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Cadmium (Cd) is a naturally occurring element often associated with lead (Pb) in the Earth's crust, particularly in karst regions, posing significant safety hazards for locally grown rice. Identifying the key factors controlling Cd and Pb content in local rice is essential under the natural soil condition, as this will provide a crucial theoretical foundation for implementing security intervention measures within the local rice-growing industry. This study collected three types of paddy field soils with varying Cd concentrations from karst areas for pot experiments. The rice varieties tested included a low-Cd-accumulating variety, a high-Cd-accumulating variety, and a locally cultivated variety. Soil physicochemical properties and plant physiological indices were monitored throughout the rice growth stages. These data were used to construct a segmented regression model of Cd and Pb levels in rice grains based on the plant's metabolic pathways and the structure of polynomial regression equations. Stepwise regression identified the key factors controlling Cd and Pb accumulation in rice grains. In conclusion, the key factors controlling Cd and Pb levels in rice grains should be classified into two categories: (i) factors influencing accumulation in roots and (ii) factors regulating transport from roots to grains. The aboveground translocation abilities for Cd, Pb, zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) in soil among the three rice varieties showed no significant interspecific differences under identical soil conditions. Soil Mg uptake by rice roots may represent a key mechanism for inhibiting soil Cd uptake by rice roots. In karst areas with high background soil Cd, increased soil organic matter (SOM) levels enhance Pb bioavailability. Additionally, the rice YXY may possess a potential for low Cd accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of path planning for autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to cope with the influence of obstacles and eddies in complex marine environments, a path planning method based on an improved salp swarm algorithm (ISSA) is proposed. Firstly, the motion model of the AUV and eddy current model are constructed, including the relationship between position, velocity, attitude, and control inputs. Secondly, the improved SSA is proposed, which introduces the Levy flight strategy to enhance the algorithm's optimization seeking ability and adds a nonlinear convergence factor to enhance the convergence ability of the algorithm. The stability and robustness of the improved algorithm are verified by test functions. Finally, the ISSA is applied to AUV path planning, which optimizes the AUV travel distance, improves the search efficiency and accuracy, and avoids the local optimum of the algorithm. The ISSA enhances the adaptive ability and robustness of the algorithm by introducing a dynamic adjustment strategy and feedback mechanism. Experimental verification is carried out using a simulated marine environment. The results show that the ISSA is better than the traditional algorithm in terms of path length as well as algorithm stability, and can effectively improve the navigation performance of AUV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Angiogenesis is essential for various physiological and pathological processes, such as embryonic development and cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play pivotal roles in normal homeostasis and disease processes by regulating gene expression through various mechanisms, including competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) of target microRNAs (miRNAs). The lncRNA MYU is known to promote prostate cancer proliferation via the miR-184/c-Myc regulatory axis and to be upregulated in vascular endothelial cells under hypoxic conditions, which often occurs in solid tumors. In the present study, we investigated whether MYU might affect cancer growth by regulating angiogenesis in vascular endothelial cells under hypoxia. Methods: The expression of MYU-regulated miR-23a-3p and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in HUVEC cell lines was examined using qRT-PCR. The CCK-8 assay, EdU assay, wound-healing assay, and tube-formation assay were used to assess the effects of MYU on cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation of HUVEC cells in vitro. The dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to examine the effects of miR-23a-3p on MYU and IL-8 expression. Results: We found that the overexpression of MYU and knockdown of miR-23a-3p in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under hypoxia promoted cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation. Mechanistically, MYU was shown to bind competitively to miR-23a-3p, thereby preventing miR-23a-3p binding to the 3′ untranslated region of IL-8 mRNA. In turn, increased production of pro-angiogenic IL-8 promoted HUVEC proliferation, migration, and tube formation under hypoxia. Conclusion: This study identified a new role for lncRNA MYU as a ceRNA for miR-23a-3p and uncovered a novel MYU–miR-23a-3p–IL-8 regulatory axis for angiogenesis. MYU and/or miR-23a-3p may thus represent new targets for the treatment of hypoxia-related diseases by promoting angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internode length is a crucial phenotypic trait of bamboo, significantly impacting its processing and utilization. Phyllostachys edulis 'Tubaeformis' (Shengyin Bamboo), a variety of Moso bamboo, exhibits drastically shortened internodes, making it a valuable ornamental bamboo species. We used PacBio single-molecule long-read sequencing and second-generation sequencing to identify genome-wide alternative splicing (AS) events in Moso bamboo and its dwarf mutant, Shengyin bamboo, and compared the differences between the two. Our sequencing data unveiled 139,539 AS events, with retained introns as the most prevalent events. A large number of genes were differentially alternatively spliced (DAS) between Moso bamboo and Shengyin bamboo, and genes related to RNA splicing were most significantly enriched. The high expression of SR isoforms in the 24th internode of Moso bamboo is likely the main factor leading to its greater number of alternative splicing events. Alternative splicing affects the functional domains of partial GRF, E2F, and NAM isoforms, leading to the loss of domains in some isoforms and enabling some isoforms to acquire new functional domains, and this phenomenon is more common in Shengyin bamboo. AS modifies the functional domains of certain GRF isoforms, frequently resulting in domain losses or endowing isoforms with novel domains, and this phenomenon is more common in Shengyin bamboo. We used PacBio single-molecule long-read sequencing and second-generation sequencing to identify genome-wide alternative splicing (AS) events in Moso bamboo and its dwarf mutant, Shengyin Bamboo and compared the differences between the two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) plays key roles in promoting the transition from the anagen to catagen during the hair follicle cycle. The sheep serves as an excellent model for studying hair growth and is frequently utilized in various research processes related to human skin diseases. We used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate four FGF5-edited Dorper sheep and only low levels of FGF5 were detected in the edited sheep. The density of fine wool in GE sheep was markedly increased, and the proportion of fine wool with a diameter of 14.4–20.0 μm was significantly higher. The proliferation signal in the skin of gene-edited (GE) sheep was stronger than in wild-type (WT) sheep. FGF5 editing decreased cortisol concentration in the skin, further activated the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and regulated the expression of Wnt signaling pathways containing Wnt agonists (Rspondins, Rspos) and antagonists (Notum) in hair regeneration. We suggest that FGF5 not only mediates the activation of antioxidant pathways by cortisol, which constitutes a highly coordinated microenvironment in hair follicle cells, but also influences key signals of the Wnt pathway to regulate secondary hair follicle (SHF) development. Overall, our findings here demonstrate that FGF5 plays a significant role in regulating SHF growth in sheep and potentially serves as a molecular marker of fine wool growth in sheep breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates a class of multi-agent systems (MASs) with known dynamics external disturbances, where the communication graph is directed, and the followers have undirected connections. To eliminate the impacts of external disturbance, the technologies of disturbance observer-based control are introduced into the containment control problems. Additionally, to save communication costs and energy consumption, a distributed disturbance observer-based event-triggered controller is employed to achieve containment control and reject disturbance. Furthermore, designing the event-triggered function using an exponential function is beneficial for a time-dependent term while ensuring the exclusion of Zeno behavior. Finally, a numerical simulation is provided to validate the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin inflammation and immune regulation have been suggested to be associated with allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) progression, but whether the system's immune regulation is a cause or a potential mechanism is still unknown. This study aims to assess the upstream and downstream of systemic immune factors on ACD within a bidirectional Mendelian-randomization design. A bidirectional two-sample MR analysis was employed to implement the results from genome-wide association studies for 52 system immune factors and ACD. Genetic associations with systemic immune factors and ACD were obtained from the IEU Open GWAS project database. