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Recent studies indicate that replication checkpoint modulators (RCMs) such as inhibitors of CHK1, ATR, and WEE1 have promising monotherapy activity in solid tumors, including platinum-resistant high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). However, clinical response rates are generally below 30%. While RCM-induced DNA damage has been extensively examined in preclinical and clinical studies, the link between replication checkpoint interruption and tumor shrinkage remains incompletely understood. Here we utilized HGSOC cell lines and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) to study events leading from RCM treatment to ovarian cancer cell death. These studies show that RCMs increase CDC25A levels and CDK2 signaling in vitro, leading to dysregulated cell cycle progression and increased replication stress in HGSOC cell lines independent of homologous recombination status. These events lead to sequential activation of JNK and multiple BH3-only proteins, including BCL2L11/BIM, BBC3/PUMA and the BMF, all of which are required to fully initiate RCM-induced apoptosis. Activation of the same signaling pathway occurs in HGSOC PDXs that are resistant to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors but respond to RCMs ex vivo with a decrease in cell number in 3-dimensional culture and in vivo with xenograft shrinkage or a significantly diminished growth rate. These findings identify key cell death-initiating events that link replication checkpoint inhibition to antitumor response in ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant secondary metabolism is profoundly influenced by environmental stress. Low-temperature stress can induce the production of NO and ROS. The root of Astragalus membranaceus Bge. var. mongolicus Hsiao is commonly used as a medicinal herb in Asia. This study aimed to regulate the secondary metabolism and improve the quality of cultivated A. membranaceus var. mongolicus by subjecting it to different temperatures (5, 20, and 5/20°C). The activities and gene expressions of enzymes catalyzing the synthesis of secondary metabolites, including PAL, CHS, HMGR, SQS, were determined. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and the contents of NO, superoxide radical (), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA) and five secondary metabolites were measured. Low-temperature stress of 5°C significantly increased NOS activities and NO contents, which led to a considerable surge in the levels of , H2O2, and MDA. Furthermore, the activities of SOD, CAT, and POD, increased rapidly and peaked on the 2nd and 3rd days. The gene expressions and activities of PAL, CHS, HMGR, and SQS were also markedly enhanced, which led to a substantial increase in all secondary metabolites. In the 5°C treatment group, calyculin-7-glucoside, ononin, calycosin, formononetin, and astragaloside IV were increased by 45.6, 36.6, 97.9, 123.4, and 74.9%, respectively, compared with the 20°C treatment group. Thus, low-temperature stress can significantly improve the secondary metabolism of A. membranaceus var. mongolicus, enhance the accumulation of medicinal chemical components, and augment the quality of the herb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wide band gap semiconductor Ga2O3 has become an excellent UV detection material due to its suitable band gap, high crystalline quality and thermal stability. In this paper, the microstructure of Ga2O3 with different thicknesses is characterized and the solar-blind detection performance of Ga2O3/p-Si heterojunctions are further investigated. XRD and UV–VIS demonstrate that Ga2O3 sputtered for 20 min is amorphous with a band gap of 4.98 eV, as the sputtering time increases, Ga2O3 grows along the (002) crystal plane and the band gap increases. XPS reveals that the lattice oxygen content in the Ga2O3 increases with the sputtering time, however, the Ga3+ content reaches a peak in Ga2O3 sputtered for 1.5 h. And the increasing of the binding energy between Ga-O in Ga2O3/p-Si heterojunctions accelerates response speed. Electrical experiments show that the heterojunction consisting of sputtered 1.5 h Ga2O3 and p-Si reaches a higher PDCR, with a value of 6684 at 5.7 V. Meanwhile, the rise and decay time of the heterojunction are 0.13 s and 0.14 s at 0 V, and the decay time gradually increases from 0.1 to 0.7 s with increasing the applied voltage. However, insertion of 20 nm Si-doped Ga2O3 as a hole-blocking layer at the interface of p-Si and Ga2O3 remarkably declines the decay time under various applied biases and causes no obvious damage to the photo current of the heterojunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the problem of poor data integrity in the estimation of economic loss in road traffic accidents, the estimation accuracy is not high. In order to effectively improve the performance of economic loss estimation of road traffic accidents, a method of economic loss estimation of road traffic accidents considering grey situation decision is proposed. Based on the grey situation decision theory, the key indicators of economic loss in road traffic accidents are identified, and a comprehensive and complete evaluation index system of economic loss in road traffic accidents is constructed based on the identification results. Then, according to the index system, the economic loss model of road traffic accident personnel and the indirect economic loss model of traffic accidents are constructed to fully estimate the economic loss of road traffic accidents, effectively solve the problem of poor data integrity, and achieve accurate economic loss estimation of road traffic accidents. The experimental results show that the estimation accuracy of the proposed method is always higher than 90%, which can evaluate the economic loss caused by traffic accidents more comprehensively and deeply, and provide decision support for the prevention and compensation of traffic accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer worldwide and has high heterogeneity and unsatisfactory outcomes. To better characterize the tumor progression trajectory, we perform single-cell RNA sequencing of normal tissue, precancerous tissue, early-stage, advanced-stage cancer tissue, lymph node, and recurrent tumors tissue samples. We identify the transcriptional development trajectory of malignant epithelial cells and a tumorigenic epithelial subcluster regulated by TFDP1. Furthermore, we find that the infiltration of POSTN+ fibroblasts and SPP1+ macrophages gradually increases with tumor progression; their interaction or interaction with malignant cells also gradually increase to shape the desmoplastic microenvironment and reprogram malignant cells to promote tumor progression. Additionally, we demonstrate that during lymph node metastasis, exhausted CD8+ T cells with high CXCL13 expression strongly interact with tumor cells to acquire more aggressive phenotypes of extranodal expansion. Finally, we delineate the distinct features of malignant epithelial cells in primary and