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Low flow velocity disrupts the potential fish migration passages in a reservoir, and causes reservoirs to become labyrinths for migratory fish. Previous studies showed that fish migration passages in a reservoir can be restored by modifying reservoir operation. However, reservoir operating rules that are specifically designed to support fish migration have not been established, leading to low success for fish migration and high socioeconomic losses. In this research, we established new reservoir operating rules to improve the migration success rate while also reducing socioeconomic losses. Under the new rules, two parameters (reservoir water level and predicted reservoir inflows) were adapted to trigger water releases to open migration passages. The two parameters were optimized by considering hydrological processes, fish migration processes below the dam, the swimming ability of fish, and the socioeconomic benefits provided by the reservoir. We used data from China's Danjiangkou Reservoir to test the effectiveness of the proposed method. We found that the new method can not only improve the migration success rate (from 0.1% to 4.2%), but can also slightly reduce the reservoir's socioeconomic losses (by 3.7%–7.0%). The new method effectively balances the needs of fish migration with the need for socioeconomic development in the areas surrounding dammed rivers. Key Points: We developed an eco‐friendly reservoir operation method by adding specific rules for fish migration to the original operating rule curvesThe method can improve the migration success rate while reducing the loss of socioeconomic benefitsThe method provides stable optimization for meeting the varying flow requirements of target species [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper systematically studies cladding materials prepared by mixing 316 L and 2Cr13 alloy powders in different ratios. The powder was melted and deposited on a Q235B carbon steel substrate using laser melting deposition with a high Ni transition layer and appropriate laser process parameters. Bimetallic plates with a thickness of 10 mm ±0.5 mm was prepared. The microstructure of different parts of the bimetallic plates and the impact toughness and hardness were observed and tested under different alloy ratios. The results indicate that the Nickel‐Chromium equivalence ratio increased, the hardness and wear resistance of the bimetallic plates increased, and the degree of eutectic segregation in the eutectic structure also increased. When the ratio of 2Cr13 reached 60 %, the impact toughness increased significantly, and the needle‐like second phase appeared in the structure. X‐ray diffractometer analysis determined that this second phase was (Fe, Cr)7C3. After Charpy impact testing, the fracture microstructure showed many dimples, indicating micropore aggregation fracture. This study guides preparing large‐thickness cladding layers on iron and steel parts using laser melting deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations show that equatorial ionospheric vertical drifts during solar minimum differ from the climatology between late afternoon and midnight. By analyzing WACCM‐X simulations, which reproduce this solar cycle dependence, we show that the interplay of the dominant migrating tides, their propagating and in situ forced components, and their solar cycle dependence impact the F‐region wind dynamo. In particular, the amplitude and phase of the propagating migrating semidiurnal tide (SW2) in the F‐region plays a key role. Under solar minimum conditions, the SW2 tide propagate to and beyond the F‐region in the winter hemisphere, and consequently its zonal wind amplitude in the F‐region is much stronger than that under solar maximum conditions. Furthermore, its phase shift leads to a strong eastward wind perturbation near local midnight. This in turn drives a F‐region dynamo with an equatorial upward drift between 18 and 1 hr local times. Plain Language Summary: The vertical ion motion in the equatorial ionosphere plays a key role in the space weather. Satellite observations found that such vertical motion during periods with low solar activity can be quite different from the known climatology, and the cause is not clear. Using a whole atmosphere general circulation model, WACCM‐X, we are able to reproduce the pattern of the vertical ion motion similar to that observed during low activity solar cycle periods. By analyzing the model results, we find that the relative significance of the different atmosphere tidal wave components and its variation with solar activity contribute to the solar dependence of the vertical ion motion. The propagating altitudes of tide with 12‐hr period, as well as where and when the tidal wind becomes large, are of particular importance. Key Points: Upward equatorial vertical ion drift near midnight under solar minimum conditions reproduced by WACCM‐XModulation of F‐region dynamo by propagating semidiurnal tide is much stronger during solar minimumTidal phase change in equatorial F‐region during solar minimum shifts upward drift toward midnight [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new version of NCAR Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere/ionosphere extension (WACCM‐X) has been developed. The main feature of this version is the species‐dependent spectral element (SE) dynamical core solved on a cubed sphere grid, eliminating the polar singularity and enabling simulations at high‐resolutions. Molecular viscosity and diffusion in the horizontal direction are also included. The Conservative Semi‐Lagrangian Multi‐Tracer Transport Scheme (CSLAM) is employed for the species transport. An efficient regridding scheme based on the Earth System Modeling Framework is used to map fields between the physics mesh and geomagnetic grid. Simulations have been performed at coarse (∼200 km and 0.25 scale height) and high (∼25 km and 0.1 scale height) resolutions. Spatial distribution of the resolved gravity waves from the high‐resolution simulations compares well with available observations in the middle and upper atmosphere. Analysis of the scale dependence of the gravity wave energy density and momentum flux shows that, while larger scale waves are dominant energetically at most latitudes, smaller scale waves contribute significantly to the total momentum flux, especially at mid‐high latitudes. The waves in the thermosphere are shown to be strongly modulated by the large‐scale wind through Doppler shift and molecular damping, and they cause large neutral atmosphere and plasma perturbations. Plain Language Summary: Small scale waves can be excited from daily weather near the Earth surface. These waves, termed gravity waves, can propagate upward and are thought to influence the middle and upper atmospheric regions. Such effects, however, are difficult to directly quantify by observations and numerical modeling due to their small scales and global presence. To address this challenge, we have developed a high‐resolution whole atmosphere model (WACCM‐X), which extends from the Earth surface to the upper thermsophere, that can partially resolve the small scale waves. The simulated waves are compared with available observations to verify the model results and to examine how these waves are distributed geographically and over altitudes. The simulations show that wave signatures can be clearly identified in the neutral and the ionized atmosphere, which can have important implications for space weather. Key Points: Gravity wave distribution from lower atmosphere to upper thermosphere obtained from high‐resolution WACCM‐XThermospheric/ionospheric disturbances driven by gravity waves quantifiedWave distribution and disturbance statistics comparable to observations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non‐hydrostatic Model for Prediction Across Scales‐Atmosphere (MPAS‐A) dynamical core has recently been adapted for the Specified Chemistry Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (SC‐WACCM). In this study, the mean zonal wind and temperature climatology from SC‐WACCM/MPAS‐A is compared with the results from SC‐WACCM using the finite volume and spectral element dynamical cores, as well as the zonal wind and temperature climatology of Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite mission and SABER. The simulations have been performed at horizontal resolutions of ∼100 km. Generally a good agreement is seen between the results from the three dynamical cores, which verifies that the new dynamical core is working with WACCM. Plain Language Summary: Development of whole atmosphere models are focusing increasingly more on geospace applications. This focus stems from our society becoming dependent on advanced technology which can be vulnerable to space weather. In these regions the accuracy of the hydrostatic approximation becomes problematic. In this work the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model at the National Center for Atmospheric Research is developed and tested with the non‐hydrostatic Model for Prediction Across Scales‐Atmosphere dynamical core. Key Points: Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) with the non‐hydrostatic Model for Prediction Across Scales‐Atmosphere (MPAS‐A) dynamical core has been developedTemperature and wind climatology from WACCM/MPAS‐A is compared with results from the spectral element (SE) and finite volume (FV) dynamical cores, as well as available observationsPreliminary validation demonstrates agreement with the result from the SE and FV dynamical cores [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major earthquakes can cause extensive landsliding that poses a major threat to both property and human lives. In addition to co‐seismically triggered ground failure, the earthquake‐affected region remains vulnerable to landslides due to loosened and unstable materials and structures. Many researchers have studied landslide distributions and their controlling factors after earthquakes, but the function of ground motion is unclear. To investigate the connection in a strike‐slip earthquake, we analyzed the 5 September 2022 Luding earthquake (Mw 6.6) in Sichuan Province, China. We interpreted remote‐sensing images to obtain the landslide distribution before and after the earthquake, calculated surface deformation from D‐InSAR data (pre‐ and post‐earthquake), utilized a point‐source model for the focal mechanism inversion, and then constructed a finite fault model for the rupture slip. There are clear differences in the landslide distributions on the two sides of the fault before and after the earthquake. The density of co‐seismic landslides on the west side of the fault exceeded that on the east side. The patterns of surface deformation and ground motion indicated that the areas with larger deformation and motion were associated with more landslides. Furthermore, the landslide size decreased with distance from the fault. A new finding is that co‐seismic landslides induced by strike‐slip earthquakes result in high landslide concentration on both sides of the fault, while previous studies find that co‐seismic landslides triggered by thrust earthquakes present a hanging wall concentrated distribution pattern. These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the connection between