross-Overtop, designed for fully expanding the central canal and contralateral recess, maximizing the integrity of the facet joints and posterior complex, does no significant effect on the affected segmental biomechanics and can be recommended as an effective endoscopic treatment for severe DLSS.

Abstract In recent years, the conservation and protection of ancient cultural heritage have received increasing attention, and non-destructive testing (NDT), which can minimize the damage done to the test subject, plays an integral role therein. For instance, NDT through active infrared thermal imaging can be applied to ancient polyptychs, which can realize accurate detection of damage and defects existing on the surface and interior of the polyptychs. In this study, infrared thermography is used for non-invasive investigation and evaluation of two polyptych samples with different pigments and artificial defects, but both reproduced based on a painting by Pietro Lorenzetti (1280/85–1348) using the typical tempera technique of the century. It is noted that, to avoid as far as possible secondary damages done to the ancient cultural heritages, repeated damage-detection experiments are rarely carried out on the test subjects. To that end, numerical simulation is used to reveal the heat transfer properties and temperature distributions, as to perform procedural verification and reduce the number of experiments that need to be conducted on actual samples. Technique-wise, to improve the observability of the experimental results, a total variation regularized low-rank tensor decomposition algorithm is implemented to reduce the background noise and improve the contrast of the images. Furthermore, the efficacy of image processing is quantified through the structural-similarity evaluation.

The antioxidant defense is critical for the survival of intracellular pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) species, including Mycobacterium bovis, which are often exposed to an oxidative environment caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in hosts. However, the signaling pathway in mycobacteria for sensing and responding to oxidative stress remains largely unclear. In this study, we characterize a TetR-type transcription regulator BCG_3893c, designated AotM, as a novel redox sensor in Mycobacterium bovis that increases mycobacterial tolerance to oxidative stress. AotM is required for the growth of M. bovis in the presence of 1 mM hydrogen peroxide. Loss of the aotM gene leads to altered transcriptional profiles with 352 genes significantly up-regulated and 25 genes significantly down-regulated. AotM recognizes a 14-bp palindrome sequence motif and negatively regulates the expression of a FAD-dependent oxidoreductase encoded by bcg_3892c. Overexpression of BCG_3892c increases intracellular ROS production and reduces the growth of M. bovis. In summary, we propose that AotM enhances the mycobacterial resistance against oxidative stress probably by inhibiting intracellular ROS production. Our findings reveal a novel underlying regulatory mechanism behind mycobacterial oxidative stress adaptation.

Hyaluronic-acid- and silk-fibroin-based nanofibrous mats loaded with proanthocyanidins and collagen peptides were fabricated as multifunctional facial masks using electrospinning. Their morphology, hygroscopicity and moisture retention, DPPH, ABTS free radical scavenging abilities, and cytocompatibility were investigated. The results showed that the nanofibrous mats were dense and uniform, with an average diameter ranging from 300 to 370 nm. The nanofibrous mats exhibited satisfactory moisture retention, oxidation resistance, biocompatibility, especially excellent DPPH, and ABTS free radical scavenging capacities. DPPH free radical scavenging activity was 90% with 15 mg/L nanofibers, and ABTS free radical scavenging activity was 90% with 0.005 mg/L nanofibers. The nanofibrous mats protected fibroblasts from oxidative stress damage induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) and significantly promoted their proliferation. Compared with traditional liquid masks and semi-solid facial masks, the multifunctional nanofibrous mats prepared in this study contained fewer additives, which has significant advantages in terms of safety. The nanofibrous mats were rapidly dissolved within 5 s after being sprayed with water, which facilitated the release and penetration of active ingredients for skincare. Therefore, the multifunctional nanofibrous mats displayed excellent moisture retention, oxidation resistance, and biocompatibility, indicating promising translational potential as facial masks and providing a valuable reference for skincare.

Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs) induced cutaneous toxicity is a common adverse event (AE), although it is not as severe as major cancers, we still need to pay enough attention to them. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the diversity of EGFRI class drugs. The objective of this study was to conduct a scientific and systematic investigation into the correlation between EGFRI and cutaneous toxicities. The data accessed from the FDA adverse event reporting system database (FAERS) encompass a time frame spanning from January 2013 to March 2023. By utilizing reporting odds ratios (RORs), information components (ICs), proportional reporting ratios (PRRs), and chi-squared (χ2), the relationship between drugs and adverse reactions was evaluated through disproportionality analysis. Within the FAERS database, a total of 29,559 skin adverse events were recorded. A robust indication of the correlation between EGFRI and elderly patients (≥65 years) was identified. Among EGFRIs, erlotinib accounted for the largest proportion of skin adverse events (39.72%). Rash, dry skin, and pruritus ranked top among all preferred terms, and signals such as rash, skin lesions, and acneiform dermatitis were detected in every single drug. Clinicians should guide patients customize the treatment plan for each patient.

