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For a long time, dispersion is always an important issue in optics. In recent decades, metasurfaces with the excellent optical field manipulating performance have provided a new solution to realize dispersion management. However, existing strategies usually rely on numerous simulations to select appropriate nanostructures, which are not intuitive and time-consuming. Here, we theoretically analyzed the dispersion controlling mechanism of nanostructured metasurfaces based on the effective refractive index theory. By simultaneously controlling the basic phase and the phase–frequency slope, phase profiles of the dispersion-tailored metalens can be reproduced. Adopting this strategy, continuous achromatic and super-dispersive cylindrical metalenses were designed using a transmissive dielectric metasurface with simple nanostrips. Simulated result shows that, in the near-infrared band from 1200 to 1600 nm, the chromatic dispersion can be reduced to less than a quarter of the regular one for the achromatic metalens, while it has about two times increase for the super-dispersive metalens. In addition, the two different types of metalenses have high efficiency of above 60% and narrow full width at half maximum near the diffraction limit over the 400 nm near-infrared band. These extraordinary properties offer a broad application prospect for the metalens in the field of highly integrated imaging, multispectral detection, tomography, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ta/MgO/NiFe/MgO/Ta anisotropic magnetoresistive thin film sensors, which can be used for magnetic scales, were prepared. To improve the magnetoresistance ratio of the sensors, these sensors were vacuum-annealed with the magnetic field applied, and then, both the static and dynamic magnetoresistive responses of the sensors were obtained. The experimental results have shown that the instability of magnetic anisotropy occurs in the sensors after vacuum-annealing, leading to the significant hysteresis and abnormal output voltage peaks. To investigate the underlying physics, the distribution of the non-uniform demagnetizing field along the width of an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) strip is considered, and both the static and dynamic responses of the AMR elements have been calculated on the basis of the Stoner–Wohlfarth model. The results have shown that the calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental data. The calculated results have revealed that the angles between the anisotropic field and the external magnetic field are different during the field cyclings of Hmax (maximum magnetic field) to −Hmax and −Hmax to Hmax. The angle difference is up to 6°, leading to different magnetoresistive responses. This paper is helpful for the understanding about the magnetization rotations in magnetic sensors and the manufacturing of sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal mud belts, which lie parallel to the coast just seaward of the shoreface, are one of the most important settings where shallow‐marine muddy deposits accumulate. However, sedimentary processes and facies distributions of coastal mud belts remain largely uninvestigated. This study uses process‐oriented sedimentology, coupled with provenance analysis and organic geochemistry of sedimentary records at the northern entrance to the Taiwan Strait, to investigate one of the largest such systems in the world, the Changjiang coastal mud belt. Carbon‐14 dates indicate that deposition has been intermittent throughout Marine Isotope Stages 1, 2 and 3, with several cryptic gaps in the muddy succession as a result of exposure or transgressive erosion during periods of lower or rising sea level, respectively. The palaeowater depth of each depositional unit was roughly estimated based on a global sea‐level curve and the elevation and age of the depositional units. Integrated provenance and sedimentology studies suggest that an incised valley most likely cut by the Minjiang, a nearby river draining the Chinese mainland, probably during Marine Isotope Stage 6, was filled with shelf mud during Marine Isotope Stage 3. These results demonstrate that deposition of mud on the Changjiang coastal mud belt was influenced by sea‐level changes that controlled water depth and flow patterns through Taiwan Strait. The Changjiang coastal mud belt migrates landward when sea level rises and moves seaward when sea level drops. In addition, changes in oceanic circulation associated with opening and closing of Taiwan Strait due to sea‐level changes causes significant changes in the source of the mud, with an alternation between sediment contributions from the Changjiang in the north, the nearby Minjiang, and the island of Taiwan to the south‐east. This study also reveals that the Changjiang coastal mud belt deposits are composed of both shallower‐water and deeper‐water facies. The shallower‐water facies predominantly comprises abundant fluid‐mud beds generated by waves and tidal currents. The deeper‐water facies contains shell‐rich mud and bioturbated mud, which were likely deposited by the Chinese coastal current and Taiwan Warm current. The bed types and interpretation of sedimentary processes of the Changjiang coastal mud belt are useful for recognition of ancient deposits of coastal mud belts elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The West Bogda Mountains separate the two largest petroliferous sedimentary basins in Northwest (NW) China and may record the evolution history of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). The timing of the initial uplift of the West Bogda Mountains is debated, which may provide the robust constraint on the CAOB evolution. Here we present an integrated study of sedimentology, geochemistry, and detrital zircon geochronology to constrain the timing of the initial uplift of the West Bogda Mountains. The late Lower Permian Lucaogou Formation in the West Bogda Mountains is dominated by organic-rich laminated shale, gravity flow deposits and dolomite without shallow-water sedimentary structures, suggesting a deep-water lacustrine depositional environment. The Middle Permian Quanzijie Formation is mainly composed of poorly sorted and sub-rounded conglomerate, which indicates that the depositional environment changed to an alluvial fan. The depositional environment changed to a meandering river system in the early Upper Permian Wutonggou Formation, with evidence from the widely developed cross-bedding in its sandstone and the typical 'dual structure'. The compositions of immobile elements and detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology reveal changes in sediment sources from the early to late Permian. The sediments of the late Lower Permian Lucaogou Formation were mainly sourced from the North Tianshan, while the sediments in the Middle Permian were mostly locally derived. Combining these evidences, we infer that the initial uplift of the West Bogda Mountains likely occurred in the period from the late Lower to Middle Permian (~289.8 Ma to ~265.7 Ma), and was probably caused by the intracontinental collision between Junggar Block in the north and the Tarim Block in the south. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term evolution of deep-sea turbidity current activity is closely related to climate and sea level changes; however, the impact of abrupt climate change (e.g. millennial-scale events in high northern latitudes) is poorly known. In this paper, deep-sea turbidite records in the western part of the lower Bengal Fan were identified since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to investigate the effects of abrupt climate change on the development of the Earth's largest deep-sea fan. Our records show a termination of turbidite activity in the western lower fan at 16.6 ka–15.4 ka almost contemporaneous with Heinrich 1 event (a cooling stadial in high northern latitudes). The trigger of this termination in turbidite activity may have been a sharp decrease in erosion rates during a time of relatively stable sea level and rapid source-sink processes. The subsequent episodes of the Bolling/Allerod warm interstadial and Younger Dryas cold stadial and the rapid sea level rise event that followed possibly induced adjustment of turbidity current activities in the Bengal Fan, as indicated by other published records. In summary, we show that close links exist between abrupt climate changes in the high-latitude Northern Hemisphere and deep-sea turbidity current activity in the low-latitude South Asia. • Deep-sea turbidite records in the Bengal Fan since LGM were recovered. • Termination of turbidite in the western lower fan was triggered by HS1 event. • Links between high latitudes climate and low latitudes sedimentation were revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperpycnal flows are important agents for transporting detrital sediments from rivers to oceans. Previous studies often assumed that the deposits of flood‐controlled delta fronts would be dominated by graded sand with common hummocky cross‐stratification. This study documents, for the first time, hybrid event beds and plumite deposits inside the succession of a modern delta front. This delta in the Taiwan Strait is fed by the Choshui River, which is considered a highly efficient sediment transport system with individual floods with extremely high suspended sediment concentrations. The deltaic event beds recorded in the core were interpreted as hyperpycnal flow‐generated hybrid event beds and turbidites triggered by hypopycnal flows. Accelerator Mass Spectrometry 14C dating, grain‐size analysis and measurements of stable isotopic composition of organic matter were conducted to delineate the depositional process of the recognized beds. The internal subdivisions of the hybrid event beds were differentiated mainly based on sedimentary textures, including cohesive mud content, sand content and sorting. The disorganized portion (division H3) appears internally chaotic and contains large rafted substrate clasts but also displays an upward increase in dispersed cohesive mud from 35% (division H3a) to 50% (division H3b). In contrast, massive H1 divisions are characterized by much lower cohesive mud of ca 8%. The vertical arrangement between depositional facies allows the discrimination of three hybrid