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In this study, we concentrate on the seismic signature of subducted sediments and suggest the formation of the L‐discontinuity beneath the ancient craton related to migrated sediment dehydration. We first determined the single‐crystal elasticity of topaz, the product of sediment dehydration, at high pressures and temperatures by Brillouin scattering. Using the derived elastic parameters, we establish the velocity and density profiles of subducted sediments in the upper mantle. According to our modeling results, 8.5–17.5 vol.% sediments intruding into the upper mantle will induce a 2%–4% low‐VS anomaly at 210–260 km. Meanwhile, continuous heating will lead to the dehydration of phengite in sediments. The dehydration of this amount sediments can generate a 3%–6% ISS with negative Clapeyron slopes, satisfying the observed L‐discontinuity in northern Finland and northern America without the anisotropy changes but accompanied by low‐velocity anomalies. Our study thus provides new insights into the origin of the L‐discontinuity. Plain Language Summary: The origin of the global seismic discontinuities in the Earth's mantle has been well understood, but the formation mechanism of some local seismic discontinuities is still vague. Lehmann discontinuity (L‐discontinuity) is one of the regional discontinuities in the upper mantle with a 2%–6% impendence contrast (ISS) and negative Clapeyron slope. However, the deformation mechanism changes of olivine cannot explain the formation of the L‐discontinuity without the anisotropy changes. Here, we emphasize the significance of the migration and dehydration of the subducted sediments in the origin of the L‐discontinuity beneath the ancient craton. We determined the single‐crystal elasticity of topaz, the product of the sediment dehydration, and then investigated the seismic signature of subducted sediments. Our modeling results indicated that ∼17.5 vol.% sediments intruding into the upper mantle would lead to ∼4% low‐VS anomalies at 210–260 km. After the continuous heating, these intruding sediments would dehydrate by the reaction with the negative Clapeyron slopes, thus producing significant ISS. Therefore, the migration and dehydration of the subducted sediments can reasonably interpret the seismic characteristics of the L‐discontinuity beneath the cratonic regions such as northern Finland and northern America. Our results deepen the understanding of the origin of the L‐discontinuity. Key Points: Single‐crystal elasticity of topaz under high pressure and temperature has been investigated by Brillouin scatteringThe obtained elasticity parameters are used to model the density and velocity profiles of the subducted sedimentsWe suggest the formation of the L‐discontinuity beneath the ancient craton related to migrated sediment dehydration [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Price levels of medical services may vary across regions with different income levels, which would raise concerns about the equal access to medical services. This study aimed to estimate the spatial price index of medical services to measure price levels across 31 provincial regions in China. Methods: Price data were collected from medical service price schedule in each region. Two methods based on the Purchasing Power Parities were used to estimate the spatial price index and measure price differences across regions. The two-way fixed effects models were used to examine the association between medical service price levels and income levels, and further investigate the impacts of price differences on utilization of medical services and medical expenditure. Results: The consistent estimation results were given by two methods. Medical service price level in the highest-price region was found to be 74% higher than the lowest. There was a significant negative correlation between price levels and income levels, as well as price levels and the utilization of outpatient services. Moreover, we also found a 1% increase in medical service price level was significantly associated with a 0.34% and 0.24% increase in the medical service expense per outpatient visit and per inpatient respectively. Conclusions: Regions in China had significant gaps in medical service price levels. Policymakers should pay more attention to regional price differences and take great measures such as enhancing financial protection to ensure the equal access to medical services and better achieve the universal health coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hotspot driver mutations presented by human leukocyte antigens might be recognized by anti-tumor T cells. Based on their advantages of tumor-specificity and immunogenicity, neoantigens derived from hotspot mutations, such as PIK3CAH1047L, may serve as emerging targets for cancer immunotherapies. NetMHCpan V4.1 was utilized for predicting neoepitopes of PIK3CA hotspot mutation. Using in vitro stimulation, antigen-specific T cells targeting the HLA-A*11:01-restricted PIK3CA mutation were isolated from healthy donor-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells. T cell receptors (TCRs) were cloned using single-cell PCR and sequencing. Their functionality was assessed through T cell activation markers, cytokine production and cytotoxic response to cancer cell lines pulsed with peptides or transduced genes of mutant PIK3CA. Immunogenic mutant antigens from PIK3CA and their corresponding CD8+ T cells were identified. These PIK3CA mutation-specific CD8+ T cells were subsequently enriched, and their TCRs were isolated. The TCR clones exhibited mutation-specific and HLA-restricted reactivity, demonstrating varying degrees of functional avidity. Identified TCR genes were transferred into CD8+ Jurkat cells and primary T cells deficient of endogenous TCRs. TCR-expressing cells demonstrated specific recognition and reactivity against the PIK3CAH1047L peptide presented by HLA-A*11:01-expressing K562 cells. Furthermore, mutation-specific TCR-T cells demonstrated an elevation in cytokine production and profound cytotoxic effects against HLA-A*11:01+ malignant cell lines harboring PIK3CAH1047L. Our data demonstrate the immunogenicity of an HLA-A*11:01-restricted PIK3CA hotspot mutation and its targeting therapeutic potential, together with promising candidates of TCR-T cell therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies in Western cultures suggested emotion regulation goals have important implications for mental health. This study aimed to test the factor structure of Emotion Regulation Goals Scale (ERGS) in a Chinese cultural context. