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The object tracking algorithm TransT, based on Transformer, achieves significant improvements in accuracy and success rate by fusing the extracted features of convolutional neural networks with the structure of Transformer. However, when dealing with the deformation of the object's appearance, the algorithm exhibits issues such as insufficient tracking accuracy and drift, which directly affect the stability of the algorithm. In order to overcome this problem, this paper demonstrates how to expand scene information at the scale level during the fusion process and, on this basis, achieve accurate recognition and positioning. The predicted results are promptly fed back to the subsequent tracking process, from which temporal templates are embedded. Starting from both location and time can effectively improve the adaptive ability of the tracking model. In the final experimental comparison results, the algorithm proposed in this paper can adapt well to the situation of object deformation, and the overall performance of the tracking model has also been improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a state-dependent local projection model to empirically test the dynamic risk performance of cryptocurrency assets under geopolitical risk events, and to examine whether they have safe-haven properties in the face of major global external shocks. We demonstrate that the volatility of the cryptocurrency market exhibits a non-linear relationship with geopolitical risk. They are uncorrelated in normal times, but the risk of cryptocurrency market rises significantly under extreme geopolitical risk events. The cumulative impulse response pattern of volatility in the cryptocurrency market is similar to that of volatility in speculative assets such as stocks and bonds, but negatively correlated with that of volatility in safe-haven assets such as gold and the U.S. dollar. Our findings suggest that the volatility of cryptocurrencies should not be underestimated when investors consider hedging strategies under external shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vortex generators (VGs) are utilized in heating and cooling systems to enhance heat transfer efficiency for energy savings. This study investigates the thermo-hydraulic performance of using the rectangular vortex generators (RVG) and the sinusoidal vortex generator (SVG) with and without holes on the annular side of a double-pipe heat exchanger (DPHE) for turbulent regimes. The numerical analysis is conducted for different angles of attack (α) (15°, 45°, and 75°) and spacings between VGs (60, 100, and 300 mm). By comparing the heat transfer behavior for a given α, the RVG cases present a higher heat transfer when compared to the SVG cases, with an exception for the 15° case. The configuration with a low α and slight curvature augments flow velocities and vortex strength, thereby enhancing heat transfer efficiency. Moreover, the 15° SVGs-hole case demonstrates a higher Nusselt number compared to the no-hole case. Adding holes in the VG significantly reduces the pressure drop for the 45° and 75° cases, while it remains the same at the 15° case. Additionally, the 75° RVG case yields the highest Nusselt number among the studied cases, with an enhancement of 42.4% when compared to the smooth pipe at the Reynolds number of 5,711. The best performance evaluation criterion (PEC) is achieved by the 15° SVGs-hole case. When the effect of different spacings is examined, the spacing of 60 mm provides the highest PEC of 1.22. In short, the present study provides valuable insights for optimizing VG design and enhancing overall system performance in DPHEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a frequent chronic condition among the elderly, which increasing their susceptibility to infection. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most prevalent infections among older people with T2DM. However, the association between geriatric T2DM and the risk of UTI has not been thoroughly researched and is still contentious. Consequently, this protocol describes a systematic review to pinpoint the primary risk factors for UTI among elderly T2DM. Our goal is to improve recommendations for the creation of targeted treatment interventions by examining risk factors for UTI in elderly individuals with T2DM. Methods and analysis: We will search 4 English literature databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) and 3 major Chinese databases (CNKI, WanFang, and VIP) from the establishment of the database to June 20, 2024. Systematic evaluation and meta-analysis will be conducted on cohort and case-control studies exploring the occurrence and risk determinants of UTI in individuals diagnosed with T2DM. The main focus will be on identifying the risk factors for UTI in elderly diabetic patients. Two researchers will independently review articles, collect data, and evaluate the quality and potential bias of study inclusion. We will use RevMan V.5.4 software to analyze the data. The quality of the included studies will be assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. In addition, the GRADE (Grade of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, Evaluation) method will be used to examine the quality of evidence for each exposure and outcome of interest. Discussion: This study aims to illuminate the various risk factors associated with UTI in older patients diagnosed with T2DM. By this thorough investigation, we hope to provide a more comprehensive reference for medical professionals and researchers, thereby supporting the implementation of effective preventive strategies against UTI and improving overall nursing outcomes for this specific patient population. Trail registration: PROSPERO (CRD42024559129). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic disorder leading to frequent bleeding in several organs. As HHT diagnosis is demanding and depends on clinical criteria, liquid biopsy would be beneficial. Exosomes from biofluids are nano-sized vesicles for intercellular communication. Their cargo and characteristics represent biomarkers for many diseases. Here, exosomes of HHT patients were examined regarding their biosignature. Methods: Exosomes were isolated from the plasma of 20 HHT patients and 17 healthy donors (HDs). The total exosomal protein was quantified, and specific proteins were analyzed using Western blot and antibody arrays. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) co-incubated with exosomes were functionally examined via immunofluorescence, proliferation, and scratch assay. Results: The levels of the angiogenesis-regulating protein Thrombospondin-1 were significantly higher in HHT compared to HD exosomes. Among HHT, but not HD exosomes, a negative correlation between total exosomal protein and soluble Endoglin (sENG) levels was found. Other exosomal proteins (ALK1, ALK5) and the particle concentration significantly correlated with disease severity parameters (total consultations/interventions, epistaxis severity score) in HHT patients. Functionally, HUVECs were able to internalize both HD and HHT exosomes, inducing a similar change in the F-Actin structure and a reduction in migration and proliferation. Conclusions: This study provided first insights into the protein cargo and function of HHT-derived exosomes. The data indicate changes in sENG secretion via exosomes and reveal exosomal Thrombospondin-1 as a potential biomarker for HHT. Several exosomal characteristics were pointed out as potential liquid biomarkers for disease severity, revealing a possible new way of diagnosis and prognosis of HHT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Yolk sac tumor (YST) is a highly malignant germ cell tumor, a majority of which originate from the gonads and are extremely rare from endometrium. Case presentation: Here we present a case of a 42-year-old woman suffered from primary pure yolk sac tumor of the endometrium complicated with situs inversus totalis. The patient presented at our hospital with irregular vaginal bleeding. Imageological examination showed a space-occupying lesion in the cervix and the serum Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level was significantly high (more than 1210ng/ml). Then she underwent total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection. The