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SUMMARY: The pairing and synapsis of homologous chromosomes are crucial for their correct segregation during meiosis. The LINC (Linker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton) complex can recruit kinesin protein at the nuclear envelope, affecting telomere bouquet formation and homologous pairing. Kinesin‐1‐like protein Pollen Semi‐Sterility1 (PSS1) plays a pivotal role in male meiotic chromosomal behavior and is essential for fertility in rice. However, its exact role in meiosis, especially as kinesin involved in homologous pairing and synapsis, has not been fully elucidated. Here, we generated three pss1 mutants by genome editing technology to dissect PSS1 biological functions in meiosis. The pss1 mutants exhibit alterations in the radial microtubule organization at pachytene and manifest a deficiency in telomere clustering, which is critical for full‐length homologous pairing. We reveal that PSS1 serves as a key mediator between chromosomes and cytoskeleton, thereby regulating microtubule organization and transmitting the force to nuclei to facilitate homologous chromosome pairing and synapsis in meiosis. Significance Statement: The source of energy driving the rapid movement of chromosomes during prophase I in rice meiosis remains to be elucidated In this manuscript, we speculate a novel mechanism that PSS1 serves as a crucial mediator between chromosomes and skeleton, thereby regulating microtubule organization and transmitting the force to nuclei to facilitating homologous chromosome pairing and synapsis in meiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately detecting and locating the fault point of the DC line is significant for eliminating the fault and restoring the power supply of the flexible DC distribution network as soon as possible. Firstly, a direction pilot protection scheme for a complex DC distribution network is proposed based on the integral of the current superposition to identify the fault direction. Then, an online time-domain fault location method based on the least square (LS) method to solve the overdetermined equations is proposed by analyzing the fault loop circuit after the DC line fault. The proposed location scheme utilizes fault data at both ends of the line to eliminate the theoretical impact of fault resistance, and the calculation of the current difference method is discussed to reduce the location error of whether the fault current-limiting reactor (CLR) exists. Finally, various simulations by PSCAD/EMTDC V4.5 demonstrate that the proposed scheme has high protection reliability and location results after different fault positions and resistances. The proposed scheme has low requirements for the sampling rate, fault data length, and implementation costs, which can meet practical application requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport accessibility is crucial for defining urban clusters and evaluating a region's centrality and connectivity. To foster equitable growth in urban conglomerates, it is crucial to understand the relationship between transport accessibility and regional development. This study introduces the concept of 'regional efficiency'—the effectiveness of converting regional inputs into outputs—determined via the super-efficiency Data Envelopment Analysis methodology, to assess the progression of regional development. Employing a combination of bivariate spatial autocorrelation and spatial regression analysis, this research elucidates the spatial dynamics between transport accessibility and regional efficiency, both at macro and micro levels. A binary Logit model identifies the factors affecting the Moran's I correlation between regional efficiency and transport accessibility. Based on the diverse urban characteristics within a single conglomerate, tailored development strategies are suggested. Focusing on the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration in China as a case study, four distinct spatial clusters—High–High (HH), Low–Low (LL), High–Low (HL), and Low–High (LH)—are identified, based on the local correlation between regional efficiency and transport accessibility. The findings reveal that regions with a High–High Moran's I correlation between road accessibility and regional efficiency predominantly located in the eastern sectors of the Yangtze River Delta, exhibiting effective regional efficiency. These regions are characterized by superior road accessibility, aligning well with their regional efficiency metrics. For air accessibility, cities classified under the HH category, including Shanghai and its neighboring cities, demonstrate a significant spatial correlation with regional efficiency. Population density and urban tier are key predictors of the significance of the Moran's I correlation between road accessibility and regional efficiency. In contrast, for air accessibility, these factors assume an inverse role. The identified cluster types (HH, LL, LH, and HL) are proposed as predictive indicators for the significance of the Moran's I relationship between air accessibility and regional efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two‐electron oxidative addition is one of the most important elementary reactions for d‐block transition metals but it is uncommon for f‐block elements. Here, we report the first examples of intermolecular oxidative addition of E−H (E=C, N) bonds to uranium(II) centers. The transient U(II) species was formed in‐situ by reducing a heterometallic cluster featuring U(IV)‐Pd(0) bonds with potassium‐graphite (KC8). Oxidative addition of C−H or N−H bonds to the U(II) centers was observed when this transient U(II) species was treated with benzene, carbazole or 1‐adamantylamine, respectively. The U(II) centers could also react with tetracene, biphenylene or N2O, leading to the formation of arene reduced U(IV) products and uranyl(VI) species via two‐ or four‐electron processes. This study demonstrates that the intermolecular two‐electron oxidative addition reactions are viable for actinide elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two‐electron oxidative addition is one of the most important elementary reactions for d‐block transition metals but it is uncommon for f‐block elements. Here, we report the first examples of intermolecular oxidative addition of E−H (E=C, N) bonds to uranium(II) centers. The transient U(II) species was formed in‐situ by reducing a heterometallic cluster featuring U(IV)‐Pd(0) bonds with potassium‐graphite (KC8). Oxidative addition of C−H or N−H bonds to the U(II) centers was observed when this transient U(II) species was treated with benzene, carbazole or 1‐adamantylamine, respectively. The U(II) centers could also react with tetracene, biphenylene or N2O, leading to the formation of arene reduced U(IV) products and uranyl(VI) species via two‐ or four‐electron processes. This study demonstrates that the intermolecular two‐electron oxidative addition reactions are viable for actinide elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise responses to changes in light quality are crucial for plant growth and development. For example, hypocotyls of shade‐avoiding plants typically elongate under shade conditions. Although this typical shade‐avoidance response (TSR) has been studied in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the molecular mechanisms underlying shade tolerance are poorly understood. Here we report that B. napus (Brassica napus) seedlings exhibit dual shade responses. In addition to the TSR, B. napus seedlings also display an atypical shade response (ASR), with shorter hypocotyls upon perception of early‐shade cues. Genome‐wide selective sweep analysis indicated that ASR is associated with light and auxin signaling. Moreover, genetic studies demonstrated that phytochrome A (BnphyA) promotes ASR, whereas BnphyB inhibits it. During ASR, YUCCA8 expression is activated by early‐shade cues, leading to increased auxin biosynthesis. This inhibits hypocotyl elongation, as young B. napus seedlings are highly sensitive to auxin. Notably, two non‐canonical AUXIN/INDOLE‐3‐ACETIC ACID (Aux/IAA) repressor genes, BnIAA32 and BnIAA34, are expressed during this early stage. BnIAA32 and BnIAA34 inhibit hypocotyl elongation under shade conditions, and mutations in BnIAA32 and BnIAA34 suppress ASR. Collectively, our study demonstrates that the temporal expression of BnIAA32 and BnIAA34 determines the behavior of B. napus seedlings following shade‐induced auxin biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Petals in rapeseed (Brassica napus) serve multiple functions, including protection of reproductive organs, nutrient acquisition, and attraction of pollinators. However, they also cluster densely at the top, forming a thick layer that absorbs and reflects a considerable amount of photosynthetically active radiation. Breeding genotypes with large, small, or even petal‐less varieties, requires knowledge of primary genes for allelic selection and manipulation. However, our current understanding of petal‐size regulation is limited, and the lack of markers and pre‐breeding materials hinders targeted petal‐size breeding. Here, we conducted a genome‐wide association study on petal size using 295 diverse accessions. We identified 20 significant single nucleotide polymorphisms and 236 genes associated with petal‐size variation. Through a cross‐analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data, we focused on 14 specific genes, from which molecular markers for diverging petal‐size features can be developed. Leveraging CRISPR‐Cas9 technology, we successfully generated a quadruple mutant of Far‐Red Elongated Hypocotyl 3 (q‐bnfhy3), which