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Diabetes remains a critical global public health challenge, posing a growing threat to human health and well-being. White tea is a lightly fermented tea and one of the six traditional tea categories in China. Owing to its rich content of bioactive compounds such as catechins and alkaloids, it has demonstrated potential anti-diabetic properties. However, its precise bioactive components, mechanisms of action, and relevant molecular targets require further investigation. In this study, an integrated approach combining polyphenol-targeted metabolomics, in vitro antioxidant assays, α-glucosidase inhibition tests, network pharmacology analysis, GEO database exploration, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations was employed to identify the potential anti-diabetic compounds, targets, and mechanisms of white tea. The findings revealed that white tea is particularly abundant in 10 bioactive compounds, including epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, and catechin, all of which exhibit significant anti-diabetic potential. These compounds were found to exert their effects by interacting with core molecular targets, namely cathepsin V (CTSV) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1), and engaging in pathways related to signal transduction, apoptosis, and immune responses. This study establishes a strong theoretical basis for advancing white tea research and underscores new opportunities for applying natural products in diabetes therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA4) gene, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is crucial for maintaining immune homeostasis and preventing autoimmune diseases. Studies have shown that polymorphisms in the CTLA4 gene are linked to an increased risk of brucellosis in humans, but its association with brucellosis in goats remains unexplored. In this study, the tissue expression profile of CTLA4 in goats was investigated, and the correlation between InDel polymorphisms in the CTLA4 gene and susceptibility to brucellosis in goats was examined. The findings reveal the widespread expression of CTLA4 in goat tissues, particularly in the spleen and testes. The tested goat populations presented genotypes insertion/insertion (II), insertion/deletion (ID), and deletion/deletion (DD) at both the P1 and P2 loci, and an association analysis revealed significant differences in the distribution of genotypes and allele frequencies at the P1 and P2 loci of the CTLA4 gene between the Brucella goat case and the control groups (p < 0.05). Specifically, compared with the II genotype, the P1 and P2 loci were significantly associated with an elevated risk of brucellosis development in goats under both the codominant (ID/II) and dominant (ID + DD/II) models (P1, p = 0.042, p = 0.016; P2, p = 0.011, p = 0.014). Additionally, haplotype analysis indicated that haplotypes IP1DP2, DP1IP2, and DP1DP2 were significantly associated with an increased risk of brucellosis in goats compared to the reference haplotype IP1IP2 (p = 0.029, p = 0.012, p = 0.034). Importantly, the Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of peripheral blood monocytes and/or macrophages from goats with the II, ID, and DD genotypes resulted in increased CTLA4 expression levels in the II genotype, leading to a robust LPS-induced inflammatory response. Through bioinformatic analysis, the observed effect of the InDel locus on Brucella pathogenesis risk in goats could be attributed to the differential binding of the transcription factors nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα). These findings offer potential insights for breeding strategies against brucellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramic slurry is the raw material used in stereolithography, and its performance determines the printing quality. Rheological behavior, one of the most important physical factors in stereolithography, is critical in ceramic printing, significantly affecting the flow, spreading, and printing processes. The rheological behavior of SiO2 slurry used in stereolithography technology is investigated in the current research using different powder diameters and temperatures. The results present the apparent non-Newtonian behavior. The yielding characteristics occur in all cases. For single-powder cases, the viscosity decreases when the powder diameter is increased. When the nano-sized and micro-sized powders are mixed in different proportions, a more significant proportion of micron-sized powders will decrease the viscosity. With an increase in the nano-sized powders, the slurry exhibits the shear thinning behavior; otherwise, the shear thickening behavior is observed. Thus, the prediction model is built based on the use of the pelican optimization algorithm-deep extreme learning machine (POA-DELM), and the model in then compared with the fitted and traditional models to validate the effectiveness of the method. A more accurate viscosity prediction model will contribute to better fluid dynamic simulation in future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the digital age, China's economic development is transitioning from high speed to high quality. Through the application of digital technology, China's manufacturing industry is moving toward more environmentally friendly and sustainable innovation, which makes it of great significance to study the effect of green investment and big data on innovation. Grounded in strategic management theory, this paper examines the interplay between CEO big data orientation, environmental investment, and their joint impact on technological innovation in manufacturing enterprises. Data are extracted from annual reports of listed Chinese manufacturing companies using computer-assisted text analysis methods and evaluated with negative binomial regression. The results indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between CEO big data orientation and technological innovation. The results further explain that as CEO big data orientation increases, enterprises with higher levels of green investment will reach the peak of technological innovation performance earlier. According to China's intelligent manufacturing in 2035, we have proposed some methods and suggestions for green investment and big data applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hospital buildings provide healthcare services at the costs of significant amounts of energy consumption and carbon emissions, further exacerbating the environmental load. Because of the limited research on the life cycle carbon emissions of Chinese hospitals, this study conducted a detailed carbon-accounting and comparative study. Firstly, BIM and LCA were used to quantify the carbon emissions of the inpatient building in each stage of the life cycle. Secondly, the differences in carbon emissions by stage were compared on the basis of 20 cases of public buildings. The results show that the whole-life carbon emissions of the inpatient building was 10,459.94 kgCO2/m2. The proportion of operational carbon emissions was 94.68%, with HVAC (52.57%), equipment (27.85%), and lighting (10.11%) being the main sources. Embodied carbon emissions accounted for 4.54%, and HRB400 steel and C30 concrete were the main sources of carbon emissions. Hospitals are second only to emporiums in terms of operational carbon intensity, being 1.71 and 1.41 times that of schools and office buildings, with inpatient buildings being 3 and 1.7 times that of medical complexes and outpatient buildings, respectively. The future sustainable development of hospital buildings should promote efficient building performance and good environmental quality, both in terms of energy efficiency and carbon reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Aiming at the shortcomings of artificial surgical path planning for the thermal ablation of liver tumors, such as the time-consuming and labor-consuming process, and relying heavily on doctors' puncture experience, an automatic path-planning system for thermal ablation of liver tumors based on CT images is designed and implemented. Methods: The system mainly includes three modules: image segmentation and three-dimensional reconstruction, automatic surgical path planning, and image information management. Through organ segmentation and three- dimensional reconstruction based on CT images, the personalized abdominal spatial anatomical structure of patients is obtained, which is convenient for surgical path planning. The weighted summation method based on clinical constraints and the concept of Pareto optimality are used to solve the multi-objective optimization problem, screen the optimal needle entry path, and realize the automatic planning of the thermal ablation path. The image information database was established to store the information related to the surgical path. Results: In the discussion with clinicians, more than 78% of the paths generated by the planning system were considered to be effective, and the efficiency of system path planning is higher than doctors' planning efficiency. Conclusion: After improvement, the system can be used for the planning of the thermal ablation path of a liver tumor and has certain clinical application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 5 September 2022 (BJT), Luding, located in southwestern Sichuan Province, China, experienced an MS 6.8 earthquake. This earthquake occurred within the historical rupture zone of the 1786 MS 7.75 event, part of the southern section of the Xianshui He Fault belt. Given the average 155-year recurrence interval for strong earthquakes in this area, the 236 years since the last event made this earthquake somewhat expected. However, prior to this event, we did not detect any anomalies indicating low surface b-values, which are often indicative of a high-stress state in the source area before strong earthquakes, as highlighted by numerous studies. Our research focused on the northern section of the eastern boundary of the Sichuan–Yunnan sub-block, encompassing the Xianshui He, Anning He, Zemu He, and Daliang Shan fault