recurrent tumors, providing a theoretical foundation for the precise selection of targeted therapy for tumors at different stages. In summary, the current study offers a comprehensive landscape and deep insight into epithelial and microenvironmental reprogramming throughout initiation, progression, lymph node metastasis and recurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is characterised with high heterogeneity and unfavourable prognosis. Here, the authors perform single cell transcriptomics to investigate the tumour microenvironment features of HNSCC initiation, progression, lymph node metastasis and recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper scoring rules are commonly applied to quantify the accuracy of distribution forecasts. Given an observation they assign a scalar score to each distribution forecast, with the lowest expected score attributed to the true distribution. The energy and variogram scores are two rules that have recently gained some popularity in multivariate settings because their computation does not require a forecast to have parametric density function and so they are broadly applicable. Here we conduct a simulation study to compare the discrimination ability between the energy score and three variogram scores. Compared with other studies, our simulation design is more realistic because it is supported by a historical data set containing commodity prices, currencies and interest rates, and our data generating processes include a diverse selection of models with different marginal distributions, dependence structure, and calibration windows. This facilitates a comprehensive comparison of the performance of proper scoring rules in different settings. To compare the scores we use three metrics: the mean relative score, error rate and a generalized discrimination heuristic. Overall, we find that the variogram score with parameter p = 0.5 outperforms the energy score and the other two variogram scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation of relativistic electrons into the Earth's atmosphere regulates the outer radiation belt fluxes and contributes to magnetosphere‐atmosphere coupling. One of the main drivers of such precipitation is electron scattering by whistler‐mode waves. Such waves typically originate at the equator, where they can resonate with and scatter sub‐relativistic (tens to a few hundred keV) electrons. However, they can occasionally propagate far away from the equator along field lines, reaching middle latitudes, where they can resonate with and scatter relativistic (>500 keV) electrons. Such a propagation is typical for the dayside, but statistically has not been found on the nightside where the waves are quickly damped along their propagation due to Landau damping. Here we explore two events of relativistic electron precipitation from low‐altitude observations on the nightside. Combining measurements of whistler‐mode waves from ground observatories, relativistic electron precipitation from low‐altitude satellites, total electron content maps from GPS receivers, and magnetic field and electron flux from equatorial satellites, we show wave ducting by plasma density gradients is the possible channel that allows the waves to reach middle latitudes and scatter relativistic electrons. We suggest that both whistler‐mode wave generation and ducting can be driven by equatorial mesoscale (with spatial scales of about one Earth radius) transient structures during nightside injections. We also compare these nightside events with observations of ducted waves and relativistic electron precipitation at the dayside, where wave generation and ducting are driven by ultra‐low‐frequency waves. This study demonstrates the potential importance of mesoscale transients in relativistic electron precipitation, but does not however unequivocally establish that ducted whistler‐mode waves are the primary cause of the observed electron precipitation. Key Points: We report night‐side relativistic electron precipitation associated with whistler‐mode wavesWave ducting is one possible explanation of the observed precipitating electron spectraWe examine the role of plasma injections and foreshock transients in relativistic electron losses [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global ionospheric total electron content (TEC) maps exhibit TEC intensifications and depletions of various sizes and shapes. Characterizing key features on TEC maps and understanding their dynamic coupling with external drivers can significantly benefit space weather forecasting. However, comprehensive analysis of ionospheric structuring over decades of TEC maps is currently lacking due to large data volume. We develop feature extraction software based on image processing techniques to extract TEC intensification regions, that is, contiguous regions with sufficiently elevated TEC values than surrounding areas, from global TEC maps. Applying the software to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Global Ionospheric Map data, we generate a TEC intensification data set for years 2003–2022 and carry out a statistical study on the number and strength of TEC intensifications. We find that the majority of the TEC maps (about 86%) are characterized with one or two intensification(s), while the rest of the TEC maps have three or more intensifications. Both the number and strength of TEC intensifications exhibit semi‐annual variation that peaks near equinoxes and dips near solstices, as well as an annual asymmetry with larger values around December solstice compared to June solstice. The number and strength of intensifications increase with enhanced solar extreme‐violet irradiance. The strength of intensifications also increases with elevated geomagnetic activity, but the number of intensifications does not. In addition, the number of intensifications is not correlated with the strength of intensifications. Plain Language Summary: The ionosphere is an upper atmospheric layer containing free electrons and ions. The abundance of ionospheric electrons varies from one location to another, creating electron intensification and depletion regions of various sizes and shapes. We develop feature extraction software to identify the electron intensification regions from two‐dimensional electron abundance maps and generate a data set of their strengths and locations over two decades. We conduct a statistical study of the data set and find that most maps are with one or two intensification region(s). Maps with three or more intensification regions also occur. The number of intensification regions on a TEC map is modulated by season and solar irradiance. The strength of intensification regions is modulated by season, solar irradiance, and solar activity. Our result advances the knowledge on global ionosphere structuring, which is critical for space‐borne navigation and communication. Key Points: Feature extraction software is applied to generate a total electron content (TEC) intensification data set from global TEC maps spanning 20 yearsOne or two intensification(s) are identified