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were first used to examine the factor structure of the ERGS, and then reliability and validity tests were conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the ERGS. Results showed that the original five-factor model demonstrated fit during both EFA and CFA, and was thus adopted for further psychometric analyses. Most of the five factors were significantly associated with emotion regulation tendencies and negative emotional outcomes (e.g., depression), except for the non-significant associations between pro-hedonic goals and expressive suppression, and pro-social and impression management goals with depression. The ERGS also showed good internal consistency and split-half reliability. However, the test-retest reliabilities varied substantially across the five factors. The pro-hedonic goal had a higher test-retest reliability, whereas the contra-hedonic, performance, pro-social, and impression management goals showed lower values, especially the latter two. In brief, the ERGS showed a promising five-factor structure in assessing emotion regulation goals in Chinese cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humite-group minerals play a crucial role in transporting water and fluorine to the Earth's deep mantle through slab sinking. In this study, we have used Brillouin scattering to determine the single-crystal elastic constants of four natural humite-group minerals with varying H2O and fluorite contents under ambient conditions, including one chondrodite [Mg4.88Si1.94O8(OH0.78F1.22)] (F61-Chn), one humite [Mg7.03Si3.07O12(OH1.26F0.74)] (F37-Hu), and two clinohumite [Mg8.85Ti0.19Si3.93O16(OH1.11F0.89) and Mg8.63Fe0.10Ti0.24Si3.97O16(OH1.84F0.16)] (F45-Chu and F8-Chu) samples. The adiabatic bulk (KS0) and shear (G0) moduli calculated from the elastic constants using Voigt-Reuss-Hill averages are: KS0 = 120.4(3) GPa and G0 = 74.1(5) GPa for F61-Chn, KS0 = 122.4(3) GPa and G0 = 78.4(2) GPa for F37-Hu, KS0 = 126.2(3) GPa and G0 = 79.7(2) GPa for F45-Chu, and KS0 = 120.5(3) GPa and G0 = 76.8(2) GPa for F8-Chu. Our results indicate that the addition of F leads to a noticeable increase in the elasticity of clinohumite and chondrodite, which is in contrast to the effect of H2O. Although Fe has a negligible effect on the bulk modulus of clinohumite, it can produce a substantial decrease in the shear modulus. These results provide important insights into the influence of humite-group minerals on the mantle velocity structure. Furthermore, we have investigated the effects of composition on the elasticity and sound velocities of minerals along the forsterite-brucite join in the MgO-SiO2-H2O system, confirming previous observations. Increasing H2O content along the forsterite-brucite join leads to apparent reductions in the elasticity and sound velocities. The influence of Fe on the elasticity and sound velocities of these minerals has also been evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unexpected scaling phenomena have resulted in significant damages to the oil and gas industries, leading to issues such as heat exchanger failures and pipeline clogging. It is of practical and fundamental importance to understand the scaling mechanisms and develop efficient anti-scaling strategies. However, the underlying surface interaction mechanisms of scalants (e.g., calcite) with various substrates are still not fully understood. In this work, the colloidal probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique has been applied to directly quantify the surface forces between calcite particles and different metallic substrates, including carbon steel (CR1018), low alloy steel (4140), stainless steel (SS304) and tungsten carbide, under different water chemistries (i.e., salinity and pH). Measured force profiles revealed that the attractive van der Waals (VDW) interaction contributed to the attachment of the calcium carbonate particles on substrate surfaces, while the repulsive electric double layer (EDL) interactions could inhibit the attachment behaviors. High salinity and acidic pH conditions of aqueous solutions could weaken the EDL repulsion and promote the attachment behavior. The adhesion of calcite particles with CR1018 and 4140 substrates was much stronger than that with SS304 and tungsten carbide substrates. The bulk scaling tests in aqueous solutions from an industrial oil production process showed that much more severe scaling behaviors of calcite was detected on CR1018 and 4140 than those on SS304 and tungsten carbide, which agreed with surface force measurement results. Besides, high salinity and acidic pH can significantly enhance the scaling phenomena. This work provides fundamental insights into the scaling mechanisms of calcite at the nanoscale with practical implications for the selection of suitable antiscaling materials in petroleum industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to develop machine learning models for risk prediction of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods: We extracted CABG patients from the electronic medical record system of the hospital. The endpoint of this study was the requirement for CRRT after CABG surgery. The Boruta method was used for feature selection. Seven machine learning algorithms were developed to train models and validated using 10 fold cross-validation (CV). Model discrimination and calibration were estimated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration plot, respectively. We used the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method to illustrate the effects of the features attributed to the model and analyze the effects of individual features on the output of the mode. Results: In this study, 72 (37.89%) patients underwent CRRT, with a higher mortality compared to those patients without CRRT. The Gaussian Naïve Bayes (GNB) model with the highest AUC were considered as the final predictive model and performed best in predicting postoperative CRRT. The analysis of importance revealed that cardiac troponin T, creatine kinase isoenzyme, albumin, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, NYHA, serum creatinine, and age were the top seven features of the GNB model. The SHAP force analysis illustrated how created model visualized individualized prediction of CRRT. Conclusions: Machine learning models were developed to predict CRRT. This contributes to the identification of risk variables for CRRT following CABG surgery in ICU patients and enables the optimization of perioperative managements for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 8 (CCR8) is a chemokine receptor selectively expressed on tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cells (Tregs). Strong immunosuppression mediated by CCR8+ Tregs observed in breast and lung malignancies suggest for their functional significance in cancer therapy. To date, detailed characterization of tumor-infiltrating CCR8+ Tregs cells in colorectal cancer (CRC) is limited. Methods: To study the presence and functional involvement of CCR8+ Tregs in CRC, we analyzed the proportions of CCR8-expressing T cells in different T cell subsets in tumor and adjacent normal tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from CRC patients by Flow cytometry. Also, we compared the distribution of CCR8+ T cells in malignant tissues and peripheral lymphoid organs from a subcutaneous CRC murine model. Bioinformatic analysis was performed to address the significance of CCR8 expression levels in CRC prognosis, immune regulatory gene expression profiles and potential molecular mechanisms associated with CCR8+ Tregs in CRC tumors. Further, we administrated an anti-CCR8 monoclonal antibody to CT26 tumor-bearing mice and examined the antitumor activity of CCR8-targeted therapy both in vivo and in an ex vivo confirmative model. Results: Here, we showed that Tregs was predominantly presented in the tumors of CRC patients (13.4 ± 5.8, p < 0.0001) and the CRC subcutaneous murine model (35.0 ± 2.6, p < 0.0001). CCR8 was found to be preferentially expressed on these tumor-infiltrating Tregs (CRC patients: 63.6 ± 16.0, p < 0.0001; CRC murine model: 65.3 ± 9.5, p < 0.0001), which correlated with poor survival. We found that majority of the CCR8+ Tregs expressed activation markers and exhibited strong suppressive functions. Treatment with anti-CCR8 antibody hampered the growth of subcutaneous CRC tumor through effectively restoring the anti-tumor immunity of CD4+ conventional T cells (CD4+ Tconvs) and CD8+ T cells, which was confirmed in the ex vivo examinations. Conclusions: Collectively, these findings illustrate the importance of CCR8+ Tregs for