Search

Abstract The arginyl-transferase ATE1 is a tRNA-dependent enzyme that covalently attaches an arginine molecule to a protein substrate. Conserved from yeast to humans, ATE1 deficiency in mice correlates with defects in cardiovascular development and angiogenesis and results in embryonic lethality, while conditional knockouts exhibit reproductive, developmental, and neurological deficiencies. Despite the recent revelation of the tRNA binding mechanism and the catalytic cycle of yeast ATE1, the structure-function relationship of ATE1 in higher organisms is not well understood. In this study, we present the three-dimensional structure of human ATE1 in an apo-state and in complex with its tRNA cofactor and a peptide substrate. In contrast to its yeast counterpart, human ATE1 forms a symmetric homodimer, which dissociates upon binding of a substrate. Furthermore, human ATE1 includes a unique and extended loop that wraps around tRNAArg, creating extensive contacts with the T-arm of the tRNA cofactor. Substituting key residues identified in the substrate binding site of ATE1 abolishes enzymatic activity and results in the accumulation of ATE1 substrates in cells.

This study takes a nearby foundation pit project of a high-speed railway in Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province as an example to investigate the impact of deep foundation pit projects on groundwater and the surrounding environment. Through on-site monitoring, in-situ testing, and numerical simulation, we conducted a comprehensive study of the impact of foundation pit projects on groundwater and the surrounding environment. The evolution of groundwater levels and surface displacement during the excavation of foundation pits was analyzed, and a method for measuring the permeability of target soil layers in situ was studied. The simulation of recharge under various soil conditions was performed, and the outcomes demonstrated the effective isolation of hydraulic connections between the interior and exterior of the foundation pit by the water-resistant curtain. Precipitation head and constant head recharging tests were employed to ascertain the actual permeability. The characteristic time method calculation exhibited remarkable efficiency and accuracy in determining the permeability coefficient of the recharging soil layer. Recharging phreatic and confined water layers has differing degrees of influence on surface deformation, with the impact of confined water layers requiring more time to stabilize. These findings contribute significantly to a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental repercussions associated with deep excavation projects, thereby enhancing safety and environmental protection measures in excavation construction practices.

Introduction: Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is a common disorder that threatens the health of postmenopausal women. Icariin (ICA), as a bioactive component extracted from the Chinese medicine Epimedium grandiflorum(Yinyanghuo), can reportedly relieve PMOP by reversing iron-overloaded bone loss. However, the detailed relationship between ferroptosis and icariin efficacy for PMOP treatment still needs further exploration. Methods: The PMOP model rats were established by performing ovariectomy and further validated by Micro-CT scanning. Potential ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes in PMOP and ICA efficacy were identified via bioinformatics analyses. Finally, hub genes were further verified via real-time quantitative PCR. Results: In this study, 126 ferroptosis-related differentially expressed genes (DE-FRGs) in PMOP were first screened out. Gene Ontology (GO) biological process and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of these genes were performed for the pursuit of further functional enrichment analysis. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to identify key modules within all the DE-FRGs. Then, DE-FRGs were further intersected with predicted target genes of ICA, and 11 genes were considered as potential icariin-regulated DE-FRGs in PMOP. After gene expression measurements of potential icariin-regulated DE-FRGs, five genes (PPARA, TGFB1, SRC, IL6, and SIRT1) were ultimately chosen as hub genes for ICA-regulated ferroptosis in PMOP treatment. Finally, the ROC curve and ceRNA network were established. Discussions: This study discovered potential ferroptosis-related therapeutic targets in ICA efficacy for PMOP treatment, which also contributes to the consideration of ICA as a novel therapy for PMOP.

Rapid warming in the Arctic has the potential to release vast reservoirs of carbon into the atmosphere as methane (CH4) resulting in a strong positive climate feedback. This raises the concern that, after a period of near-zero growth in atmospheric CH4 burden from 1999 to 2006, the increase since then may be in part related to increased Arctic emissions. Measurements of CH4 in background air samples provide useful, direct information to determine if Arctic CH4 emissions are increasing. One sensitive first-order indicator for large emission change is the Interpolar Difference, that is the difference in surface atmospheric annual means between polar northern and southern zones (53°–90°), which has varied interannually, but did not increase from 1992 to 2019. The Interpolar Difference has increased moderately during 2020–2022 when the global CH4 burden increased significantly, but not yet to its peak values in the late-1980s. For quantitative assessment of changing Arctic CH4 emissions, the atmospheric measurements must be combined with an atmospheric tracer transport model. Based on multiple studies including some using CH4 isotopes, it is clear that most of the increase in global atmospheric CH4 burden is driven by increased emissions from microbial sources in the tropics, and that Arctic emissions have not increased significantly since the beginning of our measurement record in 1983 through 2022.

Abstract Luteolin is a flavonoid found in high concentrations in celery and green pepper, and acts as a neuroprotectant. PSMC5 (proteasome 26S subunit, ATPase 5) protein levels were reduced after luteolin stimulation in activated microglia. We aimed to determine whether regulating PSMC5 expression could inhibit neuroinflammation, and investigate the underlying mechanisms.BV2 microglia were transfected with siRNA PSMC5 before the addition of LPS (lipopolysaccharide, 1.0 µg/ml) for 24 h in serum free DMEM. A mouse model of LPS-induced cognitive and motor impairment was established to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of shRNA PSMC5. Intracerebroventricular administration of shRNA PSMC5 was commenced 7 days prior to i.p. injection of LPS (750 μg/kg). Treatments and behavioral experiments were performed once daily for 7 consecutive days. Behavioral tests and pathological/biochemical assays were performed to evaluate LPS-induced hippocampal damage. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to confirm the interaction between PSMC5 and TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4) in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia. SiRNA PSMC5 inhibited BV2 microglial activation, and suppressed the release of inflammatory factors (IL-1β, COX-2, PGE2, TNF-α, and iNOS) upon after LPS stimulation in BV2 microglia. LPS increased IκB-α and p65 phosphorylation, which was attenuated by siRNA PSMC5. Behavioral tests and pathological/biochemical assays showed that shRNA PSMC5 attenuated LPS-induced cognitive and motor impairments, and restored synaptic ultrastructure and protein levels in mice. ShRNA PSMC5 reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1β, PGE2, and NO) levels in the serum and brain, and relevant protein factors (iNOS and COX-2) in the brain. Furthermore, shRNA PSMC5 upregulated the anti-inflammatory mediators interleukin IL-4 and IL-10 in the serum and brain, and promoted a pro-inflammation-to-anti-inflammation phenotype shift in microglial polarization. Mechanistically, shRNA PSMC5 significantly alleviated LPS-induced TLR4 expression. The polarization of LPS-induced microglial pro-inflammation phenotype was abolished by TLR4 inhibitor and in the TLR-4−/− mouse, as in shRNA PSMC5 treatment. PSMC5 interacted with TLR4 via the amino sites Glu284, Met139, Leu127, and Phe283. PSMC5 site mutations attenuated neuroinflammation and reduced pro-inflammatory factors by reducing TLR4-related effects, thereby reducing TLR4-mediated MyD88 (myeloid differentiation factor 88)-dependent activation of NF-κB. PSMC5 could be an important therapeutic target for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases involving neuroinflammation-associated cognitive deficits and motor impairments induced by microglial activation. Graphical Abstract

