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Abstract In this study, we investigate the climatology and trend of explosive cyclones (ECs) over the Southern Ocean (50oS–70oS) during 1980–2020 by combining a method that is most suited for identifying and tracking cyclones in the Southern Ocean and a latest climate reanalysis. On average, approximately 50 ECs are generated annually over the Southern Ocean, with a significant increasing trend of 2.3 per decade during the studying period. This increasing trend is dominated by the trend of strong ECs, particularly in autumn. We analyze the dynamical and thermodynamical effects associated with multiple deepened strong ECs in autumn over an identified key region in the southern Pacific Ocean sector (155oW–170oW, 50oS–65oS), where the density of the initiation of ECs shows the largest increasing trend in autumn. The composite analysis reveals the general patterns and duration of the effects on the atmosphere, ocean, and sea ice associated with multiple ECs in the southern Pacific Ocean. The results indicate that the deepened strong ECs are associated with significant changes in meridional winds, downward longwave radiation, and sensible and latent heat fluxes. These changes lead to cold sea surface temperature anomalies in the northeast of the key region, reaching a maximum 5–7 days after the EC deepening, and the increased sea ice cover south of the key region, peaking 4–5 days after the EC deepening.

Abstract Extremely large magnetoresistance (XMR) is highly applicable in spintronic devices such as magnetic sensors, magnetic memory, and hard drives. Typically, XMR is found in Weyl semimetals characterized by perfect electron–hole symmetry or exceptionally high electric conductivity and mobility. Our study explores this phenomenon in a recently developed graphene moiré system, which demonstrates XMR owing to its topological structure and high-quality crystal formation. We investigate the electronic properties of three-dimensional intertwined twisted graphene spirals (TGS), manipulating the screw dislocation axis to achieve a rotation angle of 7.3°. Notably, at 14 T and 2 K, the magnetoresistance of these structures reaches 1.7 × 107%, accompanied by a metal–insulator transition as the temperature increases. This transition becomes noticeable when the magnetic field exceeds a minimal threshold of approximately 0.1 T. These observations suggest the possible existence of complex, correlated states within the partially filled three-dimensional Landau levels of the 3D TGS system. Our findings open up possibilities for achieving XMR by engineering the topological structure of 2D layered moiré systems.

ABSTRACT: The wide distribution and diverse varieties of chickens make them important models for studying genetic adaptation. The aim of this study was to identify genes that alter heat adaptation in commercial chicken breeds by comparing genetic differences between tropical and cold-resistant chickens. We analyzed whole-genome resequencing data of 186 chickens across various regions in Asia, including the following breeds: Bian chickens (B), Dagu chickens (DG), Beijing-You chickens (BY), and Gallus gallus jabouillei from China; Gallus gallus murghi from India; Vietnam native chickens (VN); Thailand native chickens (TN) and Gallus gallus spadiceus from Thailand; and Indonesia native chickens (IN), Gallus gallus gallus, and Gallus gallus bankiva from Indonesia. In total, 5,454,765 SNPs were identified for further analyses. Population genetic structure analysis revealed that each local chicken breed had undergone independent evolution. Additionally, when K = 5, B, BY, and DG chickens shared a common ancestor and exhibited high levels of inbreeding, suggesting that northern cold-resistant chickens are likely the result of artificial selection. In contrast, the runs of homozygosity (ROH) and the ROH-based genomic inbreeding coefficient (FROH) results for IN, TN, and VN chickens showed low levels of inbreeding. Low population differentiation index values indicated low differentiation levels, suggesting low genetic diversity in tropical chickens, implying increased vulnerability to environmental changes, decreased adaptability, and disease resistance. Whole-genome selection sweep analysis revealed 69 candidate genes, including LGR4, G6PC, and NBR1, between tropical and cold-resistant chickens. The genes were further subjected to GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, revealing that most of the genes were primarily enriched in biological synthesis processes, metabolic processes, central nervous system development, ion transmembrane transport, and the Wnt signaling pathway. Our study identified heat adaptation genes and their functions in chickens that primarily affect chickens in high-temperature environments through metabolic pathways. These heat-resistance genes provide a theoretical basis for improving the heat-adaptation capacity of commercial chicken breeds.

Abstract People often fail to notice unexpected stimuli when their attention is directed elsewhere. Most studies of this “inattentional blindness” have been conducted using laboratory tasks with little connection to real-world performance. Medical case reports document examples of missed findings in radiographs and CT images, unintentionally retained guidewires following surgery, and additional conditions being overlooked after making initial diagnoses. These cases suggest that inattentional blindness might contribute to medical errors, but relatively few studies have directly examined inattentional blindness in realistic medical contexts. We review the existing literature, much of which focuses on the use of augmented reality aids or inspection of medical images. Although these studies suggest a role for inattentional blindness in errors, most of the studies do not provide clear evidence that these errors result from inattentional blindness as opposed to other mechanisms. We discuss the design, analysis, and reporting practices that can make the contributions of inattentional blindness unclear, and we describe guidelines for future research in medicine and similar contexts that could provide clearer evidence for the role of inattentional blindness.

To explore the key factors and specific thresholds of water resources limiting economic development, and to provide technical support for water resources management in cities dominated by agriculture similar to Zhangjiakou. We used the Tapio elastic decoupling method to quantitatively evaluate the decoupling relationship between the water resources ecological footprint (WEF) and economic growth. Then the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) and mathematical statistics are used to identify the key factors and threshold effects. The results show a significant decreasing trend in the WEF and obvious spatial differences in Zhangjiakou between 2006 and 2015, with agricultural ecological footprint dominating all districts and counties (77.54 ± 14.35%). The changes in technological effect are a contributing factor to the decoupling between the WEF and the economy in Zhangjiakou, while the economic effect is the main restricting factor. In particular, there is a high correlation between the WEF and the number of water-saving irrigation machines and the total power of agricultural machinery. According to the findings, for water-scarce cities such as Zhangjiakou, where agriculture is the primary focus, it is suggested that increasing the number of agricultural machinery can effectively alleviate the problem of water scarcity constraining economic development. HIGHLIGHTS Combining the water resources ecological footprint theory with the Tapio decoupling model, this paper analyses the changes of water resources ecological footprint and decoupling state in different districts and counties of Zhangjiakou City in terms of time and space.; Combining LMDI modelling with mathematical and statistical methods to analyse the key factors affecting water resources and economic change in Zhangjiakou.;

Demand-side response (DR) and energy storage system (ESS) are both important means of providing operational flexibility to the power system. Thus, DR has a certain substitution role for ESS, but unlike DR, ESS planning has a coupling relationship between years, which makes it difficult to guarantee the reasonableness of the ESS planning results by considering only a single year. To achieve the optimal construction timing of ESS, this paper develops a consecutive year-by-year framework integrating DR and ESS to analyse and quantify the substitution effect of DR on energy storage while realizing year-by-year ESS planning. Our methods are as follows: (1) A consecutive year-by-year DR model and an ESS model are proposed; (2) These two models are combined together to achieve the purpose of considering DR in the ESS planning stage. Here, system reserve, renewable energy consumption, and preservation of power supply are given consideration to optimise the reliability and economy of the system; (3) The method is validated using a provincial real-world power grid in the eastern part of China. The optimal results of five consecutive years of planning show that DR substitutes 19.7% of the ESS capacity.

