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Abstract Since the first report of ferroelectricity in nanoscale HfO2-based thin films in 2011, this silicon-compatible binary oxide has quickly garnered intense interest in academia and industry, and continues to do so. Despite its deceivingly simple chemical composition, the ferroelectric physics supported by HfO2 is remarkably complex, arguably rivaling that of perovskite ferroelectrics. Computational investigations, especially those utilizing first-principles density functional theory (DFT), have significantly advanced our understanding of the nature of ferroelectricity in these thin films. In this review, we provide an in-depth discussion of the computational efforts to understand ferroelectric hafnia, comparing various metastable polar phases and examining the critical factors necessary for their stabilization. The intricate nature of HfO2 is intimately related to the complex interplay among diverse structural polymorphs, dopants and their charge-compensating oxygen vacancies, and unconventional switching mechanisms of domains and domain walls, which can sometimes yield conflicting theoretical predictions and theoretical-experimental discrepancies. We also discuss opportunities enabled by machine-learning-assisted molecular dynamics and phase-field simulations to go beyond DFT modeling, probing the dynamical properties of ferroelectric HfO2 and tackling pressing issues such as high coercive fields.

Abstract In order to improve the service life of extrusion taps and reduce their wear, this paper adopted the coating-simulation technology to investigate the influence laws of tool coating type and coating thickness on extrusion torque, extrusion temperature and wear amount. The validity of the numerical simulation results is confirmed through internal thread extrusion experiments. The results showed that the extrusion torque and extrusion temperature of single-layer coating and composite coating showed a tendency of decreasing and then increasing with the increase of the coating thickness; the extrusion torque and extrusion temperature of the double-layer coating increased with the increase of the coating thickness; the wear amount of the three types of coatings increased with the increase of the coating thickness. The TiAlN single coating demonstrates the most pronounced impact on decreasing extrusion torque and temperature (3.82 N·m and 88.4 °C), resulting in a smooth extrusion process. The TiAlN–TiAlN double coating exhibits the lowest wear amount of 0.076 mm. The utilization of numerical simulation proves to be a dependable approach for evaluating the efficacy of tool coatings, and reasonable selection of coating type and thickness can effectively reduce the extrusion torque, extrusion temperature and wear amount.

Abstract In the realm of ferroelectric memories, HfO2-based ferroelectrics stand out because of their exceptional CMOS compatibility and scalability. Nevertheless, their switchable polarization and switching speed are not on par with those of perovskite ferroelectrics. It is widely acknowledged that defects play a crucial role in stabilizing the metastable polar phase of HfO2. Simultaneously, defects also pin the domain walls and impede the switching process, ultimately rendering the sluggish switching of HfO2. Herein, we present an effective strategy involving acceptor-donor co-doping to effectively tackle this dilemma. Remarkably enhanced ferroelectricity and the fastest switching process ever reported among HfO2 polar devices are observed in La3+-Ta5+ co-doped HfO2 ultrathin films. Moreover, robust macro-electrical characteristics of co-doped films persist even at a thickness as low as 3 nm, expanding potential applications of HfO2 in ultrathin devices. Our systematic investigations further demonstrate that synergistic effects of uniform microstructure and smaller switching barrier introduced by co-doping ensure the enhanced ferroelectricity and shortened switching time. The co-doping strategy offers an effective avenue to control the defect state and improve the ferroelectric properties of HfO2 films.

Summary: Background: The 5-year survival rate of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is approximately 20%. The prognosis and drug response exhibit substantial heterogeneity in ESCC, impeding progress in survival outcomes. Our goal is to identify a signature for tumour subtype classification, enabling precise clinical treatments. Methods: Utilising pre-treatment multi-omics data from an ESCC dataset (n = 310), an enhancer methylation-eRNA-target gene regulation network was constructed and validated by in vitro experiments. Four machine learning methods collectively identified core target genes, establishing an Enhancer Demethylation-Regulated Gene Score (EDRGS) model for classification. The molecular function of EDRGS subtyping was explored in scRNA-seq (n = 60) and bulk-seq (n = 310), and the EDRGS's potential to predict treatment response was assessed in datasets of various cancer types. Findings: EDRGS stratified ESCCs into EDRGS-high/low subtypes, with EDRGS-high signifying a less favourable prognosis in ESCC and nine additional cancer types. EDRGS-high exhibited an immune-hot but immune-suppressive phenotype with elevated immune checkpoint expression, increased T cell infiltration, and IFNγ signalling in ESCC, suggesting a better response to immunotherapy. Notably, EDRGS outperformed PD-L1 in predicting anti-PD-1/L1 therapy effectiveness in ESCC (n = 42), kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC, n = 181), and bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA, n = 348) cohorts. EDRGS-low showed a cell cycle-activated phenotype with higher CDK4 and/or CDK6 expression, demonstrating a superior response to the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib, validated in ESCC (n = 26), melanoma (n = 18), prostate cancer (n = 15) cells, and PDX models derived from patients with pancreatic cancer (n = 30). Interpretation: Identification of EDRGS subtypes enlightens ESCC categorisation, offering clinical insights for patient management in immunotherapy (anti-PD-1/L1) and CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy across cancer types. Funding: This study was supported by funding from the National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFC2501000, 2020YFA0803300), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82030089, 82188102), the CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (2021-I2M-1-018, 2022-I2M-2-001, 2021-I2M-1-067), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (3332021091).

Multi-hop reasoning over language or graphs represents a significant challenge in contemporary research, particularly with the reliance on deep neural networks. These networks are integral to text reasoning processes, yet they present challenges in extracting and representing domain or commonsense knowledge, and they often lack robust logical reasoning capabilities. To address these issues, we introduce an innovative text reasoning framework. This framework is grounded in the use of a semantic relation graph and a graph neural network, designed to enhance the model’s ability to encapsulate knowledge and facilitate complex multi-hop reasoning.Our framework operates by extracting knowledge from a broad range of texts. It constructs a semantic relationship graph based on the logical relationships inherent in the reasoning process. Beginning with the core question, the framework methodically deduces key knowledge, using it as a guide to iteratively establish a complete evidence chain, thereby determining the final answer. Leveraging the advanced reasoning capabilities of the graph neural network, this approach is adept at multi-hop logical reasoning. It demonstrates strong performance in tasks like machine reading comprehension and question answering, while also clearly delineating the path of logical reasoning.

