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ObjectiveAs a result of the inconsistency between reports, a meta-analysis was designed to appraise the clinical implications of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in exosomes for the diagnosis of bladder cancer.MethodsThe PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases were searched to identify the relevant literature on lncRNAs in exosomes for bladder cancer diagnosis from database inception to May 2021. The literature was screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 entry tool was applied to evaluate the quality of the literature, and the sources of heterogeneity were explored using meta-regression and subgroup analysis. Stata 14.0 and RevMan 5.3 software were used for statistical analysis.ResultsA total of 23 studies described in 10 articles were included, with a total of 1883 patients with bladder cancer and 1721 patients in the non-cancerous control group. The exosome-derived lncRNAs performed better in the diagnosis of bladder cancer with a pooled sensitivity of 0.74 (95% CI, 0.69-0.77), specificity of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.72-0.80), and area under the curve of 0.83. The heterogeneity between studies was partly as a result of differences in specimen type, number of lncRNAs, lncRNA expression form, and reference gene type. Subgroup analysis showed that the detection efficacy based on the combination of multiple lncRNAs (0.86, 95% CI, 0.82-0.88) was higher than that based on a single lncRNA (0.81, 95% CI, 0.78-0.85), and exosomal lncRNAs with blood as the detection sample had a high diagnostic efficacy (0.86, 95% CI, 0.82-0.86).ConclusionsExosome-derived lncRNAs hold great promise as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers of bladder cancer. However, their clinical value needs to be examined in further comprehensive prospective studies.

The current calculation method of fluid–structure interaction (FSI) has a defect for oilimmersed transformers for distributed energy resources (DERs). In order to solve this problem, a calculation method is proposed for the temperature rise of oil-immersed transformers in this article. The vibration of insulating oil is considered in this method. Different from the temperature field model established by FSI, the effect of insulating oil vibration on the temperature field is considered. The structure field is introduced to establish the insulating oil vibration model. The temperature field correction coefficient is introduced by coupling the insulating oil vibration and the natural convection of the insulating oil. The result shows that compared with FSI, the results of the calculation method in this study are consistent with the experiment, and the temperature field distribution in the oil-immersed transformer can be calculated more accurately.

Summary: Diet and bile play critical roles in shaping gut microbiota, but the molecular mechanism underlying interplay with intestinal microbiota is unclear. Here, we showed that lemon-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (LELNs) enhance lactobacilli toleration to bile. To decipher the mechanism, we used Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) as proof of concept to show that LELNs enhance LGG bile resistance via limiting production of Msp1 and Msp3, resulting in decrease of bile accessibility to cell membrane. Furthermore, we found that decline of Msps protein levels was regulated through specific tRNAserUCC and tRNAserUCG decay. We identified RNase P, an essential housekeeping endonuclease, being responsible for LELNs-induced tRNAserUCC and tRNAserUCG decay. We further identified galacturonic acid-enriched pectin-type polysaccharide as the active factor in LELNs to increase bile resistance and downregulate tRNAserUCC and tRNAserUCG level in the LGG. Our study demonstrates a tRNA-based gene expression regulation mechanism among lactobacilli to increase bile resistance.

Summary: Plant exosomes protect plants against infection; however, whether edible plant exosomes can protect mammalian hosts against infection is not known. In this study, we show that ginger exosome-like nanoparticles (GELNs) are selectively taken up by the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis in a GELN phosphatidic acid (PA) dependent manner via interactions with hemin-binding protein 35 (HBP35) on the surface of P. gingivalis. Compared with PA (34:2), PA (34:1) did not interact with HBP35, indicating that the degree of unsaturation of PA plays a critical role in GELN-mediated interaction with HBP35. On binding to HBP35, pathogenic mechanisms of P. gingivalis were significantly reduced following interaction with GELN cargo molecules, including PA and miRs. These cargo molecules interacted with multiple pathogenic factors in the recipient bacteria simultaneously. Using edible plant exosome-like nanoparticles as a potential therapeutic agent to prevent/treat chronic periodontitis was further demonstrated in a mouse model. : Bacteriology; Biochemistry; Biological Sciences; Immunology; Microbiology; Molecular Biology; Oral Microbiology Subject Areas: Bacteriology, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Oral Microbiology

In the process of physical fitness training, it is an important subject of scientific physical fitness training to adjust and control the physical load intensity in real-time, accurately and effectively according to the physiological load inside the human body so as to make it consistent with the predetermined goal of the training plan. Aiming at the current demand of smartphone popularization and athlete training monitoring, this paper designs an intelligent monitoring system of physical fitness based on the Internet of Things technology. By selecting such factors as vertical jump, fast leg raising, sitting forward, height, chest circumference, percentage of body constitution, YOYO intermittent endurance running and so on, using RFID technology to mark different athletes, and after using the particle swarm optimization method of BP network to establish the evaluation model of the athletes' physical condition. Through simulation, the physical condition of athletes is accurately predicted, which provides a new scientific and technological means to improve the efficiency of physical training and make physical training scientific.

After hydraulic fracturing, some treatments intended for production enhancement fail to yield predetermined effects. The main reason is the insufficient research about the fracture propagation mechanism. There is compelling evidence that I-shaped fracture, two horizontal fractures at the junction of coalbed and cover/bottom layer, and one vertical fracture in the coalbed have formed in part of the coalbed after hydraulic fracturing. Therefore, this paper aims at I-shaped fracture propagation simulation. A novel propagation model is derived on the basis of a three-dimensional (3D) model, and the coupling conditions of vertical fracture and horizontal fractures are established based on the flow rate distribution and the bottom-hole pressure equality, respectively. Moreover, an associated PDA (pressure decline analysis of post-fracturing) model is established. Both models complement with each other and work together to guide fracturing treatment. Finally, a field case is studied to show that the proposed models can effectively investigate and simulate fracture initiation/propagation and pressure decline.

COSMIC-2 (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate- 2) dry temperature profile data from December 2019 to November 2021 are used to study stratospheric gravity waves (GWs) in the Asian monsoon region. The stratosphere between 20 and 50 km is divided into the lower, middle, and high layers based on the vertical distribution of the mean potential energy (Ep) and the horizontal distribution of GW Ep in these three layers, and their seasonal changes are analyzed. The source and propagating mechanism of GWs in middle latitudes in winter are revealed. The results show that GWs in the stratosphere have distinct distribution features during different seasons. The significant Ep in winter appears mainly in middle latitudes north of 30°N, whereas in summer, it appears in the low latitudes south of 30°N. There are significant areas of GW activity in both low and middle latitudes in spring and autumn, but their intensity is significantly weaker than in winter and summer. Areas with significant GWs and the seasonal variation of their intensity are accompanied by the Asian monsoon activity. In winter, there is a northward and upward propagating column for GWs above the Sichuan Basin, and in summer, there is an eastward and upward propagating column for GWs in the zonal band 15–25°N. The occurrence of GWs in northwestern China in winter is the result of the subtropical jet stream and topography. Once GWs enter the stratosphere, they are regulated by the winter stratospheric environment, and the GWs acquire a northerly component by the wind shear. The meridional wind shear in the background field is an important factor affecting the development and propagation of GWs.

