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This study aimed to prepare soybean dregs insoluble dietary fiber generated from the processing of traditional soybean products (TBP-IDF) and to compare the differences in structure and physicochemical properties between it and insoluble dietary fiber prepared from soybean protein isolate processing by-products (SPI-IDF). The optimal degreasing process of soybean dregs was optimized by single-factor experiments and response surface methodology. TBP-IDF was prepared by a complex enzymatic method and its basic components and fractions were determined. The structural differences between TBP-IDF and SPI-IDF were compared using ion chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Differences in the physicochemical properties of TBP-IDF and SPI-IDF were analyzed by determining water-holding capacity, swelling capacity, oil-holding capacity, glucose-absorption capacity, and cholesterol-adsorption capacity. The results showed that the optimal defatting process parameters for traditional soybean dregs were as follows: liquid-to-feed ratio of 22:1, treatment temperature of 59 ℃, and treatment time of 70 min, under which the defatting rate of soybean dregs reached 90.13%. The content of TBP-IDF was up to 83.23%, with 29.3% cellulose, 53.5% hemicellulose, and 17.2% lignin. Compared with SPI-IDF, there were significant differences in the composition of the monosaccharides of TBP-IDF, with significantly increased glucose content (P0.05). This study demonstrated that TBP-IDF had similar potential physiological activities with SPI-IDF, which could potentially be used as a functional food ingredient for assisting glycolipid metabolism, and expanded the sources and ways of preparing soybean insoluble dietary fiber.

Abstract The photoinduced semiconductor-to-metal transition (PSMT) unveils crucial photodynamic mechanisms and holds great promise for information storage, sensing, optoelectronics, optical switches, etc. All previously reported PSMTs have occurred between two structural phases of the same material, lacking real-space evidence at the atomic or molecular level. Herein, we report atomic-scale observations of a photoinduced ‘face changing’: light irradiation transforms a semiconductor copper selenide (Cu2Se) surface layer on Cu(111) into a well-defined metallic Cu layer. Se atoms sink to form a new Cu2Se sublayer, while the original subsurface Cu atoms are lifted to the top layer. The Cu2Se-to-Cu transition barrier is significantly lower in the excited state compared to the ground state. Thermoactivation enables the reverse transition. The photoinduced Cu2Se-to-Cu and thermoactivated Cu-to-Cu2Se transitions are highly reversible. This work, which demonstrates PSMT between two distinct materials and photo-driven interlayer atom migration, unlocks an unconventional and intriguing route for PSMT and surface modification technologies.

The hydrothermal changes in the active layers of permafrost soils during freeze–thaw processes are crucial for understanding the interactions between the surface and the atmosphere. The soil enthalpy of the active layer in permafrost regions is a comprehensive parameter incorporating soil temperature and moisture, reflecting the energy state of the soil. Changes in soil enthalpy during freeze–thaw processes have important impacts on soil hydrothermal coupling processes and the land–atmosphere energy exchange. In this paper, using the measured hydrothermal data of the continuous permafrost region at Tanggula and the relict permafrost region at Mahanshan on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we analyzed the characteristics of soil enthalpy changes during freeze–thaw processes and discuss the hydrothermal coupling effects of soil enthalpy and land–atmosphere energy changes occurring during the processes and the lag relationship between soil enthalpy and precipitation. The soil enthalpy changes at the two sites were different, mainly due to their difference in water content. There is a near-linear relationship between soil enthalpy and unfrozen water content, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.9 at all depths, reflecting the phase change and migration of soil moisture. Soil enthalpy and net radiation at the surface displayed similar patterns, reflecting the balance of the surface energy budget. There was a 1–2 months lag relationship between the soil enthalpy of the whole active layer and precipitation, and this relationship varied with the season and the underlying surface.

This is an article in the field of mining engineering. As an important battery raw material in the field of new energy, the global demand for lithium is accelerating. For a long time, China has needed to import a large amount of lithium raw materials, and there is still expected to be a significant demand gap in the future. Unconventional brine sources such as geothermal brine, oil and gas field brine, and desalination wastewater in seawater containing contain considerable lithium resources and may become an effective supplement to conventional lithium resources. As a green and sustainable method for extracting lithium resources, the development of unconventional brine-type lithium resources faces significant opportunities. The discovery of abundant unconventional brine-type lithium resources in Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan and other places in China will be of great help to solve the shortage of lithium raw material supply in China. By summarizing the current status and progress of unconventional brine-type lithium resource development and its key technologies both domestically and internationally, this article provides a reference for the development of unconventional brine-type lithium resources in China.

Abstract While the surface-bulk correspondence has been ubiquitously shown in topological phases, the relationship between surface and bulk in Landau-like phases is much less explored. Theoretical investigations since 1970s for semi-infinite systems have predicted the possibility of the surface order emerging at a higher temperature than the bulk, clearly illustrating a counterintuitive situation and greatly enriching phase transitions. But experimental realizations of this prediction remain missing. Here, we demonstrate the higher-temperature surface and lower-temperature bulk phase transitions in CrSBr, a van der Waals (vdW) layered antiferromagnet. We leverage the surface sensitivity of electric dipole second harmonic generation (SHG) to resolve surface magnetism, the bulk nature of electric quadrupole SHG to probe bulk spin correlations, and their interference to capture the two magnetic domain states. Our density functional theory calculations show the suppression of ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic competition at the surface is responsible for this enhanced surface magnetism. Our results not only show counterintuitive, richer phase transitions in vdW magnets, but also provide viable ways to enhance magnetism in their 2D form.

BackgroundThe use of acupuncture in cancer treatment is expanding. Nevertheless, the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in alleviating cancer-related hiccups remains uncertain and inconclusive.MethodsWe conducted a systematic search across eight databases: PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, WanFang, China Science and Technology Journal Database, SinoMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase, covering the period from their inception to July 2023. Literature was screened based on predefined PICOS inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Data synthesis was performed using Review Manager 5.3 software and R studio 4.4. Additionally, we conducted a frequency analysis of acupoint usage.ResultsA total of nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 580 patients were included in the analysis. The risk of bias assessment indicated a high risk of bias in all nine RCTs, primarily due to blinding of participants and personnel and random sequence generation (selection bias). The meta-analysis revealed that acupuncture significantly reduced the symptoms of cancer-related hiccups compared to pharmacological treatment (relative risk (RR) = 1.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.53, 2.20], p

This study investigated the effects of hot air drying (HAD), microwave vacuum drying (MVD), and vacuum frying drying (VFD) on the quality of yuba and utilized mathematical models (Peleg model, Weibull model, first-order kinetic model, and exponential association model) to explore the rehydration kinetics of yuba. The results indicated that, compared to HAD, MVD significantly increased yuba's L* value and sensory score, while VFD notably reduced the cooking loss and enhanced moisture retention. Significant changes were observed in the texture of yuba before and after cooking, with distinct differences noted under microscopic observation, and a pronounced change in protein secondary structure. The Peleg model can effectively fit the rehydration processes of HAD and VFD yuba, while the first-order kinetic model can effectively fit the rehydration processes of MVD yuba. This study provides a valuable reference for yuba's drying methods and rehydration kinetics model.

Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease that threatens human health. As the only viral surface protein, the rabies virus (RABV) glycoprotein (G) induces main neutralizing antibody (Nab) responses; however, Nab titre is closely correlated with the conformation of G. Virus-like particles (VLP) formed by the co-expression of RABV G and matrix protein (M) improve retention and antigen presentation, inducing broad, durable immune responses. RABV nucleoprotein (N) can elicit humoral and cellular immune responses. Hence, we developed a series of nucleoside-modified RABV mRNA vaccines encoding wild-type G, soluble trimeric RABV G formed by an artificial trimer motif (tG-MTQ), membrane-anchored prefusion-stabilized G (preG). Furthermore, we also developed RABV VLP mRNA vaccine co-expressing preG and M to generate VLPs, and VLP/N mRNA vaccine co-expressing preG, M, and N. The RABV mRNA vaccines induced higher humoral and cellular responses than inactivated rabies vaccine, and completely protected mice against intracerebral challenge. Additionally, the IgG and Nab titres in RABV preG, VLP and VLP/N mRNA groups were significantly higher than those in G and tG-MTQ groups. A single administration of VLP or VLP/N mRNA vaccines elicited protective Nab responses, the Nab titres were significantly higher than that in inactivated rabies vaccine group at day 7. Moreover, RABV VLP and VLP/N mRNA vaccines showed superior capacities to elicit potent germinal centre, long-lived plasma cell and memory B cell responses, which linked to high titre and durable Nab responses. In summary, our data demonstrated that RABV VLP and VLP/N mRNA vaccines could be promising candidates against rabies.

The continuous emergence of highly immune-evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants has challenged vaccine efficacy. A vaccine that can provide broad protection is desirable. We evaluated the immunogenicity of a series of monovalent and bivalent adenovirus-vectored vaccines containing the spikes of Wildtype (WT), Beta, Delta, Omicron subvariants BA.1, BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.2.13, BA.3, BA.5, BQ.1.1, and XBB. Vaccination in mice using monovalent vaccines elicited the highest neutralizing titers against each self-matched strain, but against other variants were reduced 2− to 73-fold. A bivalent vaccine consisting of WT and BA.5 broadened the neutralizing breadth against pre-Omicron and Omicron subvariants except XBB. Among bivalent vaccines based on the strains before the emergence of XBB, a bivalent vaccine consisting of BA.2 and BA.5 elicited the most potent neutralizing antibodies against Omicron subvariants, including XBB. In mice primed with injected WT vaccine, intranasal booster with a bivalent vaccine containing XBB and BA.5 could elicit broad serum and respiratory mucosal neutralizing antibodies against all late Omicron subvariants, including XBB. In mice that had been sequentially vaccinated with WT and BA.5, intranasal booster with a monovalent XBB vaccine elicited greater serum and mucosal XBB neutralizing antibodies than bivalent vaccines containing XBB. Both monovalent and bivalent XBB vaccines induced neutralizing antibodies against EG.5. Unlike the antibody response, which is highly variant-specific, mice receiving either monovalent or bivalent vaccines elicited comparable T-cell responses against all variants. Furthermore, intranasal but not intramuscular booster induced antigen-specific lung resident T cells. This study provides insights into the design of the COVID-19 vaccine and vaccination strategies.

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

ObjectivePain is a prevalent discomfort symptom associated with cancer, yet the correlations and potential mechanisms between pain and the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy remain uncertain.MethodsNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the inpatient department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021, were retrospectively enrolled. Through cox regression analysis, prognostic factors and independent prognostic factors affecting the efficacy of ICIs were identified, and a nomogram model was constructed. Hub cancer-related pain genes (CRPGs) were identified through bioinformatic analysis. Finally, the expression levels of hub CRPGs were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).ResultsBefore PSM, a total of 222 patients were enrolled in this study. Univariate and multivariate cox analysis indicated that bone metastasis and NRS scores were independent prognostic factors for the efficacy of ICIs. After PSM, a total of 94 people were enrolled in this study. Univariate cox analysis and multivariate cox analysis indicated that age, platelets, Dnlr, liver metastasis, bone metastasis, and NRS scores were independent prognostic factors for the efficacy of ICIs. A nomogram was constructed based on 6 independent prognostic factors with AUC values of 0.80 for 1-year, 0.73 for 2-year, and 0.80 for 3-year survival. ELISA assay results indicated that the level of CXCL12 significantly decreased compared to baseline after pain was relieved.ConclusionBaseline pain is an independent prognostic factor affecting the efficacy of ICIs in lung cancer, potentially through CXCL12-mediated inflammation promotion and immunosuppression.

BackgroundAlthough numerous studies have explored acupuncture for alleviating Parkinson's disease (PD) symptoms, specific methods focusing on reducing anxiety in these patients are lacking. Preliminary research indicates that acupuncture may improve anxiety in patients with Parkinson's; however, high-quality evidence is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) to assess the efficacy of acupuncture in managing anxiety symptoms in PD.MethodsWe systematically searched eight databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of anxiety in patients with PD. Primary outcomes were measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Secondary outcomes included the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool, and certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE system. The Trial Sequential Analysis (TSA) was used to assess the sufficiency of the evidence.ResultsOur meta-analysis included 14 studies. The Manual acupuncture (MA) + routine drug treatment (RDT) group improved more than the RDT alone group. MA was more effective than sham acupuncture. MA+ traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was also more effective than TCM. Auricular therapy (AT) was not as effective as control therapy (CT). The Electroacupuncture (EA) + routine drug treatment (RDT) group was not as effective as RDT. PDQ-39 and UPDRS subgroup analysis showed that the acupuncture group had better clinical efficacy than CT. The GRADE assessment rated the overall certainty of evidence for anxiety outcomes as low, PDQ-39 as very low and UPDRS as low. TSA results indicate insufficient evidence; further high-quality RCTs are needed to substantiate these findings.ConclusionOur analysis suggests that MA combined with RDT may help ameliorate anxiety in PD patients, although the evidence is weak due to low quality RCTs. EA and AT showed no significant effects, highlighting the need for more rigorous studies with better controls and longer follow-up. The potential of acupuncture for PD-related anxiety should be considered with caution until stronger evidence becomes available.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/.

Background: The number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) on acupuncture therapy for CRI is increasing; however, the credibility of the evidence remains unclear with controversial results, necessitating a comprehensive evaluation. Objective: We aimed to critically assess the evidence in SRs/MAs regarding the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy for CRI from various aspects and conduct an exploratory analysis to identify potential issues. Method: Two reviewers conducted comprehensive searches in eight databases. SRs/MAs of randomized controlled trials are included. After screening according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, two reviewers extracted data from eligible SRs/MAs and conducted a detailed assessment of methodological quality, risk of bias, and quality of evidence using AMSTAR-2, ROBIS, and GRADE tools. Meanwhile, we calculated the Corrected Covered Area (CCA) leveraging the GROOVE tool. After manually excluding duplicate studies, we assess the risk of bias of primary studies extracted from SRs/MAs and conducted exploratory meta-analysis. Result: The comprehensive analysis included 10 SRs/MAs. The AMSRAT-2 results indicate significant methodological flaws in SRs/MAs, with the main issues focusing on the lack of provision of exclusion checklist for the studies. Furthermore, over half of the SRs/MAs have a high risk of bias due to incomplete retrieval and failure to follow the protocol. Most SRs/MAs demonstrated considerable completeness in reporting quality. Notably, the overall level of evidence is low. High overlap indicates redundant SRs/MAs. Exploratory analysis suggests that acupuncture therapy may be effective for CRI; however, with a high risk of bias, caution is needed in interpreting the results. Sensitivity analysis results are stable, and the funnel plot indicates no publication bias. Most SRs/MAs acknowledge the safety of acupuncture. Conclusion: Currently, the credibility of acupuncture therapy for treating CRI is low and improvements are needed in methodology, risk of bias, and quality of reporting. Acupuncture therapy shows potential but lacks sufficient support; high-level evidence is warranted to elucidate the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating CRI.