Abstract Herbicide residuals have posed severe threat to food safety and public health; thus, the development of smart, portable, efficient, and accurate on‐site detection system is in urgent demand. Here, a multi‐emitting fluorescent system‐assisted lab‐in‐a‐syringe (LIS) device was developed for the on‐site and background‐free determination of 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4‐D). 2,4‐D‐responsive cascade reactions were constructed: 2,4‐D could specifically suppress alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and restrain the generation of ascorbic acid (AA), MnO2 nanosheets would oxidize AA into dehydroascorbic acid that subsequently reacts with o‐phenylenediamine (OPD) to generate blue‐emission product (λem, 435 nm), whereas remained MnO2 nanosheets and OPD further produced yellow‐emission product (λem, 570 nm). Red‐emission carbon dots (RCDs, λem, 680 nm), synthesized via the solvothermal treatment of cilantro, were introduced to construct a multi‐emitting fluorescent system. Then, four paper pads, respectively, dropped with ALP, sodium l‐ascorbyl‐2‐phosphate, MnO2 nanosheets + RCDs, and OPD were held into reusable plastic filters and assembled paper‐based LIS device to trigger cascade reactions (total analysis time, 65 min) and eliminate background interference. As a result, with the support of color recognizer application in smartphone, fluorescent color on detection pads from blue–purple to red to yellow was achieved for the sensitive and visual detection of 2,4‐D with LOD of 5.0 μg L−1, recoveries of 94.6%–106.8%, and relative standard deviations of 2.3%–6.8%. Obviously, this strategy provides a robust, visual, and background‐free platform for 2,4‐D detection, which expands application prospects in the field of herbicide analysis.

A comparison analysis of the heating properties of the hydronic heating system of bridge decks with external (exchange tubes installed at the bottom of the existing bridge deck with voids inside) or internal (exchange tubes embedded in pavement of the newly built bridge deck) tubes was carried out through field tests. Two heating methods (constant heating power and constant inlet fluid temperature) were used to analyze the heat exchange flux and the temperature increments as well as thermally induced stress of the slab. Numerical simulation was conducted to model the bridge deck heating process to analyze the temperature distribution of the bridge surface. The results shows that the heat exchange flux are the same under the same constant heating powers for the two embedded tube position heating systems; the maximum temperature increment of the bridge deck surface obtained by the external heating system is 0.46 times that obtained by the internal heating system; the maximum thermally induced stress caused by the external heating is 20.4% of the concrete strength (19.1 MPa), which is much higher than that caused by the internal heating under the same heating powers. The thermal efficiencies of the external and internal heating systems are approximately 24.4% and 47.9%, respectively. Under the same constant inlet temperatures, the temperature increment of the bridge deck caused by the external heating is 20.4% of that of the internal heating.

The aim of this systematic review is to assess the effects of structured resistance training programs on the throwing performance and injury risk of baseball players, irrespective of their age or sex. The literature search was carried out on 18/10/2023, utilizing databases that include PubMed, Scopus, and the Web of Science. Our inclusion criteria encompassed research involving baseball players of all ages and sex who had undergone resistance-based training interventions. For comparison, we considered active control groups, irrespective of their exposure to additional training programs. The outcomes under investigation were related to throwing performance (i.e., throwing velocity and accuracy) and injuries associated with throwing. In our review, we exclusively included studies with a two- or multi-arm design. We evaluated the risk of bias using the PEDro scale. Out of the initial pool of 509 studies, we carefully examined 27 full-text articles and ultimately selected and analyzed 16 studies for inclusion in our review. Out of the 12 studies that compared and presented the inferential statistics for the post-training effects of the experimental versus control groups, it was observed that 8 of these studies demonstrated a significantly more favorable impact of the experimental group on enhancing throwing velocity when compared to the control group. Out of the three studies that compared the experimental and control groups in terms of throwing accuracy, only one study showed a significant improvement in the experimental group compared to the control group after the intervention. In conclusion, this systematic review indicates that resistance-based training interventions appear to be effective in enhancing throwing velocity. However, the evidence regarding the efficacy of these interventions in improving throwing accuracy is less robust. It is worth noting that while some experimental conditions may lead to an increase in injury rates, there is limited data available on this aspect, with only a few studies reporting on this variable.

DNA methylation and gene alternative splicing drive spermatogenesis. In screening DNA methylation markers and transcripts related to sperm motility, semen from three pairs of full-sibling Holstein bulls with high and low motility was subjected to reduced representation bisulphite sequencing. A total of 948 DMRs were found in 874 genes (gDMRs). Approximately 89% of gDMR-related genes harboured alternative splicing events, including SMAD2, KIF17, and PBRM1. One DMR in exon 29 of PBRM1 with the highest 5mC ratio was found, and hypermethylation in this region was related to bull sperm motility. Furthermore, alternative splicing events at exon 29 of PBRM1 were found in bull testis, including PBRM1-complete, PBRM1-SV1 (exon 28 deletion), and PBRM1-SV2 (exons 28–29 deletion). PBRM1-SV2 exhibited significantly higher expression in adult bull testes than in newborn bull testes. In addition, PBRM1 was localized to the redundant nuclear membrane of bull sperm, which might be related to sperm motility caused by sperm tail breakage. Therefore, the hypermethylation of exon 29 may be associated with the production of PBRM1-SV2 in spermatogenesis. These findings indicated that DNA methylation alteration at specific loci could regulate gene splicing and expression and synergistically alter sperm structure and motility.