Interferogram filtering is an essential step in processing data from interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), which greatly improves the accuracy of terrain reconstruction and deformation monitoring. Most traditional interferogram filtering methods achieve noise suppression and detail preservation through morphological estimation based on the statistical properties of the interferogram in the spatial or frequency domain. However, as the interferogram’s spatial distribution is diverse and complex, traditional filtering methods struggle to adapt to different distribution and noise conditions and cannot handle detail preservation and noise suppression simultaneously. The study proposes a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based multi-level feature fusion model for interferogram filtering that differs from the traditional feedforward neural network (FNN). Adopting a multi-depth multi-path convolution strategy, the method preserves phase details and suppresses noise during interferogram filtering. In filtering experiments based on simulated data, qualitative and quantitative evaluations were used to validate the performance and generalization capabilities of the proposed method. The method’s applicability was evaluated by visual observation during filtering and unwrapping experiments on real data, and the time-series deformation acquired by time series (TS)-InSAR technique is used to evaluate the effect of interferogram filters on deformation monitoring accuracy. Compared to commonly used interferogram filtering methods, the proposed method has significant advantages in terms of performance and efficiency. The study findings suggest new directions for research on high-precision InSAR data processing and provide technical support for practical applications of InSAR.

The bundled lipped channel–concrete (BLC-C) composite wall structure is a new structure with several advantages such as a high bearing capacity and good seismic performance. However, interface cracks between a BLC-C composite wall and the infill wall (non-structural wall) are a severe problem and need to be urgently resolved. Interface cracks affect not only the esthetics, but also the normal use of a building. The presence of interface cracks changes the perceptions of the owners of a structure, forcing them to question its safety and even take legal action against its developer. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate the initial cracking of the interface between a BLC-C composite wall and an infill wall. Unidirectional horizontal loading tests were conducted on two infill wall specimens constrained by BLC-C composite walls on both sides. The finite element analysis software ANSYS was used to simulate the loading process of the tests. The test results were compared to verify the accuracy of the finite element model. A finite element analysis was conducted to determine the effect of the horizontal displacement of the specimens when the interface initially cracked under different parameters such as the widths of the BLC-C composite wall, infill wall, and opening as well as the strength grade of the bricks and maximum normal contact stress. The results showed that a decrease in the width of the BLC-C composite wall or a rise in the width of the infill wall delayed the appearance of interface cracks. A large opening also delayed the occurrence of interface cracks. An enhancement in the strength grade of the bricks led to an earlier appearance of interface cracks. Interface cracks occurred later with an increase in the maximum normal contact stress between the BLC-C composite wall and the infill wall.

Background: The role of vitamin D in reproductive health is still unclear. This study aimed to assess the effect of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), among preconception couples, on fecundity, and the associations between 25(OH)D concentrations before and during pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: 200 preconception couples attempting to conceive were recruited and were followed-up until childbirth. Time to pregnancy was collected via telephone every two months or obtained via a questionnaire during pregnancy. Blood samples were collected to measure serum 25(OH)D levels from both partners at enrollment and from women during the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Results: Couples had higher conception rates within six months (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.72, 95% CI: 1.16, 11.9) and reduced time to pregnancy (adjusted fecundability ratio (aFR): 1.50, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.23) if male partners had sufficient 25(OH)D compared with insufficient 25(OH)D. Compared to pregnant women with insufficient 25(OH)D in the third trimester of pregnancy, sufficient 25(OH)D was associated with reduced odds of anemia (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.82), longer gestational age (β: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.04, 1.01) and newborns’ higher ponderal index (β: 0.10, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.19). Conclusions: Sufficient serum 25(OH)D levels among preconception men or during pregnancy were associated with better reproductive health.

Synchrotron X-ray tomography images were used to study dynamic, regional water transfer behavior in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) during thawing and desaturation processes. Initially saturated, frozen GDLs were thawed and desaturated with air in a serpentine gas flow channel. On-the-fly (OTF) high speed CT scans via synchrotron X-ray allowed the capture of consecutive water transfer inside the GDL under the cold start-up gas purging condition. Desaturation data of Sigracet 35AA GDLs with three superficial gas velocities (2.88–5.98 m/s) were selected for analysis. Multiple spatial segmentation levels based on the flow field geometry, including channel vs. rib, individual channels and ribs, and smaller sections in each channel and rib, were applied to the in-plane direction to study the GDL regional thawing and desaturation behaviors. Each segmentation volume had a similar desaturation pattern in general; however, water distribution and desaturation show heterogeneity over the GDL domain, as well as relation with factors including the flow field geometry, air traveling distance, and initial saturation level. These data from the segmentation analysis expand the knowledge of localized water transfer behavior during the cold start thawing process. These data can also provide valuable information for future cold start modeling and help in optimizing the PEM fuel cell flow field design.

Objective To analyze the clinical effect of the Brisson operation modified by a Y-shaped incision in treating adolescent concealed penis. Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 27 adolescents with a concealed penis treated with the Brisson operation modified by a Y-shaped incision in our hospital from January 2017 to March 2020. Results The operation went smoothly in all 27 patients. Postoperative foreskin edema occurred in 12 patients and spontaneously resolved within 1 month postoperatively. Two patients developed postoperative retropubic infection. After administering antibiotics and symptomatic treatment, both patients’ conditions improved within 1 week. All operations obtained satisfactory results. Postoperatively, when the penis was in a non-erect state, it was clearly exposed without retraction or concealment; thus, demonstrating good surgical results. The prepuce was distributed naturally without obvious accumulation of redundant preputial tissue. The penile scar resembled that after circumcision. The postoperative follow-up period was 6 months, during which no patients developed recurrence. Conclusion The Brisson operation modified by a Y-shaped incision is effective for treating a concealed penis in adolescent patients. This technique may relieve the pathological abnormalities and retain the penile skin's integrity to the greatest extent with minimal scarring and a satisfactory appearance.