subsequent postoperative pathological diagnosis was yolk sac tumor arising from the endometrium. Next, the patient was treated with 6 cycles of chemotherapy with Pingyangmycin, etoposide and cisplatin regimen and was alive without evidence of recurrence or distant metastases for 13 months. Conclusions: This rare disease needs to be differentiated from endometrial epithelial neoplasia and the significant increase in AFP is helpful for diagnosis. Combined with previous literature reports, comprehensive staging laparotomy or maximum cytoreductive surgery complemented by standard chemotherapy can usually achieve a good efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhamnolipids, simply divided into mono‐rhamnolipids and di‐rhamnolipids, their physicochemical properties are structure‐dependent. This study explored to increase the proportion of di‐rhamnolipids biosynthesized from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and evaluate the relationship between activity and di‐rhamnolipids proportions. P. aeruginosa SGrhlC was constructed by increasing the rhlC gene in P. aeruginosa SG. HPLC‐MS results indicated that SGrhlC produced more di‐rhamnolipids (62.32%) than that of the wild‐type strain SG (45.24%). Both the species and proportion of di‐rhamnolipids were increased, mainly Rha‐Rha‐C8‐C10 and Rha‐Rha‐C10‐C10. The rhamnolipids produced by SGrhlC was thermostable and salt‐tolerant. The SGrhlC rhamnolipids decreased surface tension of water to 27.0 mN/m with a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 50 mg/L and emulsified crude oil with an emulsification index of 66.9 ± 1.5%. The SGrhlC rhamnolipids exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Cladosporium sp. with IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) values less than 15 mg/L, and washed 73.02% ± 1.77% of oil from petroleum‐contaminated soil. Physicochemical activities of three bacterial rhamnolipids varied with their di‐rhamnolipids proportions. Results indicated that the higher proportions of di‐rhamnolipids were, the lower CMC, better surface activity and higher washing oil rate were, while the weaker emulsifying activity and lower antimicrobial activity were. The SGrhlC rhamnolipids showed better surface activity and a lower critical micelle concentration, which was superior for wetting, foaming, desorbing and dispersing. This study revealed that P. aeruginosa can be genetically regulated to biosynthesize rhamnolipids with specific structure. Perspectives of the customized biosynthesis and applications of rhamnolipids were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of tremella polysaccharides on the gel properties and antioxidant activity of yak skin gelatin with a view to improving the quality of collagen jellies. The preparation of composite gels were performed by yak skin gelatin (66.7 mg mL−1) and tremella polysaccharides with different concentrations (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 mg mL−1), and finally the collagen jelly was prepared by composite gel (yak skin gelatin: 66.7 mg mL−1; tremella polysaccharides:6 mg mL−1) with the best performance. RESULTS: Tremella polysaccharides not only improved the hardness, springiness, gel strength, water holding capacity and melting temperature of yak skin gelatin, but also enhanced the composite gel's scavenging activity against ABTS radicals, DPPH radicals, O2 and OH radicals. The filling of tremella polysaccharides into the gelatin network increased the number of crosslinking sites inside the gel, which resulted in the gel network structure becoming dense and orderly. The gel particles became finer and more uniform, and the thermal stability was improved. Furthermore, the sensory score of commercially available gelatin jelly decreased more rapidly during storage compared to the composite gel jelly. CONCLUSION: The gel properties and antioxidant activity of yak skin gelatin were improved by adding tremella polysaccharides, and then the quality and storage properties of the jelly were improved, which also provided technical reference for the development of functional gel food. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Herein, we investigated the correlation between urinary calcium excretion (UCaE) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: From August 2018 to January 2023, a total of 2031 T2DM patients providing 24-h urine samples were included in the final analyses. Patients were separated into four cohorts, based on the UCaE quartiles. We then analyzed renal functional indicators like estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin excretion (UAE) among the four groups. Lastly, we utilized multivariable logistic regression models to investigate the correlation between UCaE and CKD. Results: After adjusting for confounding factors, we observed a decreasing trend in CKD prevalence (36.3%, 13.0%, 7.5%, and 6.6%, respectively, P < 0.001) across the UCaE quartiles. Albuminuria (55.5% vs. 40.0%, 36.5%, 37.4%) and macroalbuminuria prevalence (20.0% vs. 9.3%, 5.2%, 5.7%) in the lowest quartile were markedly elevated, compared to the remaining three quartiles (P < 0.001). Meanwhile, the eGFR level (P < 0.001) showed a clearly increasing trend across the UCaE quartiles, and patients with moderate-to-severe decreases in eGFR levels (with cutoff limits at 30–59, 15–30, and < 15 mL/min/1.73m2) were mostly found in the lowest quartile (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that patients in the lowest quartile experienced an enhanced prevalence of CKD, relative to those in the highest quartile (odds ratio: 5.90, 95% confidence interval: 3.60–9.67, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Decreased UCaE was independently associated with the CKD prevalence in T2DM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the findings of a study on moyamoya disease (MMD), a condition characterized by the occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery and the formation of collateral vessels. The study focuses on the differential protein metabolism among different subtypes of MMD and the role of WNT4 (wingless‐type MMTV integration site family member 4) in causing cellular impairments by reducing microtubule stability. The researchers used proteomic profiling and in vitro experiments to identify the differences in protein metabolism and explore the potential mechanisms of haemorrhagic MMD. The study suggests that overexpression of WNT4 may lead to decreased stability of cellular microtubules, which could contribute to the rupture and hemorrhage of moyamoya vessels. These findings provide new insights into the biomarkers and mechanisms of haemorrhagic MMD. [Extracted from the article]

Induced shock waves significantly influence cavitation evolution and load characteristics, offering a feasible means to control cavitation. However, the complex coupling mechanism between shock waves and cavitation remains to be fully elucidated. This study uses numerical simulations to investigate the effects of shock wave characteristics on cavitation dynamics and load characteristics under free field, near-rigid wall, and near-elastic–plastic wall conditions. Results show that the increased shock wave intensity accelerates cavitation collapses, increases collapse loads, and enhances the peak velocities of collapsing water jets, exacerbating damage to elastic–plastic structures. Reflection waves from rigid walls enhance the nonlinear characteristics of the cavitation collapses, leading to different collapse modes. Elastic–plastic thin walls, with limited reflection capability, exert a weaker influence on the dynamics of primary cavitation collapses but significantly alter the evolution of secondary collapses and their load intensities. The study provides a fitting formula for the relationship between burst distance, peak jet velocity, and corresponding time, which predicts the parameters of water jets from cavitation collapses within a specific range. These findings deepen the understanding of the interactions between cavitation and induced shock waves, significantly aiding in controlling and utilizing cavitation effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creative tools on content platforms significantly increase content quantity by reducing entry barriers. However, tools such as TikTok video templates primarily