event bed types. The stable carbon isotopic composition of the organic matter reveals that the cohesive mud in each division of the hybrid event beds was sourced from marine substrate, rather than supplied by the original hyperpycnal flows. Therefore, the hybrid event beds are generated by energetic hyperpycnal flows, which can delaminate the muddy sea‐floor and incorporate large quantities of substrate fragments. The bulking of erosional hyperpycnal turbulent flow forces flow transformation and generates a more cohesive flow with a turbulent, dense head and trailing bipartite debris flow. The occurrence of hybrid event beds in modern shallow delta front settings is also an important novelty, implying a high density of hyperpycnal flows at the mouth of sediment‐laden rivers as well as the crucial impact of substrate entrainment on the development of hybrid event beds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species have evolved unique mechanisms to combat the effects of oxidative stress inside cells. A particularly devastating consequence of an unhindered oxidation of membrane lipids in the presence of iron results in cell death, known as ferroptosis. Hallmarks of ferroptosis, including peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, are conserved among animals and plants, however, early divergence of an ancestral mammalian GPX4 (mGPX4) has complicated our understanding of mechanistic similarities between species. To this end, we performed a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis and identified that orthologous Arabidopsis GPXs (AtGPXs) are more highly related to mGPX4 than mGPX4 is to other mammalian GPXs. This high degree of conservation suggested that experimental substitution may be possible. We, therefore, ectopically expressed AtGPX1-8 in ferroptosis-sensitive mouse fibroblasts. This substitution experiment revealed highest protection against ferroptosis induction by AtGPX5, as well as moderate protection by AtGPX2, −7, and −8. Further analysis of these cells revealed substantial abatement of lipid peroxidation in response to pharmacological challenge. The results suggest that the presence of ancestral GPX4 resulted in later functional divergence and specialization of GPXs in plants. The results also challenge a strict requirement for selenocysteine activity and suggest thioredoxin as a potent parallel antioxidant system in both plants and mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submarine or sub-lacustrine lobe deposits are important reservoirs, but the fan fringe deposits form heterogeneities within deep water fan deposits. Fan fringe facies records the complex sediment gravity flow types. By understanding of the bed types and flow mechanisms, we can identify the fan fringe deposit, which aids in the reconstruction of deep water fan and reservoir evaluations. The Jiucaiyuanzi and Dalongkou sections in the West Bogda Mountains preserve well-exposed 536-m and 171-m thick successions, respectively, of a deep water lacustrine depositional system from the Middle Permian Lucaogou Formation. Bed types of the Lucaogou Formation include high-density turbidite, low-density turbidite, incomplete Bouma-type turbidite, hybrid event beds, and slump deposits. The Lucaogou Formation is interpreted here as a fan fringe facies due to the thin bed thickness that characterize turbidites and hybrid event beds, as well as the predominance of the isolated sheet architecture. Previous studies suggest that these deposits were considered as deposited in a deep water setting due to the absence of wave-related structures. The presence of abundant mud clasts in massive medium-coarse grained sandstone beds reflects the significant erosional capability and interactions between high-density turbidity currents and lake floor. The fan fringe facies here contains amalgamated and thick-bedded homolithic facies (~ 30%) and thin-bedded heterolithic facies (~ 70%). The examination of the bed type is of wider significance for facies prediction and reservoir heterogeneity in the sub-lacustrine fan fringe facies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotics have been heavily used over the past decades, resulting in their frequent detections in rivers and increasing ecological risks. Recognizing characteristics of antibiotic ecological risks (AERs) and making effective strategies to mitigate the AERs are essential to ensure the safety of aquatic ecosystem and public health. In this study, an integrated technological framework has been proposed toward identifying management options for reducing AERs by jointly utilizing multimedia fugacity modelling and ecotoxicological risk assessment, and applied to characterize the AERs in a peri-urban river in Beijing. Specifically, a level III fugacity model has been successfully established to simulate the fate of antibiotics in the environment, and the manageable parameters have been screened out via sensitivity analysis of the model. Then the validated fugacity model has been used for scenario modellings to optimize mitigation strategies of AERs. Results show most of the antibiotics considered are frequently detected in the river, and pose medium or high risks to aquatic organisms. Relatively, the macrolides and fluoroquinolones present higher ecotoxicological risks than sulfonamides and tetracyclines. Furthermore, the mixture risk quotient and predictive equation of concentration addition suggest joint and synergistic/antagonistic effects of AERs for multiple or binary antibiotics in the environment. Largely, the concentrations of antibiotics in the river are determined by the source emissions into water and soil. Scenario modellings show the improvement of antibiotic removal rates would be considered preferentially to mitigate the AERs. Also, controlling human consumption is conducive to reducing the risks posed by tetracyclines, macrolides and trimethoprim, while controlling animal consumption would benefit the reduction for sulfonamides. Overall, the joint strategy presents the greatest reduction of AERs by reducing antibiotic consumption and together improving sewage treatment rate and antibiotic removal rate. The study provides us a useful guideline to make ecological risk-based mitigation strategy for reducing AERs in environment. • A framework was proposed toward identifying ecological risk-based mitigation strategy. • The sixteen antibiotics were widely detected in the river and posed medium or high risks. • The constructed fugacity model could be successfully used for predicting antibiotics. • Improvement of antibiotic removal rate would be considered preferentially to mitigate the AERs. • Controlling consumption was conducive to reducing the AERs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

News summary generation is an important task in the field of intelligence analysis, which can provide accurate and comprehensive information to help people better understand and respond to complex real-world events. However, traditional news summary generation methods face some challenges, which are limited by the model itself and the amount of training data, as well as the influence of text noise, making it difficult to generate reliable information accurately. In this paper, we propose a new paradigm for news summary generation using Large Language Model(LLM) with powerful natural language understanding and generative capabilities. We also designed News Summary Generator (NSG), which aims to select and evolve the event pattern population and generate news summaries, so that using LLM extracts structured event patterns from events contained in news paragraphs, evolves the event pattern population using a genetic algorithm, and selects the most adaptive event patterns to input into LLM in order to generate news summaries. The experimental results show that the news summary generator is able to generate accurate and reliable news summaries with some generalization ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of Internet and big data, place retrieval has become an indispensable part of daily life. However, traditional retrieval technology cannot meet the semantic needs of users. Knowledge graph has been introduced into the new-generation retrieval systems to improve retrieval performance. Knowledge graph abstracts things into entities and establishes relationships among entities, which are expressed in the form of triples. However, with the expansion of knowledge graph and the rapid increase of data volume, traditional place retrieval methods on knowledge graph have low performance. This paper designs a place retrieval method in order to improve the efficiency of place retrieval. Firstly, perform data preprocessing and problem model building in the offline stage. Meanwhile, build semantic distance index, spatial quadtree index, and spatial semantic hybrid index according to semantic and spatial information. At the same time, in the online retrieval stage, this paper designs an efficient query algorithm and ranking model based on the index information constructed in the offline stage, aiming at improving the overall performance of the retrieval system. Finally, we use experiment to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the place retrieval method based on knowledge graph in terms of retrieval accuracy and retrieval efficiency under the real data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pd nanoparticles were immobilized on a highly porous, hydrothermally stable Eu-MOF via solution impregnation and H2 reduction to yield a novel Pd@Eu-MOF nanocatalyst. This composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Unprecedentedly, the Pd@Eu-MOF nanocatalyst could be applied with excellent results in two strikingly different, mechanistically distinct, reactions i.e., Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling and cycloaddition of CO2 to a range of epoxides. Under the best reaction conditions, 98–99% yields have been attained in both catalytic processes. Moreover, in either case the heterogeneous catalyst was easily recovered and efficiently reused for more than four cycles, indicating its high stability and reproducibility. PXRD, TEM and XPS measurements on the recycled catalyst confirmed that it maintained its original structure and morphology; no Pd NP agglomeration was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In laser satellite