Abstract Mounting attention has been focused on defects of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway in sepsis, however, the precise mechanisms governing the autophagy-lysosomal process in sepsis are poorly known. We have previously reported that Erbin deficiency aggravated the inflammatory response and organ injuries caused by sepsis. In the present study, we found that Erbin knockout impaired the autophagy process in both muramyl dipeptide (MDP)-induced bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and sepsis mouse liver and lung, as detected by the accumulation of LC3-II and SQSTM1/p62, and autophagosomes. Pretreatment with autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) further aggravated inflammatory response and organ injuries in vivo and in vitro sepsis model. We also observed that the impaired lysosomal function mediated autophagic blockade, as detected by the decreased expression of ATP6V, cathepsin B (CTSB) and LAMP2 protein. Immunoprecipitation revealed that the C-terminal of Erbin (aa 391–964) interacts with the N-terminal of transcription factor EB (TFEB) (aa 1–247), and affects the stability of TFEB-14-3-3 and TFEB-PPP3CB complexes and the phosphorylation status of TFEB, thereby promote the nucleus translocation of TFEB and the TFEB target genes transcription. Thus, our study suggested that Erbin alleviated sepsis-induced inflammatory responses and organ injuries by rescuing dysfunction of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway through TFEB-14-3-3 and TFEB-PPP3CB pathway.

Background: Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a widespread liver disease that can lead to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Therefore, it is essential to develop early diagnosic and screening methods. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional observational study. In this study, based on data from 92 patients with MAFLD and 74 healthy individuals, we observed the characteristics of tongue images, tongue coating and intestinal flora. A generative adversarial network was used to extract tongue image features, and 16S rRNA sequencing was performed using the tongue coating and intestinal flora. We then applied tongue image analysis technology combined with microbiome technology to obtain an MAFLD early screening model with higher accuracy. In addition, we compared different modelling methods, including Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), random forest, neural networks(MLP), stochastic gradient descent(SGD), and support vector machine(SVM). Results: The results show that tongue-coating Streptococcus and Rothia, intestinal Blautia, and Streptococcus are potential biomarkers for MAFLD. The diagnostic model jointly incorporating tongue image features, basic information (gender, age, BMI), and tongue coating marker flora (Streptococcus, Rothia), can have an accuracy of 96.39%, higher than the accuracy value except for bacteria. Conclusion: Combining computer-intelligent tongue diagnosis with microbiome technology enhances MAFLD diagnostic accuracy and provides a convenient early screening reference.

Abstract MAVS is an adapter protein involved in RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) signaling in mitochondria, peroxisomes, and mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAMs). However, the role of MAVS in glucose metabolism and RLR signaling cross-regulation and how these signaling pathways are coordinated among these organelles have not been defined. This study reports that RLR action drives a switch from glycolysis to the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) through MAVS. We show that peroxisomal MAVS is responsible for glucose flux shift into PPP and type III interferon (IFN) expression, whereas MAMs-located MAVS is responsible for glucose flux shift into HBP and type I IFN expression. Mechanistically, peroxisomal MAVS interacts with G6PD and the MAVS signalosome forms at peroxisomes by recruiting TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) and interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1). By contrast, MAMs-located MAVS interact with glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase, and the MAVS signalosome forms at MAMs by recruiting TRAF6 and TRAF2. Our findings suggest that MAVS mediates the interaction of RLR signaling and glucose metabolism.

Baijiu, one of the world’s six major distilled spirits, has an extremely rich flavor profile, which increases the complexity of its flavor quality evaluation. This study employed an electronic nose (E-nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue) to detect 42 types of strong-aroma Baijiu. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was performed based on the different production origins, alcohol content, and grades. Twelve trained Baijiu evaluators participated in the quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) of the Baijiu samples. By integrating characteristic values from the intelligent sensory detection data and combining them with the human sensory evaluation results, machine learning was used to establish a multi-submodel-based flavor quality prediction model and classification model for Baijiu. The results showed that different Baijiu samples could be well distinguished, with a prediction model R2 of 0.9994 and classification model accuracy of 100%. This study provides support for the establishment of a flavor quality evaluation system for Baijiu.

Dark-and-weak-target simulators are used as ground-based calibration devices to test and calibrate the performance metrics of star sensors. However, these simulators are affected by full-field-of-view energy nonuniformity. This problem impacts the quality of output images and the calibration accuracy of sensors and inhibits further improvements in navigational accuracy. In the study reported in this paper, we sought to analyze the factors which affect full-field-of-view energy uniformity in dark-and-weak-target simulators. These include uneven irradiation in backlight sources, the leakage of light from LCD display panels, and the vignetting of collimating optical systems. We then established an energy transfer model of a dark-and-weak-target simulator based on the propagation of a point light source and proposed a self-adaptive compensation algorithm based on pixel-by-pixel fitting. This algorithm used a sensor to capture the output image of a dark-and-weak-target simulator and iteratively calculated the response error matrix of the simulator. Finally, we validated the feasibility and effectiveness of the compensation algorithm by acquiring images using a self-built test system. The results showed that, after compensating an output image of the dark-and-weak-target simulator, the grayscale standard display function (SDF) of the acquired sensor image was reduced by about 50% overall, so the acquisition image was more accurately compensated, and the desired level of grayscale distribution was obtained. This study provides a reference for improving the quality of output images from dark-and-weak-target simulators, so that the working environments of star sensors may be more realistically simulated, and their detection performance improved.

Wave energy is one of the primary sources of marine energy, representing a readily available and inexhaustible form of renewable clean energy. In recent years, wave energy generation has garnered increasing attention from researchers. To study wave energy generation technology, we have constructed a real wave energy generation system and designed wave simulation and hydraulic energy storage systems. The wave simulation system is mainly composed of a frequency converter and an electric boost pump, while the hydraulic energy storage system consists of a hydraulic control unit and hydraulic motors. Corresponding mathematical models have been established to investigate the characteristics of wave energy generation. Specifically, a mathematical model for wave input using the double-parameter JONSWAP wave spectrum has been created for wave simulation in the wave simulation system. For the hydraulic energy storage system, known as the Power Take Off (PTO) system, mathematical models have been developed for double-acting hydraulic cylinders, energy storage devices, and precise displacement hydraulic motors, taking into consideration fluid Reynolds numbers and leakage. During the generation of wave energy, there is a problem of prolonged power interruption when wave conditions are unfavorable, which hinders continuous power generation. To address this issue, a system structure with an energy storage unit and two parallel generator sets, as well as a power operation optimization scheme, have been proposed. This system structure and optimization approach efficiently and reasonably utilize wave energy, achieving the goal of uninterrupted power supply in the hydraulic wave energy generation system.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are critical in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Major vault protein (MVP) mediates multidrug resistance, cell growth and development, and viral immunity. However, the relationship between MVP and TAMs polarization has not been clarified in HCC. We found that MVP significantly increased M2-TAMs infiltration levels in tumor tissues of HCC patients. MVP promoted HCC proliferation, metastasis, and invasion by regulating M2 polarization in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, MVP associated with signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) and enhanced STAT6 phosphorylation. STAT6 translocated from the cytosol to the nucleus and regulated M2 macrophage-associated gene transcription. These findings suggest that MVP modulates the macrophage M2 transcriptional program, revealing its potential role in the TAMs of TME.