for 86% of the TEC maps, while rest of the TEC maps have three or more intensificationsThe occurrence and strength of TEC intensifications vary with season and solar cycle, and the strength varies with geomagnetic activity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's dynamic and complex global business landscape, effective supply chain network (SCN) management is critical for achieving competitive advantage and sustainability. This study presents an innovative methodology that leverages the fuzzy CRITIC (CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation) and EDAS (Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution) techniques to enhance the efficiency of SCNs. By integrating both quantitative and qualitative factors, the approach effectively navigates uncertainties and imprecise data in supply chain operations. The fuzzy CRITIC-EDAS method's application in a case study showcases its utility in optimizing SCN configurations for improved efficiency, cost savings, and risk reduction. The results offer a valuable decision support tool for supply chain management, promising to boost competitiveness and sustainability in an unpredictable market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small white Kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is popular in the international market, they are widely cultivated in the high and cold areas of China. However, these areas have relatively short growth period, resulting in the low yield and quality of kidney beans, which limits the development of kidney bean. Keyun1 has since played an important role in improving kidney bean production in the country since 2020 because of its high yields, good upright and wide adaptability. Methods: Keyun1 is a small grain white kidney bean cultivar that was developed by a systematic selection of excellent mutants in China in 2020. Result: The average yield of Keyun1 was 2346.26 kg/ha, 34.42% higher than that of the control cultivar (British Red) in the national joint identification test of new kidney bean cultivars of China from 2016 to 2017. In 2018, Keyun1 was included in the national joint identification and production test of new kidney bean cultivars of China, the average yield per hectare was 2076.58 kg, which is 67.99% higher than that of the control cultivar (British Red) and exploration of nitrogen application and planting density showed the best nitrogen application that is 45 kg of active ingredient nitrogen per hectare and the best planting density is 15×104 -20×104 plants/ha, the greatest yield was 3198.17 kg/ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma electrolytic saturation has become an important method to fabricate the modified layer on steel surface, by which a high hardness and good properties on steel surface can be obtained in several minutes. Especially, plasma electrolytic carburizing (PEC) can combine surface hardening of steel and fast cooling in the same electrolyte without reheating. In the present investigation, PEC behaviors of 17-4PH martensitic precipitation stainless steel were systematically studied with different process parameters. The microstructure of the carburized layer was characterized by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffractometer and x-ray photoelectron spectrometer. The hardnesses of the carburized layers were tested by Vickers hardness tester and nano indenter. The mechanical properties of the carburized layer were evaluated based on load-displacement curves of nanoindentation tests. The results show that 17-4PH stainless steel can be rapid hardened by plasma electrolytic carburizing with the thickness of 20 μm in 15 min. Hardness of the stainless steel can be increased from 360 to 634 HV0.1. The reasons for the hardness and mechanical property improvement of 17-4PH stainless steel after plasma electrolytic carburizing were analyzed based on microstructural characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorghum peduncle length is one of the key agronomic traits in sorghum production and has a critical impact on sorghum mechanization for harvesting. In this study, an F2 segregating population was constructed with significantly different long-peduncle KY133B and short-peduncle KY123B as parents, and the sorghum peduncle length gene was preliminarily located using BSA-seq technology. The association analysis was performed by ED algorithm and SNP-index (or InDel-index) algorithm, and finally the sorghum peduncle length association region was targeted on chromosome 7 and 10. In this study, the BSA-seq technique was used to rapidly and efficiently locate key genetic segments of sorghum peduncle length, which laid the foundation for subsequent functional validation and molecular studies of peduncle length genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review comprehensive observations of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave-driven energetic electron precipitation using data collected by the energetic electron detector on the Electron Losses and Fields InvestigatioN (ELFIN) mission, two polar-orbiting low-altitude spinning CubeSats, measuring 50-5000 keV electrons with good pitch-angle and energy resolution. EMIC wave-driven precipitation exhibits a distinct signature in energy-spectrograms of the precipitating-to-trapped flux ratio: peaks at >0.5 MeV which are abrupt (bursty) (lasting ∼17 s, or Δ L ∼ 0.56 ) with significant substructure (occasionally down to sub-second timescale). We attribute the bursty nature of the precipitation to the spatial extent and structuredness of the wave field at the equator. Multiple ELFIN passes over the same MLT sector allow us to study the spatial and temporal evolution of the EMIC wave - electron interaction region. Case studies employing conjugate ground-based or equatorial observations of the EMIC waves reveal that the energy of moderate and strong precipitation at ELFIN approximately agrees with theoretical expectations for cyclotron resonant interactions in a cold plasma. Using multiple years of ELFIN data uniformly distributed in local time, we assemble a statistical database of ∼50 events of strong EMIC wave-driven precipitation. Most reside at L ∼ 5 − 7 at dusk, while a smaller subset exists at L ∼ 8 − 12 at post-midnight. The energies of the peak-precipitation ratio and of the half-peak precipitation ratio (our proxy for the minimum resonance energy) exhibit an L -shell dependence in good agreement with theoretical estimates based on prior statistical observations of EMIC wave power spectra. The precipitation ratio's spectral shape for the most intense events has an exponential falloff away from the peak (i.e., on either side of ∼ 1.45 MeV). It too agrees well with quasi-linear diffusion theory based on prior statistics of wave spectra. It should be noted though that this diffusive treatment likely includes effects from nonlinear resonant interactions (especially at high energies) and nonresonant effects from sharp wave packet edges (at low energies). Sub-MeV electron precipitation observed concurrently with strong EMIC wave-driven >1 MeV precipitation has a spectral shape that is consistent with efficient pitch-angle scattering down to ∼ 200-300 keV by much less intense higher frequency EMIC waves at dusk (where such waves are most frequent). At ∼100 keV, whistler-mode chorus may be implicated in concurrent precipitation. These results confirm the critical role of EMIC waves in driving relativistic electron losses. Nonlinear effects may abound and require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) has been shown to be associated with microbiota. However, the association between SCH and oral microbiota has not yet been elucidated. The results of our previous clinical studies showed that Prevotella intermedia was abundant in the oral microbiota of SCH patients. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between SCH and oral microbiota, verify the pathogenicity of P. intermedia in SCH, and preliminarily explore the possible mechanism. The SCH mouse model with oral application of P. intermedia was established, and the variance in the mouse oral microbiota and changes in thyroid function and metabolism were detected in mice. Student's t test and analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis. Oral application of P. intermedia changed the composition of the oral microbiota of SCH mice, which enhanced the damage to the thyroid and decreased the expression of functional genes of the thyroid. Moreover, P. intermedia decreased oxygen consumption and aggravated glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in SCH mice. Glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance decreased, and the triglyceride content of the liver and inflammatory infiltration in adipose tissue increased in SCH mice after P. intermedia stimulation. Mechanistically, P. intermedia increased the proportion of CD4+ T cells in cervical lymph nodes and thyroids in SCH mice. Th1 cells were suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of SCH involving P. intermedia. In conclusion, P. intermedia aggravated SCH manifestations, including thyroid dysfunction and glucose and lipid metabolism disorders, by causing immune imbalance in mice. This study sheds new light on the pathogenesis of SCH from the perspective of oral microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately estimating property losses in road traffic accidents caused by traffic conflicts can help determine the compensation amount and clarify the responsibilities of both parties. The paper studies the estimation method of property losses in road traffic accidents under traffic conflict conditions. Firstly, collect information on property losses in road traffic accidents caused by traffic conflicts. Then, considering the indicators of vehicle loss, facility loss and cargo loss, the market value method is used to construct the loss function of accident property. Finally, using Gini impurities as the judgment indicator, a genetic algorithm is introduced to calculate the property estimation function and complete the estimation of property losses. The research results show that the estimation accuracy of this new method is 98.31%, and indicates that the new method proposed in this article has significant effectiveness in estimating accident property losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Briet. is a well-known traditional Chinese herbal medicine that has many beneficial effects such as anti-tumor, anti-fertility, blood fat-reducing, and liver-protective. The comprehensive utilization value of P. ternata is high and the development prospect is broad. However, low tuber production resulting from "sprout tumble" (ST) due to high temperature and light intensity has largely reduced its use. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the functional gene responses to high temperature and light. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is commonly used for accurately gene expression detection during gene function exploration. However, because the RT-qPCR results may vary depending on the conditions and environment, an internal reference gene (IRG) is needed to normalize the RT-qPCR data. Analyzing IRGs in P. ternata can help with subsequent functional characterization and verification of the genes regulating P. ternata growth. In this study, we screened 8 suitable IRGs, and determined the most suitable IRGs using the Ct value, GeNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper under shade and high-temperature conditions, and in different tissues. The results showed that 18S was a suitable IRG for P. ternata studies. This discovery has laid the foundation for further research on P. ternata, and is also beneficial for the exploration of more IRGs in medicinal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Older adults have the greatest burden of asthma and poorest outcomes. The pharmacogenetics of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment response is not well studied in older adults.Methods: A genome-wide association study of ICS response was performed in asthmatics of European ancestry in Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging (GERA) by fitting Cox proportional hazards regression models, followed by validation in the Mass General Brigham (MGB) Biobank and Rotterdam Study. ICS response was measured using two definitions in asthmatics on ICS treatment: (1) absence of oral corticosteroid (OCS) bursts using prescription records and (2) absence of asthma-related exacerbations using diagnosis codes. A fixed-effect meta-analysis was performed for each outcome. The validated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were functionally annotated to standard databases.Results: In 5710 subjects in GERA, 676 subjects in MGB Biobank, and 465 subjects in the Rotterdam Study, four novel SNPs on chromosome six near PTCHD4 validated across all cohorts and met genome-wide significance on meta-analysis for the OCS burst outcome. In 4541 subjects in GERA and 505 subjects in MGB Biobank, 152 SNPs with p<5 × 10-5 were validated across these two cohorts for the asthma-related exacerbation outcome. The validated SNPs included methylation and expression quantitative trait loci for CPED1, CRADD and DST for the OCS burst outcome and GM2A, SNW1, CACNA1C, DPH1, and RPS10 for the asthma-related exacerbation outcome.Conclusions: Multiple novel SNPs associated with ICS response were identified in older adult asthmatics. Several SNPs annotated to genes previously associated with asthma and other airway or allergic diseases, including PTCHD4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) has been widely grown in China and is popular in the international market. However, to decrease production costs, growers require cultivars with an upright growth pattern that enables them to be harvested directly. Longyundou 19, which was developed by the Crop Resources Institute of the Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences was released in 2020 as an upright, high-yielding black bean cultivar with resistance to anthracnose and common bacterial blight. Methods: Cross breeding is