communications, studies of the scintillation index that are based on the three-layer altitude-dependent turbulence model have paid little attention to the different character of stratospheric turbulence from turbulence in the other two layers. This difference is a consequence of the special power spectrum with a power law exponent of 5. By adopting different wave structure functions at different altitudes in the extended Rytov theory, we analyze the scintillation index along the slant path in the regime of moderate-to-strong turbulence. Our results show that the weak fluctuation theory is limited to a smaller zenith angle, and the scintillation index has a larger maximum value in the focusing regime, when compared to the Kolmogorov model. We also find that the change of the scintillation index with the outer scale of the stratospheric turbulence only appears with moderate-to-strong turbulence, and it weakens with the increase of the turbulence outer scale. Moreover, the impact of the Gaussian beam radius on the scintillation index is different in the downlink and the uplink paths. We can approximate the downlink beam as a plane wave in most cases, but we must optimize the uplink beam to minimize the irradiance fluctuation. • Weak fluctuation theory of scintillation index is limited to a smaller zenith angle based on three-layer turbulence model. • Larger outer scale of stratospheric turbulence leads to a smaller maximum of scintillation index with strong turbulence. • Scintillation index in downlink satellite path is almost unchanged with different Gaussian beam radius in most cases. • There is always an optimal beam radius for uplink path to have lowest scintillation index in different turbulence strengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• EEG-based methods for enhancing human-building interaction. • EEG-based methods as a IAQ feedback mechanism of occupants. • EEG theta band (4–8 Hz) correlated with the subjective perceptions. • EEG alpha band (8–13 Hz) correlated with the tasks performance. • LDA and SVM classifiers can well classify the different mental states. In this study, neural-signal electroencephalogram (EEG) methods to improve human-building interaction under different indoor air quality conditions were investigated. Experiment was conducted to study correlations between EEG frequency bands and subjective perception as well as task performance. Machine learning-based EEG pattern recognition methods as feedback mechanisms were also investigated. Results showed that EEG theta band (4–8 Hz) correlated with subjective perceptions, and EEG alpha band (8–13 Hz) correlated with task performance. These EEG indices could be utilized as more objective metrics in addition to questionnaire and task-based metrics. For the machine learning-based EEG pattern recognition methods, the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and support vector machine (SVM) classifiers can classify mental states under different indoor air quality conditions with high accuracy. In general, the EEG theta and alpha bands as more objective indices and the machine learning-based EEG pattern recognition methods as real-time feedback mechanisms have good potential to improve the human-building interaction. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The East China Sea Shelf has an unusually wide and low gradient shelf, supplied from sediment‐charged rivers and large river delta systems, with bottom currents sweeping the sea floor and located in the path of strong typhoons. Sediment gravity flow deposits, including four hybrid event beds and a high density turbidite, are identified in a core from the mid‐shelf of the East China Sea. The hybrid event beds typically comprise three or two internal divisions from the base to the top: (i) H1, H3 and H5; or (ii) H3 and H5. Radiocarbon ages of the hybrid event beds were in the range of 3821 to 8526 yr bp. Based on correlation with surrounding cores, the hybrid events may have happened at any time between 1930 yr bp and 3890 yr bp. The δ13C values in hybrid event beds together with bathymetry data suggest local erosion on the shelf. The average δ13C value for the H1 division is similar to the H3 division in the hybrid event beds, implying that the organic matter in the H1 and H3 divisions may come from the same source area. Cross‐plots of upper continental crust normalized rare earth elements in the five units reveal that the sediment source of the four hybrid event beds and the turbidite was ultimately primarily from Korean rivers. Partial transformation from a moderate‐strength debris flow with the additional role of erosional bulking can explain occurrences of hybrid event beds on the East China Sea Shelf. The data indicate that hybrid sediment gravity flow deposits were sourced from intra‐shelf failures and subsequently transformed and deposited as hybrid event beds. The study shows that hybrid sediment gravity flows and turbidity currents may not necessarily indicate proximity to a major fluvial or deltaic system and that intra‐shelf sedimentation can be a sediment source. It is unlikely that the debris flows and turbidity currents were triggered by a hyperpycnal flow or tsunami, because both can carry continental and/or coastal signals which have not been recognized in the core. Typhoons are the probable triggering mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal depositional systems play a crucial role in the sequestration of terrigenous organic carbon (OC), especially deltas and coastal mud belts, which are two of the most efficient OC burial hotspots. Investigation into long-term coastal OC burial is challenging since the analysis of modern coastal environments only provides a snapshot of OC burial. Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) refers to a unique interval in the last glacial period, characterized by a protracted falling sea level punctuated by millennial-scale climate oscillations. The study of OC burial during MIS 3 can help to estimate and predict changes in coastal OC burial driven by sea-level oscillations and extreme climate events. Here, we target late MIS 3 strata beneath the southern East China Sea. Based on the analysis of total organic carbon, total nitrogen content, stable organic carbon isotopic composition, and major and trace elements, this study demonstrates that relative sea-level changes control sediment provenance and sedimentary processes in coastal environments, which in turn regulate coastal OC burial during the late MIS 3. The burial of OC in the coastal ocean during MIS 3 deviates from the typical expectation that carbon burial is facilitated during transgression or high sea-level periods. Sediments deposited during high sea-level periods in late MIS 3 exhibit the lowest OC burial flux and contents due to long-distance transport from distant sources. The study highlights that the highest burial flux and contents of OC were found in deposits preserved during sea-level lowstands. This indicates that short-distance transport, local sources, and mountainous rivers affected by the monsoon and experience frequent floods, are associated with the highest OC burial and contents. Short and rapid climate warming events likely contribute to OC burial in late MIS 3 by intensifying precipitation and nutrient-rich supplies, thereby increasing the input of terrestrial and marine OC. This observation is noteworthy as it challenges the conventional understanding of the relationship between sea level and carbon burial. The study of OC burial in late MIS 3 is helpful in understanding how OC burial reacts to sea level oscillations and rapid climate warming events. • Relative sea-level changes control organic carbon burial of the coastal system through regulating shifts in depositional environments and changes in sediment provenance. • Warming periods promote organic carbon burial in Late MIS 3 through intense precipitation and rich supplies of nutrients that increase the terrestrial and marine OC input. • Low sea-level stages are potential organic carbon sequestration periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiconductor photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water splitting using solar energy is one of the most potential strategies for settling the energy crisis, but a bottleneck is occurred in developing a highly efficient photocatalyst. Herein, we successfully fabricated a tubular g‐C3N4 with nitrogen defects (including both nitrogen vacancies and cyano groups) and extended π‐conjugated system, wherein the nitrogen defects and extended π‐conjugated system were conveniently introduced during thermal polymerization of the pyridinium alkaline ionic liquid‐modified hydrogen‐bonding melamine‐cyanuric acid supramolecular (PHMCS) pre‐aggregates towards carbon nitride with hexagonal cylinder morphology formed by the pyridinium alkaline ionic liquid‐assisted hydrothermal process of low‐cost melamine, in which the added trace pyridinium alkaline ionic liquid serves as an all‐rounder with three roles including the promoting agent towards the transformation of melamine to cyanuric acid for constructing PHMCS, nitrogen defects making agent, and the electronic‐tuning agent regarding of the as‐formed carbon nitride. The tubular structure enhances the light scattering and improves the accessibility of active sites. Meanwhile, the high charge transfer efficiency, broad optical absorption region, and suitable energy band positions are related to both the introduction of nitrogen defects by alkali of ionic liquid and the extended π‐electron delocalization in the conjunction carbon nitride networks. As a consequence, the resulted carbon nitride using optimized amount of pyridinium alkaline ionic liquid (AIL‐2.0‐CN) photocatalyst exhibited a high hydrogen evolution rate of 1284 μmol h−1 g−1 (λ>420 nm) with an apparent quantum efficiency of 4.2 % at 420 nm, which is 13.6 times higher than that of bulk g‐C3N4 (B−CN), and even 3.5 folds much higher than the one (SHPY−CN) prepared by the similar process to that for AIL‐2.0‐CN except for the replacement of pyridinium alkaline ionic liquid by a mixture containing a corresponding amount of pyridine and sodium hydroxide, suggesting the promoting effect resulting from the unique characteristic of pyridinium alkaline ionic liquid. Based on the unique physicochemical properties and the molecules‐ adjustability, the developed alkaline ionic liquid assisted strategy can open an avenue for designing and preparing excellent g‐C3N4 based photocatalysts with tunable geometric and electronic structures for solar hydrogen production. All‐round talent! Pyridinium alkaline ionic liquid serves as an all‐rounder to fabricate graphitic carbon nitride with nitrogen defects (nitrogen vacancies and cyano groups) and extended π‐conjugated system, generating a highly efficient photocatalyst for solar hydrogen production under visible light irradiation with 1284 μmol h−1 g−1 (λ>420 nm) of hydrogen evolution rate (13.6 times higher than that of bulk g‐C3N4) and 4.2 % of apparent quantum efficiency at 420 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Effects of indoor environmental quality of office buildings on occupants have been widely studied. However, relatively fewer studies focus on that of educational buildings, through the perspective of building life cycle costing assessment in particular. In this study, effects of indoor thermal condition and air quality on students' wellbeing and performance are investigated with other major building metrics through a life cycle costing case study of two university tutorial rooms. Metrics for students' wellbeing and performance are monetized, and different weighting schemes for the metrics are compared with sensitivity analysis. Results show that consideration of students' wellbeing and performance can lead to significant total net benefits, which highlights that other traditional metrics focusing on building energy and resource efficiency should be balanced with human factors. For more sustainable building design and operation, balanced weighting scheme should be adopted, in contrary to the current practice where weights are mainly given to capital and energy while wellbeing and performance are often ignored. The results underscore the importance of incorporating students' wellbeing and performance into educational building design and operation, as thermal or air quality conditions in school classrooms are often worse than stipulations in standards and building codes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Shan 2 Member, Shan 1 Member and He 8 Member of the Mid–Late Permian Shanxi and lower Xiashihezi formations, in the southeastern Ordos Basin, together comprise ∼150 m of deltaic deposits. This sequence records an overall evolution from deep marine environment to shallow lake associated with braided river, braided river delta and meandering river delta. Core description, well log interpretation, and stable isotope analysis, including carbon, oxygen and strontium, were conducted to understand the sedimentary evolution of Shan 2 to He 8 Member. The Shanxi Formation, which consists of the Shan 2 and Shan 1 members, is characterized by a tidal‐influenced meandering river delta environment and a higher δ13C value and 87Sr/86Sr ratio and a lower δ18O value. The He 8 Member, the basal part of the Xiashihezi Formation, is featured by a braided river to braided river delta system and a lower δ13C value, 87Sr/86Sr ratio, and a higher δ18O value. Four third‐order depositional sequences separated by five sequence boundaries are determined. Coarsening upward sequences of the Shan 2 Member–He 8 Member indicate a general regression trend, which can be correlated to global sea‐level fall occurring during the Roadian–Wuchiapingian, as also evidenced by previous published zircon U–Pb results. The coal‐bearing sequence (Shanxi Formation) to non‐coal‐bearing sequence (He 8 Member), as well as a decrease of 87Sr/86Sr, suggest a trend from humid to arid climates. A combined effect of sea‐level drop and a small uplift at the end of Shanxi Formation are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singapore is a city-state with limited land space and resources, and most construction materials are imported from foreign countries. In this study, a detailed whole building life cycle assessment (LCA) of a base case building in Singapore as well as material LCA were conducted with customized life cycle inventory datasets by considering materials importation and transportation in particular, and by considering the effects of adopting local recycled aggregates. Results showed that importation and transportation of construction materials significantly alter environmental impacts. This highlights the necessity of considering transportation for importing materials in Singapore context. Inclusion of local recycled aggregates for concrete production to reduce potential environmental load is significant. This suggests adoption of local recycled aggregates is an important strategy for the development of sustainable construction in Singapore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ascorbate oxidase (AO) plays an important role in cell growth through the modulation of reduction/oxidation (redox) control of the apoplast. Here, a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) apoplastic ascorbate oxidase gene (GhAO1) was obtained from fast elongating fiber tissues. GhAO1 belongs to the multicopper oxidase (MCO) family and includes a signal peptide and several transmembrane regions. Analyses of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) and enzyme activity showed that GhAO1 was expressed abundantly in 15-day post-anthesis (dpa) wild-type (WT) fibers in comparison with fuzzless-lintless (fl) mutant ovules. Subcellular distribution analysis in onion cells demonstrated that GhAO1 is localized in the cell wall. In transgenic tobacco bright yellow-2 (BY-2) cells with ectopic overexpression of GhAO1, the enhancement of cell growth with 1.52-fold increase in length versus controls was indicated, as well as the enrichment of both total ascorbate in whole-cells and dehydroascorbate acid (DHA) in apoplasts. In addition, promoted activities of AO and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDAR) in apoplasts and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) in whole-cells were displayed in transgenic tobacco BY-2 cells. Accumulation of H2O2, and influenced expressions of Ca2+ channel genes with the activation of NtMPK9 and NtCPK5 and the suppression of NtTPC1B were also demonstrated in transgenic tobacco BY-2 cells. Finally, significant induced expression of the tobacco NtAO gene in WT BY-2 cells under indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) treatment appeared; however, the sensitivity of the NtAO gene expression to IAA disappeared in transgenic BY-2 cells, revealing that the regulated expression of the AO gene is under the control of IAA. Taken together, these results provide evidence that GhAO1 plays an important role in fiber cell elongation and may promote cell growth by generating the oxidation of apoplasts, via the auxin-mediated signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compressed tracking algorithm (CT tracker) is a well-known visual tracking method that models a target object׳s appearance through sparse random projection. However, the tracking results are not stable and robust due to the randomness of random projection. To solve this problem, a more stable and robust approach is proposed for visual tracking based on maximally stable extremal regions (MSERs), sparse random projection and online least squares SVM classifier (LS-SVM) learning. To obtain a relatively stable appearance model, the stable connected components of an object based on MSERs in image feature space are extracted. With the fusion of MSERs and sparse random projection, we model adaptive object appearance to adapt the variation of appearance. Additionally, an online closed-form LS-SVM is employed to quickly and robustly predict the target object location in a tracking by detection framework. Experimental results on benchmark sequences show the stability and robustness of the proposed algorithm compared with the existing CT-based trackers and other state-of-the-art trackers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground-penetrating radar and trenching studies of a barrier spit on the north shore of Huangqihai Lake were made, that reveal important implications for the coastal washover barrier boundary hierarchy and interpretations of this depositional record. A four-fold hierarchy bounding-surface model, representing different levels of impact and genesis, is defined. Each level of the hierarchy is enclosed by a distinct kind of surface characterized by different ground-penetrating radar reflection features, sedimentary characteristics (color, grain size, sorting, rounding and sedimentary structures) and origin. We suggest that this hierarchical model can be applied to any coastal washover barrier deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In the process of CVD growth, the concentration of reactants in the substrate region was increased by the method of space compression, the number of nucleation was effectively controlled, and larger size (∼50 µm) Bi 2 O 2 Se was obtained. • Based on the influence of different temperature on the growth of Bi 2 O 2 Se, the nucleation and selenization mechanism of Bi 2 O 3 were revealed, and the controllable growth of Bi 2 O 2 Se in a certain thickness range was realized. • A two-end photodetector was constructed based on Bi 2 O 2 Se with high crystallinity. The device exhibits a response of up to 9550A/W under 405 nm laser excitation. Bi 2 O 2 Se has attracted a lot of attention in the field of photodetection due to its ultra-high mobility and tunable band gap. However, the mechanism of controllable preparation of high-quality Bi 2 O 2 Se is unclear and needs further investigation. In this paper, the concentration of reactants in the substrate region was increased by the method of space-compression, the number of nucleation was effectively controlled, and larger size Bi 2 O 2 Se was obtained. And the nucleation and selenylation mechanisms of Bi 2 O 3 were revealed based on the effect of temperatures modificatives growth of Bi 2 O 2 Se. And the controlled growth was achieved in a certain thickness range by increasing the reactant concentration in the substrate region and controlling the nucleation number. Moreover, photodetectors were constructed based on the highly crystalline Bi 2 O 2 Se. The photodetector exhibited a photoresponsivity of up to 9550 A/W under the excitation of 405 nm light and obtained highly stable and recoverable