Background and objectivesConcern exists regarding the potential negative consequences of smartphone addiction among adolescents. This study investigated the effect of use motivations and alexithymia on smartphone addiction among adolescents with two insecure attachment styles, namely, anxious and avoidant attachment. These attachment styles were regarded as mediating variables.MethodsSelf-report measures were used to assess use motivations, alexithymia, insecure attachment and smartphone addiction. Data were collected from 748 junior high school students (382 males and 366 females) in northeastern China. Structural equation modeling was used to test our hypothesis that use motivations and alexithymia are directly associated with smartphone addiction and also through the mediation of attachment insecurities.ResultsThe structural equation modeling results showed a strong and positive correlation between use motivation and smartphone addiction, with avoidant attachment mediating such a relationship. Meanwhile, the two components of alexithymia, difficulty identifying feelings and externally oriented thinking, positively predicted smartphone addiction, with avoidant attachment serving as a mediator of this effect. In addition, the mediation analysis results demonstrated that attachment anxiety mediated the connection between escape drive, extrinsically focused thought, and smartphone addiction.ConclusionFindings describe how attachment insecurities, smartphone use motivations, and alexithymia can interact with one another to predict smartphone addiction. Smartphone use motivation types and alexithymia symptoms should be taken into consideration when designing targeted intervention programs for smartphone addiction to address the different attachment needs of adolescents, which would be helpful to reduce their smartphone addiction behaviors.

The authors present a single-shot 3D imaging approach utilizing carefully designed point clouds projection based on a metasurface device. They show submillimeter depth accuracy and demonstrate the potential for hand gesture detection.

A dielectric metalens consisting of ultrahigh aspect ratio TiO2 nanofins array is demonstrated to realize active multiband varifocal functionality. By regulating the orbital angular momentum, the focal length can be switched from 5 mm to 35 mm with large DOFs.

Creativity has been identified as a critical educational goal and an essential 21st-century skill, which can be captured through learning capabilities, thinking skills, and academic achievement. Although the relationship between creativity performance and self-directed learning (SDL) was theoretically researched, few studies have thoroughly investigated the exact nature of this association from a practical perspective. Therefore, this study aimed to design an online self-directed learning environment (OSDLE) to improve students’ creativity performance. The OSDLE was proposed with functions such as planning, learning, evaluation, and reflection, based on the three dimensions of personal attributes, process, and learning context. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in a university in Northeast China to explore the influence of the OSDLE on creativity performance. One hundred and six university students as study participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Participants in the experimental group learned in the OSDLE, whereas those in the control group learned in traditional classroom methods. The results indicated that the students using the OSDLE exhibited significant improvements in creativity performance. Furthermore, the SDL capabilities of the experimental group demonstrated gradual and continuous improvement. In addition, students’ thinking skills and academic achievement in the experimental group were higher than those of the control group. The main findings together are discussed in depth.

ObjectiveTo identify risk factors for impaired glucose regulation (IGR) and assess their impact on community residents, this study used a questionnaire to conduct cross-sectional surveys and analysis.MethodsOverall, 774 residents of an urban community in northern China (Jian city) participated in this study. Trained investigators conducted surveys using questionnaires. Based on their medical history, respondents were divided into three glucose status groups as follows: normal (NGT), IGR, and diabetes mellitus (DM). Statistical analysis of survey data was performed using SPSS v. 22.0.ResultsAge, hypertension, family history of diabetes (FHD), dyslipidemia, obesity, and cardiovascular and cerebral disease (CVD) were positively correlated with IGR in men and women. IGR was negatively correlated with a sedentary lifestyle in men and positively correlated with being overweight in women. The number of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) risk factors per subject was positively correlated with age in the NGT group. Glucose status deteriorated with increasing age and the number of risk factors. FHD was the strongest risk factor in both men and women.ConclusionsPrevention of IGR includes weight control, physical activity, and prevention of hypertension and dyslipidemia, especially in subjects with FHD.

The UFM1 conjugation system(UFMylation)is a novel type of ubiquitin-like system that plays an indispensable role in maintaining cell homeostasis under various cellular stress. Similar to ubiquitination, UFMylation consists of a three-step enzymatic reaction with E1-like enzymes ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme5 (UBA5), E2-like enzymes ubiquitin-fold modifier-conjugating enzyme 1(UFC1), and E3-like ligase UFM1-specific ligase 1 (UFL1). As the only identified E3 ligase, UFL1 is responsible for specific binding and modification of the substrates to mediate numerous hormone signaling pathways and endocrine regulation under different physiological or pathological stress, such as ER stress, genotoxic stress, oncogenic stress, and inflammation. Further elucidation of the UFL1 working mechanism in multiple cellular stress responses is essential for revealing the disease pathogenesis and providing novel potential therapeutic targets. In this short review, we summarize the recent advances in novel UFL1 functions and shed light on the potential challenges ahead, thus hopefully providing a better understanding of UFMylation-mediated cellular stress.

ABSTRACT The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing and is related to sedentary lifestyles and obesity. Many studies were published on the effect of lifestyle interventions on glucose regulation and delay the onset of diabetes in adults with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or prediabetes. This study aimed to investigate the role of lifestyle interventions in individuals with IGT or prediabetes using a meta-analytic approach. PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched from their inception up to January 2020 to select eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The weighted mean difference (WMD; for fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-hour plasma glucose (2hPPG)) or relative risk (RR; for the risk of diabetes) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for pooled effect estimates using the random-effects model. Thirteen RCTs involving 3376 individuals with IGT or prediabetes were selected for this meta-analysis. The results showed that lifestyle interventions were associated with lower FPG (WMD: -0.14; 95% CI: -0.24 to -0.05 mmol/L; p=0.004) and 2hPPG (WMD: -0.66; 95% CI: -1.12 to -0.20 mmol/L; p=0.005) in adults with IGT or prediabetes. Moreover, the risk of diabetes was significantly reduced in individuals who received lifestyle interventions (RR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.60-0.95; p=0.015). Lifestyle interventions could help improve glucose dysregulation and prevent the progression of diabetes in adults with IGT or prediabetes. Further large-scale RCTs should be conducted to assess the effects of long-term lifestyle interventions on diabetic complications in adults with IGT or prediabetes.

