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Efficient acquisition of crop leaf moisture information holds significant importance for agricultural production. This information provides farmers with accurate data foundations, enabling them to implement timely and effective irrigation management strategies, thereby maximizing crop growth efficiency and yield. In this study, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral technology was employed. Through two consecutive years of field experiments (2021–2022), soybean (Glycine max L.) leaf moisture data and corresponding UAV multispectral images were collected. Vegetation indices, canopy texture features, and randomly extracted texture indices in combination, which exhibited strong correlations with previous studies and crop parameters, were established. By analyzing the correlation between these parameters and soybean leaf moisture, parameters with significantly correlated coefficients (p < 0.05) were selected as input variables for the model (combination 1: vegetation indices; combination 2: texture features; combination 3: randomly extracted texture indices in combination; combination 4: combination of vegetation indices, texture features, and randomly extracted texture indices). Subsequently, extreme learning machine (ELM), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and back propagation neural network (BPNN) were utilized to model the leaf moisture content. The results indicated that most vegetation indices exhibited higher correlation coefficients with soybean leaf moisture compared with texture features, while randomly extracted texture indices could enhance the correlation with soybean leaf moisture to some extent. RDTI, the random combination texture index, showed the highest correlation coefficient with leaf moisture at 0.683, with the texture combination being Variance1 and Correlation5. When combination 4 (combination of vegetation indices, texture features, and randomly extracted texture indices) was utilized as the input and the XGBoost model was employed for soybean leaf moisture monitoring, the highest level was achieved in this study. The coefficient of determination (R2) of the estimation model validation set reached 0.816, with a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 1.404 and a mean relative error (MRE) of 1.934%. This study provides a foundation for UAV multispectral monitoring of soybean leaf moisture, offering valuable insights for rapid assessment of crop growth.

Leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) is an important physiological index to evaluate the photosynthetic capacity and growth health of crops. In this investigation, the focus was placed on the chlorophyll content per unit of leaf area (LCCA) and the chlorophyll content per unit of fresh weight (LCCW) during the tuber formation phase of potatoes in Northern Shaanxi. Ground-based hyperspectral data were acquired for this purpose to formulate the vegetation index. The correlation coefficient method was used to obtain the “trilateral” parameters with the best correlation between potato LCCA and LCCW, empirical vegetation index, any two-band vegetation index constructed after 0–2 fractional differential transformation (step size 0.5), and the parameters with the highest correlation among the three spectral parameters, which were divided into four combinations as model inputs. The prediction models of potato LCCA and LCCW were constructed using the support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) algorithms. The results showed that, compared with the “trilateral” parameter and the empirical vegetation index, the spectral index constructed by the hyperspectral reflectance after differential transformation had a stronger correlation with potato LCCA and LCCW. Compared with no treatment, the correlation between spectral index and potato LCC and the prediction accuracy of the model showed a trend of decreasing after initial growth with the increase in differential order. The highest correlation index after 0–2 order differential treatment is DI, and the maximum correlation coefficients are 0.787, 0.798, 0.792, 0.788 and 0.756, respectively. The maximum value of the spectral index correlation coefficient after each order differential treatment corresponds to the red edge or near-infrared band. A comprehensive comparison shows that in the LCCA and LCCW estimation models, the RF model has the highest accuracy when combination 3 is used as the input variable. Therefore, it is more recommended to use the LCCA to estimate the chlorophyll content of crop leaves in the agricultural practices of the potato industry. The results of this study can enhance the scientific understanding and accurate simulation of potato canopy spectral information, provide a theoretical basis for the remote sensing inversion of crop growth, and promote the development of modern precision agriculture.

The photoredox-catalyzed decarboxylative cross-coupling reaction of aryl acetic acids and aryl nitriles has been achieved under an argon atmosphere in high yields. This method provides a fast way to obtain prevalent aryl acetic acids from an abundant natural source. A tentative radical mechanism has been proposed.

Based on the data of Sichuan Province from 2007 to 2021, the extreme climate events in Sichuan Province was identified by statistical method, and the coupling coordination degree of water resources-climate system and separate water resource system was analyzed. Based on the difference of coupling coordination degree under these two systems, the influence mechanism of extreme climate factors on the water resource system is analyzed. The results show that the extreme climate types in Sichuan Province gradually transition from extreme drought to extreme precipitation and from extreme low temperature to extreme high temperature. When climate factors are not considered, the coupling coordination degree of the water resource system is generally improved and the distribution is more concentrated. Moreover, the influence of climate factors on the water resource system is not a simple linear relationship.

Abstract The extracellular matrix (ECM) serves as signals that regulate specific cell states in tumor tissues. Increasing evidence suggests that extracellular biomechanical force signals are critical in tumor progression. In this study, we aimed to explore the influence of ECM-derived biomechanical force on breast cancer cell status. Experiments were conducted using 3D collagen, fibrinogen, and Matrigel matrices to investigate the role of mechanical force in tumor development. Integrin-cytoskeleton-AIRE and DDR-STAT signals were examined using RNA sequencing and western blotting. Data from 1358 patients and 86 clinical specimens were used for ECM signature-prognosis analysis. Our findings revealed that ECM-derived mechanical force regulated tumor stemness and cell quiescence in breast cancer cells. A mechanical force of ~45 Pa derived from the extracellular substrate activated integrin β1/3 receptors, stimulating stem cell signaling pathways through the cytoskeleton/AIRE axis and promoting tumorigenic potential and stem-like phenotypes. However, excessive mechanical force (450 Pa) could drive stem-like cancer cells into a quiescent state, with the removal of mechanical forces leading to vigorous proliferation in quiescent cancer stem cells. Mechanical force facilitated cell cycle arrest to induce quiescence, dependent on DDR2/STAT1/P27 signaling. Therefore, ECM-derived mechanical force governs breast cancer cell status and proliferative characteristics through stiffness alterations. We further established an ECM signature based on the fibrinogen/fibronectin/vitronectin/elastin axis, which efficiently predicts patient prognosis in breast cancer. Our findings highlight the vital role of ECM-derived mechanical force in governing breast cancer cell stemness/quiescence transition and suggest the novel use of ECM signature in predicting the clinical prognosis of breast cancer.

Abstract Background Tumor necrosis (TN) was associated with poor prognosis. However, the traditional classification of TN ignored spatial intratumor heterogeneity, which may be associated with important prognosis. The purpose of this study was to propose a new method to reveal the hidden prognostic value of spatial heterogeneity of TN in invasive breast cancer (IBC). Methods Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) was used to obtain multiphoton images from 471 patients. According to the relative spatial positions of TN, tumor cells, collagen fibers and myoepithelium, four spatial heterogeneities of TN (TN1-4) were defined. Based on the frequency of individual TN, TN-score was obtained to investigate the prognostic value of TN. Results Patients with high-risk TN had worse 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) than patients with no necrosis (32.5% vs. 64.7%; P

Abstract Background Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor. The current study was conducted to describe the general condition of patients with primary osteosarcoma in a single cancer center in Tianjin, China and to investigate the associated factors in osteosarcoma patients with lung metastasis. Methods From February 2009 to October 2020, patients from Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, China were retrospectively analyzed. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to evaluate the overall survival of osteosarcoma patients. The Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to analyze the prognostic factors of all osteosarcoma patients and those patients with lung metastasis, respectively. Furthermore, risk factors for developing lung metastasis were identified in synchronous lung metastasis (SLM) and metachronous lung metastasis (MLM) patients. Results A total of 203 patients were involved and 150 patients were successfully followed up for survival status. The 5-year survival rate of osteosarcoma was 70.0% and the survival months for patients with SLM and MLM were 33.3 ± 12.6 and 45.8 ± 7.4 months, respectively. The presence of lung metastasis was one of the independent prognostic factors for prognosis of osteosarcoma. In patients with lung metastasis, twenty-one (10.3%) showed lung metastasis at the diagnosis of osteosarcoma and 67 (33%) were diagnosed with lung metastases during the later course. T3 stage (OR = 11.415, 95%CI 1.362–95.677, P = 0.025) and bone metastasis (OR = 6.437, 95%CI 1.69–24.51, P = 0.006) were risk factors of SLM occurrence. Bone metastasis (OR = 1.842, 95%CI 1.053–3.224, P = 0.032), good necrosis (≥ 90%, OR = 0.032, 95%CI 0.050–0.412, P