Benzophenone-4 (BP-4), a widely utilized organic ultraviolet (UV) filter, is recognized as a pseudo-persistent contaminant in aquatic environments. To elucidate the effects and mechanisms of BP-4 on marine diatoms, an investigation was conducted on the growth rate, photosynthetic pigment content, photosynthetic parameters, antioxidant enzyme activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, cellular structure, and transcriptome profile of the model species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum. The results showed a pronounced inhibition of algal growth upon exposure to BP-4, with a 144 h-EC50 value of 201 mg·L−1. In addition, BP-4 exposure resulted in a significant reduction in biomass, disruption of cell membrane integrity, and increased MDA accumulation, with levels escalating 3.57-fold at 125 mg·L−1 of BP-4. In the BP-4-treated samples, 1556 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 985 were upregulated and 571 were downregulated. Gene ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the carbon fixation and carbon metabolism processes in P. tricornatum were disrupted in response to BP-4 exposure, along with excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The upregulation of genes associated with photosynthetic pigment (chlorophyll and carotenoids) synthesis, phospholipid synthesis, ribosome biogenesis, and translation-related pathways may be regarded as a component of P. tricornatum's tolerance mechanism towards BP-4. These results provide preliminary insights into the toxicity and tolerance mechanisms of BP-4 on P. tricornatum. They will contribute to a better understanding of the ecotoxicological impacts of BP-4 on the marine ecosystem and provide valuable information for elimination of BP-4 in aquatic environment by bioremediation.

Coastal wetlands are the main distribution of blue carbon in coastal zones and well known for their high carbon sequestration capacity. Investigating the variation of carbon budget is crucial for understanding the functionality of coastal wetlands and effectively addressing climate change. In this study, a bibliometric analysis of 4,509 articles was conducted to reveal research progress, hot issues, and emerging trends in the coastal wetland carbon budget field. The number of publications and citations in this field increased exponentially from 1991 to 2022. The leading subject category was Environmental Sciences with 1,844 articles (40.9%). At present, studies have been focused on blue carbon, the effects of climate change and man-made disturbances on carbon cycle, and the restoration of coastal wetlands. Based on the hotspots and trends in this field, the future researches should include (1) exploring the functional mechanisms of various factors affecting carbon cycle and establishing a methodological system for the estimation of blue carbon in coastal wetlands; (2) researching restoration techniques of coastal wetland and constructing wetland restoration evaluation index system; and (3) formulating enforceable carbon trading policy and strengthening international cooperation. HIGHLIGHTS Bibliometric analysis of the carbon budget of coastal wetlands was conducted.; The number of publications and citations increased exponentially from 1991 to 2022.; Research hotspots of coastal wetlands shifted from greenhouse gases to blue carbon.; More attention should be paid to restoration techniques of coastal wetlands.;

Generation of lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC) between dehydrogenation polymer (DHP) and pulp fibers may have an important impact on the properties of pulp. In this work, the benzyl ester-type LCC was formed between oxidized cellulose and DHP. The effect of pH on the addition reaction of oxidized cellulose to quinone methide in the synthesis of DHP-cellulose complex (DHPCC) was investigated. The structure of the product was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Carbon 13-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (13C-NMR), and 2-Dimensional Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (2D HSQC NMR) analyses. The results indicated that cellulose was indeed oxidized and carboxyl groups were introduced into cellulose by the oxidation process. The formed DHPCC was connected by benzyl ester linkage. In addition, the pH of the reaction system had an important role in the formation of the benzyl ester bonds. The acidic condition (pH = 4.0) was conducive to the addition reaction of quinone methide with carboxyl groups of cellulose. Overall, this study provides helpful guidance for the generation of LCC between DHP and paper pulp fibers.

Abstract Fluorescence microscopy has undergone rapid advancements, offering unprecedented visualization of biological events and shedding light on the intricate mechanisms governing living organisms. However, the exploration of rapid biological dynamics still poses a significant challenge due to the limitations of current digital camera architectures and the inherent compromise between imaging speed and other capabilities. Here, we introduce sHAPR, a high-speed acquisition technique that leverages the operating principles of sCMOS cameras to capture fast cellular and subcellular processes. sHAPR harnesses custom fiber optics to convert microscopy images into one-dimensional recordings, enabling acquisition at the maximum camera readout rate, typically between 25 and 250 kHz. We have demonstrated the utility of sHAPR with a variety of phantom and dynamic systems, including high-throughput flow cytometry, cardiomyocyte contraction, and neuronal calcium waves, using a standard epi-fluorescence microscope. sHAPR is highly adaptable and can be integrated into existing microscopy systems without requiring extensive platform modifications. This method pushes the boundaries of current fluorescence imaging capabilities, opening up new avenues for investigating high-speed biological phenomena.

In the process of constructional backfilling coal mining (CBCM), the demand for the strength of cemented gangue backfill (CGB) samples varies with different backfill rates. It is planned to adjust the strength of CGB samples by changing the proportion of fly ash in the dosage of cement-fly ash binary cementitious material (hereinafter referred to as the proportion of fly ash), and conduct uniaxial compression tests on CGB samples with different proportions of fly ash (0−90%) to explore the range of strength control of CGB samples, and analyze the failure morphology of the samples using digital image correlation technology, and analyze the brittle ductile failure mode of the samples using AE events. The strength of coal gangue and the strength of cement-fly ash binary cementitious material with different fly ash proportions are measured using the pressure cylinder method and uniaxial compression test, respectively, and the mechanism of strength formation of CGB samples is revealed based on the relationship between the strength of coal gangue and the strength of cement-fly ash binary cementitious material. The research results indicate that the strength of CGB decreases with the increase of proportion of fly ash, achieving a larger range of strength control for CGB: 1.77−30.04 MPa. The failure morphology and the brittle ductile failure mode of samples with different replacement rates of CGB samples are different, and the corresponding strength range of the samples is also different, Material properties have undergone fundamental changes. As the proportion of fly ash increases, in terms of the failure morphology, CGB samples transition from shear failure (0−50% proportion of fly ash) to tensile shear composite failure (60%−80% proportion of fly ash) and then to tensile failure (90% proportion of fly ash), corresponding to the strength ranges are 20.8−30.04 MPa, 5.63−12.35 MPa, and 1.77 MPa; In terms of the brittle ductile failure mode, the samples transition from brittle-ductile failure (0−40% proportion of fly ash) to ductile failure (50%−90% proportion of fly ash), corresponding to the strength ranges are 24.64−30.04 MPa and 1.77−20.8 MPa. The strength of CGB is determined by the strength of the cement-fly ash binary cementitious material (1.43−55.5 MPa) and the strength of coal gangue (with an average strength of 4.43 MPa). Cement-fly ash binary cementitious material contributes significantly to the strength of CGB, while coal gangue limits the strength of CGB. The obtained experimental results provide a certain reference for the strength selection of filling materials in CBCM.