Abstract Of all pancreatic cancer (PC) cases, approximately 90% are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which progress rapidly due to its high degree of invasiveness and high metastatic potential. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a prerequisite for cancer cell invasion and spread, and it is mediated by the specific cellular behaviors and the tumor microenvironment. Autophagy has long been a target of cancer therapy, and it has been considered to play a dual and contradictory role, particularly regarding EMT-mediated PDAC invasion. This review discusses the characteristics and the biological role of EMT and autophagy from a cellular perspective, explaining invasion as a survival behavior of PDAC, with the aim of providing novel insights into targeting EMT and autophagy to overcome PDAC invasion.

Osteogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and angiogenesis play crucial roles in bone regeneration. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), an FDA-approved drug with pro-osteogenic, pro-osteoclastogenic and proangiogenic capabilities, has been employed for clinical osteoporosis treatment through systemic intermittent administration. However, the successful application of PTH for local bone defect repair generally requires the incorporation and delivery by appropriate carriers. Though several scaffolds have been developed to deliver PTH, they suffer from the weaknesses such as uncontrollable PTH release, insufficient porous structure and low mechanical strength. Herein, a novel kind of NIR-activable scaffold (CBP/MBGS/PTHrP-2) with dual-mode PTHrP-2 (a PTH derivative) release capability is developed to synergistically promote osteogenesis and angiogenesis for high-efficacy bone regeneration, which is fabricated by integrating the PTHrP-2-loaded hierarchically mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) into the N-hydroxymethylacrylamide-modified, photothermal agent-doped, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-based thermosensitive hydrogels through assembly process. Upon on/off NIR irradiation, the thermoresponsive hydrogel gating undergoes a reversible phase transition to allow the precise control of on-demand pulsatile and long-term slow release of PTHrP-2 from MBG mesopores. Such NIR-activated dual-mode delivery of PTHrP-2 by this scaffold enables a well-maintained PTHrP-2 concentration at the bone defect sites to continually stimulate vascularization and promote osteoblasts to facilitate and accelerate bone remodeling. In vivo experiments confirm the significant improvement of bone reparative effect on critical-size femoral defects of rats. This work paves an avenue for the development of novel dual-mode delivery systems for effective bone regeneration.

Abstract The scale-free ferroelectric polarization of fluorite MO2 (M = Hf, Zr) due to flat polar phonon bands are promising for nonvolatile memories. Defects are also widely introduced to improve the emergent ferroelectricity. However, their roles are still not fully understood at the atomic-level. Here, we report a significant effect of point-defect-driven flattening of polar phonon bands with more polar modes and polarization contribution in doped MO2. The polar phonon bands in La-doped MO2 (M = Hf, Zr) can be significantly flattened, compared with pure ones. However, the lower energy barrier with larger polarization of V O -only doped MO2 compared with La-doped cases suggest that V O and local lattice distortion should be balanced for high-performance fluorite ferroelectricity. The work is believed to bridge the relation between point defects and the generally enhanced induced ferroelectricity in fluorite ferroelectrics at the atomic-level and inspire their further property optimization via defect-engineering.

Knowledge graph embedding aims to learn representation vectors for the entities and relations. Most of the existing approaches learn the representation from the structural information in the triples, which neglects the content related to the entity and relation. Though there are some approaches proposed to exploit the related multimodal content to improve knowledge graph embedding, such as the text description and images associated with the entities, they are not effective to address the heterogeneity and cross-modal correlation constraint of different types of content and network structure. In this paper, we propose a multi-modal content fusion model (MMCF) for knowledge graph embedding. To effectively fuse the heterogenous data for knowledge graph embedding, such as text description, related images and structural information, a cross-modal correlation learning component is proposed. It first learns the intra-modal and inter-modal correlation to fuse the multimodal content of each entity, and then they are fused with the structure features by a gating network. Meanwhile, to enhance the features of relation, the features of the associated head entity and tail entity are fused to learn relation embedding. To effectively evaluate the proposed model, we compare it with other baselines in three datasets, i.e., FB-IMG, WN18RR and FB15k-237. Experiment result of link prediction demonstrates that our model outperforms the state-of-the-art in most of the metrics significantly, implying the superiority of the proposed method.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) aerial images often present challenges such as small target sizes, high target density, varied shooting angles, and dynamic poses. Existing target detection algorithms exhibit a noticeable performance decline when confronted with UAV aerial images compared to general scenes. This paper proposes an outstanding small target detection algorithm for UAVs, named Fine-Grained Feature Perception YOLOv8s-P2 (FGFP-YOLOv8s-P2), based on YOLOv8s-P2 architecture. We specialize in improving inspection accuracy while meeting real-time inspection requirements. First, we enhance the targets’ pixel information by utilizing slice-assisted training and inference techniques, thereby reducing missed detections. Then, we propose a feature extraction module with deformable convolutions. Decoupling the learning process of offset and modulation scalar enables better adaptation to variations in the size and shape of diverse targets. In addition, we introduce a large kernel spatial pyramid pooling module. By cascading convolutions, we leverage the advantages of large kernels to flexibly adjust the model’s attention to various regions of high-level feature maps, better adapting to complex visual scenes and circumventing the cost drawbacks associated with large kernels. To match the excellent real-time detection performance of the baseline model, we propose an improved Random FasterNet Block. This block introduces randomness during convolution and captures spatial features of non-linear transformation channels, enriching feature representations and enhancing model efficiency. Extensive experiments and comprehensive evaluations on the VisDrone2019 and DOTA-v1.0 datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of FGFP-YOLOv8s-P2. This achievement provides robust technical support for efficient small target detection by UAVs in complex scenarios.