belts. We meticulously located earthquakes of ML ≥ 1.5 from 2009 to May 2022. The catalog was divided into two periods: 2009–2014 and 2015–May 2022. Using an AIC-constraint method, we analyzed the changes in b-values (Δb) in the latter period compared to the former. Our findings revealed a significant abnormal Δb zone (Δb < −0.3), with a radius of approximately 50 km, when ΔAIC ≥ 2 was selected. Intriguingly, the epicenter of the recent Luding MS 6.8 earthquake fell within this abnormal zone. Furthermore, we calculated the b-value cross-section for the southern section of the Xianshui He fault belt using a directory of precisely located small earthquakes. This revealed that the location, scale, and shape of the abnormally low-b-value area corresponded with the large displacement co-seismic area of the main earthquake, affirming the b-value's effectiveness in identifying asperities. The b-value's temporal evolution prior to the mainshock exhibited a nearly decade-long continuous decrease, signifying a long-term stress-loading process akin to that observed before many strong earthquakes. The b-value anomalies observed from different profiles before the Luding earthquake underline the necessity of a comprehensive, multi-dimensional analysis of such anomalies. Finally, our analysis indicates that nine earthquakes with MS ≥ 6.5, including the Luding MS 6.8 event, have contributed to increased Coulomb Failure Stress change (ΔCFS) in the Daofu (DF)–Kangding (KD) section of the Xianshui He fault belt and the northern section of the Anning He fault belt south of Shimian (SM), with amplitudes surpassing the 0.01 MPa threshold. This suggests the potential for strong earthquakes in these zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hetian Qing donkey is an excellent local donkey breed in Xinjiang. It is of great significance to accelerate breeding and the speed of breeding and rejuvenation, as well as to understand the genetic basis of the strategies and population. This study collected a total of 4 male donkeys and 28 female donkeys. It then obtained genotype data through Simplified Genomic Sequencing (GBS) technology for data analysis. The results detected a total of 55,399 SNP loci, and the genotype detection rate of individuals was ≥90%. A total of 45,557 SNP loci were identified through quality control, of which 95.5% were polymorphic. The average minimum allele frequency was 0.250. The average observed heterozygosity was 0.347. The average expected heterozygosity was 0.340. The average IBS (state homologous) genetic distance was 0.268. ROH: 49 (homozygous fragments), with 73.47% of the length between 1 and 5 Mb. The average per-strip ROH length was 1.75 Mb. The mean inbreeding coefficient was 0.003. The 32 Hetian green donkeys could be divided into six families. The number of individuals in each family is significant. To sum up, the Hetian Qing donkey population has low heterozygosity, few families, and large differences in the number of individuals in each family, which can easily cause a loss of genetic diversity. In the subsequent process of seed protection, seed selection should be conducted according to the divided pedigree to ensure the long-term protection of the genetic resources of Hetian green donkeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly conserved Notch signaling pathway affects embryonic development, neurogenesis, homeostasis, tissue repair, immunity, and numerous other essential processes. Although previous studies have demonstrated the location and function of the core components of Notch signaling in various animal phyla, a more comprehensive summary of the Notch core components in lower organisms is still required. In this review, we objectively summarize the molecular features of the Notch signaling pathway constituents, their current expression profiles, and their functions in invertebrates, with emphasis on their effects on neurogenesis and regeneration. We also analyze the evolution and other facets of Notch signaling and hope that the contents of this review will be useful to interested researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computed tomography (CT)-guided thermal ablation is an emerging treatment method for lung tumors. Ablation needle path planning in preoperative diagnosis is of critical importance. In this work, we proposed an automatic needle path-planning method for thermal lung tumor ablation. First, based on the improved cube mapping algorithm, binary classification was performed on the surface of the bounding box of the patient's CT image to obtain a feasible puncture area that satisfied all hard constraints. Then, for different clinical soft constraint conditions, corresponding grayscale constraint maps were generated, respectively, and the multi-objective optimization problem was solved by combining Pareto optimization and weighted product algorithms. Finally, several optimal puncture paths were planned within the feasible puncture area obtained for the clinicians to choose. The proposed method was evaluated with 18 tumors of varying sizes (482.79 mm3 to 9313.81 mm3) and the automatically planned paths were compared and evaluated with manually planned puncture paths by two clinicians. The results showed that over 82% of the paths (74 of 90) were considered reasonable, with clinician A finding the automated planning path superior in 7 of 18 cases, and clinician B in 9 cases. Additionally, the time efficiency of the algorithm (35 s) was much higher than that of manual planning. The proposed method is expected to aid clinicians in preoperative path planning for thermal ablation of lung tumors. By providing a valuable reference for the puncture path during preoperative diagnosis, it may reduce the clinicians' workload and enhance the objectivity and rationality of the planning process, which in turn improves the effectiveness of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geographical location of Yunnan province is at the upstream area of water vapor transportation from the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea to inland China. Understanding the spatiotemporal variations of water vapor over this region holds significant importance. We utilized the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data collected from 12 stations situated in Yunnan, which are part of the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China, to retrieve hourly precipitable water vapor (PWV) data from 2011 to 2022. The retrieved PWV data at Station KMIN were evaluated by the nearby radiosonde data, and the results show that the mean bias and RMS of the differences between the two datasets are 0.08 and 1.78 mm, respectively. Average PWV values at these stations are in the range of 11.77 to 33.53 mm, which decrease from the southwest to the north of Yunnan and are negatively correlated with the stations' heights and latitudes. Differences between average PWV in the wet season and dry season range from 12 to 27 mm. These differences tend to increase as the average PWV increases. The yearly rates of PWV variations, averaging 0.18 mm/year, are all positive for the stations, indicating a year-by-year increase in water vapor. The amplitudes of the PWV annual cycles are 9.75–20.94 mm. The spatial variation of these amplitudes is similar to that of the average PWV over the region. Generally, monthly average PWV values increase from January to July and decrease from July to December, and the growth rate is less than the decline rate. Average diurnal PWV variations show unimodal PWV distributions over the course of the day at the stations except Station YNRL, where bimodal PWV distribution was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building sector contributes to 50.9 percent of China's carbon emissions. Due to the complexity of the assessment process, it is difficult to predict the entire life cycle carbon emissions of a building at the early stage of design. In this study, a whole-life carbon emission estimation model for the early stage of building design is developed based on comparison of the standard calculations and an analysis of stock cases. Firstly, the standard calculation methods in China, Japan and Europe were compared, and the boundary of the model was defined in three parts: production, construction and demolition and operation. Second, information on 68 examples of Chinese buildings was collected and divided into a training set and a test set at a ratio of 7:3. In the training set, the relationship between carbon emissions and the design parameters was searched, and a carbon emission estimation model applicable to different stages was constructed. Finally, the model was applied to the test set for validation. The results show that the calculation error of the model is within ±15%, and it can quickly estimate carbon emissions based on the design factors, which is helpful for carbon emission assessment work in the early stages of design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultra-deep genesis of ophiolitic peridotite has reshaped our perception of the genesis of the oceanic mantle. Although ultra-high pressure (UHP) mineral assemblages have been unearthed in dozens of ophiolites in different orogenic belts around the world, the vast majority of them have been limited to podiform chromitites formed in suprasubduction zone (SSZ) settings, leaving uncertainty about whether such UHP minerals are intrinsic to the oceanic mantle or influenced by a specific mantle rock type. Here, we report on the occurrence of diamonds recovered from the harzburgites within the Skenderbeu massif, Mirdita ophiolite. The whole-rock, mineralogical major and trace element compositions, and redox states of the harzburgites align with modern abyssal harzburgites. Trace element modeling of clinopyroxene indicates that harzburgites have endured varying degrees of garnet-facies melting (~2%–5%) before progressing to spinel-facies melting (~10%–12%). Mineralogical characteristics further support that the Skenderbeu harzburgites underwent late-period MORB-like melt metasomatism in a forearc spreading center. An unusual mineral assemblage of