Abstract The joints are existing throughout the underground rock mass. It is of great significance to investigate the shear performance of the rock mass to maintain the stability of the underground structure. In this study, we conducted orthogonal tests to determine the proportion of rock-like materials, and used JRC curves to make specimen molds and then prepare the specimens. We conducted straight shear tests and uniaxial compression tests to determine the various mechanical parameters of the rock-like materials. Next, we carried out the compression and shear tests to investigate the shear characteristics of the specimens, and study the damage pattern and shear strength of the jointed rock mass under different confining pressures and roughness levels. The mesoscopic displacements in the shear process of joints were analyzed by using ABAQUS. The test results show that the effect of the confining pressure on the shear strength of the joint plane is relatively obvious, and a larger confining pressure indicates a larger shear strength. The effects of different joint plane roughness and shear rated on the shear characteristics of the joint plane are also significant. The mesoscopic displacement difference inside the joint plane with higher roughness is relatively large, and the stress concentration phenomenon is obvious and lasts longer, which leads to the faster destruction of the specimen with higher roughness and the higher destruction degree. Therefore, we suggest that the priority should be given to the reinforcement of jointed rock mass with high roughness during the construction to prevent sudden destabilization and failure.

Abstract Developing efficient electrocatalysts for water splitting is of great significance for realizing sustainable energy conversion. In this work, Ru sub‐nanoclusters anchored on cobalt‐nickel bimetallic phosphides (Ru‐CoP/Ni2P) are constructed by an interfacial confinement strategy. Remarkably, Ru‐CoP/Ni2P with low noble metal loading (33.1 µg cm−2) shows superior activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in all pH values, whose turnover frequency (TOF) is 8.7, 15.3, and 124.7 times higher than that of Pt/C in acidic, alkaline, and neutral conditions, respectively. Meanwhile, it only requires the overpotential of 171 mV@10 mA cm−2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and corresponding TOF is 20.3 times higher than that of RuO2. More importantly, the Ru‐CoP/Ni2P||Ru‐CoP/Ni2P displays superior mass activity of 4017 mA mgnoble metal−1 at 2.0 V in flowing alkaline water electrolyzer, which is 105.1 times higher than that of Pt/C||IrO2. In situ Raman spectroscopy demonstrates that the Ru sites in Ru‐CoP/Ni2P play a key role for water splitting and follow the adsorption evolution mechanism toward OER. Further mechanism studies disclose the confined Ru atom contributes to the desorption of H2 during HER and the formation of O‐O bond during OER, leading to fast reaction kinetics. This study emphasizes the importance of interface confinement for enhancing electrocatalytic activity.

Background The species composition of and changes in grassland communities are important indices for inferring the number, quality and community succession of grasslands, and accurate monitoring is the foundation for evaluating, protecting, and utilizing grassland resources. Remote sensing technology provides a reliable and powerful approach for measuring regional terrain information, and the identification of grassland species by remote sensing will improve the quality and effectiveness of grassland monitoring. Methods Ground hyperspectral images of a sericite–Artemisia desert grassland in different seasons were obtained with a Soc710 VP imaging spectrometer. First-order differential processing was used to calculate the characteristic parameters. Analysis of variance was used to extract the main species, namely, Seriphidium transiliense (Poljak), Ceratocarpus arenarius L., Petrosimonia sibirica (Pall), bare land and the spectral characteristic parameters and vegetation indices in different seasons. On this basis, Fisher discriminant analysis was used to divide the samples into a training set and a test set at a ratio of 7:3. The spectral characteristic parameters and vegetation indices were used to identify the three main plants and bare land. Results The selection of parameters with significant differences (P < 0.05) between the recognition objects effectively distinguished different land features, and the identification parameters also differed due to differences in growth period and species. The overall accuracy of the recognition model established by the vegetation index decreased in the following order: June (98.87%) > September (91.53%) > April (90.37%). The overall accuracy of the recognition model established by the feature parameters decreased in the following order: September (89.77%) > June (88.48%) > April (85.98%). Conclusions The recognition models based on vegetation indices in different months are superior to those based on feature parameters, with overall accuracies ranging from 1.76% to 9.40% higher. Based on hyperspectral image data, the use of vegetation indices as identification parameters can enable the identification of the main plants in sericite–Artemisia desert grassland, providing a basis for further quantitative classification of the species in community images.

Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) combining the advantages of lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors are considered a promising next-generation energy storage device. However, the sluggish kinetics of battery-type anode cannot match the capacitor-type cathode, restricting the development of LICs. Herein, hierarchical carbon framework (HCF) anode material composed of 0D carbon nanocage bridged with 2D graphene network are developed via a template-confined synthesis process. The HCF with nanocage structure reduces the Li+ transport path and benefits the rapid Li+ migration, while 2D graphene network can promote the electron interconnecting of carbon nanocages. In addition, the doped N atoms in HCF facilitate to the adsorption of ions and enhance the pseudo contribution, thus accelerate the kinetics of the anode. The HCF anode delivers high specific capacity, remarkable rate capability. The LIC pouch-cell based on HCF anode and active HCF (a-HCF) cathode can provide a high energy density of 162 Wh kg−1 and a superior power density of 15.8 kW kg−1, as well as a long cycling life exceeding 15,000 cycles. This study demonstrates that the well-defined design of hierarchical carbon framework by incorporating 0D carbon nanocages and 2D graphene network is an effective strategy to promote LIC anode kinetics and hence boost the LIC electrochemical performance.

Abstract Imaging flow cytometry (IFC) combines flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy to enable high-throughput, multiparametric single-cell analysis with rich spatial details. However, current IFC techniques remain limited in their ability to reveal subcellular information with a high 3D resolution, throughput, sensitivity, and instrumental simplicity. In this study, we introduce a light-field flow cytometer (LFC), an IFC system capable of high-content, single-shot, and multi-color acquisition of up to 5,750 cells per second with a near-diffraction-limited resolution of 400-600 nm in all three dimensions. The LFC system integrates optical, microfluidic, and computational strategies to facilitate the volumetric visualization of various 3D subcellular characteristics through convenient access to commonly used epi-fluorescence platforms. We demonstrate the effectiveness of LFC in assaying, analyzing, and enumerating intricate subcellular morphology, function, and heterogeneity using various phantoms and biological specimens. The advancement offered by the LFC system presents a promising methodological pathway for broad cell biological and translational discoveries, with the potential for widespread adoption in biomedical research.