an immunosuppressive microenvironment in CRC tumors by functional inhibition of CD4+ Tconvs and CD8+ T cells, and suggest for the applicable value of CCR8-targeted therapy for CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, wearable flexible sensors have garnered significant attention for their potential in monitoring human physiological signals. Current research focuses on flexible sensors with a wide linear range, high sensitivity, and excellent reliability. Micronanostructures have been introduced to balance these three features to some extent. Inspired by the micronanostructures of human fingerprints, we propose a fingerprint-like flexible sensor that combines polydimethylsiloxane with a grating structure and laser-induced graphene. This fingerprint-like flexible sensor exhibits several desirable characteristics: a wider linear range (0-180°), faster response time (0.3 s), higher sensitivity (688.5 kPa-1), and excellent reliability (>10,000 cycles). These features make fingerprint-like flexible sensors particularly suitable for detecting various human physiological signals, including finger flexion, elbow flexion, finger pressure, and pulse. Therefore, there is considerable potential for integrating multiple fingerprint-like sensors into human physiological signal monitoring applications. This approach offers a promising direction for the future development of wearable flexible sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have determined the single‐crystal elasticity of clinohumite [Mg8.85Ti0.19Si3.93O16(OH1.11F0.89)] using Brillouin measurement up to 21 GPa at 300 K and 1 bar at 750 K, respectively. The elasticity of clinohumite was determined to be KS0 = 126.2(3) GPa, G0 = 79.7(2) GPa with pressure derivatives KS′ = 4.2(1), G′ = 1.3(1), pressure derivatives ∂KS/∂T = −0.024(1) GPa/K, and ∂G/∂T = −0.011(1) GPa/K). We comprehensively examined the effects of varying H2O, fluorine content and thermal states, on the velocity and density structures of the subducted harzburgite layer. Assuming a typical H2O content of 2 wt.% within harzburgite, our modeling has shown that hydrous harzburgite with clinohumite as the decomposition product of serpentine along a hot slab geotherm even has the VP and VS 0.4–0.8(6)% greater than it dry counterpart at 250–380 km depth. Yet in the top transition zone, the addition of H2O and F can effectively lower the sound velocities and density. The F‐bearing hydrous harzburgite has the VP and VS 1.1(5)–1.3(3)% lower than its dry counterpart, and only 0.6(5)% and 2.3(5)% greater than the pyrolitic mantle. Along cold slab geotherm, phase A will replace clinohumite as the dominant hydrous phase in the harzburgite, the VP and VS are 4.8(5)–5.3(3)% and 5.9(5)–6.0(3)% greater than the pyrolitic mantle in the upper mantle. In the top transition zone, the difference is approximately 3% in VP and 5% in VS. Our results provide crucial experimental evidence for future assessments of the seismic signals of subducted slabs with different hydrous minerals and thermal states. Plain Language Summary: Subducted slab plays a crucial role in connecting the Earth's surface to the interior. Transportation of H2O and other important volatiles to the Earth's mantle via subducted slab can greatly influence a series of physical properties of mantle minerals. Clinohumite is one of the most important H2O and fluorine (F) carriers in the subducted slab. Here, we determined the single‐crystal elasticity of F‐bearing clinohumite at high pressures and temperatures. The obtained elasticity data were applied to model the velocity profiles of the hydrous harzburgite. Our results show that the addition of H2O and F can enhance the velocity difference between harzburgite and pyrolitic mantle at 250–380 km depth along the hot slab geotherm, and VP and VS of harzburgite with 2 wt.% H2O and clinohumite as the H2O‐bearing phase are 0.4–0.8(6)% greater than those of dry harzburgite. In the transition zone depth, addition of H2O and Fe lowers the sound velocities of harzburgite. Hydrous harzburgite has a lower VP and VS than its corresponding dry phase. These new velocity constraints can help us better understand the circulation of H2O and F within Earth's interior and identify the detected seismic observations of subducted slabs with different compositions and thermal states. Key Points: Single‐crystal elasticity of F‐bearing clinohumite was determined to 21 GPa and 750 K and shows strong dependence with F contentThe obtained results were used to model the velocity profiles of the hydrous harzburgite layer considering the thermal state and compositionH2O and F in clinohumite have significant influence on the velocity profile of subduction slab [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orthopyroxene is one of the dominant minerals in the Earth's upper mantle. In this study, we used Raman spectroscopy to investigate the lattice vibration and phase transition of orthopyroxene with four different compositions using diamond-anvil cells up to 34 GPa at 300 K. Our orthopyroxene samples contain 0 (En100), 9% (En91Fs9), 11% (En86Fs11), and 21% (En74Fs21) Fe. At ambient conditions, the Raman modes exhibit a negative dependence on the Fe content, with the exception of the modes at ~850 and 930 cm–1. In contrast, these two Raman modes increase with increasing the Fe content. The phase transition from metastable α- to β-phase was observed at 12.9–15 GPa for samples with <21 mol% Fe and varying Fe content has a minor effect on the phase transition pressure. Besides Fe, incorporation of 2–24 mol% Al can cause an increase in the phase transition pressure from 10–13 to 14–16 GPa. At 29–30.1 GPa, we observed the second apparent change in the Raman spectra for all four investigated samples. For Fe-bearing orthopyroxene, this change in the Raman spectra and frequency shift is associated with the phase transition from β- to γ-phase, whereas for En100, it should be caused by the change of coordination number of Si from 4 to 6 or the presence of α-popx phase. Using the obtained Raman frequency shifts, we calculated the Grüneisen parameters at high pressures. These parameters are useful for understanding the thermoelastic properties of orthopyroxene at high pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a large-scale epidemic, a local healthcare system can be overwhelmed by a large number of infected and non-infected patients. To serve the infected and non-infected patients well with limited medical resources, effective emergency medical service planning should be conducted before the epidemic. In this study, we propose a two-stage stochastic programming model, which integrally deploys various types of emergency healthcare facilities before an epidemic and serves infected and non-infected patients dynamically at the deployed healthcare facilities during the epidemic. With the service equity of infected patients and various practical requirements of emergency medical services being explicitly considered, our model minimizes a weighted sum of the expected operation cost and the equity cost. We develop two comparison models and conduct a case study on Chengdu, a Chinese city influenced by the COVID-19 epidemic, to show the effectiveness and benefits of our proposed model. Sensitivity analyses are conducted to generate managerial insights and suggestions. Our study not only extends the existing emergency supply planning models but also can facilitate better practices of emergency medical service planning for large-scale epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an autoregressive weighted network (ARWNet) time series forecasting model inspired