BackgroundClear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most common malignant cancers in East Asia, with high incidence and mortality. Accumulating evidence has shown that ATF3 is associated with tumor progression.MethodsUsing qPCR, the expression of ATF3 was detected in 93 patients with ccRCC, including 24 paired normal and tumor tissues, which were used to further compare ATF3 expression through western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Lentivirus was used for the overexpression or knockdown of ATF3, and the consequent alteration in function was analyzed through CCK8 assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay, invasion assay, and flow cytometry. The potential mechanism affected by ATF3 was analyzed through gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and verified using western blotting, invasion assay, or immunofluorescence staining. Furthermore, a xenograft mouse model was used to assess the function of ATF3 in vivo.ResultsATF3 expression was significantly decreased in ccRCC compared to that in adjacent normal tissues. Through gain- and loss-of-function experiments performed in an in vitro assay, we found that ATF3 could regulate ccRCC cell proliferation, cycle progression, migration, and invasion. In the in vivo study, the xenograft mouse model revealed that ATF3 overexpression can inhibit the growth of ccRCC. Moreover, the mechanism analysis showed that suppression of ATF3 could lead to an increase the expression of β-catenin and promote β-catenin transfer to the nucleus, and might be affected by EGFR/AKT/GSK3β signaling.ConclusionATF3 could be utilized as an independent protective factor to inhibit the progression of ccRCC. Potential treatment strategies for ccRCC include targeting the ATF3/EGFR/AKT/GSK3β/β−catenin signaling pathway.

A comprehensive study was conducted to investigate the effects of applied voltage, distance between needle tip and counter electrode, liquid flow rate, pH and conductivity of water on the electrical current in a capillary electro-spray. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was employed to measure the size distribution of water droplets, which presented a mean diameter of 299 ​± ​76 ​nm. Statistical analysis using three-way ANOVA and nonlinear multivariate regression model were employed to study the interactions of applied voltage, distance between needle tip and counter electrode, and liquid feed rate with electrical current, and to develop regression equations to predict the current. It was found that electrical current was significantly (p ​

BackgroundSeminoma (SEM) is the most frequent testicular germ cell tumor with a high incidence in young men. The present study aims to explore the function and regulatory mechanism of miR-483-3p in SEM.MethodsRT-qPCR was performed to investigate miR-483-3p levels in SEM tissues. The effect of miR-483-3p on TCam-2 cells was assessed by CCK-8, colony formation, cell migration, and invasion assays. Luciferase reporter assays were performed to investigate the interaction between miR-483-3p and MMP9, and then the recovery experiments were performed. Moreover, the potential upstream regulator of miR-483-3p was predicted based on JASPAR database.ResultsmiR-483-3p was down-regulated in SEM tissues versus paracancerous normal tissues. The expression level of miR-483-3p was significantly associated with tumor stage by RT-qPCR. Functionally, miR-483-3p over-expression suppressed cell growth, migration, and invasion in SEM cell lines. Mechanically, miR-483-3p negatively regulated MMP9 by directly binding to its 3′-UTR. The over-expression of miR-483-3p could reverse the promoting role of MMP9 over-expression on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TCam-2 cells. Moreover, KLF9 was identified as a potential upstream regulator of miR-483-3p and functions as a tumor suppressor.ConclusionsIn general, our study suggested that miR-483-3p could inhibit the cell growth, migration, and invasion of testicular SEM by targeting MMP9. Moreover, KLF9 is an upstream positive regulator of miR-483-3p and also functions as a tumor suppressor in SEM.

The bonding behaviors of the plate-concrete interface of a composite structure consisting of a concrete block in the middle and two cement plates at both sides play a key role in its overall mechanical performance. In this paper, the authors conduct 3 groups of push-out shear tests on a total of 39 composite samples to assess the bonding performance. The influence of the FRP cement plates, the concrete strength, and the ribs installed in the cement plate on the interfacial shear strength, the relative bond-slip, strain, and the failure modes of the composite samples is recorded and analyzed. The results show that (1) the shear strength and bond-slip performance of the interface are largely improved if the GFRP/BRRP cement plates are used; (2) shear strength of the interface increases with the concrete strength, while the deformation behaviors show no significant improvement; (3) an inclusion of the ribs to the interface enhances the shear strength and shear stiffness but decreases the maximum relative slip at failure; (4) most of the samples present the shear failures along the interface; however, the bending shear failure prior to the interface shear failure is also observed on the concrete block for low concrete strength samples and the samples with ribs; and (5) regression method is used to develop a constitutive model of the stress-slip at the interface to describe the relationship between the shear strength with the cement plates, the concrete strength, and ribs.

A high-resolution simulation with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is performed to investigate the characteristics of the horizontal kinetic energy (HKE) spectra of an eastward-moving southwest vortex (SWV) generated in Sichuan Province, China, during 16–19 June 2011. The results indicate that the evolution of the SWV can be divided into the development, mature, and decay stages. In the troposphere, the HKE spectrum reproduces the typical atmospheric spectrum, with a slope of approximately −3 for wavelengths greater than 300 km and −5/3 for wavelengths between 300 and 30 km in each stage. The average scale of spectral transition is around 300 km. However, the HKE spectrum in the lower stratosphere shows a −5/3 slope at mesoscales and has no clear spectral transition. During the mature stage of the SWV, the HKE increases prominently for wavelengths between 300 and 30 km. Moreover, the relative contribution of the rotational kinetic energy (RKE) and the divergent kinetic energy (DKE) was investigated. It shows that the RKE spectrum dominates the DKE spectrum for wavelengths greater than 300 km in the lower troposphere, while in the upper troposphere the magnitudes of RKE and DKE are comparable over all scales. However, in the lower stratosphere, the DKE is an order of magnitude larger than the RKE, contributing more to the total HKE spectrum.

A transient three-dimensional comprehensive numerical model was established to study ion transport caused by diffusion, convection, and electro-migration in the electro-refining process for scrap-metal recycling. The Poisson–Nernst–Planck equations were used to define ion transport within the electrolyte, while the Naiver–Stokes equations and the energy equation were employed to describe fluid flow and heat transfer. In addition, the Butler-Volmer formulation was used to represent the kinetics of the electrochemical reaction. The comparison between the measured and simulated data indicates the reliability of the model. Under the action of diffusion and electro-migration, the positive copper ion moves from the anode to the cathode, while the negative sulfate ion migrates in the opposite direction. The distribution of the ion concentration, however, greatly changes if the fluid flow is taken into account. The ion concentration around the anode and the rate of the electrochemical reaction that occurs at the anode surface are reduced by the fluid flow. The proposed computational framework offers a valuable basis for future research and development in the field of scrap-metal recycling technology.