Abstract The study aims to investigate the precise processes by which the advancement of physical education and technological progress leads to ecological conservation efforts within China’s distinctive socio-cultural and economic framework. Acknowledging the pivotal role that economic advancement plays in a nation’s environmental sustainability, this research utilizes cross-sectional quantitative data gathered using a five-point Likert scale survey. The sample size included 503 undergraduate students from Zhengzhou, China, and structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze the data. The study investigates how technology progress influences the relationship between compatibility, environmental sustainability, and the relative benefits of physical education. It fills the gap in the literature by illuminating how technical innovation and advanced physical education development contribute to China’s pursuit of a sustainable environment. The findings emphasize the critical significance of higher physical education in fostering environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the research indicates that students participating in more rigorous physical education programs tend to possess a more well-rounded and mature mindset. This mindset is essential for healthy and long-lasting mental development, motivating individuals to critically consider environmental sustainability. The study provides valuable theoretical and practical insights that can be applied to enhance environmental sustainability in the country.

Solar wind charge exchange (SWCX) is the process of solar wind high-valence ions exchanging charges with neutral components and generating soft X-rays. Recently, detecting the SWCX emission from the magnetosphere is proposed as a new technique to study the magnetosphere using panoramic soft X-ray imaging. To better prepare for the data analysis of upcoming magnetospheric soft X-ray imaging missions, this paper compares the magnetospheric SWCX emission obtained by two methods in an XMM-Newton observation, during which the solar wind changed dramatically. The two methods differ in the data used to fit the diffuse X-ray background (DXB) parameters in spectral analysis. The method adding data from the ROSAT All-Sky Survey (RASS) is called the RASS method. The method using the quiet observation data is called the Quiet method, where quiet observations usually refer to observations made by the same satellite with the same target but under weaker solar wind conditions. Results show that the spectral compositions of magnetospheric SWCX emission obtained by the two methods are very similar, and the changes in intensity over time are highly consistent, although the intensity obtained by the RASS method is about \begin{document}$2.68\,\pm\, 0.56$\end{document} keV \begin{document}${\rm{cm}}^{-2} {\rm{s}}^{-1} {\rm{sr}}^{-1}$\end{document} higher than that obtained by the Quiet method. Since the DXB intensity obtained by the RASS method is about \begin{document}$2.84\,\pm\, 0.74$\end{document} keV \begin{document}${\rm{ cm}}^{-2} {\rm{s}}^{-1} {\rm{sr}}^{-1}$\end{document} lower than that obtained by the Quiet method, and the linear correlation coefficient between the difference of SWCX and DXB obtained by the two methods in different energy band is close to −1, the differences in magnetospheric SWCX can be fully attributed to the differences in the fitted DXB. The difference between the two methods is most significant when the energy is less than 0.7 keV, which is also the main energy band of SWCX emission. In addition, the difference between the two methods is not related to the SWCX intensity and, to some extent, to solar wind conditions, because SWCX intensity typically varies with the solar wind. In summary, both methods are robust and reliable, and should be considered based on the best available options.

The Community Land Model version 4 with carbon and nitrogen components is coupled with data assimilation research testbed to assimilate remotely sensed leaf area index (LAI), to analyze the improvement in model performance for simulating land surface variables and land–atmospheric exchange fluxes. The results demonstrate that assimilation effectively addresses the issue of significant overestimation of LAI values, particularly noticeable in regions characterized by low latitudes and dense vegetation coverage. At a global scale, the disparities between simulated and assimilated LAI relative to observational data, are measured at 0.90 and −0.07, representing 54.1% and 3.9% of the observed values, respectively. The root mean square difference (RMSD) for assimilated LAI is 1.61 comparing with the simulated LAI of 1.85. Assimilating LAI globally leads to a noteworthy 1% reduction in the mean relative difference of the global average 2-m air temperature (T2m) and a concurrent decrease of 0.15 °C in RMSD. However, at the global level, the assimilation of LAI does not yield a significant enhancement in the modeling capability of heat fluxes, although modeling capability of sensible heat (HS) slightly outperforms latent heat. Improvements in land surface variables after assimilation show significant variations at regional scales due to factors such as vegetation coverage and climatic conditions. Overall, in regions characterized by periodic changes in vegetation, such as forested areas in Western Eurasian Continent (region 5), the enhancements in T2m and HS after assimilating LAI are particularly notable, with mean relative difference reduced by 7% and 20%, respectively.

Panoramic image object detection has significant applications in autonomous driving, robotic navigation, and security monitoring. However, most current object detection algorithms are trained on pinhole images and cannot be directly applied to panoramic images, which have a large field-of-view (FOV) and distortion. Additionally, research on panoramic image object detection lacks dedicated dataset support, and these images face challenges such as target distortion, occlusion, and multi-scale variations. Existing methods for panoramic image object detection have not yielded satisfactory performance. To address these issues, we propose PanoDetNet, an object detection model based on YOLOv7. We introduce two new modules: the Multi-Scale Feature Fusion (MSFF) module and the Adaptive Panoramic Feature Attention (APFA) module. The MSFF module enhances detection precision for targets of different scales by fusing feature maps of various sizes, while also reducing the number of parameters and simplifying the model structure. The APFA module adaptively addresses the distortion in panoramic images, improving the model’s ability to locate and recognize objects in complex backgrounds and under occlusion. We trained PanoDetNet on our self-built panoramic image object detection dataset, PanoDet. This dataset was collected using a self-developed panoramic camera and manually annotated with the Labelme tool. Experimental results show that PanoDetNet achieves mAP@.5, mAP@.5:.95, and accuracy scores of 95.3%, 75.2%, and 94.1%, respectively. These results represent improvements of 1.6%, 2.5%, and 3.3% over YOLOv7. Our code is available at https://github.com/github98317/PanoDetNet.

Topologically protected edge channels show prospects for quantum devices. They have been found experimentally in two-dimensional quantum spin Hall insulators (QSHIs), weak topological insulators, and higher-order topological insulators, but the number of materials realizing these topologies is still quite limited. Here, we provide evidence for topological edge states within a novel topology named three-dimensional QSHIs. Its topology originates solely from a nonzero S_{z} spin Chern number for each k_{z} plane of the crystal and is realized in bulk α-Bi_{4}I_{4} with trivial symmetry indicators, as we show by density-functional-theory calculations. We experimentally observe the related edge states at each type of monolayer and bilayer step of this material by scanning tunneling microscopy. Consistently, the edge states are neither interrupted nor backscattered by defects at the step edges corroborating their helical character as expected from the nontrivial topology. Furthermore, two individual edge channels are directly observed at bilayer steps without visible interaction gap opening, demonstrating the robustness of these edge modes against vertical stacking. Our results establish α-Bi_{4}I_{4} as the first material realization of a 3D QSHI whose definition goes beyond the scope of topological symmetry indicators, and provide a pathway for realizing nearly quantized spin Hall conductivity per unit cell in a bulk crystal.

Exploring the complex relationship between the freeze–thaw cycle and the surface energy budget (SEB) is crucial for deepening our comprehension of climate change. Drawing upon extensive field monitoring data of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, this study examines how surface energy accumulation influences the thawing depth. Combined with Community Land Model 5.0 (CLM5.0), a sensitivity test was designed to explore the interplay between the freeze–thaw cycle and the SEB. It is found that the freeze–thaw cycle process significantly alters the distribution of surface energy fluxes, intensifying energy exchange between the surface and atmosphere during phase transitions. In particular, an increase of 65.6% is observed in the ground heat flux during the freezing phase, which subsequently influences the sensible and latent heat fluxes. However, it should be noted that CLM5.0 has limitations in capturing the minor changes in soil moisture content and thermal conductivity during localized freezing events, resulting in an imprecise representation of the complex freeze–thaw dynamics in cold regions. Nevertheless, these results offer valuable insights and suggestions for improving the parameterization schemes of land surface models, enhancing the accuracy and applicability of remote sensing applications and climate research.