Leaf morphology plays a crucial role in plant classification and provides a significant model for studying plant diversity while directly impacting photosynthetic efficiency. In the case of melons, leaf shape not only influences production and classification but also represents a key genetic trait that requires further exploration. In this study, we utilized forward genetics to pinpoint a recessive locus, dubbed Cmrl (Round leaf), which is responsible for regulating melon leaf shape. Through bulked segregant analysis sequencing and extensive evaluation of a two-year F2 population, we successfully mapped the Cmrl locus to a 537.07 kb region on chromosome 8 of the melon genome. Subsequent genetic fine-mapping efforts, leveraging a larger F2 population encompassing 1322 plants and incorporating F2:3 phenotypic data, further refined the locus to an 80.27 kb interval housing five candidate genes. Promoter analysis and coding sequence cloning confirmed that one of these candidates, MELO3C019152.2 (Cmppr encoding a pentatricopeptide repeat-containing family protein, Cmppr), stands out as a strong candidate gene for the Cmrl locus. Notably, comparisons of Cmrl expressions across various stages of leaf development and different leaf regions suggest a pivotal role of Cmrl in the morphogenesis of melon leaves.

In view of the lack of high-precision optical simulation equipment for dim space targets at present, in this study, a simulation method for dim space targets based on polarization stray light suppression is proposed, the overall optical system architecture of the optical engine for depolarization stray light suppression is constructed, the mechanism of stray light generation is explored, and the dark state light leakage suppression method is presented by compensating the phase of LCOS reflected light with wave plate; a high-image quality collimating optical system with large field of view and flat aberration is designed based on the illumination system optimization method of the critical angle matching of the spectroscopic film; and the polarization stray light suppression effect and star position simulation error of the dim target simulator are tested. The test results show that the illumination of the simulated dim target is ≮10−10 lx, the contrast is 6.96, the non-uniformity of the bright state is only 5.88%, and the simulation error of the star position is 9.9″. This research can make some contributions to enhancing the observability of detecting dim targets, breaking through the detection technology of extremely dark targets in space, developing advanced deep space detection capabilities, and improving the engineering technology system of deep space exploration.

This paper adopted the biomimetic mineralized method (BMM) with L-Aspartate (L-Asp) as the crystal modifier to develop the biomimetic mineralized cement material. The structural integrity and mechanical property of cemented samples treated by BMM were studied through the direct shear test and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) test. Meanwhile, the micro-morphology and mechanism of calcium carbonate crystals generated from biomimetic mineralization in water solution and sand environment were investigated by XRD, FTIR, XPS, and SEM. The results reveal that the biomimetic mineralized cement with L-Asp modifier is feasible to cement the loose sand into a high-strength integrated structure. With the gradually increasing spraying cycles, the ultimate shear strength of the cemented samples was significantly improved. Moreover, the hydrogen–bond interaction inducing calcium carbonate crystals and sand particles, as well as the particle agglomerated growth are the fundamental reasons for the cementation of loose sand. The feasibility of biomimetic mineralized cement using an L-Asp modifier is verified.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of slaughtering methods on the muscle quality of eels. Methods: Two slaughtering methods （including mechanical slaughter and manual slaughter） were used to analyze the energy metabolism and physicochemical properties of eel meat slices during storage. Results: Duringstorage at 4 ℃ for 48 h, the glycogent and lactic acid content of eelfillets subjected to mechanical slaughter were lower than those of manual slaughtered samples generally. During 7 d-storage, the sensory deterioration of eel meat samples was retarded by mechanical slaughter, and the TVB-N and TBARS content were lower than those of manual slaughtered samples, while the water holding capacity was higher than that of manual slaughtered samples. Conclusion: Mechanical slaughter is beneficial to maintaining the muscle quality of eels compared to manual slaughter.

The current situation of the development of freshwater fish pretreatment processing industry and development level of freshwater fish pretreatment equipment were briefly described in this manuscript. The development history of mechanical for freshwater fish pretreatment was reviewed. Based on the processing technology of freshwater fish, combining the processing needs of different freshwater fish and freshwater fish products, the main structure composition form and operation mode of existing freshwater fish pretreatment was summarized. The current cutting-edge technology of existing visual recognition and automatic monitoring practical applications in domestic and foreign were included. The research direction combined with China's national conditions of freshwater fish pretreatment equipment was proposed in two aspects, which were automation and intelligence.

Abstract Citrullus ecirrhosus, Citrullus rehmii, and Citrullus naudinianus are three important related wild species of watermelon in the genus Citrullus, and their morphological differences are clear, however, their chloroplast genome differences remain unknown. This study is the first to assemble, analyze, and publish the complete chloroplast genomes of C. ecirrhosus, C. rehmii, and C. naudinianus. A comparative analysis was then conducted among the complete chloroplast genomes of seven extant Citrullus species, and the results demonstrated that the average genome sizes of Citrullus is 157,005 bp, a total of 130–133 annotated genes were identified, including 8 rRNA, 37 tRNA and 85–88 protein-encoding genes. Their gene content, order, and genome structure were similar. However, noncoding regions were more divergent than coding regions, and rps16-trnQ was a hypervariable fragment. Thirty-four polymorphic SSRs, 1,271 SNPs and 234 INDELs were identified. Phylogenetic trees revealed a clear phylogenetic relationship of Citrullus species, and the developed molecular markers (SNPs and rps16-trnQ) could be used for taxonomy in Citrullus. Three genes (atpB, clpP1, and rpoC2) were identified to undergo selection and would promote the environmental adaptation of Citrullus.

Abstract Solution growth of single-crystal ferroelectric oxide films has long been pursued for the low-cost development of high-performance electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, the established principles of vapor-phase epitaxy cannot be directly applied to solution epitaxy, as the interactions between the substrates and the grown materials in solution are quite different. Here, we report the successful epitaxy of single-domain ferroelectric oxide films on Nb-doped SrTiO3 single-crystal substrates by solution reaction at a low temperature of ~200 oC. The epitaxy is mainly driven by an electronic polarization screening effect at the interface between the substrates and the as-grown ferroelectric oxide films, which is realized by the electrons from the doped substrates. Atomic-level characterization reveals a nontrivial polarization gradient throughout the films in a long range up to ~500 nm because of a possible structural transition from the monoclinic phase to the tetragonal phase. This polarization gradient generates an extremely high photovoltaic short-circuit current density of ~2.153 mA/cm2 and open-circuit voltage of ~1.15 V under 375 nm light illumination with power intensity of 500 mW/cm2, corresponding to the highest photoresponsivity of ~4.306×10−3 A/W among all known ferroelectrics. Our results establish a general low-temperature solution route to produce single-crystal gradient films of ferroelectric oxides and thus open the avenue for their broad applications in self-powered photo-detectors, photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices.