Typhoon In-Fa hit continental China in July 2021 and caused an unprecedented rainfall amount, making it a typical case to examine the ability of numerical models in forecasting landfalling typhoons. The record-breaking storm was simulated using a 3-km-resolution weather research and forecast (WRF) model with spectral bin microphysics scheme (BIN) and two-moment seven-class bulk parameterization scheme (BULK). The simulations were then separated into three different typhoon landfall periods (i.e., pre-landfall, landfall, and post-landfall). It was found that typhoon intensity prediction is sensitive to microphysical schemes regardless of landfall periods, while typhoon track prediction tends to be more (less) sensitive to microphysical schemes after (before) typhoon landfall. Moreover, significant differences exist between BIN and BULK schemes in simulating the storm intensity, track, and rainfall distribution. BIN scheme simulates stronger (weaker) typhoon intensity than BULK scheme after (before) landfall, while BULK scheme simulates typhoon moving faster (slower) than BIN scheme before (after) landfall. BIN scheme produces much more extensive and homogeneous typhoon rainbands than BULK scheme, whereas BULK scheme produces stronger (weaker) rainfall in the typhoon inner (outer) rainbands. The possible reasons for such differences are discussed. At present, the ability of WRF and other mesoscale models to accurately simulate the typhoon precipitation hydrometeors is still limited. To evaluate the performances of BIN and BULK schemes of WRF model in simulating the condensed water in Typhoon In-Fa, the observed microwave brightness temperature and radar reflectivity from the core observatory of Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) satellite are directly used for validation with the help of a satellite simulator. It is suggested that BIN scheme has better performance in estimating the spatial structure, overall amplitude, and precise location of the condensed water in typhoons before landfall. During typhoon landfall, the performance of BIN scheme in simulating the structure and location of the condensate is close to that of BULK scheme, but the condensate intensity prediction by BIN scheme is still better; BULK scheme performs even better than BIN scheme in the prediction of condensate structure and location after typhoon landfall. Both schemes seem to have poorer performances in simulating the spatial structure of precipitation hydrometeors during typhoon landfall than before/after typhoon landfall. Moreover, BIN scheme simulates more (less) realistic warm (cold) rain processes than BULK scheme, especially after typhoon landfall. BULK scheme simulates more cloud water and larger convective updraft than BIN scheme, and this is also reported in many model studies comparing BIN and BULK schemes.

The spatial resolution of precipitation predicted by general circulation models is too coarse to meet current research and operational needs. Downscaling is one way to provide finer resolution data at local scales. The single-image super-resolution method in the computer vision field has made great strides lately and has been applied in various fields. In this article, we propose a novel reference-based and gradient-guided deep learning model (RBGGM) to downscale daily precipitation considering the discontinuity of precipitation and ill-posed nature of downscaling. Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) precipitation data, variables in ERA5 re-analysis data, and topographic data are selected to perform the downscaling, and a residual dense attention block is constructed to extract features of them. By exploring the discontinuous feature of precipitation, we introduce gradient feature to reconstruct precipitation distribution. We also extract the feature of high-resolution monthly precipitation as a reference feature to resolve the ill-posed nature of downscaling. Extensive experimental results on benchmark data sets demonstrate that our proposed model performs better than other baseline methods. Furthermore, we construct a daily precipitation downscaling data set based on GPM precipitation data, ERA5 re-analysis data and topographic data.

Summary: Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated colitis. Here, we report that lemon exosome-like nanoparticles (LELNs) manipulated probiotics to inhibit C. diff infection (CDI). LELN-manipulated Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Streptococcus thermophilus ST-21 (STH) (LELN-LS) decrease CDI mortality via an LELN-mediated increase in bile resistance and gut survivability. LELN-LS treatment increases the AhR ligands indole-3-lactic acid (I3LA) and indole-3-carboxaldehyde (I3Ald), leading to induction of IL-22, and increases lactic acid leading to a decrease of C. diff fecal shedding by inhibiting C. diff growth and indole biosynthesis. A synergistic effect between STH and LGG was identified. The STH metabolites inhibit gluconeogenesis of LGG and allow fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) to accumulate in LGG; accumulated FBP then activates lactate dehydrogenase of LGG (LGG-LDH) and enhances production of lactic acid and the AhR ligand. Our findings provide a new strategy for CDI prevention and treatment with a new type of prebiotics.

Trihelix transcription factors play multiple roles in plant growth, development and various stress responses. In this study, we identified 71 trihelix family genes in the soybean genome. These trihelix genes were located at 19 out of 20 soybean chromosomes unevenly and were classified into six distinct subfamilies: GT-1, GT-2, GTγ, SIP1, SH4 and GTδ. The gene structure and conserved functional domain of these trihelix genes were similar in the same subfamily but diverged between different subfamilies. Thirteen segmental duplicated gene pairs were identified and all of them experienced a strong purifying selective pressure during evolution. Various stress-responsive cis-elements presented in the promoters of soybean trihelix genes, suggesting that the trihelix genes might respond to the environmental stresses in soybean. The expression analysis suggests that trihelix genes are involved in diverse functions during soybean development, flood or salinity tolerance, and plant immunity. Our results provide genomic information of the soybean trihelix genes and a basis for further characterizing their roles in response to environmental stresses.

In July 2021, Typhoon In-Fa attacked eastern China and broke many records for extreme precipitation over the last century. Such an unrivaled impact results from In-Fa’s slow moving speed and long residence time due to atmospheric circulations. With the supports of 66 networked surface disdrometers over eastern China and collaborative observations from the advanced GPM satellite, we are able to reveal the unique precipitation microphysical properties of the record-breaking Typhoon In-Fa (2021). After separating the typhoon precipitation into convective and stratiform types and comparing the drop size distribution (DSD) properties of Typhoon In-Fa with other typhoons from different climate regimes, it is found that typhoon precipitation shows significant internal differences as well as regional differences in terms of DSD-related parameters, such as mass-weighted mean diameter (Dm), normalized intercept parameter (Nw), radar reflectivity (Z), rain rate (R), and intercept, shape, and slope parameters (N0, µ, Λ). Comparing different rain types inside Typhoon In-Fa, convective rain (Nw ranging from 3.80 to 3.96 mm−1 m−3) shows higher raindrop concentration than stratiform rain (Nw ranging from 3.40 to 3.50 mm−1 m−3) due to more graupels melting into liquid water while falling. Large raindrops occupy most of the region below the melting layer in convective rain due to a dominant coalescence process of small raindrops (featured by larger ZKu, Dm, and smaller N0, µ, Λ), while small raindrops account for a considerable proportion in stratiform rain, reflecting a significant collisional breakup process of large raindrops (featured by smaller ZKu, Dm, and larger N0, µ, Λ). Compared with other typhoons in Hainan and Taiwan, the convective precipitation of Typhoon In-Fa shows a larger (smaller) raindrop concentration than that of Taiwan (Hainan), while smaller raindrop diameter than both Hainan and Taiwan. Moreover, the typhoon convective precipitation measured in In-Fa is more maritime-like than precipitation in Taiwan. Based on a great number of surface disdrometer observational data, the GPM precipitation products were further validated for both rain types, and a series of native quantitative precipitation estimation relations, such as Z–R and R–Dm relations were derived to improve the typhoon rainfall retrieval for both ground-based radar and spaceborne radar.