ground movement patterns and landslide distributions. Plain Language Summary: Our research focused on the 5 September 2022 Luding earthquake in Sichuan Province, China. The study identified distinct disparities in the distribution of landslides on either side of the fault, both landslides that happen before, during, and shortly after an earthquake. The western side of the fault exhibited a higher density of landslides following seismic activity compared with the eastern side during the Luding earthquake. The areas experiencing more significant deformation and motion during the earthquake were more prone to landslides. Moreover, landslides induced by strike‐slip earthquakes displayed high landslide concentrations on both sides of the fault. In contrast, landslides triggered by thrust earthquakes predominantly exhibited a concentrated hanging wall distribution pattern. Key Points: The type of fault is a primary controller of the landslide distribution patternMore landslides occurred in areas with more deformation and greater ground motion [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations of a regular pulse burst (RPB) at the end of a K‐event are analyzed utilizing a simple geometric model and particle swarm optimization (PSO) to estimate the currents and propagation speeds of successive pulses of the RPB. The results show that the current of successive pulses is strongly overlapped and, for typical speeds of continuously propagating K‐events, are unphysically large (88 kA), exceeding the currents of most strokes to ground. By default, the unphysical nature of the result, coupled with very high frequency interferometer observations of an RPB in Florida, shows that the propagation speed of the pulses is significantly faster than expected, namely ∼0.6–1.8 × 108 m/s. This reduces the inferred current from 88 kA down to 6–18 kA, typical of intracloud events. The fast propagation speed of the stepping is explained by successive pulses retracing much of the path of the preceding pulses due to the successive pulses being strongly overlapped. Plain Language Summary: Regular pulse bursts (RBP) are a spectacular phenomenon in lightning studies, in which rapidly propagating, conductive channels called K‐events transition from a smoothly and continually lengthening channel to an intermittent but regularly‐spaced stepping process, with each step producing a highly‐impulsive current and electric field change, or "sferic." Here we introduce a new approach for analyzing sferic observations that models the K‐event as a series of successive segments, with the parameters of the current and extent of each pulse being determined by searching the multi‐dimensional parameter space that best fits the corresponding pulse waveforms. This was done using a process called PSO, and indicated that the RBP pulses were caused by a succession of overlapping fast breakdown events, but having unphysically strong currents. For the distant measurements of the study, the sferic amplitudes can determine only the product of current and propagation speed of the pulses, causing their current and speed values to be ambiguous. However, for the currents to have reasonable values, we are able to conclude that the speeds needed to be faster than assumed maximum value of 1.5 × 107 m/s value in the analysis. This contention is supported by observations of similar RPBs being studied by the authors. Key Points: A new, innovative method is developed for estimating the currents and extents of fast electric field change pulsesThe method is applied to the study of a regular pulse burst, showing that it consisted of a succession of fast overlapping eventsThe speed of the pulses is inferred to be significantly higher than that of continuously‐developing K‐leader [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants are constantly exposed to different kinds of biotic stress, such as herbivore attack and wounding. To deal with these stresses, plants have evolved sophisticated defence mechanisms to protect themselves.Previously, we found that EIJ1 (EDS1‐interacting J protein 1) plays a negative regulatory role in plant disease resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Follow‐up studies revealed that EIJ1 specifically responds to wounding and herbivore stresses. The expression of EIJ1 was specifically induced by wounding or herbivore stress, as demonstrated by similar results in EIJ1 protein assay.Interestingly, GUS staining found that the promoter of EIJ1 is not involved in the induction of expression under wounding stress. Instead, we identified the first intron of EIJ1 as a key factor in response to wounding stress. Deleting the first intron of EIJ1 resulted in a loss of response to wounding stress in plants.Our results broaden the role of EIJ1 in plant resistance to biotic stress and provide new insights into plant responses to biotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high‐resolution Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere/ionosphere extension (WACCM‐X) is used to study the impacts of gravity waves (GWs) on the thermospheric circulation and composition. The resolved GWs are found to propagate anisotropically with stronger eastward components at most altitudes. The dissipation of these waves in the thermosphere produces a net eastward forcing that reaches peak values between 200 and 250 km at mid‐high latitudes in both hemispheres. Consequently, the mean circulation is weakened in the winter hemisphere and enhanced in the summer, which in turn impacts the thermospheric composition. Most notably, the column integrated O/N2 in both hemispheres is reduced and agrees better with observations. The mean thermospheric GW forcing in the meridional direction has comparable amplitude and acts to modify the gradient‐wind relationship. Plain Language Summary: Small‐scale waves originate from the lower atmosphere have been shown to propagate into the thermosphere. To study their effects a high‐resolution whole atmosphere model has been employed. Using this high‐resolution model, which can partially resolve the small‐scale waves, we can directly quantify the force exerted by these waves on the general circulation in the thermosphere. We found that such force is strong, and affects the thermospheric circulation in both winter and summer hemisphere. This consequently changes the distribution of important thermospheric species. One measure of the thermospheric composition is the ratio of atomic oxygen and molecular nitrogen, which is an indicator of the relative abundance of atomic and molecular species. This ratio has been grossly over‐estimated in previous modeling studies. It is reduced as a result of the circulation change, and is much better agreement with observations. Key Points: Gravity waves (GWs) resolved by high‐resolution WACCM‐X displays anisotropic propagationGW forcing alters thermospheric circulationThe circulation change leads to a much improved thermospheric O/N2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is associated with high local control rates in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study reports the outcomes of SBRT compared to surgical resection (SR) and percutaneous ablation (PA) for treatment‐naïve, solitary HCCs ≤3 cm. Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients with BCLC stage 0/A HCC with a single ≤3 cm lesion, treated with curative intent between 2016 and 2020. SBRT was used for patients considered unsuitable for SR or PA. The co‐primary endpoints were progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints were treatment‐related clinical toxicity rates and local control (LC) rates. Results: There were 112 patients included in this study. SBRT was delivered in 36 patients (32.1%), 51 had PA (45.5%) and 25 underwent SR (22.3%). Median follow‐up was 23 months (range, 3–60 months) from diagnosis. The 3‐year PFS and OS were 67% and 69% following SBRT, 55% and 80% following PA, and 85% and 100% following SR, respectively. Patients in the SR cohort had significantly better 3‐year PFS and OS compared to SBRT and PA groups (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04, respectively). There was no significant difference in PFS (p = 0.15) or OS (p = 0.23) between SBRT and PA treated patients. The 3‐year LC rate for the entire cohort was 98%. Conclusions: In patients with treatment‐naïve, early‐stage solitary HCCs ≤3 cm, SBRT was associated with comparable PFS, OS and LC outcomes to PA. SBRT should be considered as a curative intent therapy to avoid treatment stage migration in this favourable prognostic cohort of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Net ecosystem productivity (NEP) is important in the carbon cycle. However, the divergent responses of NEP to climate change along topographical gradient, particularly slope, and aspect, is not yet well understood. This study investigates divergent response of NEP to climate change during 1981–2018 along topographical gradient by Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition and multiple regression. The results indicate that: (a) NEP increases at low elevations, but first decreases and then increases at mid‐high elevations, and decreases at high elevations. NEP increases with slope. NEP is higher in the east and west but lower in the north and south. (b) With elevation increasing, negative correlation of temperature (TEM) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), along with the positive correlation of precipitation (PRE) and Solar radiation (SR) strengthens first and then weaken, but PRE's positive correlation strengthens again after 4,000 m, and TEM's negative correlation changes to positive at high elevations. Moreover, soil moisture (SM's) positive correlation strengthens overall. NEP changes are dominated by PRE and VPD below 2,000 m, by TEM and PRE at 2,000–4,000 m, and by PRE and SM above 4,000 m. (c) With slope increasing, the negative correlation of TEM and the positive correlation of SM and SR and their importance strengthen. While PRE's positive correlation and VPD's negative correlation, and their importance weaken. (d) NEP changes are controlled by PRE and VPD in all respect, but the positive relationship of PRE and its importance weakens from north to west, opposite to VPD. Our results highlight the importance of topography for deeply understanding NEP's response to climate changes. Plain Language Summary: This study examines how China's carbon absorption, known as net ecosystem productivity (NEP), responds to climate change along topographical gradient by combining Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition detrending and multiple regression. We found that NEP changes along both elevation and slope gradients. Factors like temperature (TEM), precipitation (PRE), radiation, soil moisture (SM), and vapor pressure affect NEP differently across these gradients. Below 2,000 m, PRE and vapor pressure deficit play a crucial role in NEP, while between 2000 and 4,000 m, TEM and PRE become more influential. Above 4,000 m, PRE and SM are the main drivers. The slope gradient also influences NEP differently, with PRE and TEM being key factors. Additionally, changes of NEP in each aspect are mainly controlled by PRE and VPD. These findings highlight the complex relationship between climate and NEP, emphasizing the need to consider topography when studying