characteristics with multiple laser switches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An electro-piezo-aeroelastic coupled lumped-parameter model is developed for strain-actuated flapping wings. • Assumed modes are identified to represent the piezocomposite wing's motions. • The MFC deviation angle mediates the plunge and pitch motions via bending-twist coupling. • The frequency and magnitude dependence of the fluid-structure interaction are demonstrated. • RLC circuit can enhance the flapping magnitude and recycle the piezoelectric energy via electro-piezo coupling. Induced-strain actuated flapping wings and fins, achieved by surface-mounted piezoelectric actuators, do not need conventional motors and mechanisms, potentially reducing system weight, energy consumption, and mechanical complexity compared to conventional systems. A piezocomposite flapping wing or an underwater oscillating fin with induced-strain actuation can interact with the ambient fluid to yield flow vectoring, control, and lift or thrust generation. In this article, an electro-piezo-aeroelastic coupled lumped-parameter model is developed to predict the dynamic behavior of strain actuated flapping wings, and obtain insight into coupling mechanisms such as bend-twist coupling, fluid-structure interaction, and electro-piezo coupling. The piezoelectric wing is modeled as a laminated orthotropic plate. Using the Rayleigh-Ritz method, the distributed wing motion can be represented by lumped wing heave, chordwise curvature, and pitch displacements by assuming prescribed deformation shapes. The assumed shapes are compatible with the fluid effects interpreted as translational and torsional added mass and damping to the structure. The aeroelastic model is then coupled to the circuit model via electro-piezo coupling. The mechanical model is validated using the finite element method. It is found that four wing tip parameters, including first and second order heave motion, pitch, and chordwise curvature are sufficient to represent the wing motion. The lumped parameter wing model is then used to investigate the system optimal parameters for maximizing desired aero- and/or hydro-dynamic responses. System properties such as structural parameters, excitation frequency ratio, etc., are under investigation. The lumped parameter model is computationally efficient, and suitable for trade studies and multi-disciplinary design optimization. Also, the lumped parameter model serves as a foundation for flapping flight analysis, e.g., analyzing lift force, leading-edge vortex stabilization, and tip vortex shedding. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric material-actuated so-called solid-state (i.e., mechanism-free) ornithopters do not need conventional motors and mechanisms, potentially saving weight and energy consumption, reducing mechanical complexity, and improving wing flexibility. In solid-state ornithopters, wing flapping can be achieved by surface-mounted piezoelectric actuators. The design of a solid-state ornithopter is a complex multi-disciplinary task, and optimization of wing topology, actuator placement, and excitation parameters requires a computationally efficient model to predict its dynamic response and performance metrics. In this paper, effectively, a novel flight simulation model is presented based on a reduced-order lumped parameter multi-body model coupled with a vortex lattice program. The proposed lumped parameter model can be represented by an equivalent multi-body mechanical model or a circuit model. The coupling considered in the lumped parameter model includes: (1) the body-wing momentum interaction, (2) bend–twist​ coupling of the piezocomposite wings, (3) fluid–structure interactions between the flapping wings, oscillating body, and the ambient fluid, and (4) electromechanical coupling between a resistive–inductive–capacitive driving circuit and the piezocomposite wings. The wing motion is described using the Rayleigh–Ritz method, in which the representative wing modes are identified as spanwise plunge, chordwise curvature, and twist. The body-wing interaction is modeled using Hamilton's principle. The fluid-induced effects on the wings have three contributions: added mass and damping, quasi-steady aerodynamic forces obtained using the vortex lattice program, and unsteady aerodynamic forces calculated using the Theodorsen formulation, which is integrated into the wing heave and pitch degrees of freedom in the lumped parameter model. The proposed reduced-order model proposed is computationally efficient, suitable for trade studies and multi-disciplinary design optimization, and can be easily converted to state representation for controller development purposes. The capabilities of this model are demonstrated through tethered and gliding flight simulations. System properties such as circuit parameters, structural parameters, excitation frequency ratio, etc., are investigated. Phugoid and short period modes are observed in gliding flight simulations. The contribution of active flapping is found by the comparison of flight simulations with and without active flapping. A net thrust contributed by unsteady lift is demonstrated even though the thrust-lift ratio is low. The proposed model serves as an extensible framework for modeling and design optimization of ornithopters. • A coupled electromechanical-aeroelastic model is developed for mechanism-free ornithopters. • The wing-body interaction, bend–twist coupling, wing and body fluid–structure interactions, and electromechanical coupling are considered. • Using the Rayleigh–Ritz method, wing motion is decomposed into plunge and pitch motions, compatible with the Theodorsen formulation. • Phugoid and short period modes are observed in the gliding flight simulations. • A net thrust force is demonstrated due to flapping-induced unsteady lift force and body-wing coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A heterobimetallic Pd/Ni NPs@Eu-MOF nanocatalyst, consisting of Pd and Ni nanoparticles (NPs) embedded into a porous Eu-MOF was prepared and reached a catalytic yield of over 99% in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. The advantages of the cost-effective Ni vs. Pd and of NPs over metal ions are highlighted. [Display omitted] A novel heterobimetallic Pd/Ni NPs@Eu-MOF nanocatalyst, consisting of Pd and Ni nanoparticles (NPs) embedded into a porous Eu-MOF was prepared by solution impregnation followed by H 2 reduction. The composite material was fully characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Under optimal reaction conditions the Pd/Ni NPs@Eu-MOF reached a catalytic yield of over 99% in Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. The nanocatalyst is easily recoverable and can be reused for more than five cycles standing proof for high stability and reproducibility. Characterization by PXRD, TEM and XPS of the recovered nanocatalyst confirmed that its initial crystalline structure and morphology have been preserved. The advantages of the cost-effective Ni vs. Pd and of NPs over metal ions are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A paleo-spit is identified from Huangqihai Lake in North China and proposed as a classic example for investigating the influence of lake level changes and storms on the construction of these bodies. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) data, collected with a 400 MHz antenna, are used together with sedimentologic observations from trenches to define the facies and sedimentary architecture of the spit. Six types of radar surface, both depositional and erosional, were identified. Radar facies bounded by radar surfaces were interpreted from reflection characteristics and termination patterns. Eight different radar facies were identified in the profiles, and we assign these to three groups (inclined, horizontal and irregular). The whole barrier spit system comprises spit bar and salt marsh units, distinguished using GPR profiles. Linked radar and sedimentologic data are used to develop a model for spit bar evolution. The spit was formed during a cycle of lake-level change spanning ~ 200 years. The characteristics of the different building blocks (washover lobes, sheets and swash laminated sands) within the spit bar unit and their depositional regimes are defined and interpreted. Based on the known lake evolution during the Holocene, a relative chronological framework is presented. Two storms in the 1880s and 1960s may have played an important role in building the spit bar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal oxide semiconductor gas sensors are widely used to detect toxic and inflammable gases in industrial production and daily life. The main research hotspot in this field is the synthesis of gas sensing materials. Previous studies have shown that incorporating two or more metal oxides to form a heterojunction interface can exhibit superior gas sensing performance in response and selectivity compared with single phase. This review focuses on mainly the synthesis methods and gas sensing mechanisms of metal oxide heterostructures. A significant number of heterostructures with different morphologies and shapes have been fabricated, which exhibit specific sensing performance toward a specific target gas. Among these synthesis methods, the hydrothermal method is noteworthy due to the fabrication of diverse structures, such as nanorod-like, nanoflower-like, and hollow sphere structures with enhanced sensing properties. In addition, it should be noted that the combination of different synthesis methods is also an efficient way to obtain metal oxide heterostructures with novel morphologies. Despite advanced methods in the metal oxide semiconductors and nanotechnology field, there are still some new issues which deserve further investigation, such as long-term chemical stability of sensing materials, reproducibility of the fabrication process, and selectivity toward homogeneous gases. Moreover, the gas sensing mechanism of metal oxide heterostructures is controversial. It should be clarified so as to further integrate laboratory theory research with practical exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Reperfusion therapy is widely utilized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), so ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) of the heart is frequently encountered in clinical practice. The curative effects of reperfusion therapy for AMI are favourable in most cases, but reperfusion can also cause harmful effect to cardiomyocytes. Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is an effective therapeutic agent to alleviate I/R injury, but the mechanisms underlying this therapeutic effect are unknown. Methods and results: The H9c2 cardiomyocyte cell line was incubated with or without HSYA during hypoxia, then it was reoxygenated. In the presence of HSYA, reoxygenation resulted in the upregulated expression and activity of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), phosphorylation of Akt, translocation of nuclear factor Nrf2, and most importantly, a reduction in A/R-induced apoptosis. An HO-1 inhibitor completely suppressed HO-1 enzymatic activity upregulated by HSYA and notably diminished the anti-apoptotic effect of HSYA. An inhibitor of PI3K, completely blocked Akt phosphorylation induced by HSYA and partly negated HSYA-induced upregulation of HO-1, translocation of nuclear factor Nrf2 and suppression of apoptosis in the H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Conclusions: Our study suggests that HSYA can provide protection to H9c2 cardiomyocytes against A/R-induced apoptosis. This protective effect largely depends on the upregulation of HO-1 expression through the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Studies comparing the procedural and clinical outcomes of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) guided by CartoMerge and that by Carto have achieved mixed results (Carto, Biosense Webster, Diamond Bar, CA, USA). We collected these studies and conducted a meta-analysis to determine whether CartoMerge results in better procedural and clinical outcomes. Methods and Results: Three randomized controlled trials and two controlled observational studies were collected for analysis. The clinical and procedural outcomes of interest were AF recurrence after catheter ablation, major complications, procedure durations, and fluoroscopy time. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.0.18 software (The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark) and pooled estimates of effect were reported as risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The overall results of this meta-analysis indicate that catheter ablation for AF guided by CartoMerge is insignificantly associated with a decreased risk of recurrences (RR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.55-1.04; P = 0.09) and major complications (RR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.37-1.45; P = 0.37) compared with that by Carto. Conclusion: The image integration using CartoMerge guiding catheter ablation for AF does not improve the main clinical outcomes significantly compared with that by Carto in centers with experienced operators. (PACE 2012; 35:1242-1247) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yearly amount of waste getting disposed of in Singapore is rising, which poses a waste management issue to be tackled and overcome. The practice of upcycling increases the value of objects and materials and hence, can divert these materials from landfills. This study investigated individuals' and businesses' motivation, interest and participation in upcycling in Singapore. Firstly an overview of the relatively nascent upcycling studies was conducted. The design thinking approach was then employed, which helped to uncover stakeholders' needs and frustrations. Through the implementation of the design thinking approach, this study chose and prototyped a mobile app-aided waste marketplace platform that aimed to reduce the barriers of upcycling by aggregating the materials available in the market and crowdsourcing upcycling know-how. Generally, the results found from the user testing of the platform were positive and encouraging. Feedbacks from individuals showed that the platform can help to improve key factors including raising the awareness of the upcycling issues, and also enable such practices by providing better usability and promoting the upcycling culture. Evaluations from business also corroborate these aspects. The results indicated the potential feasibility and impact of such a solution to promote upcycling in Singapore. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A total of 1244 DEGs, 196 DELS, 49 DECs, and 23 DEMis were detected between different color clams. • The ceRNA networks were established to select targeted DEMis and targeted genes related to shell color formation. • An upregulated novel gene and a downregulated sponge miRNA were identified and selected by lncRNA/circRNAs-miRNA-mRNA network. • The molecular regulation of shell color formation by ncRNAs was proposed. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have gained significant attention in recent years due to their crucial roles in various biological processes. However, our understanding of the expression and functions of ncRNAs in Cyclina sinensis , an economically important marine bivalve, remains limited. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by systematically identifying ncRNAs in the mantles of C. sinensis with purple and white shells. Through our analysis, we identified a differential expression of 1244 mRNAs, 196 lncRNAs, 49 circRNAs, and 23 miRNAs between purple- and white-shell clams. Functional enrichment analysis revealed the involvement of these differentially expressed ncRNAs in biomineralization and pigmentation processes. To gain further insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying shell color formation, we established competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks. These networks allowed us to identify targeted differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMis) and genes associated with shell color formation. Based on the ceRNA networks, we obtained an up-down-up lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network consisting of 13 upregulated lncRNAs and a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network comprising three upregulated circRNAs (novel_circ_0004787, novel_circ_0001165, novel_circ_0000245). Through these networks, we identified and selected an upregulated novel gene (evm.TU.Hic_asm_7.988) and a downregulated sponge miRNA (hru-miR-1985) as potential contributors to shell color regulation. In summary, the present investigation offers a comprehensive analysis of ncRNA catalogs expressed in the clam mantle of C. sinensis. The findings enhance our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms governing shell coloration and offer new perspectives for selective breeding of C. sinensis in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of vertical sedimentary succession of a delta in the arid and semi-arid basin-margin progradation dramatically depends on the variation of sediment flux and accommodation, but the discontiguous record of signals tends to exist enormously variable, which renders the bulk record of microfacies difficult to quantify from the vertical sedimentary succession. We analyzed the 18 vertical sedimentary successions collected from 18 field trenches of a lake delta by the cusp-catastrophe model, allowing detailed mapping of microfacies. The present detailed study indicates the suitability of cusp-catastrophe theory for explaining vertical sedimentary succession in the BWH (Bawanghe) delta. Three equilibrium states of processes responsible for the deposition of the BWH delta's evolution were established: sandy-dominated upper leaves primarily exhibit the delta plain; sandy/muddy-dominated lower leaves present the delta plain and pro-delta; and sandy-dominated middle leaves which commonly developed the delta front. The result of analysis shows that the reliability of the cusp-catastrophe model to identity mutation of vertical sedimentary succession exceeds 50 %, and to identity microfacies transitions with a precipitation periodicity exceeds 70 %. These cognitions support the previous view that changing precipitation results in an abrupt change in margin progradation. Simultaneously, the study gives new insights into the microfacies quantification of lake deltas and reveals the influence of crest value changes of precipitation on vertical sedimentary succession can be understood from the dependence of microfacies distribution on the change of sediment flux and accommodation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follicular atresia is initiated with the apoptosis of granulosa cells (GCs) after birth in mammals. The molecular mechanisms underlying GC apoptosis during follicular selection are unclear at present. The objective of this study is to identify the proteins and pathways that may be involved in porcine follicular atresia. Proteins isolated from GCs collected from healthy and atretic follicles were detected by tandem mass tag (TMT) protein labeling and LC-MS/MS. A total of 4591 proteins in the healthy follicle granulosa cell (HFGC) and atretic follicle granulosa cell (AFGC) groups were identified, and 399 differentially abundant proteins were found between the HFGC and AFGC groups; of which 262 proteins were significantly up-regulated and 137 proteins were significantly down-regulated. Differential protein enrichment analysis showed that proteins involved in proteolysis, protein destabilization, phagocytosis, and engulfment were more abundant in the AFGC group. Also, these proteins were mainly involved in the lysosome, phagosome, autophagy, and apoptosis pathways. Specially, PTGFRN is potential important regulated protein in the development of the antral follicle, and down-regulation of PTGFRN in GCs may lead to follicular atresia. Our study shows that the identified proteins and their related signaling pathways may play crucial roles during health follicle develop to atretic follicle. Follicular atresia during 'selection' reduces the reproductive potential of sows. In this study, we found 399 proteins differentially abundant. between the HFGC and AFGC groups. These results establish a foundation for elucidating the mechanism of follicular atresia in swine. Unlabelled Image • We compared the proteomes of healthy and atretic porcine follicle granulosa cells. • Lysosome and phagosome pathways may be important during porcine follicular atresia. • Our data helps to explain the biological complexity of porcine follicular