The image-recipe cross-modal retrieval task, which retrieves the relevant recipes according to food images and vice versa, is now attracting widespread attention. There are two main challenges for image-recipe cross-modal retrieval task. Firstly, a recipe’s different components (words in a sentence, sentences in an entity, and entities in a recipe) have different weight values. If a recipe’s different components own the same weight, the recipe embeddings cannot pay more attention to the important components. As a result, the important components make less contribution to the retrieval task. Secondly, the food images have obvious properties of locality and only the local food regions matter. There are still difficulties in enhancing the discriminative local region features in the food images. To address these two problems, we propose a novel framework named Dual Cross Attention Encoders for Cross-modal Food Retrieval (DCA-Food). The proposed framework consists of a hierarchical cross attention recipe encoder (HCARE) and a cross attention image encoder (CAIE). HCARE consists of three types of cross attention modules to capture the important words in a sentence, the important sentences in an entity and the important entities in a recipe, respectively. CAIE extracts global and local region features. Then, it calculates cross attention between them to enhance the discriminative local features in the food images. We conduct the ablation studies to validate our design choices. Our proposed approach outperforms the existing approaches by a large margin on the Recipe1M dataset. Specifically, we improve the R@1 performance by +2.7 and +1.9 on the 1k and 10k testing sets, respectively.

ABSTRACTThe Arctic amplification (AA) has exacerbated permafrost degradation, posing a serious threat to infrastructure security and other areas. Therefore, it is crucial to accurately assess the current status and future changes of permafrost, and reliable soil thermal conductivity (STC) is an important prerequisite for permafrost prediction. However, few methods and products are available for regional-scale STC simulations in permafrost of the Arctic, which lead to greater uncertainty in the simulation of land surface temperatures. This study conducted a preliminary STC simulation based on the XGBoost method. The results show that the average STC during the freezing period is between 0.71∼0.73 W·m−1K−1, and around 0.67 W·m−1K−1 during the thawing period; The variation of STC between the thawing and freezing period ranged from −0.34–0.23 W·m−1K−1, with an average value of −0.02 W·m−1K−1; The areas where STC of the thawing period is smaller than that of the freezing period are mainly concentrated in the marginal areas near the sea on the continental side of North America and in the typical areas of plains, lowlands, and plateaus on the continental side of Eurasia. The areas with large STC during the thawing period are concentrated in mountainous areas.

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is an essential modulator for neuroplasticity in sensory and emotional domains. Here, we investigated the role of CCK in motor learning using a single pellet reaching task in mice. Mice with a knockout of Cck gene (Cck−/−) or blockade of CCK-B receptor (CCKBR) showed defective motor learning ability; the success rate of retrieving reward remained at the baseline level compared to the wildtype mice with significantly increased success rate. We observed no long-term potentiation upon high-frequency stimulation in the motor cortex of Cck−/− mice, indicating a possible association between motor learning deficiency and neuroplasticity in the motor cortex. In vivo calcium imaging demonstrated that the deficiency of CCK signaling disrupted the refinement of population neuronal activity in the motor cortex during motor skill training. Anatomical tracing revealed direct projections from CCK-expressing neurons in the rhinal cortex to the motor cortex. Inactivation of the CCK neurons in the rhinal cortex that project to the motor cortex bilaterally using chemogenetic methods significantly suppressed motor learning, and intraperitoneal application of CCK4, a tetrapeptide CCK agonist, rescued the motor learning deficits of Cck−/− mice. In summary, our results suggest that CCK, which could be provided from the rhinal cortex, may surpport motor skill learning by modulating neuroplasticity in the motor cortex.

In this paper, a numerical optimization study of single-groove casing treatment was conducted on a high-speed axial compressor. One of the aims is to find the optimal structure of a single groove that can improve compressor stability with minimal loss in efficiency. Another aim is to explore suitable parameters for rapidly evaluating the compressor stall margin. A design optimization platform has been constructed in this paper, which utilizes NSGA-II and a Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural net model to carry out the optimization. The stall margin of the compressor with A single groove was accurately determined by calculating its entire overall performance line. A Pareto front is obtained through optimization, and the optimal design can be selected from the Pareto front. By considering both stall margin and efficiency loss, one of the optimal designs was found to achieve a 7.49% improvement in stall margin with a 0.24% improvement in peak efficiency. Based on the database, the effect of design parameters of a single groove on compressor stability and performance is analyzed. A series of evaluation parameters of stall margin were compared to their degree of correlation with the real stall margin calculated by the entire overall performance line. As a result, tip blockage and momentum ratio can be used as efficient parameters for quickly evaluating the compressor stall margin without the need to calculate the entire performance curve of the compressor.

BackgroundTumor immunotherapy is an innovative treatment today, but there are limited data on the quality of immunotherapy information on social networks. Dissemination of misinformation through the internet is a major social issue. ObjectiveOur objective was to characterize the quality of information and presence of misinformation about tumor immunotherapy on internet-based videos commonly used by the Chinese population. MethodsUsing the keyword “tumor immunotherapy” in Chinese, we searched TikTok, Tencent, iQIYI, and BiliBili on March 5, 2022. We reviewed the 118 screened videos using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool—a validated instrument to collect consumer health information. DISCERN quality criteria and the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Benchmark Criteria were used for assessing the quality and reliability of the health information. The videos’ content was also evaluated. ResultsThe 118 videos about tumor immunotherapy were mostly uploaded by channels dedicated to lectures, health-related animations, and interviews; their median length was 5 minutes, and 79% of them were published in and after 2018. The median understandability and actionability of the videos were 71% and 71%, respectively. However, the quality of information was moderate to poor on the validated DISCERN and JAMA assessments. Only 12 videos contained misinformation (score of >1 out of 5). Videos with a doctor (lectures and interviews) not only were significantly less likely to contain misinformation but also had better quality and a greater forwarding number. Moreover, the results showed that more than half of the videos contain little or no content on the risk factors and management of tumor immunotherapy. Overall, over half of the videos had some or more information on the definition, symptoms, evaluation, and outcomes of tumor immunotherapy. ConclusionsAlthough the quality of immunotherapy information on internet-based videos commonly used by Chinese people is moderate, these videos have less misinformation and better content. Caution must be exercised when using these videos as a source of tumor immunotherapy–related information.

Summary: RNA splicing is a post-transcriptional event that regulates many physiological and pathological events. However, whether RNA splicing regulates cerebral I/R-induced brain injury remains largely unknown. In this study, we found that the chromatin target of Prmts (CHTOP) was highly expressed in neurons, and anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) upregulates its expression after ischemia. In addition, overexpression or knockdown of CHTOP alleviated or exacerbated neuronal death in both experimental stroke mice and cultured neurons. Mechanistically, RNA alternative splicing is altered early after oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R). CHTOP interacted with nuclear speckle-related proteins to regulate alternative mRNA splicing of neuronal survival-related genes after OGD/R. In addition, I/R injury-induced cytokines IL-10 regulate CHTOP-mediated RNA splicing to alleviate ischemic brain injury. Taken together, this study reveals the alteration of RNA splicing after OGD/R and identifies the IL-10-CHTOP-RNA splicing axis as a modulator of brain injury, which may be promising therapeutic targets for ischemic stroke.