Abstract A bulk material without inversion symmetry can generate a direct current under illumination. This interface-free current generation mechanism, referred to as the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE), does not rely on p-n junctions. Here, we explore the shift current generation, a major mechanism responsible for the BPVE, in single-element two-dimensional (2D) ferroelectrics represented by phosphorene-like monolayers of As, Sb, and Bi. The strong covalency, small band gap, and large joint density of states afforded by these elemental 2D materials give rise to large shift currents, outperforming many state-of-the-art materials. We find that the shift current, due to its topological nature, depends sensitively on the details of the Bloch wave functions. It is crucial to consider the electronic exchange-correlation potential beyond the generalized gradient approximation as well as the spin-orbit interaction in density functional theory calculations to obtain reliable frequency-dependent shift current responses.

Abstract Background A few studies have reported that electroacupuncture (EA) can repair the intestinal barrier through unknown mechanisms. Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) was shown to play an important role in the protection of the gut barrier in recent studies. Gut microbiota can influence the expression of CB1. In this study, we explored the effect of EA on the gut barrier in acute colitis and its mechanism. Methods A dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced acute colitis model, CB1 antagonist model and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) model were used in this study. The disease activity index (DAI) score, colon length, histological score, and inflammatory factors were detected to evaluate colonic inflammation. Methods for detecting intestinal barrier functions included the expression of tight junction proteins, intestinal permeability, and the number of goblet cells. Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing was applied to analyze alterations in the gut microbiota. Western blotting and RT-PCR were performed to assess the levels of CB1 and autophagy-related proteins. Autophagosomes were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Results EA reduced the DAI score, histological score, levels of inflammatory factors, and restored the colon length. Moreover, EA increased the expression of tight junction proteins and the number of goblet cells, and decreased intestinal permeability. In addition, EA remodeled the community structure of the gut microbiota, increased the expression of CB1, and enhanced the degree of autophagy. However, the therapeutic effects were reversed by CB1 antagonists. In addition, FMT in the EA group exhibited similar effects to EA and upregulated CB1. Conclusions We concluded that EA may protect intestinal barrier functions by increasing the expression of CB1 to enhance autophagy through gut microbiota in DSS-induced acute colitis.

Summary: RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is implicated in cancer progression, yet its role in regulating long noncoding RNAs during cancer progression remains unclear. Here, we report that the m6A demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) stabilizes long intergenic noncoding RNA for kinase activation (LINK-A) to promote cell proliferation and chemoresistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Mechanistically, LINK-A promotes the interaction between minichromosome maintenance complex component 3 (MCM3) and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), increasing MCM3 phosphorylation. This phosphorylation facilitates the loading of the MCM complex onto chromatin, which promotes cell-cycle progression and subsequent cell proliferation. Moreover, LINK-A disrupts the interaction between MCM3 and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), abrogating MCM3-mediated HIF-1α transcriptional repression and promoting glycolysis and chemoresistance. These results elucidate the mechanism by which FTO-stabilized LINK-A plays oncogenic roles and identify the FTO/LINK-A/MCM3/HIF-1α axis as a promising therapeutic target for ESCC.

Summary: Large irradiation surface solar simulator often has the problem of low irradiation uniformity. Therefore, a method for designing a large irradiation surface solar simulator with high irradiation uniformity is proposed. According to the law of conservation of energy and the edge-ray principle of non-imaging optics, the free-form surface concentrator is designed and optimized by using the simulated annealing algorithm based on Bessel curve to improve the incident beam uniformity of the integrator. The optical integrator and projection system are also designed and optimized to eliminate aberrations, improve light efficiency, and enlarge the irradiation area. The design is verified using LightTools software and achieves an effective irradiation size of Φ1200 mm with an irradiance of a solar constant and an irradiation uniformity of less than 2.0%. This study provides accurate and reliable solar irradiation for laboratory calibration and performance testing of spacecraft payloads.

Abstract Background Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy related disease that affects about 5% of pregnancies. Death receptor 3 (DR3) expression is significantly elevated in both placental tissue and plasma of PE patients. However, whether DR3 was involved in trophoblasts in pathogenesis of PE are not well elucidated. Objective Our research was designed to illustrate the biological roles of DR3 in placental trophoblasts, as well as explain its relevant mechanisms. Methods HTR‐8/SVneo cells viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were assessed using MTT, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Levels of DR3, PI3K, and AKT in HTR‐8/SVneo cells were analyzed via reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Western blot analysis was utilized to assess DR3, p‐PI3K, p‐AKT, PI3K, and AKT protein expression. Results Upregulation of DR3 obviously inhibited HTR‐8/SVneo cells viability, migration, and invasion, as well as promoted HTR‐8/SVneo cells apoptosis, as opposed to the control‐plasmid group. We also found that DR3‐plasmid enhanced cleaved‐caspase3 expression, reduced p‐PI3K and p‐AKT protein expression, and p‐PI3K/PI3K or p‐AKT/AKT ratio in HTR‐8/SVneo cells. Importantly, IGF‐1, a PI3K/AKT signaling pathway agonist, partially reversed the effects of DR3‐plasmid on the cell viability, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and PI3K/AKT signal pathway in HTR‐8/SVneo cells. Conclusion DR3 was involved in PE through regulating placental trophoblast cell physiology via PI3K/AKT pathway, which might be a promising therapeutic target for PE therapy.

The rising prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a global health threat that needs to be addressed urgently. Basic leucine zipper ATF-like transcription factor (BATF) is commonly thought to be involved in immunity, but its effect on lipid metabolism is not clear. Here, we investigated the function of BATF in hepatic lipid metabolism. BATF alleviated high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis and inhibited elevated programmed cell death protein (PD)1 expression induced by HFD. A mechanistic study confirmed that BATF regulated fat accumulation by inhibiting PD1 expression and promoting energy metabolism. PD1 antibodies alleviated hepatic lipid deposition. In conclusion, we identified the regulatory role of BATF in hepatic lipid metabolism and that PD1 is a target for alleviation of NAFLD. This study provides new insights into the relationship between BATF, PD1, and NAFLD.

