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The rapid evolution of clinical medicine, materials science, and regenerative medicine has rendered traditional implantable scaffolds inadequate for addressing the complex therapeutic demands of various diseases. Currently, implantable scaffolds in clinical practice are mainly made of metal, with the disadvantages of high stiffness, poor toughness, and low deformation. This paper offers a thorough review of shape memory scaffolds (SMSs), emphasizing their distinctive self‐recovery and adaptive functionalities that enhance compatibility with injured tissues, surpassing the capabilities of conventional metallic biomaterials. It delves into the limitations of current clinical scaffolds and the requisite performance metrics for effective implants and outlines the essential materials and fabrication methods for SMSs. Moreover, we enumerate the biomedical applications of SMMs with different response types, including thermology‐responsive, water‐responsive, and light‐responsive. The discussion extends to the burgeoning applications of SMSs in biomedical engineering, including their utility in bone tissue engineering, cardiovascular stenting, tubular structures, and cardiac patches, which underscore their potential in minimally invasive procedures and dynamic tissue interactions. This review concludes with an analysis of current challenges and prospects, providing valuable insights for developing and applying SMSs in the biomedical sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer poses a significant health burden for women globally, and the rapid proliferation of cervical cancer cells greatly worsens patient prognosis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating tumor cell proliferation. However, the involvement of lncRNAs in cervical cancer cell proliferation remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the lncRNA SIX1-1, which was found to be upregulated in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. Functional assays revealed that knockdown of SIX1-1 inhibited cell proliferation in vitro and reduced tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, SIX1-1 was predominantly localized in the nucleus and could bind with DNMT1 protein. The expression of SIX1-1 enhanced the interaction of DNMT1 with RASD1 promoter, leading to the methylation of the promoter and decreased mRNA transcription. Then RASD1 downregulation activated the cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling pathway, promoting cell proliferation. Rescue experiments showed that knockdown of RASD1 restored the inhibited cell proliferation caused by decreased expression of SIX1-1, indicating that RASD1 acted as the functional mediator of SIX1-1. In conclusion, SIX1-1 promoted cervical cancer cell proliferation by modulating RASD1 expression. This suggests that targeting the SIX1-1/RASD1 axis could be a potential antitumor strategy for cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-Event Burnout (SEB) can cause hard damage to devices, leading to permanent failure. However, previous studies have rarely explored the effects of high-energy proton irradiation-induced SEB in β-Ga2O3 Schottky Barrier Diode (SBD), and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Experimental results indicate that the reverse bias voltage during irradiation is a critical factor influencing the failure of β-Ga2O3 SBD. Compared to 300 MeV proton irradiation without bias, the introduction of a 300 V reverse bias voltage results in a significant reduction in forward current density (JF). When the reverse bias voltage reaches 400 V or higher, the 300 MeV proton induces SEB in the device. The SEM image of the damaged region reveals that the irradiated device has "voids" formed due to the melting of the Ga2O3 material. Geant 4 and TCAD simulation results indicate that the burnout phenomenon is caused by the elevated lattice temperature inside the device, which results from the implantation of secondary particles under a high reverse bias voltage. As the reverse bias voltage increases, the maximum lattice temperature of β-Ga2O3 SBD also rises. When the reverse bias voltage is sufficiently high, the local lattice temperature inside the device reaches the melting point of Ga2O3 material, ultimately leading to SEB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biohybrid membranes, combining a self-assembled lipid bilayer structure with functional nanomaterials/molecules, are promising candidates for ionic, optical, and electronic applications. However, information concerning the basic properties of these types of ultrathin hybrid membranes remains limited, primarily due to their low structural strength and low stability in air. In this work, we report on the successful formation of large-area ultrathin hybrid membranes composed of lipid and phthalocyanine molecules. The basic optical properties, mainly the light absorption and light emission properties, of the membranes were systematically investigated. The phthalocyanine molecules did not form an ordered crystal structure and were partially aggregated and dispersed in the hybrid membranes. Because the phthalocyanine molecules and the substrate were separated only by a monolayer of lipid molecules, the light-excited phthalocyanine molecules transferred the absorbed energy to the metal substrate, which led to the quenching of the emitted light. These unique properties of the hybrid membranes could be utilized in a variety of optoelectronic applications such as bioelectronic interfaces and photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current treatments for chronic diarrhea have limited efficacy and several side effects. Probiotics have the potential to alleviate symptoms of diarrhea. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluates the effects of administering the probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P9 (P9) strain in young adults with chronic diarrhea (Clinical Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR2000038410). The intervention period lasts for 28 days, followed by a 14-day post-intervention period. Participants are randomized into the P9 (n = 93) and placebo (n = 96) groups, with 170 individuals completing the double-blind intervention phase (n = 85 per group). The primary endpoint is the diarrhea symptom severity score. Both intention-to-treat (n = 189) and per-protocol (n = 170) analyses reveal a modest yet statistically significant reduction in diarrhea severity compared to the placebo group (20.0%, P = 0.050; 21.4%, P = 0.048, respectively). In conclusion, the results of this study support the use of probiotics in managing chronic diarrhea in young adults. However, the lack of blood parameter assessment and the short intervention period represent limitations of this study. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial young adults with chronic diarrhea were randomized into treatment and placebo groups to evaluate the effects of the probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum P9 strain administraiton. The primary endpoint was the diarrhea symptom severity score. Both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses reveal a modest yet statistically significant reduction in diarrhea severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is one area that was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic with much of the education being transferred online. Many subjects that require hands-on experimental experience suffer when taught online. Education is also one area that many believe can benefit from the advances in virtual reality (VR) technology, particularly for remote, online learning. Furthermore, because the technology shows overall good results with hands-on experiential learning education, one possible way to overcome online education barriers is with the use of VR applications. Given that VR has yet to make significant inroads in education, it is essential to understand what factors will influence this technology's adoption and acceptance. In this work, we explore factors influencing the adoption of VR for hands-on practical learning around the world based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and three additional constructs. We also performed a cross-cultural analysis to examine the model fit for developed and developing countries and regions. Moreover, through open-ended questions, we gauge the overall feeling people in these countries have regarding VR for practical learning and how it compares with regular online learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Evaluation of tumor microvascular morphology is of great significance in tumor diagnosis, therapeutic effect prediction, and surgical