facilitate the production of relatively lower‐quality content, negatively impacting content quality due to creative limitations and style uniformity. Why do some platforms develop these tools while others do not? We develop a game‐theoretic model with monopoly and duopoly scenarios to investigate platform investment decisions concerning these special tools. We find that a platform is only incentivized to invest in facilitating low‐quality content production when the entry barrier is low. Additionally, the investment level may not decrease as users increasingly value high‐quality content. In the duopoly case, platforms may adopt differentiated strategies to mitigate direct competition, especially when users substantially value high‐quality content compared with low‐quality content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a numerical model of the cable cabin of a comprehensive pipe gallery was established to study the smoke flow diffusion behaviour of a comprehensive pipe gallery fire under a rectangular cross-section. The effects of fire source power (Q = 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 MW) and fire source location (D = 10, 20, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100 m) on the smoke flow characteristics—such as smoke layer height and thickness, longitudinal airflow velocity, and ceiling temperature distribution—were analysed, and the corresponding prediction model was fitted. The results show the following: (1) The height of the smoke layer decreases with increasing fire power, and the predictive model of the smoke layer thickness obtained from the fitting is proportional to the smoke mass flow rate and inversely proportional to the aspect ratio of the pipe gallery. (2) Longitudinal air velocity prediction models of D < 50 m and D ≥ 50 m are fitted, and the average error between them and the numerical simulation values is 9.611%. (3) The temperature decay gradient of the smoke decreases gradually with increasing distance from the fire source, while there is a significant temperature difference between the two sides of the fire source. The average relative errors of the dimensionless temperature rise models fitted upstream and downstream of the fire source in the form of Δ T T 0 = A e B D − X H + C exponentials with respect to the numerical simulations were 11.688% and 7.296%, respectively. The results of the study can provide a reference for smoke flow and fire prevention and control in comprehensive pipe galleries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-solid-state lithium-metal batteries (ASSLMBs) are widely considered as the ultimately advanced lithium batteries owing to their improved energy density and enhanced safety features. Among various solid electrolytes, sulfide solid electrolyte (SSE) Li6PS5Cl has garnered significant attention. However, its application is limited by its poor cyclability and low critical current density (CCD). In this study, we introduce a novel approach to enhance the performance of Li6PS5Cl by doping it with fluorine, using lithium fluoride nanoparticles (LiFs) as the doping precursor. The F-doped electrolyte Li6PS5Cl-0.2LiF(nano) shows a doubled CCD, from 0.5 to 1.0 mA/cm2 without compromising the ionic conductivity; in fact, conductivity is enhanced from 2.82 to 3.30 mS/cm, contrary to the typical performance decline seen in conventionally doped Li6PS5Cl electrolytes. In symmetric Li|SSE|Li cells, the lifetime of Li6PS5Cl-0.2LiF(nano) is 4 times longer than that of Li6PS5Cl, achieving 1500 h vs. 371 h under a charging/discharging current density of 0.2 mA/cm2. In Li|SSE|LiNbO3@NCM721 full cells, which are tested under a cycling rate of 0.1 C at 30 °C, the lifetime of Li6PS5Cl-0.2LiF(nano) is four times that of Li6PS5Cl, reaching 100 cycles vs. 26 cycles. Therefore, the doping of nano-LiF offers a promising approach to developing high-performance Li6PS5Cl for ASSLMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to clarify the nutrient allocation strategies of Cunninghamia lanceolata (CL) and Schima superba (SS) and their differences in N uptake and utilization under acidic stress and heterogeneous allocation of N. One-year-old seedlings of CL and SS were cultured in sands with three pH levels (pH rate 4.5, 5.5, and 6.5) and five different N form ratios (NH4+-N to NO3−-N ratios 10:0, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7, and 0:10) in the greenhouse. The C, N, and P contents and C:N:P stoichiometry in leaves, total biomass, and NH4+-N and NO3−-N contents in the cultivation substrate were analyzed after 160 days. At the pH rate of 4.5, the N contents of CL and SS significantly decreased. However, the N contents of SS increased at the pH rate of 5.5. At the pH rate of 5.5, the N content of CL and SS increased under the cultivation substrate, with ratios of 10:0 and 7:3, and 3:7 and 0:10, respectively. The N content of CL was significantly positively correlated with its P content. The C:P ratios of CL and SS were significantly positively correlated with their C:N ratios and N:P ratios. Under the same treatment, the differences in C:N:P stoichiometry were more significant between CL and SS at the pH rate of 5.5. The NH4+-N content of the cultivation substrate in CL and SS was higher than the NO3−-N content. At the ratio of 7:3, the C:N stoichiometric ratio of CL and C:N:P stoichiometric ratio of SS were negatively correlated with total biomass. At the pH rate of 5.5, cultivation environments with high NH4+-N and NO3−-N amount respectively increased the N content of CL and SS. The CL is susceptible to N limitation, and SS is susceptible to N and P limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate characterization of typhoon wind profile properties is of great importance in the field of wind engineering and wind design of high-rise structures. In this paper, the average typhoon wind profile characteristics are investigated using the 930 m height measurement data of Typhoon Lekima 2019 obtained from the observations of the mobile acoustic profiling radar deployed in the coastal area. Specifically, this paper adopts a cohesive hierarchical cluster analysis method to classify the mean wind profiles of Super Typhoon Lekima 2019, and the optimal number of clusters is obtained as two classes by the profile coefficient with the sum of squares of clustering errors, the Calinski–Harabasz index, and the Davies–Bouldin index, and the two classes of typical wind profiles are named as cluster 1 type and cluster 2 type. The model fitting analysis of the two types of typical wind profiles was carried out in the height range of 0~300 m after classification, and the effects of fitting the cluster 1-type mean wind profiles with the Vickery model and the Snaiki and Wu model and the cluster 2-type mean wind profiles with the Power-law model, the Log-law model, and the Deaves–Harris and Gryning models were discussed. The results show that the cohesive hierarchical cluster analysis method used in this paper can effectively categorize the mean typhoon profiles. In addition, this paper has some reference significance for future research on the characteristics of measured typhoon wind profiles and engineering applications such as the wind-resistant design of high-rise structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many cities in coastal areas are prone to typhoon disasters due to their location on the Pacific storm path, and the direct effect of catastrophic winds can lead to the destruction of low-rise buildings and severe damage to high-rise structures. The purpose of this study was to enhance the understanding of boundary layer wind profiles of strong typhoons in coastal areas and reduce property losses and casualties caused by wind disasters. Based on the field measurements of wind profile acoustic radar in coastal areas, the variation characteristics of the boundary layer wind profile during the passage of super typhoon Lekima were first studied in depth, and the evolution law of the typhoon boundary layer profile was summarized. Then, the effects of typhoon horizontal structure, topography, wind speed, and time distance on the characteristics of the typhoon profile were discussed, respectively. Finally, the evolution characteristics of wind profile parameters were obtained by fitting three wind profile theoretical models. Due to the strong