carbon dynamics in ecosystems. Understanding these patterns can help inform climate change mitigation and land management strategies. Key Points: Based on Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition‐detrending, Net ecosystem productivity (NEP)'s response to each variable varies and has different spatial distribution patternThere are significantly divergent responses of NEP to each variable along elevation, slope and aspect gradientAlong elevation, slope, and aspect gradient, NEP changes were dominated by different variables [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that atmospheric gravity waves can generate plasma ducts and irregularities in the plasmasphere using the coupled SAMI3/WACCM‐X model. We find the equatorial electron density is irregular as a function of longitude which is consistent with CRRES measurements (Clilverd et al., 2007, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007ja012416). We also find that plasma ducts can be generated for L‐shells in the range 1.5–3.0 with lifetimes of ∼ 0.5 hr; this is in line with observations of ducted VLF wave propagation with lifetimes of 0.5–2.0 hr (Clilverd et al., 2008, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007ja012602; Singh et al., 1998, https://doi.org/10.1016/s1364-6826(98)00001-7). Plain Language Summary: Electromagnetic plasma waves, known as whistler waves, are observed to propagate in the ionosphere/plasmasphere system where the ionosphere is nominally defined as the partially ionized gas surrounding the earth in the altitude range 90–1,000 km and the plasmasphere is essentially the extension of the ionosphere 1,000s of km into space along closed geomagnetic field lines. Whistler wave propagation has been characterized as ducted and non‐ducted. Ducted propagation is guided along the magnetic field by density tubes in which the plasma density is lower or higher than the background plasma. However, the physical processes that generate these ducts has remained unclear. We show that these plasma ducts can be generated by atmospheric gravity waves that perturb the ionosphere and plasmasphere electron density using the coupled SAMI3/WACCM‐X model. Key Points: Atmospheric gravity waves can generate plasma ducts and irregularities in the plasmasphere using the coupled SAMI3/WACCM‐X modelThe electron density in the equatorial plasmasphere is irregular as a function of longitudePlasma ducts can be generated for L‐shells in the range 1.5–3.0 with lifetimes of 0.5–2.0 hr [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties, including tensile and impact properties at different testing temperatures of alumina‐forming austenitic steels (25 % nickel, 20 % chromium) with different aluminum contents (0, 2.5 %, 5 % and 8 %) were investigated. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy together with tensile and impact properties tests were conducted. The results showed that the tensile strength of steels at 298 K increased obviously along with aluminum contents increasing, while plasticity decreased at the same, which attributed to the higher volume fraction and number density of spherical NiAl precipitation together with main ferrite in matrix. In addition, spherical NiAl particles dispersed easily in ferrite. In particular, the ultimate tensile strength of the sample with 8 % aluminum could reach 1398 MPa, with the elongation of 14 % at 298 K. However, NiAl precipitations would lose strengthening effects at high temperatures, but the plasticity could be improved. In addition, the sample with 5 % aluminum showed better comprehensive properties by comparison to other samples, and the ultimate tensile strength was 1018 MPa and 491 MPa at 298 K and 973 K with the elongation of 26 % and 43 %, respectively, enabling it to be promising material for industrial application in advanced nuclear systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report results from a self‐consistent global simulation model in which a large‐scale equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) forms during a midnight temperature maximum (MTM). The global model comprises the ionospheric code SAMI3 and the atmosphere/thermosphere code WACCM‐X. We consider solar minimum conditions for the month of August. We show that an EPB forms during an MTM in the Pacific sector and is caused by equatorward neutral wind flows. Although this is consistent with the theoretical result that a meridional neutral wind (V) with a negative gradient (∂V/∂θ < 0) is a destabilizing influence [Huba & Krall, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50292] (where a northward meridional neutral wind V is positive and θ is the latitude and increases in the northward direction), we find that the primary cause of the EPB is the large decrease in the Pedersen conductance caused by the equatorward winds. Plain Language Summary: The equatorial ionosphere often develops electron density irregularities at night in the altitude range 300–1,000 km. This phenomenon is known as equatorial spread F. A leading candidate to explain the generation of these irregularities is the generalized Rayleigh‐Taylor instability (GRTI). The phenomenon usually occurs after sunset but under certain conditions it can occur around midnight. In this paper, using the coupled ionosphere/thermosphere model SAMI3/WACCM‐X, we show that it can occur during a midnight temperature maximum where the neutral thermosphere temperature increases near the equator. This is associated with equatorward neutral wind flows that change the conductance of the ionosphere and leads to an increase in the growth rate of the GRTI and the development of a large equatorial plasma bubble. Key Points: An equatorial plasma bubble can develop during a midnight temperature maximum in the ionosphereEquatorward winds reduce the Pedersen conductance that enhances the growth rate of the generalized Rayleigh‐Taylor instabilityThe results are based on the coupled ionosphere/thermosphere model SAMI3/WACCM‐X [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of intra-operative mechanical ventilation modes on pulmonary outcomes after thoracic surgery with one-lung ventilation has not been well established. We evaluated the impact of three common ventilation modes on postoperative pulmonary complications in patients undergoing lung resection surgery. In this two-centre randomised controlled trial, 1224 adults scheduled for lung resection surgery with one-lung ventilation were randomised to one of three groups: volume-controlled ventilation; pressure-controlled ventilation; and pressure-control with volume guaranteed ventilation. Enhanced recovery after surgery pathways and lung-protective ventilation protocols were implemented in all groups. The primary outcome was a composite of postoperative pulmonary complications within the first seven postoperative days. The outcome occurred in 270 (22%), with 87 (21%) in the volume control group, 89 (22%) in the pressure control group and 94 (23%) in the pressure-control with volume guaranteed group (p = 0.831). The secondary outcomes also did not differ across study groups. In patients undergoing lung resection surgery with one-lung ventilation, the choice of ventilation mode did not influence the risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications. This is the first randomised controlled trial examining the effect of three ventilation modes on pulmonary outcomes in patients undergoing lung resection surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At high-latitudes, diurnal and semidiurnal variations of temperature and neutral wind velocity can originate both in the lower atmosphere (UV or infrared absorption) and in the thermosphere-ionosphere (ion convection, EUV absorption). Determining the relative impact of different forcing mechanisms gives insight to the vertical coupling in the ionosphere. We analyze measurements from the incoherent scatter radar (ISR) facility operated by the EISCAT Scientific Association. They are complemented by meteor radar data and compared to global circulation models. The amplitudes and phases of tidal oscillations are determined by an adaptive spectral filter (ASF). Measurements indicate the existence of strong semidiurnal oscillations in a two-band structure at altitudes ≲110 and ≳130 km, respectively. Analysis of several model runs with different input settings suggest the upper band to be forced in situ while the lower band corresponds to upward-propagating tides from the lower atmosphere. This indicates the existence of an unexpectedly strong, in situ forcing mechanism for semidiurnal oscillations in the high-latitude thermosphere. It is shown that the actual transition of tides in the altitude region between 90 and 150 km is more complex than described so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A trial conducted in Asia aimed to assess the effectiveness, acceptability, and safety of a first trimester screen-and-prevent strategy for preterm pre-eclampsia (PE). The trial involved 48,725 pregnant women in ten regions across Asia from 2019 to 2022. The results showed that 88.04% of women agreed to undergo first trimester screening for preterm PE, and among those identified as high-risk, 82.39% received low-dose aspirin (LDA). The use of LDA was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of preterm PE, as well as other adverse outcomes. The study concluded that the screen-and-prevent strategy is highly accepted among women from diverse ethnic backgrounds, and LDA is considered a safe intervention during pregnancy. [Extracted from the article]

High‐resolution Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere/ionosphere extension is used to simulate the responses to the Hunga‐Tonga volcano eruption on 15 January 2022. Global propagation of the Lamb wave L'0 and L'1 pseudomodes are reproduced in the simulation, with the exponential growth of wave amplitudes with altitudes. The wavefront is vertical up to the lower thermosphere, and tilts outward above. These features are consistent with theoretical results. With simulated surface pressure perturbation agreeing with observations (∼100–250 Pa), thermospheric wind perturbations over 100 ms−1 are comparable with reported satellite and ground‐based observations. Traveling ionospheric disturbances in the total electron contents from the simulation show good agreement with observations, including magnitude and propagating speed and evidence of conjugacy in the first 1–2 hr after eruption. Conjugacy in E × B drift, on the other hand, is more persistent. Plain Language Summary: As one of the most powerful volcano eruptions on record, the Hunga Tonga‐Hunga Ha'apai Volcano produces waves that ripple through the atmosphere and near‐space environment. These wave signals have been recorded by observations from instruments on the ground and from satellites, and they propagate around the Earth multiple times. This event provides a rare opportunity to study the strong and direct connection of the whole atmosphere system. The challenge is for a model to be able to represent the key processes in the whole atmosphere system and to have sufficient spatial and temporal fidelity to gain a realistic global picture of the event. This is achieved in the study by using the high‐resolution Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere/ionosphere extension. The model