an effective way of improving common bean varieties. Longyundou 19 was developed from the Longyundou 4 (female) × Longyundou 5 (male) hybridization and the subsequent systematic selection for upright, yield, disease resistance, quality and agronomic traits over six generations. Result: The average yield of Longyundou 19 during yield trials from 2016 to 2019 was 1,888.5 kg ha-1, which was 10.3% greater than that of the check cultivar. Disease investigations conducted in fields from 2016 to 2019, indicated Longyundou 19 exhibits some resistance to anthracnose, common bacterial blight and BCMV. This new variety combined the disease resistance and black seed coat of the female parent with the upright growth pattern of the male parent, while retaining the high yield of both parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies show that some soil moisture products have a good agreement with in situ measurements on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). However, the soil moisture response to precipitation variability in different products is yet to be assessed. In this study, we focus on the soil moisture response to precipitation variability across weekly to decadal time scales in satellite observations and reanalyses. The response of soil moisture to precipitation variability differs between products, with large uncertainties observed for variations in weekly accumulated precipitation. Using June 2009 as an example, weekly mean anomalous soil moisture varies by up to 25%between products. Across decadal time scales, soil moisture trends vary spatially and across different products. In light of the soil moisture response to precipitation at different time scales, we conclude that remote sensing products developed as part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Water Cycle Multimission Observation Strategy and Soil Moisture Climate Change Initiative (CCI) projects are the most reliable, followed by the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) dataset. Even products that strongly agree with in situ observations on daily time scales, such as the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), show inconsistent soil moisture responses to decadal precipitation trends. European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECWMF) reanalysis products have a relatively poor agreement with in situ observations compared to satellite observations and land-only reanalysis datasets. Unsurprisingly, products which show a consistent soil moisture response to precipitation variability are those mostly aligned to observations or describe the physical relationship between soil moisture and precipitation well. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: We focus on soil moisture responses to precipitation across weekly to decadal time scales by using multiple satellite observations and reanalysis products. Several soil moisture products illustrate good consistency with in situ measurements in different biomes on the Tibetan Plateau, while the response to precipitation variability differs between products, with large uncertainties observed for variations in weekly accumulated precipitation. The response of soil moisture to decadal trends in boreal summer precipitation varies spatially and temporally across products. Based on the assessments of the soil moisture response to precipitation variability across different time scales, we conclude that remote sensing products developed as part of the European Space Agency’s Water Cycle Multimission Observation Strategy and Soil Moisture Climate Change Initiative (CCI) projects are the most reliable, followed by the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) dataset. Reanalysis products from ECWMF show inconsistent soil moisture responses to precipitation. The results highlight the importance of using multiple soil moisture products to understand the surface response to precipitation variability and to inform developments in soil moisture modeling and satellite retrievals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a depth‐averaged theory to investigate submarine landslides and resulting water waves. The problems here consist of a pure fluid regime and a mixture regime of grains and fluid. Both regimes separate from one another by an interface, which is a material surface for grains. While the downslope velocities of the both phases are assumed to be identical in the mixture regime, the velocity shear causes a rearrangement of grains, which induces a vertical relative motion between the phases. The established theory consists of five coupled conservation equations, which describe the evolution of the pure fluid thickness, the mixture thickness, the solids volume fraction, and depth‐averaged velocities. To handle nonconservative products emerging in the equations, a new coordinate system is introduced to rewrite the equation system in an equivalent form, so that numerical solutions are insensitive to the choice of discretization of nonconservative products, which enables us to accurately characterize the dynamic behaviors of particles in the collapse experiments of underwater particles and describe free‐surface wave profiles. It is shown that the computed results are in good agreement with the experiments reported in previous literatures. Plain Language Summary: Developing an accurate and rigorous model to describe the motion of submarine landslides and the evolution of the induced water wave remains a challenge to date. Existing models usually simplify the submarine mass as a sling box or a deformable rheological material which is unable to interpret certain fast‐moving and some slow‐moving granular flows that differ only in their compactness. In this paper, the existing models are improved by taking account of the dilatancy effects of the particles. Numerical results of underwater granular collapse show that the predictions of the temporal evolution of the thickness profiles and the final deposit morphology using the current model are in better agreement with experiments compared to the existing models. The present model also provides a better prediction in the wave profiles induced by submarine landslides, which makes the present theory very promising to investigate natural geophysical flows in the future. Key Points: A depth‐averaged model is presented, which considers excess pore fluid pressure and fluid mass transfer across the avalanche surfaceA robust numerical method is used, so that the computed solution is insensitive to the way nonconservative products are discretizedSignificant improvements in the prediction of the grain thickness profiles and the free‐surface waves are found compared with existing models [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysbiotic oral microbiota has been associated with multiple sclerosis. However, the role and mechanism of oral microbiota in the development of multiple sclerosis are still elusive. Here, we demonstrated that ligature-induced periodontitis (LIP) aggravated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice, and this was