variability of typhoon profile morphology, the theoretical model of wind profile is only applicable to the wind profile from the bottom to the low-level jet height of typhoons, while wind parameters are closely related to the spatial location of the typhoon wind field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time-varying temperature distributions on bridge structures may remarkably change structural performance, which may result in differential strain/stress responses on structural members compared with the design conditions. Therefore, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of temperature distributions and its effects on bridges. In this study, taking advantage of structural health monitoring technology, 1-year field monitoring data collected from a long-span suspension bridge were used to investigate the temperature distributions and their effects on the steel box girder. Specifically, the distributions and probability statistics of temperatures on the top and bottom plates were firstly analyzed. Based on which, the transverse and vertical temperature differences on the box girder were further examined, moreover, the representative values of temperature differences for various return periods were calculated by exceedance probability method. At end, a temperature prediction method was proposed to simulated the temperature field distributions during bridge life cycle, to provide substantial temperature data for estimating future operation condition. The results of this study were beneficial to structural evaluation of in-service bridges to ensure their serviceability and integrity in the life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a "solo-solvent de novo liquid-phase" method of synthesizing a highly-favored sulfide electrolyte (Li6PS5Cl) for developing all-solid-state lithium batteries. The key chemistry for such a successful method is that tetrahydropyrrole enables in situ synthesis of the critical precursor Li2S from cheap and air-stable precursors of lithium chloride and sodium sulfide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of solid activators to prepare alkali-activated materials (AAM) holds great potential for on-site applications, as it eliminates the need to transport and store large quantities of concentrated alkaline solutions. This study compared the early-age properties and efflorescence between alkali-activated slag/fly ash (AASF) using solid and liquid sodium silicates as activators. The results revealed that AASF with solid sodium silicates exhibited comparable mechanical strength while possessing reduced initial setting time and flowability. All AASF mixtures were susceptible to efflorescence and carbonation, resulting in varying mineralogical compositions of carbonation products: Vaterite was detected in AASF with solid activators, while aragonite and pirssonite were identified in AASF with liquid activators containing 4 and 6 wt.% Na2O, respectively. The efflorescence of AASF exposed to bottom water was more severe than those exposed to natural conditions, as evidenced by the decalcification of reaction products, migration of alkalis, and formation of crystalline carbonates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate atmospheric correction (AC) is one fundamental and essential step for successful ocean colour remote-sensing applications. Currently, most ACs and the associated ocean colour remote-sensing applications are restricted to solar zenith angles (SZAs) lower than 70°. The ACs under high SZAs present degraded accuracy or even failure problems, rendering the satellite retrievals of water quality parameters more challenging. Additionally, the complexity of the bio-optical properties of the coastal waters and the presence of complex aerosols add to the difficulty of AC. To address this challenge, this study proposed an AC algorithm based on extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) for optically complex waters under high SZAs. The algorithm presented in this research has been developed using pairs of Geostationary Ocean Colour Imager (GOCI) high-quality noontime remote-sensing reflectance (Rrs) and the Rayleigh-corrected reflectance (ρrc) derived from the Ocean Colour–Simultaneous Marine and Aerosol Retrieval Tool (OC-SMART) in the morning (08:55 LT) and at dusk (15:55 LT). The algorithm was further examined using the daily GOCI images acquired in the morning and at dusk, and the hourly (total suspended sediment) TSS concentration was also obtained based on the atmospherically corrected GOCI data. The results showed that: (i) the model produced an accurate fitting performance (R2 ≥ 0.90, RMSD ≤ 0.0034 sr−1); (ii) the model had a high validation accuracy with an independent dataset (R2 = 0.92–0.97, MAPD = 8.2–26.81% and quality assurance (QA) score = 0.9–1); and (iii) the model successfully retrieved more valid Rrs for GOCI images under high SZAs and enhanced the accuracy and coverage of TSS mapping. This algorithm has great potential to be applied to AC for optically complex waters under high SZAs, thus increasing the frequency of available observations in a day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNAs (CircRNA) are a special type of non-coding RNA molecule with a closed ring structure and are not affected by RNA exonucases. It has stable expression, is not easy to degrade, and exists in most eukaryotes. However, circRNA regulation of cow mastitis has not been widely recognized. Mammary epithelial tissues were collected from healthy Holstein cows (HCN) and mastitis Holstein cows (HCU). RNA sequencing (RNA SEQ) was performed for the differentially expressed circRNAs, and analysis results showed that 19 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified in HCN and HCU, among which 6 circRNAs were up-regulated and 13 circRNAs were down-regulated. We randomly selected nine circRNAs for Q-PCR verification, and the results showed consistent expression. Three circRNAs: circRNA2860, circRNA5323 and circRNA4027 were confirmed to be significantly differentially expressed circRNAs in cow mastitis. Also, their host genes TRPS1, SLC12A2 and MYH11 might be directly or indirectly play a role in cow mastitis. Furthermore, RNA polymerase transcription factor binding and tight junction are most enriched in GO and KEGG pathways, respectively. In addition, the regulatory network of circRNA-miRNA has been inferred from a bioinformatics perspective, which may help to understand the underlying molecular mechanism of circRNAs involved in regulating mastitis in cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study on moyamoya disease (MMD), a rare cerebrovascular condition characterized by narrowing of the intracranial internal carotid arteries. The study aims to identify specific metabolomic changes and biomarkers that can distinguish between different subtypes of MMD for clinical diagnosis. The researchers used metabolomics analysis to identify differential metabolite features in patients with MMD compared to healthy controls. They found that LPC 16:1-2, a type of lipid, was significantly lower in patients with ischaemic MMD and could potentially serve as a biomarker for this subtype. Additionally, the study explored the effects of LPC supplementation on cell viability and angiogenesis in MMD. The findings suggest that LPC supplementation may have therapeutic potential for managing MMD. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, a total of 1140 Liaoning Cashmere Goats (LCG) were genotyped for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of NFKBIA gene. There are 15 SNPs and 7 genotypes have been found, and G1547A (GG) genotype has been associated with cashmere fineness and cashmere yield. An integrated ceRNA regulatory network of NFKBIA gene was made. To prove NFKBIA and these non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) may be related to cashmere fineness, we performed qPCR on these ncRNA in LCG coarse type skin (CT-LCG) and LCG fine type skin (FT-LCG). The result of qPCR showed lncRNA XLOC_011060 and ciRNA452 are at high expression level in CT-LCG, all miRNAs appear high expressed in FT-LCG, and mir-93 was the most significant difference between CT-LCG and FT-LCG. In addition, five miRNAs were selected for qPCR in different genotypes. The qPCR results showed that mir-93 might negatively regulate cashmere fineness and mir-17-5p may play a positive role in regulating cashmere fineness of individuals with G1355A (AG) genotype. These results demonstrated that NFKBIA gene is associated with cashmere fineness of LCG and G1547A (GG) genotype is the preferred marker genotype for cashmere fineness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LncRNA (long non-coding RNA) is an RNA molecule with a length between 200 and 100,000 nt. It does not encode proteins and is involved in a variety of intracellular processes, becoming a research hotspot of genetics. To identify key lncRNAs associated with dairy mastitis, we collected mammary epithelial tissue samples of Normal disease-free Holstein cows (HCN) and unhealthy Holstein cows with Staphylococcus aureus (HCU) and performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on the samples. A total of 270 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 500 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified by high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Furthermore, Hydrolase activity is the most enriched in GO, and ErbB signaling pathway is significantly enriched in KEGG. In addition, through qPCR validation of 5 candidate lncRNAs in HCN and HCU, four differentially expressed lncRNAs MSTRG.498, MSTRG57.1, MSTRG.41.1 and MSTRG 124.1 were confirmed to have significant differentially expressed in cow mastitis. Also, lncRNA MSTRG.498 and its target gene, SMC4, might directly or indirectly play a role in cow mastitis. The regulatory network of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA has been inferred from a bioinformatics perspective, which may assist understand the underlying molecular mechanism of lncRNAs involved in regulating mastitis in cows. Our findings will provide meaningful resources for further research on the regulatory function of lncRNAs in cow mastitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of aging degradation on the safety performance of typical 2,4‐dinitroanisole (DNAN)‐based melt‐cast explosives (MCEs) were studied. An in‐house‐designed low‐velocity impact device and a closed bomb were used to study the effects of aging on the fragmentation and reactivity of DNAN‐based MCEs under impact damage. The test results showed that after artificially accelerated aging of the bare grain, the mass decreased, volume increased, and compressive strength increased, resulting in physical defects such as cracks and debonding occurring inside the explosive. The degree of damage to the DNAN‐based melt‐cast explosive increased with an increase in the impact velocity. Artificial aging increases the degree of damage and impact sensitivity of explosives. The relationship between the degree of fragmentation and the impact velocity under different aging times was revealed through the frangibility factor (FFE) and dynamic activity (L). The microcracks formed by DNAN sublimation and aging significantly affected the sample reaction violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates thermal performance enhancement by utilizing vortex generators (VGs). VGs come in many designs, and this paper proposes optimizations for the sinusoidal vortex generator (SVG) when used in an annular conduit to improve heat transfer with minimal pressure drop. Two vital parameters of the SVG are analyzed, namely, blockage ratios (BRs) (0.1 and 0.2) and attack angles (α) (0–90°). The investigated fluid regime is turbulent, with the Reynolds number (Re) ranging from 5973 to 11,947. Three rows of SVGs are fitted on the surface of the inner pipe, where constant heat flux is applied, while the outer pipe wall is entirely insulated. The results indicate that the highest Nusselt number is enhanced by 20.4% over the smooth pipe when the case with BR = 0.2 and α = 90° is used at Re = 5973. However, the friction factor increases by 56.5% for the same case. Two types of transverse vortices are identified, where one type has its rotational axis normal to the inner pipe surface, and the other has its rotational axis parallel to the inner pipe surface. Those vortices with the axis perpendicular to the pipe surface merge with the fluid above the SVG to develop longitudinal vortices in different BRs and α. The case with BR = 0.2 and α = 15° yields the greatest average performance evaluation criterion (PEC) compared to other tested cases with a value of 1.054. This study finds that SVGs can contribute to a more efficient annular pipe-based heat transfer system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hallmark of heart failure is a metabolic switch away from fatty acids β-oxidation (FAO) to glycolysis. Here, we show that succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) is required for maintenance of myocardial homeostasis of FAO/glycolysis. Mice with cardiomyocyte-restricted deletion of subunit b or c of SDH developed a dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Hypertrophied hearts displayed a decrease in FAO, while glucose uptake and glycolysis were augmented, which was reversed by enforcing FAO fuels via a high-fat diet, which also improved heart failure of mutant mice. SDH-deficient hearts exhibited an increase in genome-wide DNA methylation associated with accumulation of succinate, a metabolite known to inhibit DNA demethylases, resulting in changes of myocardial transcriptomic landscape. Succinate induced DNA hypermethylation and depressed the expression of FAO genes in myocardium, leading to imbalanced FAO/glycolysis. Inhibition of succinate by α-ketoglutarate restored transcriptional profiles and metabolic disorders in SDH-deficient cardiomyocytes. Thus, our findings reveal the essential role for SDH in metabolic remodeling of failing hearts, and highlight the potential of therapeutic strategies to prevent cardiac dysfunction in the setting of SDH deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is possible to manage the forest ecosystem and promote sustainable development by keeping track of spatio-temporal fluctuation in the forest area and its ecosystem service value (ESV). The forest ecology of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Ganzi Prefecture), which is located in the northern Hengduan Mountains region, i.e., China's most important ecological functional area, has seen significant alteration during the past 20 years. However, little is known about how the forest and its ESV evolve. We obtained data regarding Ganzi Prefecture's forests using visual interpretation of remote sensing images derived from 1997, 2007, and 2017, and we evaluated the spatial–temporal changes in the forest ESV from 1997 to 2017 using global value coefficients and adjusted local value coefficients. The results revealed that (1) from 1997 to 2017, the forest area of Ganzi Prefecture increased by 6729.95 km2, and the forest growth rate was 336.50 km2/a, while (2) from 1997 to 2017, the forest ESV in Ganzi Prefecture experienced an overall increase of 257.59 × 108 yuan. The primary driver of the forest ESV increase was the implementation of forestry ecological engineering and protection policies. (3) Finally, the spatial distribution of the forest ESV revealed that the forest ESV density increased during this period, with the most significant increase occurring in Yajiang. The forest ESV was scattered with the highest density in Yajiang and the lowest density in Shiqu. This study emphasizes how crucial forest ecosystems are to Ganzi Prefecture's mechanisms for maintaining life. It provided a scientific basis for the sustainable management of the forest ecosystem in the Hengduan Mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With methyl orange, Congo red, rhodamine B, methyl violet and methylene blue as the research objects, the accuracy of spectrophotometry in determining the dye concentration of two-component and three-component solutions with different ratios was evaluated. The experimental results showed that when the interference among dyes was small, the measurement errors of two-component and three-component solutions were less than 5 and 10%, respectively. Meanwhile, multicomponent spectrophotometry was applied to a degradation experiment of β-FeOOH to test its catalytic degradation performance in the mixed solution of methyl orange and Congo red. The results showed that in the case of single components, the degradation rate of methyl orange and Congo red with