In the process of designing and adjusting the solar simulator, the side lobe effect and aberration of the optical integrator affect the irradiation uniformity, an integrating sphere is proposed to replace the optical integrator for uniform light and the compound parabolic reflector for beam shaping. First, based on the equal illuminance theorem and the radiation transfer theory, the calculation formula of the energy transmission efficiency of the porous integrating sphere is derived; Then, the light hole illuminance interference factor is introduced, and the effects of the aperture size of the integrating sphere, the radius of the integrating sphere, and the size and position of the baffle on the energy transmission efficiency and irradiation uniformity are analyzed. Finally, an integrating sphere uniform light system with high energy transmission efficiency and uniformity is designed and simulated with LightTools software. The simulation results show that: the average difference of irradiation uniformity and the range difference of irradiation uniformity are closest to 1 in the area where the ratio of the opening size and radius of the integrating sphere is 36%–40%, and the light is evenly distributed; When the baffle position is 0.8 times of integrating sphere radius away from the light entrance hole, irradiation non-uniformity at the outlet hole is 1.99%, which is the best position of the baffle; In the effective irradiation surface of Φ1032 mm, the irradiation non-uniformity is 1.98%, and the maximum irradiance is 0.62 solar constants, the spot simulation with high irradiation uniformity on large irradiation surface is realized.

Integrating wave energy converters (WECs) onto floating offshore wind turbine platforms has emerged as a recent focal point of research aiming to achieve synergistic marine energy utilization and enhance the spatial efficiency of renewable energy. The power performance of WECs relies on hydrodynamic interactions with the floating platform. However, the coupled dynamic response and power generation mechanism remain unclear. This study establishes a multi-body model for the constrained motion of floating-platform and point-absorber WECs in the frequency domain. The power performance of WECs under different arrangements is compared and optimized. The performance of different hydrodynamic models in the South China Sea is analyzed further. The results indicate that exceptional peak performance is achieved when a single point absorber is placed on the floating platform. However, its performance under the full spectrum of wave frequencies in real sea conditions is suboptimal. Conversely, as the number of point absorbers on the floating platform increases, the performance of the hybrid system becomes more stable in real sea conditions. Furthermore, the array arrangement of point absorbers on the floating platform leads to multiple peaks in their power performance, and in selected array arrangements, the average power generation at specific frequencies is significantly superior to that of a single point absorber on the floating platform.

High-precision images enable electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) to obtain more reliable measurement results, meaning that the reconstruction algorithm is particularly important. Some excellent numerical algorithms have successfully solved the inverse problem for ECT imaging, but their imaging quality is relatively low. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a new reconstruction algorithm based on regularized extreme learning machines (RELMs). The implementation of the algorithm is mainly divided into two steps: (1) according to a large number of training samples, the RELM model can be obtained by the iterative split Bregman (ISB) algorithm, which can describe the mapping relationship between the capacitance correlation coefficient and the imaging target well, and (2) the capacitance correlation coefficient is calculated, which is then used as input to the RELM model to predict the final imaging. Both simulation and experimental results show that the RELM algorithm achieves greater improvement in imaging quality and robustness, and provides new development ideas for the ECT.

O-GlcNAcylation is a post-translational modification of proteins that involves the addition of O-GlcNAc to serine or threonine residues of nuclear or cytoplasmic proteins, catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT). This modification is highly dynamic and can be reversed by O-GlcNAcase (OGA). O-GlcNAcylation is widespread in the immune system, which engages in multiple physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. There is substantial evidence indicating that both the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) and O-GlcNAcylation are critically involved in regulating immune cell function. However, the precise role of O-GlcNAcylation in the immune system needs to be adequately elucidated. This review offers a thorough synopsis of the present research on protein O-GlcNAcylation, accentuating the molecular mechanisms that control immune cells’ growth, maturation, and performance via this PTM.

This paper aims to investigate the key points for olive oil total migration test for multilayer laminated films. The samples were made into 1.20 dm2 specimens. The tests of total migration in olive oil were carried out according to the standard GB31604.8—2021. It was found that the results of moisture- sensitive determination for the same material samples were various. The results of olive oil total migration differed greatly between conditioned and unconditioned moisture-sensitive samples. The test results of the volatiles measurement of the specimens also affected the final value of the total migration. Concurrently, the results of the volatiles measurement of the specimens of different multilayer composite films were different. Due to the different materials, the laminate membrane had different adsorption capacity for olive oil. The result determinations were affected by the completeness of olive oil extraction. Therefore, the test results of total migration in olive oil should fully consider the steps of specimen moisture conditioning, volatile matter determination and the number of olive oil extraction to ensure the accuracy of test results.

Abstract Background The development of diabetes is closely related to the gut microbiota in recent studies, which can be influenced by intestinal motility. A few studies report that electroacupuncture (EA) can lower blood glucose. EA can promote colonic motility and influence gut microbes. In this study, we explored the effect of the EA on blood glucose level in mice with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its mechanism. Methods The T2D mice model, fecal microbiota transplantation mice model, and KitW/Wv mice model （Point mutation of mouse W locus encoding kit gene）were used to investigate the effect of EA on blood glucose as well as the mechanism; The blood glucose and insulin resistance level and the intestinal flora were evaluated. The level of intestinal junction protein, inflammatory cytokines in the serum, interstitial cells of Cajal content, and colonic motility were detected. Lastly, the IKKβ/NF‐κB‐JNK‐IRS‐1‐AKT pathway was explored. Results EA lowered the blood glucose level, altered the gut microbiota, and promoted colonic motility in T2D mice. EA‐altered microbiota decreased the blood glucose level and insulin resistance in the antibiotics‐treated diabetic mice. EA increased tight junction protein, lowered inflammatory factors, and regulated the IKKβ/NF‐κB‐JNK‐IRS‐1‐AKT pathway in the liver and muscles. EA could not reduce the blood glucose and regulated gut microbiota in the KitW/Wv mice model. Conclusions EA promoted intestinal motility to regulate the intestinal flora, thereby reducing the level of systemic inflammation, and ultimately lowering the blood glucose by the IKKβ/NF‐κB‐JNK‐IRS‐1‐AKT signal pathway.

Due to the dynamic evolution of precipitates during thermomechanical processing, the intricate effects of second-phase particles on recrystallization behavior are still far from being clear. In this work, the relevance between static recrystallization and pre-aging precipitates in AZ61 (Mg–6Al–1Zn) alloy was systematically investigated. Our results reveal that the presence of pre-aging precipitates increases stored deformation energy by facilitating the generation of dislocations, thus accelerating the recrystallization rate during the initial recrystallization stage. Besides, these uniform distributed dislocations could act as heterogeneous nucleation sites and promote precipitation of fine dispersoids during the subsequent annealing stage. These dispersoids hinder the movement of dislocations and grain boundaries, leading to the increase of Zener pinning pressure. Therefore, the effect of pre-aging particles on recrystallization kinetics gradually transforms from acceleration to retardation as the annealing time prolongs. This work demonstrates that manipulating the features of precipitates through pre-aging treatment is an applicable strategy to control the static recrystallization behavior of Mg alloys.