The subalpine shrub zone of the Qilian Mountains is an important water-retaining area, and it is crucial to clarify the processes of its hydrological cycle. Therefore, based on the stable isotope values of different water bodies in the subalpine shrub zone of the eastern Qilian Mountains from May to October 2019, the characteristics of δD and δ18O of different water bodies and their hydraulic relationships with each other were studied. The results showed that the stable isotope values of precipitation exhibited the largest fluctuations, while they were the most stable for groundwater. Plant transpiration was stronger than the evaporation of other water bodies. The stable isotope of precipitation was enriched in high temperature and low humidity environments. Isotopic values of plant and soil water were higher and more stable on the semi-sunny slope than on the semi-shady slope. According to the stable isotopes, there was a strong hydraulic relationship between the different water bodies in the study area, and precipitation was the ultimate source of all of them. Precipitation replenished soil water through infiltration. Part of the soil water was absorbed by plants, while the rest continued to infiltrate to replenish groundwater. Groundwater and precipitation replenished the river water. HIGHLIGHTS The stable isotopes of precipitation, soil water, plant water, river water, and groundwater can vary because of season and slope orientation.; Isotopic values of plant and soil water were higher and more stable on the semi-sunny slope than on the semi-shady slope.; Water lines and isotopic analysis were used to qualitatively determine replenishment relationships among different water bodies.;

Once China’s Tianwen-1 Mars probe arrived in a Mars orbit after a seven-month flight in the deep cold space environment, it would be urgently necessary to monitor its state and the surrounding environment. To address this issue, we developed a flexible deployable subsystem based on shape memory polymer composites (SMPC-FDS) with a large folding ratio, which incorporates a camera and two temperature telemetry points for monitoring the local state of the Mars orbiter and the deep space environment. Here, we report on the development, testing, and successful application of the SMPC-FDS. Before reaching its Mars remote-sensing orbit, the SMPC-FDS is designed to be in a folded state with high stiffness; after reaching orbit, it is in a deployed state with a large envelope. The transition from the folded state to the deployed state is achieved by electrically heating the shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs); during this process, the camera on the SMPC-FDS can capture the local state of the orbiter from multiple angles. Moreover, temperature telemetry points on the SMPC-FDS provide feedback on the environment temperature and the temperature change of the SMPCs during the energization process. By simulating a Mars on-orbit space environment, the engineering reliability of the SMPC-FDS was comprehensively verified in terms of the material properties, structural dynamic performance, and thermal vacuum deployment feasibility. Since the launch of Tianwen-1 on 23 July 2020, scientific data on the temperature environment around Tianwen-1 has been successfully acquired from the telemetry points on the SMPC-FDS, and the local state of the orbiter has been photographed in orbit, showing the national flag of China fixed on the orbiter.

Abstract Arginyl-tRNA-protein transferase 1 (ATE1) is a master regulator of protein homeostasis, stress response, cytoskeleton maintenance, and cell migration. The diverse functions of ATE1 arise from its unique enzymatic activity to covalently attach an arginine onto its protein substrates in a tRNA-dependent manner. However, how ATE1 (and other aminoacyl-tRNA transferases) hijacks tRNA from the highly efficient ribosomal protein synthesis pathways and catalyzes the arginylation reaction remains a mystery. Here, we describe the three-dimensional structures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATE1 with and without its tRNA cofactor. Importantly, the putative substrate binding domain of ATE1 adopts a previously uncharacterized fold that contains an atypical zinc-binding site critical for ATE1 stability and function. The unique recognition of tRNAArg by ATE1 is coordinated through interactions with the major groove of the acceptor arm of tRNA. Binding of tRNA induces conformational changes in ATE1 that helps explain the mechanism of substrate arginylation.

Considering the significant role of global methane emissions in the Earth’s radiative budget, global or regionally persistent increasing trends in its emission are of great concern. Understanding the regional contributions of various emissions sectors to the growth rate thus has policy relevance. We used a high-resolution global methane inverse model to independently optimize sectoral emissions using GOSAT and ground-based observations for 2009–2020. Annual emission trends were calculated for top-emitting countries, and the sectoral contributions to the total anthropogenic trend were studied. Global total posterior emissions show a growth rate of 2.6 Tg yr ^−2 ( p < 0.05), with significant contributions from waste (1.1 Tg yr ^−2 ) and agriculture (0.9 Tg yr ^−2 ). Country-level aggregated sectoral emissions showed statistically significant ( p < 0.1) trends in total posterior emissions for China (0.56 Tg yr ^−2 ), India (0.22 Tg yr ^−2 ), United States (0.65 Tg yr ^−2 ), Pakistan (0.22 Tg yr ^−2 ) and Indonesia (0.28 Tg yr ^−2 ) among the top methane emitters. Emission sectors contributing to the above country-level emission trend are, China (waste 0.35; oil and gas 0.07 Tg yr ^−2 ), India (agriculture 0.09; waste 0.11 Tg yr ^−2 ), United States (oil and gas 1.0; agriculture 0.07; coal −0.15 Tg yr ^−2 ), Brazil (waste 0.09; agriculture 0.08 Tg yr ^−2 ), Russia (waste 0.04; biomass burning 0.15; coal 0.11; oil and gas −0.42 Tg yr ^−2 ), Indonesia (coal 0.28 Tg yr ^−2 ), Canada (oil and gas 0.08 Tg yr ^−2 ), Pakistan (agriculture 0.15; waste 0.03 Tg yr ^−2 ) and Mexico (waste 0.04 Tg yr ^−2 ). Additionally, our analysis showed that methane emissions from wetlands in Russia (0.24 Tg yr ^−2 ) and central African countries such as Congo (0.09 Tg yr ^−2 ), etc. have a positive trend with a considerably large increase after 2017, whereas Bolivia (−0.09 Tg yr ^−2 ) have a declining trend. Our results reveal some key emission sectors to be targeted on a national level for designing methane emission mitigation efforts.