by the idea of ensemble learning. The model adopts the classical autoregressive analysis to optimize weak learners. Meanwhile, the combined weight optimization method is used to construct an efficient, strong learner. With these methodological foundations, the scalability of the framework is greatly enhanced by the possibility of experimenting with other learners to assist in decision‐making. Machine learning can provide great utility and acceptable cost in the prediction process of electricity transformers. Over the years, many research papers on time series prediction have been reported. This work will focus on the analysis using the potential properties in the series: long‐term, continuity, periodicity, and delay. In our experiments, the ETT‐small dataset is used to compare the prediction accuracy of ARWNet and other mainstream models. All results suggest that the proposed ARWNet model demonstrates strong generalization ability and high predicting accuracy with delay characteristics, which outperform current popular time‐series prediction methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) has complex clinical manifestations ranging from fibrosis and inflammation to deregulated metabolism. The molecular mechanisms underpinning these phenotypes are unclear. In this study, by using IgG4-RD patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), IgG4-RD cell lines and Usp25 knockout mice, we show that ubiquitin-specific protease 25 (USP25) engages in multiple pathways to regulate fibrotic and inflammatory pathways that are characteristic to IgG4-RD. Reduced USP25 expression in IgG4-RD leads to increased SMAD3 activation, which contributes to fibrosis and induces inflammation through the IL-1β inflammatory axis. Mechanistically, USP25 prevents ubiquitination of RAC1, thus, downregulation of USP25 leads to ubiquitination and degradation of RAC1. Decreased RAC1 levels result in reduced aldolase A release from the actin cytoskeleton, which then lowers glycolysis. The expression of LYN, a component of the B cell receptor signalosome is also reduced in USP25-deficient B cells, which might result in B cell activation deficiency. Altogether, our results indicate a potential anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic role for USP25 and make USP25 a promising diagnostic marker and potential therapeutic target in IgG4-RD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guipi wan (GPW) is a traditional Chinese medicine commonly used in clinical practice, typically to treat neurological diseases such as neurasthenia and traumatic brain injury. It may have positive effects on cerebral ischemia‒ reperfusion injury (cI/R). This study aimed to assess the effects of GPW in a mouse model of cI/R and find its possible targets. C57BL/6J mice were used to establish the cI/R model, and the laser speckle doppler was used to determine the success of the model. GPW was administered intragastrically for 7 days, brain tissue sections were stained with TTC, HE, and TUNEL, Western blot assay was performed to detect the effect of apoptosis-related proteins. Furthermore, we screened active ingredients from the TCM Database and constructed a compound‒target network using the Cytoscape 3.8.0 software. Moreover, we employed protein‒protein interaction and component‒target‒pathway network analyses to determine the potential components of GPW and its target genes, the key target was verified through molecular docking. Finally, we detected the influence of the downstream signaling pathway of the target through Western blot. The results showed that GPW decreased the cerebral infarction area, neurological function scores, and neuronal apoptosis in mice by regulating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Network analysis indicated that gammaaminobutyric acid B receptor 1 (GABBR1) might be a potential target for the treatment of cI/R. Molecular docking indicated that 9 active components in GPW could bind to GABBR1 with desirable binding energy. This study represented the demonstratable effect of GPW in the treatment of cI/R injury and suggested GABBR1 as a potential target using network analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation models are used to emulate real-world phenomena, and errors are inevitable in the numerical computation process. Owing to that, simulation models need to be verified and validated to ensure the models and their implementations are correct. In this paper, V&V has been done for the micro3d discrete dislocation dynamics (DDD) model by comparing simulation results with corresponding theory, including any analytical solutions, other numerical solutions and experimental data. DDD simulations are a powerful simulation methodology that can help researchers better understand the plastic behavior of crystalline materials. In this study, parametric analyses for DDD simulations parameters have been performed. In addition, simulation results are verified and validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hemodialysis patients require a reasonable dietary intake to manage their disease progression effectively. However, there is limited research on these patients' overall dietary knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) status. This study aimed to investigate the dietary KAP status and latent profiles in hemodialysis patients and identify sociodemographic and disease-related factors associated with these profiles and dietary practice. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional study involving 425 hemodialysis patients was conducted. A dietary KAP questionnaire in hemodialysis patients was used to evaluate the dietary KAP of the patients. A structural equation model was employed to analyze the correlations between dietary knowledge, attitude, and practice. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with dietary practice scores. Latent profile analysis was conducted to determine the latent profiles of dietary KAP, and binary logistic regression was used to explore the sociodemographic and disease-related characteristics associated with each KAP profile in hemodialysis patients. Results: The normalized average scores for dietary knowledge, attitude, and practice in hemodialysis patients were 0.58, 0.82, and 0.58, respectively. The structural equation model revealed significant positive correlations between dietary knowledge and attitude, and attitude and practice. Attitude played an indirect effect between knowledge and practice. Gender, cerebrovascular disease, and dietary attitude scores were identified as independent influencing factors for dietary practice scores. Two dietary KAP profiles were developed: a profile with general knowledge and attitude but low practice (40.2%) and a profile with general knowledge and attitude and high practice (59.8%). Binary logistic regression analysis indicated gender and monthly income per household significantly predicted membership in each KAP profile. Conclusions: The dietary practice of hemodialysis patients requires improvement. It is necessary to develop more individualized dietary interventions for these patients. Further exploration is needed to understand the motivation of patients to change their dietary behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) supported by a covalent organic framework (COF) were designed and produced by a self-reduction method, which could effectively avoid the aggregation of AuNPs. The amino and aldehyde groups in the COF are crucial for the self-reduction of AuNPs. The porous COF with a high specific surface area not only serves as an anchoring platform for AuNPs but also enhances the