exhibited smaller petals compared to the wild type. Our study provides insights into the genetic basis of petal‐size regulation in rapeseed and offers abundant potential molecular markers for breeding. The q‐bnfhy3 mutant unveiled a novel role of FHY3 orthologues in regulating petal size in addition to previously reported functions. Significance Statement: Using a comprehensive analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data, this study proposes a set of 14 genes that can serve to develop molecular markers for diverging petal‐size features. These genes can also be potential targets for genetic manipulation aimed at reducing petal size. A q‐bnfhy3 mutant with reduced petal size was created, allowing for the validation of the previously unrecognized role of FHY3 orthologues in Brassica napus in the regulation of petal‐size formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable intensification (SI) responds to the concurrent challenges of increasing food production while reducing the environmental impacts of agriculture. As an early disclosure of innovation, patents are a useful indicator of technology market potential. However, we lack understanding of the extent to which current agricultural technology patents relate to the goals of SI and which kinds of technologies can potentially address SI. Here, we analyzed the diffusion and focus of more than one million patents issued during the period 1970–2022. We explored the degree to which the patents relate to SI through the co-occurrence of efficiency and environmental friendliness targets. Our results reveal that while the rate of patent issuance has dramatically increased over the past five decades, the rate at which patents diffused to different countries had decreased over time. The USA was the biggest net exporter of patents and had produced by far the most high-impact patents (in the top 1% most-cited patents). Since 1970, only 4% of agricultural patents and 6% of high-impact patents were related to SI targets (i.e., promoting both agricultural efficiency and environmental friendliness), but the attention to SI has increased over time. The most highly cited SI-related patents had become more diverse over time, shifting from digital, machine, and energy technologies in 1980s to the current era of agroecology, information, and computer networking. Our results provide an early indication of promising technologies that may play a greater role for SI in the future, subject to the challenges of market transfer and farm adoption and complemented by non-technological innovations in farm management and institutional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The RNA‐binding motif single‐stranded interacting protein 3 (RBMS3) is a constituent of the RNA‐binding motif (RBM) protein family, which assumes a pivotal role in governing cellular biogenesis processes such as the cell cycle and apoptosis. Despite an abundance of studies elucidating RBMS3's divergent roles in the genesis and advancement of various tumors, its involvement in colon cancer remains enigmatic. Methods: The present investigation employed data analysis from TCGA and GTEx to unveil that RBMS3 expression demonstrated a diminished presence in colon cancer tissues when juxtaposed with normal colon tissues. The effect of RBMS3 and LIM zinc finger domain 1 (LIMS1) on colon cancer was substantiated via animal models and cellular experiments. The connection between RBMS3 and LIM zinc finger domain 1 (LIMS1) was verified by molecular biology methods. Results: The study conclusively ascertained that augmenting RBMS3 expression quells the proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells. Furthermore, the inquiry unveiled a plausible mechanism through which RBMS3 impacts the expression of LIMS1 by modulating its mRNA stability. The investigation ascertained that RBMS3 inhibits the progression of colon cancer by regulating LIMS1. The inhibitory function of LIMS1 and RBMS3 is closely intertwined in colon cancer, with knocking down LIMS1 being able to rescue the inhibitory effect of RBMS3 overexpression on the functionality of colon cancer cell Conclusions: The discernments delineate RBMS3 as a novel suppressor of cancer via LIMS1, thereby bestowing fresh therapeutic possibilities and illuminating the intricacies of colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the multiscale dynamic dispatching and distribution capacity of regional integrated energy, a multiscale dynamic time‐domain dispatching model of regional integrated energy with seasonal load difference is proposed. The master–slave game coordination planning model of regional comprehensive energy multiscale dispatching is constructed, and the difference fusion model of regional comprehensive energy multiscale dynamic dispatching is established by using the active and reactive power coordination control method according to the influence factors of voltage deviation and line overload absorption. Maximize the weight factors of the positive contribution of distributed photovoltaic (PV) power to the active distribution network. On the basis of the quantitative regulation analysis method of demand response power based on the equivalent slope of the load curve, establish an energy absorption capacity analysis model of seasonal load differentiation. On the basis of the dynamic interaction between different systems, a multiscale dynamic time‐domain analysis and dynamic simulation model of regional integrated energy is constructed by using the method of PV absorptive capacity assessment on both sides of demand uncertainty, to achieve multiscale dynamic time‐domain feature extraction of integrated energy and integrated scheduling of seasonal load differences. The simulation results show that the multiscale dynamic time‐domain allocation of regional comprehensive energy using this method improves the energy dispatching and balanced allocation capability, and the time‐domain dynamic allocation capability is good. Considering the terminal load demand and the electricity price demand formulated by the distribution network investment operators, the seasonal load response and comprehensive dispatching capability are improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X0-dependencies are known to be highly local. It has been argued that syntactic head movement can affect locality constraints. While some recent studies have revealed that verbal heads can undergo long-distance movement similar to phrasal movement, nominal categories still appear to adhere to strict locality constraints on head movement. In this context, we examine an exception, the particle suo in Mandarin Chinese, and explore its theoretical implications. We begin by showing that the X0-element suo exhibits a long dependency across every type of clausal boundary in Chinese, including finite ones. By placing suo in a typology that accommodates resumptive pronouns and Romance-type clitics, we highlight the significance of suo's long dependency. Next, we argue that suo forms a big-DP with the relative operator; since movement of the relative operator has satisfied the locality constraint, according to Richards' (1998. The Principle of Minimal Compliance. Linguistic Inquiry 29. 599–629) Principle of Minimal Compliance, suo can have a long dependency on its underlying position. This discussion leads us to conclude that the original formulation of the Principle of Minimal Compliance needs reexamination regarding the true meaning of exemption. Once exemption from a locality condition is separated from movement itself, both the initial data for the PMC and the behaviors of suo are accounted for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mid‐infrared carbon dioxide (CO2) sensor system was developed for early fire detection based on photoacoustic spectroscopy. A miniaturized nonresonant photoacoustic gas cell was optimized by means of finite element method (FEM). A cylindrical cell was optimized with a radius of 12.7 mm and a length of 32 mm. An approximately proportional relationship between the optical path length and the amplitude of the photoacoustic signal was observed by theoretical analysis. The optimal modulation frequency was determined to be 44 Hz. A dual optical path was adopted to gain a low limit of detection (LoD) and a high sensitivity. The amplitude of the photoacoustic signal was increased by 1.8 times compared to single optical path. The LoD of the sensor system was measured to be 4.1 ppmv at an averaging time of 84 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–insulator transition has long been one of the key subjects in condensed matter systems. Herein, the emergence of a large energy gap (Eg, 0.8–1.0 eV) in Bi(110) two‐atomic‐layer nanoribbons grown on a SnSe(001) substrate is reported, which normally has an intrinsic semimetal‐like characteristic. The existence of this abnormally large Eg in Bi(110) is, however, determined by Bi coverage. When coverage is above ≈64 ± 2%, Eg vanishes, and instead, a Bi(110) semimetal‐like phase appears through a singular insulator–metal transition. Measurements using qPlus atomic force microscopy demonstrate that either insulating or semimetal‐like Bi(110) possesses a distorted black phosphorous structure with noticeable atomic buckling. Density function theory fully reproduces the semimetal‐like Bi(110) on SnSe(001). However, none of the insulating phases with this large Eg could be traced. Although the underlying mechanism of the large Eg and the insulator‐metal transition requires further exploration, experiments demonstrate that similar results can be achieved for Bi grown on SnS, the structural analog of SnSe, exhibiting an even larger Eg of ≈2.3 eV. The experimental strategy may be generalized to utilization of group‐IV monochalcogenides to create Bi(110) nanostructures with properties unachievable on other surfaces, providing an intriguing platform for exploring the interesting quantum electronic phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A heterobimetallic complex [MeN(CH2CH2NPiPr)2MgLiCl(THF)]2 (1) supported by a dianionic double layer nitrogen–phosphorus ligand was synthesized by the reaction of H2L1 (H2L1 = MeN(CH2CH2NHPiPr)2) with MgCl2 in the presence of n-BuLi. Reactions of complex 1 with 2 equivalents of CuI, AgI and AuCl·SMe2 led to the formation of heterobimetallic clusters [MeN(CH2CH2NPiPr)2MgCuI]2 (2), [MeN(CH2CH2NPiPr)2MgAgI]2 (3) and [MeN(CH2CH2NPiPr)2MgAuCl]2 (4), respectively. X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis revealed that these complexes are dimers, which are composed of two [MeN(CH2CH2NPiPr)2Mg] units connected by coinage metals (i.e., Cu, Ag, and Au). The reactivity of 1 was further investigated and it was found that complex 1 could react with 4 equivalents of MeI, giving a complex [CH3N(CH2CH2N＝PiPr2Me)2MgI]+[I]− (5), which can be viewed as a magnesium complex supported by a neutral double layer nitrogen–phosphorus ligand (CH3N(CH2CH2N＝PiPr2Me)2). Complex 1 could also react with 2 equivalents of NaNH2, leading to the isolation of an amido anion bridged magnesium–sodium heterobimetallic cluster [MeN(CH2CH2NPiPr)2MgNaNH2]2 (6). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Crossovers (COs) are necessary for generating genetic diversity that breeders can select, but there are conserved mechanisms that regulate their frequency and distribution. Increasing CO frequency may raise the efficiency of selection by increasing the chance of integrating more desirable traits. In this study, we characterize rice FANCM and explore its functions in meiotic CO control. FANCM mutations do not affect fertility in rice, but they cause a great boost in the overall frequency of COs in both inbred and hybrid rice, according to genetic analysis of the complete set of fancm zmm (hei10, ptd, shoc1, mer3, zip4, msh4, msh5, and heip1) mutants. Although the early homologous recombination events proceed normally in fancm, the meiotic extra COs are not marked with HEI10 and require MUS81 resolvase for resolution. FANCM depends on PAIR1, COM1, DMC1, and HUS1 to perform its functions. Simultaneous disruption of FANCM and MEICA1 synergistically increases CO frequency, but it is accompanied by nonhomologous chromosome associations and fragmentations. FANCM interacts with the MHF complex, and ablation of rice MHF1 or MHF2 could restore the formation of 12 bivalents in the absence of the ZMM gene ZIP4. Our data indicate that unleashing meiotic COs by mutating any member of the FANCM–MHF complex could be an effective procedure to accelerate the efficiency of rice breeding. Significance Statement: In this study, we characterize rice FANCM and explore its functions in meiotic CO control. FANCM mutations do not affect fertility in rice, but they cause a great boost in the overall frequency of COs in both inbred and hybrid rice. Our data indicate that unleashing meiotic COs by mutating any member of the FANCM‐MHF complex could be an effective procedure to accelerate the efficiency of rice breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The syntheses, characterizations, and catalytic activities of three zinc complexes and one lithium compound based on β-diketiminate ligands are described. The reactions of ZnEt2 with one equivalent of and two equivalents of ligand HL1, which bears a large 2,4,6-tricyclopentylphenyl substituent, afforded compounds [(L1)ZnEt] (1) and [(L1)2Zn] (2), respectively. The deprotonation of bis(β-diketiminato) ligand H2L2 by nBuLi generated complex [(L2)Li2(THF)2] (3). Compound 3 reacted with anhydrous zinc chloride in a stoichiometric ratio of 1 : 2 to produce [(HL2)Zn2Cl3]·Tol (4 Tol). In compound 4 Tol, only one β-diketimine unit was deprotonated, and the two zinc atoms were bridged by a chloride atom. The catalytic activities of 1–4 toward the borylation of aryl iodides with 4,4,4′,4′,5,5,5′,5′-octamethyl-2,2′-bis(1,3,2-dioxa-borolane) (B2Pin2) were studied. Compounds 1 and 4 were both active for this coupling reaction, and complex 4 displayed much higher activity than that of 1. The borylation reactions feature a wide substrate scope, high functional group versatility and mild conditions. Compound 3 was not catalytically active toward the borylation reaction, but it showed excellent catalytic performance in the hydroboration of aldehydes and ketones by pinacol borane (HBpin), leading to a series of boric esters with high yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been a lot of interest in the AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high‐entropy alloys (EHEAs), which can achieve a good balance of strength and ductility. The relationship between the microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloy was established in this study by examining the microstructural evolution during heat treatment of 500–1000°C. The results show that the alloy's microstructure remained unchanged when the heat treatment temperature was lower than 700°C. With further rise above 800°C, the B2II precipitates were inspected in the L12 matrix. Besides, L12II started to be precipitated from the B2 matrix at 900°C. The tensile test results conducted at 20–1000°C showed that both the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength decreased as the temperature rose. As for the elongation, however, it increased dramatically when the testing temperature was over 800°C, being attributed to the dynamic recrystallization. The results obtained provided a fundamental understanding of high‐temperature properties for duplex HEAs. Highlights: The B2II precipitates were precipitated from the L12 at 800°C.The B2II and L12II were precipitated from the L12 and B2 over 900°C.The yield and tensile strength decreased sharply at 20–700°C and slowly at 800–1000°C.The elongation first remained stable at 20–700°C and then increased sharply at 800–1000°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni phosphide and Lewis acid–base pair site of Al2O3 were combined as highly efficient catalyst for direct amination of 1-octanol to 1-octylamine. Due to the higher dehydrogenation activity and the site isolation effect, Ni3P/Al2O3-TPP prepared by organophosphorus was 4.0 times more active than Ni/Al2O3 and increased the selectivity to 1-octylamine from 71.4 to 92.8% at 0.4 MPa NH3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The endonuclease methyl methanesulfonate and UV‐sensitive protein 81 (MUS81) has been reported to participate in DNA repair during mitosis and meiosis. However, the exact meiotic function of MUS81 in rice remains unclear.Here, we use a combination of physiological, cytological, and genetic approaches to provide evidence that MUS81 functions in atypical recombination intermediate resolution rather than crossover designation in rice.Cytological and genetic analysis revealed that the total chiasma numbers in mus81 mutants were indistinguishable from wild‐type. The numbers of HEI10 foci (the sites of interference‐sensitive crossovers) in mus81 were also similar to that of wild‐type. Moreover, disruption of MUS81 in msh5 or msh4 msh5 background did not further decrease chiasmata frequency, suggesting that rice MUS81 did not function in crossover designation. Mutation of FANCM and ZEP1 could enhance recombination frequency. Unexpectedly, chromosome fragments and bridges were frequently observed in mus81 zep1 and mus81 fancm, illustrating that MUS81 may resolve atypical recombination intermediates.Taken together, our data suggest that MUS81 contributes little to crossover designation but plays a crucial role in the resolution of atypical meiotic intermediates by working together with other anti‐crossover factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize early fire identification in cotton harvesting operations, a mid-infrared carbon monoxide (CO) sensor system was developed. To match the broadband light source with a 15° divergence angle, a multipass gas cell (MPGC) with an effective path length of 180 cm was designed to improve sensor sensitivity, leading to a limit of detection (LoD) of 0.83 parts-per-million by volume (ppmv). A damping module with springs at the bottom and front/back sides was fabricated, which can effectively reduce the vibration intensity by >80%. The sensor system can operate normally from −40 °C to 85 °C by stabilizing the temperature of the optical module through heating or cooling as well as using automotive electronic components. An adaptive early fire identification algorithm based on a dual-parameter threshold alarming method was proposed to avoid false and missing alarms. Field deployments on a harvester verified the good practicability of the sensor system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AlN/AgCuTi + AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 /Cu braze joint with no obvious defects. • A in-situ reaction between Ti and AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 during brazing. • Shear strength reached 277 MPa, which was the highest reported so far. AlN/Cu combinations offer high power electronic devices superior compatibility with large current transport and high voltage resistance, making them promising heat-dissipation candidates for electronic packaging. AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 high-entropy alloy (HEA), known for its excellent mechanical properties, was incorporated into the traditional AgCuTi filler for brazing AlN and Cu in this work. The obtained AlN/Cu brazed joints