diamonds has been separated from the studied harzburgites. The first occurrence of ophiolite-hosted diamonds discovered in the forearc harzburgites, together with previous similar discoveries in the SSZ ophiolitic chromitites, suggest that the ophiolite-hosted diamonds are not specific to certain mantle rocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is rare to use the one-stage model without segmentation for the automatic detection of coronary lesions. This study sequentially enrolled 200 patients with significant stenoses and occlusions of the right coronary and categorized their angiography images into two angle views: The CRA (cranial) view of 98 patients with 2453 images and the LAO (left anterior oblique) view of 176 patients with 3338 images. Randomization was performed at the patient level to the training set and test set using a 7:3 ratio. YOLOv5 was adopted as the key model for direct detection. Four types of lesions were studied: Local Stenosis (LS), Diffuse Stenosis (DS), Bifurcation Stenosis (BS), and Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO). At the image level, the precision, recall, mAP@0.1, and mAP@0.5 predicted by the model were 0.64, 0.68, 0.66, and 0.49 in the CRA view and 0.68, 0.73, 0.70, and 0.56 in the LAO view, respectively. At the patient level, the precision, recall, and F1scores predicted by the model were 0.52, 0.91, and 0.65 in the CRA view and 0.50, 0.94, and 0.64 in the LAO view, respectively. YOLOv5 performed the best for lesions of CTO and LS at both the image level and the patient level. In conclusion, the one-stage model without segmentation as YOLOv5 is feasible to be used in automatic coronary lesion detection, with the most suitable types of lesions as LS and CTO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the Luding Ms6.8 earthquake (EQ) on 5 September 2022 as a case study, we investigated the potential seismic anomalies of the ionosphere, infrared radiation, atmospheric electrostatic field (AEF), and hot spring ions in the seismogenic region. Firstly, we analyzed the multi-parameter anomalies in the ionosphere around the epicenter and found synchronous anomalous disturbances in the ground parameters, namely the global ionospheric map (GIM), GPS, TEC, and satellite parameters, such as the He+ and O+ densities on 26 August under relatively quiet solar–geomagnetic conditions (F10.7 < 120 SFU; Kp < 3; Dst > −30 nT; |AE| < 500 nT). Next, both the anomaly analysis of the infrared radiation and AEF, and the survey results of the Luding EQ scientific expedition on the hot spring ions showed pre-seismic anomalous variations at different time periods in the seismogenic region. The characteristics of Earth's multi-sphere coupling anomalies in temporal evolution and spatial distribution were obvious, which validated the Lithosphere–Atmosphere–Ionosphere Coupling (LAIC) mechanism. Finally, combining the analysis results and the LAIC mechanism, we suggested that the multi-sphere coupling anomalies were more likely associated with the Luding Ms6.8 EQ, and that the differential motion and the regional crustal stress accumulation between the Chuandian block and the Bayan Har block might have led to this EQ. Furthermore, remote sensing and ground-based monitoring technologies can play an important role in corroborating and compensating each other, while further study of the multi-sphere coupling mechanism will provide a clearer understanding of the seismogenic process for major EQs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The podiform chromitite found within the Luobusha ophiolite comprises characteristic nodules and massive chromitites. However, the exact origin of these formations remains a topic of ongoing debate. In this study, the microstructures of olivine and chromite are investigated to unravel their formation processes and shed light on the associated geodynamic mechanisms. EBSD analysis provides insights into chromitite and host peridotite deformation mechanisms. Olivine grains in the host dunite and nodular chromite exhibit crystallographic preferred orientations (CPOs) with D-type fabrics, which show a girdle distribution in the [010] and [001] axes, normal to the foliation plane of the sample. The massive and disseminated chromitite displays B-type and C-type olivine fabric, with a concentration of [001] axes parallel to the lineation of the sample. Crystal plastic deformation can be observed in the Luobusha chromite grains, highlighting intercrystalline deformation processes. Small grains lacking misorientation observed in the massive chromitite are likely attributed to heterogeneous nucleation. Chromite nodules are found to be a patchwork of subgrains with various orientations and high-angle boundary misorientation. The formation of Luobusha chromitite involves deep-seated crystallization, followed by amalgamation, and subsequent deformation within the mantle peridotite. These findings distinguish Luobusha chromitite from other ophiolitic chromite deposits, offering valuable insights into the deformation history and formation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broadband dual-polarized crossed dipole antenna is proposed in this paper. To achieve a wide impedance bandwidth and low-profile configuration, a novel bow-tie balun is applied to this antenna. Firstly, the working mechanisms of both bow-tie baluns and the antenna are introduced. Then, the parametric study and design guidelines are presented. Finally, the optimized antenna is fabricated, measured, and analyzed. The simulated and measured results show that the antenna has a wide impedance bandwidth from 2.42 GHz to 6.48 GHz. The fractional bandwidth is 91.2%. Moreover, within the whole band, the E-plane and H-plane radiation patterns are stable. The port isolation is greater than 20 dB, and the cross-polarization discrimination ratio is better than 25 dB. The proposed antenna achieves a realized gain of 7.5   d B i   ±   0.5   d B i . It can be a good candidate for sub-6 GHz wireless communications or short-range radar applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Camels have a high tolerance to hunger, thirst, cold, and drought, as well as the ability to travel over long distances. They are indispensable animals for agricultural production in desert areas in China. Old World camels have served humans in uses such as cross-continental caravans; transporting people and goods; connecting different cultures; providing milk, meat, and wool; and serving as draught animals. In view of the severe reduction in Bactrian camel germplasm resources, people now realize that it is particularly important to scientifically evaluate and protect the genetic integrity and diversity of native species. At the same time, there is a growing demand for intensive and sustainable meat and milk production. Using modern genomic tools for selection to improve milk and wool production is warranted. In this study, GBS technology was used to analyze the genetic diversity and genetic structure of Tarim and Junggar camels, and identify the genes important in their evolution. On this basis, the effects of resource conservation were evaluated by analyzing the differences between individuals and populations at the genome level. Screening candidate genes that may be responsible for the biological characteristics of Bactrian camels will aid research into genetic resource protection, important economic traits, and the mechanisms underlying biological characteristics, molecular breeding, and disease. In view of the severe reduction in Bactrian camel germplasm resources, scientific evaluation, protection, and utilization is particularly important. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the genetic diversity and genetic structure of this species, and identify the genes that have played important roles in its evolution. In this study, 21,971 SNPs were identified in 118 domestic Bactrian camels from the Tarim (n = 60) and Junggar (n = 58) populations using simplified GBS genome sequencing. The results show that Tarim and Junggar Bactrian camels have high nucleotide diversity. A phylogenetic tree constructed using structural analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and the adjacency method (NJ) showed that Tarim and Junggar Bactrian camels were clustered together. The selection signals revealed that the Tarim and Junggar Bactrian camels shared 108 genes under positive selection, including WNT1, WNT10B, CD14, SEC61A2, DPAGT1, FOXO6, etc. These selected genes were widely involved in the immune system, embryonic development, lipid metabolism, and other processes. From a genomic analysis perspective, the genetic relationship between TLM and ZGE camels is close, with an average Fst of 0.048 and a relatively low average differentiation coefficient between the two populations. In addition, shared selected genes in the long-term depression pathway were significantly enriched in Tarim and Junggar. These findings will offer support and assistance for the exploration of genetic resource preservation, economically significant traits, and the mechanisms underlying biological characteristics, molecular breeding, and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cement-based materials, especially those with low water-cement ratios, often experience premature cracking due to plastic shrinkage in the early curing stages. In this study, the development mechanism of early-age plastic shrinkage of cement paste, and the crack shrinkage control effect of recycled cement paste powder on cement paste, was quantitatively investigated using non-contacting two-dimensional digital image technology. The influence of different replacement rates (5%, 10%, 20% and 30%) of recycled cement paste powder on the major principal strain and crack patterns of cement paste was investigated. Furthermore, the mechanism of recycled cement paste powder on the early-age plastic shrinkage of cement-based materials was explored. The results show that the addition of recycled cement paste powder could suppress the early-age plastic shrinkage of cement paste. An appropriate replacement ratio (10%) of recycled cement