Abstract The virtual synchronous generator (VSG) is a good solution for stabilizing the power system with high penetration of renewable energy. However, in case of serious unbalanced voltage disturbance/fault, the conventional VSG may lose voltage, inertia, and damping support characteristics to the grid and even can cause disconnection of renewable energy. This paper proposes an improved fault control strategy for VSG with the coordination of STATCOM. The proposed method can provide sufficient voltage support while keeping continuous system inertia and damping support under severe unbalanced fault. In the paper, an improved VSG and STATCOM control topology based on positive and negative sequence current control are first proposed so as to keep the damping and inertia support to grid during the grid fault. Secondly, the voltage support control method for the VSG with improved topology during unbalanced fault is introduced, which can achieve multiple control objectives, in terms of voltage support, current limitation, and active power output simultaneously. Then a coordination control scheme of improved VSG and STATCOM is developed so as to optimize the maximum control objectives in all possible scenarios, especially in the case of severe unbalanced fault. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is verified by using the MATLAB/SIMULINK simulation platform.

ABSTRACT: Beak color in ducks is a primary characteristic of local breeds and genetic resources. Among them, black beaks, a rare packaging trait of high-quality duck products, have attracted much attention. In this study, Runzhou White Created ducks (black beak) and white-feathered Putian black ducks (yellow beak) were used to construct the F2 generation resource population to study the changing discipline of beak color combined with the beak color statistics of gray-beaked ducklings of Runzhou White Created ducks. Subsequently, transcriptome sequencing was performed to identify genetic markers related to beak color. To explore the rules of beak color change and its regulatory network, trends, and trend analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis（WGCNA）were performed. The screening results were verified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. A large difference was observed between the beak colors of birds from the F1 generation at 0 and 42 d of age. The F2 generation results show that nearly half of the black-beaked ducklings become green-beaked; the proportion of black spots for gray- and patterned-beaked ducklings increases with age, with most becoming green-beaked. Moreover, the beak color darkened from the first day, and the gray color value decreased significantly from the second day. Transcriptome sequencing indicated that TYR was differentially expressed between black and yellow beaks at 4 to 6 wk of age, and trend and WGCNA analyses showed that EDNRB signaling pathway genes and MITF were highly expressed in the first week, and TYR, TYRP1, and DCT were highly expressed at 4 to 6 wk of age. Therefore, there is melanin synthesis and deposition after hatching for gray- and patterned-beaked ducklings, while the yellow pigment might be deposited in the epidermis of beaks for black-beaked ducklings. The EDNRB signaling pathway is probably involved in early melanosome maturation and melanin formation in duck beaks, and genes such as TYR can maintain the black-beak phenotype.

Summary: Lithium−sulfur (Li–S) batteries are regarded as a promising candidate for next-generation energy storage systems owing to their remarkable energy density, resource availability, and environmental benignity. Nevertheless, severe shuttling effect, sluggish redox kinetics, large volumetric expansion, and uncontrollable dendrite growth hamper the practical applications. To address these intractable issues, two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have emerged expeditiously as an essential material strategy. Herein, this review emphasizes the development and application of 2D TMDs in Li–S batteries. It starts with introducing the fundamentals of Li−S batteries and common synthetic routes of TMDs, followed by summarizing the employment of pristine, hybrid, and defective TMDs in the realm of expediting sulfur chemistry and stabilizing lithium anode. Finally, the development roadmap and possible research directions of TMDs are proposed to offer guidance for the future design of high-performance Li−S batteries.

A catastrophic rockslide occurred on 7 February 2021 in Chamoli area in the high Himalaya. In the absence of field data, multiple satellites data of decade span have been used to investigate and understand the progressive destabilization of rockslide body. A 3D geometric model was developed using geospatial information about geology, terrain, and ice cover to understand the triggering mechanism. Several causes are uncovered as: the pronounced long-term change of land surface temperature facilitated local permafrost degradation and led to ice cover shrinking since 2010; the occurrence of ice avalanche nearby in 2016 accompanying with sidewall-to-bedrock fracturing enhanced the ice segregation beneath the rockslide body; and the development of side cracks in early February 2021 led to dropping of side support and percolating of surface water. Heavy precipitation several days before favoured the destabilization, top-corner cracks developing and top-side bergschrund breaking abruptly two days before, and ice strength reduction owing air temperature rising few hours before the event triggered finally the rockslide. The frequent disasters such as cloudburst, extreme precipitation, landslides, and snow avalanches responding to global warming and climate change in the Himalayan region needs immediate attention to the chain-like geohazards and collaborative observation with satellites and other platforms.

Abstract Nonreciprocal charge transport phenomena are widely studied in two-dimensional superconductors, which demonstrate unidirectional-anisotropy magnetoresistances as a result of symmetry breaking. Here, we report a strong nonreciprocal transport phenomenon in superconducting CsV3Sb5 thin flakes. The second harmonic voltages, mainly originating from the rectification effect of vortex motion, are unambiguously developed with in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic fields, and their magnitudes are comparable to those in noncentrosymmetric superconductors. The second harmonic magnetoresistances split into several peaks and some of them reverse their signs by ramping the magnetic field or the current within the superconducting transition. The nonreciprocity suggests a strong asymmetry in CsV3Sb5. The centrosymmetric structure and symmetric electronic phases in CsV3Sb5 can hardly induce the distinct nonreciprocal transport phenomenon, which could be correlated to a symmetry breaking from an unconventional superconducting order parameter symmetry.