adsorption abilities toward acetaminophen (AP). The AuNPs can facilitate the electron transfer capabilities of the catalyst and enhance the electrocatalytic activity of the catalyst. Due to the excellent electrical conductivity of carbon nanotubes, COF@AuNPs were composited with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by the ultrasound method. COF@AuNPs@MWCNTs were applied to build an electrochemical sensing platform to measure AP. The COF@AuNPs@MWCNTs/GCE displays a wide detection range for AP (0.1–500, 500–1200 μM) with a detection limit of 80 nM. The constructed electrochemical sensor can be utilized for the assay of AP in the actual sample serum with recoveries of 98.20–102.2%. Such a self-reducing synthesis method opens up perspectives for the design of COF@metal NPs for a broad range of applications such as sensing, energy, and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gleditsia sinensis, commonly known as Chinese Zaojiao, has important economic value and medicinal compounds in its fruits and thorns, making it widely cultivated artificially in China. However, the available literature on the impact of waterlogging on the growth of G. sinensis seedlings and the accumulation of metabolite compounds in its thorns is limited. To address this knowledge gap, G. sinensis seedlings were planted in soil supplemented with pindstrup substrate, which enhances the water-holding capacity of the soil. The analyses of morphological traits and nutrient elements in one-year-old G. sinensis seedlings grown naturally under ambient conditions and metabolite accumulation in its thorns were conducted. The results showed that the waterlogged soil significantly diminished the height, fresh weight, and dry weight of seedling roots and stems (P < 0:05). Furthermore, waterlogging hindered the uptake of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), as well as the transport of potassium (K). The identified metabolites within the thorns were categorized into 16 distinct groups. Relative to the control soil, fatty acids and derivatives were the most down-regulated metabolites in the waterlogged soil, accounting for 40.58% of the total metabolites, followed by lignans (38.71%), phenolic acids (34.48%), saccharides and alcohols (34.15%), steroids (16.67%), alkaloids (12.24%), flavonoids (9.28%), and glycerophospholipids (7.41%). Conversely, nucleotides and derivatives experienced the greatest up-regulation in the waterlogged soil, accounting for 50.00% of the total metabolites. In conclusion, waterlogging negatively impacted the growth of G. sinensis seedlings and inhibited the accumulation of metabolites. Hence, when considering the accumulation of secondary metabolites such as lignans and phenolic acids, appropriate management of soil moisture levels should be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-angle grain boundary and twin significantly affect precipitation behavior. Twins were introduced into AZ91 magnesium alloys by pre-rolling. And then, aging treatment was carried out in pre-rolled AZ91 magnesium alloys to investigate the precipitation behavior. The results show that the low-angle grain boundary and the extension twin provide the nucleation position for second phase, while double twin with low-elastic strain energy is not favored for the segregation of Al atom, causing that the precipitate hardly nucleates. Second phase firstly precipitates in the low-angle grain boundary and the twin boundary, followed by precipitating inside the twin. The low-angle grain boundary-induced lath-shaped second phase is attributed to dislocation, while the twin-induced precipitate is mainly affected by dislocation and stacking fault. From thermodynamic perspective, the morphology of twin-induced precipitate firstly displays spherical shape and then grows into lath-like shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesite (MgCO3) entering the lower mantle together with the subducted oceanic crust is an important carbon carrier. The reaction between magnesite and mantle minerals has been documented, but its influence on the density and velocity profiles of lower mantle remains unexplored. To decipher the deep carbon transportation and its associated effect, here we determined the thermal equations of state of magnesite up to 120 GPa and 2600 K using X‐ray diffraction in laser‐heated diamond anvil cells. The obtained thermal elastic parameters of magnesite facilitated a comprehensive understanding on the influence of magnesite‐SiO2 reaction, variation of carbon and SiO2 content, and temperature on the origin of lower‐mantle scatterers at 1,000–1,800 km depth. Our modeling revealed that the depth of the lower‐mantle VS scatterers is mainly controlled by the Al2O3 content in SiO2, while its magnitude depends on the SiO2 content. Along normal geotherm, the magnesite‐SiO2 reaction would occur before the post‐stishovite transition, consuming substantial SiO2 in the subducted oceanic crust. Depending on the amount of residual SiO2, the post‐stishovite transition can produce a 2.5–5.2 (2)% VS reduction, compatible with the observed seismic scatterers in Izu‐Bonin and Mariana subduction zones. Along slab geotherm, this reaction occurs after the post‐stishovite transition, generating a greater VS reduction of 4.4–6.4 (4)%. We thus propose that the reaction between sinking MgCO3 and SiO2 in the slab is one of the potential factors influencing the magnitude of the lower‐Vs scatterers at 1,000–1,900 km depth. Our results provide new insights into the deep‐mantle carbonate transportation influencing regional geophysics. Plain Language Summary: Carbonates could enter the deep Earth with the subducted oceanic crust. Magnesite is the most likely carbonate to exist stably in the lower mantle. During the subduction process, magnesite would interact with subducted oceanic crust and influence the density and velocity structure of the lower mantle. Here we determined the thermal equations of state (EoS) of magnesite up to 120 GPa and 2600 K. With the obtained EoS parameters, we discussed the influence of magnesite‐SiO2 reaction, variation of carbon, SiO2 content, and temperature on the velocity and density profiles across the post‐stishovite phase transition of SiO2 and explain the origin of lower‐mantle VS scatterers at 1,000–1,900 km depth. Our findings reveal that the depth and magnitude of lower‐mantle VS scatterers depend on Al2O3 content in SiO2 and SiO2 content, respectively. With the variation of temperature and residual SiO2 content of the reaction, the post‐stishovite phase transition of SiO2 can generate a VS reduction in the range of 2.5%–6.4%. Our findings are important in understanding deep‐mantle carbonate transportation and its implications for regional Geophysics. Key Points: The velocity change across the MgCO3‐SiO2 reaction were modeled, with the determined thermal EoS of magnesite up to 120 GPa and 2600 KThe VS reduction during the post‐stv transition could be influence by temperature, CO2 and SiO2 content, and Al content in SiO2The post‐stv transition and the reaction between SiO2 and MgCO3 could explain the lower‐VS scatterers at 1,000–1,900 km depth [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytosulfokines (PSKs) are a class of disulfated pentapeptides and are regarded as plant peptide hormones. PSK-α, -γ, -δ, and -ε are four bioactive PSKs that are reported to have roles in plant growth, development, and immunity. In this review, we summarize recent advances in PSK biosynthesis, signaling, and function. PSKs are encoded by precursor genes that are widespread in higher plants. PSKs maturation from these precursors requires a