This study investigates damage characteristics, dynamic structural performance changes, and quantitative damage assessment of high-pile wharf framed bents exposed to horizontal impact loads. Through extensive testing of wharf framed bents under such loads, a damage identification approach based on stiffness, natural vibration period, and acceleration data derived from experiments is presented. The findings reveal that under horizontal impact loads, framed bents initially exhibit tensile damage and leaning piles, followed by short straight piles. Additionally, structural damage results in a reduced self-oscillation frequency and an increased amplitude decay rate. Both stiffness-based and cycle-based damage indicators effectively track the cumulative damage progression of the structure. However, the cycle-based damage indicators demonstrate superior stability and accuracy, while acceleration-based indicators precisely identify the moment of damage mutation. This research contributes to enhancing local components, implementing damage identification methods, and advancing health monitoring practices in high-pile wharf projects, aligning with the standards of scientific publications in the field.

With the increasing power density of electronic devices, solder joints are prone to electromigration under high currents, which results in a significant threat to reliability. In this study, the molecular dynamics method is used to study the diffusion mechanism of the Cu3Sn/Cu interface under the action of electrothermal coupling. The results show that the diffusion activation energy decreases with an increase in electric field intensity, accelerating the diffusion of the Cu3Sn/Cu interface. Furthermore, it is noted that the abrupt change in the vacancy–time curve lags behind that of the mean square displacement curve, which depicts that the responses of the vacancies are driven by the electric field. The vacancy-responsive diffusion mechanism of the Cu3Sn/Cu interface is proposed. The atoms around the interface in the electric field get rid of the shackles of the neighboring atoms easily. The vacancy concentration increases as the atoms leave the equilibrium position, which accelerates the movement of vacancies and enhances the diffusion of the Cu3Sn/Cu interface.

Osteogenic differentiation is a crucial biological process for maintaining bone remodelling. Aerobic glycolysis is the main source of energy for osteogenic differentiation. Alpha-enolase (Eno1), a glycolytic enzyme, is a therapeutic target for numerous diseases. Icariin, a principal active component of the traditional Chinese medicine Epimedium grandiflorum, can stimulate osteogenic differentiation. Here, we aimed to determine if icariin promotes osteogenic differentiation via Eno1. Icariin (1 μM) significantly promoted osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. Icariin upregulated Eno1 protein and gene expressions during osteogenic differentiation. Moreover, ENOblock, a specific inhibitor of Eno1, markedly inhibited icariin-induced osteogenic differentiation. Futhermore, western blot assay showed that Eno1 might mediate osteogenic differentiation through the BMP/Smad4 signalling pathway. Collectively, Eno1 could be a promising drug target for icariin to regulate osteogenic differentiation.

Abstract Long‐term extending cultivation activities resulted in the world's worst soil erosion on the Chinese Loess Plateau (LP). By converting cropland into vegetated land, the Grain for Green Project (GfGP)—the world's largest investment revegetation project—effectively alleviates the soil erosion on the LP. However, during the GfGP implementation, the positive effect of cropland to the revegetation and soil erosion control has been underestimated to date, hindering a comprehensive evaluation to the effect of cropland on ecological restoration. Here, we evaluated the effect of the GfGP on soil erosion control across the LP, analyzed the dominant driver of the LP vegetation greening, and further identified the contributions of croplands to this world's largest revegetation project. We found that the vegetation of the LP was significantly improved and its leaf area increased by 1.23 × 105 km2 after the implementation of the GfGP, which contributed 42% to the decrease of the LP soil loss. Among them, our results show that cropland contributed 39.3% to the increased leaf areas of the LP, higher than grassland (36.3%) and forestland (14.3%). With the reduction of agricultural area, the contribution of cropland to the increased leaf areas in the LP was still the largest, which was mainly due to the increase in cropland utilization intensity. This study highlights the significance of the GfGP in soil erosion control and revises our understanding of the role of cropland in ecological restoration and society development.

Measurement(s) atmospheric ozone • atmospheric carbon dioxide • atmospheric methane • atmospheric carbon monoxide • atmospheric nitrous oxide • atmospheric dimethylsulfide • atmospheric sulfur dioxide • atmospheric gaseous elemental mercury • volatile organic compounds Technology Type(s) ozone analyzer • carbon dioxide analyzer • methane analyzer • carbon monoxide analyzer • nitrous oxide analyzer • dimethylsulfide analyzer • sulfur dioxide analyzer • gaseous elemental mercury analyzer • gas chromatography-mass spectrometry Sample Characteristic - Environment Atmosphere Sample Characteristic - Location central Arctic

Abstract The dramatic increase of natural gas use in China, as a substitute for coal, helps to reduce CO2 emissions and air pollution, but the climate mitigation benefit can be offset by methane leakage into the atmosphere. We estimate methane emissions from 2010 to 2018 in four regions of China using the GOSAT satellite data and in-situ observations with a high-resolution (0.1° × 0.1°) inverse model and analyze interannual changes of emissions by source sectors. We find that estimated methane emission over the north-eastern China region contributes the largest part (0.77 Tg CH4 yr−1) of the methane emission growth rate of China (0.87 Tg CH4 yr−1) and is largely attributable to the growth in natural gas use. The results provide evidence of a detectable impact on atmospheric methane observations by the increasing natural gas use in China and call for methane emission reductions throughout the gas supply chain and promotion of low emission end-use facilities.

Crystal structures of M. tuberculosis elongation factors EF-Tu and EF-Ts in complex and GDP-bound Ef-Tu reveal the molecular basis of EF-Tu’s representative recycling and inactive forms in protein translation.

A process-based carbon isotope biogeochemistry model substantially reduces uncertainty in regional and global estimates of the stable carbon isotopic composition of methane emissions from wetlands and suggests rising atmospheric concentrations are due to increased microbial emissions.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is a classic endocrine disorder characterized by an imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption. Abnormal glucose metabolic reprogramming has been widely explored in endocrine disorders, but its role in PMOP has not been elucidated. Icariin (ICA), as a bioactive component of the traditional Chinese medicine Epimedium grandiflorum, has been testified to be effective for PMOP treatment, but its effects on glucose metabolism are poorly studied. In this study, pyruvate dehydrogenase was proved to be a key regulator of the metabolic switch in PMOP and the efficacy of ICA. The augmentation of pyruvate dehydrogenase subunit alpha (PDHA) pSer232, which was excited in osteoclasts; the decreased expression of citrate synthase; elevated expression of lactate dehydrogenase; and changes in the pyruvate, lactate, and citrate pools all indicated the preference for aerobic glycolysis in PMOP. Further study showed that the expression and activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) which regulated the phosphorylation status of PDHA Ser232 were both increased in ovariectomized rats. Furthermore, the genetic knockdown of PDK1 and pharmaceutical inhibition of PDK1 markedly suppressed osteoclastogenesis. Meanwhile, ICA might reverse metabolic reprogramming by inhibiting PDK1. In conclusion, this study revealed that PDK1-dependent metabolic reprogramming is a potential therapeutic target for PMOP treatment. ICA alleviates PMOP by inhibiting PDK1 in osteoclasts, indicating its potential for clinical use.

