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Abstract Soybean is a photoperiod-sensitive staple crop. Its photoperiodic flowering has major consequences for latitudinal adaptation and grain yield. Here, we identify and characterise a flowering locus named Time of flower 4b (Tof4b), which encodes E1-Like b (E1Lb), a homologue of the key soybean floral repressor E1. Tof4b protein physically associates with the promoters of two FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) genes to repress their transcription and delay flowering to impart soybean adaptation to high latitudes. Three E1 homologues undergo subfunctionalisation and show differential subcellular localisation. Moreover, they all possess self-repression capability and each suppresses the two homologous counterparts. Subfunctionalisation and the transcriptional regulation of E1 genes collectively finetune flowering time and high-latitude adaptation in soybean. We propose a model for the functional fate of the three E1 genes after the soybean whole-genome duplication events, refine the molecular mechanisms underlying high-latitude adaption, and provide a potential molecular-breeding resource.

Abstract Assessments of highway feasibility frequently lack the detailed data and geological information necessary to conduct hazard evaluations of debris flows. This study discusses the processes of debris flow development when regional rainfall meets the critical level required for debris flow initiation. It utilizes geomorphic evolution theory and establishes a regional risk assessment matrix for debris flow by combining information about gullies and source sensitivity. Considering the location relationship between the highway and debris flow gullies, a rapid evaluation method for debris flow risk assessment along the G318 highway in Sichuan Province is proposed by modifying the judgment matrix. The four debris flow gullies constructed during the upgrading project in Yajiang County, stretching from the west of the city to the Shearer Bay section, were analyzed via examples. The results show that, among the four selected debris flow gullies, two had medium hazard levels, and two had high hazard levels. The validation results are consistent with the actual results, implying that the evaluation method used in this study is accurate and feasible. This method is suitable for the rapid evaluation of debris flow disaster hazards in the feasibility assessment stage of a highway because it relies on readily available data sources, and the evaluation results are fast and convenient. The highway passes through four debris flow gullies, which directly impact the alignment of this particular section of the geological route and the engineering layout. Based on current specifications, the maximum impact range of a one-time debris flow under the given frequency conditions was calculated using the "rainfall method." The results showed that the maximum impact ranges of a debris flow, occurring once in 100 years, for four gullies would be 9.08 m, 9.09 m, 10.86 m, and 10.08 m. The safe clearance heights of bridges over the four gullies should be 14.58 m, 14.59 m, 16.36 m, and 16.3 m. Additionally, the safety clearance width for all gullies should be 5.0 m.

Abstract Domesticated herbivores are an important agricultural resource that play a critical role in global food security, particularly as they can adapt to varied environments, including marginal lands. An understanding of the molecular basis of their biology would contribute to better management and sustainable production. Thus, we conducted transcriptome sequencing of 100 to 105 tissues from two females of each of seven species of herbivore (cattle, sheep, goats, sika deer, horses, donkeys, and rabbits) including two breeds of sheep. The quality of raw and trimmed reads was assessed in terms of base quality, GC content, duplication sequence rate, overrepresented k-mers, and quality score distribution with FastQC. The high-quality filtered RNA-seq raw reads were deposited in a public database which provides approximately 54 billion high-quality paired-end sequencing reads in total, with an average mapping rate of ~93.92%. Transcriptome databases represent valuable resources that can be used to study patterns of gene expression, and pathways that are related to key biological processes, including important economic traits in herbivores.

Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) possess the capability to modulate the immune response and alleviate inflammation, rendering them a promising therapeutic option for various conditions, including autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and tissue injuries. The osteogenic differentiation in ADSCs plays a pivotal role in fracture healing, bone growth, and the overall bone turnover process, governed by intricate interactions. Runt-related Transcription Factor 2 (RUNX2) is a key player in mineralized tissue generation and is typically found in the early stages of osteogenic differentiation. The objective of this study was to develop a high-affinity sandwich biosensor for the quantification of RUNX2. 1,1′-Carbonyldiimidazole-modified nanodiamond was immobilized on an amine-modified interdigitated electrode surface, followed by the use of a capture antibody to facilitate antigen interaction. A sandwich assay was conducted with the antibody, and the limit of detection for RUNX2 was calculated as 0.1 ng/mL, with a regression value (R2) of 0.9914 over a linear range of 1–2000 ng/mL. Furthermore, biofouling experiments with a nonimmune antibody, BSA, and TNF-α did not yield any current responses, indicating the specific detection of RUNX2. Additionally, RUNX2-spiked serum exhibited an increasing current response at all concentrations, confirming the selective detection of RUNX2.

Abstract Background Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) plays a crucial role in hybrid production. K-type CMS, a cytoplasmic male sterile line of wheat with the cytoplasms of Aegilops kotschyi, is widely used due to its excellent characteristics of agronomic performance, easy maintenance and easy restoration. However, the mechanism of its pollen abortion is not yet clear. Results In this study, wheat K-type CMS MS(KOTS)-90-110 (MS line) and it’s fertile near-isogenic line MR (KOTS)-90-110 (MR line) were investigated. Cytological analysis indicated that the anthers of MS line microspore nucleus failed to divide normally into two sperm nucleus and lacked starch in mature pollen grains, and the key abortive period was the uninucleate stage to dinuclear stage. Then, we compared the transcriptome of MS line and MR line anthers at these two stages. 11,360 and 5182 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the MS and MR lines in the early uninucleate and binucleate stages, respectively. Based on GO enrichment and KEGG pathways analysis, it was evident that significant transcriptomic differences were “plant hormone signal transduction”, “MAPK signaling pathway” and “spliceosome”. We identified 17 and 10 DEGs associated with the IAA and ABA signal transduction pathways, respectively. DEGs related to IAA signal transduction pathway were downregulated in the early uninucleate stage of MS line. The expression level of DEGs related to ABA pathway was significantly upregulated in MS line at the binucleate stage compared to MR line. The determination of plant hormone content and qRT-PCR further confirmed that hormone imbalance in MS lines. Meanwhile, 1 and 2 DEGs involved in ABA and Ethylene metabolism were also identified in the MAPK cascade pathway, respectively; the significant up regulation of spliceosome related genes in MS line may be another important factor leading to pollen abortion. Conclusions We proposed a transcriptome-mediated pollen abortion network for K-type CMS in wheat. The main idea is hormone imbalance may be the primary factor, MAPK cascade pathway and alternative splicing (AS) may also play important regulatory roles in this process. These findings provided intriguing insights for the molecular mechanism of microspore abortion in K-type CMS, and also give useful clues to identify the crucial genes of CMS in wheat.

Time-series Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology, renowned for its high-precision, wide coverage, and all-weather capabilities, has become an essential tool for Earth observation. However, the quality of the interferometric baseline network significantly influences the monitoring accuracy of InSAR technology. Therefore, optimizing the interferometric baseline is crucial for enhancing InSAR’s monitoring accuracy. Surface vegetation changes can disrupt the coherence between SAR images, introducing incoherent noise into interferograms and reducing InSAR’s monitoring accuracy. To address this issue, we propose and validate an optimization method for the InSAR baseline that considers changes in vegetation coverage (OM-InSAR-BCCVC) in the Yuanmou dry-hot valley. Initially, based on the imaging times of SAR image pairs, we categorize all interferometric image pairs into those captured during months of high vegetation coverage and those from months of low vegetation coverage. We then remove the image pairs with coherence coefficients below the category average. Using the Small Baseline Subset InSAR (SBAS-InSAR) technique, we retrieve surface deformation information in the Yuanmou dry-hot valley. Landslide identification is subsequently verified using optical remote sensing images. The results show that significant seasonal changes in vegetation coverage in the Yuanmou dry-hot valley lead to noticeable seasonal variations in InSAR coherence, with the lowest coherence in July, August, and September, and the highest in January, February, and December. The average coherence threshold method is limited in this context, resulting in discontinuities in the interferometric baseline network. Compared with methods without baseline optimization, the interferometric map ratio improved by 17.5% overall after applying the OM-InSAR-BCCVC method, and the overall inversion error RMSE decreased by 0.5 rad. From January 2021 to May 2023, the radar line of sight (LOS) surface deformation rate in the Yuanmou dry-hot valley, obtained after atmospheric correction by GACOS, baseline optimization, and geometric distortion region masking, ranged from −73.87 mm/year to 127.35 mm/year. We identified fifteen landslides and potential landslide sites, primarily located in the northern part of the Yuanmou dry-hot valley, with maximum subsidence exceeding 100 mm at two notable points. The OM-InSAR-BCCVC method effectively reduces incoherent noise caused by vegetation coverage changes, thereby improving the monitoring accuracy of InSAR.