is able to simulate the global propagation of the waves, and the model results compare favorably with observations from the surface to the thermosphere and ionosphere. Key Points: High‐resolution Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere/ionosphere extension simulation of Hunga eruption shows whole atmosphere responsesSimulated wave amplitude growth and phase structure are consistent with the theoretical predictionSimulation results are comparable with thermospheric and ionospheric observations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytokinin two‐component signal transduction system (TCS) is involved in many biological processes, including hormone signal transduction and plant growth regulation. Although cytokinin TCS has been well characterized in Arabidopsis thaliana, its role in tomato remains elusive.In this study, we characterized the diversity and function of response regulator (RR) genes, a critical component of TCS, in tomato. In total, we identified 31 RR genes in the tomato genome. These SlRR genes were classified into three subgroups (type‐A, type‐B and type‐C).Various stress‐responsive cis‐elements were present in the tomato RR gene promoters. Their expression responses under pesticide treatment were evaluated by transcriptome analysis. Their expression under heat, cold, ABA, salinity and NaHCO3 treatments was further investigated by qRT‐PCR and complemented with the available transcription data under these treatments. Specifically, SlRR13 expression was significantly upregulated under salinity, drought, cold and pesticide stress and was downregulated under ABA treatment. SlRR23 expression was induced under salt treatment, while the transcription level of SlRR1 was increased under cold and decreased under salt stress.We also found that GATA transcription factors played a significant role in the regulation of SlRR genes. Based on our results, tomato SlRR genes are involved in responses to abiotic stress in tomato and could be implemented in molecular breeding approaches to increase resistance of tomato to environmental stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vertical distribution of aerosols in the lower troposphere is critically important for assessing their impact on Earth's radiation budget and modulation of cloud microphysics. This study analyzed cloud‐free aerosol extinction coefficient (βext), aerosol subtypes, and particulate depolarization ratios obtained from CALIOP (Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) over the six regions of India during 2008–2018. We investigated unprecedented climatology of the physical and optical characteristics of elevated aerosol layers (EALs) along with their source and formation mechanism. The key findings include: (a) EALs over the Indian region were persistent between 4 and 6 km during all seasons, (b) geometrical layer thickness of EALs increased up to 36.7% and 25% from the annual mean during summer and fall seasons, respectively, compared to that of spring and winter, (c) dust and polluted dust accounted for up to 50%–80% from near‐surface to 6 km and up to 80%–90% of the EALs between 4 and 6 km, respectively for all the seasons and regions, (d) we anticipated that locally confined recirculation coupled with stratified stable layer capped within turbulent layers could be a possible mechanism of formation of stratified EALs between 4 and 6 km during winter‐spring‐fall, while in summer, vertical transport of pollutants from the PBL to mid‐troposphere due to enhanced deep convection served as a key formation mechanism of the EALs, (e) the second Modern‐Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Global Modeling Initiative model reasonably simulated the shape and vertical gradient of βext with significant differences in magnitude below 4 km; however, it fails to reproduce EALs for all seasons and regions during the study period. Plain Language Summary: Aerosols distributed in the troposphere can scatter and absorb solar radiation and modify the Earth's radiation budget and cloud properties. The combined effect of scattering and absorption by particles is defined as aerosol extinction coefficient, is a measure of the alteration of radiant energy as it passes through the atmosphere. The aerosol extinction coefficient was derived with the space‐borne lidar Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) aboard the Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) over the Indian region during 2008–2018. The vertical profiles of aerosol extinction coefficient depicted persistent layers between 4 and 6 km over the Indian region named elevated aerosol layers (EALs). In the summer and fall seasons, the thickness of the EALs increased by 36.7% and 25% from the annual mean, respectively. Throughout the year, dust and polluted dust aerosols accounted for up to 50%–80% of the EALs composition between near‐surface and 6 km. Stratified EALs between 4 and 6 km were formed by locally confined wind recirculation coupled with stable atmospheric layers during the winter, spring, and fall seasons. In summer, the vertical transport of pollutants from the planetary boundary layer to the mid‐troposphere associated with enhanced deep convection played a crucial role in the formation of EALs. Key Points: Aerosol layers persisted between 4 and 6 km in the free troposphere during all seasons over the Indian regionElevated aerosol layers (EALs) between 4 and 6 km were formed due to confined anticyclonic circulation capped within turbulent layersSecond Modern‐Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Global Modeling Initiative simulation fails to reproduce EALs for all seasons and regions during the study period [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese Meteorology Administration chemistry model Chinese Unified Atmospheric Chemistry Environment (CUACE) is online integrated into the mesoscale operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) model (GRAPES_Meso5.1) and aerosol‐cloud‐radiation interaction is achieved to establish the first version (V1) of chemistry‐weather (CW) interacted model GRAPES‐Meso5.1/CUACE CW V1. The most polluted winter 2016–2017 is selected to study the meteorology impacts on haze/fog prediction, the impact of aerosol‐radiation, aerosol‐cloud and CW interaction (ARI, ACI, CWI) on haze/fog prediction and NWP. Single way model without CWI displays reasonable PM2.5 and visibility prediction in general. However, modeled PM2.5 peaks are underestimated and visibility valleys are overestimated during haze/fog pollution, the underestimation of relative humidity (RH) contributes major to this misestimation; CWI model cut the negative bias of PM2.5 peaks and the positive bias of visibility valleys. The improvement of 5 and 3 km low visibility by CWI during severe haze/fog period is more obvious than that of 10 km, which just compensates for the largest deficiency in low visibility prediction related with severe haze/fog by single way model; The NWP including sea level pressures, RH, temperature, wind speed are also improved by CWI from surface to upper troposphere; ARI contributes larger to the predicted PM2.5,visibility and NWP improvement than that of ACI, their relative contributions varies with model vertical height and the overlapping condition of cloud and aerosols. Due to the joint contribution of RH and PM2.5, CWI's improving on visibility is larger than PM2.5. This study illustrates the importance of including CWI in air quality prediction model. Plain Language Summary: Double way atmospheric chemistry model considering complete aerosol‐radiation‐cloud interaction is the hot and difficult issue in climate, weather and air quality (AQ) modeling. Focusing on better prediction of haze/fog pollution in China, the first version (V1) of chemistry‐weather (CW) interacted model GRAPES‐Meso5.1/CUACE CW V1 is established by online coupling the Chinese Meteorology Administration CUACE chemistry model with the updated operational mesoscale weather model GRAPES_Meso5.1 and the further completion of aerosol‐cloud‐radiation interaction in it. The meteorology impacts on haze/fog prediction including PM2.5 and visibility is discussed. The impacts of aerosol‐cloud interaction (ACI), aerosol radiation interaction (ARI) and the both (CWI) on haze/fog prediction and mesoscale NWP is further studied. The study results shows that the important impacts of relative humidity on high PM2.5 and low visibility and the improving of PM2.5, low visibility prediction and NWP by ARI, ACI and CWI during haze/fog episode, indicating the importance of CW model in better AQ prediction and NWP in polluted region. Key Points: An online chemistry‐weather (CW) interacted GRAPES_Meso5.1/Chinese Unified Atmospheric Chemistry Environment CW V1.0 model with aerosol‐radiation‐cloud interaction is establishedSingle way model shows basic reasonable haze/fog prediction including visibility and PM2.5 in most polluted subregions in ChinaCW Interaction improves PM2.5, visibility and numerical weather prediction from surface to upper troposphere to varying degree [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

α‐Farnesene is a sesquiterpene present in plants. It was first discovered in apples. It plays an important role in the plant defence response and is considered a key factor in the occurrence of superficial scald. The gene encoding α‐farnesene synthase, which is the last key enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of α‐farnesene in apple fruit, has become the primary target enzyme for controlling the genetic manipulation of α‐farnesene biosynthesis.In this study, the yeast one‐hybrid assay and the dual luciferase assay were used to ascertain the relationship between MdLSD1 and MdAFS. Real‐time PCR was used to analyse the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of MdAFS by MdLSD1.Our results revealed that transcription factor MdLSD1, which is closely related to programmed cell death in apple fruit tissues, binds to MdAFS. Transient transformation of apple skin with vectors overexpressing MdLSD1 showed that the gene negatively regulates MdAFS.Overall, we suggest that MdLSD1 negatively regulates MdAFS. Our results are of great significance for future research on the transcriptional regulation of the α‐farnesene synthase gene and provide a new direction for exploring the specific mechanism of programmed cell death involved in superficial‐scald incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) simple rules to diagnose the benign and malignant value of masses in the adnexal area that are 6cm or smaller. The study analyzed data from 217 patients with a total of 232 small masses, using the ovarian-accessory report and data system (O-RADS) to standardize the description of the masses. The results were compared with pathology and long-term follow-up to evaluate the accuracy of the IOTA simple rules. The study found that the IOTA simple rules had a high diagnostic value, but suggested that optimizing certain malignant features could improve diagnostic efficiency. [Extracted from the article]