β-FeOOH was 44.64 and 71.95% (4 h), respectively, while in the mixed solution, it was 29.54 and 80.17% (4 h), respectively. The significance of this work is to evaluate the accuracy of multicomponent spectrophotometry and provide a low-cost as well as a rapid method for evaluating the multicomponent catalytic ability of photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are some problems with image super-resolution techniques, such as insufficient utilization of image features in different layers and lack high frequency information resulting in blurred texture edges in reconstructed images. A new method for the image super-resolution reconstruction of Widely Activated Network Fused Perceptual Loss (P-WAN) is proposed, which can improve the usage of image features from different layers. The method uses a pre-training model to extract features before activation to obtain the perceptual loss, meanwhile, draws on the adversarial loss in the adversarial generation network, and combines the pixel loss of the image to form a new loss function. Finally, we optimize the loss function by adjusting the weights of the three loss terms. Based on this research, a Widely Activated Network Based on Discrete Wavelet Transform and Fused Perceptual Loss (DP-WAN) is further proposed, which can reconstruct better high frequency information and higher quality texture edges. The method mainly adds the discrete wavelet transform on the basis of P-WAN, trains the different components obtained by the transform separately, and finally reconstructs the super-resolution image through the inverse discrete wavelet transform. To validate the feasibility and effectiveness, 4 representative methods are selected to test on 5 datasets. Experimental results have shown that the proposed method achieves the best performance in objective evaluation, and can obtain a good visual experience in subjective visual evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic and progressive cerebrovascular stenosis or occlusive disease that occurs near Willis blood vessels. The aim of this study was to investigate the mutation of DIAPH1 in Asian population, and to compare the angiographic features of MMD patients with and without the mutation of the DIAPH1 gene. Blood samples of 50 patients with MMD were collected, and DIAPH1 gene mutation was detected. The angiographic involvement of the posterior cerebral artery was compared between the mutant group and the non-mutant group. The independent risk factors of posterior cerebral artery involvement were determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. DIAPH1 gene mutation was detected in 9 (18%) of 50 patients, including 7 synonymous mutations and 2 missense mutations. However, the incidence of posterior cerebral artery involvement in mutation positive group was very higher than that in mutation negative group (77.8% versus 12%; p = 0.001). There is an association between DIAPH1 mutation and PCA involvement (odds ratio 29.483, 95% confidence interval 3.920–221.736; p = 0.001). DIAPH1 gene mutation is not a major genetic risk gene for Asian patients with moyamoya disease but may play an important role in the involvement of posterior cerebral artery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Dual modification of collagen was performed using ionic liquid (IL) and ultrasound (US) to modulate the activity of collagen hydrolyzed peptides and reveal the production mechanism of cowhide‐derived dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP‐IV) inhibitory peptides. RESULTS: The results revealed that dual modification (IL + US) significantly improved the hydrolytic degree of collagen (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, IL and US tended to promote the break of hydrogen bonds, but inhibit the crosslinking between collagens. The double modification reduced the thermal stability and accelerated the exposure of tyrosine and phenylalanine of collagen, and improved the proportion of small molecular (< 1 kDa) peptides in collagen hydrolysates. Interestingly, the hydrophobic amino acid residues and DPP‐IV inhibitory activity of collagen peptides with small molecular weight (< 1 kDa) was increased further under the combination of IL and US. CONCLUSION: Enhanced hypoglycemic activity of collagen peptides can be attained through the dual modification of IL and US. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association of exosomal RNA profiling and pathogenesis of moyamoya disease (MMD) and intracranial Atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is unknown. In this study, we investigated the RNA profiles of sEV (small extracellular vesicles)/exosomes in patients with MMD and ICAD. Whole blood samples were collected from 30 individuals, including 10 patients with MMD, 10 patients with ICAD, and 10 healthy individuals. Whole transcriptome analysis was performed using the GeneChip WT Pico Reagent kit. Transcriptional correlation was verified using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The association between functional dysregulation and candidate RNAs was studied in vitro. In total, 1,486 downregulated and 2,405 upregulated RNAs differed significantly between patients with MMD and healthy controls. Differential expression of six circRNAs was detected using qPCR. Among these significantly differentially expressed RNAs, IPO11 and PRMT1 circRNAs were upregulated, whereas CACNA1F circRNA was downregulated. This is the first study showing that the differential expression of exosomal RNAs associated with MMD pathogenesis, such as overexpression of IPO11 and PRMT1 circRNAs, may be related to angiogenesis in MMD. The downregulation of CACNA1F circRNA may be related to vascular occlusion. These results propose the utility of exosomal RNAs as biological markers in MMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The near-trench coseismic rupture behaviour of the 2011 Tohoku–Oki earthquake remains poorly understood due to the scarcity of near-field observations. Differential bathymetry offers a unique approach to studying offshore coseismic seafloor deformation but has a limited horizontal resolution. Here we use differential bathymetry estimates with improved horizontal resolutions to investigate near-trench coseismic slip behaviours in the 2011 Tohoku–Oki earthquake. In the main rupture region, a velocity-strengthening behaviour in the shallow fault is observed. By contrast, the seafloor uplift decreases towards the trench, but the trend inverts near the backstop interface outcrop, revealing significant off-fault deformation features. Amongst various competing off-fault effects observed, we suggest that inelastic deformation plays a predominant role in near-trench tsunami excitation. Large trench-bleaching rupture is also observed immediately north of 39°, delimiting the northern extent of the main rupture region. Overall, striking spatial heterogeneity of the shallow rupture behaviour is revealed for the region. Striking spatial heterogeneity of the shallow rupture behaviour is revealed for the near-trench region in the 2011 Tohoku–Oki earthquake. Significant off-fault deformation is suggested to play a predominant role in near-trench tsunami excitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of non-coding RNAs, can interact with miRNAs through a sequence-driven sponge mechanism, thereby regulating the expression of their downstream target genes. CircRNA-1967 was found in secondary hair follicles (SHFs) of cashmere goats, but its functions are not clear. Here, we showed that both circRNA-1967 and its host gene BNC2 had significantly higher expression in SHF bulge at anagen than those at telogen of cashmere goats. Also, circRNA-1967 participates in the differentiation of SHF stem cells (SHF-SCs) into hair follicle lineage in cashmere goats. RNA pull-down assay verified that circRNA-1967 interacts with miR-93-3p. We also indicated that circRNA-1967 promoted LEF1 expression in SHF-SCs of cashmere goats. By dual-luciferase reporter analysis, we found that circRNA-1967 up-regulated LEF1 expression through the miR-93-3p-mediated pathway. The results from this study demonstrated that circRNA-1967 participated in the differentiation of goat SHF-SCs into hair follicle lineage by sponging miR-93-3p to enhance LEF1 expression. Our founding might constitute a novel pathway for revealing the