The research interest in multi-hazard chains lies in the comprehension of how various hazards, such as debris flows, floods, and landslides, can interact and amplify one another, resulting in cascading or interconnected hazards. On 17 June 2020, at approximately 3:20 a.m., a debris flow occurred in Meilong gully (MLG), located in Banshanmen Town, Danba County, in southwest China’s Sichuan Province. The debris flow had a discharge volume of approximately 40 × 104 m3 and rushed out to block the Xiaojinchuan (XJC) river, subsequently forming a barrier lake. This event ultimately induced a hazard chain that included heavy rainfall, debris flow, landslides, the formation of a barrier lake, and an outburst flood. The impact of this chain resulted in the displacement of 48 households and affected 175 individuals. Furthermore, it led to the destruction of an 18 km section of National Highway G350, stretching from Xiaojin to Danba County, causing economic losses estimated at 65 million yuan. The objective of this study is to analyze the factors leading to the formation of this hazard chain, elucidate its triggering mechanisms, and provide insights for urban areas in the western mountainous region of Sichuan to prevent similar dam-break type debris flow hazard chains. The research findings, derived from field investigations, remote sensing imagery analysis, and parameter calculations, indicate that prior seismic disturbances and multiple dry-wet cycle events increased the volume of loose solid materials within the MLG watershed. Subsequently, heavy rainfall triggered the initiation of the debris flow in MLG. The cascading dam-break, resulting from three unstable slopes and boulders within the channel, amplified the scale of the hazard chain, leading to a significant amount of solid material rushing into the XJC river, thus creating a dam that constricted the river channel. With the intensification of river scouring, the reactivation and destabilization of the Aniangzhai (ANZ) paleolandslide occurred, ultimately leading to the breach of the dam and the formation of an outburst flood. The research comprehensively and profoundly reveals the causal mechanism of the MLG hazard chain, and proposes measures to disrupt the chain at various stages, which can aid in enhancing monitoring, early warning, forecasting systems, and identifying key directions for ecological environmental protection in urban areas within the western mountainous region of Sichuan. Additionally, it could also serve as a reference for mountainous urban areas such as the Tianshan, Alps, Rocky Mountains, and Andes, among others.

Efficient degradation of uranium(VI) (U(VI)) in wastewater is an urgent problem because of the chemical toxicity and radiotoxicity. In this study, the Agx–SnS2 photocatalysts were compounded by a simple hydrothermal method, effectively removing U(VI) under visible light in water. Compared with SnS2, the results indicated that Agx–SnS2 would decrease the crystallinity without destroying the crystal structure. Moreover, it has excellent photocatalytic performance on the degradation rate of U(VI). Ag0.5–SnS2 exhibited a prominent photocatalytic reduction efficiency of UO22+ of about 86.4% under optical light for 75 min. This was attributed to Ag-doped catalysts, which can narrow the band gap and enhance absorption in visible light. Meanwhile, the doping of Ag promoted the separation of photoinduced carriers, so that more photogenerated charges participated in the photocatalytic reaction. The stability and reusability were verified by the cycle test and the potential photocatalytic mechanism was analyzed based on the experiment. HIGHLIGHTS Agx–SnS2 material was prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method.; Ag-doped SnS2 has excellent optical adsorption capacity and a narrow band gap.; Agx–SnS2 showed good performance in the photocatalytic reduction of UO22+.; The mechanism of photocatalytic reduction of U(VI) by Agx–SnS2 was proposed.;

Intermediate-frequency debris flows has the characteristics of high danger and long outbreak period. Human activities can trigger its occurrence and aggravate its disaster severity. When the channel cannot meet the capacity for drainage and water transport, it will cause blockage and endanger the safety of both sides of the strait and even the main river channel. Due to the lack of analysis on the danger of intermediate-frequency debris flows, this paper takes the intermediate-frequency debris flow in Hada Gully, Yunnan Province as an example to explore its characteristics and the danger of its recurrence and channel blockage caused by debris flows and proposes prevention and control suggestions. The results show that the debris flow has a density of 1.62 t/m3, a flow velocity of 4.794 m/s at the outlet of the channel, a peak flow rate of 54.43 m3/s at the channel outlet and a total discharge of 11072.03 m3 for a single occurrence based on the 10% burst frequency. A culvert was constructed in the downstream channel, with a flow capacity of 16.5 m3/s, which is less than the flow rate of a debris flow once in 20 years. Once a large debris flow occurs, there is a risk of blockage. The study found that the hazard level of intermediate-frequency debris flows in Hada gully is highly dangerous, and the history of blockage indicates the possibility of its recurrence and the risk of debris flow blocking the Lapu River.

IntroductionAs a vital component within glacier systems, the occurrences of glacial lake disasters in high mountain regions have progressively emerged as one of the most destructive natural calamities amid the backdrop of global warming. The swift advancement of glacial lake identification techniques offers a pivotal perspective for forecasting and mitigating the perils of glacial lake outburst disasters.MethodsTo evaluate the thematic evolution, research focal points, and forthcoming directions within the glacier identification domain, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis was conducted on glacial lake identification-related literature from 1991 to 2023 in the Web of Science Core Collection database.Results1) The United States, the United Kingdom, and China stand as principal nations propelling the field's advancement. The Chinese Academy of Sciences demonstrates the highest activity in terms of article publications and international collaborations. 2) Climate change, compilation of glacial lake inventories, methodologies for risk assessment, glacial lake outburst floods, comprehensive disaster management strategies, and hydrodynamic models constitute the domain's research hotspots. It is a typical multidisciplinary field. 3) Persistently high-impact topics over an extended period include “hazard”, “Late Pleistocene”, “environmental change”, “ice sheet”, and “lake sediments”. Keywords indicating the present cutting-edge research encompass “inventory”, “glacial lake outburst flood”, “risk”, “dynamics”, “Tibetan Plateau”, “evolution”, and “high mountain Asia”.DiscussionThis paper delves into the current status and pivotal concerns of glacial lake identification techniques, methodologies, and the scale of identification research themes. Further Research should concentrate on avenues like “recognition methods grounded in machine learning and deep learning”, “multisource data fusion datasets”, “novel algorithms and technologies adaptable to scale transformation and data expansion”, as well as “enhancing spatiotemporal data resolution”. This will ultimately enable precise, prolonged, and multiscalar identification of glacial lakes. his study provides valuable guidance and reference for future research in the field of glacial lake identification.