likely dependent on the expansion of T helper 17 (Th17) cells. LIP increased the splenic richness of Enterobacter sp., which was able to induce the expansion of splenic Th17 cells and aggravate EAE in mice. LIP also led to enrichment of Erysipelotrichaceae sp. in the gut and increased Th17 cells in the large intestinal lamina propria of EAE mice. Fecal microbiota transplantation from EAE mice with LIP also promoted EAE symptoms. In conclusion, periodontitis exacerbates EAE, likely through ectopic colonization of oral pathobionts and expansion of Th17 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PyRS is a Python package developed for processing remotely sensed data. It provides a user-friendly interface to handle various remote sensing tasks, including data reading, radiometric correction, image enhancement, image denoising, image segmentation, land cover classification, change detection, construction of remote sensing indices, quantitative inversion. PyRS includes a wide range of state-of-the-art algorithms and tools for processing optical data. PyRS is an open-source project that is continually updated and maintained by a group of developers. It is designed to be modular and extensible, allowing users to add new algorithms and functionality to the package. PyRS is widely used in the remote sensing community and has been applied to various applications, such as land cover mapping, crop monitoring, and disaster response. PyRS is a comprehensive and powerful Python package for processing remotely sensed data. Its user-friendly interface, broad range of functionalities, and open-source nature make it an attractive tool for researchers and practitioners in the remote sensing field. PyRS encapsulates the current mainstream remote sensing algorithms, which can greatly improve the scientific research efficiency of researchers in the field of remote sensing. The form of Python packages and the characteristics of open source make it more flexible and transparent than professional remote sensing processing software. PyRS will contribute to the progress and development of geomatics education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing data is a primary means of obtaining information about the Earth's surface, widely used in various fields such as geographic information, natural resource management, urban planning, and environmental monitoring. However, due to the large volume and high complexity of remote sensing image data obtained from satellites, drones, and other equipment, efficient processing of this data and visualization of the results have become important issues. This paper presents a Cesium-based platform for visualizing multi-source remote sensing data, aimed at contributing to urban development efforts and providing additional insights for surveying education.This platform allows users to intuitively understand the spatial distribution and dynamic changes of remote sensing data. It not only integrates different types of remote sensing data into a unified 3D scene but also allows users to interact with the data according to their needs. A Cesium-based urban visualization platform was developed to display the geographic location of a specific region in Hong Kong and provide spatial measurement functions. This platform has wider applications in surveying and mapping education, as it can incorporate more remote sensing and geospatial data, allowing for increased student-teacher interaction and helping students better understand surveying and mapping concepts.Focusing on the construction of smart cities, the platform improves spatial awareness and interactivity for urban planning and management. Moreover, the platform has great potential in surveying and mapping education, providing a more immersive learning experience for students and cultivating talents in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the physiological and ecological activities of (ginsenoside Rd, G-Rd) in ginseng seeds and seedlings. The effects of different concentrations (2, 1, 0.5, 0.25 mg L-1) of G-Rd on the growth and development of ginseng seeds into seedlings were investigated. G-Rd had an allelopathic on the germination of ginseng seeds and increased the fresh weight of ginseng seedlings, both effects increasing with increasing concentrations. After G-Rd treatment, the antioxidant enzyme activities in young ginseng roots were lower than in the control group. Regarding antioxidant enzyme activities, the SOD, POD and CAT activities were higher than in the control group at low G-Rd treatment concentrations and significantly lower after treatment at high G-Rd concentrations (P < 0.05). The MDA content increased with increasing G-Rd treatment concentration. Regarding plant hormones, a low concentration of G-Rd could increase the GA content which decreased the ABA and IAA level, while high concentrations of G-Rd decreased the GA and IAA contents and increased the ABA content in the meantime. The allelopathic of different concentrations of G-Rd on ginseng seed germination, seedling growth and plant development were different. In short, G-Rd was proved to have a significant allelopathic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) is the most widely used botanical medicine in China, an annual demand of 60 thousand tons leads to wild resources failing to meet medicinal needs and the cultivation becoming popular. The environment and the secondary metabolites of plants are closely negatively related, and the quality of cultivated herbs under better conditions reduces seriously and even fails to meet the standard of Chinese pharmacopeia. Drought is the most important factor affecting the quality of licorice. Drought was created by soaking the fresh roots of G. uralensis with polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG), the superoxide radical, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, and malondialdehyde significantly increased, indicating that the plant cells suffered oxidative damage. The superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase showed a downward trend in the 6th to 8th days, signifying that excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) can injure the antioxidase system and low ability to scavenge ROS, a characteristic of adversity stress. But the secondary metabolism was enhanced through rising the 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, and enzymes related to the secondary metabolic pathway, such as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, squalene synthase, and β-amyrin synthase, with a result in boosting biosynthesis of flavonoids and triterpenoids. With 5% PEG, the liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin apioside, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, echinatin, licochalcone B, glycyrrhizic acid, and glycyrrhetinic acid heightened by 48.3, 61.2, 35.3, 50.3, 75.9, 72.6, 60.8, 44.6, 63.8, and 55.1%, respectively, and solve the problem of the quality decline of cultivated licorice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation leads the development of technology and