planning. Recently, two-dimensional ultrasound localization microscopy (2DULM) has demonstrated its superiority in the field of microvascular imaging. However, it suffers from planar dependence and is unintuitive. We propose a novel three-dimensional ultrasound localization microscopy (3DULM) to avoid these limitations. Methods: We investigated 3DULM based on a 2D array for tumor microvascular imaging. After intravenous injection of contrast agents, all elements of the 2D array transmit and receive signals to ensure a high and stable frame rate. Microbubble signal extraction, filtering, positioning, tracking, and other processing were used to obtain a 3D vascular map, flow velocity, and flow direction. To verify the effectiveness of 3DULM, it was validated on double helix tubes and rabbit VX2 tumors. Cisplatin was used to verify the ability of 3DULM to detect microvascular changes during tumor treatment. Results: In vitro, the sizes measured by 3DULM at 3 mm and 13 mm were 178 μ m and 182 μ m , respectively. In the rabbit tumors, we acquired 9000 volumes to reveal vessels about 30 μ m in diameter, which surpasses the diffraction limit of ultrasound in traditional ultrasound imaging, and the results matched with micro-angiography. In addition, there were significant changes in vascular density and curvature between the treatment and control groups. Conclusions: The effectiveness of 3DULM was verified in vitro and in vivo. Hence, 3DULM may have potential applications in tumor diagnosis, tumor treatment evaluation, surgical protocol guidance, and cardiovascular disease. Clinical relevance statement: 3D ultrasound localization microscopy is highly sensitive to microvascular changes; thus, it has clinical potential for tumor diagnosis and treatment evaluation. Key Points: • 3D ultrasound localization microscopy is demonstrated on double helix tubes and rabbit VX2 tumors. • 3D ultrasound localization microscopy can reveal vessels about 30 μ m in diameter—far smaller than traditional ultrasound. • This form of imaging has potential applications in tumor diagnosis, tumor treatment evaluation, surgical protocol guidance, and cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy is the first line treatment for small cell lung cancer (SCLC); However, radio-resistance accompanies with the treatment and hampers the prognosis for SCLC patients. The underlying mechanisms remains elusive. Here we discovered that self-inflicted DNA breaks exist in SCLC cells after radiation. Moreover, using nuclease siRNA screening combined with high-content ArrayScan™ cell analyzer, we identified that Ribonuclease ZC3H12A is required for the self-inflicted DNA breaks after radiation and for SCLC cell survival after DNA damage. ZC3H12A expression was increased in response to DNA damage and when ZC3H12A was knocked down, the DNA repair ability of the cells was impaired, as evidenced by decreased expression of the DNA damage repair protein BRCA1, and increased γH2AX at DNA damage sites. Colony formation assay demonstrates that ZC3H12A knocked down sensitized small cell lung cancer radiotherapy. Therefore, the Ribonuclease ZC3H12A regulates endogenous secondary breaks in small cell lung cancer and affects DNA damage repair. ZC3H12A may act as an important radiotherapy target in small cell lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol jet printing has the potential to fabricate fine features on various substrates due to its large stand-off distance. However, the presence of overspray and instability, particularly at high printing resolutions, has limited its widespread application. In this study, we introduce an efficient approach called annular acoustic focusing for aerosol jet printing. By determining the optimal focusing frequency (5.8 MHz) for silver nanoparticles using a particle ejection model, we achieve precise and stable printing. We also propose a modified print nozzle geometry, resulting in ultrafine traces (line width < 6 μm, overspray < 0.1 μm). Compared to printing without acoustic focusing, the line width of the traces decreases to 60 ± 5% while their conductivity increases to 180 ± 5%. Additionally, several 8 h experiments demonstrate excellent printing stability. This research opens up possibilities for the fabrication of conformal electronics with high precision and improved conductivity using aerosol jet printing. Overspray and instability at high resolution has limited the widespread application of aerosol jet printing. Here, authors introduce an annular acoustic field coupled with a modified nozzle geometry, resulting in fine traces (line width <6 μm, overspray < 0.1 μm) with excellent printing stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater terrain-aided navigation (TAN) can obtain high-precision positioning independently and autonomously under the conditions of a communication rejection space, which is an important breakthrough for the autonomous and refined operation of deep-sea autonomous underwater vehicles near the seabed. Although TAN originated in the aviation field, the particularity of the underwater physical environment has led to the formation of a different theoretical and technical system. In this article, the application background, operating principles, and most important technical aspects of underwater TAN are introduced. Then, the relevant algorithms involved in the two main modules (the terrain-aided positioning module and the iterative filtering estimation module) of the underwater TAN are reviewed. Finally, other cutting-edge issues in the field of underwater TAN are summarized. The purpose of this article is to provide researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the current research status and possible future developments in the TAN field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing higher precision Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation has become a hot topic in the field of array signal processing for parameter estimation in recent years. However, when the physical aperture of the actual array is small, its aperture limitation means that even with super-resolution estimation algorithms, the achievable estimation precision is limited. This paper takes a novel approach by constructing an optimization algorithm using the covariance fitting criterion based on the array output's covariance matrix to fit and obtain the covariance matrix of a large aperture virtual array, thereby providing high-precision angular resolution through virtual aperture expansion. The covariance fitting expansion analysis and discussion are unfolded for both uniform linear arrays (ULAs) and sparse linear arrays (SLAs) under four different scenarios. Theoretical analysis and simulation experiments demonstrate that these methods can enhance the effective performance of angle estimation, especially in low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and at small angular intervals by fitting virtual extended aperture data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preventing eutrophication requires a deep understanding of nutrient sources and migration processes. The Guanshan River in the Danjiangkou Reservoir was selected as a typical agricultural basin. River water, sediment, and soil samples were collected to determine nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents and forms. Multivariate statistical analysis, buffer analysis, and extreme gradient boosting regression (XGBoost) were used to investigate the nutrient sources, the sources' scale effects, and migration. The results showed that the exogenous sources of river nutrients were fertilizer (provided phosphate (PO4-P) and ammonium (NH4-N)), domestic wastewater (provided nitrate (NO3-N) and organic nitrogen), and natural soil and rock leaching (provided PO4-P and organic phosphorus). Fertilization within 300–1200 m and domestic wastewater discharge within 150 m of the river affected the contents of the river nutrients significantly (with R ranging between 0.40 and 0.73, p ≤ 0.01). The sediment was the N source and P sink of the overlying water. With NH4-N/PO4-P compound fertilization, the NO3-N and calcium-bound phosphorus (Ca-P) exhibited co-enrichment. Appropriately increasing NH4-N application could stimulate P biological uptake, thus inhibiting P emigration from agricultural soil under N-limited states. In conclusion, this study effectively recognized river nutrient sources and their scale impacts and also explored more effective fertilization strategies, which are beneficial for the optimized management of agricultural activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound dressings play a crucial role in wound treatment. Silk fibroin fiber membranes prepared via electrostatic spinning have generated medical wound