potential mechanism of the differentiation of SHF-SCs into hair follicle lineage in cashmere goats. Also, these results provided a valuable basis for further enhancing the intrinsic regeneration of cashmere goat SHFs with the formation and growth of cashmere fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The q-rung orthopair fuzzy set is an extension of fuzzy set, whose remarkable characteristic is that the sum of q power of membership degree, non-membership degree and hesitation degree is equal to 1. Inequalities on q-rung orthopair fuzzy set are of importance in theory of uncertainty. In this paper, firstly, some q-rung orthopair fuzzy inequalities are constructed based on the equality in definition. Then, their inequalities are proved by well-known inequalities, including Rearrangement, Mean, Chebyshev, Nesbitt, Power-Mean, Cauchy, Carlson, Wei-Wei dual, Hölder, Minkowski, Jensen, Tangent, Schur, Muirhead, Vasc or their mix forms. Finally, we derive other q-rung orthopair fuzzy inequalities based on some existing operations, which provides a new basis for the q-rung orthopair fuzzy inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacillus pumilus is widely used as a biocontrol agent. To further develop the biological control potential of B. pumilus LYMC-3 against pine blight, a statistical experimental design was used to optimize a liquid medium using low-cost substrates to improve its antagonistic activity against Sphaeropsis sapinea. Through the plate antagonism test and greenhouse control effect test, this study determines the antifungal effect of strain LYMC-3 against S. sapinea and pine blight. Moreover, response surface optimization methodologies were used to systematically optimize the medium composition and culture conditions of the LYMC-3 strain. The plate antagonism test showed that the inhibition rate of LYMC-3 fermentation filtrate (diluted 5-fold) was 66.09%. The greenhouse control effect test showed that the control effect of its fermentation filtrate on shoot blight reached 89.99%. The response surface optimization test ultimately determined that a higher inhibition rate can be achieved under these conditions: the optimal medium components were 7.2 g/L glucose, 15 g/L peptone, and 7.1 g/L magnesium sulfate; the optimal culture conditions were 52% liquid volume, 28 °C culture temperature, an initial pH of 7, and 1% bacterial inoculation volume. Under the optimized system, the five-fold diluted LYMC-3 fermentation filtrate inhibition rate against S. sapinea was 81.23%, which was 15.84% higher than that before optimization. Meanwhile, optimize the selection of lower-cost and more commonly used glucose instead of beef paste as the carbon source for the culture medium, and choose cheaper magnesium sulfate instead of sodium chloride as the nitrogen source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most frequent internal modification of mRNA and lncRNA in eukaryotes. We used two high-throughput sequencing method, m6A-seq and RNA-seq to identify pivotal m6A-modified genes in cashmere fineness and fiber growth. 8062 m6A peaks were detected by m6A-seq, including 2157 upregulated and 6445 downregulated. Furthermore, by comparing m6A-modified genes of the male Liaoning Cashmere Goat (M-LCG) and female Liaoning Cashmere Goat (F-LCG) skin tissues, we get 862 differentially expressed m6A-modified genes. To identify differently expressed m6A genes associated with cashmere fineness, 11 genes were selected for validation using real time fluorescent quantitative PCR in M-LCG and F-LCG. This study provides an acadamic basis on the molecular regulation mechanism of m6A modification in cashmere growth process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop productivity depends on nitrogen fertilization, but plants take up only an average of 30–50% of the applied nitrogen. Developing rice cultivars with improved nitrogen use efficiency or low-nitrogen (LN) tolerance is critical for sustainable agriculture. In this study, a backcross introgression line (G9) with 15 introgressed regions from donor parent and its recurrent parent Shuhui 527 (G1), which are differentially responsive to LN stress, were used to investigate the mechanism mediating rice LN tolerance at the flowering stage based on metabolome and transcriptome profiles. Three genes (LOC_Os02g40010, LOC_Os11g25260 and LOC_Os11g47300) involved in purine metabolism, which are located in the introgressed regions, were detected with significantly higher expression levels in G9 than in G1 under LN stress, and the contents of two relative metabolites (uric acid and guanine) were significantly different between the two genotypes. Additionally, two genes (LOC_Os02g36880 and LOC_Os08g05830) located in the introgressed regions and relative metabolites (3-phosphoglyceric acid and sedoheptulose 7-phosphate) involved in glycosis and pentose phosphate pathway are differentially expressed between G9 and G1. In addition to the two nitrogen metabolism-related genes (OsLHT1 and OsACR9) located in the introgressed regions, 23 differentially expressed genes mainly involved in nitrogen metabolism were identified between genotypes or treatments. With the comprehensive analysis of transcriptomes and metabolomes, our results reveal that the active purine metabolism may be the main factor contributing to LN tolerance in rice at the flowering stage, and also provide five new candidate genes for improving LN tolerance during the molecular breeding of rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare-earth elements have been widely used in the field of functional materials, but their effects on the cold-stamping formability of high-strength automotive steels have rarely been studied. In this paper, the effect of the trace rare-earth element Ce on the microstructure and properties of cold-rolled medium manganese steel after ART (austenite-reverted transformation, ART) annealing was studied. The microstructure of the experimental steel was observed using SEM, and the mechanical properties were tested using a universal tensile testing machine. The volume fraction of the retained austenite and the texture of the steel were measured using XRD. The results showed that the original austenite grain size of the experimental steel was smaller after adding the trace rare-earth element Ce. After ART annealing, the grain size distribution of the experimental steel with rare-earth Ce was more uniform, and the comprehensive mechanical properties were better. Under the conditions of quenching at 800 °C for 5 min and annealing at 645 °C for 15 min, the maximum product of tensile strength and elongation was 28.47 GPa·%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We employ the state-dependent local projection method to identify the dynamic risk aggravation effects on Treasury market volatilities and risk spillovers under both local and global COVID-19 pandemic shocks. We find that emerging markets suffer more instability as risk receivers during the pandemic. Local pandemic shock sharpens the risk spillover mainly in the short run, especially when global risk is high, while global pandemic shock aggravates spillover in the medium run led by economic depression expectations. The results are not only helpful to encourage governments to deepen cooperation in combating the pandemic but also alert authorities to pay more attention to imported financial risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inorganic nitrogen (N) that can be absorbed and utilized by plants is mainly ammonium N (NH4+-N) and nitrate N (NO3−-N), which may affect seedlings' root morphology and growth through its heterogeneous distribution. Root morphology and seedling growth were investigated in a subtropical major conifer (Cunninghamia lanceolata) and a broadleaf tree species (Schima superba) under five different NH4+-N to NO3−-N ratios (10:0, 0:10, 7:3, 3:7, 5:5). Results: (1) While both species developed thinner roots under the treatment with a high NO3−-N concentration, the roots of C. lanceolata were longer than those of S. superba. In contrast, the roots of both species were thicker under the treatment with a high NH4+-N concentration, with those in S. superba being much longer than those in C. lanceolata. (2) The mixed NH4+-N and NO3−-N treatments were more conducive to the aboveground growth and biomass accumulation of