Abstract Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast neoplasms with a higher risk of recurrence and metastasis than non-TNBC. Nevertheless, the factors responsible for the differences in the malignant behavior between TNBC and non-TNBC are not fully explored. Proline rich 15 (PRR15) is a protein involved in the progression of several tumor types, but its mechanisms are still controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the biological role and clinical applications of PRR15 on TNBC. PRR15 gene was differentially expressed between TNBC and non-TNBC patients, previously described as an oncogenic factor in breast cancer. However, our results showed a decreased expression of PRR15 that portended a favorable prognosis in TNBC rather than non-TNBC. PRR15 knockdown facilitated the proliferation, migration, and invasive ability of TNBC cells in vitro and in vivo, which was abolished by PRR15 restoration, without remarkable effects on non-TNBC. High-throughput drug sensitivity revealed that PI3K/Akt signaling was involved in the aggressive properties of PRR15 silencing, which was confirmed by the PI3K/Akt signaling activation in the tumors of PRR15Low patients, and PI3K inhibitor reversed the metastatic capacity of TNBC in mice. The reduced PRR15 expression in TNBC patients was positively correlated with more aggressive clinicopathological characteristics, enhanced metastasis, and poor disease-free survival. Collectively, PRR15 down-regulation promotes malignant progression through the PI3K/Akt signaling in TNBC rather than in non-TNBC, affects the response of TNBC cells to antitumor agents, and is a promising indicator of disease outcomes in TNBC.

Objective To examine the efficacy and safety of telitacicept in the treatment of patients with SLE in everyday clinical practice.Methods Seventy-two patients with active SLE who received telitacicept for more than 24 weeks at multiple centres in China between 2019 and 2022 were retrospectively identified. Twenty-one of these patients received 52 continuous weeks of treatment with telitacicept. Treatment outcomes were analysed separately according to whether patients had renal or haematological abnormalities. Trajectory analysis was performed to identify patients with a limited response. Factors contributing to a limited response were explored by multivariable logistic regression analysis.Results After treatment with telitacicept for 4, 12, 24 and 52 weeks, 22.22%, 54.17%, 72.22% and 80.95% of patients, respectively, achieved an SLE Responder Index 4; 8.33%, 26.39%, 34.72% and 47.62% achieved a Lupus Low Disease Activity State; and 0%, 4.17%, 8.33% and 23.81% achieved remission. Significant decreases in serum IgA, IgG and IgM levels were observed at 4 weeks and showed a downward trend at 12, 24 and 52 weeks. The median 24-hour urinary protein declined from 1323.5 mg to 224.0 mg in patients with lupus nephritis after treatment with telitacicept for 52 weeks. Furthermore, a large proportion of patients (10 of 13) with haematological abnormalities recovered after 52 weeks of treatment with telitacicept. No severe adverse events were reported during the observation period. Age appeared to have a negative impact on treatment efficacy.Conclusions Telitacicept demonstrated favourable efficacy and safety in patients with active SLE and improved the renal and haematological manifestations of the disease.

Soil mulching has been widely used to improve crop productivity around the world, but how various mulching practices affect soil hydrothermal conditions, water-temperature-radiation utilization and finally grain yield of rainfed maize has been poorly understood. A two-season field experiment was conducted on rainfed summer maize in 2021 and 2022 on the Loess Plateau of China, with six soil mulching practices: flat planting with non-mulching (FPNM), flat planting with full straw mulching (FPSM), flat planting with full black film mulching (FPBF), flat planting with full transparent film mulching (FPTF), ridge-furrow planting with black film mulching on the ridge (RFBF) and ridge-furrow planting with transparent film mulching on the ridge (RFTF). The results showed that compared with the traditional FPNM, the five mulching treatments (FPSM, FPBF, FPTF, RFBF and RFTF) greatly regulated root-zone soil hydrothermal conditions and resulted in obvious soil drying-wetting alternation, which significantly changed the daytime average root-zone soil temperature in the 0 – 25 cm soil layer (by − 1.1 ℃, − 1.9 ℃, + 2.7 ℃, − 1.6℃ and + 0.8 ℃, respectively) and significantly reduced crop evapotranspiration. The five mulching treatments promoted the root growth, leaf area index and canopy light interception rate due to the improved soil water and/or temperature conditions. The structural equation modeling indicated that soil hydrothermal condition and water-temperature-radiation use efficiency could directly or indirectly explain 98% of the grain yield variation under various soil mulching practices; radiation use efficiency (RUE) determined maize production in the water-sufficient year (2021), whereas maize production was mainly determined by crop water productivity (WP) in the water-limited year (2022). The RFBF increased maize production most, followed by RFTF. Compared with FPNM, RFBF increased leaf area index by 45.4%, canopy light interception rate by 19.1%, aboveground biomass by 68.8%, 1000-grain weight by 15.1%, grain yield by 58.6%, WP by 71.8%, thermal time use efficiency by 64.6% and RUE by 30.5%. In conclusion, RFBF optimized the root-zone soil hydrothermal conditions for root growth, which in turn promoted aboveground growth and water-temperature-radiation use efficiency, and finally improved the gain yield of rainfed summer maize on the Loess Plateau of China. Therefore, RFBF was considered as a promising agricultural practice to improve rain-fed summer maize production and resource utilization efficiency on the Loess Plateau of China.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an important vegetable crop around the world, and water scarcity and soil salinization are two major unfavorable factors limiting the fruit yield and quality of greenhouse tomato in arid and semi-arid regions. The application of exogenous silicon has been reported to enhance tomato yield under salt or drought stress, but its effect under combined salt-drought stress remains unclear. A two-season (autumn 2021 and spring 2022) experiment was conducted with three irrigation levels (I1, 90%−100% θf, where θf is the field capacity; I2, 70%−80% θf; I3, 50%−60% θf), two soil salinity levels (S0, 0.1%, g/g; S1, 0.4%, g/g) and two silicon application rates (T0, 0 mM; T1, 2.4 mM) to explore their combined effects on leaf silicon content, photosynthetic parameters, fruit yield, nutrient yield, crop water productivity (WP), nitrogen uptake and utilization, nutrient water productivity (NWP) and economic benefit of drip-irrigated greenhouse tomato. The results showed that deficit irrigation and salt stress exerted significant inhibiting effects on leaf silicon content, photosynthetic parameters, tomato yield, and water-nitrogen productivity, but the inhibition was alleviated by silicon application, which increased leaf silicon content by 67.0%, net photosynthetic rate (Pn) by 25.3%, fruit yield by 12.3%, WP by 11.9%, nutrient yield by 10.0% (titratable acids) - 27.4% (soluble sugars) and NWP by 9.2% (titratable acids) - 26.1% (soluble sugars) on average. The average fruit yield over the two growing seasons was 66.01, 54.29 and 44.31 t ha−1 under I1, I2 and I3, and the silicon application increased average leaf silicon content by 71.9%, 65.2% and 63.0%, Pn by 11.1%, 12.9% and 7.6%, and fruit yield by 12.8%, 16.2%, and 8.1% at the three irrigation levels, respectively. Plant nitrogen uptake (NU) and nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPFP) increased but nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) tended to decrease with the increasing irrigation level, while silicon application improved NUE by 3.9% and 2.2% and NPFP by 13.8% and 11.7% in the two growing seasons, respectively. Silicon application significantly increased net profit by 24.3% and 17.7% in autumn 2021 and spring 2022, respectively. According to the principal component analysis, I1T1S0 ranked first in both growing seasons. The correlation matrix showed that fruit yield was positively correlated with leaf silicon content, Pn, stomatal conductance, WP, NU, NUE, NPFP, nutrient yield and net profit, while it had negative correlation with NWP. In conclusion, exogenous silicon application can improve the fruit yield and nutrient yield of drip-irrigated greenhouse tomato by enhancing leaf silicon content and photosynthetic capability under drought-stressed and salt-affected conditions.