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was adopted as the primary MR analysis, MR-Egger, weighted median, MR-pleiotropy residual sum, and outlier (MR-PRESSO) was also used as the sensitivity analyses. Only Tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 11 (TNFS11) from among 52 systemic immune factors was associated with a protective effect of ACD. However, ACD was associated with a decrease in Interleukin-9 (IL9) and an increase in C-X-C motif chemokine 1 (GROα), Tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 10 (TRAIL), C4, and complement factor B of the assessed systemic immune factors. This study identified TNFS11 as the upstream regulator and IL9, GROα, TRAIL, C4, and complement factor B as the downstream regulator of ACD, providing opportunities for new therapeutic exploitation of ACD. Nonetheless, these associations of systemic immune factors need to be verified in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), caused by PRRS virus (PRRSV) infection, has been a serious threat to the pork industry worldwide and continues to bring significant economic loss. Current vaccination strategies offer limited protection against PRRSV transmission, highlighting the urgent need for novel antiviral approaches. In the present study, we reported for the first time that betulonic acid (BA), a widely available pentacyclic triterpenoids throughout the plant kingdom, exhibited potent inhibition on PRRSV infections in both Marc-145 cells and primary porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs), with IC50 values ranging from 3.3 µM to 3.7 µM against three different type-2 PRRSV strains. Mechanistically, we showed that PRRSV replication relies on energy supply from cellular ATP production, and BA inhibits PRRSV infection by reducing cellular ATP production. Our findings indicate that controlling host ATP production could be a potential strategy to combat PRRSV infections, and that BA might be a promising therapeutic agent against PRRSV epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacogenomic analysis based on drug transcriptome characteristics is widely used to identify mechanisms of action. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanism of protective effect against adriamycin (ADM)-induced mpc5 cell injury of Chinese cordyceps aqueous extracts (WCCs) by a systematic transcriptomic analysis. The phytochemicals of WCCs were analyzed via the "phenol–sulfuric acid method", high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and HPLC–mass spectrometry (MS). We analyzed the drug-reaction transcriptome profiles of mpc5 cell after treating them with WCCs. RNA-seq analysis revealed that WCCs alleviated ADM-induced mpc5 cell injury via restoring the expression of certain genes to normal level mainly in the one-carbon pool by the folate pathway, followed by the relaxin, apelin, PI3K-Akt, and nucleotide-binding, oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling pathway, enhancing DNA synthesis and repair, cell proliferation, fibrosis reduction, and immune regulation. Otherwise, WCCs also modulated the proliferation and survival of the mpc5 cell by regulating metabolic pathways, and partially restores the expression of genes related to human disease pathways. These findings provide an innovative understanding of the molecular mechanism of the protective effect of WCCs on ADM-induced mpc5 cell injury at the molecular transcription level, and Mthfd2, Dhfr, Atf4, Creb5, Apln, and Serpine1, etc., may be potential novel targets for treating nephrotic syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) alloys generally exhibit extraordinary service performance under severe conditions through the formation of ultrafine nano oxides. Y2Ti2O7 has been characterized as the major strengthening oxide in Fe-based ODS alloys. First-principles energetic analyses were performed to investigate the structural, elastic and interface properties of Y2Ti2O7 in either Fe-based or Ni-based ODS alloys. Y2Ti2O7 has comparable elastic constants to bcc-Fe and fcc-Ni and similar elastic deformation compatibility in Y2Ti2O7-strengthened Fe-based and Ni-based ODS alloys is therefore expected. The Ni/oxide interface has generally better thermostability than Fe/oxide across the whole range of the concerned oxygen chemical potential. Further interface bonding and adhesion calculations revealed that Y2Ti2O7 can enhance the bonding strength of Ni/Y2Ti2O7 through d-d orbital interaction between the interfacial YTi layer and Ni layer, while the interface bonding between the Fe layer and YTi layer is weakened compared to the metal matrix. First-principles calculations suggest that Y2Ti2O7 can be a candidate for strengthening nano-oxides in either Fe-based or Ni-based ODS alloys with well-behaved mechanical properties for fourth-generation fission reactors and further experimental validations are encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networks have become integral to daily life, allowing users to connect and share information. The efficient analysis of social networks benefits fields such as epidemiology, information dissemination, marketing, and sentiment analysis. However, the direct publishing of social networks is vulnerable to privacy attacks such as typical 1-neighborhood attacks. This attack can infer the sensitive information of private users using users' relationships and identities. To defend against these attacks, the k-anonymity scheme is a widely used method for protecting user privacy by ensuring that each user is indistinguishable from at least k − 1 other users. However, this approach requires extensive modifications that compromise the utility of the anonymized graph. In addition, it applies uniform privacy protection, ignoring users' different privacy preferences. To address the above challenges, this paper proposes an anonymity scheme called TC α -PIA (Tree Clustering and α -Partial Isomorphism Anonymization). Specifically, TC α -PIA first constructs a similarity tree to capture subgraph feature information at different levels using a novel clustering method. Then, it extracts the different privacy requirements of each user based on the node cluster. Using the privacy requirements, it employs an α -partial isomorphism-based graph structure anonymization method to achieve personalized privacy requirements for each user. Extensive experiments on four public datasets show that TC α -PIA outperforms other alternatives in balancing graph privacy and utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoters are powerful tools for breeding new varieties using transgenic technology. However, the low and unstable expression of target genes is still a limiting factor in Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr (Japanese larch) genetic transformation. In this study, we analyzed L. kaempferi transcriptome data, screened out highly expressed genes, cloned their promoters, and constructed plant expression vectors containing the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene driven by these promoters. Recombinant vectors were introduced into the L. kaempferi embryogenic callus by means of the Agrobacterium-mediated transient or stable genetic transformation method, and the promoter activity was then determined by measuring GUS expression and its enzyme activity in the transformed materials. Four highly expressed genes were identified: L. kaempferi Zhang Chen Yi-1 (LaZCY-1), Zhang Chen Yi-2 (LaZCY-2), Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (LaTCTP), and ubiquitin (LaUBQ). The 2000 bp fragments upstream of ATG in these sequences were cloned as promoters and named pLaZCY-1, pLaZCY-2, pLaTCTP, and pLaUBQ. Semi-quantitative and quantitative RT-PCR analyses of transient genetic transformation materials showed that all four promoters could drive GUS expression, indicating that they have promoter activities. Semi-quantitative and quantitative RT-PCR analyses and the histochemical staining of stable genetic transformation materials showed that the pLaUBQ promoter had higher activity than the other three L. kaempferi promoters and the CaMV35S promoter. Thus, the pLaUBQ promoter was suggested to be used in larch genetic transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In northwest China, changes in cultivation patterns and the scarcity of preferred hosts have forced Helicoverpa armigera to feed on the marginal host walnut (Juglans regia). However, the mechanisms allowing this adaptation remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the behavioral, physiological, and molecular mechanisms underlying the local adaptation of this pest to walnut fruits. The green husk and shell generally contained higher levels of phytochemicals than the kernel. Bioassays revealed that the phytochemical-rich green husk and shell were less preferred, reduced larval fitness and growth, and elevated the activity of detoxification enzymes compared to the nutrient-rich kernel, which were further supported by a larger number of upregulated detoxification genes in insects fed green husks or shells based on transcriptome sequencing. Together, these data suggest that P450 genes (LOC110371778) may be crucial to H. armigera adaptation to the phytochemicals of walnuts. Our findings provide significant insight into the adaptation of H. armigera to walnut, an alternative host of lower quality. Meanwhile, our study provides a theoretical basis for managing resistance to H. armigera larvae in walnut trees and is instrumental in developing comprehensive integrated pest management strategies for this pest in walnut orchards and other agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclocarya paliurus tea, also known as "sweet tea", an herbal tea with Cyclocarya paliurus leaves as raw material, is famous for its unique nutritional benefits and flavor. However, due to the unique "bittersweet" of Cyclocarya paliurus tea, it is still unable to fully satisfy consumers' high-quality taste experience and satisfaction. Therefore, this study aimed to explore metabolites in Cyclocarya paliurus leaves during their growth period, particularly composition and variation of sweet and bitter taste compounds, by combining multi-platform metabolomics analysis with an electronic tongue system and molecular docking simulation technology. The results indicated that there were significant differences in the contents of total phenols, flavonoids, polysaccharides, and saponins in C. paliurus leaves in different growing months. A total of 575 secondary metabolites were identified as potential active metabolites related to sweet/bitter taste using nontargeted metabolomics based on UHPLC-MS/MS analysis. Moreover, molecular docking technology was utilized to study interactions between the candidate metabolites and the sweet receptors T1R2/T1R3 and the bitter receptors T2R4/T2R14. Six key compounds with high sweetness and low bitterness were successfully identified by using computational simulation analysis, including cis-anethole, gluconic acid, beta-D-Sedoheptulose, asparagine, proline, and citrulline, which may serve as candidates for taste modification in Cyclocarya paliurus leaves. These findings provide a new perspective for understanding the sweet and bitter taste characteristics that contribute to the distinctive sensory quality of Cyclocarya paliurus leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Endometritis is a prevalent disease in perinatal dairy cows, which leads to compromised reproductive function. Studies have confirmed that A20, also known as TNFAIP3, can regulate inflammatory responses in various cells. However, it remains unclear whether A20 regulates the inflammatory response of bovine endometrial cells and if autophagy plays a role in A20's regulation of inflammatory responses. In this paper, we show that elevated expression of A20 is linked to the progression of endometritis in dairy cows. A20 inhibited the activation of the NF-κB pathway and the mRNA expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines in LPS-induced bovine endometrial epithelial cells. Moreover, it enhanced autophagic activity in the bovine endometrial epithelial cells inhibited by LPS. Our study further showed that A20 mitigated the inflammatory response of bovine endometrial epithelial cells by promoting autophagy. These findings will enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis and provide novel insights for the prevention and treatment of endometritis in dairy cows. Endometritis represents a prevalent condition in perinatal dairy cows. Bovine endometrial epithelial cells (BEECs), as the primary interface between cavity and the external environment, are particularly vulnerable to infection by pathogenic bacteria following parturition. A20 is essential for regulating inflammation and modulating immune responses. Nevertheless, the exact role of A20 in the BEECs in response to inflammatory response is not fully understood. An endometritis model infected by Escherichia coli (E. coli) in vivo and a BEECs inflammation model induced with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro were built to investigate the function and governing mechanisms of A20 in endometritis. The results showed that infection with E. coli resulted in endometrial damage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and upregulation of inflammatory factors in dairy cows. Furthermore, A20 expression was upregulated in the endometrium of cows with endometritis and in BEECs following LPS stimulation. A20 overexpression attenuated the level of proinflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated BEECs; conversely, A20 knockdown lead to an exacerbated response to LPS stimulation. The overexpression of A20 was shown to activate autophagy and suppress the NF-κB signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated BEECs. However, blocking autophagy with chloroquine notably attenuated the anti-inflammatory effect of A20, leading to the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. In summary, the study demonstrated that A20's suppression of inflammation in LPS-stimulated BEECs is associated with the activation of autophagy. Therefore, the A20 protein showed potential as a novel treatment focus for managing endometritis in dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combing through Chinese energy-related policy texts and exploring the development path of energy restructuring are significant steps towards a better understanding of the history of energy restructuring in the process of building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects. To explore the various paths driving the transformation of China's energy structure, the energy policies promulgated at the national level from 2001 to 2020 in China were systematically compiled. Based on the policy tool perspective, a theoretical framework for influencing China's energy structure transition was proposed in three dimensions: objectives, tools, and intensity. A total of 39 national energy policy texts were analyzed using a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method. The results show that (1) the consistency levels of individual preconditions were all below 0.9, which does not constitute a necessary condition for the transformation of China's energy structure; (2) the sufficiency analysis identified three paths of China's energy structure transformation, which can be described as models driven by "multiple objectives + information", "single objective + information", and "single objective"; (3) energy restructuring is a goal-oriented process; the clarity and certainty of the efficient and green objectives of energy policies have a facilitating effect on energy restructuring, and the support of information technology provides an important guarantee for energy restructuring; (4) compared with European and American countries, it was found that China's energy policy tools were characterized by an emphasis on macro-planning, insufficient connectivity, and marked tendencies in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Femtosecond-laser-fabricated black silicon has been widely used in the fields of solar cells, photodetectors, semiconductor devices, optical coatings, and quantum computing. However, the responsive spectral range limits its application in the near- to mid-infrared wavelengths. To further increase the optical responsivity in longer wavelengths, in this work, silicon (Si) was co-hyperdoped with nitrogen (N) and selenium (Se) through the deposition of Se films on Si followed by femtosecond (fs)-laser irradiation in an atmosphere of NF3. The optical and crystalline properties of the Si:N/Se were found to be influenced by the precursor Se film and laser fluence. The resulting photodetector, a product of this innovative approach, exhibited an impressive responsivity of 24.8 A/W at 840 nm and 19.8 A/W at 1060 nm, surpassing photodetectors made from Si:N, Si:S, and Si:S/Se (the latter two fabricated in SF6). These findings underscore the co-hyperdoping method's