exhibited homogeneous interfacial phases and high bonding strength. The maximum shear strength (277 MPa) was achieved when brazed at 850 °C for 5 min via composite filler containing 0.5 wt% AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 , which was 156 % higher than that brazed with single AgCuTi fillers. Enhanced mechanical properties were obtained by dispersion strengthening of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) resulting from the introduction of a medium AlCoCrFeNi 2.1 concentration (less than 1 wt%) in filler alloys under tailored brazing parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality control methods of different specifications of Corydalis Rhizoma in Zhejiang China (ZJ CR) are the same, so the quality of each specification couldnot be guaranteed. To clarify the quality control methods and pharmacodynamic material basis of ZJ CR with different specifications could provide reference for the quality control of ZJ CR. The purpose of this study was to establish a quality control method for ZJ CR with different specifications and to screen out the pharmacodynamic material basis of ZJ CR with different specifications. Firstly, according to the existing grading standards, the medicinal materials were divided into specifications, and the character indexes of ZJ CR with different specifications were established. The quality indexes were established by HPLC, network pharmacology and literature retrieval. The correlation between the trait indexes and quality indexes of ZJ CR with different specifications was analyzed, and the best quality control method was established. Further combined with the pharmacodynamic indexes of ZJ CR with different specifications, the pharmacodynamic material basis of ZJ CR with different specifications was screened out by spectrum-effect analysis. The correlation between trait indexes and pharmacodynamic indexes was analyzed to verify the rationality of grade standard. The three specifications of ZJ CR were CR (Diameter ≥1.1 cm), CR (Diameter <1.1 cm), and CR (No size distinction). Diameter, width, thickness, grain weight, volume and 50 g grain number could be used as the trait indexes of ZJ CR. Protopine (CR1), palmatine hydrochloride (CR2), berberine hydrochloride (CR3), dehydrocorydaline (CR4), tetrahydropalmatine (CR5), tetrahydroberberine (CR6), corydaline (CR7), stylopine (CR8) and isoimperatorin (CR9) were identified. Total components, core components (CR5, CR6, CR7 and CR8), alcohol-soluble extracts (ASE) could be used as quality indexes. The best quality control methods of the three specifications respectively were: the larger the diameter and grain weight, the smaller the number of 50 g grains; The larger the diameter, the smaller the volume, thickness, width and number of 50 g particles; The larger the grain weight and volume, the smaller the number of 50 g grains. The main analgesic components of the three specifications respectively were: CR1, CR2 and core components; CR2, CR4; CR8, CR9. The larger the diameter and the less the number of 50 g grains, the better the analgesic effect of ZJ CR, and the grade standard was reasonable. This study showed that the quality control methods and pharmacodynamic material basis of ZJ CR with different specifications were different, which may be caused by the differences in traits and the contribution of main active ingredients. This study constructed an evaluation model combining external traits, internal quality and overall efficacy, and provided theoretical support for the rationality of ZJ CR grade standard. [Display omitted] • The quality control methods of ZJ CR with different specifications were proposed. • The pharmacodynamic material basis of ZJ CR with different specifications was screened. • The evaluation method of character-quality-efficacy combination was adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Investigated thermal characteristics of tandem cylinders with different grooves and rotational speeds. • Analyzed impact of three groove types (rectangle, triangle, dimple) on wake dynamics and thermal performance. • Found triangular and dimpled grooves exhibit similar anti-phase trends in lift coefficient at θ = 90° and Ω = 1. • Observed significant variation in Strouhal number and vortex energy based on groove type, especially at θ = 45°. • Identified dimpled grooves enhance negative vortex activity, leading to distinct flow separation patterns. • Noted rectangular grooves reduce time-averaged surface Nusselt number by approximately 6.7%. • Achieved best drag reduction with tandem triangular grooves at low speed (Ω = 1) and θ = 0°. • Determined optimal thermal performance for triangular grooves at high speeds (Ω ≥ 5) and θ = 45°. • Confirmed all groove types positively influence thermal behavior despite slight TPI decrease at θ = 90°. This paper numerically analyses the thermal characteristics of tandem cylinders, considering different grooves and non-dimensional rotation speeds (Ω). Two cylinders have the same diameter, D , with a spacing of 4 D. The upstream cylinder features grooves on its leading surface, whereas the downstream smooth cylinder is subjected to different rotational speeds. Investigations are conducted at a constant Reynolds number (Re = 200) for three different types of grooves (rectangle, triangle and dimple) at various angular positions (θ = 0°, 45° and 90°) and six dimensionless rotational speeds (Ω = 0–5). This study focuses on how the Ω , groove type and angular position affect the wake dynamics and thermal characteristics. The results indicate that triangular and dimpled grooves demonstrate a similar anti-phase trend in lift coefficient under static conditions with Ω = 1 once θ is set to 90°. The variation in the Strouhal number is closely associated with groove type, significantly altering the energy of the dominant vortices. This effect is particularly remarkable at θ = 45°, where different groove types substantially impact vortex energy. On the other hand, dimpled grooves notably strengthen the activity of negative vortices in the wake. Moreover, groove patterns alter flow separation, resulting in a pea-shaped wake vortex on one side at θ = 90°. Subsequently, at the highest speed of Ω = 5, the thermal boundary layer tilts and distributes evenly, forming two asymmetric independent thermal plumes. Further investigation revealed that the groove's shape significantly impacts the time-averaged surface Nusselt number (< N ¯ u 1 >) value; notably, a rectangular groove decreases the < N ¯ u 1 > value by approximately 6.7 %. Besides, at low speed (Ω = 1) and θ = 0°, the tandem triangular groove configuration provides the best drag reduction. When θ increases to 90°, the pressure drop remains below 1 in all cases except when Ω = 5. However, at Ω = 5, the TPI of triangular grooves surpasses other cases, indicating optimal thermal performance at high speeds (Ω ≥ 5) and θ = 45°. Although the TPI for triangular and dimpled grooves slightly decreases at θ = 90° compared to θ = 45° (0 ≤ Ω ≤ 2), all groove types still positively impact thermal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colistin (CST) is considered as "agent of last resort" against gram-negative bacteria as feed additive. Its clinical effectiveness has reduced since the emergence of mcr-1 gene in ducks. Isopropoxy benzene guanidine (IBG), a new guanidine derivative, showed positive effects on improving animal weights and alleviating intestinal pathogens, therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of this compound supplement with CST in ducks and explore the possibilities in feed additive. A total of fifteen duck-origin Escherichia coli carrying the mcr-1 gene were included in this study. A checkerboard microdilution assay was used to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of IBG combined with CST against mcr-1 -positive E. coli. A 3-by-2 time–kill array of IBG (16, 32, and 64 μg/mL) and CST (1/2 MIC and 1/4 MIC) over 24 hours was utilized to characterize the activity of the agents alone and in combination against E. coli strain 1 in vitro. The intestinal colonization model was used to evaluate the in vivo effect of IBG combined with CST. These results indicated that the combination of IBG plus CST showed a synergistic effect against all clinical isolates (FICI < 0.5). The bacterial burden was reduced by more than 2 log 10 CFU/mL when E. coli strain 1 was tested with 1/2 MIC CST plus 64 μg/mL IBG for 24 h. Further experiments in vivo demonstrated that the CST combined with IBG was able to increase duck weights, reduced intestinal pathogenic E. coli and showed a synergistic antibacterial effect. Combination of CST (4 mg/kg b.w.) plus IBG (32 or 64 mg/kg b.w.) achieved 1.84 to 3.29 log 10 CFU/g killing after 7 d of therapy, which was significantly different from that in the challenge control group (p <0.05). In summary, our study demonstrated the potential use of IBG as feed additive for veterinary purposes in ducks and provided new insights into overcoming resistance in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For tunnels in cold or serious cold areas, the problem of leaking in the spring thawing period is very frequent, which will cause various tunnel diseases due to freezing. By using the surrounding rock geothermal energy in the tunnel project, especially the tunnel project below the permafrost layer, the cold area tunnel heat pump system is able to improve the overall heating energy efficiency as the side temperature regarding the heat pump evaporation increases, that furtherly serves the surrounding supporting building facilities. Inspired by this system and the active and passive coupling building technology, a heat recovery type of