In the current study, the reduction of CaO-Al2O3 inclusions in steel by the subsequent addition of aluminum is revealed through industrial trials, laboratory experiments, and thermodynamic calculations. During the industrial production of the Al-killed Ca-treated steel, the Al2O3 content in CaO-Al2O3 inclusions increased from 72.05% to 79.83%, after the aluminum addition. In laboratory experiments, the addition of aluminum increased the Al2O3 content, and meanwhile lowered the contents of CaS and CaO in the inclusions. The average diameter of the inclusions decreased and the number density increased after the Al addition in steel, due to the formation of tiny inclusions. Based on the thermodynamic consideration, the transformation of the inclusions was attributed to the re-equilibrium of the reaction between steel and the inclusions after aluminizing. The Al2O3-riched calcium aluminate with a high melting point increased the possibility of the nozzle clogging during the continuous casting process, reducing the effect of the calcium treatment. Therefore, the addition of aluminum after calcium treatment should be avoided as far as possible.

Abstract Novel compounds and more efficient treatment options are urgently needed for the treatment of cystic echinococcosis (CE), which is caused by Echinococcus granulosus. The decoction of Sophora moorcroftiana (Fabaceae) has been used to treat parasitosis for years in traditional Tibetan medicine. The aim of this study was to screen insecticidal water-soluble alkaloids from S. moorcroftiana seeds and evaluate the therapeutic effects against CE and the immune response induced by the alkaloidal fraction. Low polarity compounds (E2-a) were isolated from water-soluble alkaloid (E2) and matrine and sophocarpine were identified as major components. The E2-a fraction was more effective against protoscoleces than other constituents from S. moorcroftiana. After 20 weeks of secondary infection with protoscoleces, mice were orally treated with E2-a (100 mg/kg/day) for 6 weeks to evaluate therapeutic and immunoregulatory activities. Compared with the untreated group, E2-a treatment induced a significant reduction in cyst weight (mean 2.93 g) (p

Abstract Background Soybean is not only an important oil crop, but also an important source of edible protein and industrial raw material. Yield-traits and quality-traits are increasingly attracting the attention of breeders. Therefore, fine mapping the QTLs associated with yield-traits and quality-traits of soybean would be helpful for soybean breeders. In the present study, a high-density linkage map was constructed to identify the QTLs for the yield-traits and quality-traits, using specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq). Results SLAF-seq was performed to screen SLAF markers with 149 F8:11 individuals from a cross between a semi wild soybean, ‘Huapidou’, and a cultivated soybean, ‘Qihuang26’, which generated 400.91 M paired-end reads. In total, 53,132 polymorphic SLAF markers were obtained. The genetic linkage map was constructed by 5111 SLAF markers with segregation type of aa×bb. The final map, containing 20 linkage groups (LGs), was 2909.46 cM in length with an average distance of 0.57 cM between adjacent markers. The average coverage for each SLAF marker on the map was 81.26-fold in the male parent, 45.79-fold in the female parent, and 19.84-fold average in each F8:11 individual. According to the high-density map, 35 QTLs for plant height (PH), 100-seeds weight (SW), oil content in seeds (Oil) and protein content in seeds (Protein) were found to be distributed on 17 chromosomes, and 14 novel QTLs were identified for the first time. The physical distance of 11 QTLs was shorter than 100 Kb, suggesting a direct opportunity to find candidate genes. Furthermore, three pairs of epistatic QTLs associated with Protein involving 6 loci on 5 chromosomes were identified. Moreover, 13, 14, 7 and 9 genes, which showed tissue-specific expression patterns, might be associated with PH, SW, Oil and Protein, respectively. Conclusions With SLAF-sequencing, some novel QTLs and important QTLs for both yield-related and quality traits were identified based on a new, high-density linkage map. Moreover, 43 genes with tissue-specific expression patterns were regarded as potential genes in further study. Our findings might be beneficial to molecular marker-assisted breeding, and could provide detailed information for accurate QTL localization.

Background/Aims: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules which play a significant role in transcriptional and translational regulation. Published data on the association between the miRNA SNPs and prostate cancer (PCa) risk are somewhat inconclusive. Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of all available studies including 2,227 patients and 2,331 control subjects to evaluate the impact of three common genetic variants of microRNAs in prostate cancer risk. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilized to investigate the strength of the association. Results: For miR-499 polymorphism, a significant association was observed between the rs3746444 A>G polymorphism and PCa risk in heterozygote comparison and dominant genetic model, in particular in Asian population subgroup. For miR-146a polymorphism, the rs2910164 CC genotype was associated with decreased PCa risk in Asian population in homozygote comparison. In addition, rs2910164 CC genotype had a weekly higher percentage value in subgroup of Gleason score < 7. Similar results were also indicated in localized prostate cancer in subgroup analysis by tumor stage. For miR-196a2 polymorphism, no association was observed between this variant and PCa risk in the overall group. However, in stratified analysis by ethnicity, we found that rs11614913 T allele was a risk factor for Asian PCa patients. Conclusions: Polymorphisms of miR-196a2 rs11614913, miR-146a rs2910164, and miR-499 rs3746444 may contribute to the risk for developing prostate cancer in Asian descendants. Moreover, miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism was related to PCa prognosis.

Quasicrystal precipitation in alloys should be favored at dislocations, which break crystal symmetry, but almost all precipitates at dislocations are periodic. Here, the authors show rare quasicrystal formation along dislocations in a magnesium zinc alloy with atomic resolution.

Abstract A novel measurement technology named as particle flow-spark induced breakdown spectroscopy (PF-SIBS) was reported for real-time measurement of solid materials. Critical measurement parameters of PF-SIBS were optimized and a set of fly ashes with different carbon content were measured for evaluation of measurement performance. Four electrode materials, tungsten, copper, molybdenum and platinum, were compared in the aspects of signal stability, line interference and electrode durability. Less line interference and better signal stability were obtained with W and Cu electrode, while W electrode has better durability. Quartz sand with diameters from 48 μm to 180 μm were tested to investigate the influence of particle size. As the particle diameter increased, the intensity of Si 288.16 nm line decreased while that of ambient air constituents increased. To reduce the particle effect, the sum intensity from sample and ambient air were introduced to correct. The RSD of line intensity between the five diameters were reduced from 67.30% to 16.59% with Cu electrodes and from 63.21% to 13.64% with W electrodes. With the optimal measurement parameters and correction, fly ash samples with different carbon content were tested and the correlation coefficients R2 of multivariate calibration achieved 0.987.