Aiming at the physical layer security (PLS) application requirement of massive user equipments access in the future, the PLS model combining with non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), device-to-device (D2D) and relay cooperation was proposed.The model was composed of base station with transmit antenna selection (TAS), NOMA far cellular user of base station and D2D transmitter, D2D receiver and passive eavesdropper, the D2D transmitter was also assumed two roles of NOMA near user of base station and decode-and-forward relay.The approximate expressions for the secrecy outage probability, non-zero secrecy capacity probability and asymptotic secrecy outage probability of NOMA-D2D cooperative wireless system under two TAS schemes were derived by using Gaussian-Chebyshev Quadrature theorem.Numerical and simulation results verify the accuracy of PLS performance analysis of NOMA-D2D cooperative wireless system.The results also show that increasing the power allocated to far cellular user under constant total power of base station can effectively improve PLS performance of NOMA-D2D cooperative wireless system.

People often fail to notice the presence of unexpected objects when their attention is engaged elsewhere. In dichotic listening tasks, for example, people often fail to notice unexpected content in the ignored speech stream even though they occasionally do notice highly familiar stimuli like their own name (the “cocktail party” effect). Some of the first studies of inattentional blindness were designed as a visual analog of such dichotic listening studies, but relatively few inattentional blindness studies have examined how familiarity affects noticing. We conducted four preregistered inattentional blindness experiments (total N = 1700) to examine whether people are more likely to notice a familiar unexpected object than an unfamiliar one. Experiment 1 replicated evidence for greater noticing of upright schematic faces than inverted or scrambled ones. Experiments 2–4 tested whether participants from different pairs of countries would be more likely to notice their own nation’s flag or petrol company logo than those of another country. These experiments repeatedly found little or no evidence that familiarity affects noticing rates for unexpected objects. Frequently encountered and highly familiar stimuli do not appear to overcome inattentional blindness.

In light of the widespread use of electric vehicles for urban distribution, this paper delves into the electric vehicle routing problem (EVRP): specifically addressing multiple trips per vehicle, diverse vehicle types, and simultaneous pickup and delivery. The primary objective is to minimize the overall cost, which encompasses travel expenses, waiting times, recharging costs, and fixed vehicle costs. The focal problem is formulated as a heterogeneous and multi-trip electric vehicle routing problem with pickup and delivery (H-MT-EVRP-PD). Additionally, we introduce two heuristic algorithms to efficiently approximate solutions within a reasonable computational time. The variable neighborhood search (VNS) algorithm and the adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS) algorithm are presented and compared based on our computational experiences with both. Through solving a series of large-scale real-world instances for the H-MT-EVRP-PD and smaller instances using an exact method, we demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approaches.

Exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and associated PAHs are frequently linked with lung cancer, which makes the understanding of their occurrence and health risk in human lungs urgently important. Using the ultrasonic treatment and sequencing centrifugation (USC) extraction method coupled with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC - MS/MS) analysis, we revealed the molecular fingerprints of PM-accumulated PAHs in human lungs from a cohort of 68 patients with lung cancer in a typical air-polluted region, China. Sixteen priority PAHs can be grouped by concentrations as ∼ 1 × 104 ng/g (ANT/BkF/ACE/DBA/BgP/PHN/PYR), 2–5 × 103 ng/g (BaP/FLE/NaP/BbF), and ∼ 1 × 103 ng/g (IND/Acy/CHR/FLT/BaA). The sum concentration of 16 PAHs was approximately equaled to 13% of those in atmospheric PM2.5, suggesting significant pulmonary leaching of PAHs deposited in lungs. Low- and high-molecular weight PAHs accounted for ∼ 41.8% and ∼ 45.1% of the total PAHs, respectively, which indicated that atmospheric PM2.5, tobacco and cooking smoke were likely to be important sources of pulmonary PAHs. The evident increasing concentrations of NaP and FLE in pulmonary PM were significantly correlated with smoking history among smokers. The implicated carcinogenic potency of PM-accumulated PAHs among the participants aged 70–80 was 17 times that among participants aged 40–50 on the basis of BaP equivalent concentration (BaPeq) evaluation. The particulate enrichment factor (EFP), the PAH content in pulmonary PM relative to the bulk lung tissue, was equaled to 54 ∼ 835 and averaged at 436. The high value of EFP suggested that PAHs were essentially accumulated in pulmonary PM and exhibited a pattern of “hotspot” distribution in the lungs, which would likely increase the risk of monoclonal tumorigenesis. The chemical characteristics of PM-accumulated PAHs in human lungs together with their implicated lung cancer risks could provide significant information for understanding health effects of particulate pollution in the human body.

The combination of non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) technologies can improve spectrum efficiency of wireless system and solve the power supply problem of user nodes.However, when energy-harvesting receivers want to maliciously eavesdrop on confidential information sent by the base station, the information security transmission of SWIPT-NOMA system will be threatened.To enhance its physical layer security (PLS) performance, the PLS model of SWIPT-NOMA system with transmit antenna selection and power split strategies was proposed.When the spatial location randomly distributed energy-harvesting receivers obey the Poisson point process, the approximate expressions for the secrecy outage probability and non-zero secrecy capacity probability of SWIPT-NOMA system were derived by using the spatial Poisson probability generation function.Numerical and simulation results verify the accuracy of the expressions.The above expressions can also be used to study the influence of eavesdropper density, the distance between the base station and the far and near information receivers, the number of transmitting antennas and the power split factor on PLS performance of SWIPT-NOMA system.

Nitrate contamination of ground water is a serious problem due to the intensive agricultural activities needed to feed the world’s growing population. While effective, drinking water treatment using commercial ion exchange polymers is often too expensive to be employed. At the same time, lignocellulosic waste from crop production—an abundant source of the renewable polymer cellulose—is often burned to clear fields. This results in not only adverse health outcomes, but also wastes a valuable resource. In this study, wheat straw was pretreated to extract cellulose, then selectively oxidized with periodate, crosslinked with an alkyl diamine (1,7-diaminoheptane or 1,10-diaminodecane), and functionalized with a quaternary ammonium compound ((2-aminoethyl)trimethyl ammonium chloride) to generate a cellulose-based anion exchange polymer. This polymer lowered aqueous nitrate concentrations to health-based drinking water standards. Unlike commercial ion exchange polymers, its synthesis did not require the use of toxic epichlorohydrin or flammable solvents. The pretreatment conditions did not significantly affect nitrate uptake, but the crosslinker chain length did, with polymers crosslinked with 1,10-diaminodecane showing no nitrate uptake. Agricultural-waste-based anion exchange polymers could accelerate progress toward the sustainable development goals by providing low-cost materials for nitrate removal from water.