This article, titled "Analysis of the correlation between ultrasonic characteristics and key genes in malignant ovarian tumours," explores the relationship between ultrasound features and specific genes in ovarian cancer. The study used transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis to identify differentially expressed genes in ovarian cancer samples. The results showed that malignant ovarian tumors had higher incidences of irregular shape, unclear boundary, large size, blood flow signals, and ascites. Additionally, the study found that the expression level of the MCM4 gene was significantly increased in malignant ovarian tumors, while the expression level of the PDGFRA gene decreased. The authors concluded that the unclear boundary and blood flow score in ultrasound features are related to the expression level of MCM4, which could be useful for clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis evaluation. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a study that examined the external validity of a new prediction model for small for gestational age (SGA) in an Asian population. The study used the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) competing risk model, which combines maternal characteristics and medical history with measurements of mean arterial pressure (MAP), uterine artery pulsatility index (UtA-PI), and serum placental growth factor (PlGF) to predict SGA. The study found that the predictive performance of the model for SGA in the Asian population was similar to that reported in the original FMF study on a mixed European population. The article also mentions that the prophylactic use of aspirin did not have a significant effect on the incidence of SGA. Overall, the study suggests that the FMF SGA prediction model can be implemented as part of routine prenatal care for Asian women. [Extracted from the article]

ROC curves explicated that both sGA ( I p i = 0.002; AUC: 0.744; 95% CI: 0.634-0.853) and EPI ( I p i = 0.009; AUC:0.703; 95% CI: 0.590-0.815) could predict the early mortality of elderly patients with DLBCL (shown in Figure 1K). To predict the prognosis of elderly DLBCL patients, the Fondazione Italiana Linforni (FIL) developed the simplified geriatric assessment (sGA; shown in Figure 1A) and Elderly Prognostic Index (EPI; shown in Figure 1B). Both sGA and EPI are associated with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of older patients with DLBCL, while EPI could predict early mortality in these cohorts. [Extracted from the article]

Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) is a rare congenital heart defect in which all of the pulmonary veins connect to systemic veins, the right atrium of the heart or both. (c) Four-chamber view showing common pulmonary vein (arrow) behind left atrium (LA). (a,b) Two-dimensional grayscale (a) and color Doppler (b) ultrasound images of fetal heart in coronal plane showing vertical vein (VV) draining into innominate vein (IV) and then into superior vena cava (SVC). [Extracted from the article]

While dispersal is the basis of inter‐population connectivity, it is difficult to directly observe. New molecular techniques provide ways of studying the intensity and direction of dispersal among populations through quantifying gene flow. When herbivores disperse their gut microbes travel with the host, and gut microbiota is known to play an important role in host health. However, the current understanding of the driving mechanism between moose dispersal patterns and gut microbial structure is vague. Therefore, when we observe the effects of climate warming on gene flow, it is important to understand the ecological mechanisms that affect the gut microbiota. We applied integrative methods from molecular biology, nutritional ecology and microbiomics to quantify dispersal patterns of moose populations in northeast China and explore the ecological mechanisms driving gut microbe–host associations. We found that moose populations in northeast China are undergoing two dispersal patterns while retreating in a northwesterly direction. Dispersing and isolated moose populations differed in their gut microbial composition and frequency of functional types that relate to digestion and diet composition. We also found that the environmental variables related to the moose gut microbial communities also changed with different dispersal patterns. The gut microbiota of isolated moose populations was only related to ambient temperature, whereas the microbiota in dispersing moose populations was related to longitude and diet protein content. We expect that the differences in the taxonomic and functional structure of gut microbiota relating to digestion are adaptive. Consequently, this study highlights that special attention should be placed on the management of isolated moose populations, and ecological corridors or translocation of moose individuals may be needed to allow persistence in the face of global warming; doing this will likely improve the adaptability of gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HexMe consists of 189 tetrahedral meshes with tagged features and a workflow to generate them. The primary purpose of HexMe meshes is to enable consistent and practically meaningful evaluation of hexahedral meshing algorithms and related techniques, specifically regarding the correct meshing of specified feature points, curves, and surfaces. The tetrahedral meshes have been generated with Gmsh, starting from 63 computer‐aided design (CAD) models from various databases. To highlight and label the diverse and challenging aspects of hexahedral mesh generation, the CAD models are classified into three categories: simple, nasty, and industrial. For each CAD model, we provide three kinds of tetrahedral meshes (uniform, curvature‐adapted, and box‐embedded). The mesh generation pipeline is defined with the help of Snakemake, a modern workflow management system, which allows us to specify a fully automated, extensible, and sustainable workflow. It is possible to download the whole dataset or select individual meshes by browsing the online catalog. The HexMe dataset is built with evolution in mind and prepared for future developments. A public GitHub repository hosts the HexMe workflow, where external contributions and future releases are possible and encouraged. We demonstrate the value of HexMe by exploring the robustness limitations of state‐of‐the‐art frame‐field‐based hexahedral meshing algorithm. Only for 19 of 189 tagged tetrahedral inputs all feature entities are meshed correctly, while the average success rates are 70.9% / 48.5% / 34.6% for feature points/curves/surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Respiratory adverse events in adults with COVID‐19 undergoing general anaesthesia can be life‐threatening. However, there remains a knowledge gap about respiratory adverse events in children with COVID‐19. We created an international observational registry to collect airway management outcomes in children with COVID‐19 who were having a general anaesthetic. We hypothesised that children with confirmed or suspected COVID‐19 would experience more hypoxaemia and complications than those without. Between 3 April 2020 and 1 November 2020, 78 international centres participated. In phase 1, centres collected outcomes on all children (age ≤ 18 y) having a general anaesthetic for 2 consecutive weeks. In phase 2, centres recorded outcomes for children with test‐confirmed or suspected COVID‐19 (based on symptoms) having a general anaesthetic. We did not study children whose tracheas were already intubated. The primary outcome was the incidence of hypoxaemia during airway management. Secondary outcomes included: incidence of other complications; and first‐pass success rate for tracheal intubation. In total, 7896 children were analysed (7567 COVID‐19 negative and 329 confirmed or presumed COVID‐19 positive). The incidence of hypoxaemia during airway management was greater in children who were COVID‐19 positive (24 out of 329 (7%) vs. 214 out of 7567 (3%); OR 2.70 (95%CI 1.70–4.10)). Children who had symptoms of COVID‐19 had a higher incidence of hypoxaemia compared with those who were asymptomatic (9 out of 51 (19%) vs. 14 out of 258 (5%), respectively; OR 3.7 (95%CI 1.5–9.1)). Children with confirmed or presumed COVID‐19 have an increased risk of hypoxaemia during airway management in conjunction with general anaesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen chemistry plays a central role in the production of plasma in the ionosphere. While molecular oxygen (O2) is the third most abundant constituent in the thermosphere, molecular and atomic oxygen densities are difficult to quantify accurately. Consequently, modeled densities have significant uncertainties. New stellar occultation measurements from the Global‐scale Observations of Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission provide data that can quantify, with high precision, the O2 density and its daily and local time variations. These observations are compared to the Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter radar family of empirical models and the physics based Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere‐ionosphere eXtension. While GOLD observations show a strong diurnal structure with local time, the models display a semidiurnal structure in O2. The local time structure of O2 is critical for accurately modeling plasma densities in the ionosphere. Plain Language Summary: This paper compares new observations from the Global‐scale Observations of Limb and Disk mission of molecular oxygen (O2) in the lower thermosphere (130–200 km in altitude) to widely used models in the aeronomy community. The main finding is that the local time structure of the observed O2 has a minimum at 6 hr local time and a peak near 18 hr local time while the models all show a structure that has peaks at both 6 and 18 hr local time. This significant difference not only influences the total neutral thermospheric density results from the models, but may ultimately impact the calculated ionospheric plasma density and its temporal variability. Understanding ionospheric plasma densities is vital for the proper modeling of the propagation of communications and navigational signals. Key Points: Global‐scale Observation of Limb and Disk molecular oxygen (O2) density indicates a diurnal local time structure, while empirical and numerical models have a semidiurnal structure Seasonal variability in O2 density is important for understanding the local time structure Observed vertical O2 density structure has discrepancies with models, with larger differences at 170 km than 140 km [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermospheric mass density perturbations are commonly observed during geomagnetic storms and fundamental to upper atmosphere dynamics, but the sources of these perturbations are not well understood. Large neutral density perturbations during storms greatly affect the drag experienced by low Earth orbit. We investigated the thermospheric density perturbations at all latitudes observed along the CHAMP and GRACE satellite trajectories during the August 24–25, 2005 geomagnetic storm. Observations show that large neutral density enhancements occurred not only at high latitudes, but also globally. Large density perturbations were seen in the equatorial regions away from the high‐latitude, magnetospheric energy sources. We used the high‐resolution Multiscale Atmosphere Geospace Environment (MAGE) model to simulate consecutive neutral density changes observed by satellites during the storm. The MAGE simulation, which