dressings, exhibiting good biocompatibility with hemostatic, antimicrobial, and pro-healing properties. A pH-responsive ZnS/SF composite fiber membrane was prepared by loading zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles into a silk fibroin fiber membrane via in situ polymer matrix growth. The composite fiber membranes produced under the optimized conditions were successfully loaded with nanoscale ZnS particles. They had a dense reticular structure and high-water absorption with good biocompatibility and hemostatic properties. Upon exposure to an acidic microenvironment at the wound site, ZnS reacted with H+, giving a sustained release of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and zinc ions (Zn2+), possessing strong bactericidal activity and pro-cell migration effects, facilitating angiogenesis. The composite fiber film is effective in helping to further promote wound healing when it is used as a wound dressing. This pH-responsive multifunctional ZnS/SF composite fiber membrane has potential applications in medical wound dressings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose intracranial hemorrhage risk in patients with cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) after mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) was investigated. We searched PubMed and Embase from inception to 29 August 2023 for relevant studies, calculated pooled odds ratio (ORs) of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) subtypes in AIS patients with CMB presence, 1–4 or ≥ 5 CMBs versus CMB absence, and with different CMB locations after mechanical thrombectomy. ICH subtypes included any ICH, symptomatic and asymptomatic ICH, hemorrhage outside infarct (including subarachnoid hemorrhage), hemorrhagic infarction, and parenchymal hemorrhage after mechanical thrombectomy. Five eligible studies enrolling 2051 patients were included. No significant association was shown between CMB locations (lobar, deep, infratentorial or mixed) and ICH risk. CMB presence or 1–4 CMBs did not significantly increase the risk of any ICH, symptomatic or asymptomatic ICH, ICH outside infarct, subarachnoid hemorrhage, hemorrhagic infarction, or parenchymal hemorrhage. CMBs ≥ 5 increased the risk of any ICH (OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.16–5.72), parenchymal hemorrhage (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.43–7.97) and parenchymal hemorrhage-2 (OR 5.33, 2.05–13.86), without increasing hemorrhagic infarction or parenchymal haemorrhage-1 risk. After adjusted for possible confounding factors, increases in CMB burden were associated with hemorrhagic complications but not with symptomatic ICH. In AIS patients who received mechanical thrombectomy, no association was shown between CMB location and ICH risk. ICH risk was not significantly increased by CMB presence or 1–4 CMBs. ICH risk in patients with ≥ 5 CMBs requires further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The DNA‐dependent protein kinase (DNA‐PK), catalytic subunit, also known as DNA‐PKcs, is complexed with the heterodimer Ku70/Ku80 to form DNA‐PK holoenzyme, which is well recognized as initiator in the nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) repair after double strand break (DSB). During NHEJ, DNA‐PKcs is essential for both DNA end processing and end joining. Besides its classical function in DSB repair, DNA‐PKcs also shows multifaceted functions in various biological activities such as class switch recombination (CSR) and variable (V) diversity (D) joining (J) recombination in B/T lymphocytes development, innate immunity through cGAS–STING pathway, transcription, alternative splicing, and so on, which are dependent on its function in NHEJ or not. Moreover, DNA‐PKcs deficiency has been proven to be related with human diseases such as neurological pathogenesis, cancer, immunological disorder, and so on through different mechanisms. Therefore, it is imperative to summarize the latest findings about DNA‐PKcs and diseases for better targeting DNA‐PKcs, which have shown efficacy in cancer treatment in preclinical models. Here, we discuss the multifaceted roles of DNA‐PKcs in human diseases, meanwhile, we discuss the progresses of DNA‐PKcs inhibitors and their potential in clinical trials. The most updated review about DNA‐PKcs will hopefully provide insights and ideas to understand DNA‐PKcs associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerostatic instability is one of two vital instabilities of wind resistance design for long-span bridges. Traditionally, the aerostatic instability considering aerodynamic and structural nonlinearity is evaluated through finite element methods employing the Newton-Raphson algorithm. However, the Newton-Raphson algorithm cannot track the structural equilibrium path after the first critical wind speeds (zero stiffness point) and the potential post-buckling multi-stability. This study proposes to use the arc-length method to calculate the aerostatic structural deformation for increasing wind speeds iteratively. Arc-length can track the equilibrium force-deformation curve even after the initial critical wind speeds. This study finds out that when the pitch moment curve of the bridge deck has a" turning point" at a large angle of attack, there is possibly more than one equilibrium point (multi-stability) for the same wind speeds. Correspondingly, the bridge deck deformation shape and cable and hangers' internal force along span direction change dramatically at the same wind speed due to aerostatic multi-stability. In the last part of this study, the bridge structure under a turbulent wind field can buckle at a lower wind speed than a smooth wind field because the material yields are caused by large instantaneous deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is a crucial energy source globally, but it poses environmental challenges due to high temperatures and harmful missions during combustion. This study investigates bituminous coal's oxidation combustion in low-oxygen environments using thermogravimetry and differential thermogravimetry tests. We explore the thermal behavior and kinetic properties of three coal samples during combustion. Our findings reveal that, as oxygen concentration decreases, the combined combustion index of the coal samples also decreases during the oxygen-absorption stage. Additionally, the apparent activation energy of coal increases with its conversion rate (temperature). We observe a shift in the reaction mechanism from three-dimensional dissipation mode to two-dimensional as the oxygen concentration decreases. Notably, the activation energy initially rises and then decreases with increasing conversion (temperature) during the pyrolysis combustion stage, with a shortened phase of increased activation energy at lower oxygen concentrations. Furthermore, the kinetic mechanism transitions from stochastic nucleation and growth to one-dimensional phase-boundary mode with decreasing oxygen concentration. These insights enhance our understanding of coal oxidation combustion in low-oxygen environments, contributing to strategies for mitigating coal spontaneous combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyze the influence of a water medium on the forming process and penetration performance of a shaped charge jet, a comparative study was carried out on an underwater shaped charge jet (USCJ) and a shaped charge jet (SCJ) in air. The virtual mass hypothesis is proposed to analyze the forming mechanism of USCJs. The arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian algorithm is adopted to carry out a series of simulation calculations considering the impact of standoff height and liner cone angle. The penetration test of the shaped charge jet in two media is carried out, and the experimental results verify the effectiveness of the theory and simulation. The differences of SCJ formation and penetration in air and water are analyzed. The results demonstrate that the USCJ exhibits a higher jet head velocity, higher cumulative kinetic energy, and a greater penetration ability than those of the jet in air. The depth of penetration (DOP) initially increases and subsequently decreases with an increase in the standoff height. The optimal standoff height of the USCJ is approximately 4–4.5 times greater than the charge diameter, whereas the SCJ in air is approximately 3.5–4 times greater than the charge diameter. Additionally, the DOP of the jet decreases at the optimal standoff height with an increase in the cone angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The clinical characteristics associated with pulmonary function decline in patients with Tuberculosis-destroyed lung (TDL) remain uncertain. We categorize them based on the