society, so the position of innovation and entrepreneurship training to nurture innovative talents is very important. The paper explores the 'trinity' innovation and entrepreneurship talent training model of 'promoting learning through competition, education through competition, and innovation through competition', focus on high level innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, enhance the stickiness among colleges, educators, students, and social enterprises, and enable students to participate in extracurricular academic activities that are highly consistent with the needs of the industrial market. To achieve this goal, School of Remote Sensing and Information Engineering of Wuhan University puts forward a 'remote sensing +' training model. Through the two-year practice of this model, 136 students from different schools and majors participated in the training of the 'Remote Sensing +' Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center in Wuhan University, and won three gold awards in the China's largest innovation and entrepreneurship competition. Due to the characteristics of cross-integration of remote sensing science and technology itself, it has played a supporting role in innovation education, integrating other multi-specialized knowledge, and providing more entrepreneurial and employment opportunities for students of related majors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transonic natural laminar flow (NLF) nacelle, which is a streamlined fairing used to contain a turbofan engine and mounted under the wing of civil aircraft, can reduce friction drag. Because the fluid mechanism of the interaction between an NLF nacelle and a wingbody is not clear, laminar flow at high Reynolds numbers in the transonic regime is maintained difficultly. In this work, such interaction on a civil aircraft is investigated. Three NLF nacelles with different pressure distribution characteristics and a baseline nacelle with the turbulent flow are examined. These are installed under the wing of a widebody aircraft to investigate the fluid mechanism between a natural laminar flow nacelle and wingbody. The results show that the influence of the wingbody on the fluid characteristics of the nacelle should be considered in the NLF nacelle design. A well-designed isolated NLF nacelle is different from the one that considers the effect of the wingbody. A favorable pressure gradient in the front part of the nacelle is a key factor in drag reduction. An installed NLF nacelle owning a large pressure peak with a weak favorable pressure gradient and a strong shock wave in front of the nacelle is recommended to be applied in civil aircraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The movement of sand particles on the desert is the primary mechanism resulting in the development of sandstorms. Scientists have found that the physicochemical environments of terrestrial planets can cause the surface of sand particles to form a peelable covering layer, which may shed gradually during the movement of sand particles and affect the collision process between sand particles and bed surface, and finally affect aeolian sand transport itself. However, only a few studies have investigated these microscopic physical processes and conducted quantitative analysis of the relationship between covering layer mass and its coefficient of restitution (COR) when a particle impact desert surface. In this study, we collected four types of natural sand particles from the Badain Jaran, Mu Us, and Taklimakan deserts and the shoreside of the Yellow River respectively. A hydrochloric acid solution was used to dissolve the surface‐covering layer of sand particles, and high‐speed photography was used to capture the process of particle‐bed collision. The motion characteristics of the sand particles under different covering layers were analyzed using statistical analysis, and the quantitative formula between the COR and the covering layer mass was provided. This calculation result was further incorporated into an aeolian sand transport model to evaluate the effect of the covering layer on sand flux. Considering the ubiquity of covering layer on sand particle, the methodology proposed in this study can be used to simulate sand drift on Earth, Mars, and other terrestrial planets more accurately. Plain Language Summary: Aeolian sand on Earth, Mars, and other terrestrial planets is an important process that affects substance transport, landform evolution, and climate change. The sand grains are generally considered to be composed of only a single substance, and the material property affects their collision behavior and computational accuracy when assessing the sand hazards such as sandstorms. However, recent researches show that the surfaces of sand particles on terrestrial planets have 1–10 μm thick covering layers made out of metal oxides, which are different from the internal material and could be break off due to continuous collision and consequently change the collision behavior of sand particles. In this study, we collected natural sand particles from four different study areas. Chemical reagent was used to dissolve the covering layer and high‐speed photography was used to capture the process of collision. The motion characteristics of the sand particles were analyzed and a formula was proposed to describe this complex process. We built an improved calculation method for aeolian sand transport and may be used to simulate aeolian sand on Earth, Mars, and other terrestrial planets more accurately. Key Points: The collision processes between natural sand particles in four study areas and bed surface were recordedThe quantitative formula between the coefficient of restitution and the covering layer mass was providedThe methodology proposed in this study can be used to simulate sand drift on Earth, Mars, and other terrestrial planets more accurately [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oocyte activation deficiency (OAD) remains the predominant cause of total/low fertilization rate in assisted reproductive technology. Phospholipase C zeta (PLCZ1) is the dominant sperm-specific factor responsible for triggering oocyte activation in mammals. OAD has been linked to numerous PLCZ1 abnormalities in patients experiencing failed in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles. While significant efforts have enhanced our understanding of the clinical relevance of PLCZ1, and the potential effects of genetic variants upon functionality, our ability to apply PLCZ1 in a diagnostic or therapeutic role remains limited. Artificial oocyte activation is the only option for patients experiencing OAD but lacks a reliable diagnostic approach. Immunofluorescence analysis has revealed that the levels and localization patterns of PLCZ1 within sperm can help us to indirectly diagnose a patient's ability to induce oocyte activation. Screening of the gene encoding PLCZ1 protein is also critical if we are to fully determine the extent to which genetic factors might play a role in the aberrant expression and/or localization