Among enteroviruses, echovirus can cause severe illnesses in neonates or infants, with high morbidity and mortality. Autophagy, a central component of host defense mechanisms, can function against diverse infections. In the present study, we investigated the interplay between echovirus and autophagy. We demonstrated that echovirus infection increases LC3-II expression dose-dependently, accompanied by an increased intracellular LC3 puncta level. In addition, echovirus infection induces the formation of autophagosome. These results suggest that echovirus infection induces autophagy machinery. Furthermore, phosphorylated mTOR and ULK1 were both decreased upon echovirus infection. In contrast, both levels of the vacuolar protein sorting 34 (VPS34) and Beclin-1, the downstream molecules which play essential roles in promoting the formation of autophagic vesicles, increased upon virus infection. These results imply that the signaling pathways involved in autophagosome formation were activated by echovirus infection. Moreover, induction of autophagy promotes echovirus replication and viral protein VP1 expression, while inhibition of autophagy impairs VP1 expression. Our findings suggest that autophagy can be induced by echovirus infection via regulating mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway and exhibits a proviral function, revealing the potential role of autophagy in echovirus infection.

The bonding properties between rubber granule–basalt fiber composite modified concrete (RBFC) and rebar greatly impact the load-carrying capacity, stiffness, and crack development of RBFC structures. In this paper, the effects of rebar diameter, bonding length, and concrete type on the bonding properties between RBFC and rebar were investigated using center pull-out tests. The bond stress–slip curve as well as the bond strength and its influencing factors were discussed in detail, and a semi-theoretical and semi-empirical model of RBFC with rebar was established. According to the findings, when rubber granules were added to concrete, its bond strength with rebar decreased. At a dosage of 5%, the bond strength was reduced by approximately 4% compared to ordinary concrete (OC) under the same conditions. It was shown that the addition of small amounts of rubber granules did not significantly reduce the bond strength. On the other hand, the incorporation of an appropriate amount of basalt fibers had a positive effect on the bond strength. An admixture of 4.56 Kg/m3 of fibers increased the bond strength by 3% compared to OC under the same conditions. The bond strength of RBFC with these two additions was improved by approximately 2% compared to OC under the same conditions. When the bonding length was 60 to 100 mm, the ultimate bond strength decreased with increasing bonding lengths. The bond strength decreased by 13.91–16.72% for every 20 mm increase in bonding length. When the rebar diameter was 12 to 16 mm, the ultimate bond stress decreased as the rebar diameter increased. The bond strength decreased by 3.96–5.94% for every 2 mm increase in rebar diameter. The segmental bond–slip constitutive model between RBFC and rebar, established using the results of the center pull-out test, can provide a reference basis for engineering applications of RBFC.

Remote sensing image registration has been a very important research topic, especially the registration of heterologous images. In the research of the past few years, numerous registration algorithms for heterogenic images have been developed, especially feature-based matching algorithms, such as point feature-based or line feature-based matching methods. However, there are few matching algorithms that combine line and point features. Therefore, this study proposes a matching algorithm that combines line features and point features while achieving good rotation invariance. It comprises LSD detection of line features, keypoint extraction, and HOG-like feature descriptor construction. The matching performance is compared with state-of-the-art matching algorithms on three heterogeneous image datasets (optical–SAR dataset, optical–infrared dataset, and optical–optical dataset), verifying our method’s rotational invariance by rotating images in each dataset. Finally, the experimental results show that our algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of matching performance while possessing very good rotation invariance.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers. Fatty acid metabolism (FAM) is associated with the development and treatment of HCC. This study aimed to build a FAM-related gene model to assess the prognosis of HCC and provide guidance for individual treatment. RNA-sequencing data of patients with HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE14520) were extracted as the training and validation sets, respectively. A FAM-related gene predictive signature was built, and the performance of prognostic model was assessed. The immune infiltration and drug sensitivity were also evaluated. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot were performed to evaluate the levels of the model genes. A 12-gene FAM-related risk signature was constructed; patients with a higher risk score had poorer prognosis than those with a lower risk score. Risk score was shown as an independent risk factor for overall survival of HCC, and the signature was further confirmed as an effective and accurate model. A nomogram was constructed, and it exhibited the good performance in the prognostic prediction. In addition, the immune cell infiltration and sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs were correlated with different risk levels. Finally, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot proved the changes of above genes. Differential expression of FAM-related genes can be used to predict response to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, and improve the clinical prognosis evaluation of patients with HCC, which provides new clues for further experimental exploration and verification on FAM-related genes in HCC.

Objective To explore the role and underlying mechanism of microfibrillar associated protein 5 (MFAP5) in the treatment of overweight polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with metformin combined with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), liraglutides, by analyzing the correlation of the molecule alteration with improvement of metabolic indexes. Methods Twenty-three overweight or obese PCOS patients who were treated with metformin combined with liraglutide for 12 weeks in our hospital during December 2019 and February 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. According to body mass index (BMI), the subjects were divided into obese group (n=12) and overweight group (n=11). They were all given oral administration of metformin hydrochloride enteric-coated tablet (0.5 g, 3 times/day) and subcutaneous injection of liraglutide injection (primarily, 0.6 mg, once/day, and then increased to 1.2 mg, once/day, 1 week later, with the maximum dose of 1.8 mg). Physical measurement indicators, metabolic and inflammatory related indicators and sex hormone levels of the 2 groups were collected before and after 12 weeks of treatment. Plasma MFAP5 level was detected by ELISA. Results After 12 weeks of treatment, physical measurement indicators, glucose and lipid metabolism indicators, inflammatory indicators and sex hormone levels were all improved in both groups (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the alteration of plasma MFAP5 level in all patients were positively correlated with the changes of body weight (r=0.520, P=0.011), BMI (r=0.469, P=0.024), waist circumference (r=0.634, P=0.001), hip circumference (r=0.587, P=0.001), fasting insulin (r=0.602, P=0.002) and triglyceride (r=0.556, P=0.002). For the patients form the overweight group, their change of plasma MFAP5 level had a positive correlation with the changes of glucolipid metabolism related indicators, including insulin at 60 min in insulin releasing test (r=0.602, P=0.002) and triglyceride (r=0.655, P=0.029). In the obese group, the change of plasma MFAP5 level was positively correlated with the changes of waist circumference (r=0.495, P=0.002), hip circumference (r=0.508, P=0.010), glucolipid metabolism related indicators, such as fasting insulin (r=0.578, P=0.001), insulin at 180 min (r=0.656, P=0.021), HOMA-IR (r=0.497, P=0.012), triglyceride (r=0.595, P=0.041), and sex hormone. Conclusion In overweight PCOS patients, plasma MFAP5 level is related to the improvement of glucolipid metabolism. MFAP5 may be a related molecule involved in the treatment of overweight PCOS with liraylutide combined with metformin, and may serve as a reliable indicator in monitoring of therapeutic efficacy.