pattern of pulmonary function impairment, distinguishing between restrictive spirometric pattern (RSP) and obstructive spirometric pattern (OSP). We aim to compare the severity of these patterns with the clinical characteristics of TDL patients and analyze their correlation. Method: We conducted a retrospective analysis on the clinical data of TDL patients who underwent consecutive pulmonary function tests (PFT) from November 2002 to February 2023. We used the lower limit formula for normal values based on the 2012 Global Lung Function Initiative. We compared the clinical characteristics of RSP patients with those of OSP patients. The characteristics of RSP patients were analyzed using the tertiles of forced vital capacity percentage predicted (FVC% pred) decline based on PFT measurements, and the characteristics of OSP patients were analyzed using the tertiles of forced expiratory volume in 1 s percentage predicted (FEV1% pred) decline. Result: Among the RSP patients, those in the Tertile1 group (with lower FVC% pred) were more likely to have a higher of body mass index (BMI), spinal deformities, and C-reactive protein (CRP) compared to the other two groups (P for trend < 0.001, 0.027, and 0.013, respectively). Among OSP patients, those in the Tertile1 group (with lower FEV1% pred) showed an increasing trend in cough symptoms and contralateral lung infection compared to the Tertile 2–3 group (P for trend 0.036 and 0.009, respectively). Conclusion: For TDL patients, we observed that Patients with high BMI, a higher proportion of spinal scoliosis, and abnormal elevation of CRP levels were more likely to have reduced FVC. Patients with decreased FEV1% pred have more frequent cough symptoms and a higher proportion of lung infections on the affected side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is an enigmatic physiological feature that influences blood supply within glioblastoma (GBM) tumors for their sustained growth. Previous studies identify NFATC3, FOSL1 and HNRNPA2B1 as significant mediators of VEGFR2, a key player in vasculogenesis, and their molecular relationships may be crucial for VM in GBM. Aims: The aim of this study was to understand how NFATC3, FOSL1 and HNRNPA2B1 collectively influence VM in GBM. Methods: We have investigated the underlying gene regulatory mechanisms for VM in GBM cell lines U251 and U373 in vitro and in vivo. In vitro cell-based assays were performed to explore the role of NFATC3, FOSL1 and HNRNPA2B1 in GBM cell proliferation, VM and migration, in the context of RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown alongside corresponding controls. Western blotting and qRT-PCR assays were used to examine VEGFR2 expression levels. CO-IP was employed to detect protein–protein interactions, ChIP was used to detect DNA–protein complexes, and RIP was used to detect RNA–protein complexes. Histochemical staining was used to detect VM tube formation in vivo. Results: Focusing on NFATC3, FOSL1 and HNRNPA2B1, we found each was significantly upregulated in GBM and positively correlated with VM-like cellular behaviors in U251 and U373 cell lines. Knockdown of NFATC3, FOSL1 or HNRNPA2B1 each resulted in decreased levels of VEGFR2, a key growth factor gene that drives VM, as well as the inhibition of proliferation, cell migration and extracorporeal VM activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) studies and luciferase reporter gene assays revealed that NFATC3 binds to the promoter region of VEGFR2 to enhance VEGFR2 gene expression. Notably, FOSL1 interacts with NFATC3 as a co-factor to potentiate the DNA-binding capacity of NFATC3, resulting in enhanced VM-like cellular behaviors. Also, level of NFATC3 protein in cells was enhanced through HNRNPA2B1 binding of NFATC3 mRNA. Furthermore, RNAi-mediated silencing of NFATC3, FOSL1 and HNRNPA2B1 in GBM cells reduced their capacity for tumor formation and VM-like behaviors in vivo. Conclusion: Taken together, our findings identify NFATC3 as an important mediator of GBM tumor growth through its molecular and epistatic interactions with HNRNPA2B1 and FOSL1 to influence VEGFR2 expression and VM-like cellular behaviors. 1. NFATC3 binds to the promoter region of VEGFR2 to enhance VEGFR2 gene expression which leads to an increase in VM of GBM. 2. FOSL1 interacts with NFATC3 to further facilitate VEGFR2 gene expression and VM. 3. HNRNPA2B1 enhances NFATC3 mRNA stability to increase VEGFR2 expression and VM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With cardiovascular diseases standing as a leading cause of mortality worldwide, the interplay between diet-induced inflammation, as quantified by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), and heart failure biomarker NT-proBNP has not been investigated in the general population. Methods: This study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2004, encompassing 10,766 individuals. The relationship between the DII and NT-proBNP levels was evaluated through multivariable-adjusted regression models. To pinpoint crucial dietary components influencing NT-proBNP levels, the LASSO regression model was utilized. Stratified analyses were then conducted to examine the associations within specific subgroups to identify differential effects of the DII on NT-proBNP levels across diverse populations. Results: In individuals without heart failure, a unit increase in the DII was significantly associated with an increase in NT-proBNP levels. Specifically, NT-proBNP levels rose by 9.69 pg/mL (95% CI: 6.47, 12.91; p < 0.001) without adjustments, 8.57 pg/mL (95% CI: 4.97, 12.17; p < 0.001) after adjusting for demographic factors, and 5.54 pg/mL (95% CI: 1.75, 9.32; p = 0.001) with further adjustments for health variables. In participants with a history of heart failure, those in the second and third DII quartile showed a trend towards higher NT-proBNP levels compared to those in the lowest quartile, with increases of 717.06 pg/mL (95% CI: 76.49–1357.63, p = 0.030) and 855.49 pg/mL (95% CI: 156.57–1554.41, p = 0.018). Significant interactions were observed in subgroup analyses by age (<50: β = 3.63, p = 0.141; 50–75: β = 18.4, p<0.001; >75: β = 56.09, p<0.001), gender (men: β = 17.82, p<0.001; women: β = 7.43, p = 0.061),hypertension (β = 25.73, p<0.001) and diabetes (β = 38.94, p<0.001). Conclusion: This study identified a positive correlation between the DII and NT-proBNP levels, suggesting a robust link between pro-inflammatory diets and increased heart failure biomarkers, with implications for dietary modifications in cardiovascular risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lungs are the largest surface of the body and the most important organ in the respiratory system, which are constantly exposed to the external environment. Tissue Resident Macrophages in lung constitutes the important defense against external pathogens. Macrophages connects the innate and adaptive immune system, and also plays important roles in carcinogenesis and cancer immunotherapy. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide, with an overall five‐year survival rate of only 21%. Macrophages that infiltrate or aggregate in lung tumor microenvironment are defined as tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs). TAMs are the main components of immune cells in the lung tumor microenvironment. The differentiation and maturation process of TAMs can be roughly divided into two different types: classical activation pathway produces M1 tumor‐associated macrophages, and bypass activation pathway produces M2 tumor‐associated macrophages. Studies have found that TAMs are related to tumor invasion, metastasis, and treatment resistance, and show potential as a new target for tumor immunotherapy. Therefore, the biological function of macrophages in lung and the role of TAMs in the occurrence, development, and treatment of lung cancer are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: Lake reclamation cut off the direct seepage from the lake to groundwater in reclaimed farmland, the aquifer showed a connection with lake water by horizontal groundwater flow. The chemical analysis demonstrated that after reclamation, groundwater hydrodynamic conditions are gradually weakening. The lake-groundwater interaction interface is gradually varied and moves into the lake during this period. This change is easily ignored because the modification may take years to be observed. However, the lake ecology may be threatened seriously during this process. Lake reclamation project exerts anthropogenic pressures on the groundwater environment and lake ecosystem function, would affect the natural resilience of the lake systems and increases their vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solution‐processed 2D