ObjectiveAiming at the problem that existing ship combat readiness assessment methods cannot meet the needs of naval mission support, a ship combat readiness assessment method based on cloud model theory is proposed.MethodsFirst, in the process of determining the index, based on the cooperative game weight method, the weights calculated by the analytic hierarchy process, entropy weight method and grey correlation method are used for the cooperative game in order to fit the combined fixed weight, and variable weight theory is introduced to modify and optimize the fixed weight. The cloud model theory is then introduced, and a fuzzy comprehensive assessment model based on the cloud model is designed using cloud similarity instead of membership degree. Finally, taking air defense tasks as an example, the combat readiness of the ship is assessed. ResultsThe simulation results show that under the variable weight mode, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation results based on the cloud model can more accurately reflect the combat readiness of real ships. ConclusionThe results of this study can provide references for ship combat readiness assessment.

Abstract Background To reduce incision complications, minimally invasive operative approaches for treatment with acute Achilles tendon rupture have been developed, such as Mini-open repair and percutaneous repair. Which technique is the better surgical option? In the present study, we compared the two surgical procedures— modified Mini-open repair versus percutaneous repair—in the treatment of acute Achilles tendon rupture. Methods From January 2016 to November 2018, 68 matched patients with acute Achilles tendon rupture were divided into treatment group (Mini-open with modified Ma-Griffith technique) and control group (the Ma–Griffith technique). The patients were then treated with different surgical techniques and followed up for no less than 24 months, and the functional outcome scores and complications were retrospectively evaluated. Results The mean follow-up time in Mini-open repair group was 29.0±2.9 months, and that in control group was 27.9±2.9 months (P=0.147). The Mini-open repair group showed reliably higher American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle-Hindfoot Score and Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS) than the control group in functional assessment (95.0±3.8 vs. 92.3±5.3, P=0.000; 93.8±3.8 vs. 90.9±4.5,P=0.000). There was no cases of sural nerve injury in Mini-open repair group, whereas the percutaneous repair group had 5 cases of the same (P=0.027). No significant differences were found in the calf circumference (32.3±3.9 vs. 31.8±3.6) (P=0.564), range of motion of the ankle (51.3±4.8 vs. 50.5±4.2, P=0.362), or wound complications (34/0 vs. 34/0) (P=1.000) between the two groups at the end of the follow-up time. However, the percutaneous repair group had a shorter average operating time (23.1±5.2 min) than that of the Mini-open repair group (27.7±4.3 min) (P=0.000). Conclusions Acute Achilles tendon ruptures may be treated successfully with a new Mini-open repair system or percutaneous repair technique. However, the Mini-open repair system may represent a superior surgical option, since it offers advantages in terms of direct visual control of the repair, AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Score, Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score and risk of sural nerve palsy. Study design Case-control studies, Level of evidence, 3.

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that metformin improved hypertriglyceridemia. The present study aim to investigate the molecular mechanism by which metformin improves hypertriglyceridemia via regulation of diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) and X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1) in the liver and whether AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is involved. Mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or high-fat diet with metformin for 5 weeks to evaluate the effect of metformin on triglyceride (TG) levels and expression of DGAT2 and XBP1 in the liver. In vitro HepG2 cells or XBP1 knockout AML12 hepatocytes were stimulated with metformin, palmitic acid or small interfering RNA inducing XBP1 knockdown, or dominant-negative mutant AMPK plasmid. Metformin treatment reduced hepatic TG levels in the liver of HFD-fed mice. Expression of nuclear and cytoplasmic XBP1 protein and its downstream target gene DGAT2 decreased in the liver of HFD-fed mice and HepG2 cells after metformin treatment. AMPK inactivation or overexpression of XBP1 attenuates this effect. Our preliminary results demonstrate that metformin activates AMPK to reduce TG synthesis by inhibiting the XBP1-mediated DGAT2 pathway, at least in part, suggesting that XBP1 is a new metabolic mediator for metformin treatment of hypertriglyceridemia and associated metabolic disease.

Intelligent learning technologies are often applied within the educational industries. While these technologies can be used to create learning experiences tailored to an individual student, they cannot address students’ affect accurately and quickly during the learning process. This paper focuses on two core research questions. How do students regulate affect and what are the processes that affect regulation? First, this paper reviews the affect regulation methods and processes in an intelligent learning environment based on affective transition and affect compensation. This process, along with affect analysis, affect regulation, intelligent agents, and an intervention strategy can be used to analyze specific affect regulation methods and improve the affective regulation system. Seventy-two 7th grade students were randomly placed into an experimental condition that used Betty’s Brain, an intelligent tutoring system (ITS), or a classroom control. A lag sequence analysis and a multinomial processing tree analysis of video data captured at 25-minute intervals revealed significant differences in affect transitions frequencies between the two groups. Based on the results of the above analyses and after-class interviews, we found that Betty’s Brain was able to promote effective affect-regulation strategies to students in the domain of forest ecosystems.