sulfation step, which is catalyzed by a tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase, as well as proteolytic cleavage by subtilisin serine proteases. PSK signaling is mediated by plasma membranelocalized receptors PSKRs that belong to the leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase family. Moreover, multiple biological functions can be attributed to PSKs, including promoting cell division and cell growth, regulating plant reproduction, inducing somatic embryogenesis, enhancing legume nodulation, and regulating plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. Finally, we propose several research directions in this field. This review provides important insights into PSKs that will facilitate biotechnological development and PSK application in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical service prices play a crucial role in cost containment in China. This study aimed to assess the change in medical service price levels at the macro level and the relationship with relevant macroeconomic factors. Methods: Data from the 2022 China Statistics Yearbook, the 2022 China Health Statistics Yearbook, and the 2020 China National Health Accounts Report were used. Time trends of health price levels, utilization, and health expenditure were examined. A time-series regression model was employed to measure the impact of service utilization and medical service prices on total medical service expenditure growth from 2000 to 2021. The Johansen cointegration test was conducted to test the cointegrating relationship between medical service price levels and total medical service expenditure, average wage of employees and CPI. The Granger causality test was performed to observe the direction of causality. Results: Descriptive analyses showed consistent growth in utilization and medical service price levels from 2000 to 2021. The time-series model indicated that medical service expenditure was influenced by the rise in inpatient admissions and price levels of medical service and medicine. The Johansen cointegration test identified a long-term equilibrium relationship between medical service price levels and total medical service expenditure, average wage and CPI. The change in medical service price levels was the Granger cause of the change in medical service expenditure, but it had no impact on average wage and CPI. However, the change in medical service price levels was influenced by these three macroeconomic factors. Conclusions: The growth of medical service expenditure in China was driven by inpatient use and price level. There was a long-term equilibrium relationship between medical service price levels and relevant macroeconomic factors. However, medical service price levels only affected medical service expenditure and have no impact on average wage and CPI. It is necessary to improve the value transmission mechanism of medical service prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of water and carbon on the velocity profiles of subducted oceanic crust in the upper mantle. High pressure and temperature Brillouin measurements were conducted to determine the single‐crystal elasticity of aragonite (CaCO3) up to 20 GPa and 600 K, respectively. Using the finite‐strain method, we determined the elastic parameters: KS0 = 70.7 GPa, G0 = 36.1(3) GPa with KS′ = 5.0(1), G′ = 1.3(1), ∂KS/∂T = −0.020(2) GPa/K, and ∂G/∂T = −0.015(1) GPa/K. When combined with literature results, our findings reveal that neither hydrous minerals nor carbonate alone can explain the observed 3%–4% and 3%–7% low velocity anomalies in the compressional (VP) and shear‐wave (VS) velocities of subducted oceanic crust in the circum‐Pacific region at 150–250 km depth. Considering the combined effect of water and carbonate, the addition of 5.9–6.9 vol.% aragonite together with 10 vol.% lawsonite in the oceanic crust can produce a 3%–4% and 6.1%–8.1% low velocity anomalies in the VP and VS at 150–250 km depth, respectively, consistent with the seismic observations in the region. Complete dehydration of lawsonite accompanied by the gradual decarbonization of the subducted oceanic crust explains the absence of low‐velocity anomalies below 300‐km depth. Our findings help for a better understanding of the possible influence of carbon and water on seismic velocities of the mantle. As a result, the circulation of carbon and water may be better understood while taking the complex velocity structure of subduction zones and mineral physics findings into account. Plain Language Summary: The subducting slab generally exhibits higher wave velocities than the normal mantle due to its lower temperatures. However, seismological studies have detected the existence of 3%–4% and 3%–7% low compressional (VP) and shear‐wave (VS) velocity anomalies in the subducted oceanic crust at 150–250 km depth in the circum‐Pacific region, respectively, which cannot be explained by water (lawsonite) alone. Our new experimental constraints on the single‐crystal elasticity of aragonite up to 20 GPa and 600 K indicate that aragonite, along with water, can significantly reduce the velocity of mid‐ocean ridge basalts which constitute a major component of the subducted oceanic crust. The presence of 5.9–6.9 vol.% aragonite together with 10 vol.% lawsonite can make the VP and VS of subducted oceanic crust 3%–4% and 6.1%–8.1% lower than surrounding mantle, respectively. Below 300‐km depth, subducted oceanic crust will be seismically detected as a high‐velocity structure due to complete dehydration of lawsonite and gradual decarbonization with aragonite content less than 8 vol.%. These findings contribute to our understanding of the complex relationship between carbon, water, and depth‐dependent velocity anomalies in the subduction process. Key Points: Single‐crystal elasticity of aragonite was determined to 20 GPa and 600 K, showing the lowest VP and VS compared to magnesite and dolomiteThe obtained results were used to model the velocity profiles of the subducted oceanic crust in the upper mantleThe low‐velocity anomalies within the subducted oceanic crust at 150–250 km depth should be a net effect of water and carbon [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To explore the prevalence and risk factors for myopia and uncorrected myopia in schoolchildren in southern China. Methods The government-led Shantou Myopia Study was conducted from September 2020 to June 2021. Non-cycloplegic refraction was performed. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was measured along with presenting visual acuity if participants wore spectacles. Spherical equivalent refraction (SER) is defined as the spherical dioptres added to half of the cylindrical dioptres. Myopia is defined as SER <−0.50 dioptre with UCVA of <20/20 in at least one eye. Results This study enrolled 724 828 schoolchildren (77.8% of all schoolchildren in Shantou) from 901 schools. Data from 721 032 schoolchildren (99.5%) were analysed (mean age 11.53±3.13 years, 6–20 years, 373 230 boys and 347 802 girls). Among them, 373 459 (51.8%) had myopia: 37.1% of 465 696 children in primary schools, 75.4% of 170 164 children in junior high schools and 84.8% of 85 172 children in senior high schools. The prevalence of myopia increases non-linearly with age. Older age, female and urban living environment were independently associated with myopia prevalence and myopic SER. Among the 373 459 children with myopia, 60.0% had no refractive correction: 74.9%, 53.9% and 35.5% in primary, junior high and senior high schools, respectively. Conclusion The overall prevalence of myopia among schoolchildren in Shantou was 51.8%, higher than the