In mountainous areas, roads are often damaged by earthquake-induced landslides (EL). The degree of road damage and the existing functional state will have a very important impact on the whole earthquake relief work. However, this question has long been plaguing scientists engaged in the risk assessment. Now, an MDT-based rapid assessment method for the spatial distribution of trafficable sections of roads (TSR) hit by EL is proposed. The method mainly consists of three procedures: 1) Demarcate the road sections in the evaluated region; 2) Create the data for earthquake-induced landslide sensitivity level for the evaluated region; 3) Use the sample data to devise the MDT model for the TSR hit by EL and calculate the trafficability of road sections. This method was applied in the study of the 2008 Wenchuan Ms 8.0, the 2014 Ludian Ms 6.5, the 2012 Yiliang Ms 5.6 and Ms 5.7 earthquake-stricken regions. The case of Wenchuan earthquake was adopted to establish the method. The cares of Ludian and Yiliang were used to evaluate whether the method could be transplanted into similar regions. The p-value and the kappa coefficient were used to test and evaluate the significance and the consistence of the actual situation. Our results suggest: ⅰ) The Wenchuan evaluated region had the p-value 2.52 × 10−203 and the kappa coefficient 0.91. Less than 1% of the road sections that were inferred to be trafficable with the established method were actually interrupted by EL. The interruptions in the road sections that were inferred to be un-trafficable were 12 times of those in the other road sections. ⅱ) The Ludian and Yiliang earthquake-stricken regions had the p-value 9.7 × 10−107 and the kappa coefficient 0.81. Only 1.31% of the road sections that were trafficable according to the calculation results of the model had been actually interrupted by EL. The interruptions caused by EL in the un-trafficable road sections according to the calculation results were 5.2 times of those in the trafficable road sections. This method could be applied in other similar regions when a certain error was permitted.

As a cascading disaster, the surge caused by the reservoir bank landslide seriously affects the stability of the reservoir bank and the dam body. In addition, large-scale hydropower projects are usually built in mountain and canyon areas with active geological structure movement, which provides rich material sources for the occurrence of landslides, so it is of great significance to monitor the deformation in the landslide source area of the reservoir. As science and technology have been leaping forward, a wide variety of high and novel technologies have been proposed, which can be adopted to monitor landslide deformation. It is noteworthy that InSAR is capable of monitoring target monitoring areas all time under all weathers without the need to install any equipment. In this study, the time series deformation of the main landslide source area of the Baihetan reservoir after water storage was determined based on the time series InSAR method. The average annual deformation rate of the landslide source area of the Baihetan reservoir from April 2021 to January 2023 was determined by combining the Sentinel-1 SAR data of 55 ascending tracks and 46 descending tracks. Moreover, the vegetation cover variations from April 2021 to January 2023 in the study area were determined by combining the remote sensing data of Landsat8-9. A total of four typical source areas were selected based on the field investigation to analyze the deformation monitoring results and the vegetation cover variations. As indicated by the results: 1) After water storage, the slope deformation in all source areas was larger in the short term, and the deformation rate of the lower part turned out to be more significant, and the deformation rate exceeded 334.583 mm/year. 2) On the steep slope, the effect of different types of vegetation on restraining deformation was different. The optimal effect was reported in shrubs, followed by grasslands, and the worst effect was reported in woodlands. The results of this study can provide scientific support for the prevention and control of regional geological disasters.

Abstract A new type of lubricating material (BTA-P4444-Lig) was synthesized by combining lignin with tetrabutylphosphorus and benzotriazole. The tribological properties, corrosion resistance, and anti-oxidation properties of BTA-P4444-Lig as a lubricant were investigated. The lubricating material exhibits excellent friction reduction and wear resistance, as well as good thermal stability and excellent oxidation resistance. Mechanistic analysis reveals that the active elements N and P in the lubricating material react with the metal substrate, and the reaction film effectively blocks direct contact between the friction pairs, affording excellent friction reduction and wear resistance. At the same time, the phenolic hydroxyl group in lignin reacts with oxygen free radicals to form a resonance-stable semi-quinone free radical, which interrupts the chain reaction and affords good anti-oxidant activity.

This study investigates the mixed convection flow in a channel with a dimpled section and an adiabatic cylindrical obstacle under the influence of a magnetic field. The channel has a heated dimpled portion, while the flat horizontal walls are adiabatic. The energy equation considers the Joule heating effect, and the resulting momentum and thermal transport equations are numerically solved using the Galerkin weighted residual finite element method. The study discusses the flow and heat transfer characteristics for different values of the Joule heating parameter, Reynolds, Hartman, and Rayleigh numbers. The results show that increasing Hartmann and Joule heating parameters reduce average heat transfer rates while increasing Prandtl, Reynolds, and Rayleigh numbers enhances it. This analysis's outcomes will help design Ohmic heating systems like magnetic fluid power actuators and thermal processing gadgets for particulate food products. The novel quantitative findings in this study include enhancement in heat transfer with increasing Prandtl, Reynolds, and Rayleigh numbers. Furthermore, the adiabatic cylindrical obstacle near the dimpled section significantly affects the heat transfer rates, resulting in complex flow patterns. The results of this study can be used in magnetic fluid power actuators, thermal processing gadgets for particulate food products, and heat exchangers.

In recent years, debris flow disasters have occurred frequently along the highway, causing river blockages and road interruptions, which seriously threaten the safety of people's lives and property. Highway G318 is an important throat project linking Sichuan and Tibet; at the same time, it is an important channel for the economic development of Sichuan and Tibet and the transportation of national defense materials. Taking the Linzhi–Lhasa Section of Highway G318 as an example, this study analyses the distribution law and characteristics of coupling factors of debris flows in the study area (under its topographical, hydrometeorological, geological, and structural conditions) using remote sensing interpretation, field surveys, and mathematical statistics. The research shows that: (1) The types and quantity of debris flows in the region show statistical laws under the factors of the slope, slope aspect, drainage area, and gradient of the gully. The vegetation coverage in the upper reaches of the Nyang River valley gradually decreases, and the average debris flow disaster density is 0.529/km, which is the most densely distributed area of debris flow. (2) The distribution density of regional debris flows in narrow valleys is greater than that in wide valleys, and those in the Nyang River basin are greater than those in the Lhasa River basin. (3) By comparing the tectonic geological map and the debris flow distribution map, it was found that the debris flow distribution is controlled by faults, and 71% of the debris flow basins have faults. (4) There is a significant positive correlation between the gradient of the material source area and the gradient of the debris flow gully, as well as a close positive correlation between the rainfall and the fault density, and a close negative correlation between the average gradient and the drainage area. Due to the unique topography and geomorphology of different regions, a difference in meteorology and hydrology occurred. This further affected the topography, geomorphology, and distribution of debris flow disasters. Based on the study of the distribution law of regional debris flow and geological environmental factors, this study provides strong support for regional debris flow prevention and related research.

The frequency of mudflow disasters induced by rainfall in the Loess Plateau is increasing with the occurrence of global warming. The initial water content is one of the basic properties of soil, which affects the initiation of loess mudflow. In this work, the field study of the debris flow gullies in Yan’an City, Shaanxi Province, China, was conducted, and the main factors that induce gully loess mudflow were summarized. Based on the investigation results, a flume model was designed to carry out flume tests with different initial soil water contents. The experimental results demonstrate the following. (1) Different initial soil water contents lead to different soil failure models. The damage of soil by water flow when the soil water content is in the range of 0−5% is mainly gully erosion; that within the range of 10−15% is mainly rill surface erosion; that within the range of 20−25% is mainly dam breach failure. (2) When the water content of loess is equal to or less than 5% or equal to or greater than 20%, soil can promote the formation of loess mudflow, and the destruction of soil is more likely to cause mudflow disasters. In contrast, when the water content is within 10−15%, loess mudflow is not easily produced. The research results of the initial water content provide not only theoretical support for the study of loess mudflow disasters, but also a reference for the prevention and control of loess mudflow disasters in the Loess Plateau.