The Qilian Mountains (QLMs), an important ecological protective barrier and major water resource connotation area in the Hexi Corridor region, have an important impact on ecological security in western China due to their ecological changes. However, most existing studies have investigated vegetation changes and their main driving forces in the QLMs on the basis of a single scale. Thus, the interactions among multiple environmental factors in the QLMs are still unclear. This study was based on normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) data from 2000 to 2019. We systematically analysed the spatial and temporal characteristics of the QLMs at multiple time scales using trend analysis, ensemble empirical mode decomposition, Geodetector, and correlation analysis methods. At different time scales under single-factor and multi-factor interactions, we examined the mechanisms of the vegetation changes and their drivers. Our results showed that the vegetation in the QLMs showed a trend of overall improvement in 2000–2019, at a rate of 0.88 × 10−3, mainly in the central western regions. The NDVI in the QLMs showed a short change cycle of 3 and 5 years and a long-term trend. Sunshine time and wind speed were the main drivers of the vegetation variation in the QLMs, followed by temperature. Precipitation affected the vegetation spatial variation within a certain altitude range. However, temperature and precipitation had stronger explanatory powers for the vegetation variation in the western QLMs than in the eastern part. Their interaction was the dominant factor in the regional differences in vegetation. The responses of the NDVI to temperature and precipitation were stronger in the long time series. The main drivers of vegetation variation were land surface temperature and precipitation in the east and temperature and evapotranspiration in the west. Precipitation was the main driver of vegetation growth in the northern and southwestern QLMs on both the short- and long-term scales. Vegetation changes were more significantly influenced by short-term temperature changes in the east but by a combination of temperature and precipitation in most parts of the QLMs on a 5-year time scale.

The Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) onboard the Himawari-8 geostationary satellite provides continuous observations every 10 min. This study investigates the assimilation of every-10-min radiance from the AHI with the POD-4DEnVar method. Cloud detection is conducted in the AHI quality control procedure to remove cloudy and precipitation-affected observations. Historical samples and physical ensembles are combined to construct four-dimensional ensembles according to the observed frequency of the Himawari-8 satellite. The purpose of this study was to test the potential impacts of assimilating high temporal resolution observations with POD-4DEnVar in a numerical weather prediction (NWP) system. Two parallel experiments were performed with and without Himawari-8 radiance assimilation during the entire month of July 2020. The results of the experiment with radiance assimilation show that it improves the analysis and forecast accuracy of geopotential, horizontal wind field and relative humidity compared to the experiment without radiance assimilation. Moreover, the equitable threat score (ETS) of 24-h accumulated precipitation shows that assimilating Himawari-8 radiance improves the rainfall forecast accuracy. Improvements were found in the structure, amplitude and location of the precipitation. In addition, the ETS of hourly accumulated precipitation indicates that assimilating high temporal resolution Himawari-8 radiance can improve the prediction of rapidly developed rainfall. Overall, assimilating every-10-min AHI radiance from Himawari-8 with POD-4DEnVar has positive impacts on NWP.

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) is generally considered to be the water source region for its surrounding lowlands. However, there have only been a few studies that have focused on quantifying alpine meadow evapotranspiration (ET) and its partitioning, which are important components of water balance. This paper used the Shuttleworth–Wallace (S–W) model to quantify soil evaporation (E) and plant transpiration (T) in a degraded alpine meadow (34°24′ N, 100°24′ E, 3963 m a.s.l) located at the QTP from September 2006 to December 2008. The results showed that the annual ET estimated by the S–W model (ETSW) was 511.5 mm (2007) and 499.8 mm (2008), while E estimated by the model (ESW) was 306.0 mm and 281.7 mm for 2007 and 2008, respectively, which was 49% and 29% higher than plant transpiration (TSW). Model analysis showed that ET, E, and T were mainly dominated by net radiation (Rn), while leaf area index (LAI) and soil water content at a 5 cm depth (SWC5cm) were the most important factors influencing ET partitioning. The study results suggest that meadow degradation may increase water loss through increasing E, and reduce the water conservation capability of the alpine meadow ecosystem.

The study of somatic embryogenesis can provide insight into early plant development. We previously obtained LaMIR166a-overexpressing embryonic cell lines of Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr. To further elucidate the molecular mechanisms associated with miR166 in this species, the transcriptional profiles of wild-type (WT) and three LaMIR166a-overexpressing transgenic cell lines were subjected to RNA sequencing using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 system. In total, 203,256 unigenes were generated using Trinity de novo assembly, and 2467 differentially expressed genes were obtained by comparing transgenic and WT lines. In addition, we analyzed the cleaved degree of LaMIR166a target genes LaHDZ31–34 in different transgenic cell lines by detecting the expression pattern of LaHdZ31–34, and their cleaved degree in transgenic cell lines was higher than that in WT. The downstream genes of LaHDZ31–34 were identified using Pearson correlation coefficients. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase report assays revealed that the transcription factors LaHDZ31–34 could bind to the promoters of LaPAP, LaPP1, LaZFP5, and LaPHO1. This is the first report of gene expression changes caused by LaMIR166a overexpression in Japanese larch. These findings lay a foundation for future studies on the regulatory mechanism of miR166.

Abstract To identify countermeasures for the impacts of climate change on crop production, exploring the changes in crop phenology and their relationship to climate change is required. This study was based on cotton phenology and climate data collected from 13 agro-meteorological experimental stations and 13 meteorological stations on the North China Plain from 1981 to 2012. Spatiotemporal trends in the cotton phenology data, lengths of the different growing phases, mean temperatures, and rainfall were analyzed. These results indicated that warming accelerated cotton growth, advanced cotton phenology, and shortened the growing period of cotton. However, harvest dates were significantly delayed at 8 (61.5%) stations, the length of both the flowering-boll opening and boll opening-harvest periods increased at 10 (77.0%) stations, and a positive correlation was found between the mean temperature and the length of the whole growing period at 10 (77.0%) stations. Therefore, cotton practices and cultivars on the North China Plain should be adjusted accordingly. The response of cotton phenology to climate change, as shown here, can further guide the development of options for the adaptation of cotton production in the near future.