Abstract Background Breast cancer has become the most common malignant tumour worldwide. Distant metastasis is one of the leading causes of breast cancer-related death. To verify the performance of clinicomics-guided distant metastasis risk prediction for breast cancer via artificial intelligence and to investigate the accuracy of the created prediction models for metachronous distant metastasis, bone metastasis and visceral metastasis. Methods We retrospectively enrolled 6703 breast cancer patients from 2011 to 2016 in our hospital. The figures of magnetic resonance imaging scanning and ultrasound were collected, and the figures features of distant metastasis in breast cancer were detected. Clinicomics-guided nomogram was proven to be with significant better ability on distant metastasis prediction than the nomogram constructed by only clinical or radiographic data. Results Three clinicomics-guided prediction nomograms on distant metastasis, bone metastasis and visceral metastasis were created and validated. These models can potentially guide metachronous distant metastasis screening and lead to the implementation of individualized prophylactic therapy for breast cancer patients. Conclusion Our study is the first study to make cliniomics a reality. Such cliniomics strategy possesses the development potential in artificial intelligence medicine.

Interaction between microbial plays an important role in Baijiu brewing. Cyberlindnera fabianii and Clavispora lusitaniae are common non-Saccharomyces yeast in Baijiu brewing, but their interaction with mold is not clear. This study focused on sensory evaluation, content of volatile flavor substances, yeast biomass, enzyme activity and metabolites, and discussed the interaction between C. fabianii HY-11, C. lusitaniae HY-21 and Aspergillus oryzae M-08 in the brewing process. Results showed that, when two non-Saccharomyces yeasts were co-cultured with A. oryzae M-08, respectively, the biomass of C. fabianii HY-11 and C. lusitaniae HY-21 were 4.96 and 0.97-fold higher and alpha-amylases increased by 70.31 and 107.73-fold than that of pure fermentation using single yeast. These results indicated that the two yeasts were dependent on A. oryzae M-08. Compared with C. lusitaniae HY-21, the mixed fermentation of C. fabianii HY-11 and A. oryzae M-08 showed better flavor. After 6 days of fermentation, strong cantaloupe, wine and ester aroma were obtained. The total amount of volatile flavor substances was up to 1408.97 μg/g, which was 381.87-fold higher than that under single yeast fermentation condition. A. oryzae M-08 interacted well with C. fabianii HY-11 and C. lusitaniae HY-21. Compared with the single yeast fermentation system, the level of free amino acids in the mixed fermentation system increased by 105.02 and 3837.29 μg/g, and the esterase activity increased by 27.67 and 387.82 U/g, respectively. Therefore, the metabolism of volatile flavor substances was promoted. This study elucidates the relationship between two non-Saccharomyces yeasts and A. oryzae M-08 and their flavor characteristics, providing a theoretical basis for their rational application.

The purpose of this meta‐analysis was to identify if patient‐specific instrumentation (PSI) could increase the accuracy of the correction in high tibial osteotomy (HTO) and to explore the assessment indices and the necessity of using a PSI in HTO. A systematic search was carried out using online databases. A total of 466 patients were included in 11 papers that matched the inclusion criteria. To evaluate the accuracy of PSI‐assisted HTO, the weight bearing line ratio (WBL%), hip‐knee‐ankle angle (HKA), mechanical medial proximal tibial angle (mMPTA), and posterior tibial slope angle (PTSA) were measured preoperatively and postoperatively and compared to the designed target values. Statistical analysis was performed after strict data extraction with Review Manager (version 5.4). Significant differences were detected in WBL% (MD = −36.41; 95% CI: −42.30 to −30.53; p

This study proposes a water resource pollution risk warning evaluation method. Firstly, an evaluation system is constructed, consisting of 15 secondary indicators in four aspects: water quality, ecology, utilization protection, and water disasters. Then, an improved AGA-AHP method and coefficient of variation method are used to determine the weights of each indicator. Cloud models are employed to describe the characteristics of standard clouds and evaluation clouds, establishing a two-dimensional cloud model with risk probability and hazard level as variables. Taking a certain region in Shandong Province, China, as an example, the quantitative analysis results indicate that the water pollution risk level in the area is classified as Level IV, with particular attention needed for water quality and management indicators. Simultaneously, a series of measures such as source control, monitoring and early warning, emergency response, and public participation are proposed to further reduce the risk. The research findings demonstrate the following: (1) The establishment of a comprehensive indicator system for multidimensional assessment; (2) The combination of the AGA-AHP method and cloud model for quantitative analysis; (3) The practicality of the method validated through the case study; (4) Providing a basis for subsequent decision-making. This study provides new insights for water environmental risk management, but a further optimization of the model to enhance predictive capability is required when applied in practical scenarios. Nevertheless, the preliminary validation of this method’s application prospects in water resource risk monitoring has been achieved.

This research delves into the intricacies of the “Buddha Story Stele” in Cave 133 of the Maiji Mountain Grottoes, China, examining the sculptural combinations and conceptual nuances rooted in Buddhist culture from the 5th to the 6th centuries CE. The research focuses on discerning the identities of the “Two Adjacent-Seated Buddhas” and the Cross-Legged Bodhisattva carved on the stele, concurrently delving into the embedded symbolic significance within its structural composition. Our investigation posits that the upper, middle, and lower segments of the “Buddha Story Stele” respectively symbolize the post-Nirvana Dharmakāya Shakyamuni, the Bodhisattva Shakyamuni, and the Buddha Shakyamuni of Sumedha. Advancing scholarly discourse, it reevaluates the Cross-Legged Bodhisattva’s identity and the configuration of the “Two Adjacent-Seated Buddhas”, elucidating the interplay of imagery and conceptual themes. This study provides pivotal insights into the sculptural arrangement and religious thought transmission in the Maiji Mountain Grottoes, contributing significant academic and cultural value to preserve this unique heritage.

The aim of this study was to develop sustainable concrete by recycling concrete aggregates from steel waste and construction waste (iron ore tailings (IOTs) and recycled coarse aggregates (RCAs)) to replace silica sand and natural coarse aggregates. In experimental testing, the compressive strength, peak strain, elastic modulus, energy dissipated under compression, and compressive stress–strain curve were analyzed. Microscopically, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry were employed to investigate the microstructural characteristics of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ), and the results were compared with the ITZs of natural aggregate concrete and recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). In addition, the pore structure of concrete was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance. The results revealed that an appropriate IOT content can improve the ITZ and compactness of RAC, as well as optimize the mechanical and deformation properties of RAC. However, due to the presence of a smaller number of microcracks on the surface of IOT particles, excessive IOTs could reduce the integrity of the matrix structure and weaken the strength of concrete. According to the research, replacing silica sand with 30% IOTs led to a reduction in the porosity and microcracking which resulted in a much denser microstructure.