atresia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ginkgolide B mediates blood glucose, lipid metabolism and inflammation. • Ginkgolide B maintains the integrity of intestinal barrier. • Ginkgolide B regulates intestinal flora to improve atherosclerosis. • Ginkgolide B is a potential therapeutic drug of atherosclerosis. Intestinal flora plays a major role in cardiovascular diseases, like atherosclerosis (AS). Ginkgolide B (GB), a natural substance extracted from Ginkgo biloba L., is recently acknowledged as a potential therapeutic drug of AS. However, the underlying mechanism of GB is not fully clear. Thus, we evaluated whether the antiatherosclerotic effect of GB was related to alterations in gut microbial structure and if so, whether specific bacterial taxa contributed to the beneficial effects of GB. We constructed a high fat diet (HFD)-induced ApoE−/− mice model to explore the antiatherosclerotic effects of GB. The effects of GB on lipid metabolism, hypoglycemia, inflammation and gut barrier integrity were also investigated. Then HFD inventories and high throughput sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene were used to characterize how GB modulated gut microbiome composition. We found that HFD-induced dyslipidemia, inflammation, increased atherosclerotic plaque and gut barrier dysfunction were reduced by GB treatment. Moreover, GB treatment obviously inhibited the mRNA level and protein expression of FMO3, and then decreased the concentrations of TMA and TMAO, which was related to changes of gut microbiota in HFD-fed mice. Modulation of gut microbiota, specifically the increased abundance of Bacteroides and decreased abundance of Helicobacter, might contribute to the antiatherosclerotic effects of GB. Our findings first support the therapeutic value of GB on gut microbiota manipulation in treating AS, which still need to further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, machine learning techniques in conjunction with passive EEG (electroencephalogram) measurement were explored to classify occupants' real-time thermal comfort states, which have the potential in the future for energy saving through adopting time varying set points when real-time changes in thermal comfort can require less energy input. The performances of different machine learning techniques were compared, and the method to select linear continuous features for class interpolation was also explored. For the full-set features, the performances of different classifiers were satisfactory, with classification rates all above 90%. The LDA classifier had the best performance. The second best was the NB classifier, and the relatively worst was the KNN classifier. The linear continuous EEG features were selected by interpolation and can be found for all human subjects. Higher selection threshold led to less selected features but higher average performance of these features. In general, the EEG based machine learning methods can classify occupants' real-time thermal comfort states, and could potentially lead to more building energy saving through comfort-driven time varying set points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals magnetic materials that host skyrmions are promising candidates for the next-generation memory devices. Here, we have predicted a class of 2D chromium-based monolayer ferromagnetic semiconducting materials with a Curie temperature (Tc) exceeding 320 K. We systematically studied their ferromagnetism and quantum transport properties by employing a combination of density functional calculations, Monte Carlo simulations, atomic spin dynamics simulations, and non-equilibrium Green function methods. These materials display topological magnetic spin texture, i.e., magnetic skyrmions, resulting from the competitions between magnetic anisotropy and Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI). Furthermore, we observed the generation and annihilation of Néel skyrmion lattice and asymmetric bimeron lattice in the magnetic field, which can be controlled by an external magnetic field. By tuning the detailed spin configurations and skyrmion density, we can effectively manipulate the signs and magnitudes of the topological Hall conductance. Our results demonstrate the tunable topology and magnetism of the discovered 2D vdW CrXY3 materials, paving the way for skyrmion-based spintronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lane-change trajectory planning of autonomous light trucks is closely related to safety, driving stability and transportation efficiency, especially in complex road and traffic conditions. However, the collision risk assessment and the impact of roll dynamics, which are considered as critical safety factors, are not well investigated in most of the previously proposed planning strategies. In this study, a novel lane-change trajectory planning framework for autonomous light trucks on curved roads is proposed to improve the vehicle safety, vehicle stability and transportation efficiency. To begin with, curvilinear Gaussian collision risk model considering longitudinal motion, lateral motion and short-term motion trend of surrounding vehicles is utilized to accurately establish the risk map of the traffic environment. Then, collision risk, lateral and roll dynamics are considered in the planning stage to screen out the safe and dynamic-stable trajectory candidates. Furthermore, the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal situation (TOPSIS) approach is employed to handle the multi-criteria decision-making problem by scoring and ranking the performance of the trajectory candidates and select the optimal one. Finally, compared with artificial potential field method and the planner without dynamic constraints, the experimental results validate the effectiveness and performance of the proposed planning framework through MATLAB/Simulink-TruckSim joint platform. • Curvilinear Gaussian collision risk model is utilized to establish the risk distribution map of the traffic environment. • Collision risk, lateral and roll dynamics are considered in the planning stage to optimize the trajectory. • TOPSIS algorithm is employed to solve the multi-objective optimization problem for optimal trajectory selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the far-field scattering property of a single Ag nanoring. Under oblique excitation, two-focus scatterings with distinct intensities were observed. We show that the two-focus scatterings result from the interference of far-field scattering light from the ring circumference, and the local field enhancement effect of surface plasmons plays the key role in the focus intensity. By finite difference time domain and numerical integer methods, we calculated far-field scattering and surface plasmons' distributions, and the results are in good agreement with the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Unique N-deficient g-C 3 N 4 homojunction was prepared by inserting-removing strategy. • 3-amino-1,2,4-triazol prepolymerization under optimized conditions is essential. • 3882.5 μmol h−1 g-1 high H 2 evoluation rate with 8.6 % AQY at 420 nm was obtained. • It comes from improved charge mobility, light absorption, and reduction potential. • It paves a new avenue for designing other efficient carbon nitride photocatalysts. Efficiently improving photocatalytic efficiency of carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4), a promising candidate, for H 2 production is of great significance but remains a challenge. Herein, a unique N-deficient g-C 3 N 4 homojunction (I/R-CN) prepared by an inserting-removing strategy via thermal polymerization of a freeze-dried mixture containing dicyandiamide, NH 4 Cl, and a prepolymer from 3-amino-1,2,4-triazol (3-AT) is reported, in which the prepolymerization process of 3-AT under optimized conditions is indispensible. I/R-CN features the N-deficient g-C 3 N 4 microdomains (NDMD) from prepolymer inserting into a porous N-defects modified g-C 3 N 4 with two kinds of N defects (N vacancies and cyano groups) formed by removing N atoms from the skeleton of g-C 3 N 4 , unambiguously confirmed by various characterizations. I/R-CN exhibits notably promoted photocatalysis with a high H 2 evolution rate of 3882.5 μmol h−1 g−1 and a large apparent quantum yield of 8.6 % at 420 nm, originating from the efficient recombination inhibition of electron-hole pairs by the markedly promoted charge mobility as well as the improved light absorption capacity and enlarged reduction potential. This work paves a new avenue for designing other highly-efficient carbon nitride photocatalysts for solar applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 8 August 2017 an earthquake (MS7.0) occurred within Jiuzhaigou County, Northern Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, triggering 4834 landslides with an individual area greater than 7.8 m2 over a more than 400 km2 region. Instead of correlating geological and topographic factors with the coseismic landslide distribution pattern, this study has attempted to reveal the control from seismic landslide susceptibility mapping, which relies on the calculation of critical acceleration values using a simplified Newmark block model. We calculated the average critical acceleration for each cell of the gridded study area (1 km×1 km), which represented the seismic landslide susceptibility of the cell. An index of the potential landslide area generation rate was defined, i.e., the possible landsliding area in each grid cell. In combination with PGA (peak ground acceleration) distribution, we calculated such indexes for each cell to predict the possible landslide hazard under seismic ground shaking. Results show that seismic landslide susceptibility plays an important role in determining the coseismic landslide pattern. The places with high seismic landslide susceptibility tends to host many landslides. Additionally, the areas with high potential landslide area generation rates have high real landslide occurrence rates, consistent with dominant small-medium scale landslides by this earthquake. This approach can aid assessment of seismic landslide hazards at a preliminary stage. Additionally, it forms a foundation for further research, such as the rapid evaluation of post-earthquake landslides and identifying highly impacted areas to help decision makers prioritize disaster