heat storage wall model is proposed in this research. By describing the heat transfer process regarding the heat recovery type of heat storage wall and carrying out the experimental research, its feasibility and effectiveness are verified. The results show that when the outdoor ambient temperature in Urumqi is −7~−15°C and the instantaneous total solar radiation reaches the range of 0~1108 W/m2, this kind of wall can create hot wall-near air whose temperature is 11.89°C higher than the ambient temperature for providing a high-quality air heat source for the air source heat pump when the temperature is low, thereby significantly improving the air source heat pump heating system efficiency. Without the photovoltaic and photothermal equipment, the heat recovery type of heat storage wall can make the utilization rate of solar energy reach 13% to 20%, even up to 36%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two zinc complexes, [L1Zn2Et2]n (1) and [L2Zn2Et2] (2), were synthesized by reacting bis(β‐diketiminate) ligands H2L1 and H2L2 with ZnEt2. X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction analysis indicated that compound 1 displays a novel one‐dimensional chain structure. Compound 2 is dinuclear. The two compounds were employed to catalyze the coupling reaction of aryl iodides with B2Pin2. They were both catalytically active toward this transformation. Compound 1 exhibited higher catalytic activity than that of complex 2. The borylation reactions catalyzed by 1 possess the features of milder conditions, high functional group tolerance and wide range of substrate scopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mutual development of airport groups and regions is gradually going global with the economic globalization. There is a contradiction between Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) Airport Group and regional development, which leads to the unbalanced development of aviation enterprises in the region. Therefore, it is of major theoretical and practical significance to analyze the coordinated development relationship between Jing-Jin-Ji Airport Group and the region. This paper selects representative index system, establishes the adaptability evaluation model of airport group and regional development, and quantitatively analyzes the adaptability level of Jing-Jin-Ji Airport Group and radiation area. Taking New York Airport Group as a reference, the synergy degree between Jing-Jin-Ji Airport Group and the region is evaluated by the synergy evaluation model. Analyze the reasons for the development of New York Airport Group, and put forward the measures for the coordinated development of Jing-Jin-Ji Airport Group and the region in the future. The results show that the synergy index (SD) of Jing-Jin-Ji Airport Group is 0.5381, which is lower than that of New York Airport Group (0.7507), and Jing-Jin-Ji Airport Group is barely synergetic. It is necessary to optimize airspace, allocate flight resources, speed up the development of airport economy, and optimize the structure of airport groups. Jing-Jin-Ji Airport Group will be accelerated to enter a high-quality collaborative stage from the aspects of system and resource integration and government leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ARID3A is upregulated in colorectal cancer and can promote the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. However, patients with higher level of ARID3A have a better prognosis. This study aimed to uncover the mechanism by which ARID3A benefits the prognosis of colon cancer. Our results indicated that ARID3A upregulation enhanced the chemosensitivity of colon cancer cells to 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU), whereas ARID3A downregulation inhibited the chemosensitivity of colon cancer cells to 5‐FU. Through database analysis, we found that AKR1C3, a drug resistance‐related gene, was the target of ARID3A. Moreover, AKR1C3 was downregulated in colon cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. Next, we assessed the interaction between AKR1C3 and ARID3A, and found that ARID3A inhibited the transcription of AKR1C3, leading to the downregulation of AKR1C3 in colon cancer cells. We also verified that AKR1C3 inhibited the chemosensitivity of colon cancer cells to 5‐FU. Moreover, patients with higher ratio of ARID3A to AKR1C3 had a better prognosis. This study suggested that ARID3A promoted chemosensitivity of colon cancer cells by inhibiting AKR1C3 in colon cancer. The ratio of ARID3A to AKR1C3 is a good marker to predict the prognosis of colon cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrogenation of ethyl levulinate (EL) to γ-valerolactone (GVL) is an important process in biomass conversion to value-added chemicals. However, it remains challenging to develop efficient non-noble metal catalysts with high activity and selectivity for this reaction. Herein, we investigated the effect of second metal modification on Ni 3 P catalysts, where a series of Ni-P-M/Al 2 O 3 and Ni-M/Al 2 O 3 catalysts (M = Fe, Co, Cu, and Zn) were prepared for EL hydrogenation. The results show that Ni-P-Cu/Al 2 O 3 exhibited the highest activity, being 2.3 and 1.7 times more active than Ni-Cu/Al 2 O 3 and Ni-P/Al 2 O 3 , respectively. Reaction evaluations at different temperatures revealed that Ni-P/Al 2 O 3 and Ni-P-Cu/Al 2 O 3 have a similar activation energy of ∼65 kJ/mol, lower than that of Ni-Cu/Al 2 O 3 (86 kJ/mol). The combined characterization and reaction results suggested that the introduction of Cu enriched surface P in the Ni-P-Cu/Al 2 O 3 catalyst, providing more active sites to enhance C O hydrogenation. These findings provide insights for optimizing non-noble metal catalysts for EL hydrogenation. [Display omitted] • A series of metal modified Ni-P catalysts was synthesized for EL hydrogenation. • Ni-P-Cu/Al 2 O 3 catalyst exhibited the highest activity. • Cu enriched surface P and provided more active sites to enhance C O hydrogenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multiple graphs are constructed with ridesplitting demand characteristics. • The spatial scope of the demand prediction is refined to the intersection level. • It proposes a MGCGRU-P model for the point and probabilistic demand prediction. • It measures the impact of graph combinations and correlation levels on predictions. • The efficiency of the proposed model is verified by a realistic case study. Ridesplitting demand prediction plays an important role in vehicle scheduling and intelligent transportation system construction. Accurate ridesplitting demand prediction is crucial for alleviating supply–demand imbalance and increasing vehicle utilization. Ridesplitting refers to the sharing of a vehicle by multiple passengers with similar routes, thereby achieving a reduction in the adverse effects of increased congestion caused by ride-hailing. However, most existing works mainly address the region-based ride-hailing demand prediction, whereas few works focus on the ridesplitting demand prediction, which takes into account the correlation between shared orders. To address the issue, we develop several intersection-based graphs to character the ridesplitting demand correlations between the intersections. The multi-graph convolutional networks (MGCN) with different graph combinations are constructed to capture the spatial topologies. Furthermore, we introduce the probabilistic model structure to predict the uncertainty of ridesplitting demand. A novel deep learning model, referred to as the Multi-graph Convolutional Gated Recurrent Unit with Probabilistic prediction (MGCGRU-P) is proposed. We conduct extensive numerical experiments on the real-world ride-hailing demand dataset (from Beijing, China). The results demonstrate that the model we propose performs the best against baseline models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality requirements of Corydalis Rhizoma (CR) in different producing areas are uniform, resulting in uneven efficacy. As a genuine producing area, the effective quality control of CR in Zhejiang Province (ZJ) could provide a theoretical basis for the rational application of medicinal materials. The purpose of this study was to effectively distinguish the CR inside and outside ZJ, and provided a theoretical basis for the quality control and material basis research of ZJ CR. The core components of ZJ CR could be identified by HPLC combined with chemometrics screening, and the quality of CR from different producing areas was evaluated by a genetic algorithm-back propagation (GA-BP) neural network. Chromaticity and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy were used to identify CR inside and outside ZJ, and rapid content prediction was realized. The analgesic effect of CR in different regions was compared by a zebrafish analgesic experiment. Analgesic experiments in rats and analysis of the research status of quality components were used to screen the quality control components of ZJ CR. The contents of palmatine hydrochloride (YSBMT), dehydrocorydaline (TQZJJ), tetrahydropalmatine (YHSYS), tetrahydroberberine (SQXBJ), corydaline (YHSJS), stylopine (SQHLJ), and isoimperatorin (YOQHS) in ZJ CR were higher than those in CR from outside ZJ, but the content of protopine (YAPJ) and berberine hydrochloride (YSXBJ) was lower than that in CR from outside ZJ. YHSJS and SQHLJ could be used as the core components to identify ZJ CR. The GA-BP neural network showed that the relative importance of ZJ CR was the strongest. Chroma-content correlation analysis and the NIR qualitative model could effectively distinguish CR from inside and outside of ZJ, and the NIR quantitative model could quickly predict the content of