potential in significantly improving optoelectronic device performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast charge and discharge of a battery will significantly increase the overall temperature and thermal difference of the battery, which will further affect the working performance and safety of the battery. Therefore, a heat–fluid coupling topology optimization pipeline for developing radiation performance of the cooling plate is presented to ensure the thermal homogeneity of the battery in this paper. First, the Brinkman penalty model is utilized to construct the solid and fluid structures. Then, a local volume constraint is introduced to create the lattice structure to reduce the temperature difference of the cooling plate. Furthermore, a functionally graded lattice structure via a variable influence radius is presented to improve the radiation performance of the cooling plate when the thermal load is uneven. Numerical experiments are carried out to evaluate the performance of the presented methods on the optimization of the cooling plate, which indicates that the designed cooling plate by the proposed method improves the radiation performance when compared against a traditional straight channel and a SIMP-based optimal design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The research presented in this document focuses on the development and application of a cable-to-terminal connection recognition technology based on pose estimation, specifically utilizing the YOLOv8-pose model. This technology is designed to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of automated inspection systems in substations, which are critical nodes in power transmission and distribution networks. The technology is directly applicable in the routine inspection of substations where it can automate the process of detecting and diagnosing the connection status of cables and terminals. This real-time monitoring capability helps in early fault detection and prevention, thereby ensuring the reliability and safety of the power grid. Substations, as critical nodes for power transmission and distribution, play a pivotal role in ensuring the stability and security of the entire power grid. With the ever-increasing demand for electricity and the growing complexity of grid structures, traditional manual inspection methods for substations can no longer meet the requirements for efficient and safe operation and maintenance. The advent of automated inspection systems has brought revolutionary changes to the power industry. These systems utilize advanced sensor technology, image processing techniques, and artificial intelligence algorithms to achieve real-time monitoring and fault diagnosis of substation equipment. Among these, the recognition of cable-to-terminal connection relationships is a key task for automated inspection systems, and its accuracy directly impacts the system's diagnostic capabilities and fault prevention levels. However, traditional methods face numerous limitations when dealing with complex power environments, such as inadequate recognition performance under conditions of significant perspective angles and geometric distortions. This paper proposes a cable-to-terminal connection relationship recognition method based on the YOLOv8-pose model. The YOLOv8-pose model combines object detection and pose estimation techniques, significantly improving detection accuracy and real-time performance in environments with small targets and dense occlusions through optimized feature extraction algorithms and enhanced receptive fields. The model achieves an average inference time of 74 milliseconds on the test set, with an accuracy of 92.8%, a recall rate of 91.5%, and an average precision mean of 90.2%. Experimental results demonstrate that the YOLOv8-pose model performs excellently under different angles and complex backgrounds, accurately identifying the connection relationships between terminals and cables, providing reliable technical support for automated substation inspection systems. This research offers an innovative solution for automated substation inspection systems, with significant application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of the Energy Internet and the shared economy, it is of great significance to explore the collaborative planning strategies of multi-energy microgrids (MEMGs) and a shared energy storage operator (SESO) supported by shared energy storage resources. In this context, a joint planning method of SESO and MEMG alliances based on a dynamic game with perfect information is proposed in this paper. First, an upper-level model for energy storage capacity configuration and pricing strategy planning of SESO is proposed to maximize the total planning and operational income of SESO. Then, a lower-level model for the optimal configuration of MEMGs' alliance considering SES is proposed to minimize the total planning and operational costs of the MEMG alliance. On this basis, a solving algorithm based on the dynamic game theory with perfect information and the backward induction method is proposed to obtain the Nash equilibrium solution of the proposed bi-level optimization models. Finally, a case study with one SESO and an alliance consisting of five MEMGs is conducted, and the simulation results show that the proposed bi-level optimization method can increase SESO's net income by 1.47%, reduce the average planning costs for each MEMG at least by 1.7%, and reduce model solving time by 62.9% compared with other counterpart planning methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we fabricated a low-melting-point Zr-16Ti-6Cu-8Ni-6Co eutectic filler based on a Zr-Ti-Cu-Ni filler to achieve effective joining of a Ti6Al4V (TC4) titanium alloy. The temperature at which the brittle intermetallic compound (IMC) layer in the seam completely disappeared was reduced from 920 °C to 900 °C, which broadened the temperature range of the Zr-based filler, brazing the TC4 without a brittle IMC layer. The shear strength of the Zr-16Ti-6Cu-8Ni-6Co brazed joint increased by 113% more than that of the Zr-16Ti-9Cu-11Ni brazed joint at 900 °C. The proportion of β-Ti in the seam of the Zr-16Ti-6Cu-8Ni-6Co brazed joint increased by 21.31% compared with that of the Zr-16Ti-9Cu-11Ni brazed joint. The nano-indentation results show that the elastic modulus of the β-Ti (143 GPa) in the interface is lower than that of the α-Ti (169 GPa) and (Ti,Zr)2(Ni,Cu,Co) (203 GPa). As a result, the β-Ti is subjected to a greater strain under the same stress state compared with the α-Ti and (Ti,Zr)2(Ni,Cu,Co), and the Zr-16Ti-6Cu-8Ni-6Co brazed joint can maintain a higher strength than the Zr-16Ti-9Cu-11Ni brazed joint under a middle–low erosion area of the TC4 base metal. This provides valuable insights into the use of high-strength, fatigue-resistant TC4 brazed joints in engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti4+-doped V2O5 films with nanowires on top and a dense, long nanorod layer on the bottom were successfully fabricated using the spin-coating route. During the electrochromic cycling, charge transfer resistance (Rct) decreases while ion-diffusion ability (KΩ) rapidly drops in the first ten cycles and then levels off. Low Rct and morphology of nanowires collaboratively improved the electrochromic behavior of Ti4+-doped V2O5 films by enhancing the charge transfer speed and minimizing polarization and dissolution. The obtained Ti4+-doped V2O5 film shows better electrochromic properties than the undoped V2O5 film, with a coloration efficiency (CE) of 34.15 cm2/C, coloration time of 9.00 s, and cyclic retention of 82.6% at cycle 100. In contrast, the corresponding values for the undoped V2O5 film were 23.57 cm2/C, 13.16 s, and 43.