resolved mesoscale high‐latitude convection electric fields and field‐aligned currents, and included physics‐based specification of auroral precipitation, was contrasted with a standalone ionosphere‐thermosphere simulation driven by a high‐latitude electrodynamics empirical model. The comparison demonstrates that first‐principles representations of highly dynamic and localized Joule heating events in a fully coupled whole geospace model is critical to accurately capture both generation and propagation of traveling atmospheric disturbances (TADs) that produce neutral density perturbations globally. The MAGE simulation shows that larger density peaks in the equatorial region observed by CHAMP and GRACE are the result of TADs generated at high‐latitudes in both hemispheres, and intersect at low‐latitudes. This study reveals the importance of investigating thermospheric density variations at all latitudes in a fully coupled geospace model with sufficiently high resolving power. Plain Language Summary: During geomagnetic storms, increased activity within the geospace environment causes large scale plasma convection to occur and electrons to precipitate into the upper atmosphere. The enhanced heating of the thermosphere by the plasma convection and electron precipitation can produce large perturbations in the neutral density. These neutral density perturbations propagate away from their point of origin, oftentimes traveling to the equator and into the other hemisphere. Here, simulation results using a high resolution coupled geospace model that includes a magnetosphere, inner magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere model show that neutral density perturbations generated in one hemisphere can propagate far enough to interact with those in the other hemisphere. The intersection of two or more perturbations produce regions of larger neutral density perturbations. The high resolution coupled geospace model performs significantly better than the standalone model when compared to observations of neutral density by low altitude spacecraft. A significant fraction of the observed neutral density perturbations is captured by the coupled model, especially those at low latitudes. Proper simulation and understanding of storm‐time neutral density perturbations is imperative to space weather prediction as neutral density perturbations can greatly affect satellite drag. Key Points: Most neutral density peaks observed by CHAMP and GRACE during a geomagnetic storm are associated with traveling atmospheric disturbancesTADs generated at high‐latitudes propagate globally and intersect to produce large amplitude enhancements at low latitudesA coupled geospace model with high spatial resolving power is necessary to properly resolve TADs observed by CHAMP and GRACE [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This editorial aims to improve awareness of the current best practices in open research, and stimulate discussion on the practical implementation of AGU's data and software policy in key areas of space weather research. We also further aim to encourage authors to take additional steps to ensure clear credit to all contributors to the work, whether that is underlying data, key software, or direct contributions to the manuscript. Plain Language Summary: This editorial aims to improve awareness of the current best practices in open research, and stimulate discussion on the practical implementation of AGU's data and software policy in key areas of space weather research. We also further aim to encourage authors to take additional steps to ensure clear credit to all contributors to the work, whether that is underlying data, key software, or direct contributions to the manuscript. Key Points: Open and accessible resources now enable FAIR science to an unprecedented degreeOpen data and software enable research to be built upon while providing credit to originators of nontraditional research outputRestrictions can remain in applied work and the editors aim to help navigate the balance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ditch‐pond systems (DPSs) play a key role in hydrologic regulation and pollutant removal in agricultural regions, yet there is a lack of quantitative tools that describe their complex transport and removal processes across spatial scales. To fill this gap, a new modeling framework is proposed by implementing three improvements based on the typical watershed models: (a) the explicit rasterization of natural‐artificial drainage, (b) accurate spatial representations of ditches and ponds, and (c) the development of a pollutant‐removal module. This framework is exemplified for a DPS‐dominated catchment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, China. The results revealed that 55.36% of the drainage areas in this catchment were dominated by ditch networks, highlighting the significant impacts of artificial factors. The results simulated by the new framework also indicated the great impacts of specific pond distributions on pollutant removal. In this context, pollutant exports in DPSs were distinctly lower than that in natural situation modeling, about 25.14%–46.65% of pollutants are removed by DPSs. On this basis, the scenario analysis also explored the critical placements of ponds and ditches to optimize pollutant removal and to enhance agricultural management in DPSs. This new framework is available for other real DPS‐dominated catchments with potential applications in typical model augmentations and improvements. Plain Language Summary: Over recent decades, ditch‐pond systems (DPSs) have been built to satisfy the needs of irrigation and drinking water in agricultural regions around the world. As drainage pathways and ecological wetlands, DPSs have obvious effects on drainage processes and pollutant removal at catchment scales. However, typical models are limited in DPSs due to the lack of the detailed artificial drainage and pollutant removal equations. To fill the gaps, three new modules have been developed to accommodate the unique natural‐artificial drainage processes and pollutant transport‐removal processes that occur in DPSs. The impacts of DPSs on drainage paths, drainage time and pollutant removal have been quantified, and critical placements of ponds and ditches have been identified. Such findings are significant to sustainable agricultural management and future layout design. This framework can be extended to other agricultural catchments based on its wide availability and operability. Key Points: Three new modules accommodated the pollutant transport and removal of ditch‐pond systems (DPSs) have been developedThe impacts of DPSs on drainage paths, drainage time and pollutant removal have been quantifiedCritical placements of ponds and ditches have been proposed to optimize pollutant removal [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several approaches to active immunotherapy for melanoma, including peptide‐based vaccines (PVs), autologous tumour cell vaccines (TCVs), allogeneic TCVs and autologous dendritic cell vaccines (DCVs), have been investigated in clinical trials. However, comprehensive evidence comparing these interventions remains unavailable. The objective of this study was to expand previous work to compare and rank the immunotherapeutic strategies for melanoma in terms of overall survival and toxic effects with a Bayesian network meta‐analysis. Methodologically, we performed a network meta‐analysis of head‐to‐head randomized controlled trials comparing and ranking cancer vaccine approaches for patients with melanoma. PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched up to 31 July 2020. We estimated summary hazard ratios for death and risk ratios for toxicity. The effects of the underlying prognostic variable on survival benefits were examined by meta‐regression. We performed subgroup analysis for the outcomes based on metastatic categories. Overall, we identified 4776 citations, of which 15 head‐to‐head randomized controlled trials (3162 participants) were included in the analysis. In terms of efficacy, allogeneic tumour cell vaccines plus immunotherapy adjuvants, peptide‐based vaccines plus immunotherapy adjuvants and standard therapy were more effective than peptide vaccines. The proportion of women was inversely associated with mortality risk. For safety, all treatments were inferior to allogeneic tumour cell vaccines except for allogeneic tumour cell vaccines plus chemotherapy. Peptide vaccines plus immunotherapy adjuvants led to an increased risk of adverse events compared to allogeneic tumour cell vaccines plus immunotherapy adjuvants. These results suggest that allogeneic TCV and autologous DCV are better than standard therapy. PV plus immune modulators are the most effective strategy among all comparable strategies but is associated with increased toxicity. Any combination regimens for cancer therapeutic vaccines need to be balanced between risk and benefit profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Porcine vertebral and teat numbers are variable and important economic traits in pig production. However, the quantitative trait loci (QTL) and candidate genes for both of these traits in the Beijing Black Pig are not yet known. In the present study, number of vertebrae and number of teats were obtained for 891 individuals of the Beijing Black Pig and genotyped using the Illumina Porcine 50 K BeadChip. Genome scanning was performed to detect associated variants and candidate genes for both traits using a genome‐wide association study by tassel software. For vertebral number, 15 significant SNPs were located on SSC7. According to linkage disequilibrium analysis on SSC7, a haplotype block of 221 kb from 97.4 to 97.6 Mb was shown to contain a good candidate gene ABCD4. Interestingly, on SSC12, we recorded a novel QTL containing three significant SNPs and 34 annotated genes from 24.0 to 25.7 Mb for vertebral number. Of the 34 genes, nine Hox family genes (HOXB 1–7, 9, and 13) were found to be good candidate genes. Using the 34 genes, a gene ontology analysis was performed to detect enrichment of anterior/posterior pattern specification. For teat number, a novel chromosome‐wide significant QTL was identified on SSC10. In this QTL region, one significant SNP was identified. The nearest gene, NTRK2, was regarded as a candidate gene. The present results expanded the QTL for vertebral and teat numbers and provided useful molecular markers for breeding in the Beijing Black Pig population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To report on the effectiveness of a standardised core Maternity Waiting Home (MWH) model to increase facility deliveries among women living >10 km from a health facility. Design: Quasi‐experimental design with partial randomisation at the cluster level. Setting: Seven rural districts in Zambia. Population: Women delivering at 40 health facilities between June 2016 and August 2018. Methods: Twenty intervention and 20 comparison sites were used to test whether MWHs increased facility delivery for women living in rural Zambia. Difference‐in‐differences (DID) methodology was used to examine the effectiveness of the core MWH model on our identified outcomes. Main outcome measures: Differences in the change from baseline to study period in the percentage of women living >10 km from a health facility who: (1) delivered at the health facility, (2) attended a postnatal care (PNC) visit and (3) were referred to a higher‐level health facility between intervention and comparison group. Results: We detected a significant difference in the percentage of deliveries at intervention facilities with the core MWH model for all women living >10 km away (DID 4.2%, 95% CI 0.6–7.6, P = 0.03), adolescent women (<18 years) living >10 km away (DID 18.1%, 95% CI 6.3–29.8, P = 0.002) and primigravida women living >10 km away (DID 9.3%, 95% CI 2.4–16.4, P = 0.01) and for women attending the first PNC visit (DID 17.8%, 95% CI 7.7–28, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The core MWH model was successful in increasing rates of facility delivery for women living >10 km from a healthcare facility, including adolescent women and primigravidas and attendance at the first PNC visit. A core MWH model increased facility delivery for women living >10 km from a health facility including adolescents and primigravidas in Zambia. A core MWH model increased facility delivery for women living >10 km from a health facility including adolescents and primigravidas in Zambia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable Zn‐0.45Li alloys with high strength and ductility were successfully fabricated by hot extrusion and multi‐pass drawing to obtain ultrafine‐grained microstructures with a secondary phase of fine LiZn4 participates. The mechanical properties, degradation behavior and cytocompatibility of the alloys were subsequently investigated. Results showed that grain refinement could be achieved in the alloys after hot extrusion and multi‐pass drawing. The yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation to failure of the ultrafine‐grained Zn‐0.45Li alloys reached 416 MPa, 567 MPa and 55.4 %, respectively. Enhancements in both strength and elongation could be attributed to interactions between LiZn4 and matrix dislocations, the pinning effect of LiZn4 on grain boundaries, and grain refinement. Immersion tests and MTT cytotoxicity assay indicated that the Zn‐0.45Li alloys have a corrosion rate and cytocompatibility similar to the values reported for biomedical implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last two decades, southwestern North America (SWNA) has been in the grip of one of the most severe droughts of the last 1,200 years, with one third to nearly one half of its severity attributable to climate change. We analyze how the risk of extreme soil moisture droughts in SWNA, analogous to the most severe 21‐year (≥ in magnitude to 2000–2020) and single‐year (≥ in magnitude to 2002) events of the last several decades, changes in projections from Phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. By the end of the 21st century, SWNA experiences robust (R ≥ 0.80) soil moisture drying and substantial increases in extreme single‐year drought risk that scale strongly with warming, spanning an 8%–26% probability of occurrence across +2–4 K. Notably, our results show that 21‐year droughts analogous to 2000–2020 are up to 5 times more likely than extreme single‐year droughts under all levels of warming (≈50%). These high levels of 21‐year drought risk are largely invariant across scenarios because of large spring precipitation declines in half the models, shifting SWNA into a drier mean state. Despite projections of this sweeping and ostensibly inevitable increase in 21‐year drought risk, climate mitigation reduces their severity by reducing the magnitude of extreme single‐year droughts during these events. Our results emphasize both the importance of preparing SWNA for imminent increases in persistent drought events and constraining projected precipitation uncertainty to better resolve future long‐term drought risk. Plain Language Summary: Drought is an important natural hazard in southwestern North America, and there is strong evidence that climate change is already increasing the severity of droughts in the region. Using the latest, state‐of‐the‐art climate change projections, we find that warming in the future will increase the risk of both extreme single‐year and 21‐year soil moisture droughts that are similar to major events of the last two decades. Furthermore, we show that while the magnitude of warming has a strong influence on single‐year droughts, even modest warming is likely to lock in an approximately 50% chance of a 21‐year drought similar to 2000–2020 by the end of the 21st century. The high levels of 21‐year drought risk are driven by large precipitation declines in half the models, which shift the region to a drier mean state under even the lowest warming scenario. Despite the apparent insensitivity of 21‐year drought risk to mitigation measures, our results still demonstrate the value of climate change mitigation for reducing future drought severity and single‐year extreme drought risk in the region. Our study also highlights the importance of precipitation responses in the models as major uncertainties that must be resolved to increase our confidence in these projections. Key Points: Models project higher risk of soil moisture droughts like the recent event in southwestern North America by 2100Climate mitigation minimally reduces 21‐year drought risk because half the ensemble projects large precipitation declines in all scenariosMitigation reduces the magnitude of extreme single‐year droughts, even during longer events, making high‐risk droughts less severe [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Muscle fibers are closely related to human diseases and livestock meat quality. However, the genetics basis of microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating muscle fibers is not completely understood. In this study, we constructed the whole genome‐wide miRNA expression profiles of porcine fast‐twitch muscle [bicepsfemoris (Bf)] and slow‐twitch muscle [soleus (Sol)], and identified hundreds of miRNAs, including four skeletal muscle‐highly expressed miRNAs, ssc‐miR‐378, ssc‐let‐7f, ssc‐miR‐26a, and ssc‐miR‐27b‐3p. Moreover, we identified 63 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs between bicepsfemoris vs. soleus, which are the key candidate miRNAs regulating the skeletal muscle fiber types. In addition, we found that the expression of DE ssc‐miR‐499‐5p was significantly correlated to the expression of Myoglobin (r = 0.6872, P < 0.0001) and Myosin heavy chain 7 (MYH7; r = 0.5408, P = 0.0020), and pH45 min (r = 0.3806, P = 0.0380) and glucose content (r = −0.4382, P = 0.0154); while the expression of DE ssc‐miR‐499‐3p was significantly correlated to the expression of Myoglobin (r = 0.5340, P = 0.0024) and pH45 min (r = 0.4857, P = 0.0065). Taken together, our data established a sound foundation for further studies on the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs in skeletal muscle fiber conversion and meat quality traits in livestock, and could provide a genetic explanation of the role of miRNAs in human muscular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Inner Mongolia Cashmere goat is a well‐known local cashmere goat breed in China. It is famous for excellent fleece quality and a significant advantage in cashmere yield compared to other cashmere goat breeds. In this study, a genome‐wide association study was used to investigate fiber length, fiber diameter, and cashmere yield of 192 Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats using the Illumina GoatSNP52K Beadchip panel. We discovered that four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) reached genome‐wide significance levels. These SNPs were located in some genes, e.g. FGF12, SEMA3D, EVPL, and SOX5, possibly related to fleece traits in Inner Mongolia Cashmere goat. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were enriched in several biological pathways that were involved in hair follicle development in cashmere goats. In summary, the identified significant SNPs and genes provide useful information to explore genetic mechanisms underlying the variation in fleece traits and genomic selection of Chinese cashmere goat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: It is well known that many Chinese goose breeds differ substantially in economic performance, but the genetic changes involved are still poorly understood. This study sequenced 35 individuals from four goose breeds namely Shitou, Zhedong White, Taihu, and Zi with an average sequencing depth of 10× for each individual. Among these populations, SNPs were identified, which clustered the individuals into four distinct genetic groups in accordance with the four breeds. Genomic comparisons among the four goose breeds revealed many candidate genes, as well as pathways that may be associated with meat yield in Shitou geese and laying traits in Zi geese. These findings will enable a better understanding of the artificial selection history of Chinese local geese and provide a valuable resource for future research on the breeding of geese for the economic traits of meat and egg production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper‐tolerant (Cu) plants with high ornamental value play an important role in the ecological restoration of the copper tail mining area. We first discovered Celosia argentea adaptability in a copper mine area in China; however, its resistance to Cu and the underlying mechanism are not clear.In this study, C. argentea was selected for pot culture experiments. Its heavy metal accumulation and translocation, physiological and metabolic products were analysed under different growth concentrations of Cu (0–2400 mg.kg−1) stress.Our results indicated that roots strongly accumulated Cu2+. Oxidative stress defence mechanisms were activated in leaves under Cu treatment. Higher Cu concentrations triggered higher electrolyte leakage (EL), Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activity, and consequently a higher capacity to scavenge oxygen radicals and maintain cellular membrane integrity. In the citrate cycle, some amino acids and sugars related to biological pathways were altered in C. argentea exposed to Cu stress. Metabolomics data revealed that C. argentea used elevated sugar content as an antioxidant to regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Some organic acids and amino acids were up‐regulated compared with the control, indicating that these may chelate Cu in cells to remove excess Cu2+. The up‐regulation of polyamines and some organic acids may mitigate oxidative stress.These results indicate that C. argentea could be used as a Cu‐tolerant plant in Cu mine restoration. Its Cu tolerance mechanism also provides a basis for future plant improvement or breeding for use in mine restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specified Dynamics Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere‐ionosphere eXtension simulations are used to investigate the solar migrating semidiurnal tide (SW2) around September equinox at middle to high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. A pronounced minimum in SW2 occurs around September equinox, and is characterized by a ∼50% reduction in tidal amplitudes for 20–30 days. Analysis of the simulation results indicates that the SW2 minimum occurs due to the seasonal transition of the zonal mean zonal winds, which alter the generation and propagation of different symmetric and