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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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Gas with ultrafine particle impaction on a solid surface is a unique case of curvilinear motion that can be widely used for the devices of surface coatings or instruments for particle size measurement. In this work, the Eulerian–Lagrangian method was applied to calculate the motion of microparticles in a micro impinging flow field with consideration of the interactions between particle to particle, particle to wall, and particle to fluid. The coupling computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with the discrete element method (DEM) was employed to investigate the different deposition patterns of microparticles. The vortex structure and two types of particle deposits ("halo" and "ring") have been discussed. The particle deposition characteristics are affected both by the flow Reynolds number (Re) and Stokes number (stk). Moreover, two particle deposition patterns have been categorized in terms of Re and stk. Finally, the characteristics and mechanism of particle deposits have been analyzed using the particle inertia, the process of impinging (particle rebound or no rebound), vortical structures, and the kinetic energy conversion in two-phase flow, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southeast coastal region of China is frequently affected by typhoons. The observation station was chosen to be located on the roof of Wenzhou University's architectural engineering building to collect real-time wind speed data during the landfalling of Typhoon Morakot to investigate the properties of the near-ground wind field of typhoons. The turbulence characteristics of the near-ground wind and its variation with time intervals are analyzed on the basis of real-time measured data. The results show that the turbulence intensity only changes with the mean wind speed under relatively low wind speeds. The gust factors exhibit a scattered distribution under low wind speeds and tend to cluster together when the wind speed exceeds 8 m/s. With increasing time intervals, the turbulence intensity and the gust factor gradually decrease. The relationship between turbulence intensity and gust factor is obtained by the measured data and then compared with the empirical formulas. The peak factor remains constant while the mean wind speed changes, but diminish as the time intervals rise. The turbulence integral scale of typhoons slightly increases with the increasing mean wind speed, and its value falls between 70 and 150. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the onshore wind farm technology matures, offshore wind energy has attracted increasing attention. Zhejiang has coastal areas with massive potential for wind resources because of its geographical location. Therefore, understanding the wind resources in these areas can lay a foundation for future development and utilization. On this basis, this study used the measured wind field data of a wind farm along the coast of Zhejiang from March 2014 to February 2015 and from March 2016 to February 2018 to investigate and compare the characteristics of wind energy resources, including average wind speed, Weibull shape and scale factors, wind direction variation, and wind energy density. Then, the capacity coefficient of a wind turbine predicted using the wind farm data was compared with the actual capacity coefficients of two wind turbines in the wind farm in 2019. Results revealed the following observations: The overall variations in the evaluation indicators followed clear patterns over the 3 years. For example, the main wind direction in the same season was the same, and the variations in the monthly average wind speed, the monthly wind power density, and the theoretical capacity factors were highly similar. The time-series data indicated that the difference in the indicators between summer and autumn was significantly larger than that between other seasons, with the maximum difference in monthly average wind speed of 1.46 times and the maximum difference in monthly wind power density of 1.5 times. The comparison results of the capacity coefficient showed that the theoretical and actual capacity coefficients were extremely close when the monthly average wind speed was less than 6 m/s, with the average difference being less than 9%. When the monthly average wind speed was greater than 6 m/s, the proximity between the theoretical and actual capacity coefficients was reduced, with an average difference of more than 9% and a maximum value of 28%. In general, the overall characteristics of wind resources in coastal areas of Zhejiang exhibited similar trends but fluctuated considerably in some months. Wind energy forecasts had significant discrepancies from the actual operation indicators of the wind farm when the wind speed was high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submicron particles transported by a Laval-type micronozzle are widely used in micro- and nano-electromechanical systems for the aerodynamic scheme of particle acceleration and focusing. In this paper, the Euler–Lagrangian method is utilized to numerically study non-spherical submicron particle diffusion in a converging–diverging micronozzle flow field. The influence of particle density and shape factor on the focusing process is discussed. The numerical simulation shows how submicron particle transporting with varying shape factors and particle density results in different particle velocities, trajectories and focusing in a micronozzle flow field. The particle with a larger shape factor or larger density exhibits a stronger aerodynamic focusing effect in a supersonic flow field through the nozzle. In the intersection process, as the particle size increases, the position of the particle trajectory intersection moves towards the throat at first and then it moves towards the nozzle outlet. Moreover, the influence of the thermophoretic force of the submicron particle on the aerodynamic focusing can be ignored. The results will be beneficial in technological applications, such as micro-thrusters, microfabrication and micro cold spray. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungal species, which pose significant risk to humans and livestock. The mycotoxins which are produced from Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium are considered most important and therefore regulated in food- and feedstuffs. Analyses are predominantly performed by official laboratory methods in centralized labs by expert technicians. There is an urgent demand for new low-cost, easy-to-use, and portable analytical devices for rapid on-site determination. Most significant advances were realized in the field bioanalytical techniques based on molecular recognition. This review aims to discuss recent progress in the generation of native biomolecules and new bioinspired materials towards mycotoxins for the development of reliable bioreceptor-based analytical methods. After brief presentation of basic knowledge regarding characteristics of most important mycotoxins, the generation, benefits, and limitations of present and emerging biorecognition molecules, such as polyclonal (pAb), monoclonal (mAb), recombinant antibodies (rAb), aptamers, short peptides, and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), are discussed. Hereinafter, the use of binders in different areas of application, including sample preparation, microplate- and tube-based assays, lateral flow devices, and biosensors, is highlighted. Special focus, on a global scale, is placed on commercial availability of single receptor molecules, test-kits, and biosensor platforms using multiplexed bead-based suspension assays and planar biochip arrays. Future outlook is given with special emphasis on new challenges, such as increasing use of rAb based on synthetic and naïve antibody libraries to renounce animal immunization, multiple-analyte test-kits and high-throughput multiplexing, and determination of masked mycotoxins, including stereoisomeric degradation products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) represent the leading reason for staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) and various other diseases. Reports often indicate Staphylococcal enterotoxin C (SEC) as the most frequently found enterotoxin in dairy products. To minimize consumer exposure to SEC, this paper aimed to create a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on nanobodies (sandwich Nbs-ELISA) to accurately detect SEC in dairy products without the influence of staphylococcal protein A (SpA). Therefore, after inoculating a Bactrian camel with SEC, a phage display Nb library was created. Eleven Nbs against SEC were identified in three biopanning steps. Based on their affinity and pairing level, a sandwich Nbs-ELISA was developed using the C6 anti-SEC Nb as the capture antibody, while the detection antibody was represented by the C11 phage display anti-SEC Nb. In optimal conditions, the quantitative range of the present sandwich ELISA was 4-250 ng/mL with a detection limit (LOD) of 2.47 ng/mL, obtained according to the blank value plus three standard deviations. The developed technique was subjected to specific measurements, revealing minimal cross-reactivity with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), and SpA. The proposed method exhibited high specificity and an excellent recovery rate of 84.52~108.06% in dairy products. Therefore, the sandwich Nbs-ELISA showed significant potential for developing a specific, sensitive technique for SEC detection in dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the spatio-temporal variation of the land-use/land cover change (LULC) and ecosystem service value (ESV) changes will help achieve regional sustainable development and management. Derong County is a part of the Hengduan Mountains area, the most crucial ecological functional area in China, and LULC has changed tremendously in the past 30 years. However, the effects of LULC changes on ecosystem services is not well understood. Based on 1992, 1995, 2005, 2013, and 2018 remote sensing images, we used visual interpretation to obtain LULC data and used global value coefficients and modified local value coefficients to assess the spatial-temporal changes of ESV and LULC from 1992 to 2018. The results showed that: (1) From 1992 to 2018, shrubland and grassland decreased, while built-up land, snow, forestland, water body, and cropland area increased. (2) The ESV with an overall decrease of 0.25 × 108 yuan, ecological projects have played a positive role in improving ESV. In contrast, the main decrease factor of ESV was the increase in agricultural economic development and urban expansion from 1992 to 2018. (3) The ESV spatial distribution indicated the value density of ESV was on the decline, and with the greatest deterioration in Dianyagong. The highest density of ESV area is distributed in Waka, and the lowest density of ESV area is distributed in Bari. This research points out the important role of Derong County in the regional life support system and provides a scientific reference for the sustainable management of dry-hot valley regions' land resources and ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing elaborate catalysts to prompt the charge carrier separation and transport is critical to