Abstract Under electron beam irradiation, knock-on atomic displacement is commonly thought to occur only when the incident electron energy is above the incident-energy threshold of the material in question. However, we report that when exposed to intense electrons at room temperature at a low incident energy of 30 keV, which is far below the theoretically predicted incident-energy threshold of zirconium, Zircaloy-4 (Zr-1.50Sn-0.25Fe-0.15Cr (wt.%)) surfaces can undergo considerable displacement damage. We demonstrate that electron beam irradiation of the bulk Zircaloy-4 surface resulted in a striking radiation effect that nanoscale precipitates within the surface layer gradually emerged and became clearly visible with increasing the irradiation time. Our transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations further reveal that electron beam irradiation of the thin-film Zircaly-4 surface caused the sputtering of surface α-Zr atoms, the nanoscale atomic restructuring in the α-Zr matrix, and the amorphization of precipitates. These results are the first direct evidences suggesting that displacement of metal atoms can be induced by a low incident electron energy below threshold. The presented way to irradiate may be extended to other materials aiming at producing appealing properties for applications in fields of nanotechnology, surface technology, and others.

Exosomes are involved in the development of metastasis but how their composition is regulated is not well known. Here the authors propose that major vault protein-dependent loading of miR-193a into exosomes could be a general mechanism by which cancer cells get rid of oncosuppressor miRNAs.

Cu@Si core–shell nanowire thin films with a Cu3Si interface between the Cu and Si were synthesized by slurry casting and subsequent magnetron sputtering and investigated as anode materials for lithium ion batteries. In this constructed core–shell architecture, the Cu nanowires were connected to each other or to the Cu foil, forming a three-dimensional electron-conductive network and as mechanical support for the Si during cycling. Meanwhile, the Cu3Si layer can enhance the interface adhesion strength of the Cu core and Si shell; a large amount of void spaces between the Cu@Si nanowires could accommodate the lithiation-induced volume expansion and facilitate electrolyte impregnation. As a consequence, this electrode exhibits impressive electrochemical properties: the initial discharge capacity and initial coulombic efficiency is 3193 mAh/g and 87%, respectively. After 500 cycles, the discharge capacity is about 948 mAh/g, three times that of graphite, corresponding to an average capacity fading rate of 0.2% per cycle.

Effective water management increases the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The liquid droplet movement mechanism in the cathode channel, the gas-liquid two-phase flow pattern, and the resulting pressure drop are important to water management in PEMFCs. This work employed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with a volume of fluid (VOF) to simulate the effects of two operating parameters on the liquid water flow in the cathode flow channel: Gas diffusion layer (GDL) pore shape for water emergence, and distance between GDL pores. From seven pore shapes considered in this work, the longer the windward side of the micropore is, the larger the droplet can grow, and the duration of droplet growth movement will be longer. In the cases of two micropores for water introduction, a critical pore distance is noted for whether two droplets coalesce. When the micropore distance was shorter than this critical value, different droplets coalesce after the droplets grew to a certain extent. These results indicate that the pore shape and the distance between pores should be accounted for in future simulations of PEMFC droplet dynamics and that these parameters need to be optimized when designing novel GDL structures.

Somatic embryogenesis is an ideal model process for studying early plant development. Embryonic cell lines of Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr overexpressing LaMIR166a were obtained in our previous study. Here, a combination of de novo transcriptomics and extensively targeted metabolomics was used to study the transcriptional profiles and metabolic changes in wild-type and LaMIR166a-overexpressed embryonic cell lines. A total of 459 metabolites were found in the wild-type and transgenic cell lines. Compared to those in the wild-type cell lines, transcripts and metabolites were significantly altered in the LaMIR166a-overexpressed cell lines. Among differentially expressed genes (DEGs), phenylalanine and flavonoid synthesis genes were significantly enriched, and among differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), phenolic acids and flavonoids accumulated in particularly high amounts. Thus, the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway seems to be the most abundant pathway in response to LaMIR166a overexpression. Based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database, the association analysis of metabolome and transcriptome data showed that flavonoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction processes were significantly changed in miR166a-overexpression lines, suggesting that miR166 might be involved in these processes. The present study identified a number of potential metabolites associated with LaMIR166a overexpression, providing a significant foundation for a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying miR166.

In the current study, the nozzle clogging behavior and inclusion composition in Al-killed Ca-treated steels were observed to investigate the relationship between the liquid fraction of non-metallic inclusions and the clogging possibility of the submerged entry nozzle. Clogging materials were mainly MgO-Al2O3 with less than 20% liquid phases, while most of the inclusions were full liquid CaO-Al2O3-MgO in tundish at the casting temperature. Thus, it was proposed that the nozzle clogging can be effectively avoided by modification of solid inclusions to partial liquid ones rather than full liquid ones. There was a critical value of liquid fraction of inclusions causing the nozzle clogging. A critical condition of the inclusion attachment on the nozzle wall was a function of cosθN−S+cosθI−S<0. With the increase of T.Ca content in steel, the evolution route of inclusions was solid MgO-Al2O3→liquid CaO-Al2O3-MgO→solid CaS and CaO. To avoid the clogging of the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) under the current casting condition, the appropriate T.Ca concentration range in Al-killed Ca-treated steels can be enlarged from the 100% liquid inclusion zone of 10–14 ppm to the 20% liquid inclusion zone of 4–38 ppm.

The mechanical oscillator mechanism (MOM) for stratospheric gravity waves generated by convection is investigated with a dynamics model using the two-dimensional, nonhydrostatic and linear governing equations based on the Boussinesq approximation. The model is solved analytically with a fixed buoyancy oscillation (BO) at the tropopause as the boundary conditions. Results show that this BO is the source of stratospheric gravity waves and the MOM is the generation mechanism. The characteristics of the stratospheric gravity waves not only depend on the BO, but also rely on the stratospheric state, such as the background wind and the buoyancy frequency. When the vertical wavenumbers of the stratospheric gravity waves are close to those of the intrinsic characteristic waves (ICWs), which are the model solution without BO forcing at the tropopause, resonance occurs. Under the resonance conditions, the amplitudes of the stratospheric gravity waves increase significantly, even for low BO intensity. The background wind in the stratosphere has a large effect on wave resonance. Finally, numerical simulation results of a low-vortex system also verify that the MOM is the generation mechanism of stratospheric gravity waves generated by convection.

Hydrological calibration of raw weather radar rainfall estimation relies on in situ rainfall measurements. Raindrop size distribution (DSD) was collected during three typical Mei-Yu rainstorms in July 2014 using three particle size velocity (Parsivel) DSD sensors along the Mei-Yu front in Nanjing, Chuzhou, and the western Pacific, respectively. To improve the radar precipitation estimation in different parts of the Mei-Yu front, a scaling method was adopted to formulate the DSD model and further derive the Z–R relations. The results suggest a distinct variation of DSDs in different parts of the Mei-Yu front. Compared with statistical radar Z–ARb relations obtained by mathematical fitting techniques, the use of a DSD model fitting based on a scaling law formulation theoretically shows a significant improvement in both stratiform (33.9%) and convective (2.8%) rainfall estimations of the Mei-Yu frontal system, which indicates that using a scaling law can better reflect the DSD variations in different parts of the Mei-Yu front. Polarimetric radar has indisputable advantages with multiparameter detection ability. Several dual-polarization radar estimators are also established by DSD sensor data, and the R(ZH, ZDR) estimator is proven to be more accurate than traditional Z–R relations in Mei-Yu frontal rainfall, with potential applications for operational C-band polarimetric radar.