materials hold promise for their scalable applications. However, the random, fragmented nature of the solution‐processed nanoflakes and the poor percolative conduction through their discrete networks limit the performance of the enabled devices. To overcome the problem, conduction modulation of the solution‐processed 2D materials is reported via Stark effect. Using liquid‐phase exfoliated molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as an example, nonlinear conduction switching with a ratio of >105 is demonstrated by the local fields from the interfacial ferroelectric P(VDF‐TrFE). Through density‐functional theory calculations and in situ Raman scattering and photoluminescence spectroscopic analysis, the modulation is understood to arise from a charge redistribution in the solution‐processed MoS2. Beyond MoS2, the modulation may be shown effective for the other solution‐processed 2D materials and low‐dimensional materials. The modulation can open their electronic device applications, for instance, thin‐film nonlinear electronics and non‐volatile memories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keloids are pathological scar tissue resulting from skin trauma or spontaneous formation, often accompanied by itching and pain. Although GNAS antisense RNA 1 (GNAS‐AS1) shows abnormal upregulation in keloids, the underlying molecular mechanism is unclear. The levels of genes and proteins in clinical tissues from patients with keloids and human keloid fibroblasts (HKFs) were measured using quantitative reverse transcription PCR, western blot and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The features of HKFs, including proliferation and migration, were evaluated using cell counting kit 8 and a wound healing assay. The colocalization of GNAS‐AS1 and miR‐196a‐5p in HKFs was measured using fluorescence in situ hybridization. The relationships among GNAS‐AS1, miR‐196a‐5p and C‐X‐C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) in samples from patients with keloids were analysed by Pearson correlation analysis. Gene interactions were validated by chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays. GNAS‐AS1 and CXCL12 expression were upregulated and miR‐196a‐5p expression was downregulated in clinical tissues from patients with keloids. GNAS‐AS1 knockdown inhibited proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation of HKFs, all of which were reversed by miR‐196a‐5p downregulation. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) induced GNAS‐AS1 transcription through GNAS‐AS1 promoter interaction, and niclosamide, a STAT3 inhibitor, decreased GNAS‐AS1 expression. GNAS‐AS1 positively regulated CXCL12 by sponging miR‐196‐5p. Furthermore, CXCL12 knockdown restrained STAT3 phosphorylation in HKFs. Our findings revealed a feedback loop of STAT3/GNAS‐AS1/miR‐196a‐5p/CXCL12/STAT3 that promoted HKF proliferation, migration and ECM accumulation and affected keloid progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium (Ti) dental scaffolds are widely used in dental prosthetics due to their excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, conventional Ti scaffolds manufactured through machining often do not fit perfectly with the bone defect site. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology enables the personalised manufacturing of custom‐made Ti scaffolds. A custom‐made Ti scaffold was prepared using LPBF and its surface roughness was improved through chemical polishing. To enhance the surface roughness, a nitric acid mixed solution with a specific composition of HF: HNO3:C3H6O3 = 2:2:3 was used. The polishing mechanism was investigated by adjusting the F/Ti ratio to control the formation and dissolution of the oxide film. As a result, the surface of the Ti scaffold after polishing exhibited a smooth and flat appearance compared to the LPBF part, with a reduced surface roughness (Ra) of 1.23 ± 0.19 μm. The custom‐made Ti scaffold also demonstrated favourable mechanical properties, with a bending strength of 335.18 ± 33.62 MPa and stiffness of 2.13 ± 0.21 GPa. Furthermore, in vitro cell tests confirmed the excellent biocompatibility of the custom‐made Ti scaffold. The authors present a feasible strategy for the further clinical application of custom‐made Ti scaffolds, offering enhanced surface properties and addressing the limitations of conventional machining methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper investigates the temperature-dependent effects of gamma-ray irradiation on β-Ga2O3 vertical Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) under a 100 V reverse bias condition at a total dose of 1 Mrad(Si). As the irradiation dose increased, the radiation damage became more severe. The total ionizing dose (TID) degradation behavior and mechanisms were evaluated through DC, capacitance–voltage (C-V), and low-frequency noise (LFN) measurements by varying irradiation, and the test results indicated that TID effects introduced interface defects and altered the carrier concentration within the material. The impact of TID effects was more pronounced at lower temperatures compared to higher temperatures. Additionally, the annealing effect in the high-temperature experimental conditions ameliorated the growth of interface trap defects caused by irradiation. These results suggest that compared to low-temperature testing, the device exhibits higher TID tolerance after high-temperature exposure, providing valuable insights for in-depth radiation reliability studies on subsequent related devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracing the historical development of soil salinization and monitoring its current status are crucial for understanding the driving forces behind it, proposing strategies to improve soil quality, and predicting future trends. To comprehensively understand the evolution of research on the remote sensing inversion of soil salinity, a scientific bibliometric analysis was conducted on research from the past two decades indexed in the core scientific databases. This article analyzes the field from various perspectives, including the number of publications, authors, research institutions and countries, research fields, study areas, and keywords, in order to reveal the current state-of-the-art and cutting-edge research in this domain. Special attention was given to topics such as machine learning, data assimilation methods, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing technology, soil inversion under vegetation cover, salt ion inversion, and remote sensing model construction methods. The results indicate an overall increase in the volume of publications, with key authors such as Metternicht, Gi and Zhao, Gengxing, and major research institutions including the International Institute for Geoinformatics Science and Earth Observation and the Chinese Academy of Sciences making significant contributions. Notably, China and the USA have made substantial contributions to this field, with research areas extending from Inner Mongolia's Hetao irrigation district to the Mediterranean region. Research in the remote sensing domain focuses on various methods, including hyperspectral imaging for salinized soil inversion, with an increasing emphasis on machine learning. This study enriches researchers' knowledge of the current trends and future directions of remote sensing inversion of soil salinization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the multifaceted nature of digital phenomena, theorising has shifted from the correlational view toward the configurational approach, which embraces equifinality and seeks to identify conjunctural causal conditions culminating in a given outcome. Despite growing scholarly interest in the configurational approach, little is known about how moderation functions in conjunctural causation. Although there is a growing urgency for elucidating the boundary conditions of conjunctural causation to bolster the precision of theoretical explanations, a systematic approach to theorising, identifying, and interpreting moderation in configurational theories is missing. To bridge this knowledge gap, we first establish the theoretical grounding for moderation in the configurational approach. We then articulate the theoretical mechanism underlying how the interdependence of causal factors in a causal recipe is altered by the presence of a moderator. We also offer guidance on how to validate and interpret moderation in the configurational approach based on Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). We conduct an illustrative study in the context of technostress to showcase the utility of our proposed guidelines and their value in aiding theory development. Our study hence contributes to extant literature