developing efficient photocatalytic systems. Here, a hierarchical hollow structure based on 1D/2D BiOCl/Bi2WO6 hybrid materials was fabricated by a precursor chemical engineering method. This hybrid is made up of molten 1D BiOCl nanorods and 2D Bi2WO6 nanosheets. The synergetic effect of the presence of BiOCl and specific interfaces between BiOCl and Bi2WO6 provided efficient interfacial charge transfer of photogenerated carriers under visible light. Seamless BiOCl functions like a noble metal, with platinum-like behavior, accelerating the oxidizing ability of fabricated BiOCl/Bi2WO6 hybrids, which was favorable for the photocatalytic decomposition of organic compounds (3.2 times greater for Rhodamine B (RhB) and 4 times greater for Ciprofloxacin (CIP)) over the Bi2WO6 catalysts. The beneficial interfacial interaction between BiOCl and Bi2WO6 resulting from the unique construction prompted the charge transfer from the conduction band of Bi2WO6 to that of BiOCl. The findings presented in this study provide a cost-effective precursor-mediated strategy to realize the critical and efficient separation of photoinduced carriers in environmental remediation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the formation of Sjogren's lymphocytic infiltrates could permit earlier diagnosis and better outcomes. We submitted gene transcript abundances in histologically normal rabbit lacrimal glands to principal component analysis. The analysis identified a cluster of transcripts associated with Sjögren's foci, including messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for C–X–C motif chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13) and B-cell activating factor (BAFF), which dominated the major principal component. We interpreted the transcript cluster as the signature of a cluster of integrally functioning cells. Pregnancy and dryness increased the likelihood that the cluster would develop to high levels, but responses were subject to high levels of stochasticity. Analyzing microdissected samples from high- and low-cluster-level glands, we found that certain transcripts, including mRNAs for C–C motif chemokine ligand 21 (CCL21), CXCL13, cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4), CD28, CD25, BAFF, and interleukin 18 (IL-18) were significantly more abundant in immune cell clusters (ICs) from the high-cluster-level gland; mRNAs for CCL2, CD25, and IL-1RA were significantly more abundant in acinus-duct axis samples; mRNAs for CCL4, BAFF, IL-6, and IL-10 were more abundant in some acinus-duct samples; cells with high prolactin immunoreactivity were more frequent in interacinar spaces. In conclusion, integrated functional networks comprising Sjögren's infiltrates, such as ICs, acinar cells, ductal cells, and interacinar cells, can form in histologically normal glands, and it is feasible to detect their molecular signatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of alkali-activated slag (AAS) under thermal treatment has received particular attention. In this study, the effect of five elevated temperatures (25, 200, 400, 600, and 800 °C) and two cooling methods (air cooling and water spraying) on the mechanical and durability properties, microstructure, and phase evolution of AAS was investigated. The results show that AAS mortars exhibit higher resistance to thermal attack than OPC in terms of strength and durability. AAS samples cooled in air show higher residual strength than those cooled by spraying water, which is mainly attributed to fewer cracks formed in the former. The resistance to carbonization of exposed AAS mortars depends on the pore size distribution, while that to chloride ion penetration depends on the porosity. Cooling methods show a minor effect on the phase evolution of reaction products, suggesting that the microstructure degradation is mainly responsible for the damage of AAS structures. This study provides fundamental knowledge for the thermally induced changes on AAS which contributes new ideas for the development of construction structures with higher fire resistance.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the availability of waste glass as alternative materials in sustainable constructions. Collected waste glass was ground into waste glass powder (WGP) with similar particle size distribution as Portland cement (PC) and waste glass sand (WGS) with similar grade as sand. The compressive strength was investigated through the Taguchi test to evaluate the effect of different parameters on WGP-blended mortar, which include WG-replacement rate (G/B, 0, 10%, 20%, 30%), water/binder ratio (w/b, 0.35. 0.40, 0.50, 0.60), cementitious material dosage ( Cpaste , 420, 450, 480, 500 kg/m 3 ), and color of powder (green (G) and colorless (C)). The alkali-silica reaction (ASR) expansion risk of WGS-blended mortar was assessed. The experimental results indicated that WGP after 0.5 h grinding could be used as substituted cement in mortar and help to release potential ASR expansion. The replacement rate played a dominant role on strength at both the early or long-term age. The water/binder ratio of 0.35 was beneficial to the compressive strength at three days and 0.50 was better for strength at 60 and 90 days. An optimal value of cementitious material dosage (450 Kg/m 3 ) exited in view of its strength, while the effect of the color of WG was minor. WGS could be graded as standard construction sand and no ASR expansion risk was found even for 100% replacement of regular sand in mortar. Through the comprehensive reuse of waste glass, this study could provide basic knowledge and a concept for the sustainable development of building materials., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.