antisymmetric modes of SW2. In particular, the antisymmetric modes notably decrease due to the more hemispherically symmetric zonal winds around equinox. It is further demonstrated that interannual variability in the timing of the SW2 minimum is related to the timing of the seasonal transition of the zonal mean zonal winds in the middle atmosphere. This leads to an earlier occurrence of the SW2 minimum during years when the seasonal transition occurs earlier, such as the recent 2019 September equinox which saw an earlier transition of the Southern Hemisphere zonal mean zonal winds following the occurrence of a sudden stratosphere warming. The connection between the timing of the SW2 minimum in the Northern Hemisphere and the timing of the seasonal transition in the middle atmosphere winds is confirmed by seasonal variability of 12‐h tides deduced from specular meteor radar observations at middle to high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Key Points: SW2 minimum occurs at middle‐high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere mesosphere‐lower thermosphere (80–110 km) around September equinoxThe minimum is related to seasonal transition of the mean zonal winds in the middle atmosphere and their influence on different Hough modesInterannual variability in the timing of the SW2 minimum is related to timing of the seasonal transition in middle atmosphere zonal winds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we explore the use of unsteady transit time distribution (TTD) theory to model solute transport in biofilters, a popular form of nature‐based or "green" storm water infrastructure (GSI). TTD theory has the potential to address many unresolved challenges associated with predicting pollutant fate and transport through these systems, including unsteadiness in the water balance (time‐varying inflows, outflows, and storage), unsteadiness in pollutant loading, time‐dependent reactions, and scale‐up to GSI networks and urban catchments. From a solution to the unsteady age conservation equation under uniform sampling, we derive an explicit expression for solute breakthrough during and after one or more storm events. The solution is calibrated and validated with breakthrough data from 17 simulated storms at a field‐scale biofilter test facility in Southern California, using bromide as a conservative tracer. TTD theory closely reproduces bromide breakthrough concentrations, provided that lateral exchange with the surrounding soil is accounted for. At any given time, according to theory, more than half of the water in storage is from the most recent storm, while the rest is a mixture of penultimate and earlier storms. Thus, key management endpoints, such as the pollutant treatment credit attributable to GSI, are likely to depend on the evolving age distribution of water stored and released by these systems. Plain Language Summary: Conventional drainage systems are designed to move storm water as quickly as possible away from cities. By contrast, green storm water infrastructure (GSI) captures and retains storm water as close as possible to where the rain falls. As storm water runoff is a leading cause of nonpoint source pollution, quantifying the pollutant removal services provided by GSI is a top priority. In this paper we propose and test a mathematical framework—unsteady transit time distribution (TTD) theory—for modeling and predicting solute transport in biofilters, a popular form of GSI. From field data collected at a biofilter test facility in Southern California, we demonstrate that TTD theory closely tracks measured solute transport through these systems during and after storms. The theory's simplicity and predictive power make it ideally suited to model solute fate and transport at the scale of individual biofilters, as well as GSI networks and the urban catchments in which they are embedded. Key Points: A solution is derived from unsteady transit time distribution theory to model solute transport through green storm water infrastructureThe solution is calibrated and validated with data from 17 simulated storm events at a field‐scale test facility in Southern CaliforniaThe solution reproduces measured breakthrough concentrations, provided lateral exchange with the surrounding soil is taken into account [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work examines the planetary wave-induced variability within the upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere of Venus by utilizing the Venus Thermospheric General Circulation Model (VTGCM). Rossby and Kelvin wave perturbations are driven by variations in the geopotential height of the VTGCM lower boundary (~70 km). A suite of simulations was conducted to examine the impact of the individual and combined waves propagating from two different lower boundary conditions (uniform and varying). The Kelvin wave is the more dominant wave which produces the most variability. The combination of the Kelvin and Rossby waves provides a maximum temperature amplitude of 13 K at 92 km and maximum zonal wind amplitude of 23 m/s at 102 km. The combined waves overall are able to propagate up to 125 km. Most of the variation within the temperature, winds, and composition occurs between 70 and 110 km. The varying lower boundary increases the magnitude of the wave deposition and atmospheric responses, but weakly changes the propagation altitude. The thermal variation due to the planetary waves does not reproduce most observed variations. The simulated O2 IR nightglow emission is sensitive to the waves with respect to intensity and local time, but lacks latitudinal variation. The integrated intensity ranges from 1.2 MR to 1.65 MR and the local time ranges from 0.33 local time to 23.6 local time. Overall, planetary waves do affect the atmospheric structure, but there are still large observed variations that planetary waves alone cannot explain (i.e., thermal structure). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate a stillbirth rate at 24 or more gestational weeks in 2015–2016 and to explore potentially preventable causes in China. Design: A multi‐centre cross‐sectional study. Setting: Ninety‐six hospitals distributed in 24 (of 34) provinces in China. Population: A total of 75 132 births at 24 completed weeks of gestation or more. Methods: COX Proportional Hazard Models were performed to examine risk factors for antepartum and intrapartum stillbirths. Population attributable risk percentage was calculated for major risk factors. Correspondence analysis was used to explore region‐specific risk factors for stillbirths. Main outcome measures: Stillbirth rate and risk factors for stillbirth. Results: A total of 75 132 births including 949 stillbirths were used for the final analysis, giving a weighted stillbirth rate of 13.2 per 1000 births (95% CI 7.9–18.5). Small for gestational age (SGA) and pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia increased antepartum stillbirths by 26.2% and 11.7%, respectively. Fetal anomalies increased antepartum and intrapartum stillbirths by 17.9% and 7.4%, respectively. Overall, 31.4% of all stillbirths were potentially preventable. Advanced maternal age, pre‐pregnant obesity, chronic hypertension and diabetes mellitus were important risk factors in East China; low education and SGA were major risk factors in Northwest, Southwest, Northeast and South China; and pre‐eclampsia/eclampsia and intrapartum complications were significant risk factors in Central China. Conclusions: The prevalence of stillbirth was 13.2 per 1000 births in China in 2015–2016. Nearly one‐third of all stillbirths may be preventable. Strategies based on regional characteristics should be considered to reduce further the burden of stillbirths in China. The stillbirth rate was 13.2 per 1000 births in China in 2015–2016 and nearly one‐third of all stillbirths may be preventable. The stillbirth rate was 13.2 per 1000 births in China in 2015–2016 and nearly one‐third of all stillbirths may be preventable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe four cases of an uncommon type of segmental root development after endodontic revitalization procedures. The formation, development and prognosis of this phenomenon are discussed, along with the causes and preventive measures. Summary: This report describes one immature maxillary anterior tooth with an extensive periapical lesion after partial extrusion caused by trauma and three immature mandibular premolars with extensive periapical lesions after fracture of the dens evaginatus. All four teeth underwent revitalization procedures. During follow‐up, an uncommon type of segmental root development was observed in each case, where the apical segment appeared to detach from the body of the root and developed separately. In all cases, the detached apical root segments continued to develop with a shape and structure similar to that of a normal root tip. However, further development of the root body did not appear to occur. The follow‐up times of the present cases were 11, 60, 41 and 67 months, respectively. All four teeth remain intact and functioned normally without symptoms. Cases 2 and 3 displayed positive reactions to electrical pulp tests during follow‐up. Key learning points: Trauma and extensive periapical inflammation may result in the detachment of Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS) and apical papilla from the root, thus creating a separate apical root segment.Formation of an apical root segment could be regarded as evidence of displacement of the HERS and apical papilla. Once this occurs, there is no chance that the main root of the tooth will develop into a normal‐sized root.This type of segmental root development is always possible. If the teeth have suffered from severe trauma or have long‐term and large periapical lesions before revitalization, the possibility of segmental root development should be considered.During the process of revitalization, intracanal bleeding is induced by rotating a pre‐curved K‐file 2 mm past the apical foramen. This procedure should be done gently to protect the apical structures and avoid iatrogenic factors that could lead to abnormal root development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The silkworm is an economically important insect producing plentiful silk fibre in the silk gland. In this study, we reported a cross‐talk between the fat body, silk gland and midgut through a glycine‐serine biosynthetic pathway in the silkworm. Amino acid sequence and functional domains of glycine transporter gene BmGT1‐L were mapped. Our results indicated that BmGT1‐L was specifically expressed in the midgut microvilli and persistently expressed during the feeding stages. RNA interference of BmGT1‐L activated glycine biosynthesis, and BmGT1‐L overexpression facilitated serine biosynthesis in the BmN4‐SID1 cell. In addition, silkworms after FibH gene knock‐out or silk gland extirpation showed markedly decreased BmGT1‐L transcripts in the midgut and disturbed glycine‐serine biosynthesis as silk yield decreased. Finally, BmGT1‐L ectopic expression in the posterior silk gland promoted glycine biosynthesis, and enhanced silk yield via increasing fibroin synthesis. These results suggested that cross‐talk between tissues can be used for enhancing silk yield in the silkworm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]