by attesting to the significance of moderation in the configurational approach and offering recommendations for theorising such moderations. Insights from this study can be harnessed to guide future theory development by identifying and validating moderated configurational relationships, which in turn can further enhance our understanding of nuances in multifaceted digital phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electro-optical effect-based liquid crystal devices have been extensively used in optical modulation techniques, in which the Kerr coefficient reflects the sensitivity of the liquid crystals and determines the strength of the device's operational electric field. The Peterlin–Stuart theory and the O'Konski model jointly indicate that a giant Kerr coefficient could be obtained in a material with both a large geometrical anisotropy and an intrinsic polarization, but such a material is not yet reported. Here we reveal a ferroelectric effect in a monolayer two-dimensional mineral vermiculite. A large geometrical anisotropy factor and a large inherent electric dipole together raise the record value of Kerr coefficient by an order of magnitude, till 3.0 × 10−4 m V−2. This finding enables an ultra-low operational electric field of 102–104 V m−1 and the fabrication of electro-optical devices with an inch-level electrode separation, which has not previously been practical. Because of its high ultraviolet stability (decay <1% under ultraviolet exposure for 1000 hours), large-scale production, and energy efficiency, prototypical displayable billboards have been fabricated for outdoor interactive scenes. This work provides new insights for both liquid crystal optics and two-dimensional ferroelectrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The misuse and overuse of antibiotics in food animal production has brought about an antibiotic resistance crisis in the 21st century. To fight against this silent global pandemic through the transmission of poultry production, various in-feed antibiotic alternatives, primarily sodium butyrate products, are under evaluation, and promising results have been obtained in previous studies. To enhance this green feed additive evolution, this study evaluated the effects of a new type of buffer salt-protected sodium butyrate (NSB), which uses buffer salts to protect sodium butyrate, on the growth performance, various intestinal health indicators, and cecum microbiota of broilers during the rapid growth stage. The result shows that NSB improves growth performance, serum anti-inflammatory cytokines, gut morphology, intestinal immunity and antioxidant capacity, short-chain fatty acids' (SCFAs') content, and cecum microbiota, indicating that NSB can be a potential additive supporting the green feed additive industry in broiler nutrition. In this study, a commercial sodium butyrate protected by a new buffer salt solution (NSB) was tested to determine whether it can be used as an antibiotic alternative in broiler production. A total of 192 1-day-old broilers were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments: soybean meal diet (CON), antibiotic diet (ANT, basal diet + 100 mg/kg aureomycin), and NSB (basal diet + 800 mg/kg NSB). The growth performance, serum anti-inflammatory cytokines, intestinal morphology, gut barrier function, antioxidative parameters, SCFAs' content, and cecal microbiota were analyzed. The result showed that NSB significantly improved ADFI and ADG (p < 0.01), and decreased FCR (p < 0.01). Serum anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was up-regulated (p < 0.01), and pro-inflammatory TNF-α was down-regulated (p < 0.05) by NSB supplementation. H&E results showed that VH and the VH/CD ratio significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the jejunum and ileum in the NSB group. Furthermore, ZO-1 (p < 0.01), claudin-1 (p < 0.01), and occludin (p < 0.05) in the jejunum and claudin-1 (p < 0.01) and mucin-2 (p < 0.05) in the ileum were significantly up-regulated in the NSB group. Additionally, SOD (p < 0.05) and the T-AOC/MDA ratio (p < 0.01) in the jejunum and SOD in the ileum were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the NSB group. The MDA level also significantly increased (p < 0.01) in the ANT group in the jejunum. Propionic acid (p < 0.05) and butyric acid (p < 0.01) content significantly increased in the NSB group in the jejunum and ileum segments. The 16S rRNA sequencing results showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) in alpha and beta diversity among the groups. LEFSe analysis also indicated that Peptostreptococcaceae, Colidextribacter, Firmicutes, Oscillospira, and Erysipelatoclostridiaceae, which promote SCFA production (p < 0.05), were identified as dominant taxon-enriched bacterial genera in the NSB group. The Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Colidextribacter with ADFI, ADG, VH, claudin-1 (p < 0.05), and unclassified_f__Peptostreptococcaceae with ADFI, IL-10, and ZO-1 were positively correlated (p < 0.05). Furthermore, ADFI and ADG with IL-10, claudin-1, SOD, T-AOC, and butyric acid (p < 0.05), and similarly, ADG with VH (p < 0.05), showed a positive correlation. In conclusion, NSB enhanced the growth performance by improving jejunum and ileum morphology, and serum anti-inflammatory cytokines, and by regulating the intestinal barrier function and antioxidant capacity, SCFAs' content, and cecum microbiota, showing its potential use as an alternative to antibiotics in poultry nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to accurately predict the minimum creep rate under the actual working conditions of compacted graphite cast iron cylinder head, this paper conducted creep experiments in the temperature range of 723.15–823.15 K and the stress range of 100–300 MPa. The creep damage evolution and damage mechanisms under test conditions were also analyzed. Then the data fitting performances were analyzed and compared from three aspects: the optimization‐seeking algorithm, the form of the objective function and the construction of the creep constitutive model. Finally, the chosen optimization algorithm combined with the proposed objective function and creep constitutive model resulted in 100% of the predicted values within the 3 times error band and 26.67% of the predicted values within the 1.5 times error band. This improves the prediction accuracy while reducing the effect of data overfitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pursuit of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that emulates human cognitive processes is a cornerstone of ethical AI development, ensuring that emerging technologies can seamlessly integrate into societal frameworks requiring nuanced understanding and decision-making. Zero-Shot Instance Retrieval (ZSIR) stands at the forefront of this endeavour, potentially providing a robust platform for AI systems, particularly large visual language models, to demonstrate and refine cognition-aligned learning without the need for direct experience. In this paper, we critically evaluate current cognition alignment methodologies within traditional zero-shot learning paradigms using visual attributes and word embedding generated by large AI models. We propose a unified similarity function that quantifies the cognitive alignment level, bridging the gap between AI processes and human-like understanding. Through extensive experimentation, our findings illustrate that this similarity function can effectively mirror the visual–semantic gap, steering the model towards enhanced performance in Zero-Shot Instance Retrieval. Our models achieve state-of-the-art performance on both the SUN (92.8% and 82.2%) and CUB datasets (59.92% and 48.82%) for bi-directional image-attribute retrieval accuracy. This work not only benchmarks the cognition alignment of AI but also sets a new precedent for the development of visual language models attuned to the complexities of human cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important component contributing to the onset of epilepsy is the death of hippocampal neurons. Several studies have shown that Dravet syndrome model mice: Scn1a KO mice have a high number of apoptotic neurons following seizures, but the precise mechanism underlying this remains unclear. The aim of this research was to elucidate the potential molecular mechanism of neuronal apoptosis in Scn1a KO mice by integrating proteomics and transcriptomics, with the ultimate goal of offering better neuroprotection. We found that apoptotic processes were enriched in both proteomic and transcriptomic GO analyses, and KEGG results also indicated that differential proteins and genes play a role in neurotransmission, the cell cycle, apoptosis, and