In the Earth’s hydrosphere, 96 [...]

In their natural state, snow crystals are influenced by the atmosphere during formation and multiple factors after landing, resulting in varying particle sizes and unstable particle morphologies that are challenging to quantify. The current research mainly focuses on the relationship between the porosity of compacted snow samples or qualitatively describes snow crystals and their macroscopic physical properties, ignoring that the significant differences in the morphology of snow crystals also affect their physical properties. To quantitatively evaluate the morphology of snow crystals, we employed optical microscopy to obtain digital images of snow crystals in Harbin, utilizing the Sobel and Otsu algorithms to determine the equivalent particle size and fractal dimension of individual snow particles. In addition, the hardness of snow with a density of 0.4 g/cm3 was measured through a penetration test, with an analysis of its correlation relative to particle size and fractal dimension. The results indicated the fractal dimension as an effective parameter for characterizing particle shape, which decreased rapidly over time and then fluctuated within the range of 1.10 to 1.15. During the initial period, natural snow crystals broke down rapidly, leading to an increase in the percentage of natural snow crystals with an equivalent particle size of 0.2–0.4 mm up to 51.86%. After three days, the sintering effect between snow crystals was enhanced, resulting in an even distribution of the equivalent particle size. Finally, multiple linear regression analysis showed a positive correlation between compacted snow hardness and fractal dimension, with a negative correlation between compacted snow hardness and equivalent particle size. These findings offer valuable technical support and data reference for exploring the relationship between snow’s mechanical properties and its microscopic particle shape.

Nitrogen is a fundamental component for building amino acids and proteins, playing a crucial role in the growth and development of plants. Leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC) serves as a key indicator for assessing plant growth and development. Monitoring LNC provides insights into the absorption and utilization of nitrogen from the soil, offering valuable information for rational nutrient management. This, in turn, contributes to optimizing nutrient supply, enhancing crop yields, and minimizing adverse environmental impacts. Efficient and non-destructive estimation of crop LNC is of paramount importance for on-field crop management. Spectral technology, with its advantages of repeatability and high-throughput observations, provides a feasible method for obtaining LNC data. This study explores the responsiveness of spectral parameters to soybean LNC at different vertical scales, aiming to refine nitrogen management in soybeans. This research collected hyperspectral reflectance data and LNC data from different leaf layers of soybeans. Three types of spectral parameters, nitrogen-sensitive empirical spectral indices, randomly combined dual-band spectral indices, and “three-edge” parameters, were calculated. Four optimal spectral index selection strategies were constructed based on the correlation coefficients between the spectral parameters and LNC for each leaf layer. These strategies included empirical spectral index combinations (Combination 1), randomly combined dual-band spectral index combinations (Combination 2), “three-edge” parameter combinations (Combination 3), and a mixed combination (Combination 4). Subsequently, these four combinations were used as input variables to build LNC estimation models for soybeans at different vertical scales using partial least squares regression (PLSR), random forest (RF), and a backpropagation neural network (BPNN). The results demonstrated that the correlation coefficients between the LNC and spectral parameters reached the highest values in the upper soybean leaves, with most parameters showing significant correlations with the LNC (p < 0.05). Notably, the reciprocal difference index (VI6) exhibited the highest correlation with the upper-layer LNC at 0.732, with a wavelength combination of 841 nm and 842 nm. In constructing the LNC estimation models for soybeans at different leaf layers, the accuracy of the models gradually improved with the increasing height of the soybean plants. The upper layer exhibited the best estimation performance, with a validation set coefficient of determination (R2) that was higher by 9.9% to 16.0% compared to other layers. RF demonstrated the highest accuracy in estimating the upper-layer LNC, with a validation set R2 higher by 6.2% to 8.8% compared to other models. The RMSE was lower by 2.1% to 7.0%, and the MRE was lower by 4.7% to 5.6% compared to other models. Among different input combinations, Combination 4 achieved the highest accuracy, with a validation set R2 higher by 2.3% to 13.7%. In conclusion, by employing Combination 4 as the input, the RF model achieved the optimal estimation results for the upper-layer LNC, with a validation set R2 of 0.856, RMSE of 0.551, and MRE of 10.405%. The findings of this study provide technical support for remote sensing monitoring of soybean LNCs at different spatial scales.

Applying hyperspectral remote sensing technology to the prediction of soil moisture content (SMC) during the growth stage of soybean emerges as an effective approach, imperative for advancing the development of modern precision agriculture. This investigation focuses on SMC during the flowering stage under varying nitrogen application levels and film mulching treatments. The soybean canopy’s original hyperspectral data, acquired at the flowering stage, underwent 0–2-order differential transformation (with a step size of 0.5). Five spectral indices exhibiting the highest correlation with SMC were identified as optimal inputs. Three machine learning methods, namely support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and back propagation neural network (BPNN), were employed to formulate the SMC prediction model. The results indicate the following: (1) The correlation between the optimal spectral index of each order, obtained after fractional differential transformation, and SMC significantly improved compared to the original hyperspectral reflectance data. The average correlation coefficient between each spectral index and SMC under the 1.5-order treatment was 0.380% higher than that of the original spectral index, with mNDI showing the highest correlation coefficient at 0.766. (2) In instances of utilizing the same modeling method with different input variables, the SMC prediction model’s accuracy follows the order: 1.5 order > 2.0 order > 1.0 order > 0.5 order > original order. Conversely, with consistent input variables and a change in the modeling method, the accuracy order becomes RF > SVM > BPNN. When comprehensively assessing model evaluation indicators, the 1.5-order differential method and RF method emerge as the preferred order differential method and model construction method, respectively. The R2 for the optimal SMC estimation model in the modeling set and validation set were 0.912 and 0.792, RMSEs were 0.005 and 0.004, and MREs were 2.390% and 2.380%, respectively. This study lays the groundwork for future applications of hyperspectral remote sensing technology in developing soil moisture content estimation models for various crop growth stages and sparks discussions on enhancing the accuracy of these different soil moisture content estimation models.

Ridge-furrow planting, supplementary irrigation and density regulation are effective measures to improve crop yields in (semi-)arid and drought-prone regions around the world, but their interactive effects on crop evapotranspiration, plant nitrogen uptake, grain yield and its components, water productivity, nitrogen use efficiency and economic benefit of winter wheat are not fully understood. Field experiments were carried out on winter wheat in a semi-humid but drought-prone region of northwest China during 2020 − 2021 and 2021 − 2022. There were two planting patterns (P): ridge-furrow planting with plastic film mulching on ridges (RF) and conventional flat planting (F), two supplementary irrigation amounts (I): 30 mm supplementary irrigation at both overwintering and returning-green stages (I60) and no supplementary irrigation (I0), and three planting densities (D): 240 × 104 plants ha−1 (LD), 360 × 104 plants ha−1 (MD) and 480 × 104 plants ha−1 (HD). The results showed that significant interactive effects of P × I, P × D, I × D and P × I × D on grain yield and water productivity of grain yield (WPg) were obtained, and the interactive effects of P × I, I × D and P × I × D on partial factor productivity of nitrogen (NPFP) and net income (NI) were significant. Compared with F, RF increased grain yield by 10.4%, WPg by 11.9%, water productivity of biomass yield (WPb) by 6.2%, precipitation and irrigation water use efficiency (PIUE) by 10.4%, irrigation water use efficiency (IUE) by 12.0%, agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (ANUE) by 5.3%, NPFP by 10.6% and NI by 17.1%. Compared with I0, I60 increased grain yield by 13.5%, WPg by 7.8%, ANUE by 5.7%, NPFP by 13.7% and NI by 27.9%. Increasing planting density improved soil water consumption, population nitrogen uptake, effective number of panicles per unit area, WPb, PIUE, ANUE, NUtE and total income. Grain yield, WPg, NPFP and NI reached the maximum values at MD under RF, because the presence of plastic film in RF reduced the number of planting rows and resulted in excessive planting density in the plant row at HD compared to F. In summary, the optimized planting density (360 ×104 plants ha−1) combined with ridge-furrow planting and supplementary irrigation is more desirable for balancing grain yield, water productivity, nitrogen use efficiency and economic benefit of winter wheat in the semi-humid and drought-prone region of northwest China.