The conformal antenna is a precision device installed on the wing of an aircraft, and its components are distributed on a curved surface. Quality detection is required after assembly. In solving the path planning problem for conformal antenna surface detection, the traditional genetic algorithm faces problems such as slow convergence and easily falling into a local optimal solution. To solve this problem, an improved genetic algorithm combining the historical optimal population (CHOP-IGA) is proposed. First, the algorithm uses the probability-based four-nearest-neighbor method to construct an initial population. Subsequently, the probabilities of the crossover and mutation operators are dynamically adjusted. Next, the algorithm applies the crossover and mutation operators to the population and performs mutation operations on each individual of the historical optimal population. Then, the fitness value is calculated and the next generation of individuals is selected from the parent, offspring, and historical optimal populations according to the elite selection strategy. Finally, the current best fitness is checked to determine whether updating the historical optimal population is necessary. When the termination condition is satisfied, the algorithm outputs the optimal result. Experiments showed that the algorithm satisfactorily solved the path planning problem for conformal antenna surface detection, with a 48.44% improvement in detection efficiency.

3D lithiophilic skeletons have attracted enormous attention in homogenizing local current distribution and optimizing metal deposition in the pursuit of robust Li metal anodes. Nonetheless, their practicability is markedly plagued by the cumbersome production routes and mediocre Coulombic efficiency (CE) of Li plating/stripping. Herein, scalable in situ growth of uniform bismuthene arrays over commercial Cu foam via spontaneous galvanic replacement reaction is demonstrated. Exhaustive structural/electrochemical measurements in combination with theoretical calculations collectively disclose the reversible plating‐alloying mechanism, wherein the formed Li3Bi alloy interphase aids to lower the Li nucleation overpotential and elevate the CE performance. The thus‐designed Li metal electrode sustains a stable cyclic operation at 1 mA cm−2/1 mAh cm−2 for 1600 h. When paired with LiFePO4 and sulfur cathodes, the Li metal batteries enable gratifying rate capability and cycling durability. This straightforward maneuver opens a new frontier in the scalable manufacturing of pragmatic current collectors in an economic fashion.

Sluggish sulfur reduction reaction (SRR) kinetics remains a formidable challenge in Li–S electrochemistry. In this sense, the rational design of single‐atom species has become a burgeoning practice to expedite sulfur redox, where the underlying catalytic mechanism otherwise remains elusive. Herein, a class of metal single‐atom modified porous carbon nanofiber films (MSA PCNFs, M = Fe, Co, or Ni), fabricated via a generic synthetic strategy, as mediators to boost SRR kinetics is reported. Throughout electrokinetic measurement and operando instrumental probing, NiSA PCNF is evidenced to harness the catalytic superiority toward the rate‐determining step (i.e., liquid–solid conversion) of the SRR process. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations further reveal that the catalytic features of M–N–C moieties in catalyzing the Li2S precipitation rely heavily upon the coordination environments of adjacent carbon atoms and d‐orbital configurations of metal centers. In response, the thus‐derived S/NiSA PCNF cathode realizes an encouraging areal capacity of 14.12 mAh cm−2 under elevated sulfur loading (10.2 mg cm−2) and lean electrolyte usage (E/S ratio ≈ 5.5 μL mg−1). This work offers insight into the identification of exact catalytic moieties for different transition metal M–N–C single‐atom SRR mediators, showcasing a meaningful guidance and potential impact on Li–S catalysis.

The processing of the three-dimensional circuit on the surface of conformal antennas is mainly performed via manual processing. At present, there is no automatic intelligent equipment for the processing of a similar small-sized circuit with variable curvature in China. Therefore, a high-precision, automated, full-process manufacturing method for three-dimensional circuits with flexible surfaces on conformal antennas of radar equipment has been proposed to improve processing quality and manufacturing efficiency. The processing relationship between solder paste spraying, resistor mounting, and laser welding in the flexible three-dimensional circuit manufacturing process was analyzed. The structure of the new conformal antenna three-dimensional circuit intelligent manufacturing equipment was determined, and simulation verification of the three-dimensional circuit processing was performed using Vericut. The optimal processing parameters were selected based on solid experiments. This method meets the electronic assembly requirements of radar equipment and fills the domestic gap.

The Ms 6.2 Zhangbei earthquake occurred at 3:53 (UTC) on 10 January 1998, with its epicenter located at about 150 km northwest of Beijing, China. Over the past 2 decades, many studies have reported that there was a positive thermal infrared (TIR) anomaly appearing along the direction from the Bohai Sea to Zhangbei within 2–3 days preceding the earthquake, which was considered to be caused by the activity of the great Zhangbei-Bohai fault (ZBF) extending across the Bohai Sea to the southeast, while neither the TIR anomaly is convinced nor the mechanism is clear. A collaborative analysis of the atmospheric disturbances several days before, during, and after the earthquake was conducted by using satellite observations and reanalysis datasets with multiple parameters, including sea surface roughness, evaporation rate, atmospheric CO concentration, atmospheric sea salt concentration, and cloud base height above the sea surface, as well as satellite infrared cloud images. Through individual analysis of the change of each parameter and synergic analysis of multiple parameters, particular atmospheric disturbances, including the formation of strip-shaped clouds on January 7 and 9, were revealed over the ZBF and another great fault named Tancheng-Lujiang fault (TLF), which extends across the Bohai Sea to the northeast. After careful investigation and attribution analysis of the spatio-temporal evolutions of the atmospheric disturbances every hour above and around the Bohai Sea from January 7 to 12, we came to the conclusion that the particular strip-shaped clouds were low-level clouds caused by the seismic activity and submarine gas release from TLF but not ZBF and was forced by particular wind field and lowering boundary layer. As an aftereffect of the gas release from TLF and the formation of the localized low-level clouds of higher brightness temperature than that of the land surface, a positive TIR anomaly, thus, appeared above TLF and by chance along ZBF, preceding the Zhangbei earthquake.