Abstract DDRGK domain-containing protein 1 (DDRGK1) is an important component of the newly discovered ufmylation system and its absence has been reported to induce extensive endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Recently, emerging evidence indicates that the ufmylation system is correlated with autophagy, although the exact mechanism remains largely unknown. To explore the regulation mechanism of DDRGK1 on autophagy, in this study, we established an immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cell lines harvested from the DDRGK1F/F:ROSA26-CreERT2 mice, in which DDRGK1 depletion can be induced by 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) treatment. Here, we show that DDRGK1 deficiency in MEFs has a dual effect on autophagy, which leads to a significant accumulation of autophagosomes. On one hand, it promotes autophagy induction by impairing mTOR signaling; on the other hand, it blocks autophagy degradation by inhibiting autophagosome–lysosome fusion. This dual effect of DDRGK1 depletion on autophagy ultimately aggravates apoptosis in MEFs. Further studies reveal that DDRGK1 loss is correlated with suppressed lysosomal function, including impaired Cathepsin D (CTSD) expression, aberrant lysosomal pH, and v-ATPase accumulation, which might be a potential trigger for impairment in autophagy process. Hence, this study confirms a crucial role of DDRGK1 as an autophagy regulator by controlling lysosomal function. It may provide a theoretical basis for the treatment strategies of various physiological diseases caused by DDRGK1 deficiency.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated cancer characterized by a high degree of recurrence, angiogenesis, and metastasis. The importance of alternative pro-angiogenesis pathways including viral factors has emerged after decades of directly targeting various signaling components. Using NPC as a model, we identified an essential oncogenic pathway underlying angiogenesis regulation that involves the inhibition of a tumor suppressor, Spry3, and its downstream targets by EBV-miR-BART10-5p (BART10-5p) and hsa-miR-18a (miR-18a). Overexpression of EBV-miR-BART10-5p and hsa-miR-18a strongly promotes angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo by regulating the expression of VEGF and HIF1-α in a Spry3-dependent manner. In vitro or in vivo treatment with iRGD-tagged exosomes containing antagomiR-BART10-5p and antagomiR-18a preferentially suppressed the angiogenesis and growth of NPC. Our findings first highlight the role of EBV-miR-BART10-5p and oncogenic hsa-miR-18a in NPC angiogenesis and also shed new insights into the clinical intervention and therapeutic strategies for nasopharyngeal carcinoma and other virus-associated tumors.

A new donkey reference genome and comparisons with wild asses yields insights into the evolutionary history of donkey domestication and identifies a genetic variant that results in the non-Dun coat colours of domestic donkeys.

Aristolochia yachangensis B.G.Huang, Yan Liu & Y.S.Huang, a new species from limestone areas in Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically most similar to A. fangchi Y.C.Wu ex L.D.Chow & S.M.Hwang, A. petelotii O.C. Schmidt and A. championii Merr. & Chun in shape of leaf blade, anther, gynostemium and inflorescence on old woody stems. However, it can be easily distinguished from the latter by shape of inflorescence, length of upper and lower portions of perianth tube, colour of the limb and throat. A table and a key to distinguish the new species from other morphologically similar Aristolochia species are also provided.

As one of the top three tuber crops of the world, cassava is a staple food and feed crop for tropical and subtropical regions. Because of its high drought resistance and tolerance to nutrient deficiency, cassava is usually cultivated on hilly areas that are nutrient-poor. Nitrogen (N) is one of the significant factors affecting cassava yield. A double factorial (N level×genotypes) split-plot field experiment was conducted to analyze differences in yield and N accumulation of 25 cassava genotypes under low-N conditions to screen for cassava genotypes with high-N efficiency. The two-year field experiment showed that cassava yield and N accumulation are determined by specific genotypes, soil N levels, and year. Among these factors, soil N levels are the main factors that are responsible for differences in cassava yield. When yield and relative N accumulation under low-N conditions were used as screening markers, we identified an efficient and responsive genotype (SC10), and two inefficient and non-responsive genotypes (SC205 and GR5). The efficient and responsive genotype and the inefficient and non-responsive genotype can be used as study materials to further reveal the mechanisms for high-N efficiency in cassava.

Abstract Background Neutrophils are the first effectors of inflammatory response triggered by mastitis infection, and are important defense cells against pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli). DNA methylation, as a critical epigenetic mechanism for regulating gene function, is involved in bovine mastitis. Results In this study, we sequenced the blood neutrophils of healthy and E. coli-infected mastitic half-sib cows for the overall DNA methylation levels using transcriptome sequencing and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. The methylation levels in the mastitis cows (MCs) were decreased compared with healthy cows (HCs). A total of 494 differentially methylated regions were identified, among which 61 were up-methylated and 433 were down-methylated (MCs vs. HCs). The expression levels of 1094 differentially expressed genes were up-regulated, and 245 genes were down-regulated. Twenty-nine genes were found in methylation and transcription data, among which seven genes’ promoter methylation levels were negatively correlated with expression levels, and 11 genes were differentially methylated in the exon regions. The bisulfite sequencing PCR and quantitative real-time PCR validation results demonstrated that the promoter methylation of CITED2 and SLC40A1 genes affected differential expression. The methylation of LGR4 exon 5 regulated its own alternative splicing. The promoter methylation of bta-miR-15a has an indirect effect on the expression of its target gene CD163. The CITED2, SLC40A1, and LGR4 genes can be used as candidates for E. coli-induced mastitis resistance. Conclusions This study explored the roles of DNA methylation in affecting transcription of protein-coding genes and miRNAs in E. coli-induced mastitis, thereby helping explain the function of DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of mastitis and provided new target genes and epigenetic markers for mastitis resistance breeding in dairy cattle.