Inonotus hispidus mainly growing in broad-leaved trees, including Morus alba, Fraxinus mandshurica, and Ulmus macrocarpa etc. The fruiting body of I. hispidus growing in M. alba (hereafter as MA) is used as a traditional Chinese medicine “Sanghuang”. However, differences between the genetic material basis of I. hispidus growing in other tree species have not been reported. Therefore, in this paper, the genomic comparison between MA and I. hispidus growing in F. mandshurica (hereafter as FM) were studied. The whole genome of MA monokaryon was sequenced by Illumina combined with Pac Bio platform. Next, genome assembly, genome component prediction and genome functional annotation were performed. Comparative genomics analysis was performed between FM monokaryon and MA monokaryon, using MA as the reference. The results showed that, MA had 24 contigs with a N50 length of 2.6 Mb. Specifically, 5,342, 6,564, 1,595, 383 and 123 genes were annotated from GO, KEGG, KOG, CAZymes and CYP450, respectively. Moreover, comparative genomics showed that, the coding genes and total number of genes annotated in different databases of FM were higher than that of MA. This study provides a foundation for the medicinal application of FM as MA from the perspective of genetic composition.

High doses of silver compounds in water have been found to be extremely toxic to the cells of plants and animals. Removal then reutilization of silver ions as antibacterial materials in one step from wastewater is an urgent but challenging issue from the views of environment and economy. In this research, we reported a planar benzothiazole Schiff base derivative BTS1 that can selectively precipitate silver ions from wastewater over other metal ions through chemical precipitation. The precipitation reaction showed promising activity in the pH range of 6 to11, realizing a high silver ions precipitation ratio of 95.4%, and low LOD of 0.059 mg/L. More importantly, the filtrated precipitate BTS1-Ag can be directly used as an antibacterial material. The test papers coated with BTS1-Ag exhibited antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. This research provides a promising strategy for simultaneous removal and conversion of silver ions from wastewater into functional materials.

Objective: To gather current evidence on the impact of antipsychotics on long-term mortality in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: We systematically searched for articles in Embase, PubMed, and PsycINFO reporting the long-term mortality (follow-up > 1 year) of patients with schizophrenia who were using any antipsychotics. We then conducted multiple meta-analyses to determine differences in long-term mortality between different types of antipsychotics. Results: We identified 45 articles that provided unadjusted long-term mortality rates, including 46,171 deaths during 2,394,911 person-years. The pooled mortality rate was 9.9 (95%CI = 7.4-12.7) per 1,000 person-years. The unadjusted crude mortality rate of antipsychotic drug users was lower than that of non-users (risk ratio [RR] = 0.546, 95%CI = 0.480-0.621), first-generation antipsychotics caused higher all-cause mortality than second-generation antipsychotics (RR = 1.485, 95%CI = 1.361-1.620), and polypharmacy had better effects than monotherapy on long-term mortality (RR = 0.796, 95%CI = 0.689-0.921). As for the causes of death, heart disease and cardiovascular disease ranked highest among cause-specific mortality (5.6 per 1,000 person-years). Conclusion: Since antipsychotics had a beneficial effect on long-term mortality in schizophrenia, greater precaution should be taken with patients who do not take them. However, since disease severity, comorbidities, and other confounding factors cannot be fully controlled, further research and verification are needed.

Reference-quality genomes of both sexes of the dioecious tree species, Populus euphratica, provide further insight into the evolution of Populus sex chromosomes and highlight male-specific fusion genes that may contribute to sexual dimorphism.

Abstract Resistance to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapy (trastuzumab), cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties and multiple chemoresistance often concur and intersect in breast cancer, but molecular links that may serve as effective therapeutic targets remain largely unknown. Here, we identified the long noncoding RNA, LINC00589 as a key regulatory node for concurrent intervention of these processes in breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrated that the expression of LINC00589 is clinically valuable as an independent prognostic factor for discriminating trastuzumab responders. Mechanistically, LINC00589 serves as a ceRNA platform that simultaneously sponges miR-100 and miR-452 and relieves their repression of tumor suppressors, including discs large homolog 5 (DLG5) and PR/SET domain 16 (PRDM16, a transcription suppressor of mucin4), thereby exerting multiple cancer inhibitory functions and counteracting drug resistance. Collectively, our results disclose two LINC00589-initiated ceRNA networks, the LINC00589-miR-100-DLG5 and LINC00589-miR-452-PRDM16- mucin4 axes, which regulate trastuzumab resistance, CSC-like properties and multiple chemoresistance of breast cancer, thus providing potential diagnostic and prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for HER2-positive breast cancer.

Abstract. Background:. The onset and clinical presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are sex-related. Few studies have investigated the distinctions in clinical characteristics and treatment preferences in male and female SLE patients in the initial cohort. This study aimed to improve the understanding of Chinese SLE patients by characterizing the different sexes of SLE patients in the inception cohort. Methods:. Based on the initial patient cohort established by the Chinese SLE Treatment and Research Group, a total of 8713 patients (795 men and 7918 women) with newly diagnosed SLE were enrolled between April 2009 and March 2021. Of these, 2900 patients (347 men and 2553 women) were eligible for lupus nephritis (LN). A cross-sectional analysis of the baseline demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, laboratory parameters, organ damage, initial treatment regimens, and renal pathology classification was performed according to sex. Results:. In the SLE group, as compared to female patients, male patients had a later age of onset (male vs. female: 37.0 ± 15.8 years vs. 35.1 ± 13.7 years, P = 0.006) and a higher SLE International Collaborative Clinic/American College of Rheumatology damage index score (male vs. female: 0.47 ± 1.13 vs. 0.34 ± 0.81, P = 0.015), LN (male vs. female: 43.6% vs. 32.2%, P

Abstract Inonotus hispidus is a valuable and rare edible and medicinal mushroom with extremely high nutritional and medicinal value. However, there is no holistic insight to elucidate the molecular basis of the differentiated usage and accurate annotation of physiological maturity to fluctuating yields and quality. This study aimed to figure out the fruiting bodies' metabolites change regulation and potential maturating indicators to distinguish different quality I. hispidus. We applied non-targeted ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry combined and with multivariate analysis and analyzed cultivated and wild mushroom I. hispidus in different growth periods (budding, mature and aging). With the fruiting bodies maturating, 1358 metabolites were annotated, 822 and 833 metabolites abundances changed greater than or equal to 1 time from the budding period to the aging period in abundance in cultivated and wild, the total polysaccharides, crude fat, total flavonoids, and total terpenes increased at first and then decreased. Total amino acids, crude protein, and total polyphenols decreased, while the total steroids increased linearly. The change of metabolites showed certain regularity. Metabolic pathways enrichment analysis showed that these metabolites are involved in glycolysis, biosynthesis of amino acids, organic acid metabolism, glycine-serine-and-threonine metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, purine metabolism, and pyrimidine metabolism. In addition, ergosterol peroxide and (22E)-ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one can be used as indicator compounds, and their contents increase linearly with the fruiting bodies of I. hispidus’ physiological maturation. This comprehensive analysis will help to evaluate the edible values and facilitate exploitation in mushroom I. hispidus.