Anthropogenic loss of phosphorus to surface waters not only causes environmental problems but depletes valuable phosphorus reserves. In this study, magnesium amended biochars and magnesium silicate, synthesized from corn cobs and rice straw, respectively, were evaluated for phosphorus uptake including the effects of pH and alkalinity. The overall goal was to close the phosphorus loop by recovering phosphorus from animal waste and reusing it as fertilizer. After phosphorus uptake, spent materials were tested for phosphorus release using modified soil tests representing different soil pH and alkalinity conditions. In experiments using model animal wastewaters containing both ammonia and bicarbonate alkalinity, dissolved phosphorus was removed by struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) formation, whereas in deionized water, dissolved phosphorus was removed by adsorption. Alkalinity in the model animal wastewaters competed with phosphate for dissolved or solid-associated magnesium, thereby reducing phosphorus uptake. Spent materials released significant phosphorus in waters with bicarbonate alkalinity. This work shows that abundant agricultural wastes can be used to synthesize solids for phosphorus uptake, with the spent materials having potential application as fertilizers. HIGHLIGHTS Magnesium modified biochar and magnesium silicate were prepared from corn cobs and rice straw, respectively.; These materials removed phosphorus from model wastewaters by struvite precipitation.; Phosphorus uptake was limited by wastewater alkalinity.; Spent materials released phosphorus under conditions mimicking calcareous soils.; These materials show promise for phosphorus recovery and reuse.;

Electronic equipment, including phased array radars, satellites, high-performance computers, etc., has been widely used in military and civilian fields. Its importance and significance are self-evident. Electronic equipment has many small components, various functions, and complex structures, making assembly an essential step in the manufacturing process of electronic equipment. In recent years, the traditional assembly methods have had difficulty meeting the increasingly complex assembly needs of military and civilian electronic equipment. With the rapid development of Industry 4.0, emerging intelligent assembly technology is replacing the original “semi-automatic” assembly technology. Aiming at the assembly requirements of small electronic equipment, we first evaluate the existing problems and technical difficulties. Then, we analyze the intelligent assembly technology of electronic equipment from three aspects: visual positioning, path and trajectory planning, and force–position coordination control technology. Further, we describe and summarize the research status and the application of the technology and discuss possible future research directions in the intelligent assembly technology of small electronic equipment.

Thermal anomalies related to large earthquakes are frequently reported, but focus on the inconsistencies and uncertainties in the uncovered results caused by the diverse method used, data used, and case studies is lacking. Taking seismic anomaly detection using passive microwave remote sensing as an example, this study revealed and illustrated the time series of microwave brightness temperature (MBT) anomaly associated with the May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the April 2010 Yushu earthquake, the April 2013 Lushan earthquake, and the April and May 2015 Nepal earthquake sequence. Cross comparison showed that the spatial distribution of MBT anomalies behaves differently with different background-removal methods. More regional and detailed MBT anomalies (but with weaker intensities) were obtained with higher frequency data, whereas more pronounced MBT anomalies (but with fewer details) were acquired with lower frequency data. The amplitude and spatial scales of MBT anomalies at H polarization were larger than that at V polarization. And 10.7 GHz at H polarization was recommended as the optimal band. The spatiotemporal evolutions of MBT anomalies associated with the four selected earthquake cases were compared and found to be closely related to respective earthquake preparation mechanisms. The aforementioned characteristics and uncertainties of MBT anomalies under different conditions were then discriminated and discussed based on microwave remote-sensing physics, and the applications and limitations of the present study were illustrated and analyzed. The findings of this study are of great significance for remote sensing data selection, reliability assessment, and result interpretation in seismic-anomaly research.

In the traditional non-invasive load monitoring (NILM) algorithms, the identification accuracy is enhanced with the increased network scale while sacrificing the calculation speed, which restricts the efficiency of the load identification. In this study, a multi-feature (active/reactive power and current peak-to-peak value) fusion algorithm is proposed, which can achieve enhanced identification accuracy with a smaller network scale while maintaining the calculation speed. The features of the power and current amplitudes of the loads are transformed into the values of red-green-blue (RGB) color channels by color coding and then fused into the V-I trajectory features. After that, the true-color feature image with higher discrimination is generated and input into the convolutional neural network (CNN). The testing results on the PLAID data set indicate that in comparison with the traditional load identification algorithm, the algorithm proposed in this study performs higher identification accuracy with a smaller neural network parameter scale, which significantly improves the identification efficiency.

Li metal is regarded as one of the most promising anodes for next‐generation rechargeable batteries. Nonetheless, infinite volume change and severe dendrite growth impede its practicability. To date, unremitting efforts have been devoted to stabilizing Li metal anode via the rational design of 3D current collectors. In this sense, optimizing Li nucleation behavior plays a pivotal role in alleviating the dendrite formation. Herein, a practically viable route is devised by in situ crafting lithiophilic CuSe granules on the dealloyed Cu skeleton (D‐Cu@CuSe). Persuasive electrochemical analysis and systematic theoretical calculation disclose the underlying Li nucleation mechanism on the CuSe overlayer. Impressively, the D‐Cu@CuSe‐Li symmetric cell can sustain a stable plating/stripping operation over 1000 h at a high depth of discharge at 62.5%. More crucially, when paired with high‐loading sulfur cathodes, D‐Cu@CuSe‐Li||S batteries harvest advanced areal capacity and stable cycling performance even under stringent working conditions of low negative‐to‐positive (N/P) (≈2) and electrolyte‐to‐sulfur (8 μL mgs−1) ratios. Overall, a fresh perspective into rationalizing current collector design is afforded, which extends Li utilization and cycling durability in the pursuit of pragmatic Li metal anodes.

Chalky grains of rice are increased due to high temperature (HT) during a ripening period. However, the underlying mechanisms of the chalkiness are not well known, seemingly due to the obtuse response of wild type and lack of effective mutants. In this study, we isolated and characterized the flo11-2 mutant, which showed higher number of chalky grains than wild type under HT but quite small number of chalkiness under cool temperature as well as similar growth, development, and yield to that of the wild type. Using this high sensitivity of the flo11-2 mutant, we identified the most critical meteorological factor and developmental stage affecting chalkiness with 5 days HT treatments over 4 consecutive years. The results demonstrated that daily maximum temperature was more causative than daily mean or minimum temperatures which have been regarded as important factors before this. Besides, the developmental stage around 20 days after flowering (DAF) was most sensitive to HT rather than the early stage up to 15 DAF. In addition, we found that the flo11-2 mutant with a high chalky ratio was vulnerable to preharvest sprouting, which has never been reported before for chalky grains, but could cause significant yield and quality loss after extremely hot and dry summers followed by rainy cool autumns. The flo11-2 mutant is, therefore, a useful material for chalky grain research. Abbreviations: Tmax: Daily maximum temperature; Tmean: Daily mean temperature; Tmin: Daily minimum temperature; DAF: Days after flowering; DAH: Days after heading; Ext30: Excess temperature above 30 ºC; HDT: High day temperature; HNDT: High night and high day temperature; HNT: High night temperature; HT; High temperature; HTR: High temperature resistant; HTS: High temperature susceptible; BW: Basal white; MW: Milky white; WB: White back