relief efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internal fabric of mud caps, which are on top of sediment gravity flow deposits, remains unexplored so far. We identified four hybrid event beds on one of the widest and gentlest shelf (East China Sea Shelf). Three types of lithofacies, including massive sand, chaotic mud and homogeneous mud, were distinguished. Homogeneous mud represents mud caps of these hybrid event beds. Scanning electron microscopy performed in both homogeneous mud and chaotic mud has revealed the presence of mud aggregates (mud clasts) conforming sand-size clasts. Chemical analyses of the aggregates show the presence of abundant gypsum/anhydrite and clay mineral components as well as relicts of quartz, muscovite and feldspar, suggesting an origin related to erosional events and an intraclast origin. The vertical shortening, deformation together with the pore spaces of mud clasts indicate a shallow burial depth of erosion, where mud sediments were still unconsolidated and water-saturated. No background sedimentation is present in the mud caps, because we did not observe any bioturbated interval in core images and X-radiographs. The lack of laminated muds and synsedimentary trace fossils in the homogeneous muds suggest an origin related to fluid mud flows. As proved on previous experiments, the mud caps could be related to head erosion and shearing of the muddy debris flow/mud flow's upper surface which generated a slower moving fluid mud flow. Our study further confirms that no laminated sand/silt (H4 division) would be present in hybrid event beds with mud-dominated H3 division. Head erosion of muddy debris flow/mud flow would not allow laminated H4 division to form, because the fluid mud flow derived from the parent mud-dominated debris flow was mainly composed of grains smaller than 30 μm which can effectively damp turbulence effectively. Grain size analysis performed on samples from fluid mud flow deposit fall into pelagites/hemipelagites area (T area), suggesting that fluid mud flow deposits are also a candidate for T area, and the area does not necessarily reflect a deposition under un-stressed environment. • 1 Mud caps of hybrid event beds from ECSS are interpreted as fluid mud flow deposits. • 2 SEM and chemical analyses of mud caps suggest a shallow burial depth. • 3 CM pattern of fluid mud flow deposit fall into pelagite/hemipelagite area (T area). • 4 muddy debris flows generate a trailing fluid mud flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bicarbonate Ringer's (BR) solution is a direct liver and kidney metabolism-independent HCO3− buffering system. We hypothesized that BR solution would be more effective in improving acid-base equilibrium and more conducive to better liver function than Acetate Ringer's (AR) solution in conventional orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) patients. Methods: Sixty-nine adult patients underwent OLT. Patients in the bicarbonate and acetate groups received BR solution or AR solution as infused crystalloids and graft washing solution, respectively. The primary outcome was the effect on pH and base excess (BE) levels. The secondary outcome measures were the incidence and volume of intraoperative 5% sodium bicarbonate infusion and laboratory indicates of liver and kidney function. Results: The pH and absolute BE values changed significantly during the anhepatic phase and immediately after transplanted liver reperfusion in the bicarbonate group compared with the acetate group (all P < 0.05). The incidence and volume of 5% sodium bicarbonate infusion were lower in the bicarbonate group than in the acetate group (all P < 0.05). The aspartate transaminase (AST) level at 7 postoperative days and the creatine level at 30 postoperative days were significantly higher in the acetate group than in the bicarbonate group (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with AR solution, BR solution was associated with improved intraoperative acid-base balance and potentially protected early postoperative liver graft function and reduced late-postoperative renal injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memristor-based neuromorphic computing is expected to overcome the bottleneck of von Neumann architecture. An artificial synaptic device with continuous conductance variation is essential for implementing bioinspired neuromorphic systems. In this work, a memristor based on Pt/LiSiO x /TiN structure is developed to emulate an artificial synapse, which shows non-volatile multilevel resistance state memory behavior. Moreover, the high nonlinearity caused by abrupt changes in the set process is optimized by adjusting the initial resistance. 100 levels of continuously modulated conductance states are achieved and the nonlinearity factors are reduced to 1.31. The significant improvement is attributed to the decrease in the Schottky barrier height and the evolution of the conductive filaments. Finally, due to the improved linearity of the long-term potentiation/long-term depression behaviors in LiSiO x memristor, a robust recognition rate (∼94.58%) is achieved for pattern recognition with the modified National Institute of Standards and Technology handwriting database. The Pt/LiSiO x /TiN memristor shows significant potential in high-performance multilevel data storage and neuromorphic computing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a major cause of neuronal damage and death. Ginkgolide B (GB) has been shown to exhibit neuroprotective effects in various brain injury models. The aim of study was to investigate the potential role of GB in protecting against cerebral I/R injury and explore the underlying mechanisms. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) followed by reperfusion in order to trigger cerebral I/R injury. The rats were treated with different doses of GB, vehicle control or positive drug. Neurological function, infarct volume, and levels of ferroptosis markers were evaluated. In vitro experiments were performed using OGD/R-induced PC12 cells to further investigate the effects of GB on ferroptosis and its mechanisms. In addition, molecular docking, and microscale thermophoresis (MST) assay were conducted to explore the combination of GB and NCOA4. Reduced infarct volume and enhanced neurological function were signs of dose-dependent protection from cerebral I/R injury by GB therapy. Additionally, GB treatment had an impact on the levels of oxidative stress and ferroptosis markers, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and Fe2+ in the cerebral environment during IR injury. Moreover, relevant ferroptosis key factors such as ACSL4, GPX4, FTH1, and NCOA4 can be regulated by GB. In OGD/R-induced PC12 cells, GB protected against ferroptosis by inhibiting autophagy and disrupting the interaction of NCOA4-FTH1. Our findings suggest that GB may protect against cerebral I/R injury by inhibiting ferroptosis through disrupting NCOA4-FTH1 interaction. GB has potential therapeutic applications for cerebral I/R injury, and further investigation of the underlying mechanisms and clinical trials are warranted. [Display omitted] • GB protects against cerebral I/R injury in a dose-dependent manner. • GB affects the ferroptosis markers in the cerebral context during I/R injury. • GB protects against OGD-induced injury via inhibition of ferroptosis in PC12 cells. • GB affects ferroptosis of PC12 cells by inhibiting its autophagy. • GB inhibits ferroptosis of PC12 through disrupting of NCOA4-FTH1 interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First Pd@ZIF-92 nanocatalyst for efficient C(sp2)-C(sp2) cross-coupling reactions. • Post-synthetic modification of ZIF-90 to ZIF-92 and Pd@ZIF-92. • High catalytic activity and recyclability for reactions in pure water. • Environment-friendly, stable and robust nanocatalyst for cross-couplings. Herein the first ever Pd2+-decorated ZIF-92 nanostructure is readily accessed by post-synthesis modification (PSM) of the zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF-90. Thus, the imidazolate linker of the ZIF-90 is functionalized with the hydroxyethylimino group, followed by anchoring the palladium catalytically active sites through a tight coordination of Pd2+ ions to both the N and O atoms of ZIF-92. The acquired data (by PXRD, EDS, SEM, XPS, ICP-AES) concerning the crystalline structure, elemental mapping and network configuration of the Pd@ZIF-92 catalyst confirmed its structure, before and after the cross-coupling reactions and following recycling. The Pd@ZIF-92 showed excellent catalytic activity (>99%) and chemoselectivity in Suzuki-Miyaura coupling proceeding in neat water, at very low Pd loading (0.009 mol%). Comparison of its performance with that of many reported Pd nanocatalysts operating in aqueous/protic media testifies to its superiority. The appealing gateway to this innovative, stable, robust, easily recoverable and reusable Pd@ZIF-92 nanostructure recommends its beneficial utilization in C(sp2)-C(sp2) cross-couplings and other sustainable, environmentally-friendly processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jiayin Town, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province is composed of four elements, forest, water, farmland and village. The highly adaptive human settlement environmental features of ecologyproduction- living space reflect the adaptability of ethnic settlements on plateaus and mountains to the natural environment and geographical conditions. In this article, based on the unique natural environment and regional characteristics of Jiayin Town, the background features of the human settlement environment, the features of altitude, slope and aspect, the spatial features of forests and grasslands and the features of farmland and villages were analyzed, and design concepts of coordinating and integrating the development of ecology-production-living space, integrating and transforming natural resources into human settlement environmental resources and establishing village public awareness and the design strategies of cultivating culture with life and adopting things with rural quality were proposed, in order to provide scientific basis for the protection and development of the plateau and mountain ethnic villages and ensure their harmonious and orderly development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]