Stable isotopes of precipitation play an important role in understanding hydrological and climatic processes of arid inland river basins. In order to better understand the difference of regional water cycle and precipitation patterns, precipitation samples were collected in Shiyang River Basin from June 2018 to May 2020, and spatial and temporal variation characteristics of stable isotopes in precipitation and their relationships with meteorological factors were discussed. The results showed that stable isotopes in precipitation showed seasonal variation characteristics, that δ2H and δ18O values were higher in summer and autumn and lower in winter and spring, and d-excess values were higher in spring and autumn and lower in winter and summer. Slopes and intercepts of the local meteoric water lines gradually increased with elevation increasing. δ18O significantly showed a positive correlation with temperature but a negative correlation with precipitation in summer. Contrary to below 15 hPa, δ18O significantly showed a negative correlation with water vapor pressure above 15 hPa. Due to the influence of meteorological factors, there are significant differences in stable isotopes of precipitation in arid inland river basins, which were more influenced by local moisture recycling in upstream area but by below-cloud secondary evaporation in mid-downstream area.

The world has become increasingly metacoupled through flows of materials, energy, people, capital, and information within and across systems. Transboundary flows, connecting adjacent and distant systems, are deemed the most critical indicators for measuring the intensity of interactions among coupled human-natural systems. To advance metacoupling flow research and governance, we make the first attempt to develop a typology of transboundary flows using six flow attributes (i.e., type, magnitude, direction, distance, time, and mode). Furthermore, we synthesize a portfolio of quantitative and practical methods for characterizing transboundary flows. To effectively govern transboundary flows for global sustainability and resilience, we highlight the need to recognize the shared risks and goals embedded in the interlinkages, use system thinking, and enhance multilateral cooperation.

Dynamic compaction is a widely used method to strengthen the foundation, which can cause significant impacts on surrounding structures, making vibration control measures necessary. This study investigates the effectiveness of isolation trenches in reducing ground vibration caused by dynamic compaction in a typical multi-layered alluvial soil foundation adjacent to the Yangtze River. A combination of field testing and numerical simulation was employed to evaluate the vibration isolation effect of trenches at different depths and locations. The results show that trenches have a significant vibration isolation effect on the side away from the tamping point, but they can have an amplifying effect between the trench and tamping point. The effectiveness of the isolation trenches increases with deeper trenches and distance from the tamping point, but the amplification effect decreases with increasing depth. Therefore, when employing trenches, reinforcement measures must be adopted, and a suitable trench depth should be selected. The closer the isolation trench to the dike, the better the protection will be. The study provides effective guidance for designing isolation trenches in similar dynamic compaction processes, emphasizing the importance of considering spatial attenuation characteristics and selecting appropriate trench depths and locations.

This study investigates atmospheric δ13CH4 trends, as produced by a global atmospheric transport model using CH4 inversions from CarbonTracker-Europe CH4 for 2000–2020, and compares them to observations. The CH4 inversions include the grouping of the emissions both by δ13CH4 isotopic signatures and process type to investigate the effect, and to estimate the CH4 magnitudes and model CH4 and δ13CH4 trends. In addition to inversion results, simulations of the global atmospheric transport model were performed with modified emissions. The estimated global CH4 trends for oil and gas were found to increase more than coal compared to the priors from 2000–2006 to 2007–2020. Estimated trends for coal emissions at 30∘ N–60∘ N are less than 50% of those from priors. Estimated global CH4 rice emissions trends are opposite to priors, with the largest contribution from the EQ to 60∘ N. The results of this study indicate that optimizing wetland emissions separately produces better agreement with the observed δ13CH4 trend than optimizing all biogenic emissions simultaneously. This study recommends optimizing separately biogenic emissions with similar isotopic signature to wetland emissions. In addition, this study suggests that fossil-based emissions were overestimated by 9% after 2012 and biogenic emissions are underestimated by 8% in the inversion using EDGAR v6.0 as priors.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is characterized by the uncoupling of bone resorption and bone formation induced by estrogen deficiency, which is a complex outcome related to estrogen and the immune system. The interaction between bone and immune cells is regarded as the context of PMOP. Macrophages act differently on bone cells, depending on their polarization profile and secreted paracrine factors, which may have implications for the development of PMOP. PMOP, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) might have pathophysiological links, and the similarity of their pathological mechanisms is partially visible in altered macrophages and cytokines in the immune system. This review focuses on exploring the pathological mechanisms of PMOP, RA, and AD through the roles of altered macrophages and cytokines secretion. First, the multiple effects on cytokines secretion by bone-bone marrow (BM) macrophages in the pathological mechanism of PMOP are reviewed. Then, based on the thought of “different tissue-same cell type-common pathological molecules-disease pathological links-drug targets” and the methodologies of “molecular network” in bioinformatics, highlight that multiple cytokines overlap in the pathological molecules associated with PMOP vs. RA and PMOP vs. AD, and propose that these overlaps may lead to a pathological synergy in PMOP, RA, and AD. It provides a novel strategy for understanding the pathogenesis of PMOP and potential drug targets for the treatment of PMOP.

Extracting circle information from images has always been a basic problem in computer vision. Common circle detection algorithms have some defects, such as poor noise resistance and slow computation speed. In this paper, we propose an anti-noise fast circle detection algorithm. In order to improve the anti-noise of the algorithm, we first perform curve thinning and connection on the image after edge extraction, then suppress noise interference by the irregularity of noise edges and extract circular arcs by directional filtering. In order to reduce the invalid fitting and speed up the running speed, we propose a circle fitting algorithm with five quadrants, and improve the efficiency of the algorithm by the idea of “divide and conquer”. We compare the algorithm with RCD, CACD, WANG and AS on two open datasets. The results show that we have the best performance under noise while keeping the speed of the algorithm.