This study presents a field test to investigate the thermal injection performance of a full-scale energy pile for underground solar energy storage (USES). The tested energy comprises a full-scale bridge pile foundation and a spiral-shaped pipe. Numerical modeling was carried out to provide complementary results. Sensitivity analyses of the pipe configuration and operation mode on the thermal injection performance of the energy pile were performed based on the numerical modeling. The results showed that 84% of the injected thermal energy could be transferred to the surrounding soil by the energy pile, and the total amount of the thermal energy stored by a single energy pile was −3.2 GJ over 29.5 days. The maximum average value of the thermal injection rate of the energy pile was equal to −129 W/m, which was 2–3 times larger than the thermal injection rate of the geothermal boreholes. Compared to the continuous USES operation of the energy pile, the intermittent mode of the energy pile was more efficient for USES. Increasing the length of the heat exchange pipe of the energy pile was more effective in enhancing the thermal injection performance of the energy pile for USES than changing the pipe shape.

Mammary gland epithelium, as the first line of defense for bovine mammary gland immunity, is crucial in the process of mammary glands’ innate immunity, especially that of bovine mammary epithelial cells (bMECs). Our previous studies successfully marked SYK as an important candidate gene for mastitis traits via GWAS and preliminarily confirmed that SYK expression is down-regulated in bMECs with LPS (E. coli) stimulation, but its work mechanism is still unclear. In this study, for the first time, in vivo, TLR4 and SYK were colocalized and had a high correlation in mastitis mammary epithelium; protein–protein interaction results also confirmed that there was a direct interaction between them in mastitis tissue, suggesting that SYK participates in the immune regulation of the TLR4 cascade for bovine mastitis. In vitro, TLR4 also interacts with SYK in LPS (E. coli)-stimulated or GBS (S. agalactiae)-infected bMECs, respectively. Moreover, TLR4 mRNA expression and protein levels were little affected in bMECsSYK- with LPS stimulation or GBS infection, indicating that SYK is an important downstream element of the TLR4 cascade in bMECs. Interestingly, IL-1β, IL-8, NF-κB and NLRP3 expression in LPS-stimulated or GBS-infected bMECsSYK- were significantly higher than in the control group, while AKT1 expression was down-regulated, implying that SYK could inhibit the IL-1β, IL-8, NF-κB and NLRP3 expression and alleviate inflammation in bMECs with LPS and GBS. Taken together, our solid evidence supports that TLR4/SYK/NF-κB signal axis in bMECs regulates the innate immunity response to LPS or GBS.

Cold stress is an important factor affecting cattle health, production performance, and reproductive efficiency. Understanding of the potential mechanism underlying genetic adaptation to local environments, particularly extreme cold environment, is limited. Here, by using FLK and hapFLK methods, we found that the Zinc finger CCCH-type containing 10 (ZC3H10) gene underwent positive selection in the Menggu, Fuzhou, Anxi, and Shigatse humped cattle breeds that are distributed in the cold areas of China. Furthermore, ZC3H10 expression significantly increased in bovine fetal fibroblast (BFF) cells at 28 °C for 4 h. ZC3H10 knockout BFFs were generated using CRISPR/Cas9. Wild and ZC3H10-deleted BFFs were treated at two temperatures and were divided into four groups (WT, wild and cultured at 38 °C; KO, ZC3H10−/− and 38 °C; WT_LT, wild, and 28 °C for 4 h; and KO_LT, ZC3H10−/− and 28 °C for 4 h. A total of 466, 598, 519, and 650 differently expressed genes (two-fold or more than two-fold changes) were identified by determining transcriptomic difference (KO_LT vs. KO, WT_LT vs. WT, KO vs. WT, and KO_LT vs. WT_LT, respectively). Loss of ZC3H10 dysregulated pathways involved in thermogenesis and immunity, and ZC3H10 participated in immunity-related pathways induced by cold stress and regulated genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism and lipid transport (PLTP and APOA1), thereby facilitating adaptability to cold stress. Our findings provide a foundation for further studies on the function of ZC3H10 in cold stress and development of bovine breeding strategies for combatting the influences of cold climate.

Abstract Background Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target binding sites affect miRNA function and are involved in biological processes and diseases, including bovine mastitis, a frequent inflammatory disease. Our previous study has shown that bta-miR-2899 is significantly upregulated in the mammary gland tissue of mastitis-infected cow than that of healthy cows. Results In the present study, we used a customized miRNAQTLsnp software and identified 5252 SNPs in 691 bovine pre-miRNAs, which are also located within the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that are associated with mastitis and udder conformation-related traits. Using luciferase assay in the bovine mammary epithelial cells, we confirmed a candidate SNP (rs109462250, g. 42,198,087 G > A) in the seed region of bta-miR-2899 located in the somatic cell score (SCS)-related QTL (Chr.18: 33.9–43.9 Mbp), which affected the interaction of bta-miR-2899 and its putative target Spi-1 proto-oncogene (SPI1), a pivotal regulator in the innate and adaptive immune systems. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results showed that the relative expression of SPI1 in the mammary gland of AA genotype cows was significantly higher than that of GG genotype cows. The SNP genotypes were associated with SCS in Holstein cows. Conclusions Altogether, miRNA-related SNPs, which influence the susceptibility to mastitis, are one of the plausible mechanisms underlying mastitis via modulating the interaction of miRNAs and immune-related genes. These miRNA-QTL-SNPs, such as the SNP (rs109462250) of bta-miR-2899 may have implication for the mastitis resistance breeding program in Holstein cattle.