The ranging error model is generally very complicated in actual ranging technologies. This paper gives an analysis of the biased distance substitution and proposes an unbiased multilateral positioning method to revise the biased substitution, making it an unbiased estimate of the squared distance. An unbiased estimate of the multilateral positioning formula is derived to solve the target node coordinates. Through simulation experiments, it is proved that the algorithm can improve the positioning accuracy, and the improvement is more obvious when the error variance is larger. Experiments using SX1280 also show that the ranging conforms to the biased error model, and the accuracy can be improved by using the unbiased estimator. When the actual experimental error standard deviation is 0.16 m, the accuracy can be improved by 0.15 m.

IntroductionThe causal relationship between Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and osteoporosis (OP) remains uncertain. We aimed to assess the effect of COVID-19 severity (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, COVID-19 hospitalization, and severe COVID-19) on OP by a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study.MethodsWe conducted a two-sample MR analysis using publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. Inverse variance weighting (IVW) was used as the main analysis method. Four complementary methods were used for our MR analysis, which included the MR–Egger regression method, the weighted median method, the simple mode method, and the weighted mode method. We utilized the MR-Egger intercept test and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) global test to identify the presence of horizontal pleiotropy. Cochran’s Q statistics were employed to assess the existence of instrument heterogeneity. We conducted a sensitivity analysis using the leave-one-out method.ResultsThe primary results of IVW showed that COVID-19 severity was not statistically related to OP (SARS-CoV-2 infection: OR (95% CI) = 0.998 (0.995 ~ 1.001), p = 0.201403; COVID-19 hospitalization: OR (95% CI) =1.001 (0.999 ~ 1.003), p = 0.504735; severe COVID-19: OR (95% CI) = 1.000 (0.998 ~ 1.001), p = 0.965383). In addition, the MR-Egger regression, weighted median, simple mode and weighted mode methods showed consistent results. The results were robust under all sensitivity analyses.ConclusionThe results of the MR analysis provide preliminary evidence that a genetic causal link between the severity of COVID-19 and OP may be absent.

COVID-19 induces acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and leads to severe immunological changes that threatens the lives of COVID-19 victims. Studies have shown that both the regulatory T cells and macrophages were deranged in COVID-19-induced ALI. Herbal drugs have long been utilized to adjust the immune microenvironment in ALI. However, the underlying mechanisms of herbal drug mediated ALI protection are largely unknown. This study aims to understand the cellular mechanism of a traditional Chinese medicine, Qi-Dong-Huo-Xue-Yin (QD), in protecting against LPS induced acute lung injury in mouse models. Our data showed that QD intrinsically promotes Foxp3 transcription via promoting acetylation of the Foxp3 promoter in CD4+ T cells and consequently facilitates CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs development. Extrinsically, QD stabilized β-catenin in macrophages to expedite CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs development and modulated peripheral blood cytokines. Taken together, our results illustrate that QD promotes CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs development via intrinsic and extrinsic pathways and balanced cytokines within the lungs to protect against LPS induced ALI. This study suggests a potential application of QD in ALI related diseases.

In the age of globalization, enterprises have faced new challenges and opportunities for innovative behavior. Increasing cultural exchanges provide enterprises with a wealth of information and knowledge, but also exacerbate the risk of information loss. Therefore, information security has become an increasingly critical issue. Blockchain technology is an effective guarantee for the success of enterprise innovation in such circumstances. Enterprises can access information across national boundaries and avoid the risk of a cultural clash or a leak of information due to the security and traceability of blockchain technology. In the era of globalization, blockchain technology has become an umbrella for enterprises to exploit cultural diversity. This study presents a DDD model that illustrates how blockchain firms can benefit from cultural diversity to produce innovative products. Specifically, firms that utilize blockchain increase their innovation output by 36.17% compared to those that do not. Additionally, it explores how firms can benefit from the spillover of external knowledge and how traditional models of R&D through equipment purchases give way to new models of bringing in talent for knowledge exchange using blockchain. The model presented in this study provides a novel theoretical perspective on how emerging technologies affect corporate innovation, emphasizing the importance of blockchain technology to corporate innovation in an era of globalization with increasing cultural exchanges. It also provides a new perspective on the application of emerging technologies.

The study aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal variation of annual precipitation and extreme precipitation within the Songhua River Basin (SRB). It utilized precipitation data collected from 60 meteorological stations within the SRB during the period 1968–2019. Employing Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis, it decomposed spatiotemporal characteristics of annual precipitation in the SRB. Through Pearson correlation analysis, application of the cross-wavelet transform, and wavelet coherence analysis, the current study explored the correlation between geographical factors, local air temperature, circulation factors, and annual and extreme precipitation. The results indicated an increasing trend for annual precipitation and for most indices of extreme precipitation within the SRB, apart from the consecutive dry days (CDD). Spatially, a general pattern of “more in the east and less in the west” was observed. Annual precipitation types in the basin were resolved into two modes with the first mode showing a general tendency of more (or less) precipitation over the entire basin, while the second mode exhibited less (or more) precipitation in the western areas and more (or less) in the eastern areas. Longitude, latitude, and altitude significantly impacted annual precipitation and extreme precipitation. Local air temperature notably affected the consecutive wet days (CWD). The West Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH) exerts a strong influence on the annual precipitation and extreme precipitation within the basin.

Economic benefits and risk premiums significantly affect the production system decision making of farmers and government departments. This study evaluated the economic feasibility and estimated the risk premium of 12 rainfed soybean production systems with various planting densities, fertilization rates and planting patterns by considering the impact of soybean price fluctuation. There were two planting densities (D1: 160,000 plants ha−1 and D2: 320,000 plants ha−1), two fertilization rates (F1: 20 kg ha−1 N, 30 kg ha−1 P, 30 kg ha−1 K; F2: 40 kg ha−1 N, 60 kg ha−1 P, 60 kg ha−1 K) and three planting patterns (F+W0: flat cultivation with no irrigation; R+W0: plastic-mulched ridge-furrow cultivation (PMRF) with no irrigation; R+W1: PMRF with supplemental irrigation of 30 mm at the pod-filling stage). Based on the two-year (2019–2020) field data in a semi-humid drought-prone region of northwest China and soybean price fluctuation from January 2014 to June 2021, the net income (NI) was calculated by considering the impact of soybean price fluctuation and assuming constant soybean production costs. The net present value (NPV) method and the stochastic efficiency with respect to a function (SERF) method were used to evaluate the profitability of protective alternatives and the risk of these alternatives. The results showed that the 12 proposed soybean production systems were economically feasible. Reducing the fertilization rate reduced the input costs, but it did not necessarily result in a decrease in soybean yield and NI. The payback period of all production systems was within two years for farmers investing through loans. High-fertilizer and high-density production systems made personal investment obtain the highest economic benefit in this study, which was not the best investment strategy from the perspective of production-to-investment ratio and environmental protection departments. The preferences of farmers with various risk aversion and environmental protection departments in terms of risk premium were also proposed. The economic and risk assessment framework of this study can enhance the understanding of the adjustment of production systems from different perspectives, and provide strategies for promoting the protection of economic, environmental and socially sustainable agricultural systems.