Recent advances in satellite observations of methane provide increased opportunities for inverse modeling. However, challenges exist in the satellite observation optimization and retrievals for high latitudes. In this study, we examine possibilities and challenges in the use of the total column averaged dry-air mole fractions of methane (XCH4) data over land from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on board the Sentinel 5 Precursor satellite in the estimation of CH4 fluxes using the CarbonTracker Europe-CH4 (CTE-CH4) atmospheric inverse model. We carry out simulations assimilating two retrieval products: Netherlands Institute for Space Research’s (SRON) operational and University of Bremen’s Weighting Function Modified Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (WFM-DOAS). For comparison, we also carry out a simulation assimilating the ground-based surface data. Our results show smaller regional emissions in the TROPOMI inversions compared to the prior and surface inversion, although they are roughly within the range of the previous studies. The wetland emissions in summer and anthropogenic emissions in spring are lesser. The inversion results based on the two satellite datasets show many similarities in terms of spatial distribution and time series but also clear differences, especially in Canada, where CH4 emission maximum is later, when the SRON’s operational data are assimilated. The TROPOMI inversions show higher CH4 emissions from oil and gas production and coal mining from Russia and Kazakhstan. The location of hotspots in the TROPOMI inversions did not change compared to the prior, but all inversions indicated spatially more homogeneous high wetland emissions in northern Fennoscandia. In addition, we find that the regional monthly wetland emissions in the TROPOMI inversions do not correlate with the anthropogenic emissions as strongly as those in the surface inversion. The uncertainty estimates in the TROPOMI inversions are more homogeneous in space, and the regional uncertainties are comparable to the surface inversion. This indicates the potential of the TROPOMI data to better separately estimate wetland and anthropogenic emissions, as well as constrain spatial distributions. This study emphasizes the importance of quantifying and taking into account the model and retrieval uncertainties in regional levels in order to improve and derive more robust emission estimates.

Circle detection is a crucial problem in computer vision and pattern recognition. In this paper, we propose a fast circle detection algorithm based on circular arc feature screening. In order to solve the invalid sampling and time consumption of the traditional circle detection algorithms, we improve the fuzzy inference edge detection algorithm by adding main contour edge screening, edge refinement, and arc-like determination to enhance edge positioning accuracy and remove unnecessary contour edges. Then, we strengthen the arc features with step-wise sampling on two feature matrices and set auxiliary points for defective circles. Finally, we built a square verification support region to further find the true circle with the complete circle and defective circle constraints. Extensive experiments were conducted on complex images, including defective, blurred-edge, and interfering images from four diverse datasets (three publicly available and one we built). The experimental results show that our method can remove up to 89.03% of invalid edge points by arc feature filtering and is superior to RHT, RCD, Jiang, Wang, and CACD in terms of speed, accuracy, and robustness.

Objective To explore the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in the perioperative nursing of elderly patients undergoing hip replacement. Methods Totally 58 elderly patients undergoing hip replacement were randomly divided into the observation group and the control group, with 29 cases in each group. The control group received routine care during the period of operation, while the observation group received perioperative nursing based on ERAS. The Activity of Daily Living (ADL), Harris Hip Score (HHS), Visual Analogue Pain Score (VAS) and were observed before intervention, 1 day, 1 week and 2 weeks after intervention, and the off-bed time was recorded. Results The ADL score and HSS score were significantly increased in both two groups at 2 weeks after intervention(P＜0. 05), and the VAS Score was decreased significantly at 2 weeks after intervention(P＜0. 05). Patients in the observation group achieved higher ADL score, higher HSS score and lower VAS score at 2 weeks after intervention compared with those in the control group (P＜0. 05) . T he off-bed time was (9. 45±2. 53) d in the observation group, which was shorter than (13. 83±3. 91) d in the control group (P＜0. 05). Conclusion The perioperative nursing based on ERAS is effective to reduce the postoperative pain of elderly patients undergoing hip replacement, and improve their activity of daily living. (目的 探讨加速康复外科(ERAS)理念在老年髋关节置换术围手术期护理中的应用效果。方法 58例行髋关节置换术的患者随机分为观察组和对照组, 各29例。对照组给予常规围手术期护理, 观察组基于ERAS理念开展围手术期护理。观察2组干预前、干预后1天、干预后1周以及干预后2周时的自理能力、髋关节功能以及疼痛程度。记录2组术后下床活动的时间。结论 干预后2周时, 2组日常生活活动能力量表(ADL)、髋关节功能评分(HSS)升高, 疼痛视觉模拟评分量表(VAS)评分降低, 与干预前比较, 差异有统计学意义(P＜0. 05); 干预后2周时观察组ADL、HSS评分高于对照组, VAS评分低于对照组, 差异有统计学意义(P＜0. 05)。观察组患者下床活动时间为术后(9. 45±2. 53) d, 短于对照组(13. 83±3. 91) d, 差异有统计学意义(P＜0. 05)。结论 基于ERAS理念开展老年髋关节置换术围手术期护理, 能有效缓解患者的疼痛, 提高日常生活自理的能力, 加快康复。)

While many freshwater lakes have witnessed a rapid increase in surface water temperatures, the trends in subsurface water temperatures are not well-understood. This study explored the long-term subsurface water temperature change and its connection to climate change and human activities in Seneca Lake. Utilizing linear regression and the Theil-Sen estimator, the study identified a significant monotonic temperature trend in the subsurface water. Principal component and contribution analyses revealed that climate changes, particularly air warming, were more critical in explaining water temperature patterns, and human activities such as land cover change could exacerbate the impact of climate change. Using remotely sensed surface water temperature data, the study found a significant positive correlation between thermal pollution and water temperatures in the northern region of the lake, and after incorporating control variables, the regression analysis suggested that the adverse effects of thermal pollution are primarily confined to the area adjacent to the power plant. This research can offer fresh insights into lake ecology improvement and management strategies.

Objective To investigate the effect of five-element music therapy combined with loxoprofen sodium on perioperative pain in patients with humeral shaft fracture. Methods Totally 90 cases of humeral shaft fracture patients were randomly divided into three groups, control group A (30 cases) and control group B (30 cases) and treatment group (30 cases). Control group A received oral administration of loxoprofen sodium, control group B received five-element music therapy, and treatment group received combined intervention of loxoprofen sodium oral administration and five-element music therapy. The Visual Analogue Scale(VAS) was adopted as the evaluation criteria to assess perioperative pain 2 days before surgery, 2 days and 7 days after the surgery. The Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) was used to evaluate the sleep quality of patients 2 days before surgery, 2 days and 7 days after the surgery. Results The treatment group was found with a better improvement in VAS and AIS compared with that in the control group A and control group B, respectively (P