Abstract Our previous work reported activating transcription factor 1 (ATF1) is a promotive factor of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tumorigenesis. This study is to further explore the association between the human ATF1 rs11169571 polymorphism and the risk of NPC occurrence. The association between ATF1 rs11169571 and risk of NPC occurrence was investigated in clinical samples of 560 patients and 661 controls obtained from southern China with high incidence of NPC. The genotypes were detected by PCR‐RFLP. The differential expression activity of alleles ‐T and ‐C was analyzed with CNE‐2 and C666‐1 cells by luciferase reporter assay. Our data suggested that the allelic frequency and genotypes were significantly different between patients and controls. Compared to the TT homozygote, the TC and CC genotypes have been shown to be significantly decreased in NPC patients (OR = 0.494, 95% CI = 0.387‐0.629, P

Abstract The Macquarie Ridge Complex (MRC) on the Australia‐Pacific plate boundary south of New Zealand is an extinct mid‐ocean ridge that has experienced a complex tectonic history and produced highly heterogeneous mid‐ocean ridge basalts (MORBs). When and how seafloor spreading ceased along the proto‐Macquarie mid‐ocean ridge remain elusive, and it is unclear how the mantle source of MORBs is affected by the gradual cessation of seafloor spreading at mid‐ocean ridges. To constrain the tectonic evolution of the MRC, the mantle source variations for MORBs at dying mid‐ocean ridges, and the mechanisms of mantle enrichment and asthenospheric heterogeneities, we report 11 pyroxene, plagioclase, basaltic glass, groundmass, and sericite 40Ar/39Ar and one zircon U‐Pb ages for the MRC MORBs. Our data reveal that basalts from the MRC seamounts were erupted between 25.9 and 1.6 Ma and Macquarie Island at ∼10 Ma. Combined age and plate reconstruction results reveal that the cessation of seafloor spreading at the MRC generally propagated from south to north along the ridge. Basalts produced by the then dying Macquarie mid‐ocean ridge at different times on different seamounts/island show a large variation in isotopic compositions and there is no clear correlation between ages and isotopic ratios. The heterogeneity of mantle source for MORBs from the proto‐Macquarie mid‐ocean ridge suggests that the upper asthenospheric mantle is heterogeneous, and such heterogeneity becomes most obvious at dying mid‐ocean ridges where the degrees of partial melting are low and a large range of melt compositions are produced.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007484.].

Copy number variations (CNVs) have been demonstrated as crucial substrates for evolution, adaptation and breed formation. Chinese indigenous cattle breeds exhibit a broad geographical distribution and diverse environmental adaptability. Here, we analyzed the population structure and adaptation to high altitude of Chinese indigenous cattle based on genome-wide CNVs derived from the high-density BovineHD SNP array. We successfully detected the genome-wide CNVs of 318 individuals from 24 Chinese indigenous cattle breeds and 37 yaks as outgroups. A total of 5,818 autosomal CNV regions (683 bp–4,477,860 bp in size), covering ~14.34% of the bovine genome (UMD3.1), were identified, showing abundant CNV resources. Neighbor-joining clustering, principal component analysis (PCA), and population admixture analysis based on these CNVs support that most Chinese cattle breeds are hybrids of Bos taurus taurus (hereinafter to be referred as Bos taurus) and Bos taurus indicus (Bos indicus). The distribution patterns of the CNVs could to some extent be related to the geographical backgrounds of the habitat of the breeds, and admixture among cattle breeds from different districts. We analyzed the selective signatures of CNVs positively involved in high-altitude adaptation using pairwise Fst analysis within breeds with a strong Bos taurus background (taurine-type breeds) and within Bos taurus×Bos indicus hybrids, respectively. CNV-overlapping genes with strong selection signatures (at top 0.5% of Fst value), including LETM1 (Fst = 0.490), TXNRD2 (Fst = 0.440), and STUB1 (Fst = 0.420) within taurine-type breeds, and NOXA1 (Fst = 0.233), RUVBL1 (Fst = 0.222), and SLC4A3 (Fst=0.154) within hybrids, were potentially involved in the adaptation to hypoxia. Thus, we provide a new profile of population structure from the CNV aspects of Chinese indigenous cattle and new insights into high-altitude adaptation in cattle.

Mutations in the voltage-gated K+ channel human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) lead to Long-QT syndrome, causing life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia. Here the authors use C. elegans as a platform to run a channelopathy drug screen, identifying drugs to target hERG mutants.

Writing has been recognized as a core competency for postgraduate students. However, improving writing performance, particularly for first-year postgraduate students, remains an important and challenging task. This study aimed to explore the effects of student engagement in peer feedback on writing performance from cognitive, affective and behavioral perspectives. Specifically, the participants were 88 postgraduate students. With the support of an online writing and peer review system (Peerceptiv), participants were asked to write an essay, engage in the peer feedback process, and revise their essays. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were utilized to analyze data on the quality of participants' essays, peer feedback procedures, and interviews. Results showed that cognitive engagement, affective engagement, and behavioral engagement were significantly associated with postgraduate students' writing performance. The analysis indicated that the helpfulness of provided comments was the strongest predictor of writing performance, followed by suggestion, integration, and positive affective engagement. These findings highlight the significance of student engagement in peer feedback to improve writing performance in higher education. Recommendations for future research on quality improvement in writing performance are suggested based on the findings.