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcareous sand is a crucial construction material for island and reef development and reinforcing it using Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) technology is a promising new method. This study employed 3D scanning technology to assess changes in the particle size and morphology of MICP-treated, coated calcareous sand particles. Single-particle crushing tests were conducted to analyze their crushing strength, crushing energy, crushing modes, and fragment fractal dimensions. The results indicated that MICP treatment significantly increased particle size, surface area, and volume, while reducing flatness. At a cementation solution concentration of 1 mol/L, both crushing strength and crushing energy were optimized. The coated particles exhibited three crushing modes: explosive crushing, mixed crushing, and splitting crushing. Thicker coatings led to a tendency for particles to break into larger fragments through the mixed and splitting crushing modes. Fractal analysis revealed that coating thickness directly affects the local crushing characteristics of the particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commercial CFD package Fluent and the Reynolds stress model were used to simulate the hydraulic characteristics with three types of vegetation distribution: longitudinal, interlaced and patch. Each type was aggregated to the middle line l of the water flow in an equal proportion of 0.5, resulting in a total of nine landscape vegetation arrangements. The numerical model was verified and showed a high level of consistency with the experimental comparison; the results indicate the following: (1) As the distribution of landscape vegetation on both sides becomes increasingly concentrated from a loose state to the middle line l of the flow, the flow velocity declines and the maximum Reynolds stress rises, and the greater the Reynolds stress, the more powerful the shear layer, contributing to turbulence, generating mass and momentum exchange and enhancing the vertical transport of momentum. (2) Compared with the gap area, the flow velocity in the vegetation area is smaller, the turbulent kinetic energy is larger and the maximum Reynolds stress of the bottom flow is larger; the larger sediment particles tend to deposit in the gap area, while smaller sediments tend to deposit in the vegetation area. At the same time, the vegetation area is more prone to deposits than the gap area. (3) Under the same vegetation density, whether in the test area or the wake area, the water blocking capacity and the deposition capacity are in the following order: patch distribution pattern > interlaced distribution pattern > longitudinal distribution pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reynolds number (Re), pore water pressure (P), and water flow shear force (τ) are primary indicators reflecting the characteristics of subsurface flow. Exploring the calculation of these parameters will facilitate the understanding of the hydrodynamic characteristics in different subsurface flows and quantify their differences. Hence, we conducted a study to monitor soil water content, matrix potential, and pore water pressure in two typical soil profiles (with and without fissures). The distribution of Re, P, and τ in both matrix flow (MF) and preferential flow (PF) were calculated with an improved calculation method, focusing on their energy changes. Results showed that these hydrologic parameters are quite different between MF and PF. Re values in MF remained below 0.1, indicating lower water flow velocities, while the Re values ranged from 0.8 to 2 in PF, indicating higher flow velocities. The P values in PF was tens to hundreds of times higher than that in MF, which is mainly due to the rapid accumulation and leakage of water within soil fissures. Additionally, the larger hydraulic radius and gradient in PF also resulted in higher τ values in PF (2~6 N m−2) than in MF (0~1.5 N m−2). In PF, the pressure potential was the significant factor for τ, while τ in MF was dominated by the matrix potential and varies with the magnitude of the matrix potential gradient. This study suggests that Re, P, and τ could be considered as the major indexes to reflect dynamic characteristics of subsurface flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear chlorinated phosphazene acid is prepared using PCl5 and NH4Cl as raw materials. Using hexaethylcyclotrisiloxane as the monomer, 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane or 1,3-divinyl-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane as the end-capping agent, and linear chlorinated phosphazene acid as the catalyst, polydiethylsiloxane oligomers terminated with active Si-H or Si-CH=CH2 groups have been prepared. Using hexaethylcyclotrisiloxane and 1,3,5,7-octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane as comonomers, 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane or hexamethyldisiloxane as the end-capping agent, or using hexaethylcyclotrisiloxane and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane as comonomers, 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane as the end-capping agent, copolymers containing active Si-H bonds and dimethylsiloxane segments have been prepared under the catalysis of linear chlorinated phosphazene acid. The effects of catalyst dosage, reaction temperature, reaction time, end-capping agent, and polymerization monomer dosage on polymer yield and structure were investigated. Using 300 ppm of linear chlorinated phosphazene acid, oligomers and copolymers containing an active Si-H bond and diethylsiloxane segment were prepared under mild conditions. The molecular weight of the obtained polymers was close to their designed values, but their PDI values were small. The highest yield of α, ω-bisdimethylsiloxyl-terminated PDES oligomers reached 93%. Using oligomers and copolymers containing Si-H bonds and diethylsiloxane segments as crosslinkers, a silicone gel containing diethylsiloxane segments was prepared by hydrosilylation reaction. With the introduction of a diethylsiloxane segment, the glass transition temperature of the silicone gel decreased relative to that of the PDMS oligomer, but the temperature at 5% weight loss in nitrogen atmosphere decreased from 347 °C to 312 °C. The mechanism of the ring-opening polymerization of hexaethylcyclotrisiloxane catalyzed by linear chlorinated phosphazene acid is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-state electrolytes have received widespread attention for solving the problem of the leakage of liquid electrolytes and effectively improving the overall performance of supercapacitors. However, the electrochemical performance and environmental friendliness of solid-state electrolytes still need to be further improved. Here, a binary biomass-based solid electrolyte film (LSE) was successfully synthesized through the incorporation of lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) with sodium alginate (SA). The impact of the mass ratio of SA to LNPs on the microstructure, porosity, electrolyte absorption capacity, ionic conductivity, and electrochemical properties of the LSE was thoroughly investigated. The results indicated that as the proportion of SA increased from 5% to 15% of LNPs, the pore structure of the LSE became increasingly uniform and abundant. Consequently, enhancements were observed in porosity, liquid absorption capacity, ionic conductivity, and overall electrochemical performance. Notably, at an SA amount of 15% of LNPs, the ionic conductivity of the resultant LSE-15 was recorded at 14.10 mS cm−1, with the porosity and liquid absorption capacity reaching 58.4% and 308%, respectively. LSE-15 was employed as a solid electrolyte, while LNP-based carbon aerogel (LCA) served as the two electrodes in the construction of a symmetric all-solid-state supercapacitor (SSC). The SSC device demonstrated exceptional electrochemical storage capacity, achieving a specific capacitance of 197 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1, along with a maximum energy and power density of 27.33 W h kg−1 and 4998 W kg−1, respectively. Furthermore, the SSC device exhibited highly stable electrochemical performance under extreme conditions, including compression, bending, and both series and parallel connections. Therefore, the development and application of binary biomass-based solid electrolyte films in supercapacitors represent a promising strategy for harnessing high-value biomass resources in the field of energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Research continues to show that exercising at recommended levels is associated with lower mortality rates and decreased risk of recurrence in breast cancer survivors (BCS). Moreover, those BCS exercising at levels meeting guidelines have higher self-reported health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) than those that do not. This includes lowered levels of perceived global stress. However, which modalities of exercise are most effective has yet to be determined. Our study investigates changes in stress experienced by breast cancer survivors participating in one of three different exercise modalities conducted over six months, as indicated by self-report and salivary cortisol measures. The revealed improvement in constructs of Health Related-Quality of Life (HR-QOL) suggest that engagement in exercise had a greater impact on outcomes than any particular modality. Background/Objectives: Extensive evidence suggests that exercise is physically and mentally beneficial for cancer survivors. This study reports on changes in self-reported stress, physiological biomarkers for stress (salivary cortisol), and HR-QOL constructs for fifty breast cancer survivors participating in one of three different exercise programs over 6 months. Methods: Fifty post-treatment breast cancer survivors were randomized to either therapeutic yoga-based exercise (YE), comprehensive exercise (CE) (aerobic, resistance, flexibility), or choosing (C) their own exercise activities. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Medical Outcomes Short-Form 36® (SF-36), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Five samples of salivary cortisol were collected on two consecutive days. The 10 samples were used to calculate the diurnal rhythm slope. Outcome measures were repeated after six months. Results: All groups improved in HR-QOL measures of PSS; PSQI sleep quality components of latency and daytime functioning; and five of the ten SF-36 scales (Mental Component Scale, Social Functioning subscale, Mental Health subscale, Physical Component Scale, Physical Functioning subscale). Although the CE group observed the most favorable change in cortisol (−0.183), where cortisol slope changes approached significance (p = 0.057), but no significant decrease in cortisol between groups were noted. Conclusions: Our results suggest that it is the engagement of, rather than the specific type of exercise, which is associated with improved HR-QOL. However, longer-term studies with better adherence monitoring and larger sample sizes are needed to better determine clinical impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) plays a crucial role in providing abundant bee products and in maintaining ecological balance. Despite the availability of the genomic sequence of the Asian honey bee, its transcriptomic information remains largely incomplete. To address this issue, here we constructed three pooled RNA samples from the queen, drone, and worker bees of A. cerana and performed full-length RNA sequencing using Nanopore single-molecule sequencing technology. Ultimately, we obtained 160,811 full-length transcript sequences from 19,859 genes, with 141,189 being novel transcripts, of which 130,367 were functionally annotated. We detected 520, 324, and 1823 specifically expressed transcripts in the queen, worker, and drone bees, respectively. Furthermore, we identified 38,799 alternative splicing (AS) events from 5710 genes, 44,243 alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites from 1649 gene loci, 88,187 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), and 17,387 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Leveraging these transcripts as references, we identified 6672, 7795, and 6804 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) in comparisons of queen ovaries vs drone testes, worker ovaries vs drone testes, and worker ovaries vs queen ovaries, respectively. Our research results provide a comprehensive set of reference transcript datasets for Apis cerana, offering important sequence information for further exploration of its gene functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural pest Drosophila suzukii exhibits a strong preference for feeding on fresh fruits, demonstrating high adaptability to sugary environments. Meanwhile, high sugar levels stimulate insulin secretion, thereby regulating the steady state of sugar metabolism. Understanding the mechanisms related to sugar metabolism in D. suzukii is crucial due to its adaptation to these specific environmental conditions. The insulin signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved phosphorylation cascade with significant roles in development and metabolism. We observed that the activation of the insulin signaling pathway inhibited FoxO activity and downregulated the expression of Pepck, thereby activating glycolysis and reducing glucose levels. By contrast, inhibiting insulin signaling increased the FoxO activity and upregulated the expression of Pepck, which activated gluconeogenesis and led to increased glucose levels. Our findings demonstrated the crucial role of the insulin signaling pathway in mediating glucose metabolism through the FoxO–Pepck axis, which supports the ecological adaptation of D. suzukii to high-sugar niches, thereby providing insights into its metabolic control and suggesting potential strategies for pest management. Elucidating these molecular processes is important for understanding metabolic regulation and ecological specialization in D. suzukii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dobinin K is a novel eudesmane sesquiterpenoids compound isolated from the root of Dobinea delavayi and displays potential antiplasmodial activity in vivo. Here, we evaluate the antiplasmodial activity of dobinin K in vitro and study its acting mechanism. The antiplasmodial activity of dobinin K in vitro was evaluated by concentration-, time-dependent, and stage-specific parasite inhibition assay. The potential target of dobinin K on Plasmodium falciparum was predicted by transcriptome analysis. Apoptosis of P. falciparum was detected by Giemsa, Hoechst 33258, and TUNEL staining assay. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, oxygen consumption, and mitochondrial membrane potential of P. falciparum were assessed by DCFH-DA, R01, and JC-1 fluorescent dye, respectively. The effect of dobinin K on the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) was investigated by enzyme activity analysis and the binding abilities of dobinin K with different enzymes were learned by molecular docking. Dobinin K inhibited the growth of P. falciparum in a concentration-, time-dependent, and stage-specific manner. The predicted mechanism of dobinin K was related to the redox system of P. falciparum. Dobinin K increased intracellular ROS levels of P. falciparum and induced their apoptosis. After dobinin K treatment, P. falciparum mitochondria lost their function, which was presented as decreased oxygen consumption and depolarization of the membrane potential. Among five dehydrogenases in P. falciparum ETC, dobinin K displayed the best inhibitory power on NDH2 activity. Our findings indicate that the antiplasmodial effect of dobinin K in vitro is mediated by the enhancement of the ROS level in P. falciparum and the disruption of its mitochondrial function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring high-performance carbon anodes that are low-cost and easily accessible is the key to the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries. Producing carbon materials from bio by-products is an intriguing strategy for sodium-ion battery anode manufacture and for high-value utilization of biomass. Herein, a novel hard carbon (PPHC) was prepared via a facile pyrolysis process followed by acid treatment using biowaste pomegranate peel as the precursor. The morphology and structure of the PPHC were influenced by the carbonization temperature, as evidenced by physicochemical characterization. The PPHC pyrolyzed at 1100 °C showed expanded interlayer spacing and appropriate oxygen group content. When used as a sodium ion battery anode, the PPHC-1100 demonstrated a reversible capacity of up to 330 mAh g−1, maintaining 174 mAh g−1 at an increased current rate of 1 C. After 200 cycles at 0.5 C, the capacity delivered by PPHC-1100 was 175 mAh g−1. The electrochemical behavior of PPHC electrodes was investigated, revealing that the PPHC-1100 possessed increased capacitive-controlled energy storage and improved ion transport properties, which explained its excellent electrochemical performance. This work underscores the feasibility of high-performance sodium-ion battery anodes derived from biowaste and provides insights into the sodium storage process in biomass-derived hard carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volume-phase holographic gratings are suitable for use in greenhouse gas detection imaging spectrometers, enabling the detection instruments to achieve high spectral resolution, high signal-to-noise ratios, and high operational efficiency. However, when utilized in the infrared wavelength band with high dispersion requirements, gratings struggle to meet the demands for low polarization sensitivity due to changes in diffraction performance caused by phase delays in the incidence of light waves with distinct polarization states, and current methods for designing bulk-phase holographic gratings require a large number of calculations that complicate the balance of diffraction properties. To overcome this problem, a design method for transmissive bulk-phase holographic gratings is proposed in this study. The proposed method combines two diffraction theories (namely, Kogelnik coupled-wave theory and rigorous coupled-wave theory) and establishes a parameter optimization sequence based on the influence of design parameters on diffraction characteristics. Kogelnik coupled-wave theory is employed to establish the initial Bragg angle range, ensuring that the diffraction efficiency and phase delay of the grating thickness curve meet the requirements for incident light waves in various polarization states. Utilizing rigorous coupled-wave theory, we optimize grating settings based on criteria such as a center wavelength diffraction efficiency greater than 95%, polarization sensitivity less than 10%, maximum bandwidth, and spectral diffraction efficiency exceeding 80%. The ideal grating parameters are ultimately determined, and the manufacturing tolerances for various grating parameters are analyzed. The design results show that the grating stripe frequency is 1067 lines per