Amphioxus (e.g., Branchiostoma belcheri, Bb) has recently emerged as a new model for studying the origin and evolution of vertebrate immunity. Mammalian lymphocyte-specific tyrosine kinase (Lck) plays crucial roles in T cell activation, differentiation and homeostasis, and is reported to phosphorylate both the ITIM and ITSM of PD-1 to induce the recruitment of phosphatases and thus the inhibitory function of PD-1. Here, we identified and cloned the amphioxus homolog of human Lck. By generating and using an antibody against BbLck, we found that BbLck is expressed in the amphioxus gut and gill. Through overexpression of BbLck in Jurkat T cells, we found that upon TCR stimulation, BbLck was subjected to tyrosine phosphorylation and could partially rescue Lck-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation in Lck-knockdown T cells. Mass spectrometric analysis of BbLck immunoprecipitates from immunostimulants-treated amphioxus, revealed a BbLck-associated membrane-bound receptor LRR (BbLcLRR). By overexpressing BbLcLRR in Jurkat T cells, we demonstrated that BbLcLRR was tyrosine phosphorylated upon TCR stimulation, which was inhibited by Lck knockdown and was rescued by overexpression of BbLck. By mutating single tyrosine to phenylalanine (Y-F), we identified three tyrosine residues (Y539, Y655, and Y690) (3Y) of BbLcLRR as the major Lck phosphorylation sites. Reporter gene assays showed that overexpression of BbLcLRR but not the BbLcLRR-3YF mutant inhibited TCR-induced NF-κB activation. In Lck-knockdown T cells, the decline of TCR-induced IL-2 production was reversed by overexpression of BbLck, and this reversion was inhibited by co-expression of BbLcLRR but not the BbLcLRR-3YF mutant. Sequence analysis showed that the three tyrosine-containing sequences were conserved with the tyrosine-based inhibition motifs (ITIMs) or ITIM-like motifs. And TCR stimulation induced the association of BbLcLRR with tyrosine phosphatases SHIP1 and to a lesser extent with SHP1/2. Moreover, overexpression of wild-type BbLcLRR but not its 3YF mutant inhibited TCR-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple signaling proteins probably via recruiting SHIP1. Thus, we identified a novel immunoreceptor BbLcLRR, which is phosphorylated by Lck and then exerts a phosphorylation-dependent inhibitory role in TCR-mediated T-cell activation, implying a mechanism for the maintenance of self-tolerance and homeostasis of amphioxus immune system and the evolutionary conservatism of Lck-regulated inhibitory receptor pathway.

On 12–13 February 2016, a record-breaking rain–snow event during the passage of an extratropical cyclone occurred in Shandong Province, China, in which the 24 h precipitation totals at 48 of 123 national meteorological stations in Shandong Province broke their historical records for the month of February, and a further 25 stations recorded their second-largest February totals. This paper investigates the evolution of the mesoscale precipitation areas and the mechanisms responsible for the formation, organization, and maintenance of the mesoscale precipitation areas, using FY-2G satellite data, Doppler radar observations, and a Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model numerical simulation at 4 km grid spacing. The main results show that the comma head cloud of the cyclone developed from four echo strips. Intense precipitation was related to the mesoscale elongated precipitation areas (EPAs) of reflectivity >30 dBZ within the stratiform clouds. The formation and development of the EPAs coincided with the activities of a low-level shear line and an associated increase in frontogenesis. The simulated EPAs occurred in an environment of conditional instability (CI), inertial instability (II), and conditional symmetric instability (CSI). In the initial stage of the elongated rainfall areas (ERAs), rainfall was initiated by the frontal forcing in the presence of elevated CI, and II was generated by upright convection. During the development stage of the ERAs, the CI was absent, and condensational heating was enhanced. II occurred in the absence of upright convection, and it seems likely that the presence of II is a diabatic signature of the precipitation itself. Upper-level II intensified the convective systems by enhancing outflow aloft, and II caused the ERAs to organize. Thus, II played an important role in the organization and maintenance of the ERAs. The frontogenesis provided the dynamic condition for the release of the instability. Enhanced CSI and II intensified slantwise convection, and combining with enhanced frontogenesis, intensified the ERAs. The echo, ascent, and frontogenesis in snowfall areas were weaker than those in rainfall areas.

Evaluation of driving behaviour is helpful for policy development, and for designing infrastructure and an intelligent safety system for a car. This study focused on a quantitative evaluation method of driving behaviour based on the shared-electrical car. The data were obtained from the OBD interface via CAN bus and transferred to a server by 4G network. Eleven types of NDS data were selected as the indexes for driving behaviour evaluation. Kullback–Leibler divergence was calculated to confirm the minimum data quantity and ensure the effectiveness of the analysis. The distribution of the main driving behaviour parameters was compared and the change trend of the parameters was analysed in conjunction with car speed to identify the threshold for recognition of aberrant driving behaviour. The weights of indexes were confirmed by combining the analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight method. The scoring rule was confirmed according to the distribution of the indexes. A score-based evaluation method was proposed and verified by the driving behaviour data collected from randomly chosen drivers.

Abstract Background Myxococcus xanthus DK1622 is a model system for studying multicellular development, predation, cellular differentiation, and evolution. Furthermore, it is a rich source of novel secondary metabolites and is widely used as heterologous expression host of exogenous biosynthetic gene clusters. For decades, genetic modification of M. xanthus DK1622 has mainly relied on kanamycin and tetracycline selection systems. Results Here, we introduce an alternative selection system based on chloramphenicol (Cm) to broaden the spectrum of available molecular tools. A chloramphenicol-resistant growth phase and a chloramphenicol-susceptible growth phase before and after chloramphenicol-induction were prepared, and later sequenced to identify specific genes related to chloramphenicol-repercussion and drug-resistance. A total of 481 differentially expressed genes were revealed in chloramphenicol-resistant Cm5_36h and 1920 differentially expressed genes in chloramphenicol-dormant Cm_8h. Moreover, the gene expression profile in the chloramphenicol-dormant strain Cm_8h was quite different from that of Cm5_36 which had completely adapted to Cm, and 1513 differentially expression genes were identified between these two phenotypes. Besides upregulated acetyltransferases, several transporter encoding genes, including ABC transporters, major facilitator superfamily transporters (MFS), resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND) super family transporters and multidrug and toxic compound extrusion family transporters (MATE) were found to be involved in Cm resistance. After the knockout of the most highly upregulated MXAN_2566 MFS family gene, mutant strain DK-2566 was proved to be sensitive to Cm by measuring the growth curve in the Cm-added condition. A plasmid with a Cm resistance marker was constructed and integrated into chromosomes via homologous recombination and Cm screening. The integration efficiency was about 20% at different concentrations of Cm. Conclusions This study provides a new antibiotic-based selection system, and will help to understand antibiotic resistance mechanisms in M. xanthus DK1622.

Abstract Background China has the largest obese population in the world, and the prevalence of central obesity is increasing dramatically in China. Moreover, the rapid economic growth of China in recent decades has led to rapid urbanization in rural China. However, studies comparing the prevalence trends of different types of obesity and the association of obesity with hypertension between urban and rural areas in China are very scarce, and most studies have focused only on the difference in the prevalence of overweight and general obesity or hypertension among rural and urban populations. Therefore, the focus of this study was to examine the shifts in the overall distribution of the prevalence of different types of obesity and to estimate the risk of hypertension in different types of obesity among urban and rural adults aged 18–65 years. Methods Seven iterations of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), conducted in 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2011, were used in this study. A total of 53,636 participants aged 18–65 years were included. Obesity was classified into three types based on body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). A log-binomial model was constructed to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) of hypertension with three types of obesity. Results The age-standardized prevalence of central obesity only, general obesity only, and both central and general obesity increased from 15.8, 0.2 and 2.9% in 1993 to 30.3, 0.9 and 10.3% in 2011, respectively. The prevalence of central obesity only (urban vs. rural: 20.8% vs. 13.4% in 1993, 29.6% vs. 30.6% in 2011) and both central and general obesity (urban vs. rural: 3.5% vs. 2.5% in 1993, 10.0% vs. 10.6% in 2011) in rural adults exceeded that in urban adults in 2011. Participants with both central and general obesity had the highest risk for incident hypertension compared with those with normal body measurements (adjusted PR, urban: 2.30 (95% CI, 2.01–2.63), rural: 2.50 (95% CI, 2.25–2.77)). Conclusions Both WC and BMI should be considered measures of obesity and targeted in hypertension prevention. More attention should be paid to the incidence of central obesity in adults in rural China.