The intensification of Typhoon Lekima (2019) is simulated with the Weather Research and Forecasting model to study the atmospheric horizontal kinetic energy (HKE) spectra and corresponding spectral HKE budgets under the control of real tropical cyclone (TC). The results show that the TC has the ability to modify the canonical atmospheric energy spectrum during its evolution, which is dominated by its rotational mode. With the intensification of Lekima, the HKE spectrum in the troposphere swells over the central mesoscale and develops an arc-like shape. The stronger the TC, the more pronounced the arc-like shape is and the smaller scale it extends to. The roles various physical processes play at different heights and horizontal scales during the intensification of Lekima are investigated and the dependence of the effect of physical processes on scale and height is revealed. Meanwhile, the potential relationship between the intensification of TC, the activation of energy activity at smaller scales, and the downscale extension of the arc-like spectral shape is found.

Satellite and radar observations represent two fundamentally different remote sensing observation types, providing independent information for numerical weather prediction (NWP). Because the individual impact on improving forecast has previously been examined, combining these two resources of data potentially enhances the performance of weather forecast. In this study, satellite radiance, radar radial velocity and reflectivity are simultaneously assimilated with the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD)-based ensemble four-dimensional variational (4DVar) assimilation method (referred to as POD-4DEnVar). The impact is evaluated on continuous severe rainfall processes occurred from June to July in 2016 and 2017. Results show that combined assimilation of satellite and radar data with POD-4DEnVar has the potential to improve weather forecast. Averaged over 22 forecasts, RMSEs indicate that though the forecast results are sensitive to different variables, generally the improvement is found in different pressure levels with assimilation. The precipitation skill scores are generally increased when assimilation is carried out. A case study is also examined to figure out the contributions to forecast improvement. Better intensity and distribution of precipitation forecast is found in the accumulated rainfall evolution with POD-4DEnVar assimilation. These improvements are attributed to the local changes in moisture, temperature and wind field. In addition, with radar data assimilation, the initial rainwater and cloud water conditions are changed directly. Both experiments can simulate the strong hydrometeor in the precipitation area, but assimilation spins up faster, strengthening the initial intensity of the heavy rainfall. Generally, the combined assimilation of satellite and radar data results in better rainfall forecast than without data assimilation.

Using high-resolution satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST) data from September 1981 to December 2015, the present study develops a new index to detect the long-term variation in mesoscale eddy activity over the Kuroshio Extension (KE) region. This eddy activity index (EAI) highlights the strength of eddy-induced poleward heat transport and has obvious advantages over the other existing KE indices in depicting the low-frequency changes in KE eddy activity. An analysis of the EAI shows that over the long term, the KE eddy activity variability presents a significant spectral peak of about 8 years and is not directly modulated by wind-driven oceanic Rossby waves generated in the central North Pacific. When the EAI is positive, the strengthened KE eddy activity significantly enhances the heat release from ocean to atmosphere over the Kuroshio–Oyashio confluence region (KOCR). This induces an anomalous dipole pattern of near-surface baroclinicity over this region that can persist for up to 6 months, favoring a weakened and northward-moving East Asian jet, and vice versa. It is believed that the new EAI will facilitate future studies focusing on the climatic effects of the KE eddy activity variation.

The impacts of assimilating all-sky satellite radiance from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) on typhoon Chan-hom and Nangka are evaluated over traditional clear-sky radiance assimilation. Results show that more AMSR2 radiance data around typhoon core area are assimilated in all-sky experiment than clear-sky, which improves the utilization of satellite radiance data. Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM) brightness temperature simulation under all-sky conditions is in better agreement with observations than in the case of clear-sky conditions. In a cycle assimilation experiment, all-sky assimilation reduces typhoon track forecast errors by 14.84%, and intensity errors by approximately 16.89%. Wind, temperature and humidity analysis are clearly improved in all-sky assimilation, as evaluated using the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis data. All-sky assimilation better captures the structures of typhoons, with a stronger warm core and tighter circulation around the typhoon eye. This study explores the contributions to the improvements in all-sky assimilation. These improvements are attributed to the enhancements in initial geopotential height, temperature and moisture in the typhoon core areas. Moreover, assimilating cloud- and precipitation-affected radiance data improves hydrometer simulations, which leads to higher hydrometeor concentrations than clear-sky radiance and conventional data assimilation. The results demonstrate that assimilation of all-sky AMSR2 data improves the analysis and forecast of multiple typhoons.

While surface deformations and their impact on buildings have been observed in the city of Lanzhou, it is difficult to find studies of surface deformation and the influential factors in the recent decades. This study was designed to detect the spatial position of these surface deformations and to understand the mechanism behind them. Sentinel-1A TOPS model image data acquired in descending orbits between March 2015 and May 2019 were processed by using Small Baseline Subsets Interferometry (SBAS)-Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology, and then compared with geology, tectonical aspects of the study area and land cover types in Lanzhou. The results reveal that the land surface deformation is uneven in this city, and seven surface deformation regions were detected in the following areas: the north freight yard, Jiuzhou, Country garden, Donggang, Yanjiaping, Zhongxinping and Liuquan town. The land surface deformation rate in Lanzhou ranges from −82.13 mm/year to 19.31 mm/year. Time-series land surface deformation analysis showed that deformation increased over time in major deformation regions. Surface deformation expansion was significant after June 2017and it continued to expand. The surface deformation of Lanzhou is affected by natural factors (geology and geological faults) and human activities (land cover types/land cover changes). Local geological conditions control the location of the surface deformation process. These findings provide compelling data and theoretical support for disaster prevention and reduction in Lanzhou.

In order to study the influence of MgO refractory on inclusions during the steelmaking process, laboratory quasi-equilibrium experiments were performed in MgO crucibles at 1873 K. It was found that there were no MgO-containing inclusions formed when ultra-low Al ultra-low C steel was used. When the contents of dissolved Al and C in steel changed, different composition ranges led to different types of inclusions. It was shown as well that for both low Al high C steel and high Al low C steel, the order of average MgO content in inclusions from large to small was: MgO-10% slag addition > MgO-free slag addition > no slag addition. Based on the results, a simple formation mechanism of MgO-containing inclusions in the steel with different compositions in MgO crucibles was proposed. The results could provide guidance for the reduction of MgO-containing inclusions in the industrial production of steels.