The Altun orogenic belt is situated along the northern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, we present an analysis of the ore deposit, mineral composition, and carbon isotope signatures of the Tugeman graphite deposit within the Altun orogenic belt. The graphite in the Tugeman graphite deposit occurs within graphite-bearing schists and marble. Graphite enrichment is observed in the ductile shear zone. The carbon isotope values of graphite range between −18.90‰ and −10.03‰ (with an average value of −12.70‰). These values differ significantly from those observed in organic matter and marine carbonates, suggesting the occurrence of a mixing process involving reduced carbon fluid derived from biological organic material during regional metamorphism as well as a potential influx of oxidized carbon fluid from external sources. In addition, the metamorphic temperature of Tugeman graphite calculated from Raman spectroscopy is between 494 °C and 570 °C, which indicates that the disordered material is transformed from greenschist-amphibolite facies metamorphism to moderate-crystalline graphite. Combining the geological and carbon isotope characteristics of the Tugeman graphite deposit, we argue that the Tugeman graphite deposit is a regional metamorphic graphite deposit of biogenic origin, and during the late stage of metamorphism, it underwent interaction with fluids.

ABSTRACT: Objective: To differentiate diagnostic and prognostic factors from the clinical material of patients with cerebral sparganosis in central South China. Methods: Consecutive patients with cerebral sparganosis from our hospital between 2010 and 2018 were retrospectively enrolled. The clinical manifestations, radiographic features, treatment, and outcomes of these patients were analyzed. Results: Thirty patients with cerebral sparganosis were included, and foci migration on magnetic resonance imaging was detected in 22 patients, from whom we observed 4 migration modes: interlobar migration (50.0%, 11/22); transmidline migration (27.3%, 6/22); transventricular migration (13.6%, 3/22); and cerebellum-brainstem migration (9.1%, 2/22). The percentage of good outcomes was higher in patients with live worm capture than in those without live worm capture (75.0%, 12/16 vs 33.3%, 2/6). Exposure to preoperative antiparasitic medication was associated with worm migration toward the cortical surface, which led to a higher probability of live worm capture. Conclusions: We propose 4 modes of sparganosis migration that are correlated with worm capture and neurologic prognosis. We found that exposure to antiparasitic medication was associated with worm migration toward the cortical surface, leading to a higher probability of live worm capture. These observations suggest a novel significance for preoperative medication of cerebral sparganosis.

Environmental variables are crucial factors affecting the development and distribution of landslides, and they also provide vitally important information for statistically-based landslide susceptibility mapping (SLSM). The acquisition and utilization of appropriate and the most influential environmental variables and their combinations are crucial for improving the quality of SLSM results. However, compared with the construction of SLSM models based on machine learning, the acquisition and utilization of high-quality environmental variables have received very little attention. In order to further clarify the research status of the application of environmental variables and possible development directions in future research, this study systematically analyzed the application of environmental variables in SLSM. To this end, a literature database was constructed by collecting 261 peer-reviewed articles (from 2002 to 2021) on SLSM from the Web of Science and CNKI platform (www.cnki.net) based on the keywords of “landslide susceptibility” and “environmental variable.” We found that existing methods for determining environmental variables do not consider the regional representativeness and geomorphological significance of the variables. We also found that at present, environmental variables are utilized generally without the realization and understanding of their spatial heterogeneity. Accordingly, this study raises two major scientific issues: 1) Effective identification of important environmental variables required in SLSM. 2) Effective representation of the spatial heterogeneity of environmental variables in SLSM modeling. From the perspective of the identification of dominant variables and their geospatial pattern of heterogeneity, targeted solutions for future research are also preliminarily discussed, including the method for identifying dominant variables from qualitative and quantitative perspectives and SLSM model construction considering the specific geospatial patterns. In addition, the applicability and limitation of the mentioned methods are discussed.

Increasing studies have suggested that single reference genome is insufficient to capture all variations in the genome. Here, the authors report a graph-based cucumber pan-genome by analyzing 12 chromosome-scale assemblies and reveal variations associated with agronomic traits and domestication.

A catastrophic debris flow occurred in the Zengda gully, a branch of the Dajinchuan River in Zengda town, Jinchuan County, Sichuan Province, China. The successful implementation of a real-time evacuation avoided 820 casualties for people living in 200 settlements. This was the largest-scale successful real-time evacuation for a debris flow disaster after the Wenchuan earthquake in China. In order to better reveal the causes of the successful real-time evacuation process of the giant debris flow disaster, the characteristics, formation and movement process of the debris flow were studied using multi-temporal remote sensing images, field investigation, laboratory analysis, and empirical formula calculations. It was found that the successful real-time evacuation was possible because of a well-executed monitoring system, timely release of early warning information, a highly effective operation disaster prevention system, and decisive and advanced avoidance. It also transferred strategies through in-depth analysis of several important stages in the real-time evacuation process. Finally, an exemplary mode of community-based warning is proposed based on the Zengda gully giant debris flow disaster real-time evacuation. Specifically, the mode was led by government, implemented by local residents and proceeded with the guidance by experts in the field. The experience and effective risk avoidance mode presented in this paper can be shared and employed by other countries or regions at serious risk for debris flow disasters.

Aiming at the problem that the non-probabilistic reliability analysis method of slope engineering, which is based on an interval model, cannot consider the cross-correlation of geotechnical parameters, a non-probabilistic reliability analysis method of slopes based on a multidimensional parallelepiped model is proposed. This method can effectively alleviate the problem of difficult data survey in the field of geotechnical engineering. Using the limited sample data of soil parameters, the multidimensional parallelepiped model is constructed. The performance function of the slope is constructed based on Latin hypercube sampling and the quadratic response surface method. Then, the limit state equation of the slope can be standardized using the multidimensional parallelepiped model. The non-probabilistic reliability indexes of the slope are calculated based on the global optimal solution to judge the stability state of the slope. The example analysis verifies the feasibility of the proposed method. The results show that the correlation of shear strength parameters of soil has a great influence on the non-probabilistic reliability indexes of the slope. When the correlation coefficients of the shear strength parameters are between −1.0 and 0, the smaller the correlation coefficient is, the greater the non-probabilistic reliability index of the slope is; when the correlation coefficients of the shear strength parameters are between 0 and 1.0, the non-probabilistic reliability index of the slope does not change with the correlation coefficient. The non-probabilistic reliability indexes of the slope obtained using the multidimensional parallelepiped model are between the results obtained using an ellipsoid model and those obtained using an interval model, which are validated by Monte Carlo method and relatively more reasonable. In the absence of a large number of geotechnical sample data, this method provides a new way for slope stability analysis and expands the application field of calculation methods based on non-probabilistic theory.

Fluctuations in reservoir water levels exert a strong triggering effect on landslides along reservoir banks, constituting a long-term concern in the safe operation of hydroelectric projects and in the prevention and management of geological disasters. While existing research has investigated the impact of periodic water level changes on the deformation of reservoir bank landslides, observation and detection of such deformation are challenging, with noticeable gaps in understanding how these deformations respond to water level changes during the water impoundment period. To address this, our study targets the Baihetan Reservoir, leveraging 567 ascending and descending LiCSAR data and LiCSBAS (the small-baseline subset within LiCSAR) technology to construct a time series of ground deformations in the study area from 2019 to 2023. The TLCC (Time Lag Cross Correlation) model was employed to examine the time-lag response pattern of reservoir bank landslide deformations to reservoir water level changes during the impoundment period. Our findings indicate a clear time-lag response in reservoir bank landslide deformations to water level changes during the impoundment process. The rise in water levels emerged as a primary factor influencing the instability of reservoir bank landslides. During the half-year impoundment period of the Baihetan Reservoir, a time lag of 5–7 days was observed between landslide deformations and increases in water levels, with landslides on the eastern and western banks exhibiting differing time-lag response patterns. Our study illuminates the time-lag effect between water level changes during reservoir impoundment and reservoir bank landslide deformation monitoring. By proposing a quantitative analysis methodology utilizing LiCSBAS technology and the TLCC model, our findings can inform decision-making in the field of disaster prevention and reduction in reservoir engineering.