Abstract Background Chronic disease has become one of the leading causes of poverty in China, which posed heavy economic burden on individuals, households and society, and accounts for an estimated 80% of deaths and 70% of disability-adjusted life-years lost now in China. This study aims to assess the effect of chronic diseases on health payment-induced poverty in Shaanxi Province, China. Methods The data was from the 5th National Health Survey of Shaanxi Province, which was part of China’s National Health Service Survey (NHSS) conducted in 2013. Totally, 20,700 households were selected for analysis. We used poverty headcount, poverty gap and mean positive poverty gap to assess the incidence, depth and intensity of poverty before and after health payment, respectively. Logistic regression models were further undertaken to evaluate the influence of percentage of chronic patients in households on the health payment-induced poverty with the control of other covariates. Results In rural areas, the incidence of poverty increased 31.90% before and after health payment in the household group when the percentage of chronic patients in the households was 0, and the poverty gap rose from 932.77 CNY to 1253.85 CNY (50.56% increased). In the group when the percentage of chronic patients in the households was 1–40% and 41–50%, the poverty gap increased 76.78 and 89.29%, respectively. In the group when the percentage of chronic patients in the households was 51~ 100%, the increase of poverty headcount and poverty gap was 49.89 and 46.24%. In the logistic model, we found that the proportion of chronic patients in the households was closely related with the health payment-induced poverty. The percentage of chronic disease in the households increased by 1 %, the incidence of poverty increased by 1.01 times. On the other hand, the male household head and the household’s head with higher educational lever were seen as protective factors for impoverishment. Conclusions With the percentage of chronic patients in the households growing, the health payment-induced poverty increases sharply. Furthermore, the households members with more chronic diseases in rural areas were more likely to suffer poverty than those in urban areas. Our analysis emphasizes the need to protect households from the impoverishment of chronic diseases, and our findings will provide suggestions for further healthcare reforms in China and guidance for vulnerable groups.

Combustion-related characteristic parameters, such as the start of combustion (SoC) and the timing of the peak pressure increase rate (PIR), can be used as the feedback signals for the closed-loop control of combustion. A dynamic Finite Element Method (FEM) model was firstly developed to confirm the closely related time period between combustion pressure and vibration. On this basis, a fast processing method was developed to estimate the timings of SoC and the peak PIR in the closely related time period. This method was verified on a twelve-cylinder heavy-duty diesel engine at various engine speed and load. Results showed that the maximum deviation of the two parameters were within 2 °CA and 1.5 °CA, respectively, which suggested that the proposed method had an adequate accuracy.

Abstract The well-defined mammalian slp76-signalosome is crucial for T-cell immune response, yet whether slp76-signalosome exists in invertebrates and how it evolved remain unknown. Here we investigated slp76-signalosome from an evolutionary perspective in amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri (bb). We proved slp76-signalosome components bbslp76, bbGADS and bbItk are present in amphioxus and bbslp76 interacts with bbGADS and bbItk, but differences exist between the interaction manners within slp76-signalosome components of amphioxus and human (h). Specifically, bbslp76 has a unique WW-domain that blocked its association with hItk and decreased TCR-induced tyrosine-phosphorylation and NFAT-activation. Deletion of WW-domain shifted the constitutive association between bbslp76 and hPLCγ1 to a TCR-enhanced association. Among slp76-signalosome, the interaction between slp76 and PLCγ1 is the most conserved and the binding between Itk and slp76 evolved from constitutive to stimulation-regulated. Sequence alignment and 3D structural analysis of slp76-signalosome molecules from keystone species indicated slp76 evolved into a more unfolded and flexible adaptor due to lack of WW-domain and several low-complexity-regions (LCRs) while GADS turned into a larger protein by a LCR gain, thus preparing more space for nucleating the coevolving slp76-signalosome. Altogether, through deletion of WW-domain and manipulation of LCRs, slp76-signalosome evolves from a rigid and stimulation-insensitive to a more flexible and stimulation-responding complex.

The SUMO modification system plays an important role in T cell activation, yet how sumoylation regulates TCR-proximal signaling remains largely unknown. We show here that Phospholipase C-γ1 (PLC-γ1) is conjugated by SUMO1 at K54 and K987 upon TCR stimulation and that K54 sumoylation is pivotal for PLC-γ1-mediated T cell activation. We further demonstrate that TCR-induced K54 sumoylation of PLC-γ1 significantly promotes the formation of PLC-γ1 microclusters and the association of PLC-γ1 with the adaptor proteins SLP76 and Gads, but only slightly affects the phosphorylation of PLC-γ1 on Y783, which determines the enzyme catalytic activity. Moreover, upon TCR stimulation, the SUMO E3 ligases PIASxβ and PIAS3 both interact with PLC-γ1 and cooperate to sumoylate PLC-γ1, facilitating the assembly of PLC-γ1 microclusters. Together, our findings reveal a critical role of PLC-γ1 K54 sumoylation in PLC-γ1 microcluster assembly that controls PLC-γ1-mediated T cell activation, suggesting that sumoylation may have an important role in the microcluster assembly of TCR-proximal signaling proteins.