CR from inside and outside of ZJ. Zebrafish experiments showed that ZJ, Shaanxi (SX), Henan (HN), and Sichuan (SC) CR had significant analgesic effects, while Hebei (HB) CR had no significant analgesic effect. Overall comparison, the analgesic effect of ZJ CR was better than that of CR outside ZJ. The comprehensive score of the grey correlation degree between YAPJ, YSBMT, YSXBJ, TQZJJ, YHSYS, YHSJS, SQXBJ, and SQHLJ were higher than 0.9, and the research frequency were extremely high. The relative importance of the content and origin of most components of ZJ CR was higher than that of CR outside ZJ. The holistic analgesic effect of ZJ CR was better than that of CR outside ZJ, but slightly lower than that of SX CR. YHSJS and SQHLJ could be used as the core components to identify ZJ CR. YAPJ, YSBMT, YSXBJ, TQZJJ, YHSYS, SQXBJ, YHSJS, and SQHLJ could be used as the quality control components of ZJ CR. The multidimensional evaluation method used in this study provided a reference for the quality control and material basis research of ZJ CR. [Display omitted] • The quality index components protopine, palmatine hydrochloride, berberine hydrochloride, dehydrocorydaline, tetrahydropalmatine, corydaline, tetrahydroberberine and stylopine of Corydalis Rhizoma from Zhejiang Province were screened out. • The core components corydaline and stylopine that can identify Corydalis Rhizoma inside and outside Zhejiang Province were screened out. • Through the multi-dimensional evaluation model, the comparative study of Corydalis Rhizoma from Zhejiang Province and other producing areas outside Zhejiang Province was carried out, and a number of quality control indicators and methods suitable for Corydalis Rhizoma from Zhejiang Province were summarized, which provided a reference for the quality research of Corydalis Rhizoma from Zhejiang Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three extreme cold events successively occurred across East Asia and North America in the 2020/21 winter. This study investigates the underlying mechanisms of these record-breaking persistent cold events from the isentropic mass circulation (IMC) perspective. Results show that the midlatitude cold surface temperature anomalies always co-occurred with the high-latitude warm anomalies, and this was closely related to the strengthening of the low-level equatorward cold air branch of the IMC, particularly along the climatological cold air routes over East Asia and North America. Specifically, the two cold surges over East Asia in early winter were results of intensification of cold air transport there, influenced by the Arctic sea ice loss in autumn. The weakened cold air transport over North America associated with warmer northeastern Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) explained the concurrent anomalous warmth there. This enhanced a wavenumber-1 pattern and upward wave propagation, inducing a simultaneous and long-lasting stronger poleward warm air branch (WB) of the IMC in the stratosphere and hence a displacement-type Stratospheric Sudden Warming (SSW) event on 4 January. The WB-induced increase in the air mass transported into the polar stratosphere was followed by intensification of the equatorward cold branch, hence promoting the occurrence of two extreme cold events respectively over East Asia in the beginning of January and over North America in February. Results do not yield a robust direct linkage from La Niña to the SSW event, IMC changes, and cold events, though the extratropical warm SSTs are found to contribute to the February cold surge in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The push for environmentally benign and sustainable chemical processes has reinforced the demand to displace transition metals with cheap, nontoxic and naturally abundant metals. To fulfil this requirement, we endeavored to synthesize alkali- and alkaline earth-metal complexes and employ them as catalysts for organic transformations. Two lithium and one magnesium complexes, which are supported by pyridyl-pendanted unsymmetrical β-diketiminates, have been synthesized and characterized. They are formulated as [Li(L1)]2 (1), [Li(L2)]2 (2) and [Mg(L2)2]·0.5C6H14 (3) (HL1 = N{-4-[(2,6-diisopropylphenylamino)pent-3-en-2-ylidene]-6-methyl}pyridin-2-amine and HL2 = N-{4-[(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imino]pent-2-en-2-yl}pyridin-2-amine). Complex 1 features two inequivalent Li(I) sites. One Li(I) center exhibits tetrahedral geometry, while the other Li(I) ion adopts a triangular coordination sphere. The catalytic activities of 1–3 toward the hydroboration of aldehydes and ketones by pinacolborane (HBpin) were investigated. Both dinuclear lithium complexes and homoleptic magnesium compound were found to be highly efficient catalysts for the hydroboration of aldehydes and ketones, affording the corresponding borate esters in good yields within a very short time. Synthetic application of the complexes was demonstrated by the gram-scale reduction of ketones via a one-pot two step reaction with only 0.2 mol% loading of 2. Mechanistic details for the hydroboration were revealed by DFT calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the global aviation industry, the number of aircraft flying in the airspace has continuously increased. Although aviation safety has been improved in the last several decades, many general aviation and a few commercial aviation accidents occur every year, resulting in fatalities and significant economic loss. Aircraft crash accidents not only cause fatalities of crew members and passengers onboard, but also seriously affect people and property on the ground, especially if the crashed aircraft falls into dense urban areas. However, unlike emergencies caused by natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, or a terrorist attack, very little research looked into the potential consequences of aviation accidents to people and property on the ground from the view of urban planning and emergency management. The object of this study is to propose a model for identifying potential ground risk areas of aviation crash accidents. Different from studies in existing literature, actual flight trajectories obtained from automatic dependent surveillance—broadcast (ADS-B) data was introduced in this study and incorporated in modeling development. With the trajectory information, a GIS density analysis method was applied to obtain a regional aircraft flight-path line density distribution map and to model crash trajectories of aircraft falling to the ground if a crash occurred or aircraft malfunctioned in the air. Combining relevant socio-economic factors that are sensitive to disasters, a ground potential risk mapping model for aircraft crashes was built. Risk areas were divided into five categories indicating the crash severities of potential aviation crash-caused impacts. To demonstrate the research approach, the State of Florida is used as an example. The outcomes of the proposed model can be used by emergency management departments to develop management plans for better responding to potential risks and provide decision support for city managers on zoning and land use planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the widespread adoption of chemotherapy, drug resistance has been the major obstacle to tumor elimination in cancer patients. Our aim was to explore the role of TGF-β in osteosarcoma-associated chemoresistance.Methods: We performed a cytotoxicity analysis of methotrexate (MTX) and cisplatin (CIS) in TGF-β-treated osteosarcoma cells. Then, the metabolite profile of the core metabolic energy pathways in Saos-2 and MG-63 cell extracts was analyzed by 1H-NMR. We detected the expression of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), STAT1, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) in TGF-β-treated osteosarcoma cells and further tested the effects of these molecules on the cytotoxicity induced by chemotherapeutic agents. Using in vivo experiments, we examined the tumor growth and survival time of Saos-2-bearing mice treated with a combination of chemotherapeutic agents and a HIF1α inhibitor.Results: The metabolic analysis revealed enhanced succinate production in osteosarcoma cells after TGF-β treatment. We further found a decrease in SDH expression and an increase in HIF1α expression in TGF-β-treated osteosarcoma cells. Consistently, blockade of SDH efficiently enhanced the resistance of Saos-2 and MG-63 cells to MTX and CIS. Additionally, a HIF1α inhibitor significantly strengthened the anticancer efficacy of the chemotherapeutic drugs in mice with osteosarcoma cancer.Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that TGF-β attenuated the expression of SDH by reducing the transcription factor STAT1. The reduction in SDH then caused the upregulation of HIF1α, thereby rerouting glucose metabolism and aggravating chemoresistance in osteosarcoma cells. Linking tumor cell metabolism to the formation of chemotherapy resistance, our study may guide the development of additional treatments for osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hexanuclear heterometallic cluster of composition [Dy2Co4(L)4(NO3)2(OH)4(C2H5OH)2] ⋅ 2 C2H5OH (1) was synthesized by employing a Schiff base 2‐(((2‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxybenzyl) imino)methyl)‐4‐methoxyphenol (H2L) as ligand and utilizing Dy(NO3)3 ⋅ 6H2O and Co(NO3)2 ⋅ 6H2O as metal ion sources. X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction analysis indicated that complex 1 contains a defect tetracubane core and possesses central symmetric structure, with two DyIII ions being in the central body position of the molecule and four CoII ions being arranged at the outer sites. Magnetic studies reveal that complex 1 behaves as single‐molecule magnet (SMM) with energy barrier of 27.50 K. To investigate the individual contribution of DyIII and CoII ions to the SMM behavior, another two complexes of formulae [Dy2Zn4(L)4(NO3)2(OH)4] ⋅ 4CH3OH (2) and [Y2Co4(L)4(NO3)2(OH)4(C2H5OH)2] ⋅ 2 C2H5OH (3) were prepared. Complexes 1 and 3 are isomorphous. The coordination geometries of DyIII ions in 1 and 2 are different. The DyIII ions are eight‐coordinated in 2 and nine‐coordinated in 1. Complex 2 exhibits SMM behavior with energy barrier of 69.67 K, but complex 3 does not display SMM property. These results reveal that the SMM behaviors of 1 and 2 are mainly originated from DyIII ions. It might be the higher symmetry of DyIII ions in 2 that results in the higher energy barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To enhance occupational safety for medical practitioners involved in acupuncture procedures within the field of Chinese medicine, it is imperative to thoroughly investigate and analyze the current incidence of accidental punctures. Subsequently, effective strategies can be proposed to prevent such occurrences. Methods Through retrospective analysis, this study investigates the occupational exposure data of a tertiary hospital specializing in traditional Chinese medicine from 2020 to 2022. The demographic characteristics (age and gender), professional experience, occupational category, pre-service training, type of acupuncture tools used, puncture session details, and exposure sources of the individuals involved are collected and organized for analyzing the risk factors associated with accidental needlestick injuries. Corresponding preventive measures are proposed accordingly. Results In this survey, a total of 5 069 medical staff from 12 clinical departments were included, among whom 63 experienced accidental puncture with an incidence rate of 1.24% (63/5 069). The likelihood of puncture was found to be significantly higher in individuals aged between 25 ~ 30 years compared to those under the age of 25 (OR = 18.556, P < 0.05). Similarly, the probability of puncture was also higher in individuals aged over 30 years compared to those under the age of 25 (OR = 14.311, P < 0.05). Conversely, individuals with at least three years of experience had a lower probability of experiencing punctures compared to those with less than three years (OR = 0.025, P < 0.05). Furthermore, interns exhibited a higher likelihood of puncture incidents compared to physicians (OR = 2.212, P < 0.05). Regarding the puncture session, the highest probability of occurrence is 58.73% at the time of needle removal (?2 = 106.222, P < 0.05). Regarding the type of acupuncture tools, acupuncture needles have the highest probability of occurrence at 41.27% (?2 = 45.095, P < 0.05). Concerning the exposure source, "unknown exposure source" has the highest preva- lence at 42.86% (?2 = 57.476, P < 0.05), while "exposure source is hepatitis B patient" accounts for 20.63% (?2 = 57.476, P < 0.05). Regarding pre-service training, individuals who have received pre-service training exhibit a higher likelihood of puncture incidents (69.84%) (?2 = 38.000, P < 0.05). Conclusions The serological status of patients should be obtained in advance, and strict adherence to infection prevention control measures such as "standard precautions" and "contact isolation" is necessary. Effective pre-service training must be implemented, with particular attention given to the risk of puncture when using specialized acupuncture tools for occupational safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen increasing interest in uranyl(VI) photocatalysis. In this study, uranyl complexes were successfully synthesized from ligands L1–L6 and UO2(NO3)2·6H2O under reflux conditions, yielding products 1–6 with yields ranging from 30% to 50%. The complexes were thoroughly characterized using NMR spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and elemental analysis. The results indicate that complexes 1–5 possess a pentagonal bipyramidal geometry, whereas complex 6 exhibits an octahedral structure. The photocatalytic properties of these novel complexes for sp3 C-H bond functionalization were explored. The results demonstrate that complex 4 functions as an efficient photocatalyst for converting C-H bonds to C-C bonds via hydrogen atom transfer under blue light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the effects of nitrogen deficiency in burley tobacco, two varieties were cultivated and subjected to conditions of sufficient and deficient nitrogen. The natural characteristics of varieties TN90 and TN86 during tobacco cultivation were similar for nitrogen metabolism. Both carbon and nitrogen metabolism were significantly affected by reducing amounts of applied nitrogen. Under nitrogen-deficient conditions, average leaf biomass, root weight, photosynthetic rate (Pn), pigment levels, total nitrogen, and nitrate content of TN86 and TN90 were significantly decreased by 52.88%, 69.19%, 22.65%, 46.80%, 37.42%, and 79.15%, respectively (p < 0.01). Nicotine and soluble reducing sugar contents were significantly decreased by 96.67% and 95.12%, respectively, in TN86 roots (p < 0.01), which was consistent with the reductions in root surf area, average diameter, and root volume. Nitrogen deficiency induced 6318 differentially expressed genes in both TN90 and TN86, which were highly expressed. In total, 428 upregulated genes were analysed and found to be mainly enriched in the MAPK signalling pathway, sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis, and arginine and proline metabolism. Meanwhile, 213 downregulated genes were analysed and found to be mainly enriched in photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, and amino acid biosynthesis. Reduced pigment content and Pn may result in low carbohydrate formation and decreased leaf biomass in burley tobacco under nitrogen-deficient conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Understanding the distribution patterns and transport mechanisms of carotenoids in berries. • Uncovering the potential benefits of carotenoids in berries for human health. • Emphasizing the effects of non-thermal processing techniques on the carotenoid content of berries. • Promoting the selection and cultivation of berries rich in carotenoids. Carotenoids play a crucial role in determining the vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables, offering numerous health benefits to humans. Notably, among berry fruits, such as grapes, cherries, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, and figs, the composition of carotenoids can vary significantly across different fruit species, as well as within species. The intricate process of carotenoid biosynthesis is influenced and regulated by genes related to biosynthesis and degradation, post-transcriptional and library-derived regulation, transcription factors, and environmental factors. This article provides a comprehensive review of the current knowledge on berry carotenoids, including their physiological benefits, synthesis, transport, transcriptional regulation, and the influencing factors. The aim is to provide a reference for further studies on carotenoid biosynthesis, accumulation, and metabolism, as well as to aid in the selection and cultivation of carotenoid-rich berries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is now widely accepted that the Agent argument is introduced by a head F (e.g., v or Voice) separate from V/VP. What is not yet explicitly established is whether or not F alone constitutes the source for agentivity. Merging two facts in Chinese—(i) the unique three‐way division between the long passive, the short passive, and the unaccusative and (ii) the two kinds of subject‐related adjuncts that can occur in a clause—this article demonstrates that there exists a syntactic projection, which we take to be VP, that supports subject‐oriented adverbs but not subject depictives. This suggests clearly that agentivity is in the semantics of V, while the instantiation of the Agent argument depends on F. A structural and semantic analysis based on the bipartite expression of agentivity is given to passives, unaccusatives, and middles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few years ridesharing has largely reshaped the transportation marketplace. It is envisioned as a promising solution to transportation-related problems in metropolitan cities, such as traffic congestion and air pollution. In the current ridesharing research, social ridesharing, which makes use of social relations among drivers and riders to address safety issues, and dynamic pricing are two active directions with important business implications. Simultaneously optimizing social cohesion and revenue is vital to a commercial ridesharing platform's sustainable development, which, however, has not been previously studied. In this paper, we first present a new pricing scheme that better incentivizes drivers and riders to participate in ridesharing, and then propose a novel type of Price-aware Top-k Matching (PTkM) queries which retrieve the top-k vehicles for a rider's request by taking into account both social relations and revenue. We design an efficient algorithm with a set of powerful pruning techniques to tackle this problem. Moreover, we propose a novel index tailored to our problem to further speed up query processing. Extensive experimental results on real datasets show that our proposed algorithms achieve desirable performance for real-world deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information related to "The Narrator-Authorial Audience Communication in the Opening of Poe's ", which appeared in the periodical "ANQ" on March 2022. Topic includes on the mental features discoursed of as the analytical, are, in themselves, but little susceptible of analysis. We appreciate them only in their effects. We know of them, among other things, that they are always to their possessor, when inordinately possessed, a source of the liveliest enjoyment.