Background: Diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGGs) are prone to invade the frontal lobes, with seizures being the most common symptom. However, limited attention has been paid to surgical outcomes and their predictors in patients with frontal DLGG-related epilepsy. Objective: This study aimed to analyze predictors of postoperative seizure outcomes in patients with frontal DLGG-related epilepsy. Design: This is a single-center retrospective study. Methods: This study retrospectively collected data of 115 patients with frontal DLGG-related epilepsy who underwent resective surgery between January 2014 and January 2021. Patients were categorized into favorable and unfavorable seizure outcome groups based on the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify potential predictors of seizure outcomes. Results: The mean follow-up was 4.11 ± 2.06 years, and 77.4% (89 of 115) of patients were seizure-free. Permanent neurological deficits were observed in 7.0% (8 of 115) of patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that total tumor removal [odds ratio (OR), 0.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.12–0.82; p = 0.018] and older age at seizure onset (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.93–0.99; p = 0.042) were independent predictors of favorable seizure outcomes. Conclusion: Surgical resection is an effective treatment for frontal DLGG-related epilepsy. Favorable seizure outcomes are more likely to be achieved in patients with complete tumor removal and those with older age at seizure onset.

By means of the Graphic Method, Gray Correlation Method and Frequency Method, the total amount of loose solid materials, the amount of loose solid materials per unit area in the source area, and the risk degree and critical rainfall of the study area are determined, respectively. On the basis of the calculation results, the total amount of loose solid materials is 57.2 × 104 m3, the amount of loose solid materials per unit area is 0.13 m3/m2 (greater than 0.1 m3/m2), which better meets the initiation conditions for dilute debris flow. The Hazard Evaluation Model of Debris Flow in earthquake areas is established by the gray correlation method and the hazard index H = 0.725 is determined. According to the hazard classification standards for debris flows in earthquake areas, the debris flow in Lecugou was moderate after the earthquake. The critical rainfall value of 1H, calculated by the frequency method, ranged from 17.45 to 22.21 mm (Re = 25 mm) and 8.17 to 13.01 mm (Re = 50 mm). The critical rainfall value at 10 min ranged from 6.23 to 8.44 mm (Re = 25 mm) and 2.92 to 5.13 mm (Re = 50 mm), respectively. The maximum rainfall intensity of 45.5 mm/h was reached between 10:00 and 11:00 on July 29, 2019 and the cumulative rainfall reached 144 mm, far exceeding the critical rainfall of Legugou. Under the influence of earthquakes and human activities, the loose solid source amount and loose solid source amount per unit area increased greatly, and the critical rainfall for debris flow after earthquakes decreased sharply, which induced debris flows under the influence of heavy rainfall. This research will be helpful for the establishment of monitoring and early warning systems based on artificial intelligence methods, and can greatly improve the effectiveness of disaster prevention and mitigation.

Aimed at the problem of fuzzy uncertainty of geotechnical parameters in slope stability analysis, a non-probabilistic reliability analysis method for slopes based on fuzzy set theory is proposed. Geotechnical parameters are described as fuzzy numbers, which are transformed into interval numbers at different cut set levels by taking fuzzy sets. The corresponding non-probabilistic reliability indexes and failure degrees of the slope are calculated by the non-probabilistic reliability analysis method based on the ellipsoidal model, and then the overall failure degree of the slope is obtained by weighted average to judge the stability state of the slope. The feasibility of the method was verified by a case analysis. The results show that the type and shape parameters of the fuzzy affiliation function of geotechnical parameters have a great influence on the non-probabilistic reliability of the slope. The slope failure degrees obtained from trapezoidal fuzzy numbers were larger, the slope failure degrees obtained from triangular fuzzy numbers and normal fuzzy numbers were medium, and the slope failure degrees obtained from lognormal fuzzy numbers were smaller. When considering soil parameters as triangular fuzzy numbers, normal fuzzy numbers, or lognormal fuzzy numbers, with the reduction of the shape parameters, the non-probabilistic reliability indexes of the slope increased while the failure degrees decreased. Additionally, adopting the overall failure degree to evaluate the stability of the slope can effectively solve the problem where the calculation results are too conservative (if the non-probabilistic reliability index is greater than 1) to judge the stability state of the slope in the traditional non-probabilistic reliability method.

The stability of large-scale landslide in the reservoir area of hydropower station has an important impact on the safety of dam structure and surrounding people's life and property. Large-scale real-time accurate observation of the stability and deformation trend of this type of landslide can provide reliable early warning and control information for the landslide, which is of great significance. The traditional monitoring methods of landslide in the reservoir area of hydropower station are mainly GNSS monitoring and total station monitoring. In this study, the advanced GB-InSAR system LKR-05-KU-S100 is applied to the monitoring of Cangjiangqiao-Yingpan landslide and Dahua landslide of Dahuaqiao hydropower station on Lancang River. Field monitoring tests show that the system has high precision, and it can carry out long-distance, all-day, all-weather, and large-scale monitoring. It has unique advantages and broad application prospects for the monitoring of large and super-large landslides.

BackgroundCurrently, more than one-third of patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) continue to develop seizures after resection surgery. Dynamic functional network connectivity (DFNC) analyses, capturing temporal properties of functional connectivity during MRI acquisition, may help us identify unfavorable surgical outcomes. The purpose of this work was to explore the association of DFNC variations of preoperative resting-state MRI and surgical outcomes in patients with drug-resistant TLE.MethodsWe evaluated 61 patients with TLE matched for age and gender with 51 healthy controls (HC). Patients with TLE were classified as seizure-free (n = 39) and not seizure-free (n = 16) based on the Engel surgical outcome scale. Six patients were unable to confirm the postoperative status and were not included in the subgroup analysis. The DFNC was calculated using group spatial independent component analysis and the sliding window approach.ResultsDynamic functional network connectivity analyses suggested two distinct connectivity “States.” The dynamic connectivity state of patients with TLE was different from HC. TLE subgroup analyses showed not seizure-free (NSF) patients spent significantly more time in State II compared to seizure-free (SF) patients and HC. Further, the number of transitions from State II to State I was significantly lower in NSF patients. SF patients had compensatory enhancement of DFNC strengths between default and dorsal attention network, as well as within the default network. While reduced DFNC strengths of within-network and inter-network were both observed in NSF patients, patients with abnormally temporal properties and more extension DFNC strength alterations were less likely to receive seizure freedom.ConclusionsOur study indicates that DFNC could offer a better understanding of dynamic neural impairment mechanisms of drug-resistant TLE functional network, epileptic brain network reorganization, and provide an additional preoperative evaluation support for surgical treatment of drug-resistant TLE.

Taking the Niumian Gully landslide–debris-flow geohazard chain as an example, we analyze the disaster mechanism of the landslide–debris-flow geohazard chain and its evolution process through field investigation as a reference for disaster prevention and risk reduction in areas with strong earthquakes by analyzing the accumulative sliding amount and the critical rainfall for debris flow formed by loose deposits. Due to the 8.0 Ms earthquake in Wenchuan, the cumulative sliding of the slope reached 230.51 m, much greater than the critical sliding in the Longmen Mountain earthquake area. Permanent damage to the slope occurred, resulting in a landslide, which provided the material source for the occurrence of debris flows. When the study area experienced concentrated rainfall (e.g., exceeding 10.31 mm/h or 54.67 mm/d), loose deposits in the basin began to form a debris flow, causing a landslide–debris-flow geohazard chain. During the evolution process of the geohazard chain, the following stages were observed: pre-earthquake gestation, landslide starting during a strong earthquake, landslide blocking a channel and forming a dammed lake, bursting of the dammed lake flood–debris-flow, sliding of loose deposits, and reciprocating loose-deposit sliding and debris flows. Thus, the formation of the Niumian Valley geohazard chain can be attributed to the combined result of strong earthquake activities and rainfall. In addition, under the action of rainfall, the occurrence of the debris flow and unstable sliding of loose deposits also caused the reciprocating occurrence of debris flows, loose-deposit sliding, and flood-induced debris flows in the study area.