Direct sewage discharge can cause severe damage to the water environment of the river. However, the impacts of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the discharge on the original pattern of DOM and the distribution of heavy metals (HMs) in the river are little known. How to monitor such areas in a long-term and systematic manner also needs to be urgently addressed. In this paper, we characterized the DOM of the sediments in the WWTPs (wastewater treatment plants)-river integrated zone by ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis), three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3D-EEM) combined with parallel factor (PARAFAC) method. The effects of WWTP on receiving waters were investigated, and the potential link between DOM and HM pollution was explored. Hg (Igeo: 3.94 ± 0.65; EF: 44.83 ± 31.11), Cd (Igeo: 1.81 ± 0.69; EF: 8.02 ± 2.97), Cu (Igeo: 1.61 ± 0.83; EF: 6.85 ± 2.37), Zn (Igeo: 1.55 ± 0.54; EF: 7.24 ± 3.58), and Ni (Igeo: 1.46 ± 0.56; EF: 6.12 ± 1.99) in rivers were the primary risk sources of HM. The combined pollution risk indicates that the WWTPs-river integrated area is in a high pollution risk state. Moreover, α(254) has a significant correlation with pollution indicators and can be used as a proxy indicator. These results help to understand better the impact of WWTPs on receiving water bodies and the potential connection between DOM and HM pollution and provide new ideas for monitoring the water environment in highly polluted areas.

Recently, the application of memristors in chaotic systems has been extensively studied. Unfortunately, there is limited literature on the introduction of discrete memristors into chaotic maps, especially into non-classical multidimensional maps. For this reason, this paper establishes a new three-dimensional parabolic chaotic map model; in order to improve the complexity and randomness of the map, it is coupled with a square-charge-controlled discrete memristor to design a new four-dimensional memristive hyperchaotic map. Firstly, the stability of the two maps is discussed. And their dynamical properties are compared using Lyapunov exponential spectra and bifurcation diagrams. Then, the phase diagram and iteration sequence of the 4D memristive hyperchaotic map are obtained. Meanwhile, we investigate the hyperchaotic states, the transient chaos, state transfer and attractor coexistence phenomena of the four-dimensional memristive map. In particular, the special state transfer phenomenon of switching from a periodic attractor to a quasi-periodic attractor and the special coexistence phenomenon of a quasi-periodic attractor coexisting with a quasi-periodic attractor around fixed points are found, which have not been observed in other systems. Finally, the phase-track diagrams and iterative sequence diagrams of the four-dimensional memristive map are verified on a digital experimental platform, revealing its potential for practical applications.

The study of deep soil mechanics is the basis of deep shaft construction. Exploring the nonlinear permeability mechanism of deep confined aquifers in depth is the prerequisite and foundation for carrying out calculations of the hydrophobic consolidation settlement of thick alluviums and preventing and controlling deep-well-damage disasters. Against the background of shaft damage caused by hydrophobic consolidation settlement of the bottom aquifer of thick alluviums, a joint HPLTC-HPPNP (high-pressure long-term consolidation and high-pore-pressure nonlinear permeability) test was carried out on the bottom aquifer of thick alluviums based on the ETAS test system. This paper studied the evolution law of the permeability coefficient (kv) of bottom aquifers under different heads of confined water, confining pressures (σr), permeability hydraulic gradients (i) and loading–unloading methods. The internal pore structure characteristics of clayey sand were obtained by using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology to explore the clayey sand’s nonlinear permeability micro-mechanism. The research results showed that the bottom aquifer seepage volume (ΔQi) under high stress is affected by the head pressure difference and pore water dissipation, and kv decreases with an increasing σr according to the power function relationship. The influence of the hydraulic gradient (i) on kv is significantly influenced by σr. When σr < 4 MPa, kv decreased with an increasing i, and when σr > 4 MPa, kv increased with an increasing i first, then decreased, before then tending to be stable. Under different stress states, the T2 spectrum of clayey sand showed a bispectrum peak type, and the adsorbed water content decreased linearly with an increasing σr, while the capillary water decreased according to the power function. The content of capillary water in the permeable pores plays a key role in the permeability of clayey sand, and it has a power function relationship with σr. The research results of this paper provide a good experimental method for the study of deep soil permeability characteristics and parameter determination, provide a theoretical basis for deep alluvial hydrophobic consolidation and settlement, and further make up for the shortcomings of existing deep soil mechanics in permeability characteristics.

ObjectivesStern flaps have a significant impact on the water performance of high-speed amphibious platforms. This paper discusses the influence of stern flaps on the motion and hydrodynamic characteristics of a high-speed amphibious platform in a sliding state. MethodUsing the SST k-ω turbulence model and overset grid technology, the CFD numerical simulations of an amphibious platform's high-speed navigation under static water conditions are performed, and the motion response and stability of the platform with different stern flaps are analyzed. Considering the influence of the velocity, center of gravity and angle of the stern flaps on the longitudinal motion of the platform, supporting vector machines are adopted to classify and recognize the boundary of its motion stability. ResultsThe results show that the stern flaps reduce the sailing trim angle by changing the pressure distribution on the underside of the platform, and the larger the rotation angle of the stern flaps, the more significant the influence on motion stability; when the position of the center of gravity is the same, the maximum speed of the platform in a stable state is increased. ConclusionThe application of stern flaps and the improvement of motion stability are of great significance for the development of high-speed amphibious platforms.

Abstract Background Although men who have sex with men (MSM) and male sex workers (MSWs) both represent the high-risk groups for the transmission of HIV/AIDS and syphilis, the comparison between them have not yet been well studied in China. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HIV among MSM and MSW, and then identify the difference of risk factors of HIV infection. Methods A snowball sampling was employed to recruit patrons attending the Tianjin bathhouse from March 2011 to October 2018. A questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, sexual behaviors, HIV-related and HIV awareness was completed by 5166 patrons from all parts of China. Bivariate analyses were done using the Chi-square test to investigate the association between factors and HIV infection among MSM and MSWs. Subsequently, we studied the different impact of risk factors on HIV infections among the two groups using multiple logistic regression with the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) being derived. Results From 2011 to 2018, 235 MSWs and 4931 MSM were included into our study. HIV prevalence among the MSWs was 17.8% (95%CI: 13.2% ~ 23.4%) while 6.5% (95%CI: 5.8% ~ 7.2%) for MSM (P

Background: The prognostic factors and optimal choice of treatment for primary neuroendocrine neoplasms of the breast (BNEN) remain to be defined. Methods: Patients diagnosed with BNEN in China were retrospectively reviewed from the literature following the systematic search of China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese biomedical literature service system (sinomed), wanfang medical network, and Pubmed database. The clinical characteristics and different treatment modalities of patients with BNEN were evaluated. Results: A total of 209 cases with BNEN were enrolled. There were 204 female and 5 male patients. The median age was 51 years old (range, 17–82). Out of 209 patients with BNEN, 208 (99.5%) patients were treated with surgery (SG), 44 patients (21.1%) had received radiotherapy (RT), 173 patients (82.8%) experienced chemotherapy (CT). A total of 158 patients with hormone receptor (HR) positive (87.8%, 158/180) were treated with endocrine treatment (ET). The median follow-up time was 52.4 months (range, 6–144). The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate and 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate for the whole group were 93.7% and 85.3%, respectively. In univariate analyses, Ki67 expression ≥20%, HR negative, neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) were associated with decreased OS and DFS (P 0.05). Conclusions: The best selection of patients to get the most benefit from different treatment modalities warrant further exploration. The clinicopathological parameters including gender, HR expression, ki67 expression, pathologic type, stage, tumor size, and lymph node status may serve as both indicators of diagnosis and prognosis, and guide treatment decisions for BNEN.