Constructing efficient and stable catalysts is the key to achieving green hydrogen production through electrolysis of water. Atomically dispersed catalysts have received widespread attention due to their high atomic utilization and catalytic efficiency. Herein, Pt1Mo1 dual‐atom catalysts anchored on the nickel selenide nanoisland (Pt1Mo1/Ni3Se2) are prepared by a two‐step method. It only needs 53 mV to deliver the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH media, and the mass activity at 200 mV is approximately 4.13 times higher than that of Pt/C. In addition, the Pt1Mo1/Ni3Se2 also exhibits electrochemical stability of nearly 60 h at 20 mA cm−2. It is shown in the studies that the synergistic effect between Pt and Mo atoms enables the migration of electrons around Mo atoms toward Pt, thus realizing charge redistribution. Further density functional theory calculations verify that synergistic effect of Pt and Mo atoms could optimize the adsorption of H*, enhancing the hydrogen evolution reaction activity. Moreover, the Ni3Se2 nanoisland prevents the aggregation of Pt and Mo dual atom, effectively improving the stability of the catalyst. In this work, a nanoisland confined strategy is provided to construct atomically dispersed catalysts with high activity and stability for water splitting.

Rechargeable aluminum batteries hold great promise for high energy density and low-cost energy storage applications but are stalled by severe electrochemical side reactions (e.g., dendrite, passivation, and corrosion) at aluminum (Al) metal anode. Here, we design an aluminum ion battery with an Al-free configuration to circumvent the problems caused by the above side reactions. The feasibility of AlxMnO2·nH2O cathode in aluminum ion batteries is revealed in conjunction with TiO2 anodes by using the optimal 5 M Al(OTF)3 electrolyte. The as-assembled aluminum ion battery enables high initial discharge capacity of 370.4 mAh g–1 at 30 mA g–1, favorable stability with low irreversible capacity loss, and enhanced safety. Further, the mechanism is intensively elucidated by multiple characterization results, indicative of the Al3+ ions (de)intercalation redox chemistry. Revealed by empirical analyses, the capacity contribution of high-voltage plateau, corresponding to the disproportionation reaction of Mn3+ in an AlxMnO2·nH2O battery system, tends to increase with the increasing electrolyte concentration. Our findings may provide fresh impetus to the rational design of aluminum ion batteries with excellent electrochemical properties.

The point-feature label placement (PFLP) refers to the process of positioning labels near point features on a map while adhering to specific rules and guidelines, finally obtaining clear, aesthetically pleasing, and conflict-free maps. While various approaches have been suggested for automated point feature placement on maps, few studies have fully considered the spatial distribution characteristics and label correlations of point datasets, resulting in poor label quality in the process of solving the label placement of dense and complex point datasets. In this paper, we propose a point-feature label placement algorithm based on spatial data mining that analyzes the local spatial distribution characteristics and label correlations of point features. The algorithm quantifies the interference among point features by designing a label frequent pattern framework (LFPF) and constructs an ascending label ordering method based on the pattern to reduce interference. Besides, three classical metaheuristic algorithms (simulated annealing algorithm, genetic algorithm, and ant colony algorithm) are applied to the PFLP in combination with the framework to verify the validity of this framework. Additionally, a bit-based grid spatial index is proposed to reduce cache memory and consumption time in conflict detection. The performance of the experiments is tested with 4000, 10000, and 20000 points of POI data obtained randomly under various label densities. The results of these experiments showed that: (1) the proposed method outperformed both the original algorithm and recent literature, with label quality improvements ranging from 3 to 6.7 and from 0.1 to 2.6, respectively. (2) The label efficiency was improved by 58.2% compared with the traditional grid index.

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

Patients with atrial fibrillation who take a high bleeding risk and are not candidates for oral anticoagulation therapy are increasingly being referred for left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) as an alternative method of stroke prevention. However, certain manipulations performed during the LAAC procedure, such as transseptal puncture (TSP), may potentially result in vessel injury and lead to cardiac tamponade or even fatality. Clinical significance and management strategies associated with these complications remain controversial. A 74-year-old female patient with atrial fibrillation was referred for left atrial appendage occlusion. During the puncture of the atrial septum, the catheter sheath inadvertently exited through the roof of the right atrium and continued to advance, resulting in pulmonary artery perforation. The patient underwent immediate pericardiocentesis and drainage, followed by surgical exploration for suturing the tear in the pulmonary artery and ligation of the left atrial appendage. This represents the first reported case of a pulmonary artery perforation occurring during a transseptal puncture procedure for left atrial appendage closure. The case exemplifies the feasibility of emergency cardiac surgery as a therapeutic intervention.

In the stage of aircraft development and airworthiness verification, it is necessary to master the influence of lithium-ion battery (LIB) thermal runaway (TR) propagation. In this paper, the battery TR propagation behavior under different trigger positions and modes is studied experimentally, and the calculation and comparison are carried out from the parameters of real-time temperature, voltage, propagation speed, total energy released, and solid ejecta. When the two adjacent cells at the top corner, side, and center of the module are overheated, TR occurs at about 1000 s for the triggered cells, while the whole-overheating trigger mode takes a longer time. The latter’s transmission speed is extremely fast, spreading 2.67 cells per second on average. The heat generated by the solid ejecta of the whole-overheating trigger mode is 82,437 J, which is more destructive. The voltage of the triggered cell fluctuates abnormally in a precursor manner when the internal active substances in the cell undergo a self-generated thermal reaction. This work can provide a reference for the safety and economical design of system installations and the correct setting of airworthiness verification Method of Compliance (MoC) experiments to verify whether the aircraft can bear and contain the adverse effects caused by LIB TR.

Peatlands are major natural carbon pool in terrestrial ecosystems globally and are essential to a variety of fields, including global ecology, hydrology, and ecosystem services. Under the context of climate change, the management and conservation of peatlands has become a topic of international concern. Nevertheless, few studies have yet systematized the overall international dynamics of existing peatland research. In this study, based on an approach integrating bibliometrics and a literature review, we systematically analyzed peatland research from a literature perspective. Alongside traditional bibliometric analyses (e.g., number of publications, research impact, and hot areas), recent top keywords in peatland research were found, including ‘oil palm’, ‘tropical peatland’, ‘permafrost’, and so on. Furthermore, six hot topics of peatland research were identified: (1) peatland development and the impacts and degradations, (2) the history of peatland development and factors of formation, (3) chemical element contaminants in peatlands, (4) tropical peatlands, (5) peat adsorption and its humic acids, and (6) the influence of peatland conservation on the ecosystem. In addition, this review found that the adverse consequences of peatland degradation in the context of climate change merit greater attention, that peatland-mapping techniques suitable for all regions are lacking, that a unified global assessment of carbon stocks in peatlands urgently needs to be established, spanning all countries, and that a reliable system for assessing peatland-ecosystem services needs to be implemented expeditiously. In this study, we argued that enhanced integration in research will bridge knowledge gaps and facilitate the systematic synthesis of peatlands as complex systems, which is an imperative need.