Low-frequency debris flows are characterized by strong concealment, high potential danger, and difficulty achieving an early warning; hence early identification of low-frequency debris flow gullies is crucial to mitigation. Here, an identification system for low-frequency debris flow gullies along the traffic arteries in the Chuanxi Plateau is proposed based on the identification and stability calculation of colluvium deposits in a hollow region (CDH) and the quantitative roundness analysis for the stones in a deposit fan. At first, for the watershed without a deposit fan, the CDH is identified and analyzed using the geomorphologic change point detection method combined with high-precision remote sensing images and field investigation. The watershed can be identified as a low-frequency debris flow gully with the safety factors (Fs) of all CDHs greater than 1. Then, the roundness of stones in the deposit fan is quantitatively analyzed. The watershed can also be identified as a low-frequency debris flow gully with the average roundness of the stones ranging from 0.30 to 0.41. Lastly, the identification system was tested and verified based on another ten watersheds along three traffic arteries. It shows that the method proposed in this paper has good applicability and high accuracy. Here we try to achieve the accurate early identification of low-frequency debris flow gullies by combining remote sensing interpretation and field investigation, which can provide theoretical support for predicting and mitigating debris flows in mountainous areas.

In the context of climate change, enhanced human activities and ecological changes, the danger level for mountain floods has increased significantly, posing direct or potential hazards to local residents. To determine the current status, focus and trends in mountain flood research, in this study, we visualize the number of publications and citations, the countries and institutions engaged in research, co-citations and key literature, keyword categories and research areas, using keyword timeline analysis and burst detection based on the bibliometric software CiteSpace and VOSviewer and the Web of Sciences core collection database. The results show that the total number of publications and citations in the mountain flood field has experienced rapid growth to date. The United States, China, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland are the main countries driving the development of the field. The field is of great interest within multiple disciplinary categories and is characterized by multiple research hotspots, multiple research objectives, and cross-fertilization of multiple disciplinary categories. Analysis of the keyword timeline network and highlighted words show that disaster risk evaluation based on remote-sensing technology, the alpine region of the Himalayas, the response mechanisms of heavy rainfall to mountain floods, and the construction of hydrological models, will be research hotspots in the future.

Niumiangou valley, the epicenter of the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (MS 8.0), became an area with frequent and dense debris flow disasters post-earthquake. Based on the in situ investigations after the earthquake on 14 August 2010 and a series of gathered data, characteristics and dynamic analyses of post-earthquake debris flows in Niumiangou valley were conducted, and then their hazard degree was assessed. Some research conclusions are obtained: (1) these post-earthquake debris flows have some typical characteristics, such as rainstorm viscous-type debris flow, happening usually between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., broken out in the main channel as well as six branch gullies at the same time and also induced in the branches with good vegetation; (2) the dynamic parameters of Niumiangou debris flow (including volumetric weight, velocity, peak discharge, impact force, total amount of debris flow, total amount of solid materials washed out by single debris flow, maximum height of the debris flow rises and super elevation in bend) are relatively significant, and due to which it can be indicated that these debris flow disasters have great destructive power and harmfulness; (3) the hazard degree of debris flow in Niumiangou valley is very high, compared with the debris flows that occurred in the years of 2008 and 2013 in Niumiangou valley post-Wenchuan earthquake, and the comparison result shows that the hazard degree of debris flow in Niumiangou valley is relatively higher, which is consistent with the current situation. Therefore, according to these results, debris flows in Niumiangou valley are in the development phase and large-scale rainfall-induced debris flow disasters, with greater damage and stronger wallop, will easily occur in the rainy seasons of the 20 years after the earthquake.

Abstract Background Infantile spasms (IS) are the most common childhood epileptic encephalopathy. Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) and gray matter heterotopias (GH) are common structural causes of IS. The recommended first-line treatment for IS patients with structural causes is surgical intervention, according to the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) commission guidelines. However, there is currently no consensus on appropriate timings of surgery. Case presentations Two structural IS cases are presented here: one was caused by FCD, and the other by GH. Both patients exhibited recurrent seizures at the age of 2 months, had poor responses to various antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and displayed severe mental and motor developmental retardation. Seizure types included focal seizures and spasms. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed abnormal gray signal or suspicious FCD lesions that coincided with the origin of the focal seizures. The patients underwent lesion resection before the age of 6 months. Follow-up observation showed that seizures of both patients were completely controlled several days after the surgery. All AEDs were gradually reduced in dosage within 1 year, and the mental and motor development almost returned to normal. Conclusion Early resection of lesions in structural IS patients has benefits of effectively controlling convulsions and improving developmental retardation. Infants at several months of age can well tolerate craniotomy, and their cognitive development is more likely to return to normal after early surgery.

Developing efficient catalysts is vital for the application of electrochemical sensors. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), with high porosity, large specific surface area, good conductivity, and biocompatibility, have been widely used in catalysis, adsorption, separation, and energy storage applications. In this invited review, the recent advances of a novel MOF-based catalysts in electrochemical sensors are summarized. Based on the structure–activity–performance relationship of MOF-based catalysts, their mechanism as electrochemical sensor, including metal cations, synthetic ligands, and structure, are introduced. Then, the MOF-based composites are successively divided into metal-based, carbon-based, and other MOF-based composites. Furthermore, their application in environmental monitoring, food safety control, and clinical diagnosis is discussed. The perspective and challenges for advanced MOF-based composites are proposed at the end of this contribution.

Objective: We aimed to use an individual metabolic connectome method, the Jensen-Shannon Divergence Similarity Estimation (JSSE), to characterize the aberrant connectivity patterns and topological alterations of the individual-level brain metabolic connectome and predict the long-term surgical outcomes in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).Methods: A total of 128 patients with TLE (63 females, 65 males; 25.07 ± 12.01 years) who underwent Positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging were enrolled. Patients were classified either as experiencing seizure recurrence (SZR) or seizure free (SZF) at least 1 year after surgery. Each individual’s metabolic brain network was ascertained using the proposed JSSE method. We compared the similarity and difference in the JSSE network and its topological measurements between the two groups. The two groups were then classified by combining the information from connection and topological metrics, which was conducted by the multiple kernel support vector machine. The validation was performed using the nested leave-one-out cross-validation strategy to confirm the performance of the methods.Results: With a median follow-up of 33 months, 50% of patients achieved SZF. No relevant differences in clinical features were found between the two groups except age at onset. The proposed JSSE method showed marked degree reductions in IFGoperc.R, ROL. R, IPL. R, and SMG. R; and betweenness reductions in ORBsup.R and IOG. R; meanwhile, it found increases in the degree analysis of CAL. L and PCL. L, and in the betweenness analysis of PreCG.R, IOG. R, PoCG.R, PCL. L and PCL.R. Exploring consensus significant metabolic connections, we observed that the most involved metabolic motor networks were the INS-TPOmid.L, MTG. R-SMG. R, and MTG. R-IPL.R pathways between the two groups, and yielded another detailed individual pathological connectivity in the PHG. R-CAU.L, PHG. R-HIP.L, TPOmid.L-LING.R, TPOmid.L-DCG.R, MOG. R-MTG.R, MOG. R-ANG.R, and IPL. R-IFGoperc.L pathways. These aberrant functional network measures exhibited ideal classification performance in predicting SZF individuals from SZR ones at a sensitivity of 75.00%, a specificity of 92.79%, and an accuracy of 83.59%.Conclusion: The JSSE method indicator can identify abnormal brain networks in predicting an individual’s long-term surgical outcome of TLE, thus potentially constituting a clinically applicable imaging biomarker. The results highlight the biological meaning of the estimated individual brain metabolic connectome.