In Asia, much effort is put into reducing methane (CH _4 ) emissions due to the region’s contribution to the recent rapid global atmospheric CH _4 concentration growth. Accurate quantification of Asia’s CH _4 budgets is critical for conducting global stocktake and achieving the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. In this study, we present top-down estimates of CH _4 emissions from 2009 to 2018 deduced from atmospheric observations from surface network and GOSAT satellite with the high-resolution global inverse model NIES-TM-FLEXPART-VAR. The optimized average CH _4 budgets are 63.40 ± 10.52 Tg y ^−1 from East Asia (EA), 45.20 ± 6.22 Tg y ^−1 from Southeast Asia (SEA), and 64.35 ± 9.28 Tg y ^−1 from South Asia (SA) within the 10 years. We analyzed two 5 years CH _4 emission budgets for three subregions and 13 top-emitting countries with an emission budget larger than 1 Tg y ^−1 , and interannual variabilities for these subregions. Statistically significant increasing trends in emissions are found in EA with a lower emission growth rate during 2014–2018 compared to that during 2009–2013, while trends in SEA are not significant. In contrast to the prior emission, the posterior emission shows a significant decreasing trend in SA. The flux decrease is associated with the transition from strong La Ninña (2010–2011) to strong El Ninño (2015–2016) events, which modulate the surface air temperature and rainfall patterns. The interannual variability in CH _4 flux anomalies was larger in SA compared to EA and SEA. The Southern Oscillation Index correlates strongly with interannual CH _4 flux anomalies for SA. Our findings suggest that the interannual variability in the total CH _4 flux is dominated by climate variability in SA. The contribution of climate variability driving interannual variability in natural and anthropogenic CH _4 emissions should be further quantified, especially for tropical countries. Accounting for climate variability may be necessary to improve anthropogenic emission inventories.

China’s anthropogenic methane emissions are the largest of any country in the world. A recent study using atmospheric observations suggested that recent policies aimed at reducing emissions of methane due to coal production in China after 2010 had been largely ineffective. Here, based on a longer observational record and an updated modelling approach, we find a statistically significant positive linear trend (0.36 ± 0.04 ( $\pm1\sigma$ ) Tg CH _4 yr ^−2 ) in China’s methane emissions for 2010–2017. This trend was slowing down at a statistically significant rate of -0.1 ± 0.04 Tg CH _4 yr ^−3 . We find that this decrease in growth rate can in part be attributed to a decline in China’s coal production. However, coal mine methane emissions have not declined as rapidly as production, implying that there may be substantial fugitive emissions from abandoned coal mines that have previously been overlooked. We also find that emissions over rice-growing and aquaculture-farming regions show a positive trend (0.13 ± 0.05 Tg CH _4 yr ^−2 for 2010–2017) despite reports of shrinking rice paddy areas, implying potentially significant emissions from new aquaculture activities, which are thought to be primarily located on converted rice paddies.

The deployable structures based on shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs) have been developed for its unique properties, such as high reliability, low-cost, lightweight, and self-deployment without complex mechanical devices compared with traditional deployable structures. In order to increase the inflatable structure system’s robustness and light the weight of it, a cubic deployable support structure based on SMPC is designed and analyzed preliminarily. The cubic deployable support structure based on SMPC consists of four dependent spatial cages, each spatial cage is composed of 12 three-longeron SMPC truss booms and end connections. The shape recovery of arc-shaped deployable laminates drive the three-longeron SMPC truss booms to unfold, thus realize the expansion of the deployable support structure. The concept and operation of the cubic deployable support structure are described in detail. A series of experiments are performed on the three-longeron deployable laminates unit and the simplified cubic deployable support structure to investigate the shape recovery behavior in the deployment process. Results indicate that the cubic deployable support structure has a high deployment-tgo-stowage volume ratio and can achieve self-deployment, package, and deploy without complex mechanical devices.

Sixteen months of continuous measurements and the analysis of atmospheric mercury (gaseous elemental mercury GEM, gaseous oxidized mercury GOM, and particulate bound mercury PBM) under urban and coastal settings were conducted in Southeastern Texas. At the urban site, the GEM mean mixing ratio was 185 ppqv, 5%−10% higher than the Northern Hemisphere GEM background level. GOM and PBM mixing ratios were as much as six times higher than their background level. The coastal site GEM mean mixing ratio was 165 ppqv, higher than other coastal sites located in the Northern Hemisphere. GOM and PBM mean mixing ratios at the coastal site were 0.75 ppqv and 0.58 ppqv. The urban site had a higher frequency of high mercury events (>300 ppqv) compared to the coastal site. The diurnal patterns were found for both sites: In the urban environment, GEM accumulated to the maximum mixing ratio just after sunrise and decreased to the minimum mixing ratio in late afternoon. In the coastal environment, GEM decreased at night reaching its minimum mixing ratio before sunrise. The relationship between atmospheric mercury species and meteorological parameters was investigated. An examination of the relationship between atmospheric mercury species and key trace gases was conducted as well, showing that the concurrence of GEM, CO2, CO, CH4, and SO2 maximum mixing ratios was notable and provided evidence they may originate from the same emission source. The coastal site was at times influenced by polluted air from urban Houston and the cleaner Gulf of Mexico marine air at other times.

BackgroundLifestyle choices are important determinants of individual health. Few studies have investigated changes in health behaviors and preventive activities brought about by the 2007 implementation of Urban Resident Basic Health Insurance (URBMI) in China. This study, therefore, aimed to explore whether URBMI has reduced individuals' incentives to adopt healthy behaviors and utilize preventive care services.MethodsData were drawn from two waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Respondents were categorized according to their insurance situation before and after the URBMI reform in 2006 and 2011. Propensity score matching and difference-in-differences methods were used to measure levels of preventive care and behavior changes over time. Estimations were also made based on gender, self-reported health, and income.ResultsWe found that URBMI implementation did not change residents' utilization of preventive care services or their smoking habits, drinking habits, or other risky behaviors overall. However, the likelihood of sedentariness did increase by five percentage points. Females tended to be more sedentary while males were less likely to drink soft drinks. Residents with poor self-reported health exercised less while those who reported good health were more likely to be sedentary. Low- and middle-income residents were likely to be sedentary while middle-income people tended to smoke after becoming insured.ConclusionSince URBMI implementation, some unhealthy behaviors like sedentariness have increased among those who were newly insured, and different subgroups have reacted differently. This suggests that the insurance design needs to be optimized and effective measures need to be adopted to help improve people's lifestyle choices.

We examined the past 23 years of ground-level O3 data and selected meteorological parameters in Houston, Texas, which historically has been one of the most polluted cities in the United States. Both 1-h and 8-h O3 exceedances have been reduced significantly down to single digit yearly occurrences. We also found that the frequency of southerly flow has increased by a factor of ~2.5 over the period 1990–2013, likely suppressing O3 photochemistry and leading to a “cleaner” Houston environment. The sea breeze was enhanced greatly from 1990 to 2013 due to increasing land surface temperatures, increased pressure gradients, and slightly stronger on-shore winds. These patterns driven by climate change produce a strengthening of the sea breeze, which should be a general result at locations worldwide.

Interface cracks often initiate around the bonding free-edge corner due to the high-stress concentration. In this research, the elastic behavior of an edge-cracked dissimilar bonded strip subjected to remote tensile load is investigated using the proportional crack tip opening displacement method based on FE analysis for arbitrary material combinations. The stress intensity factor, energy release rate, and mode mixity are computed and compared systematically with varying geometrical configurations and material combinations. Then, the combined effects of the relative height of the bonded component and material combination are discussed for the typical engineering materials.