paste powder shows a 33.3% time delay in crack appearance and a 28.0% reduction in the major principal strain. However, the higher replacement ratio of 30% shows an adverse effect on the major principal strain, with an increase of 35.1%. The core mechanism of the appropriate recycled cement paste powder on plastic shrinkage reduction lies in its porous nature, which allows for water absorption and release and regulates the moisture state inside the pores. This quantitative research of the major principal strain development of the early-age plastic shrinkage of cement paste can facilitate a better understanding of plastic shrinkage reduction in recycled cement paste powder on cement paste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose for the first time a novel feed approach to a tightly coupled dipole array (TCDA). Firstly, compact zigzagging microstrip feedlines are utilized as baluns to feed our array elements to obtain wideband impedance-matching characteristics. Secondly, this array is designed on ultrathin substrates aiming at obtaining ultra-tight coupling between the dipole arms of two neighboring elements. Some irreplaceable parasitic pads are developed and added to the radiating arms to improve both the impedance and radiation characteristics of the TCDA. With these technologies, a 12 × 12 TCDA prototype is designed, fabricated and measured for verification. The array achieves an impressive impedance bandwidth spanning of 4–18 GHz for S 11 < − 10   dB . Its radiation patterns and realized gain are measured to verify its stable electromagnetic characteristics. Its realized gain is from 15 dB to 25 dB within the operating frequency band. Its efficiency is around 91%. Its measured results show good agreement with simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wudaoliang–Changshagongma fault is one of the NW-trending faults located within the southern Bayan Har Block of the Tibetan Plateau in China. In this paper, we used high-resolution imagery and digital elevation model data to study the geomorphological and geological characteristics of the fault. Furthermore, the result also determined the fault trace and estimated the average horizontal slip rate of the fault since the late Quaternary to have been 2.6 ± 0.6 mm/a. This slip rate is approximately equivalent to that of the Awancang, Madoi–Garde, and Dari faults, which are also located within the block. Furthermore, the slip rates of these faults obtained by remote sensing and geological methods are consistent with GPS observations. It indicates that tectonic deformation within the block is continuous and diffuse. Using trenching study results and sedimentary radiocarbon dating, we identified four paleoearthquake events that occurred at 42,378–32,975, 33,935–20,663, 5052–4862, and after 673–628 cal BP, respectively. The recurrence intervals of large earthquakes on the faults within the block are much longer than those of the boundary faults, and the slip rates are also smaller, indicating that faults within the block play a regulatory role in the tectonic deformation of the Bayan Har Block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart wearable systems for health monitoring are highly desired in personal wisdom medicine and telemedicine. These systems make the detecting, monitoring, and recording of biosignals portable, long-term, and comfortable. The development and optimization of wearable health-monitoring systems have focused on advanced materials and system integration, and the number of high-performance wearable systems has been gradually increasing in recent years. However, there are still many challenges in these fields, such as balancing the trade-off between flexibility/stretchability, sensing performance, and the robustness of systems. For this reason, more evolution is required to promote the development of wearable health-monitoring systems. In this regard, this review summarizes some representative achievements and recent progress of wearable systems for health monitoring. Meanwhile, a strategy overview is presented about selecting materials, integrating systems, and monitoring biosignals. The next generation of wearable systems for accurate, portable, continuous, and long-term health monitoring will offer more opportunities for disease diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of Internet technology, online shopping has become increasingly popular. Owing to the improvement of living standards, the quality of e-service has become one of the important criteria for online shopping, with online shopping consultation being one of the key services. At the same time, the emergence of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligent (AI) has allowed online retailers to increase the availability of non-human online shopping consultation services. Therefore, this paper investigates the service decision problem between human and non-human online shopping consultation services for online retailers in the online duopoly market. By constructing a Hotelling improvement model and applying it in a new way, considering consumer preferences for human services, this paper explores the impact of the optimal service level of human online shopping consultation services and consumers' sensitivity to the service level of human services on online retailers' pricing, service decisions, etc. Our research results show that consumers' sensitivity to the service level of human online shopping consultation services has an impact on the demand and profit of online retailers. In addition, human online shopping consultation services are not always beneficial to the profitability. Furthermore, when two online retailers compete, the utility of the non-human online retailer's service to consumers can influence the service decisions of the other online retailer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Under a low-input production system, local cattle have extraordinary adaptability to a variety of environments. However, due to various reasons, Native Altay white-headed cattle selection and breeding have not received enough attention. In addition, a large number of excellent foreign cattle varieties have been introduced, and unplanned hybridization has been carried out. The number of pure Altay white-headed cattle has been decreasing, with the breed even facing the danger of extinction. The genetic diversity index is of great significance for evaluating population structure and formulating conservation strategies. The genetic variation and population structure of Altay genetic resources were studied using 100 k SNP genotyping data from Altay white-headed cattle. Our results show that the genetic structure of the Altay white-headed cattle population is different, but the level of genetic differentiation is low, and the genetic diversity is low. In conclusion, our findings provide genetic information about the Altay white-headed cattle population, which can be used for future conservation and breeding research. Understanding the genetic basis of native cattle populations that have adapted to the local environment is of great significance for formulating appropriate strategies and programs for genetic improvement and protection. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the genetic diversity and population structure of Altay white-headed cattle so as to meet the current production needs under various environments, carry out continuous genetic improvement, and promote rapid adaptation to changing environments and breeding objectives. A total of 46 individual samples of endangered Xinjiang Altay white-headed cattle were collected in this study, including nine bulls and 37 cows. To collect genotype data, 100 k SNP markers were used, and then studies of genetic diversity, genetic structure, inbreeding degree, and family analysis were carried out. A total of 101,220 SNP loci were detected, and the genotype detection rate for individuals was ≥90%. There were 85,993 SNP loci that passed quality control, of which 93.5% were polymorphic. The average effective allele number was 0.036, the Polymorphism Information Content was 0.304 and the minimum allele frequency was 0.309, the average observed heterozygosity was 0.413, and the average expected heterozygosity was 0.403. The average genetic distance of Idengtical By State (IBS) was 0.3090, there were 461 ROH (genome-length homozygous fragments), 76.1% of which were between 1 and 5 MB in length, and the average inbreeding coefficient was 0.016. The 46 Altay white-headed cattle were divided into their families, and the individual numbers of each family were obviously different. To sum up, the Altay white-headed cattle conservation population had low heterozygosity, a high inbreeding degree, few families, and large differences in the number of individuals in each family, which can easily cause a loss of genetic diversity. In the follow-up seed conservation process, seed selection and matching should be carried out according to the divided families to ensure the long-term protection of Altay white-headed cattle genetic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the poultry feeding process, a feeding robot instead of manual feed delivery can solve the problems of high labor demand and untimely feeding. However, if the feeding robot is not guaranteed to travel in an optimal path, it will cause large amounts of unnecessary energy consumption. In order to obtain the minimum energy consumption travel path of the feeding robot, the energy consumption of the feeding robot was taken as the optimization objective of the path planning in this study, and the minimum energy consumption travel path planning algorithm was designed. The experiment results show that the minimum energy consumption travel path could be obtained by the algorithms proposed in this study at the specified time, and that they have more computing power. The methods proposed in this study can reduce the production cost of the poultry smart farm to a certain extent and promote the development of poultry smart farms. In order to solve the problems of poor feeding environment, untimely feeding and high labor demand