Aiming at the problem of low irradiation uniformity in existing solar simulators with large irradiation surface, a new optical design method of off-axis TMA (three-mirror anastigmat) solar simulators with large irradiation surface high uniformity was proposed. Three groups of short arc xenon lamps and non-coaxial ellipsoid mirror are used as composite light sources, the causes of stray light in optical integrator are clarified, and the optimization design method of integrator based on anti-crosstalk diaphragm is proposed. The light propagation matrix model of the optical system of the solar simulator is established to effectively suppress stray light in the integrator, and the influence of the aberration of the collimating system on the irradiation uniformity was analyzed. A optical system of object side telecentric off-axis TMA was designed to achieve high uniform illumination with large irradiation area. The results show that in the Φ500 mm irradiation surface, the irradiance of the system is better than 1S0 (1367 w/m2), up to 1656 w/m2, irradiation uniformity is 98.29%, this research can provide accurate and reliable solar radiation for space environment experiment of satellite load and make up for the limitation of low irradiation uniformity of traditional solar simulators with large irradiation surface.

Extreme wave loading on a marine structure, consisting of a quasi-static and a dynamically slamming component, often drives the design of such a structure. Their accurate predictions remain challenging tasks. This paper examines the slamming contribution to the force–time histories from a series of experiments in which the crest of a wave is forced to hit a truncated cylinder suspended from above. A range of inundation levels, representing the breaker heights, are considered. The work also provides insights into nonlinear load characteristics on a vertical truncated cylinder. A simple analytical model based on the Newtonian momentum analysis is extended to describe the scaling of the horizontal peak force with the inundation level, i.e., the relationship between the wave slamming loads and the breaker height. More specially, it is found that the peak horizontal impact force is proportional to the inundation level and the square of the linear wave amplitude. In addition, the horizontal and the vertical impact forces on a truncated cylinder are found to increase with the increasing inundation level, while the effect from the wave steepness is relatively small. Furthermore, the higher-order wave components driving nonlinear (quasi-static) loading on a structure are separated by applying a phase-based separation method assuming a Stokes-like approximation. The separation method is found to work well even for long shallow-water waves that have strong nonlinearities. The results suggested that the relative contribution from the fundamental linear wave and higher-order wave components decreases and increases with the increasing nonlinearity of long waves, respectively, characterized by the Ursell number. Finally, this increase in the higher-order wave components is found to be saturated at large Ursell numbers.

The occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and symptom onset are closely associated with diet. We aimed to compare the dietary and lifestyle triggers between non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and reflux esophagitis (RE) in Chinese patients and to provide evidence for development of practical dietary modifications for GERD. A multicenter cross-sectional survey was conducted. A total of 396 GERD patients with typical gastroesophageal reflux symptoms who received upper endoscopy in the previous month were enrolled, including 203 cases of NERD patients and 193 cases of RE patients. All participants completed questionnaires including demographic data, reflux symptoms, previous management, dietary and lifestyle habits, triggers of reflux symptoms, psychological status, and quality of life. There were no significant differences in GERD symptom scores between NERD and RE. RE patients had a higher male proportion and smoking/drinking and overeating rates than NERD patients. In the NERD group, more patients reported that fruits, dairy products, yogurt, bean products, cold food, and carbonated beverages sometimes and often induced reflux symptoms and had more triggers compared to RE patients. The number of triggers was positively correlated to GERD symptom score and GERD-HRQL score in both NERD and RE patients. However, 74.0% of GERD patients still often consumed the triggering foods, even those foods that sometimes and often induced their reflux symptoms, which might be related to the reflux relapse after PPI withdrawal considering NERD and RE patients had similar GERD symptom severity. There were some differences in terms of dietary habits, dietary and lifestyle triggers, and related quality of life between NERD and RE, and these results may provide evidence of different approaches toward the dietary modification of NERD and RE patients.

Subjected to the relentless impacts of typhoons and rough seas, offshore wind turbines’ structures, particularly the tower, foundation, and blade, are at constant risk of damage. Full-field strain monitoring helps to discover potential structural defects, thereby reducing disasters caused by overall structural failure. This study introduces a novel method for assessing strain and temperature fields on these kinds of 3D surfaces of cylindrical structures. The method harnesses the capabilities of a high spatial resolution (0.65 mm) Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometer (OFDR)-based Distributed Optical Fiber Sensor (DOFS) in conjunction with a unique helical wiring layout. The core process begins with mapping the fiber optic path onto a plane corresponding to the unfolded cylinder. Fiber optic signals are then differentiated on this plane, deriving a two-dimensional strain distribution. The plane strain field is subsequently projected onto the 3D side of the cylinder. An experiment was carried out in which a 3.5 m long optical fiber was helically wound with a 10 mm pitch on the surface of a cantilever beam of a cylinder shell with a diameter of 36 mm and a length of 300 mm. The experiment collected about 5400 measurement points on the cylindrical surface of 340 cm2, approximately 15.9 measurement points per square centimeter. The reconstructed results successfully reveal the strain field of the pipe cantilever beam under bending and torsional loads, as well as the palm-shaped temperature field. This experimental validation of the method’s efficacy lays the theoretical groundwork for its application to real wind turbines.

In this study, a novel three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (NHGH-0.2) was synthesized via one-step hydrothermal treatment based on nitrogen doped and hydrogen peroxide etching. The preparation of NHGH-0.2 showed a hierarchical holey structure with high specific surface area of 874.9 m2/g, resulted from the synergistic effect of the N-doped and chemical etching. Electrochemical analysis showed ultrahigh specific capacitance of 303.1 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g and low charge transfer resistance, due to the excellent wettability and conductivity, which was help for rapidly diffuse and transfer of ions on the electrode surface. Capacitance was still maintained at 92.8% by the cycling stability test after 1000 charge–discharge cycles. The desalination performance applied for capacitive deionization (CDI) displayed the salt adsorption capacitive as high as 22.14 mg/g at the voltage of 1.6 V in the initial concentration of 500 mg/L NaCl solution. Therefore, the NHGH-0.2 electrode could be a promising CDI material for water treatment.