The locations of the eavesdroppers have serious impact on the physical layer security performance of simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) systems with transmit antenna selection (TAS) and power split (PS) strategy,which can be considered to be modeled as Poisson point process (PPP).The closed-form expressions for secrecy outage probability (SOP) of SWIPT system with TAS and PS strategy under non-colluding and colluding eavesdropping scenarios were derived by using probability generation function of PPP,respectively.Numerical and simulation results show that,the larger the number of transmit antennas,the smaller the distance between the transmitter and the information receiver,and the smaller the PS factor,the smaller SOP of SWIPT system under non-colluding and colluding eavesdropping scenarios.Colluding eavesdropping will further deteriorate the physical layer security performance of SWIPT systems.

In this paper, three different roughening route planning methods (free coarsening, vertical coarsening, circling coarsening) were designed to pre-treat the basement membrane. The platinum IPMC was prepared by electroless plating to observe their surface morphology and test their performances such as output displacement and blocking force. The results show that the platinum electrode of the vertical coarsening route planning of IPMC is distributed in the shape of fish scales and is the most compact and regular on the surface electrode. The thickness of the platinum electrode layer is about 13 μm, the maximum output displacement is 54.89 mm, the blocking force of 15.46 mN, and the maximum strain energy density of the IPMC of 2.44 KJ/m3. Vertical coarsening route planning can significantly improve the electrodynamic properties of IPMC, and it is recommended that the surface roughening of IPMC be utilized in the research and application of IPMC. It lays a certain experimental foundation for the performance improvement and innovation research and development of IPMC in the subsequent stage.

The incidence of degenerative spinal diseases, such as cervical spondylosis and thoracic and lumbar disc herniation, is increasing. These health problems have adversely affected human life and work. Surgical intervention is effective when intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) causes nerve compression and/or severely limits daily activity. Early IDD patients generally do not require surgery. However, there is no effective method of impeding IDD progression. Thus, novel approaches to alleviating IDD deterioration are urgently required. Cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) and E-selectin (CD62E) are vital factors regulating vascular function and inflammation. However, their effects on IDD and vascular invasion in intervertebral discs (IVDs) are pending further exploration. Here, bioinformatics and human nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues analyses revealed that CSE was significantly downregulated and CD62E was upregulated in the NP tissues of IDD patients. We demonstrated that CSE overexpression, CD62E downregulation, and NF-κB (P65) inhibition mitigate inflammation and recover metabolic function in NP cells. Similarly, CSE attenuated vascular invasion induced by inflammatory irritation. Using a rat IDD model, we showed that CSE improved degeneration, inflammation, and microvascular invasion in NP tissue, whereas CD62E had the opposite effect. Taken together, our results indicated that the CSE/CD62E pathway could effectively improve the inflammatory environment and vascular invasion in IVD. Hence, the findings of this study propose a promising and valuable strategy for the treatment of patients with early IDD as well as postoperative adjuvant therapy in patients with severe IDD.

This study investigated the effect and mechanism of chrysosplenol D (CD) on LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice. Histological changes in the lungs were measured by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were detected by ELISA. The levels of oxidative stress were detected by the cuvette assay. Immune cells in peripheral blood, the levels of reactive oxygen species, and apoptosis of primary lung cells were detected by flow cytometry. The mRNA levels of TLR4, MyD88, IL-1β, and NLRP3 were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The levels of proteins in apoptosis and the TLR4-MAPKs/NF-κB signaling pathways were detected by Western blot. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that CD could improve lung injury; decrease the levels of inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, and cell apoptosis; and regulate the immune system. Moreover, CD could down-regulate the mRNA levels of TLR4, MyD88, NLRP3, and IL-1β in lung, and the protein levels of Keap-1, Cleaved-Caspase-3/Caspase-3, Cleaved-Caspase-9/Caspase-9, TLR4, MyD88, p-ERK/ERK, p-JNK/JNK, p-p38/p38, p-p65/p65, NLRP3, and IL-1β, and up-regulated the levels of Bcl-2/Bax, p-Nrf2/Nrf2, and HO-1. The results suggested that CD could protect mice against LPS-induced acute lung injury by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis via the TLR4-MAPKs/NF-κB signaling pathways.

A Mw 7.3 earthquake occurred near the Iran-Iraq border on November 12, 2017, as the result of oblique-thrust squeezing of the Eurasian plate and the Arabian plate. By employing the spatio-temporally weighted two-step method (STW-TSM) and microwave brightness temperature (MBT) data from AMSR-2 instrument on board Aqua satellite, this paper investigates carefully the spatiotemporal features of multi-frequency MBT anomalies relating to the earthquake. Soil moisture (SM), satellite cloud image, regional geological map and surface landcover data are utilized to discriminate the potential MBT anomalies revealed from STW-TSM. The low-frequency MBT residual images shows that positive anomalies mainly occurred in the mountainous Urmia lake and the plain region, which were 300 km north and 200 km southwest about to the epicenter, respectively. The north MBT anomaly firstly appeared 51 days before the mainshock and its magnitude increased over time with a maximum of about +40K. Then the anomaly disappeared 3 days before, reappeared 1d after and diminished completely 10 days after the mainshock. Meanwhile, the southwest MBT anomaly firstly occurred 18 days before and peaked 3 days before the mainshock with a maximum of about +20K, and then diminished gradually with aftershocks. It is speculated that the positive MBT anomaly in the Urmia lake was caused by microwave dielectric property change of water body due to gas bubbles leaking from the bottom of the lake disturbed by local crust stress alteration, while the southwest MBT positive anomaly was caused by microwave dielectric constant change of shallow surface due to accumulation of seismically-activated positive charges originated at deep crust. Besides, some accidental abnormal residual stripes existed in line with satellite orbit, which turned out to be periodic data errors of the satellite sensor. High-frequency MBT residual images exhibit some significant negative anomalies, including a narrow stripe pointing to the forthcoming epicenter, which were confirmed to be caused by synchronous altostratus clouds. This study is of guidance meaning for distinguishing non-seismic disturbances and identifying seismic MBT anomaly before, during and after some large earthquakes.