in poultry smart farms, the development of feeding robots is imminent, while the research on path planning algorithms is an important part of developing feeding robots. The energy consumption of the feeding robot is one of the important elements of concern in the process of path planning. In this study, the shortest path does not mean that the feeding robot consumes the least energy, because the total mass of the feeding robot keeps changing during the feeding process. It is necessary to find the most suitable path so that the feeding robot consumes the lowest amount of energy during the feeding process. A branch and bound algorithm to calculate the minimum energy consumption travel path for small-scale buckets lacking feed is proposed. The lower bound of the branch and bound on the energy consumption is obtained by the approach of preferred selection of the set of shortest edges combined with the sequence inequality, and the upper bound could be obtained based on Christofides's Heuristic algorithm. A double-crossover operator genetic algorithm based on an upper bound on energy consumption for large-scale buckets lacking feed is proposed, and different crossover operations are performed according to the relationship between the fitness value and the upper bound of energy consumption in order to find a better path. The experiment results show that the approach proposed in this study is efficient; for small-scale buckets lacking feed, a branch and bound algorithm could calculate the minimum energy consumption path of 17 points in 300 s, and for large-scale buckets lacking feed, a double-crossover operator genetic algorithm based on an upper bound on energy consumption could calculate the minimum energy consumption travel path within 30 points in 60 s. The result is more accurate compared to the genetic algorithm with a single crossover operator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the multi-data of the global ionospheric map (GIM), ionospheric total electron content (TEC) inversed from GPS observations, the critical frequency of the F2 layer (fOF2) from the ionosonde, electron density (Ne), electron temperature (Te), and He+ and O+ densities detected by the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES), the temporal and spatial characteristics of ionospheric multi-parameter perturbations were analyzed around the Maerkang Ms6.0 earthquake swarm on 9 June 2022. The results showed that the seismo-ionospheric disturbances were observed during 2–4 June around the epicenter under quiet solar-geomagnetic conditions. All parameters we studied were characterized by synchronous changes and negative anomalies, with a better consistency between ionospheric ground-based and satellite observations. The negative ionospheric anomalies for all parameters appeared 5–7 days before the Maerkang Ms6.0 earthquake swarm can be considered as significant signals of upcoming main shock. The seismo-ionospheric coupling mechanism may be a combination of two coupling channels: an overlapped DC electric field and an acoustic gravity wave, as described by the lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling (LAIC). In addition, in order to make the investigations still more convincing, we completed a statistical analysis for the ionospheric anomalies of earthquakes over Ms6.0 in the study area (20°~40° N, 92°~112° E) from 1 January 2019 to 1 July 2022. The nine seismic events reveal that most strong earthquakes are preceded by obvious synchronous anomalies from ground-based and satellite ionospheric observations. The anomalous disturbances generally appear 1–15 days before the earthquakes, and the continuity and reliability of ground-based ionospheric anomaly detection are relatively high. Based on the integrated ionospheric satellite–ground observations, a cross-validation analysis can effectively improve the confidence level of anomaly identification and reduce the frequency of false anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor, controls the expression of more than 1000 genes that can be clustered into different categories with distinct functions ranging from redox balance and metabolism to protein quality control in the cell. The biological consequence of Nrf2 activation can be either protective or detrimental in a context-dependent manner. In the cardiovascular system, most studies have focused on the protective properties of Nrf2, mainly as a key transcription factor of antioxidant defense. However, emerging evidence revealed an unexpected role of Nrf2 in mediating cardiovascular maladaptive remodeling and dysfunction in certain disease settings. Herein we review the role of Nrf2 in cardiovascular diseases with a focus on vascular disease. We discuss the negative effect of Nrf2 on the vasculature as well as the potential underlying mechanisms. We also discuss the clinical relevance of targeting Nrf2 pathways for the treatment of cardiovascular and other diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Big data analysis can reveal the relevance, hidden patterns, and bursts of activity in data. Therefore, big data analysis has recently aroused great interest and curiosity among scientists in various fields. The powerful data organization and visualization capabilities of CiteSpace software is an effective way to achieve this goal. Chromitite is a strategic mineral resource of global importance with several industrial applications, including steel manufacturing. Research on chromitite has not only had high economic significance, but also has important scientific value. An understanding of chromitite can be used to obtain insight into the processes operating deep within the crust and mantle. However, no big-data analysis has been performed on chromitite-related publications; hence, the evolution of various views over time is unclear. The purpose of this study was to rapidly assess and summarize the development of research in the field, and to identify and briefly describe current research developments. The CiteSpace software was used to reveal research hotspots and predict future trends. The results of the co-occurrence network analysis indicate an active collaboration among current chromitite researchers, and the countries and institutions in which they are based. Hot research topics include a focus on podiform chromitite, the origin of chromitites, and the co-occurrence of platinum group elements (PGE). The main subject of current research is podiform chromitite containing ultrahigh-pressure minerals, which will help to elucidate the relationship between chromitite and the deep processes within the earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the relationship between digital transformation and innovation became very popular topics, attracting extensive attention, and inspiring a number of documents. Although much literature discusses the intersection of both fields, most works offer neither a complete nor a truly objective overview of the current state of research. Therefore, there is a need for a comprehensive and objective review of research themes to analyze the intersection. For this purpose, based on the literature collected from the Web of Science (WoS) database published between 1994 and 2021, co-word analysis was carried out to explore research themes and identify the most salient themes in digital transformation and innovation research. The results of scientific output show that digital transformation and innovation is attracting increasing academic interest of scholars from many countries and different fields. The distribution of high-frequency keywords shows that the research in this field is multidisciplinary, including not only many economic and management fields, but also many classical theories and research methods. The clustering results of keywords reveal five clusters of themes: diffusion and adoption of technology and innovation, digital innovation management, digital transformation management, digital platform and ecosystem, and digital entrepreneurship and economy. According to the results of strategic diagram and performance analysis, digital innovation management and digital transformation management are the mainstream of research, while digital platform and ecosystem and digital entrepreneurship and economy have strong development potential. This study provides a snapshot of the thematic development of digital transformation and innovation research, enabling researchers to better master the current situation and suggesting the development trend in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The woodwasp Sirex noctilio Fabricius is a worldwide quarantine pest for forestry that mainly harms conifers, especially Pinus species. Sirex nitobei Matsumura, a native species from China and closely related to S. noctilio. Olfaction and gustation play a vital role in the life movements of woodwasps, but the molecular mechanisms of chemoperception in these species remain unclear. We performed a comparative analysis of 41 odorant receptors (ORs), 13 ionotropic receptors (IRs), and 8 gustatory receptors (GRs) of S. noctilio and 43 ORs, 16 IRs, and 10 GRs of S. nitobei. Phylogenetic analysis showed that two species-specific OR subfamilies were identified in each species. In addition to conserved "antennal IRs", "divergent IRs", including 7 SnocIRs and 7 SnitIRs, were found. Moreover, a sugar receptor subfamily (SnocGR5 and SnitGR11), a carbon dioxide receptor subfamily (SnocGR2/GR3 and SnitGR3), and a fructose receptor subfamily (SnitGR9) emerged, but bitter receptors were not identified. The tissue-specific expression profiles showed 36 ORs were enriched in the antennae of S. noctilio. Among them, 19 ORs were female-biased, whereas 4 ORs (SnocOR6/15/18/30) were male-biased. In addition, 34 ORs were highly expressed in S. nitobei antennae, of which 22 ORs were female-biased, whereas SnitOR2/18/30 were male-biased. Seven IRs were enriched in the antennae of both species, of which SnocIR4, 6, 10, 11, and 12 were significantly male-biased, while SnitIR4, 6, 10, 11, and 12 were significantly female-biased. Three GRs were highly expressed in the antennae of both species. SnocGR2 and SnocGR6 were also highly expressed in the head and leg, respectively. In the present study, a total 62 and 69 chemosensory receptor genes were identified in the antennal transcriptomes of S. noctilio and S. nitobei, respectively. Although most receptor genes are homologous, there are also some specific receptor genes, suggesting similarities and differences in molecular mechanisms between the two closely related species. OR genes may be involved in different physiological functions by whether they are expressed in olfactory organs, or obvious gender bias. Our results provide a foundation for further investigating the molecular mechanisms of chemoreception in these two closely related woodwasp species, and establishes a starting point for further research on molecular mechanisms of the olfactory system in symphyta woodwasps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic steatosis is a key manifestation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Early detection of hepatic steatosis is of critical importance. Currently, liver biopsy is the clinical golden standard for hepatic steatosis assessment. However, liver biopsy is invasive and associated with sampling errors. Ultrasound has been recommended as a first-line diagnostic test for the management of NAFLD. However, B-mode ultrasound is qualitative and can be affected by factors including image post-processing parameters. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) aims to extract quantified acoustic parameters from the ultrasound backscattered signals for ultrasound tissue characterization and can be a complement to conventional B-mode ultrasound. QUS envelope statistics techniques, both statistical model-based and non-model-based, have shown potential for hepatic steatosis characterization. However, a state-of-the-art review of hepatic steatosis assessment using envelope statistics techniques is still lacking. In this paper, envelope statistics-based QUS parametric imaging techniques for characterizing hepatic steatosis are reviewed and discussed. The reviewed ultrasound envelope statistics parametric imaging techniques include acoustic structure quantification imaging, ultrasound Nakagami imaging, homodyned-K imaging, kurtosis imaging, and entropy imaging. Future developments are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-precision GPS data processing on Bernese has been employed to routinely resolve daily position solutions of GPS stations in the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (CMONOC). The rank-deficient problems of the normal equation (NEQ) system and the network effect on the frame alignment of NEQs in the processing of CMONOC data on Bernese still present difficulties. In this study, we diagnose the rank-deficient problems of the original NEQ, review the efficiency of the controlled datum removal (CDR) method in filtering out the three frame-origin-related datum contents, investigate the reliabilities of the inherited frame orientation and scale information from the fixation of the GPS satellite orbits and the Earth rotation parameters in establishing the NEQ of the CMONOC network on Bernese, and analyze the impact of the network effect on the position time series of GPS stations. Our results confirm the nonsingularity of the original NEQ and the efficiency of the CDR filtering in resolving the rank-deficient problems; show that the frame origin parameters are weakly defined and should be stripped off, while the frame orientation and scale parameters should be retained due to their insufficient redefinition from the minimal constraint (MC) implementation through inhomogeneous and asymmetrical fiducial networks; and reveal the superiority of a globally distributed fiducial network for frame alignment of the reconstructed NEQs via No-Net-Translation (NNT) MC conditions. Finally, we attribute the two apparent discontinuities in the position time series to the terrestrial reference frame (TRF) conversions of the GPS satellite orbits, and identify it as the orbit TRF effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the problem of maximizing the energy utilization for data transmission in sensors with periodical wireless charging process while taking into account the thermal effect. Two classes of problems are analyzed: one is the case that wireless charging can process for only a limited period of time, and the other is the case that wireless charging can process for a long enough time. Algorithms are proposed to solve the problems and analysis of these algorithms are also provided. For the first problem, three subproblems are studied, and, for the general problem, we give an algorithm that can derive a performance bound of (1−1/2m)(OPT−E) compared to an optimal solution. In addition, for the second problem, we provide an algorithm with 2m/2m−1OPT+1 performance bound for the general problem. Simulations confirm the analysis of the algorithms [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide. Ultrasound imaging has been widely used in the detection and diagnosis of breast tumors. However, due to factors such as limited spatial resolution and speckle noise, classification of benign and malignant breast tumors using conventional B-mode ultrasound still remains a challenging task. H-scan is a new ultrasound technique that images the relative size of acoustic scatterers. However, the feasibility of H-scan ultrasound imaging in the classification of benign and malignant breast tumors has not been investigated. In this paper, we proposed a new method based on H-scan ultrasound imaging to classify benign and malignant breast tumors. Backscattered ultrasound radiofrequency signals of 100 breast tumors were used (48 benign and 52 malignant cases). H-scan ultrasound images were constructed with the radiofrequency signals by matched filtering using Gaussian-weighted Hermite polynomials. Experimental results showed that benign breast tumors had more red components, while malignant breast tumors had more blue components in H-scan ultrasound images. There were significant differences between the RGB channels of H-scan ultrasound images of benign and malignant breast tumors. We conclude H-scan ultrasound imaging can be used as a new method for classifying benign and malignant breast tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ophiolite-hosted diamond from peridotites and podiform chromitites significantly differs from those of kimberlitic diamond and ultra-high pressure (UHP) metamorphic diamond in terms of occurrence, mineral inclusion, as well as carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition. In this review, we briefly summarize the global distribution of twenty-five diamond-bearing ophiolites in different suture zones and outline the bulk-rock compositions, mineral and particular Re-Os isotopic systematics of these ophiolitic chromitites and host peridotites. These data indicate that the subcontinental lithospheric mantle is likely involved in the formation of podiform chromitite. We also provide an overview of the UHP textures and unusual mineral assemblages, including diamonds, other UHP minerals (e.g., moissanite, coesite) and crustal minerals, which robustly offer evidence of crustal recycling in the deep mantle along the suprasubduction zone (SSZ) and then being transported to shallow mantle depths by asthenospheric mantle upwelling in mid-ocean-ridge and SSZ settings. A systematic comparison between four main genetic models provides insights into our understanding of the origin of ophiolite-hosted diamond and the formation of podiform chromitite. Diamond-bearing peridotites and chromitites in ophiolites are important objects to discover new minerals from the deep earth and provide clues on the chemical composition and the physical condition of the deep mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-modified concrete and fiber concrete are two excellent paving materials that improve the performance of some concrete, but the performance of single application material is still limited. In this paper, polymer-modified concrete with strong deformation and fiber concrete with obvious crack resistance and reinforcement effect were compounded by using the idea of composite material design so as to obtain a high-performance pavement material. The basic mechanical properties of high-content hybrid fiber–polymer-modified concrete, such as workability, compression, flexural resistance, and environmental durability (such as sulfate resistance) were studied by using the test regulations of cement concrete in China. The main results were as follows. (1) The hybrid fiber–polymer concrete displayed reliable working performance, high stiffness, and a modulus of elasticity as high as 35.93 GPa. (2) The hybrid fiber–polymer concrete had a compressive strength of 52.82 MPa, which was 31.2% higher than that of the plain C40 concrete (40.25 MPa); the strength of bending of the hybrid concrete was 11.51 MPa, 191.4% higher than that of the plain concrete (3.95 MPa). (3) The corrosion resistance value of the hybrid fiber–polymer concrete was 81.31%, indicating its adjustability to sulfate attack environments. (4) According to cross-sectional scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, the hybrid fiber–polymer concrete was seemingly more integrated with a dense layer of cementing substance on its surface along with fewer microholes and microcracks as when compared to the ordinary concrete. The research showed that hybrid fiber–polymer concrete had superior strength and environmental erosion resistance and was a pavement material with superior mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the impact of technology management and technological capability on new product development performance has aroused widespread concern. As a result, research models based on the notion of fit between technology management and technological capability seems to show promise. This paper aims to whether there exists a fit between technology management and technological capability and the effect of this fit on new product development performance. Research results show that the