Abstract Phosphoinositide-3-Kinase Regulatory Subunit 1 (PIK3R1) is believed to function as a tumor suppressor, while Phosphoinositide-3-Kinase Regulatory Subunit 2 (PIK3R2) as a tumor driver. However, there is no systematic pan-cancer analysis of them. The pan-cancer study comprehensively investigated the gene expression, genetic alteration, DNA methylation, and prognostic significance of PIK3R1 and PIK3R2 in 33 different tumors based on the TIMER, GEPIA, UALCAN, HPA, cBioPortal, and Kaplan–Meier Plotter database. The results indicated that PIK3R1 is lowly expressed in most tumors while PIK3R2 is highly expressed in most tumors, and abnormal gene expression may be related to promoter methylation. Moreover, not only mutations, downregulation of PIK3R1 and upregulation of PIK3R2 were found to be detrimental to the survival of most cancer patients as well. Furthermore, the expression of both PIK3R1 and PIK3R2 was associated with the level of immune infiltration in multiple tumors, such as breast invasive carcinoma. Our study conducted a comparatively comprehensive analysis of the role of PIK3R1 and PIK3R2 in a variety of cancers, contributing to further study of their potential mechanisms in cancer occurrence and progression. Our findings suggested that PIK3R1 and PIK3R2 could serve as prognostic markers for several cancers.

BackgroundThe Achilles tendon is the strongest and most susceptible tendon in humans. Achilles tendon injuries and ruptures have gradually attracted research attention. However, a bibliometric analysis of global research in this field is lacking. This study involved a bibliometric analysis of the developmental trends and research hotspots in Achilles tendon injuries/ruptures from 2000 to 2021.MethodsArticles published between 2001 and 2021 were retrieved from an extended database of the Science Citation Index using Web of Science. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to analyze the relationships between publications, countries, institutions, journals, authors, references, and keywords.ResultsThis study included 3,505 studies of 73 countries, 3,274 institutions, and 12,298 authors and explored the cooperation between them and the relationships between citations. Over the past 22 years, the number of publications has significantly increased. Foot Ankle International has published the most papers on Achilles tendon injuries/ruptures, and British Journal of Sports Medicine is the most famous journal. Re-rupture, exosomes, acute Achilles tendon rupture, and tendon adhesions gradually become the research focus over the past few years.ConclusionAchilles tendon injury and rupture are important research topics. A vast number of newly published papers on this topic have demonstrated that clinicians and researchers are interested in their study. Over time, these recent studies will be widely cited; therefore, this bibliometric analysis should be constantly updated.

Abstract Synaptic crosstalk, which characterises the interaction between synapses when the neighbouring neurons are activated at the same time, plays an important role in the transmission of neural signals. To discover the effect of synaptic crosstalk on associative memory, a memristor‐based associative memory circuit considering synaptic crosstalk is proposed in this letter. The inhibitory effect of negative crosstalk on associate memory in the initial learning stage and the consolidation influence of positive crosstalk on associate memory when the synaptic weight exceeds its critical value are revealed. Pspice simulations are conducted on the resultant circuit to verify its correctness.

Optimal identification and numerical models are powerful tools that have been widely used in geoscience research for many years. In this study, we proposed a novel optimal method to simulate a key parameter (cutoff draft) of the ridge keels due to dynamic deformation of sea ice at bottom. The sea ice ridges were measured in the Northwestern Weddell Sea of Antarctic, by a helicopter-borne electromagnetic-induction (EM) system. An optimal model with nonlinear-statistical constraints was developed, by taking deviations between the theoretical and measured keel draft (spacing) distributions as the performance criterion, and cutoff draft as the identified parameter. The properties of the optimal model and the existence of the optimal parameter were demonstrated. We identified that the optimal cutoff draft was 3.78 m via an optimal numerical algorithm, this value was then employed to separate the ridge keels from the ice bottom. Finally, the relationship between the mean keel draft and frequency (number of keels per km) was analyzed, and the result showed that this relationship was modeled well by a logarithmic function with a correlation coefficient of 0.7. The present optimal modeling method will provide a new theoretical reference for separating accurately the ridge keels from undeformed sea ice bottom, and analyzing the relationship between the morphologies of sea ice surface and bottom and the inversions of sea ice bottom draft and ice thickness by the surface height.

For the production of natural gas hydrates with the depressurization method, safety problems may be caused by the existence of hydrates and microscale sands in the flow channels. Thus, it is particularly important to study the influence of microscale sands on the hydrates. For this reason, the hydrate formation and decomposition experiments in the presence of microscale sands were performed with tetrahydrofuran (THF) as an alternative medium. In this way, the morphological structure of hydrates was observed and the effect of microscale sands was analyzed. The results show that the microscale sands coexisting with THF hydrates are present in three forms, i.e., free state, adhesive state, and wrapped state. The presence of microscale sands will affect the agglomeration of hydrates, and the microscale sands entrapped in the hydrate layer during deposition will change the structure and mechanical properties of the hydrate layer. What's more, the microscale sands will accelerate the decomposition of hydrates, change the shedding way of hydrate deposit layer in the pipeline, and further affect the flow safety in the pipelines. Generally, the research results could provide reference for the analysis on deposition characteristics of the hydrates within the flow channels and the flow safety assessment thereof.

Biochar is a potential solution for addressing environmental problems related to excessive nitrogen (N). However, there is still some debate about the absorption and desorption of nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N). Therefore, this study investigated the NO3−-N adsorption and desorption performance onto biochar and biochar-soil mixture to address this gap. The results showed that the biochar produced from apple branches had the ability to absorb NO3−-N with an absorption capacity of 3.51 mg·g−1. The absorption data fitted well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir model. The application of biochar significantly improved soil absorption capacity and slow release of NO3−-N. While higher NO3−-N concentrations had better NO3−-N supply capacity and poorer slow-release effect. Integrating nutrient supply and slow-release effect, it is recommended to control the application ratio of biochar to NO3−-N at 34–42.75 g·g−1. Although the unoptimized biochar application rate cannot be directly applied to the soil as a slow-release fertilizer carrier to meet commercial standards, biochar modification provides new possibilities for this purpose. Moreover, compared with traditional slow-release fertilizer, biochar had good stability and regeneration performance, alleviating the high cost due to the biochar price. In general, biochar still has potential and prospects as a slow-release material. This study provides support for biochar in mitigating environmental problems associated with excess N.

This study of vegetation coverage in Jiamusi City provides theoretical support for local urban development, land use, and ecological environmental protection. Based on the land cover data and Landsat remote sensing image data from 2000 to 2020, the vegetation cover and land use data of Jiamusi City were extracted. The study includes the following aspects: (1) an analysis of the spatio-temporal changes in vegetation coverage; (2) analysis of the land use situation in Jiamusi City; and (3) investigation of the impact of natural and human factors on vegetation coverage in Jiamusi City using the Geodetector model. The results show that (1) over the past 20 years, the vegetation coverage of Jiamusi has shown a decreasing trend, declining from 25.22% in 2000 to 17.13% in 2020, representing a decrease of 32%. In terms of spatial distribution, the areas of Fuyuan City and Tongjiang City have experienced more significant decreases in vegetation coverage, decreasing by 73.6% and 54.0%, respectively. (2) The land use pattern of Jiamusi City has undergone significant changes during the study period; except for paddy fields (PF), unused land (UL), and construction land (CL), the areas of all the land categories have decreased. The ranking of the single land use dynamic degree in terms of magnitude is as follows: PF, UL, CL, dry farmland (DF), vegetation coverage land (VCL), and wetland (WET). (3) The changes in vegetation coverage were influenced by both natural and human activities and, according to the Geodetector results, the main influencing factors were CL and DF. The key findings of this study emphasize the need for comprehensive land use planning and ecological environmental protection that focus on sustainable development and conservation practices, and lay the groundwork for future ecosystem management and urban planning efforts in Jiamusi City.