With the development and maturity of nanofabrication technology, many nanostructures with specific electromagnetic characteristics and optical functions have been designed and demonstrated. Artificial materials with these special optical properties are known as metamaterials. In this paper, a metamaterial lens is proposed and characterized. After using the space transformation approach based on the coordinate transformation principles, the lens becomes anisotropic and inhomogeneous, thus realizing the regulation of electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic wave transformation characteristics of the superlens are numerically analysed by irradiating a plane transverse wave with a wavelength of 300 nm onto a rectangular slab. The results show that the waveform of the incident light changes from plane waves to cylindrical after passing through the superlens. The validity of the superlens is verified by finite element method calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although observations and modeling studies show that heavy rainfall is increasing in many regions, how changes will manifest themselves on sub‐daily timescales remains highly uncertain. Here, for the first time, we combine observational analysis and high‐resolution modeling results to examine changes to extreme rainfall intensities in urbanized Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We find that hourly intensities of extreme rainfall have increased by ~35% over the last three decades, nearly 3 times more than in surrounding rural areas, with daily intensities showing much weaker increases. Our modeling results confirm that the urban heat island effect creates a more unstable atmosphere, increased vertical uplift and moisture convergence. This, combined with weak surface winds in the Tropics, causes intensification of rainfall extremes over the city, with reduced rainfall in the surrounding region. Plain Language Summary: Major floods and rainfall‐related impacts are often caused by short‐duration heavy rainfall events. Although there is evidence of cities modifying rainfall in many urban areas, uncertainties still exist around their role in intense rainfall episodes. We investigate the impact of the growth of Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) on intense rainfall using observations and modeling experiments. We find that over the last three decades hourly rainfall events have become more intense over the city than surrounding rural areas. Our modeling experiments support this finding and help us understand mechanisms behind the intensification. The relative warmth of the city with respect to its surroundings contributes to the increase. The city creates a low‐level anomaly of warm and dry air that then rises. To compensate for this, the moist surrounding air is brought into the urban area and lifted upward. This feeds the air above the city with moisture and sustains a local circulation initiated by the relative warmth of the urban area. We find that the city's influence on extreme rainfall is located over the urban area itself, as opposed to other studies that have detected a footprint downwind. This is likely due to the typical calm background wind conditions in the tropics. Key Points: Observed hourly rainfall extremes have intensified more in urban Kuala Lumpur than the surrounding rural areas over the last three decadesConvection‐modeling experiments provide further support that this intensification comes from urbanization, providing physical mechanismsUrbanization increases the potential future risk of urban flash flooding in tropical regions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium (K) input is essential for the improvement of soil fertility in agricultural systems. However, organic amendment may differ from mineral K fertilization with respect to modifying the soil K transformation among different fractions, affecting soil K availability. We conducted a 60-day lab incubation experiment to evaluate the response of soil K dynamics and availability in various fractions with a view to simulating crop residue return and chemical K fertilization in an Anthrosol of northwest China. The tested soil was divided into two main groups, no K fertilization (K0) and K fertilization (K1), each of which was subjected to four straw addition regimes: no straw addition (Control), wheat straw addition (WS), maize straw addition (MS), and both wheat straw and maize straw addition (WS+MS). Soil K levels in the available (AK) and non-exchangeable (NEK) fractions were both significantly increased after K addition, following the order of K>WS>MS. Fertilizer K was the most efficient K source, demonstrating a 72.9% efficiency in increasing soil AK, while wheat and maize straw exhibited efficiencies of 47.1% and 39.3%, respectively. Furthermore, K fertilization and wheat and maize straw addition increased the soil AK in a cumulative manner when used in combination. The mobility factor (MF) and reduced partition index (IR) of soil K were used to quantitate the comprehensive soil K mobility and stability, respectively. Positive relationships were observed between the MF and all relatively available fractions of soil K, whereas the IR value of soil K correlated negatively with both MF and all available fractions of soil K. In conclusion, straw amendment could be inferior to mineral K fertilization in improving soil K availability when they were almost equal in the net K input. Crop straw return coupled with K fertilization can be a promising strategy for improving both soil K availability and cycling in soil–plant systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, a MoOx-T based catalyst was developed by a simple reduction of MoO3 precursors at different temperatures. Interestingly, a partially reduced MoOx-600 catalyst obtained by reducing the MoO3 precursor at 600 °C shows the co-existence of a mixture of different valence states (0, +4, ∼+6) of Mo, and as a result, provides a superior catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the spatiotemporal features of the air mass and its transport during the lifetime of the four main blocking highs (the Greenland, Atlantic–Europe, Ural and North Pacific blocking highs) observed in the northern winter using the daily European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts Re‐Analysis Interim data set for the time period 1979–2016. The results showed that the positive mass anomalies corresponding to a blocking high only appear in the mid‐troposphere, while negative mass anomalies persist in the lower layer during blocking events. Budget analysis based on the mass continuity equation under isentropic coordinates indicated that adiabatic mass transport is the main contributor to the build‐up of blocking highs and is always convergent in the mid‐troposphere before the peak day of blocking. By contrast, diabatic mass transport always moves the air mass from the mid‐ to lower troposphere and acts to destroy the blocking high. The meridional flow makes the strongest contribution to mass convergence in the Greenland and North Pacific blocking highs in the mid‐troposphere, whereas zonal flow is the main contributor to mass convergence in the Atlantic–Europe blocking high. Both zonal and meridional flows contribute to mass convergence in the Ural blocking high, although meridional flow makes a greater contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of using Buton rock asphalt- (BRA-) modified asphalt, in order to improve the utilization rate of Buton rock asphalt and the performance of the modified asphalt, this paper puts forward the process of "activation" treatment of Buton rock asphalt, that is, grinding and heating of BRA to make natural asphalt precipitate. Laboratory tests show that compared with modified asphalt without activation process, the penetration of the modified asphalt decreases, the softening point rises, the ductility at 5°C and the kinematic viscosity at 135°C all have been increased, and the performance of the modified asphalt increases with the increase of the content of activated BRA. In order to further clarify the effect of "activation" process on the properties of BRA-modified asphalt from microlevel, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to test the microproperties of Buton rock asphalt before and after activation. It is found that the Derjaguin–Muller–Toporov (DMT) modulus of the modified asphalt is about 2.5 times that of base asphalt, which indicates that the viscous degree of modified asphalt with activated BRA has been greatly increased and the modification effect is remarkable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic structures of SiC nanoribbons have been studied by spin-polarized first-principles calculations. The armchair nanoribbons are nonmagnetic semiconductors, while the zigzag nanoribbons are magnetic metals. The spin polarization in the zigzag SiC nanoribbons is originated from the unpaired electrons localized on the ribbon edges. Interestingly, the zigzag nanoribbons narrower than ∼4 nm present half-metallic behavior. Without the aid of external field or chemical modification, the metal-free half-metallicity predicted for narrow SiC zigzag nanoribbons opens a facile way for nanomaterial-based spintronics applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]