fit between technology management and technological capability has a positive effect on new product development performance. Moreover, the fit between technology management and technological capability in firms with high new product development performance is dominated by technological capability, while that in firms with low new product development performance is dominated by technology management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately predicting the adsorbed gas content in coal reservoirs is crucial for evaluating the gas content in deep coal seams. However, due to the significant variations in temperature and pressure conditions across different coal reservoirs, accurately assessing the adsorbed gas quantity presents challenges. Based on the adsorption potential theory, this paper proposes a prediction model of adsorbed gas that is applicable under various temperature and pressure conditions. The results indicate that the adsorbed gas content in deep coal reservoirs is influenced by a combination of temperature, pressure, and coal rank. The increase in pressure and coal rank enhances the inhibitory effect of temperature on methane adsorption. Meanwhile, there are significant differences in the results obtained from various virtual saturated vapor pressure models. Among them, the Amankwah model theoretically satisfies the uniqueness of the adsorption characteristic curve, with the optimal k values for different coal rank samples ranging between 2 and 9. In terms of predicting the adsorption gas, the performance of the models is ranked as follows: Amankwah model > Antonie model > Astakhov model > Dubinin model > Reid model. The Amankwah model exhibits the smallest average relative error and root mean square error. In addition, as burial depth increases, the influence of the pressure on methane adsorption decreases, while the significance of temperature increases, with the critical depth located around 1600 m. At depths shallower than the critical depth, adsorbed gas tends to preferentially accumulate and form reservoirs, which generally have lower commercial value. At depths deeper than the critical depth, free gas has the potential to form reservoirs. At this stage, gas reservoirs dominated by adsorbed gas start transitioning to those containing free gas. These findings are expected to deepen the understanding of deep coalbed methane and provide a scientific basis for exploration and development in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current dynamic and competitive environment, the sustainable competitive advantage of firms has flowed to the development of innovative knowledge assets. Drawing on resource dependence theory, this paper develops a contingency research model to explore how technology-independent directors affect innovative knowledge assets. A sample of Chinese manufacturing firms listed on Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges between 2010 and 2019 was used for the regression analysis. By employing the fixed effect model, the results show that technology-independent directors have a significant positive impact on innovative knowledge assets. Furthermore, the impact of technology-independent directors on innovative knowledge assets is strengthened in the firms that are state-owned, larger, and older. These results provide important insights related to innovation research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a method for the analysis of tectonic movement and crustal deformation by using GNSS baseline length change rates or baseline linear strain rates. The method is applied to daily coordinate solutions of continuous GNSS stations of the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (CMONOC). The results show that: (a) The baseline linear strain rates are uneven in space, which is prominent in the Tianshan, Sichuan-Yunnan, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and Yanjing areas, with a maximum value of 1 × 10−7 a−1, and about two orders smaller in the South China block, the Northeast block, and the inner area of the Tarim basin, where the average baseline linear strain rates are 1.471 × 10−9 a−1, 2.242 × 10−9 a−1, and 3.056 × 10−9 a−1, respectively; (b) Active crustal deformation and strong earthquakes in the Xinjiang area are mainly located in the north and south sides of the Tianshan block; the compression deformations both inside the Tarim block and in the southern Tianshan fault zone are all increasing from east to west, and the Tarim block is not a completely "rigid block", with the shrinkage rate in the west part at about 1~2 mm/a; (c) The principal directions of crustal deformation in the Xinjiang, Tibet, and Sichuan-Yunnan regions are generally in the north—south compression and east—west extension, indicating that the collision and wedging between the Indian and Eurasian plates are still the main source of tectonic movements in mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound healing is a complex tissue regeneration process involving many changes in multiple physiological parameters. The pH and temperature of a wound site have long been recognized as important biomarkers for assessing wound healing status. For effective wound management, wound dressings integrated with wearable sensors and systems used for continuous monitoring of pH and temperature have received much attention in recent years. Herein, recent advances in the development of wearable pH and temperature sensors and systems based on different sensing mechanisms for wound status monitoring and treatment are comprehensively summarized. Challenges in the areas of sensing performance, infection identification threshold, large-area 3-dimensional detection, and long-term reliable monitoring in current wearable sensors/systems and emerging solutions are emphasized, providing critical insights into the development of wearable sensors and systems for wound healing monitoring and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used the interpolation method of two-dimensional vector velocity field data based on Green's function to conduct coupled interpolation with a Poisson's ratio of 0.5 for 1966 horizontal velocity field data from 1999 to 2017 and obtained the uniform velocity field and strain rate field with a grid of 1°. The main results are as follows: the eastern Himalayan structure as the center, the eastern Lhasa block, the eastern Qiangtang block, the Sichuan-Yunnan block, and the Burma block form a strong deformation rate zone of continuous deformation in the fan-shaped region, which has been a strong deformation rate zone for earthquakes of magnitude 7 or higher in continental China since 1963. Besides, the eastward movement of crustal material in the Tibetan Plateau is blocked by the stable South China block. Therefore, the direction of crustal material movement is deflected, which gradually forms a clockwise rotation motion system centered on the eastern Himalayan structure. Finally, our research shows that the influencing factors of strong earthquakes include velocity change, non-uniform strain distribution, accumulation of larger strain, and the difference of the second strain rate invariant. Strong earthquakes are closely related to the difference in energy accumulation in space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paclitaxel (PTX) is a poor water-soluble antineoplastic drug with significant antitumor activity. However, its low bioavailability is a major obstacle for its biomedical applications. Thus, this experiment is designed to prepare PTX crystal powders through an antisolvent precipitation process using 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (HMImBr) as solvent and water as an antisolvent. The factors influencing saturation solubility of PTX crystal powders in water in water were optimized using a single-factor design. The optimum conditions for the antisolvent precipitation process were as follows: 50 mg/mL concentration of the PTX solution, 25 °C temperature, and 1:7 solvent-to-antisolvent ratio. The PTX crystal powders were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, and dissolution and oral bioavailability studies. Results showed that the chemical structure of PTX crystal powders were unchanged; however, precipitation of the crystalline structure changed. The dissolution test showed that the dissolution rate and solubility of PTX crystal powders were nearly 3.21-folds higher compared to raw PTX in water, and 1.27 times higher in artificial gastric juice. Meanwhile, the bioavailability of PTX crystal increased 10.88 times than raw PTX. These results suggested that PTX crystal powders might have potential value to become a new oral PTX formulation with high bioavailability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) treatment is a simple and effective technique to improve the corrosion resistance for magnesium alloys. However, the presence of micro-pores and cracks on the coatings provides paths for corrosive ions to penetrate into and react with the substrate, limiting the long-term corrosion resistance. In this paper, we designed a composite coating with which GelMA hydrogel coatings with varying thicknesses were prepared on the surface of MAO-coated magnesium alloys via a dip-coating method, aiming to improve the biocorrosion resistance and biocompatibility. The surface morphology, the chemical composition of GelMA hydrogels, and the crystallographic structure of magnesium alloys were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of all samples were evaluated through electrochemical and biological experiments. The results demonstrated that the addition of GelMA hydrogel could effectively seal the pores and improve the corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of MAO-coated magnesium alloys, especially for the sample with one layer of GelMA hydrogel, showing high cell proliferation rate, and its current density (Icorr) was two orders of magnitude lower than that of the MAO coating. Besides, the balance mechanism between corrosion and protection was proposed. As a result, the GelMA hydrogel coatings are beneficial to the application of MAO-coated