Hydrogel, with excellent hydrophilicity biocompatibility and stimuli responsive, has been widely used in biomedical and artificial organs fields. However, synthetic hydrogel usually displays poor gel strength, poor toughness and slow speed of absorbing water. Therefore, extensive exploratory research is still required to develop new composite materials for the application of bionic viscera. In this work, we constructed a new kind of composite hydrogel by a facile wet chemistry method to cross-link three kinds of polymer resin, polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, and carboxymethyl starch. The conductivity, moisture content and elastic modulus of hydrogel can be controlled by the dosage of potassium salt, sodium salt, water and glycerol. After molding and testing, the electrical conductivity, elastic modulus, and moisture content of the artificial liver and kidney organs were similar to those of the corresponding pig viscera, which is superior to most of the current research on hydrogels. This work provides a facile approach to synthesize highly efficient hydrogel, which accelerates the application of hydrogel in bionic organs.

With the explosive growth in seismic data acquisition and the successful application of convolutional neural networks to various image processing tasks within multidisciplinary fields, many researchers have begun to research convolutional neural networks based seismic interpretation techniques. Seismic random noise attenuation is a key step in seismic data processing. In seismic data interpretation, faults are an important geological structure that has great significance for accumulation and migration of oil and gas reservoirs. Random noise within seismic data will seriously affect the accuracy of subsequent data processing and interpretation. Therefore, it is crucial to eliminate random noise in seismic data. This paper aimed to improve the Signal-to-Noise Ratio of seismic data, and proposed an intelligent convolutional neural network noise reduction framework. In this paper, the median filtering, the mean filtering, and the proposed algorithm is used to denoise seismic fault data. Experimental results show that the method not only yields a higher Signal-to-Noise Ratio, but also preserves more useful fault information.

The surface energy budget over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and the Arctic significantly influences the climate system with global consequences. The performances of 30 selected Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models were evaluated based on six sites in the QTP and Arctic. The simulation results for latent heat flux (LE) were more accurate in the QTP, where the correlation coefficient and root mean square error (RMSE) were 0.9 and 30 W m−2, respectively. The results for sensible heat flux (H) were more accurate in the Arctic, the correlation coefficient and RMSE were 0.8 and 24 W m−2, respectively. Furthermore, the multiple models mean results revealed that the surface energy flux had seasonal variation and regional differences over the QTP and the Arctic. In the QTP, H was the lowest in winter, increased in spring, and reached the maximum in summer. However, the transitional changes in spring and autumn were not apparent in the Arctic, mainly due to seasonal net radiation difference between the two places. LE was affected by precipitation and surface soil moisture content. This work is important for understanding land-atmosphere interactions and useful for improving the accuracy of land surface models simulations.

To reduce the cost of backfilling coal mining and utilize the underground space of coal mines, a new backfilling mining method with low backfilling rate called constructional backfilling coal mining (CBCM) is proposed. The “backfilling body-immediate roof” cooperative bearing structure of CBCM is analyzed by establishing the model of the medium thick plate on an elastic foundation. The influence of the backfilling rate on the stability of overlying strata is analyzed by the numerical simulation experiment. The control effect of CBCM is verified by a physic similar simulation test. The economic benefit of CBCM is analyzed. The conclusions are: the deformation characteristics of the immediate roof and critical backfilling spacing in CBCM can be analyzed based on the Hu Haichang’s theory. Exerting the bearing capacity of the immediate roof is beneficial to the stability of the overlying strata. The CBCM has a good control effect on the overburden in Xinyang Mine when the backfilling rate is lower than 25%. The backfilling cost of per ton coal is 37.39 yuan/t when the backfilling rate is 13.7%, with a decrease rate of 56.63% than the full-filling. The research results can provide theoretical support for the application of CBCM in coal mining.

BackgroundCommando procedure, the surgical replacement of the mitral and aortic valves combined with reconstruction of the fibrosa fibrous body, is a technical challenge in patients with small aortic and mitral annuli. In this study, we evaluated the safety and early outcomes of the “Chimney” modality of the Commando procedure, in patients with small aortic and mitral annuli, after prior valve surgery, using a self-assembled valved conduit.MethodsFrom April 2021 to April 2022, 30 consecutive cases of the “Chimney” Commando procedure, with a self-assembled valved conduit and other combined cardiac procedures, were fully performed for re-operative patients with small aortic roots. Data were obtained through a medical record review, at the Asian Heart Hospital in Wuhan, China.ResultsThe patient's mean age was 52.7 ± 13.53 years, with 93.3% females. All patients had a previous heart valve surgery, 90% of which had double valve replacement (DVR). Hospital death occurred in 3.3% (n = 1) of the patients, due to malignant arrhythmias and multiorgan failure. Postoperative echocardiogram exams showed that the sizes of the aortic and mitral valve prostheses were 24.23 ± 1.60 mm and 28.33 ± 1.21 mm, respectively. All patients had intact intervalvular fibrosa (IVF) repair and no patient had any aberration in the left heart chamber communication. With the exception of one postoperative sick sinus syndrome and one re-sternotomy for bleeding, there were no significant postoperative complications, such as mortality, renal failure requiring ongoing dialysis, or mediastinitis. Echocardiography exams in the sixth postoperative month showed that the mean gradients of the aortic and mitral valves were 16.26 ± 6.44 mmHg and 11.24 ± 4.90 mmHg, respectively.ConclusionsIn comparison with the standard Commando operation, the early outcomes and safety of the “Chimney” Commando procedure proved to be a feasible therapeutic option for patients with small aortic and mitral annuli, after prior valve operations. This approach enables the enlargement of the aortic and mitral annuli and the implantation of the necessary valve prosthesis.

Reduced cancer deaths have led to an increase in the number of cancer survivors and the risk of the second primary tumor. This study explored the surgical outcomes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer as the second primary tumor and the impact of previous extra-pulmonary malignancies. Patients’ data were obtained from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database. The patients were divided into lung surgery and non-surgery groups. Propensity-score matching was used to balance potential confounders. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated to test the overall survival and lung-cancer-specific survival. Cox regression analysis was performed to calculate death risk. In total 3054 lung surgery and 1094 non-surgery patients with stage I-II non-small cell lung cancer as the second primary tumor were included. The surgery group showed longer overall survival (68 vs. 22 months) and lung cancer-specific survival (not reached vs. 37 months) than those of non-surgery groups (both P

Abstract Converting CO2 into high value‐added chemicals by renewable energy directly alleviates the problem of resource shortages, while also reduces the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. Among various CO2 reduction methods, CO2 electroreduction has attracted much attention because of its moderate operating conditions and a green and easy‐to‐scale strategy. In this work, the four catalyst enhancement mechanisms: synergistic effect, strain effect, ligand effect, and defect effect are briefly described. Then, the catalytic mechanisms of the C2 products are fully expounded, depending on the number of transferred electrons during the CO2 reduction process. In addition, the membrane electrode is also introduced from the three aspects of ion exchange membrane, catalyst layer, and gas diffusion layer. Finally, the developing direction of CO2 reduction reaction is proposed. This work provides an essential guide for design and preparation of CO2 electroreduction catalysts and fully summarized the intrinsic catalysis mechanism, which is beneficial to the development of CO2 conversion in the future.