neuroinflammation. Then, we examined the upstream and downstream KGML interactions of the pathways to determine the relationship between the two omics, and we found that the HIF-1 signaling pathway plays a significant role in the onset and apoptosis of epilepsy. Meanwhile, the expression of the apoptosis-related protein VHL decreased in this pathway, and the expression of p21 was upregulated. Therefore, this study suggests that VHL/HIF-1α/p21 might be involved in the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons in Scn1a KO mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of decentralized wastewater treatment technologies is a reasonable solution for rural areas. As a decentralized treatment technology, the multi-soil-layering (MSL) system has recently drawn an increasing amount of attention owing to its merits, such as a high hydraulic load rate, small land area occupation, low probability of clogging, low investment, and low operation cost. This review summarizes the progress in MSL systems in the past decade, focusing on the directions of efforts for system optimization, the latest applications of MSL systems to various wastewater treatments, and the integration of MSL with other technologies. The great application potential of MSL systems is illustrated, and future research directions regarding better application of MSL systems are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to deal with large tibial bone defects is still controversial. The purpose of this research was to compare the semi-focal bone transport (SFBT) technique with traditional bone transport (TBT) technique for treating such patients. Sixty-two patients were included and retrospectively analyzed. In all cases, after radical debridement large tibial bone defects remained. Patients were treated by the SFBT or TBT technique. The distraction, consolidation duration and complications were recorded by the patients' medical files. Based on the Association for the Study and Application of Methods of Ilizarov (ASAMI) standard, the bone and functional results were evaluated. The mean bone defect size was 7.7 ± 1.6 cm and 7.5 ± 2.1 cm for SFBT and TBT patients. The mean external fixation index (EFI) was 1.51 ± 0.14 months/cm and 1.89 ± 0.25 months/cm for SFBT and TBT patients (p < 0.05), respectively. With respect to bone and function results, there was no significant differences between the two groups (p > 0.05). The mean number of complications per patient was 1.1 ± 0.6 and 1.6 ± 0.7 for SFBT and TBT patients (p < 0.05). Compared to the traditional bone transport technique, patients using the semi-focal bone transport technique achieved better clinical effects, including shorter EFI and less complications. Therefore, the SFBT technique could be a new option for patients with large tibial bone defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Studying the molecular heterogeneity of cancer is essential for achieving personalized therapy. At the same time, understanding the biological processes that drive cancer development can lead to the identification of valuable therapeutic targets. Therefore, achieving accurate and interpretable clinical predictions requires paramount attention to thoroughly characterizing patients at both the molecular and biological pathway levels. Results Here, we present GraphPath, a biological knowledge-driven graph neural network with multi-head self-attention mechanism that implements the pathway–pathway interaction network. We train GraphPath to classify the cancer status of patients with prostate cancer based on their multi-omics profiling. Experiment results show that our method outperforms P-NET and other baseline methods. Besides, two external cohorts are used to validate that the model can be generalized to unseen samples with adequate predictive performance. We reduce the dimensionality of latent pathway embeddings and visualize corresponding classes to further demonstrate the optimal performance of the model. Additionally, since GraphPath's predictions are interpretable, we identify target cancer-associated pathways that significantly contribute to the model's predictions. Such a robust and interpretable model has the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of cancer's biological mechanisms and accelerate the development of targeted therapies. Availability and implementation https://github.com/amazingma/GraphPath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin separation technology is a key technology for realizing the detection function at the end of the rotational trajectory. It is also a necessary condition for the fuse control system to adjust its control strategy according to actual combat needs. To explore a new type of proximity fuse detection method, this article first designs a detection separation mechanism for the end of the trajectory. An interior ballistic model of the separation mechanism was then established through closed bomb tests and equivalent interior ballistic equations, and the aerodynamic parameters of the front-stage separation body at the moment of separation were obtained based on computational fluid dynamics numerical simulation. Finally, a separation dynamics model of the separation mechanism was established to analyze the motion state after the separation action of the front-stage separation body. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed separation mechanism. The discrepancy between the simulation and experiment of the velocity increment for the front-stage separation body is about 1.07%. The attack angle for the front-stage separation body is below 2°, and the period with a displacement between two stage bodies greater than 3 m is around 0.365 s. This research can provide new ideas and theoretical references for the design of a similar fuse detection separation mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind profiling within operating wind farms is important for both wind resource assessment and wind power prediction. With increasing wind turbine size, it is getting difficult to obtain wind profiles covering the turbine-affecting area due to the limited height of wind towers. In this study, a stepwise quality control and optimizing process for deriving high-quality near-surface wind profiles within wind farms is proposed. The method is based on the radial wind speed obtained by the Doppler Wind Lidar velocity-azimuth display (VAD) technique. The method is used to obtain the whole wind profile from ground level to the height affected by wind turbines within a utility-scale onshore wind farm, in northern China. Compared with the traditional carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) filter-based quality control method, the proposed data processing method can significantly improve the accuracy of the derived wind. For a 10 m wind speed, an increase in coefficient of determination (R2) from 0.826 to 0.932, and a decrease in mean absolute error (MAE) from 1.231% to 0.927% are obtained; while for 70 m wind speed, R2 increased from 0.926 to 0.958, and MAE decreased from 1.023% to 0.771%. For wind direction, R2 increased from 0.978 to 0.992 at 10 m, and increased from 0.983 to 0.995 at 70 m. The optimized method also presents advantages in improving the accuracy of derived wind under complex wind environments, e.g., inside a wind farm, and increasing the data availability during clear nights. The proposed method could be used to derive wind profiles from below the minimum range of a vertically operating scanning Doppler Lidar to a height affected by wind turbines. Combined with Doppler beam-swinging (DBS) scanning data, the method could be used to obtain the complete wind profile in the boundary layer. These wind profiles could be further used to predict wind power and evaluate the climate and environmental effects of wind farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe capacity degradation at low temperatures (<−20°С) hampers wide applications of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) in consumer electronics and electric vehicles. Existing works are dedicated to electrolyte modification because that electrolyte controls both Li+ transportation and interfacial reaction. However, the efforts on electrolytes are always hard to balance rate performance and low‐temperature capacity due to their high viscosity. Herein, a binary coating layer for Li3V2(PO4)3 cathode material without changing electrolyte formulation is proposed, which significantly improves the high‐rate capability and low‐temperature performance of batteries. YPO4 nanoparticles are in situ formed in the amorphous surface carbon layer under the reaction between Li3V2(PO4)3 and Y(NO3)3 during post‐thermal treatment. The C+YPO4 binary coating reduces the side reactions