national average in China. The proportion of uncorrected myopia is high, especially in primary schools. Our results indicate the need for public education on eye care among schoolchildren even in a municipal city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersion curves for surface wave recordings are required input for many surface wave inversion methods to image subsurface shear wave velocity distribution, while the conventional extraction of dispersion curves requires significant amount of human interaction. This step impedes efficiency enhancement of surface wave analysis and its automation. In this paper, we present an unsupervised learning scheme to achieve efficient automatic picking of dispersion curves of the fundamental mode for surface wave gathers. This scheme is composed of four major steps: computing a frequency velocity(f‐v) spectrum for the surface wave gather using a high‐resolution Tau‐p transform improved by the iteratively shrinkage Thresholding algorithm (ISTA) algorithm, generating clusters points along the dispersion energy in the f‐v spectrum via a weighted Kmeans algorithm, filtering these cluster points by principal component analysis (PCA) and Local Outlier Factor (LOF) algorithms to remove the erroneous clusters, and fitting the remaining clusters to form the dispersion curve. Tests with synthetic and field noisy surface wave recordings demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach and its potential in automatic processing of noisy surface wave data sets. Key Points: An automatic scheme is developed to pick surface wave dispersion curves, and training data sets are not neededHigh resolution dispersion spectrum computation and simultaneous denoising of multiple curves enables reliable picking resultsA key technique for automatic processing of surface wave data to facilitate real‐time imaging and subsurface monitoring [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth (PTB), defined as birth before 37 wk gestation, is associated with hypertension, diabetes, inadequate prenatal care, unemployment or poverty, and metal exposure. Indigenous individuals are more likely to have maternal risk factors associated with PTB compared with other populations in the United States; however, the role of environmental metals on PTB among pregnant Indigenous women remains uncertain. Previous research identified associations between PTB and individual metals, but there is limited investigation on metal mixtures and this birth outcome. OBJECTIVES: We used a mixtures analysis framework to investigate the association between metal mixtures and PTB among pregnant Indigenous women from the Navajo Birth Cohort Study (NBCS). METHODS: Maternal urine and blood samples were collected at the time of study enrollment and analyzed for metals by inductively coupled plasma dynamic reaction cell mass spectrometry. Bayesian Profile Regression was used to identify subgroups (clusters) of individuals with similar patterns of coexposure and to model association with PTB. RESULTS: Results indicated six subgroups of maternal participants with distinct exposure profiles, including one group with low exposure to all metals and one group with total arsenic, cadmium, lead, and uranium concentrations exceeding representative concentrations calculated from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Compared with the reference group (i.e., the lowest exposure subgroup), the subgroup with the highest overall exposure had a relative risk of PTB of 2.9 times (95% credible interval: 1.1, 6.1). Exposures in this subgroup were also higher overall than NHANES median values for women 14–45 years of age. DISCUSSION: Given the wide range of exposures and elevated PTB risk for the most exposed subgroups in a relatively small study, follow-up investigation is recommended to evaluate associations between metal mixture profiles and other birth outcomes and to test hypothesized mechanisms of action for PTB and oxidative stress caused by environmental metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common endocrine system malignancy with a rapidly increasing incidence in China. Epidemiological data on TC at the national level are lacking. This study aimed to quantify the TC disease burden in China between 1990 and 2019 and evaluate the current status and trends of the disease burden attributed to a high body mass index (HBMI). Methods: The 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study dataset was used to explore the TC disease burden. Age-standardized rates of incidence (ASIR), prevalence (ASPR), deaths (ASDR), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were considered and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated as a measure of the average change in age-standardized rates. The trend in TC-related mortality and DALYs attributed to an HBMI, accounting for different age groups and sexes, was examined. Results: Between 1990 and 2019, the ASDR and DALYs for TC decreased by 0.02/100000 and 1.17/100000, respectively. The ASPR and ASIR increased by 9.88/100000 and 1.04/100000, respectively. The EAPC for ASDR, age-standardized rates of DALYs, ASPR, and ASIR were 0.06 (95% CI: -0.09, 0.21), -0.20 (95% CI: -0.31, -0.10), 3.52 (95% CI: 3.35, 3.68), and 2.73 (95% CI: 2.58, 2.88), respectively. TC-related deaths, DALYs, and their prevalence and incidence in China increased by 118%, 350%, 81%, and 290%, respectively. The disease burden of TC was higher among male than female patients in different age groups, with varying distributions. The disease burden attributed to HBMI gradually increased over the past 30 years according to age-standardized DALYs, particularly in male patients. Conclusion: The TC burden has increased in China over the past 30 years, and population aging poses a challenge to TC prevention and control. HBMI has become an important factor in the TC disease burden and further research should focus on reducing the disease burden among Chinese male patients with TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unexpected discovery of hot Jupiters challenged the classical theory of planet formation inspired by our solar system. Until now, the origin and evolution of hot Jupiters are still uncertain. Determining their age distribution and temporal evolution can provide more clues into the mechanism of their formation and subsequent evolution. Using a sample of 383 giant planets around Sun-like stars collected from the kinematic catalogs of the Planets Across Space and Time project, we find that hot Jupiters are preferentially hosted by relatively younger stars in the Galactic thin disk. We subsequently find that the frequency of hot Jupiters declines with age as FHJ / exp(-0:20 ± 0:06 ± t Gyr). In contrast, the frequency of warm/cold Jupiters shows no significant dependence on age. Such a trend is expected from the tidal evolution of hot Jupiters' orbits, and our result offers supporting evidence using a large sample. We also perform a joint analysis on the planet frequencies in the stellar agemetallicity plane. The result suggests that the frequencies of hot Jupiters and warm/cold Jupiters, after removing the age dependence are both correlated with stellar metallicities as FHJ / 101:6+0:3 -0:3-[Fe=H] and FWJ=CJ / 101:1+0:2 -0:3-[Fe=H], respectively. Moreover, we show that the above correlations can explain the bulk of the discrepancy in hot Jupiter frequencies inferred from the transit and radial velocity (RV) surveys, given that RV targets tend to be more metal-rich and younger than transits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the digital information era, consumers' information capability