both tree species and the underground growth of S. superba. N sources with high NO3−-N concentrations were more suitable for underground growth in C. lanceolata seedlings and aboveground growth in S. superba seedlings. Under the N sources with high NH4+-N concentrations, C. lanceolata tended to develop aboveground parts and S. superba tended to develop underground parts. (3) The roots of the two tree species adopted the expansion strategy of increasing the specific root length and reducing the root tissue density under the N sources with high NO3−-N concentrations but the opposite with high NH4+-N concentrations. The root-to-shoot ratio of C. lanceolata increased under high NO3−-N concentrations, while that of S. superba increased under high NO3−-N concentrations. These results indicate that the responses of root morphology to different N forms are species-specific. Furthermore, according to the soil's N status, NH4+-N can be appropriately applied to C. lanceolata and NO3−-N to S. superba for cultivating seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the distribution dynamics of invasive alien species can help in the early detection of and rapid response to these invasive species in newly invaded sites. Ageratina adenophora, a worldwide invasive plant, has spread rapidly since its invasion in China in the 1940s, causing serious damage to the local socioeconomic and ecological environment. To better control the spread of this invasive plant, we used the MaxEnt model and ArcGIS based on field survey data and online databases to simulate and predict the spatial and temporal distribution patterns and risk areas for the spread of this species in China, and thus examined the key factors responsible for this weed's spread. The results showed that the risk areas for the invasion of A. adenophora in the current period were 18.394° N–33.653° N and 91.099° E–121.756° E, mainly in the tropical and subtropical regions of China, and densely distributed along rivers and well-developed roads. The high-risk areas are mainly located in the basins of the Lancang, Jinsha, Yalong, and Anning Rivers. With global climate change, the trend of continued invasion of A. adenophora is more evident, with further expansion of the dispersal zone towards the northeast and coastal areas in all climatic scenarios, and a slight contraction in the Yunnan–Guizhou plateau. Temperature, precipitation, altitude, and human activity are key factors in shaping the distribution pattern of A. adenophora. This weed prefers to grow in warm and precipitation-rich environments such as plains, hills, and mountains; in addition, increasing human activities provide more opportunities for its invasion, and well-developed water systems and roads can facilitate its spread. Measures should be taken to prevent its spread into these risk areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The method described in this paper has been applied to the wind pressure determination of building structure design in 44 streets and 85 townships in Taizhou, and the results have been included in the guidelines of the Housing and Urban—Rural Development Bureau of Taizhou. The basic wind pressure or the reference wind pressure for structural design varies greatly across complex terrain. Since only a few meteorological stations can provide adequate extreme wind speed records, it is very difficult to appropriately determine the basic wind pressure for a specific site without a long history of meteorological records. To solve this problem, a mesoscale CFD model was developed and optimized based on geographic information data for Taizhou and suitable turbulence models were selected for CFD simulation. The mean extreme wind speed and the corresponding direction at five main weather stations with long observation histories in Taizhou were used as the verification conditions to perform the CFD simulation of the extreme wind field. The maximum wind speeds of the rural areas, cities, and streets of Taizhou were obtained from the results of the mesoscale CFD simulations. Then, the 50-year return period reference wind pressures were calculated and could be used for the wind-resistant structural design of buildings for sites without a long history of meteorological records. The reliability of the results was verified by comparing the simulation results with the observation data at five main stations with a long history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The antioxidant peptide was produced from hydrolysis with Bacillus subtilis proteases supplemented with different duration of ultrasound, and the hydrolysis and structural characteristics of yak skin gelatin (YSG) were characterised. Compared with the excessive ultrasonic treatment (10–40 min), the YSG produced by moderate ultrasonic treatment (5 min) had a higher degree of hydrolysis and the DPPH free radical scavenging ability, and ABTS free radical scavenging activity of the hydrolysate was increased. The results showed that ultrasound for 5 min significantly weakened hydrogen bonds and promoted the exposure of hydrophobic groups, resulting in the loosening of collagen structure. Appropriate ultrasonic treatment obviously changed the gelatin structure, as the changes in the decrease of glass transition temperature, the reduction of particle size and the destruction of the surface morphology. These findings showed that moderate ultrasound (5 min) could modify the structure of YSG and, therefore, has great potential in the production of antioxidant peptides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variation of the raw materials is critical for the wide application of alkali-activated fly ash/slag (AAFS) in practice. In this study, four fly ashes sourced from different power plants were collected and analyzed. The calcium content in fly ash had insignificant impact on setting time, flowability and compressive strength of AAFS binders when the slag content was 50%. Low calcium content in fly ash promotes the formation of C-(N)A-S-H gel with high Al substitution and improves the compressive strength at later age. It seemed that the grinding process promoted the dissolution of reactive SiO2 in fly ash, resulting in reduced setting and flowability. The replacement of silica fume promotes the formation of Si-rich C-(N)A-S-H gel with reduced gel pore size. The replacement of metakaolin accelerated the initial reaction and increased the compressive strength of binders at early age due to the reduced gel pore size in C-(N)A-S-H gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on wind field data measured during the landfall of Typhoon Jangmi in Wenzhou in 2008, this study analyzes wind field characteristics, including wind speed, wind direction, probability density, turbulence intensity, gust factor, peak factor, power spectrum, turbulence integral scale, coherence, and the autocorrelation coefficient of Typhoon Jangmi. Results showed that the wind field characteristics for the east and west measuring points were basically the same and followed an approximately similar pattern. The probability density of fluctuating wind tends to obey a Gaussian distribution. The turbulence intensity gradually decreases with increasing 10 min averaged wind speed, but the reduction rate gradually drops. The turbulence intensity is affected by the change in a time interval because turbulence intensity decreases as the time interval increases. With an increase in the 10 min average wind speed and time interval, the gust factor decreases. The peak factor decreases, though insignificantly, with increasing mean wind speed, and the distribution of peak factors is greatly scattered. The variation in the peak factor with time is in good agreement with the Durst curve. The gust factor increases as the turbulence intensity increases and is in line with the empirical curves of Ishizaki, Choi, and Cao. The power spectra of the fluctuating wind speed of Typhoon Jangmi in all directions agree well with Von Karman's empirical spectrum. The turbulence integral scale increases slightly with increasing average wind speed, and the distribution is relatively scattered. The coherence of the fluctuating wind speed components matches the exponential function proposed by Davenport, and the autocorrelation coefficient decreases as τ increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]