Abstract Our previous work reported the association between two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in PIN1 promoter and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) risk with a small sample size in a low incidence area. This study investigated the association between the two SNPs and NPC risk in 733 patients and 895 controls from a high incidence area. The results indicated the genotype and allele frequencies of -842G > C and -667C > T were both significantly different between patients and controls even using the resampling statistics. The -842GC and -667TT genotypes showed a significantly increased risk of NPC (OR = 1.977, 95% CI = 1.339–2.919, P = 0.001 and OR = 1.438, 95% CI = 1.061–1.922, P = 0.019, respectively). Compared to the most common -842G-667C haplotype, -842G-667T haplotype and -842C-667C haplotype showed a significantly increased risk of NPC (OR = 1.215, 95% CI = 1.053–1.402, P = 0.008 and OR = 2.268, 95% CI = 1.530–3.362, P = 0.001, respectively). Further reporter gene expression suggested that variant -842C-667C and -842G-667T were associated with an enhanced transcriptional activity. In conclusion, our findings suggest that -842G > C and -667C > T in PIN1 promoter are associated with NPC risk; as well as the promoter activity is mediated by functional PIN1 variants.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Abnormal metabolism and uncontrolled angiogenesis are two important characteristics of malignant tumors. The occurrence of both events involves many key molecular changes including miRNA. However, EBV encoded miRNAs are rarely mentioned as capable of regulating tumor metabolism and tumor angiogenesis. Here, we reported that one of the key miRNAs encoded by EBV, EBV-miR-Bart1-5P, can significantly promote nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell glycolysis and induces angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, EBV-miR-Bart1-5P directly targets the α1 catalytic subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPKα1) and consequently regulates the AMPK/mTOR/HIF1 pathway which impelled NPC cell anomalous aerobic glycolysis and angiogenesis, ultimately leads to uncontrolled growth of NPC. Our findings provide new insights into metabolism and angiogenesis of NPC and new opportunities for the development of targeted NPC therapy in the future.

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21014-9

Fe3O4@SiO2 nanospheres with a core–shell structure were synthesized and functionalized with bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (BPMA). The photoresponses of the as-obtained Fe3O4@SiO2-BPMA for Cr3+, Cd2+, Hg2+ and Pb2+ ions were evaluated through irradiation with a 352 nm ultraviolet lamp, and Fe3O4@SiO2-BPMA exhibited remarkable fluorescence enhancement toward the Cd2+ ion. The adsorption experiments revealed that Fe3O4@SiO2-BPMA had rapid and effective adsorption toward the Cd2+ ion. The adsorption reaction was mostly complete within 30 min, the adsorption efficiency reached 99.3%, and the saturated adsorption amount was 342.5 mg/g based on Langmuir linear fitting. Moreover, Fe3O4@SiO2-BPMA displayed superparamagnetic properties with the saturated magnetization of 20.1 emu/g, and its strong magnetic sensitivity made separation simple and feasible. Our efforts in this work provide a potential magnetic functionalized nanosensor for naked-eye identification and adsorption toward the Cd2+ ion.

With the increase in the use of renewable energy, especially the development and utilization of solar energy resources, accurate photovoltaic power generation prediction technology will help the promotion of photovoltaic power generation. The amount of photovoltaic power generation depends on weather conditions, and it is easy to produce large fluctuations under different weather conditions. Its power generation has the characteristics of randomness, fluctuation and intermittency. In view of the shortcomings of the traditional BP neural network prediction method, this paper proposes an improved artificial bee colony algorithm. The improved artificial bee colony algorithm is used to optimize the network parameter weights in the traditional BP algorithm, and the two algorithms are merged in global iteration. Based on the characteristics of training light intensity, weather, temperature and historical power value of photovoltaic output power,a photovoltaic power generation prediction model is established. The simulation results show that the improved artificial bee colony algorithm in the neural network’s photovoltaic power generation forecast improves the accuracy and convergence speed of the traditional BP neural network convergence solution, and can provide more comprehensive information for grid power dispatch and control.

Digital holography (DH), mostly Mach-Zehnder configuration based, belongs to non-common path amplitude splitting interference imaging whose stability and fringe contrast are environmental sensitive. This paper presents a wavefront division DH configuration with both high stability and high-contrast fringes benefitting from quasi common path wavefront-splitting interference. In our proposal, two spherical waves with similar curvature coming from the same wavefront are used, which makes full use of the physical sampling capacity of the detectors. The interference fringe spacing can be adjusted flexibly for both in-line and off-axis mode due to the independent modulation to these two waves. Only a few optical elements, including the mirror-beam splitter interference component, are used without strict alignments, which makes it robust and easy-to-implement. The proposed wavefront division DH promotes interference imaging physics into the practical and miniaturized a step forward. The feasibility of this method is proved by the imaging of a resolution target and a water flea.

Using methane as a carbon source, low-dimensional carbon nanomaterials were obtained in this work. The films were deposited directly on glass substrates by radio frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD). The configuration and compositions of this nanographite films were identified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as carbon in sp2 bonding form. Raman spectral characterization verified the configuration of the films to be hexatomic ring of carbon atoms. As a result, they were found to be nanographite films (NGFs). Also, the atomic force microscopy (AFM) topography and Raman spectra of different areas demonstrated the diversity of the films at the nano scale. The high light-transmitting and electron mobility indicated that the NGFs possessed excellent optic-electronic properties and could be used as good photoelectrical function materials. Furthermore, the physical and chemical growth mechanism of NGFs were analyzed by PECVD. NGFs could be obtained in a controlled process by modulating the growth conditions. In this work, the complicated transfer process commonly used for optoelectronic devices could be avoided. Also, by growing the films directly on a glass substrate, the quality degradation of the film was not a problem. This work can further promote the development of next-generation electronic or optoelectronic function materials, especially for their application in transparent conductive electrode fields.