Dye effluent damaged the water environment and human health with its massive discharge. In order to eliminate dye from the water environment, a variety of adsorbents were used to investigate dye removal. Graphene oxide (GO) attracted extensive attention due to its excellent surface property in the degradation of dye wastewater. Modified GO with multifunctional groups helped to improve adsorption performance. 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane modified GO (AS-GO) was fabricated for the removal of Orange G (OG) in this study. The results showed that AS-GO had an excellent adsorption ability of OG. During the reaction process, the maximum adsorptive capacity of OG was up to 576.6 mg/g at T = 313 K and pH = 3 with the initial OG concentration of 100 mg/L and the initial adsorbent dose of 2.5 g/L. The adsorption kinetic process of AS-GO conformed to the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models. The spontaneous and endothermic adsorption of OG occurred in the adsorption process. The main adsorption mechanisms were electrostatic, π–π and hydrogen bonding interactions in the reaction process. After four cycles of AS-GO, it maintained high removal efficiency owing to its remarkable stability. The scheme of GO modified with AS could hinder the agglomeration of GO and provide more active sites, which would further enhance the adsorption properties and expand its application in water purification.

The morphological changes in mountain glaciers are effective in indicating the environmental climate change in the alpine ice sheet. Aiming at the problems of single monitoring index and low prediction accuracy of mountain glacier deformation at present, this study takes Meili Mountain glacier in western China as the research object and uses InSAR technology to construct the mountain glacier deformation time series and 3D deformation field from January 2020 to December 2021. The relationship between glacier deformation and elevation, slope, aspect, glacier albedo, surface organic carbon content, and rainfall was revealed by grey correlation analysis. The GA-BP neural network prediction model is established from the perspective of multiple factors to predict the deformation of Meili Mountain glacier. The results showed that: The deformation of Meili Mountain glacier has obvious characteristics of spatio-temporal differentiation; the cumulative maximum deformation quantity of glaciers in the study period is −212.16 mm. After three-dimensional decomposition, the maximum deformation quantity of glaciers in vertical direction, north–south direction and east–west direction is −125.63 mm, −77.03 mm, and 107.98 mm, respectively. The average annual deformation rate is between −94.62 and 75.96 mm/year. The deformation of Meili Mountain glacier has a gradient effect, the absolute value of deformation quantity is larger when the elevation is below 4500 m, and the absolute value of deformation quantity is smaller when it is above 4500 m. The R2, MAPE, and RMSE of the GA-BP neural network to predict the deformation of Meili glacier are 0.86, 1.12%, and 10.38 mm, respectively. Compared with the standard BP algorithm, the prediction accuracy of the GA-BP neural network is significantly improved, and it can be used to predict the deformation of mountain glaciers.

Epilepsy is one of the most common symptoms of many neurological disorders. The typical excessive, synchronous and aberrant firing of neurons originating from different cerebral areas cause spontaneous recurrent epileptic seizures. Prolonged epilepsy can lead to neuronal damage and cell death. The mechanisms underlying epileptic pathogenesis and neuronal death remain unclear. Ferroptosis is a newly defined form of regulated cell death that is characterized by the overload of intracellular iron ions, leading to the accumulation of lethal lipid-based reactive oxygen species (ROS). To date, studies have mainly focused on its role in tumors and various neurological disorders, including epilepsy. Current research shows that inhibition of ferroptosis is likely to be an effective therapeutic approach for epilepsy. In this review, we outline the pathogenesis of ferroptosis, regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis, related regulatory molecules, and their effects on epilepsy, providing a new direction for discovering new therapeutic targets in epilepsy.

On 28 June 2012, a large debris flow occurred in Aizi gully, Ningnan County, Sichuan Province, China. It was the most significant debris flow disaster at a construction site in 2012 in China, which left 40 people dead or missing. Field investigations and model calculations were conducted following the event in order to determine dynamic parameters and execute engineering mitigation measures. Analyzing the collected data, it is found that earthquake and drought play a dominant role in debris flow initiation, and from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 2010, 43 earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 3.0 occurred around the study area. Through calculation it was found that the inducive radius of 16 earthquakes was larger than the distance between the epicenter and the study area, and it proves that the study area is frequently affected by seismic activities. Furthermore, on the basis of calculation of rainfall anomaly index H from January 2011 to June 2012, it can be seen that the rainfall of 2011 is extremely low. The percentage of the rainfall anomaly index is almost less than −34%, which indicates that the drought in the basin is serious. Under the influences of repeated seismic activities and continuous droughts, the structure of soil was destroyed and its strength and permeability changed significantly, providing favorable conditions for debris flow initiation. On 28 June 2012, heavy rainfall with the intensity of 23.3 mm/h occurred, and the total amount of precipitation reached 66.1 mm before 6am of 28 June 2012. Debris flow was induced due to the triggering effect of the torrential rain. Studying the causes of the large-scale debris flows in construction sites can significantly facilitate the prevention and mitigation of future debris flow disasters, as well as reduce the potential of hazards caused by debris flows in major engineering areas.

Pollen fertility plays an important role in the application of heterosis in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). However, the key genes and mechanisms underlying pollen abortion in K-type male sterility remain unclear. TAA1a is an essential gene for pollen development in wheat. Here, we explored the mechanism involved in its transcriptional regulation during pollen development, focusing on a 1315-bp promoter region. Several cis-acting elements were identified in the TAA1a promoter, including binding motifs for Arabidopsis thaliana AtAMS and AtMYB103 (CANNTG and CCAACC, respectively). Evolutionary analysis indicated that TaTDRL and TaMYB103 were the T. aestivum homologs of AtAMS and AtMYB103, respectively, and encoded nucleus-localized transcription factors containing 557 and 352 amino acids, respectively. TaTDRL and TaMYB103 were specifically expressed in wheat anthers, and their expression levels were highest in the early uninucleate stage; this expression pattern was consistent with that of TAA1a. Meanwhile, we found that TaTDRL and TaMYB03 directly interacted, as evidenced by yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, while yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase assays revealed that both TaTDRL and TaMYB103 could bind the TAA1a promoter and synergistically increase its transcriptional activity. Furthermore, TaTDRL-EAR and TaMYB103-EAR transgenic Arabidopsis plants displayed abnormal microspore morphology, reduced pollen viability, and lowered seed setting rates. Additionally, the expression of AtMS2, a TAA1a homolog, was significantly lower in the two repressor lines than in the corresponding overexpression lines or WT plants. In summary, we identified a potential transcriptional regulatory mechanism associated with wheat pollen development.

The practice and theory of grouting engineering show that both injected medium porosity and grouting fluid weight play an important influence on the diffusion law and morphology of penetration grouting. However, the effects have not been well studied in the context of existing penetration grouting mechanisms. In this paper, the actual diffusion law and morphology of cement grout into the gravel soil are studied on the basis of indoor experiments, mathematical statistics, and theoretical analyses. Then, the three-dimensional space diffusion trajectory equation was quantitatively characterized. The influence of the coupling effect between gravel soil porosity and cement grout weight on diffusion morphologies of penetration grouting was discussed by the definition of the morphological deviation rate. Results show that actual penetration diffusion dimensions of cement grout into the gravel soil differ from that of theoretical values calculated by the penetration grouting mechanism, and its spatial diffusion morphology is approximated as ellipsoid. The coupling effect between gravel soil porosity and cement grout weight have a relatively significant effect on the diffusion morphologies of penetration grouting except for gravel soil with porosity 0.5. The research results can provide theoretical support and technical references for the practical grouting engineering of gravel soil.