The accumulation of macrophages in degenerated discs is a common phenomenon. However, the roles and mechanisms of M2a macrophages in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) have not been illuminated. This study investigated the expression of the M2a macrophage marker (CD206) in human and rat intervertebral disc tissues by immunohistochemistry. To explore the roles of M2a macrophages in IDD, nucleus pulposus (NP) cells were co-cultured with M2a macrophages in vitro. To clarify whether the CHI3L1 protein mediates the effect of M2a macrophages on NP cells, siRNA was used to knock down CHI3L1 transcription. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, NP cells were incubated with recombinant CHI3L1 proteins, then subjected to western blotting analysis of the IL-13Rα2 receptor and MAPK pathway. CD206-positive cells were detected in degenerated human and rat intervertebral disc tissues. Notably, M2a macrophages promoted the expression of catabolism genes (MMP-3 and MMP-9) and suppressed the expression of anabolism genes (aggrecan and collagen II) in NP cells. These effects were abrogated by CHI3L1 knockdown in M2a macrophages. Exposure to recombinant CHI3L1 promoted an extracellular matrix metabolic imbalance in NP cells via the IL-13Rα2 receptor, along with activation of the ERK and JNK MAPK signaling pathways. This study elucidated the roles of M2a macrophages in IDD and identified potential mechanisms for these effects.

Analog-digital hybrid precoding is a key technology for millimeter wave massive MIMO systems that reduce hardware costs while balancing system performance.However,the traditional hybrid precoding scheme often needed to find a suitable codebook for precoding,and some codebooks were not easy to obtain or had deviations in actual situations.An analog-digital hybrid precoding method based on latent factor model (LFM) in machine learning without codebook was proposed for this problem.The LFM decomposition and stochastic gradient descent method were used to approximate the designed precoding matrix to the optimal full digital precoding matrix for good performance.The simulation results show that compared with the hybrid precoding design method based on orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) algorithm,this method not only does not need a codebook,but also has better performance than the hybrid precoding algorithm based on OMP algorithm,which is closer to optimal full digital precoding method.

While phosphorus is a limited resource that is essential for agriculture, its release to the environment adversely impacts water quality. At the same time, animal wastewaters contain significant quantities of phosphorus and nitrogen that can be recovered for beneficial use. Phosphorus uptake experiments were performed with magnesium-treated corn-cob char and with magnesium silicate prepared using silicate from rice straw at pH 8 and 9. The concentration of dissolved phosphorus as a function of total added ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) was determined, and chemical equilibrium modeling was used to investigate the concentration trends of dissolved and mineral species. According to chemical equilibrium modeling, carbonate alkalinity exerted a significant magnesium demand, with approximately half of all added magnesium forming magnesite (MgCO3(s)). As total added NH4Cl increased, excess Cl− complexed with dissolved Mg2+ in competition with orthophosphate, freeing orthophosphate to precipitate, mainly as the mineral struvite (NH4MgPO4·6H2O(s)). As the concentration of added NH4Cl increased by a factor of ten, measured concentrations of dissolved phosphorus decreased by a factor of ten, meaning that ionic composition has the potential to significantly impact the amount of phosphorus that can be recovered from wastewaters for beneficial use.

Despite more than ten years of extensive research, the superconducting mechanism of iron-based superconductors (FeSCs) is still an open question. Generally, the high-temperature superconductivity is often observed with suppression of magnetic ordering, spin-density-wave, or even the structure transition by carrier doping. Furthermore, an electronic state ordering is also observed at temperatures close to or even above these transitions. Due to its proximity to the superconducting state and disappearance near the optimal superconductivity, it has been also suggested to interplay with superconductivity on a phenomenological level. Nevertheless, there is still no direct evidence to bridge the superconductivity to these transitions. Recently, another nematic order was observed in the superconducting state of heavily hole-doped compound AFe$$_2$$As$$_2$$ (A = K, Rb, Cs), providing a possibility to explore the superconductivity gap symmetry nature. Here, by reviewing the recent experimental progresses on the nematic superconductivity in the FeSCs, we will introduce the progresses by various methods including the quasi-particle interference from scanning tunneling microscope, anisotropic gap magnitudes from angular resolved photoemission, the upper critical field and the superconducting transition temperatures from transport measurements. In addition, some recent reports and theoretical explanations for experimental results are followed.

The abnormal behaviors of microwave brightness temperature (MBT) before and after some strong inland earthquakes have been studied for more than 15 years, but the normal features of MBT background in the investigated regions still lack essential attention. This study focused on the extremely seismically active Bayan Har block on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China, and revealed the spatiotemporal variations of monthly mean background and monthly standard deviation (STD) of MBT by using data of 10.65 and 89 GHz from AMSR-2 instrument. In terms of space, the results revealed that the MBT backgrounds at the two frequencies both basically exhibited a negative correlation with regional altitude but were more pronounce at high frequency. They also showed different response characteristics to the properties of soil and vegetation. In terms of time, the low-frequency background exhibited a complex month-to-month variation, with auxiliary data suggesting a joint contribution of surface soil moisture (SSM) and seasonal temperature; while the high-frequency background presented good agreement only with the variation in surface temperature. Meanwhile, the monthly STD of MBT was discovered being affected by SSM at the low-frequency and by snowfall events at the high-frequency. By employing MBT data of 10.65 GHz from AMSR-E and AMSR-2 sensors, the spatiotemporal evolutions of MBT anomalies before, during and after the Ms 7.1 Yushu earthquake on 13 April 2010 and the Ms 7.4 Maduo earthquake on 21 May 2021 were obtained referring to dynamic monthly mean background. A typical strip-shaped positive MBT anomaly just covering the Bayan Har block was found occurring prior to the two earthquakes, and the time series of average MBT anomaly inside the block was analyzed by using multiple datasets. The typical abnormal MBT strip was discriminated being independent of non-seismic factors and regarded as a possible precursor for both earthquakes. This research uncovered the normal features of MBT background and demonstrated the common characteristics of MBT anomalies preceding two strike-slip earthquakes inside the Bayan Har block. It has instructive significance for studying, understanding and searching for seismic MBT anomalies on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Earthquakes are one of the most threatening natural disasters to human beings, and pre- and post-earthquake microwave brightness temperature (MBT) anomalies have attracted increasing attention from geosciences as well as remote sensing communities. However, there is still a lack of systematic description about how to extract and then discriminate the authenticity of seismic MBT anomalies. In this research, the first strong earthquake occurring near the northern edge of eastern Bayan Har block in nearly 20 years, the recent Mw 7.3 Maduo earthquake in Qinghai province, China on 21 May 2021, was selected as a case study. Based on the monthly mean background of MBT, the spatiotemporal features of MBT residuals with 10.65 GHz before and after the earthquake was firstly revealed. Referring to the spatial patterns and abnormal amplitudes of the results, four typical types of evident MBT positive residuals were obtained, and the time series of intensity features of each category was also quantitatively analyzed. Then, as the most influential factor on surface microwave radiation, air temperature, soil moisture and precipitation were analyzed to discriminate their contributions to these residuals. The fourth one, which occurred north to the epicenter after the earthquake, was finally confirmed to be caused by soil moisture reduction and thus ruled out as being related to seismicity. Therefore, the three retained typical MBT residuals with 10.65 GHz could be identified as possible anomalies associated with the Maduo earthquake, and were further analyzed collaboratively with some other reported abnormal phenomena related to the seismogenic process. Furthermore, through time series analysis, the MBT positive residuals inside the Bayan Har block were found to be more significant than that outside, and the abnormal behaviors of MBT residuals in the elevation range of 4000–5000 m reflected the shielding effect on microwave radiation from thawing permafrost on the plateau in March and April, 2021. This research provides a detailed technique to extract and discriminate the seismic MBT anomaly, and the revealed results reflect well the joint effect of seismic activity and regional coversphere environment on satellite-observed MBT.