plays a crucial role in shaping their green consumption intention. To delve deeper into the dynamics of how information capability influences consumers' green consumption intention, this study constructs a theoretical model grounded in information asymmetry theory and cognitive bias theory. Additionally, the mediating role of green trust and the moderating role of media publicity are incorporated to comprehensively investigate the influence mechanism of information capability on consumers' green consumption intention. Empirical analysis is conducted based on data collected through a questionnaire survey. The findings of this study reveal that information capability exerts a partially mediating effect on consumers' green consumption intention. Specifically, information capability directly influences consumers' green consumption intention, and it also indirectly impacts their green consumption intention through its influence on green trust. Furthermore, media publicity positively moderates the relationship between information capability and consumers' green consumption intention. This research contributes to the existing literature by enhancing our understanding of the influence pathway leading to green consumption intention. Its insights offer valuable implications for promoting green consumption and advancing sustainable development initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is a life-threatening disease with a poor prognosis and high heritability, characterized by elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and pulmonary artery pressure. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification influences many RNA metabolism pathways. However, the position of m6A methylation regulators in IPAH remains unknown. Therefore, the study aims to disclose the function m6A regulators exert in the pathological mechanisms of IPAH and the immune microenvironment involved. The GSE117261 dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal and IPAH samples. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses of DEGs were then conducted by Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). We also identified the differentially-expressed m6A (DEm6A) regulators between normal and IPAH samples. Key m6A regulators related to the prediction of IPAH were selected using the random forest model. The results showed that FMR1, RBM15, HNRNPA2B1 and IGFBP3 were upregulated in IPAH. In contrast, LRPPRC was downregulated. The single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) method was then adopted to estimate the immune microenvironment in distinct m6A clusters and m6A phenotype-related genes (PRGs) clusters, respectively. Furthermore, we calculated the m6A score via principal component analysis (PCA), and the Sankey diagram was selected to present the correlation among the m6A clusters, m6A PRGs clusters and m6A score. Finally, quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to validate the key genes in human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) treated by human platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). The relative mRNA and protein expression levels of FMR1 were significantly elevated, however, the relative mRNA and protein expression levels of LRPPRC were downregulated. Besides, the relative mRNA level of HNRNPA2B1 was increased. Generally, this bioinformatics analysis might provoke more insights into diagnosing and treating IPAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Represented by feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) and canine parvovirus (CPV), the species carnivore protoparvovirus 1 has a worldwide distribution through continuous ci13rculation in companion animals such as cats and dogs. Subsequently, both FPV and CPV had engaged in host-to-host transfer to other wild animal hosts of the order Carnivora. In the present study, we emphasized the significance of cross-species transmission of parvoviruses with the isolation and characterization of an FPV from giant panda displaying severe and fatal symptoms. The isolated virus, designated pFPV-sc, displayed similar morphology as FPV, while phylogenetic analysis indicated that the nucleotide sequence of pFPV-sc clades with Chinese FPV isolates. Despite pFPV-sc is seemingly an outcome of a spillover infection event from domestic cats to giant pandas, our study also provided serological evidence that FPV or other parvoviruses closely related to FPV could be already prevalent in giant pandas in 2011. Initiation of host transfer of pFPV-sc is likely with association to giant panda transferrin receptor (TfR), as TfR of giant panda shares high homology with feline TfR. Strikingly, our data also indicate that pFPV-sc can infect cell lines of other mammal species, including humans. To sum up, observations from this study shall promote future research of cross-host transmission and antiviral intervention of Carnivore protoparvovirus 1, and necessitate surveillance studies in thus far unacknowledged potential reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrete Dislocation Dynamics (DDD) simulations are a powerful simulation methodology that can predict a crystalline material's constitutive behavior based on its loading conditions and micro-constituent population/distribution. In this paper, a 3D DDD model with spiral dislocation sources is developed to study size-dependent plasticity in a pure metal material (taken here as Aluminum). It also shows, for the first time, multipole simulations of spirals and how they interact with one another. In addition, this paper also discusses how the free surface of a crystalline material affects the plasticity generation of the spiral dislocation. The surface effect is implemented using the Distributed Dislocation Method. One of the main results from this work, shown here for the first time, is that spiral dislocations can result in traditional Frank–Read sources (edge or screw character) in a crystal. Another important result from this paper is that with more dislocation sources, the plastic flow inside the material is more continuous, which results in a lowering of the flow stress. Lastly, the multipole interaction of the spiral dislocations resulted in a steady-state fan-shaped action for these dislocation sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] The paper was to investigate and assess the species, distribution and hazard status of invasive alien plants on the campus of Tongren University. [ Methods] A survey was conducted using line survey method, and the risk assessment index system of invasive alien plants was established by analytic hierarchy process (AHP). [Results] There were 11 species of invasive alien plants on the campus of Tongren University, belonging to 8 genera and 5 families. There were 6 species of invasive alien plants belonging to Asteraceae, accounting for 54.55% of the total. In terms of the origin of invasive plants, most of them were native to North America and Europe, accounting for 27.27% of the total. In terms of harmful level, there were no high-risk invasive plants on the campus of Tongren University, but Altemanthera philoxe-roides had the highest score and was the most harmful. [Conclusions] The present situation of alien plant invasion on the campus of Tongren University is closely related to the ecological environment of the campus. It is suggested to strengthen the management of campus plants, focus on the prevention and control of A. philoxeroides, and carry out regular investigation of invasive alien plants on campus to ensure the ecological safety of the campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]