patterns observed in infertile patients. Collectively, these findings highlight the clinical potential of PLCZ1, both as a prognostic indicator of OAD and eventually as a therapeutic agent. In this review, we focus on our understanding of the association between OAD and PLCZ1 by discussing the localization and expression of this key protein in human sperm, the potential genetic causes of OAD, and the diagnostic tools that are currently available to us to identify PLCZ1 deficiency and select patients that would benefit from targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel red phosphors Sr7Sb2O12:Eu3+ and Sr7Sb2O12:Eu3+, M+ (M = Li, Na, K) were synthesized via a high temperature solid-state method and their luminescent properties were investigated to figure out the promising application in warm white light-emitting diodes (LED). The phase structure, crystal morphology, luminescence properties, luminescence decay lifetime, thermal stability and chromaticity coordinate of the as-synthesized phosphors were investigated in detail. Sr7Sb2O12:Eu3+ could be efficiently excited by the near-ultraviolet (UV) light and exhibited bright red emission around 612 nm. When co-doped with the charge compensation M+ (M = Li, Na, K) ions, the emission intensity of Eu3+ can be enhanced to some extent. The optimal Eu3+ doping concentration was determined to be about x = 0.2 and concentration quenching mechanism in Sr7Sb2O12:Eu3+ sample was attributed to the electric dipole–dipole interaction. The temperature-dependent spectra of Sr7Sb2O12:Eu3+ implied that this sample shows good thermal-stable properties. The decay lifetime of Sr7Sb2O12:0.2Eu3+ was about 1.44 ms. Combining with the red Sr7Sb2O12:0.20Eu3+, blue BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+, yellow (Ba,Sr)2SiO4:Eu2+ phosphor and a 395 nm near-UV LED chip, a white LED with low correlated color temperature (CCT = 4260 K) and high-color rendering index (Ra = 91.8) was fabricated. The overall work suggested that Sr7Sb2O12:Eu3+ phosphor is a promising red-emitting component applied in warm white LED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The present study was the first prospective cohort evaluated the efficacy and safety of different doses of calcitriol in XLH children. The results suggested that a dose of 40 ng/kg/day calcitriol, compared with 20 ng/kg/day, was more effective in relieving the rickets, with similar safety outcomes. Further investigations were expected to set more dose groups. Introduction: Dose recommended for calcitriol in X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) varies in different studies. Therefore, we aimed to compare the efficacy as well as the safety of 20 ng/kg/d and 40 ng/kg/d calcitriol in Chinese XLH pediatrics population. Methods: A 2-year, randomized, open-label, prospective study recruited 68 XLH children, which were randomized to receive either 40 ng/kg/day or 20 ng/kg/day calcitriol. Efficacy endpoints were the total Thacher ricket severity score (RSS) change from baseline to month 12 and 24, the difference in serum TALP level, fasting serum phosphate level, body height Z-score, and frequency of dental abscess. Safety assessments were done using renal ultrasound nephrocalcinosis grades (0–4), fasting serum and 24 h urine calcium level, and the occurrence of hyperparathyroidism. Results: The decrease in the total RSS from baseline was more significant in the high-dose group at 12 (difference 0.87, p = 0.049) and 24 month (difference 1.23, p = 0.011). The serum TALP level was significantly lower in the high-dose group at 6 months. Pi level, height Z-score change, frequency of dental abscess and ratio of de novo nephrocalcinosis were comparable. A lower incidence of secondary hyperparathyroidism was seen in the high-dose group (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: For the first time in this prospective cohort, 40 ng/kg/d calcitriol was shown to be the more effective therapy in XLH children than the 20 ng/kg/d. Moreover, 40 ng/kg/d calcitriol was not associated with increasing adverse events. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT 03,820,518. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A giant negative electrocaloric (EC) effect in a PbZrO3/(0.88BaTiO3-0.12 Bi(Mg1/2,Ti1/2)O3) (PZ/(BT-BMT)) multilayered composite ferroelectric (MCFE) thin film which is grown on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO2/Si(100) substrates by the sol-gel method is investigated in this work. The negative EC effect in the PZ/(BMT-BT) MCFE thin film is greatly higher than that in the PZ AFE thin film with an adiabatic temperature change (ATC) ΔT = 1.5 K. The ATC ΔT of the PZ/(BMT-BT) MCFE thin film is -32 K under the applied electric field change ΔE = 1151 kV/cm. The result is conducive to enhance the EC refrigeration efficiency greatly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a general method to manipulate the angle of reflection from an arbitrary two-dimensional (2D) surface is proposed by applying an appropriate phase discontinuity along the arbitrary surface. Three surfaces, including plane surface, parabolic surface and circular surface are taken as instances to validate this method. The results show that angle of reflection is conducted to 6 0 ∘ for a wave incident to a plane surface at 4 5 ∘ , while 3 0 ∘ for a wave incident to the parabolic and circular surfaces normally. This kind of manipulation of acoustic waves for arbitrary reflecting surfaces opens up an avenue for reflected wavefront modulations and associated applications such as anti-sonar technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By virtue of the canonical quantization method, the Hamilton operator for the charge qubits coupled by the variable capacitor is given. Based on this system, the realization scheme of the controlled-phase-shift gate is proposed. Meanwhile the quantum entanglement phenomena exiting in the system are discussed. An interesting conclusion is obtained, i.e., if one desires to change the quantum entanglement, the coupling capacitance should be considered first, but it is also a good choice to tune symmetric and asymmetric combination of two external magnetic fluxes respectively through the two loops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling and computer study of a composite nanostructure containing a ferroelectric PVDF polymer and graphene layers were carried out in this work by molecular dynamic simulation and semiempirical quantum PM3 RHF method using the HyperChem software. It is shown here that the inclusion of graphene layers into the PVDF ferroelectric polymer increases the coercive field and decreases the polarization switching time of this composite structure. It is possible due to decrease in the damping coefficient of the Landau-Khalatnikov kinetic equation of the Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire theory for two-dimensional ferroelectrics. Heterostructures with adjustable polarization switching times can be constructed based on such approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]