The curved surface of the tunnel is symmetrical. The curved surface of the tunnel can be roughly divided into the left and right arch walls along the direction of the central axis of the tunnel. The symmetry of the tunnel needs to be analyzed when the flatness inspection of the tunnel engineering is carried out. The flatness of the initial support of the tunnel project is an important indicator of the quality inspection and acceptance of the tunnel project. The three-dimensional laser scanner (3DLS) can be used to detect its rapidity effectively. According to the points obtained by the scanner, the surface fitting method based on B-spline interpolation and the SG bar initial support value processing method are used to optimize the tunnel surface to obtain the initial degree calculation reference. Based on the method, a calculation system for the initial flatness of the tunnel based on 3DLS technology is established. At the same time, the calculation method of the overall field of view distance and the development of small blocks is proposed. Through its application and comparison with traditional methods, the analysis shows that the three-dimensional laser scanning technology is feasible in the detection of the initial branch of the tunnel, and achieves a high degree of accuracy requirements.

To solve the problem of power shortage during load peak periods, policy-driven demand response (PDDR) is put forward in China. This paper proposes a novel PDDR scheme based on potential load values. An index of PDDR is established to identify the characteristics of industry load clients, who have signed contracts with power utilities. The deviation-maximization algorithm is introduced to quantify potential load values for these industry loads. Four different capabilities of PDDR are defined in this method, including daily peak shifting, weekly peak shifting, monthly peak shifting, and peak shedding separately. According to their different PDDR abilities, all clients will be assigned to four groups and the total load gap is resolved into four levels as well. By modeling the four means, respectively, this paper presents an effective PDDR scheme with multi-time scales. Taking Nanjing City, China, as an example, numerical simulations and practical results illustrate that the proposed method is an effective way to address the problem of power deficit during peak time, as well as to improve the security and efficiency of power grid operation.

The accurate knowledge of variations of melt ponds is important for understanding the Arctic energy budget due to its albedo–transmittance–melt feedback. In this study, we develop and validate a new method for retrieving melt pond fraction (MPF) over Arctic sea ice using all seven spectral bands of MODIS surface reflectance. We construct a robust ensemble-based deep neural network and use in-situ MPF observations collected from multiple sources as the target data to train the network. We examine the potential influence of using sea ice concentration (SIC) from different sources as additional target data (besides MPF) on the MPF retrieval. The results suggest that the inclusion of SIC has a minor impact on MPF retrieval. Based on this, we create a new MPF data from 2000 to 2019 (the longest data in our knowledge). The validation shows that our new MPF data is in good agreement with the observations. We further compare the new MPF dataset with the previously published MPF datasets. It is found that the evolution of the new MPF is similar to previous MPF data throughout the melting season, but the new MPF data is in relatively better agreement with the observations in terms of correlations and root mean squared errors (RMSE), and also has the smallest value in the first half of the melting season.

In this paper, we first reported the complete mitogenomes of Psittacula derbiana and Psittacula eupatria. Respectively, P. derbiana and P. eupatria mitogenomes are 16,887 and 17,139 bp base pairs long. The overall base compositions of complete mitogenomes of P. derbiana and P. eupatria are 30.9% A, 22.4% T, 32.8% C, 13.9% G and 31.7% A, 22.0% T, 33.2% C, 13.1% G, respectively. All genes exhibit the typical mitochondrial gene arrangement and transcribing directions. The Neighbor-joining analysis suggested that Psittacula species are closely related to Eclectus roratus. The results obtained here could contribute to future studies on molecular evolution and population genetics in Psittacula species.

DNA aptamers are important tools for molecular recognition, particularly for a new generation of tools for biomedicine based on nucleic acid nanostructures. Here, we investigated the relative abilities of different shapes and sizes of DNA polyhedra to display an aptamer which binds to the malaria biomarker Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH). The aptamer was shown to perform an Aptamer-Tethered Enzyme Capture (APTEC) assay with the hypothesis that the display of the aptamer above the surface through the use of a polyhedron may lead to better sensitivity than use of the aptamer alone. We compared different numbers of points of contact, different shapes, including tetrahedron, square, and pentagon-based pyramids, as well as prisms. We also investigated the optimal height of display of the structure. Our results demonstrated that the display of an aptamer on an optimized nanostructure improved sensitivity up to 6-fold relative to the aptamer alone in the APTEC assay. Other important factors included multiple basal points of contact with the surface, a tetrahedron proved superior to the more complex shaped structures, and height above the surface only made minor differences to efficacy. The display of an aptamer on a nanostructure may be beneficial for higher sensitivity aptamer-mediated malaria diagnosis. Aptamer displays using DNA nanostructure polyhedron supports could be a useful approach in a variety of applications.