of Li3V2(PO4)3 at high voltage. In addition, the binary surface coating also improves the interfacial kinetics of the electrode at low temperatures. Benefiting from these advantages, the Li3V2(PO4)3 cathode material can cycle stably at ultra‐high rates up to 50 C. In addition, the capacity retention at −20 and −40 °С are improved to 89.1% and 75.7%, respectively. This binary surface‐coated Li3V2(PO4)3 cathode material shows promising application potential in low‐temperature LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the new display technology based on quantum dots (QDs), achieving high‐precision red, green, and blue pixel arrays has always been a research focus in the pursuit of high‐quality and vivid image displays. However, problems such as material stability and process environment make it difficult to guarantee the quality of high‐precision patterns. The new optical patterning technology represented by direct photolithography is considered a highly promising method for achieving ultrafine patterns at the submicron level. This process prepares patterned quantum dot‐polymer films through light‐induced chemical changes. This paper reviews the progress of direct photolithography research focused on QD‐polymer materials and presents recent advances in such processes for monochromatic/multicolor light patterning. The article classifies QD‐polymers into three categories by combining QDs with polymers in different ways, including polymer‐coated QDs, polymers as QD ligands, and polymers as photocrosslinkers for QDs. Their synthesis schemes, functional features, and challenges are also presented. In addition, a scheme to remove the photomask during direct lithography using lasers and light field modulation is also proposed. It aims to provide readers and researchers with some generalized research information and improvement ideas. This can further advance the development of direct photolithography for QD‐polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the deformation characteristics of a ring-stiffened cylindrical shell induced by shock waves and coalesced bubbles in double-charge underwater explosions. A numerical model for coupling underwater multi-point explosion loads with the cylindrical shell is established by the Arbitrary Lagrange Euler method, and underwater explosion experiments with double charges are also conducted. The numerical model's effectiveness is validated by comparing shock wave superposition characteristics, bubble coalescence processes, and bubble pulsation periods with the experimental results. Based on the numerical model, the influences of detonation intervals and layout angles of charge on shock wave superposition effects, temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of shock waves, and the evolution process of coalesced bubbles in underwater explosions with double charges are explored. Additionally, the deformation characteristics of cylindrical shells induced by shock waves and coalesced bubbles for double charges with different detonation intervals and layout angles of charge are analyzed. The results indicate that double charges can induce more substantial deformation on the cylindrical shell at a specific detonation interval than a single charge with equal total mass. During the shock wave phase, the cylindrical shell's deformation decreases nonlinearly with an increased layout angle. Conversely, during the bubble load phase, the deformation of the cylindrical shell shows an approximately linear decrease with an increase in layout angle. A critical angle exists, below which the impact of double charges on the cylindrical shell is more substantial when detonated with an interval than simultaneous detonation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The number of vertebrae is an essential economic trait that can impact the carcass length and meat production in animals. However, our understanding of the candidate genes responsible for vertebral traits in sheep remains limited. To identify these candidate genes, we conducted a series of bioinformatics analyses. Remarkably, we discovered that the region controlling the sheep's vertebral variation may be situated on chromosome 7. Within this region, the ABCD4 gene emerged as a promising candidate gene for vertebral variation. This finding provides a promising perspective for unraveling the genetic basis of the vertebral number in sheep. The number of vertebrae is a crucial economic trait that can significantly impact the carcass length and meat production in animals. However, our understanding of the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and candidate genes associated with the vertebral number in sheep (Ovis aries) remains limited. To identify these candidate genes and QTLs, we collected 73 Ujimqin sheep with increased numbers of vertebrae (T13L7, T14L6, and T14L7) and 23 sheep with normal numbers of vertebrae (T13L6). Through high-throughput genome resequencing, we obtained a total of 24,130,801 effective single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). By conducting a selective-sweep analysis, we discovered that the most significantly selective region was located on chromosome 7. Within this region, we identified several genes, including VRTN, SYNDIG1L, LTBP2, and ABCD4, known to regulate the spinal development and morphology. Further, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) performed on sheep with increased and normal vertebral numbers confirmed that ABCD4 is a candidate gene for determining the number of vertebrae in sheep. Additionally, the most significant SNP on chromosome 7 was identified as a candidate QTL. Moreover, we detected two missense mutations in the ABCD4 gene; one of these mutations (Chr7: 89393414, C > T) at position 22 leads to the conversion of arginine (Arg) to glutamine (Gln), which is expected to negatively affect the protein's function. Notably, a transcriptome expression profile in mouse embryonic development revealed that ABCD4 is highly expressed during the critical period of vertebral formation (4.5–7.5 days). Our study highlights ABCD4 as a potential major gene influencing the number of vertebrae in Ujimqin sheep, with promising prospects for future genome-assisted breeding improvements in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abrupt onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019 significantly disrupted China's domestic agricultural production and supply chain stability. Local governments, responding to urgent circumstances, implemented various trade restrictions that profoundly affected regional economic development. This study, covering data from 2010 to 2019 across 31 provinces, investigates agricultural market integration and regional economic development. Employing a dynamic spatial panel Durbin model, it systematically analyzes the complex relationship between these variables. International trade variables related to agricultural products are then introduced to examine their "substitution effect" in promoting regional economic development through agricultural market integration. The research findings are summarized as follows: (1) disregarding international agricultural trade, a one-unit increase in the agricultural market integration index corresponds to a 0.156% rise in regional economic development. (2) In an open economy, the substitution coefficients for agricultural imports, exports, and total trade concerning market integration are −0.00097, −0.0012, and −0.0038, respectively. (3) The strength of the substitution effect from the international agricultural market to the domestic market varies regionally, with coefficients of −0.00099 and −0.00217 for the eastern and western regions, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population density estimation is integral to the effective conservation and management of wildlife. The snow leopard Panthera uncia is categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and reliable information on its density is a prerequisite for its conservation and management. Little is known about the status of the snow leopard in the central and eastern Qilian Mountains, China. To address this, we estimated the population density of the snow leopard using a spatially explicit capture–recapture model based on camera trapping in Machang in the central and eastern Qilian Mountains during January–March 2019. We set up 40 camera traps and recorded 84 separate snow leopard captures over 3,024 trap-days. We identified 18 individual snow leopards and estimated their density to be 2.26/100 km2. Our study provides baseline information on the snow leopard and the first population estimate for the species in the central and eastern Qilian Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]