millimeter, and the diffraction efficiencies of TE and TM waves are 96% and 99.89%, respectively. The diffraction efficiency of unpolarized light is more than 88% over the whole spectral range with an average efficiency of 94.49%, an effective bandwidth of 32 nm, and a polarization sensitivity of less than 7%. These characteristics meet the performance requirements for dispersive elements based on greenhouse gas detection, the spectral resolution of the detection instrument is up to 0.1 nm, and the signal-to-noise ratio and working efficiency are improved by increasing the transmittance of the instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tunnel fires are generally detected using various sensors, including measuring temperature, CO concentration, and smoke concentration. To address the ambiguity and inconsistency in multi-sensor data, this paper proposes a tunnel fire detection method based on an improved Dempster-Shafer (DS) evidence theory for multi-sensor data fusion. To solve the problem of evidence conflict in the DS theory, a two-level multi-sensor data fusion framework is adopted. The first level of fusion involves feature fusion of the same type of sensor data, removing ambiguous data to obtain characteristic data, and calculating the basic probability assignment (BPA) function through the feature interval. The second-level fusion derives basic probability numbers from the BPA, calculates the degree of evidence conflict, normalizes the BPA to obtain the relative conflict degree, and optimizes the BPA using the trust coefficient. The classical DS evidence theory is then used to integrate and obtain the probability of tunnel fire occurrence. Different heat release rates, tunnel wind speeds, and fire locations are set, forming six fire scenarios. Sensor monitoring data under each simulation condition are extracted and fused using the improved DS evidence theory. The results show that there is a 67.5%, 83.5%, 76.8%, 83%, 79.6%, and 84.1% probability of detecting fire when it occurs, respectively, and identifies fire occurrence in approximately 2.4 s, an improvement from 64.7% to 70% over traditional methods. This demonstrates the feasibility and superiority of the proposed method, highlighting its significant importance in ensuring personnel safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of numerous diseases, such as renal cyst, cancer, and viral infection, is closely associated with the pathological changes and defects in the cellular peripheral brush. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a potential new method to detect lesions of cellular peripheral brush. Here, a piecewise linear viscoelastic constitutive model of cell is established considering the joint contribution of the peripheral brush and intra-cellular structure. By combining the Laplace transformation and its inverse transformation, and the differential method in the temporal domain and differential quadrature method (DQM) in the spatial domain, the signal interpretation models for quasi-static and dynamic signals of microcantilever are solved. The influence mechanisms of the peripheral brush on the viscoelastic properties of cells and quasi-static/dynamic signals of microcantilever are clarified. The results not only reveal that the peripheral brush has significant effects on the complex modulus of the cell and multi-channel signals of the microcantilever, but also suggest that an alternative mapping method by collecting multi-channel signals including quasi-static and higher frequency signals with more brush indexes could be potentially used to identify cancerous cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pulmonary sequestration is a rare pulmonary malformation that often necessitates surgical intervention due to potential complications such as recurrent infections or hemoptysis. This case series presents the clinical trajectory of four patients diagnosed with pulmonary sequestration, from initial diagnosis through postoperative care, with a specific focus on the limited arterial supply in two of the cases. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive analysis of four patients diagnosed with pulmonary sequestration who underwent surgical treatment at our institution between January 2013 and November 2022. The affected lung segments were excised via either thoracoscopy or thoracotomy. We evaluated perioperative and postoperative complications, hospital stay duration, histological findings, and the vascular supply of the affected areas. Results: Thoracoscopic surgery was initially preferred for all patients, though one required conversion to an open procedure due to technical challenges. Perioperative complications included increased pain and atelectasis. Two patients developed pleural empyema postoperatively, necessitating additional surgical intervention. The overall outcomes were favorable, with appropriate management addressing the complications effectively. Conclusions: Pulmonary sequestration, despite its rarity, often requires surgical treatment. Both thoracoscopic and open surgical methods are effective, though thoracoscopic surgery is generally preferred when feasible. The findings underscore the importance of meticulous preoperative planning and vigilant postoperative care to manage and mitigate potential complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly dynamic properties of maneuvering targets make it intractable for radars to predict the target motion states accurately and quickly, and low-grade predicted states depreciate the efficiency of resource allocation. To overcome this problem, we introduce the modified current statistical (MCS) model, which incorporates the input-acceleration transition matrix into the augmented state transition matrix, to predict the motion state of a maneuvering target. Based on this, a robust resource allocation strategy is developed for maneuvering target tracking (MTT) in a netted opportunistic array radar (OAR) system under uncertain conditions. The mechanism of the strategy is to minimize the total transmitting power conditioned on the desired tracking performance. The predicted conditional Cramér–Rao lower bound (PC-CRLB) is deemed as the optimization criterion, which is derived based on the recently received measurement so as to provide a tighter lower bound than the posterior CRLB (PCRLB). For the uncertainty of the target reflectivity, we encapsulate the determined resource allocation model with chance-constraint programming (CCP) to balance resource consumption and tracking performance. A hybrid intelligent optimization algorithm (HIOA), which integrates a stochastic simulation and a genetic algorithm (GA), is employed to solve the CCP problem. Finally, simulations demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the presented algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the contribution of the building sector to global greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, it is important to improve the building performance through retrofits from the perspective of carbon emission reductions. Data-driven methods are now widely used in building retrofit research. To better apply data-driven techniques in low-carbon building retrofits, a better understanding is needed of the connections and interactions in optimization objectives and parameters, as well as optimization methods and tools. This paper provides a bibliometric analysis of selected 45 studies, summarizes current research hotspots in the field, discusses gaps to be filled, and proposes potential directions for future work. The results show that (1) the building-performance optimization (BPO) process established through physical simulation methods combines the site, retrofit variables, and carbon-related objectives, and the generated datasets are either directly processed using multi-objective optimization (MOO) algorithms or trained as a surrogate model and iteratively optimized using MOO methods. When a sufficient amount of data is available, data-driven methods can be used to develop mathematical models and use MOO methods for performance optimization from the perspective of building carbon emission reductions. (2) The benefits of retrofits are maximized by holistically taking environmental, economic, and social factors into account; from the perspectives of carbon emissions, costs, thermal comfort, and more, widely adopted strategies include improving the thermal performance of building envelopes, regulating HVAC systems, and utilizing renewable energy. (3) The optimization process based on data-driven methods, such as optimization algorithms and machine learning, apply mathematical models and methods for automatic iterative calculations and screen out the optimal solutions with computer assistance with high efficiency while ensuring accuracy. (4) Only 2.2% and 6.7% of the literature focus on the impacts of human behavior and climate change on building retrofits, respectively. In the future, it is necessary to give further