The diffusion progress of grout is hindered by groundwater, which means the diffusion distance cannot reach the designed values required in engineering for water plugging or reinforcement. In this study, based on the generalized Darcy’s law and the continuity equation of steady column penetration, a column diffusion mechanism for Bingham fluid, considering the displacement effect of grout on groundwater, is proposed. This diffusion mechanism is then validated by the penetration grouting experiments that have been previously performed. The influences of the grouting pressure, groundwater pressure, water–cement ratio and penetration coefficient of porous media on the diffusion radius are analyzed. Based on the Comsol Multiphysics platform, a three-dimensional numerical simulation program for this mechanism is developed using computer programming technology. Numerical simulations of the penetration and diffusion morphology of Bingham cement grout in porous media are then carried out. The results show that the theoretical calculation values of diffusion radius obtained from this mechanism are closer to the experimental values than those obtained from the column penetration grouting theory of Bingham fluid, without considering the displacement effect. The results of this study can provide theoretical support for practical grouting engineering.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most frequent type of focal epilepsy in adults, typically resistant to pharmacological treatment, and mostly presents with cognitive impairment and psychiatric comorbidities. The most common neuropathological hallmark in TLE patients is hippocampal sclerosis (HS). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms involved remain poorly characterized. The dentate gyrus (DG), one specific hippocampal subarea, structural and functional changes imply a key involvement of the DG in the development of TLE. In this study, a isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based quantitative proteomic technique was performed for the analysis of hippocampal DG obtained from patients with TLE-HS compared to control samples obtained from autopsy. Our proteomic data identified 5,583 proteins, of which 82 proteins were upregulated and 90 proteins were downregulated. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that differentially expressed proteins were enriched in “synaptic vesicle,” “mitochondrion,” “cell-cell adhesion,” “regulation of synaptic plasticity,” “ATP binding,” and “oxidative phosphorylation.” Protein-protein interaction network analysis found a pivotal module of 10 proteins that were related to “oxidative phosphorylation.” This study has investigated proteomic alterations in the DG region of TLE-HS patients, and paved the way for the better understanding of epileptogenesis mechanisms and future therapeutic intervention.

The monitoring and early warning of a landslide in the reservoir area of a hydropower station are of great significance in the dam structure of the hydropower station and in the safety of people’s life and property on the reservoir bank. In this study, a new ground-based interferometric synthetic aperture radar system LKR-05-KU-S100 was used to carry out field monitoring tests on Lagu landslide and Xiaozhaju landslide of Dahuaqiao hydropower station and No. 1 landslide on the left bank of Xiaowan hydropower station on the Lancang river. The results show that, during the monitoring period, Lagu landslide of Dahuaqiao hydropower station and No. 1 landslide on the left bank of Xiaowan hydropower station are basically stable, and the deformation trend of Xiaozhaju landslide is obvious so it should undergo continuous monitoring. At the same time, the field monitoring test also shows that the new ground-based interferometric synthetic aperture radar system LKR-05-KU-S100 has the advantages of high precision and long-distance, all-day, all-weather, and large-scale monitoring and has unique advantages and broad application prospects for the overall deformation monitoring of large landslides in the reservoir area.

Time and water-to-cement ratio have significant influences on rheology of cement grouts. In order to study effects of time and water-to-cement ratio on rheology of Bingham cement grouts, taking Bingham cement grouts widely used in practical engineering (cement grouts with water-to-cement ratio of 0.75–1.25) as research object, some rheological experiments of five cement grouts with water-to-cement ratio of 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, and 1.25 were carried out at six moments of 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 60 minutes, respectively. Combining theoretical discussion with numerical analysis, influence of coupling effects of time and water-to-cement ratio on rheological properties of Bingham cement grouts was discussed. Results show that at the level of α = 0.05, time has a significant influence on plastic viscosity but has no significant influence on the yield stress of Bingham cement grouts. Water-to-cement ratio has a significant influence on both plastic viscosity and yield stress. Exponential models obtained by comprehensive analysis from statistical theory, practical applicability, and accuracy are the optimal models to describe quantitative change in the relationship of coupling effects of time and water-to-cement ratio on plastic viscosity and yield stress of Bingham cement grouts. The rheological equation considering coupling effects of time and water-to-cement ratio of Bingham cement grouts is constructed. Research achievements not only have certain theoretical significance to the development and improvement of fluid mechanics and theoretical system of penetration grouting but also provide theoretical support and technical reference for practical grouting engineering and also have certain practical significance for solving or improving the practical engineering problems.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the surgical outcomes and analyze the predictors of surgical outcomes in patients undergoing anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) for drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) secondary to focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) type IIIa.Methods: Data on patients with drug-resistant TLE secondary to FCD type IIIa who had undergone ATL at Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from January 2014 to April 2018, were collected retrospectively. International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification was used to evaluate postoperative seizure outcomes. Predictors of surgical outcomes were identified by using univariate and multivariate analyses.Results: A total of 43 patients with drug-resistant TLE secondary to FCD type IIIa who had undergone ATL were included in this study. Twenty patients had right ATL, and 23 patients had left ATL. With a follow-up of 2–6 years, 76.7% (33 of 43) of patients were seizure-free. Univariate and multivariate analysis results indicated that lesions on the right side independently predict postoperative seizure freedom (OR, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.01–0.72; P = 0.024).Conclusion: ATL is an effective therapy for patients with drug-resistant TLE secondary to FCD type IIIa. Patients with lesions on the right side are more likely to achieve postoperative seizure freedom.

Introduction: Visinin-like protein 1 (VILIP-1) is an established biomarker of neuronal injury. The levels of serum VILIP-1, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and caveolin-1 (CAV-1) were measured to investigate potential of VILIP-1 as a biomarker for seizure-induced neuronal injury, and the correlation of VILIP-1 with severity of epilepsy and blood-brain barrier dysfunction were investigated.Materials and Methods: Patient with epilepsy from 14 to 70 years of age and age-, sex-matched healthy subjects were involved in this study. All blood sample of patients were collected within 3–72 h after the seizure. The severity of epilepsy and levels of serum VILIP-1, NSE and CAV-1 were measured. Accuracy of VILIP-1 and NSE was obtained from receiver operating curve analyses. Associations between VILIP-1 and severity of epilepsy, VILIP-1 and CAV-1 were investigated.Results: A total of 58 patients and 29 healthy control subjects were included in our study. The levels of serum VILIP-1, NSE, and CAV-1 in the patient group were significantly higher than those in the control group. VILIP-1 has higher and significant accuracy for assessing seizure-induced neuronal injury compared with NSE. VILIP-1 levels were positively associated with severity of epilepsy and CAV-1 in patients with epilepsy.Conclusions: VILIP-1 may be a better serum biomarker than NSE for assessing seizure-induced neuronal injury and even brain injury caused by various pathological condition. Further studies are required to explore the clinical contribution of VILIP-1 in diagnosis, treatment strategies and outcome assessments of epilepsy.

Deciphering the code of cis-regulatory element (CRE) is one of the core issues of today’s biology. Enhancers are distal CREs and play significant roles in gene transcriptional regulation. Although identifications of enhancer locations across the whole genome [discriminative enhancer predictions (DEP)] is necessary, it is more important to predict in which specific cell or tissue types, they will be activated and functional [tissue-specific enhancer predictions (TSEP)]. Although existing deep learning models achieved great successes in DEP, they cannot be directly employed in TSEP because a specific cell or tissue type only has a limited number of available enhancer samples for training. Here, we first adopted a reported deep learning architecture and then developed a novel training strategy named “pretraining-retraining strategy” (PRS) for TSEP by decomposing the whole training process into two successive stages: a pretraining stage is designed to train with the whole enhancer data for performing DEP, and a retraining strategy is then designed to train with tissue-specific enhancer samples based on the trained pretraining model for making TSEP. As a result, PRS is found to be valid for DEP with an AUC of 0.922 and a GM (geometric mean) of 0.696, when testing on a larger-scale FANTOM5 enhancer dataset via a five-fold cross-validation. Interestingly, based on the trained pretraining model, a new finding is that only additional twenty epochs are needed to complete the retraining process on testing 23 specific tissues or cell lines. For TSEP tasks, PRS achieved a mean GM of 0.806 which is significantly higher than 0.528 of gkm-SVM, an existing mainstream method for CRE predictions. Notably, PRS is further proven superior to other two state-of-the-art methods: DEEP and BiRen. In summary, PRS has employed useful ideas from the domain of transfer learning and is a reliable method for TSEPs.