magnesium alloys in bone tissue engineering and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate sustainability has been a long-established topic in the corporate operating process. Much research focuses on the internal relationships among environmental, social and economic dimensions of corporate sustainability, yet few studies have examined the topic from the perspective of environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and innovative performance. Using insights from stakeholder theory, this study develops theoretical linkages between corporate ESG initiatives and innovative performance. It further considers whether these relationships still exist under different institutional development settings. Based on the samples of 433 observations which are listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, in China, from 2007 to 2017, empirical results using the method of hierarchical regression analysis have confirmed that corporate environmental initiatives, social initiatives and governance initiatives have direct positive impacts on innovative performance. Furthermore, in examining the interactive effect of individual dimensions of ESG initiatives, the results reveal that corporate governance initiatives play a moderating role in the relationship between environmental initiatives and innovative performance and in the relationship between social initiatives and innovative performance. Finally, the empirical analyses also show that institutional development influences the effectiveness of corporate governance initiatives. This research contributes to extending the prior literature and providing several recommendations for firms to achieve corporate sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Genetic improvement of wool production and quality traits in fine-wool sheep is an appealing option for enhancing the market value of wool products. We estimated genetic parameters and the accuracies of estimated breeding values for various wool production and quality traits in fine-wool sheep using pedigree-based best linear unbiased prediction (PBLUP) and single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (ssGBLUP) strategies. ssGBLUP performed slightly better than PBLUP for the studied traits. Therefore, the single-step genetic evaluation method could be successfully implemented in genomic evaluations of fine-wool sheep and the prediction of future breeding values in young Merino sheep as part of an early preselection strategy in the near future. Genomic evaluations are a method for improving the accuracy of breeding value estimation. This study aimed to compare estimates of genetic parameters and the accuracy of breeding values for wool traits in Merino sheep between pedigree-based best linear unbiased prediction (PBLUP) and single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (ssGBLUP) using Bayesian inference. Data were collected from 28,391 yearlings of Chinese Merino sheep (classified in 1992–2018) at the Xinjiang Gonaisi Fine Wool Sheep-Breeding Farm, China. Subjectively-assessed wool traits, namely, spinning count (SC), crimp definition (CRIM), oil (OIL), and body size (BS), and objectively-measured traits, namely, fleece length (FL), greasy fleece weight (GFW), mean fiber diameter (MFD), crimp number (CN), and body weight pre-shearing (BWPS), were analyzed. The estimates of heritability for wool traits were low to moderate. The largest h2 values were observed for FL (0.277) and MFD (0.290) with ssGBLUP. The heritabilities estimated for wool traits with ssGBLUP were slightly higher than those obtained with PBLUP. The accuracies of breeding values were low to moderate, ranging from 0.362 to 0.573 for the whole population and from 0.318 to 0.676 for the genotyped subpopulation. The correlation between the estimated breeding values (EBVs) and genomic EBVs (GEBVs) ranged from 0.717 to 0.862 for the whole population, and the relative increase in accuracy when comparing EBVs with GEBVs ranged from 0.372% to 7.486% for these traits. However, in the genotyped population, the rank correlation between the estimates obtained with PBLUP and ssGBLUP was reduced to 0.525 to 0.769, with increases in average accuracy of 3.016% to 11.736% for the GEBVs in relation to the EBVs. Thus, genomic information could allow us to more accurately estimate the relationships between animals and improve estimates of heritability and the accuracy of breeding values by ssGBLUP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass redistribution within the Earth system deforms the surface elastically. Loading theory allows us to predict loading induced displacement anywhere on the Earth's surface using environmental loading models, e.g., Global Land Data Assimilation System. In addition, different publicly available loading products are available. However, there are differences among those products and the differences among the combinations of loading models cannot be ignored when precisions of better than 1 cm are required. Many scholars have applied these loading corrections to Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) time series from mainland China without considering or discussing the differences between the available models. Evaluating the effects of different loading products over this region is of paramount importance for accurately removing the loading signal. In this study, we investigate the performance of these different publicly available loading products on the scatter of GNSS time series from the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China. We concentrate on five different continental water storage loading models, six different non-tidal atmospheric loading models, and five different non-tidal oceanic loading models. We also investigate all the different combinations of loading products. The results show that the difference in RMS reduction can reach 20% in the vertical component depending on the loading correction applied. We then discuss the performance of different loading combinations and their effects on the noise characteristics of GNSS height time series and horizontal velocities. The results show that the loading products from NASA may be the best choice for corrections in mainland China. This conclusion could serve as an important reference for loading products users in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the corporate environmental performance (CEP) literature toward its financial performance of the firm. CEP is defined as the exercise and practices of companies to choose sensible measures to save and develop environment-friendly green activities. The influence of CEP on the financial performance of the firm via technological capability was examined. Furthermore, public awareness was hypothesized to moderate the impact of CEP on technological capability indicating moderation mediation. When public awareness was high, the relationship between the CEP and technological capability should be stronger. Content analysis was used for data collection. The model was tested using a sample of 1491 observations from the manufacturing companies of Pakistan. The data were collected between the period 2008 and 2017 from the annual reports of the companies, State Bank of Pakistan, and Pakistan Stock exchange. A hierarchical regression analysis was used for data analysis. Using bootstrap analysis, we used model 8 in Stata to examine conditional direct and indirect effects. Results supported the indirect effect of CEP on financial performance through strengthening technological capability. Both direct and indirect effects were significant. Consistent with theoretical assumptions, the indirect effect becomes stronger with high public awareness and diminished with low public awareness. Both theoretical and practical contributions are discussed based on the outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using global positioning system (GPS) observations of northeastern China and the southeast of the Russian Far East over the period 2012–2017, we derived an ITRF2014-referenced velocity field by fitting GPS time series with a functional model incorporating yearly and semiannual signals, linear trends, and offsets. We subsequently rotated the velocity field into a Eurasia-fixed velocity field and analyzed its spatial characteristics. Taking an improved multiscale spherical wavelet algorithm, we computed strain rate tensors and analyzed their spatial distribution at multiple scales. The derived Eurasia-referenced velocity field shows that northeastern China generally moved southeastward. Extensional deformation was identified at the Yilan–Yitong Fault (YYF) and the Dunhua–Mishan Fault (DMF), with negligible strike–slip rates. The principal strain rates were characterized by NE–SW compression and NW–SE extension. The dilation rates show compressional deformation in the southern segment of the YYF, northern end of the Nenjiang Fault (NJF), and southeast of the Russian Far East. We also investigated the impact of the 2011 Tohoku Mw 9.0 earthquake on the crustal deformation of northeastern China, generated by its post-seismic viscoelastic relaxation. The velocities generated by the post-seismic viscoelastic relaxation of the giant earthquake are generally orientated southeast, with magnitudes inversely proportional with the epicentral distances. The principal strain rates caused by the viscoelastic relaxation were also characterized by NW–SE stretching and NE–SW compression. The dilation rates show that compressional deformation appeared in the southern segment of the DMF and the YYF and southeast of the Russian Far East. Significant maximum shear rates were identified around the southern borderland between northeastern China and the southeast of the Russian Far East. Finally, we compared the multiple strain rates and the seismicity of northeastern China after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Our finding shows that the ML ≥ 4.0 earthquakes were mostly concentrated around the zones of high areal strain rates and shear rates at scales of 4 and 5, in particular, at the DMF and YYF fault zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]