consideration to user behaviors and long-term climate change in the retrofit process, in addition to improving the accuracy of optimization models and exploring the generalization and migration capabilities of surrogate models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytoophidium, composed mainly of CTP synthase (CTPS), is a newly discovered dynamic filamentous structure in various organisms such as archaea, bacteria, and humans. These filamentous structures represent a fascinating example of intracellular compartmentation and dynamic regulation of metabolic enzymes. Currently, cytoophidia have been proven to be tightly regulated and highly dynamic, responding rapidly to developmental and metabolic cues and playing a critical role in maintaining cellular homeostasis. In this review, we would like to discuss in detail the characteristics, mechanisms, functions, and potential applications of this conservative but promising organelle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fiber-reinforced composites have been widely used in the aerospace industry because of their superior comprehensive performance, including high strength, low density, fatigue resistance, long service life, etc. The interface between the fiber reinforcement and the matrix is one of the key factors that determines the performance of the composites. The construction of covalent bonding connections between the components has proven to be an effective strategy for improving the interfacial bonding strength but always reduces the toughness. In this work, dual silane coupling agents are applied to covalently connect cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) onto carbon fibers, constructing hierarchical interfacial connections between the fibers and the epoxy matrix and significantly improving the interfacial bonding strength. As a result, the tensile strength of the epoxy composites increased from 519 MPa to nearly 900 MPa, which provides a potential approach for significantly improving the mechanical performance of composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their independent structure, piping, and access, townhouses offer great flexibility in floor plan changes and high spatial autonomy, making them the mainstream housing type in Taiwan. This study focuses on row houses and examines 2022 completion cases in Kaohsiung City. It collects floor plans from 14 newly constructed buildings, totaling 227 units, and analyzes spatial dimensions including the facade width, depth, habitable room, staircases, bathrooms, and total floor area for each case. The objective of this study is to examine the spatial layout of row houses in Kaohsiung City, with the aim of providing a reference for the future planning and design of such structures. The study results showed that 81.8% of the row houses analyzed have a total floor area per unit ranging from 136 to 192 m2, a facade width between 4.1 and 6.38 m, and a building depth from 7.67 to 12.68 m. In addition, they showed a low negative correlation between the facade width and total floor area, a high positive correlation between the building depth and total floor area, and a moderate negative correlation between the facade width and building depth. The spatial distribution within these houses includes 78% allocated to habitable room, 13.1% to staircases, and 8.7% to bathrooms. The total area of habitable rooms and bathrooms increases with the total floor area of the building. However, the total area of staircases remains almost constant as the area of habitable rooms increases. Furthermore, the most common location for staircase planning is the rear-right (RB) position, while the least common is the rear-left (LB) position. Among various staircase types, the C-shaped staircase has the largest average area per floor and the highest average proportion. Conversely, the I-shaped staircase has the smallest average area and the lowest average proportion. The U-shaped staircase is the most frequently planned, whereas the C-shaped staircase is the least frequently used. This means that planning of staircase location and type significantly affects the size and layout of habitable rooms and bathrooms in townhouses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concrete lining of high-pressure water conveyance tunnels permeates under high-pressure water. Dense and hydrophobic coating can effectively improve the impermeability of concrete. However, the coating exhibits varying impermeability in different high-pressure environments, which can even lead to coating detachment or damage. The objectives of this study are to improve the high-pressure impermeability of concrete by using a polymer coating, and to study the varying impermeability through experiments. This study applied a polymer coating called SCU-SD-SP-II (SSS) to concrete surfaces, and it formed a composite protective layer with an epoxy-modified silicone (EMS) coating. A series of high-pressure impermeability tests were conducted to study the seepage regulation of the coated concrete and the failure mechanism of the SSS coating under cracks in the concrete. The results indicate that the SSS coating has excellent impermeability. Pressurized water of 3 MPa could not permeate the SSS coating with a thickness of 0.5 mm within 24 h. Under both external and internal water pressure conditions, the SSS coatings improved concrete impermeability. Additionally, the average seepage height and relative permeability coefficient of the latter decreased by 49.6% and 71.2%, respectively, compared with the former. After concrete cracking, the SSS coating could withstand 3 MPa pressure on crack surfaces smaller than 1 mm. When the crack width was greater than 2 mm, the SSS coating deformed under 1 MPa pressure. As the pressure increased to 2 MPa or even 3 MPa, the SSS coating was punctured or torn due to stress concentration. This study provides new insights into the impermeability of concrete under high water pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valley shrink deformation is a common physical and mechanical phenomenon during the reservoir operation of high arch dams. This phenomenon is particularly significant in the initial stages of impoundment and can severely impact the operational safety of the arch dam. This study focuses on the arch dam under construction in the upstream of the Lancang River. By considering the secondary structural planes F115 and F111 at the dam site, a numerical model of valley shrink deformation was established. The study investigates the characteristics of valley shrink deformation during the initial impoundment phase of the arch dam. The results show that during the impoundment process, the valley slopes on both sides of the reservoir shrink towards the center of the valley. The deformation on the right bank is greater than that on the left bank due to the influence of the F115 fault. When the elevation is lower than the exposure position of F115, the deformation on the right bank increases with elevation; when it is higher than this position, the deformation decreases. On the left bank, due to the influence of F111 and the seepage field, the deformation value increases first and then decreases with the increase in elevation. After the water level stabilizes, the deformation rate decreases and approaches zero. This research results provide a reference for addressing valley shrink deformation issues during the initial impoundment of the arch dam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clarifying the impact of driving forces on multi-temporal-scale (annual, quarterly and monthly) runoff changes is of great significance for watershed water resource planning. Based on monthly runoff data and meteorological data of the Jialing River (JLR) during 1982–2020, the Mann–Kendall tendency testing approach was first applied to analyze variation tendencies of multi-timescale runoff. Then, abrupt variation years of runoff were determined using Pettitt and cumulative anomaly mutation testing approaches. The ABCD model was employed for simulating hydrological change processes in the base period and variation period. Finally, influences of climatic and anthropic factors on multi-scalar runoff were computed using the multi-scalar Budyko formula. The following conclusions were drawn in this study: (1) The mutation year of discharge was 1993; (2) the monthly runoff in the JLR presented a "single peak" distribution, and the concentration degree and concentration period in the JLR both showed an insignificant reduction trend; (3) anthropic factors were the dominant factor for spring runoff variations; climatic factors were the dominant factor on annual, summer, fall and winter runoff variations; (4) except for November, climatic factors were the dominant factor causing runoff changes in the other 11 months. This study has important reference value for water resource allocation and flood control decisions in the JLR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]