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Electrochemical H2O oxidation to H2O2 is challenged by the competitive O2 evolution reaction. Here, the authors report a CO2/carbonate mediation approach to steering the H2O oxidation pathway from O2 evolution to H2O2 generation.

The Chinese BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS) has already completed its three phases and developed into a global navigation satellite system for open positioning, navigation, and timing services. The BDS-3 satellites feature the inter-satellite link (ISL). The ISL observation-related error model and ambiguity resolution for L-band observation are the crucial factors in precise data processing. In this study, we present for the first time the impact of ambiguity resolution on phase center offsets (PCOs) and hardware delay estimation of BDS-3 inter-satellite links. Two weeks’ L-band observations from 99 globally distributed ground stations and Ka-band ISL observations are collected for experimental validation and analysis. First, network solutions with and without ISL observations are conducted to investigate the role of ISL observation in ambiguity resolution. Afterward, ISL observation-related errors, mainly PCOs and hardware delays, are estimated by processing L-band with ISL observations with and without ambiguity resolution to analyze the impact of ambiguity resolution on these two factors. Finally, orbit accuracy in the network solution is assessed to further validate the effectiveness of the estimated PCOs and hardware delays in our experiment. The result indicates that introducing the ISL can slightly improve the fixing rate compared to only L-band observations from 83.7% to 84.3%. Furthermore, ambiguity resolution has a positive influence on the stability of estimated PCOs and hardware delays in turn, although the root mean square (RMS) values basically remain unchanged. The standard deviation (STD) of the x-offset is reduced from 0.021 m to 0.012 m, a significant improvement of about 43%, and 0.022 m–0.016 m, with an improvement of about 27%, for the y-offset. There is a slight improvement of about 8% for z-offset. Similarly, around 10% improvement in the STD for hardware delays can be achieved while the RMS values almost stay the same except for C40. Orbit determination from network solutions shows high accuracy compared to the public products for the satellite with good geometry configuration, which further validates our estimates for ISL PCOs and hardware delays.

IntroductionThe classification of the four tobacco shred varieties, tobacco silk, cut stem, expanded tobacco silk, and reconstituted tobacco shred, and the subsequent determination of tobacco shred components, are the primary tasks involved in calculating the tobacco shred blending ratio. The identification accuracy and subsequent component area calculation error directly affect the composition determination and quality of the tobacco shred. However, tiny tobacco shreds have complex physical and morphological characteristics; in particular, there is substantial similarity between the expanded tobacco silk and tobacco silk varieties, and this complicates their classification. There must be a certain amount of overlap and stacking in the distribution of tobacco shreds on the actual tobacco quality inspection line. There are 24 types of overlap alone, not to mention the stacking phenomenon. Self-winding does not make it easier to distinguish such varieties from the overlapped types, posing significant difficulties for machine vision-based tobacco shred classification and component area calculation tasks.MethodsThis study focuses on two significant challenges associated with identifying various types of overlapping tobacco shreds and acquiring overlapping regions to calculate overlapping areas. It develops a new segmentation model for tobacco shred images based on an improved Mask region-based convolutional neural network (RCNN). Mask RCNN is used as the segmentation network’s mainframe. Convolutional network and feature pyramid network (FPN) in the backbone are replaced with Densenet121 and U-FPN, respectively. The size and aspect ratios of anchors parameters in region proposal network (RPN) are optimized. An algorithm for the area calculation of the overlapped tobacco shred region (COT) is also proposed, which is applied to overlapped tobacco shred mask images to obtain overlapped regions and calculate the overlapped area.ResultsThe experimental results showed that the final segmentation accuracy and recall rates are 89.1% and 73.2%, respectively. The average area detection rate of 24 overlapped tobacco shred samples increases from 81.2% to 90%, achieving high segmentation accuracy and overlapped area calculation accuracy.DiscussionThis study provides a new implementation method for the type identification and component area calculation of overlapped tobacco shreds and a new approach for other similar overlapped image segmentation tasks.

This study aimed to investigate the eye movement characteristics and visual fatigue of virtual reality games with different interaction modes. Eye movement data were recorded using the built-in eye tracker of the VR device and eye movement parameters were calculated from the recorded raw data. The Visual Fatigue Scales and Simulator Sickness Questionnaire were used to subjectively assess visual fatigue and overall discomfort of the VR experience. Sixteen male and 17 female students were recruited for this study. Results showed that both the primary and 360 mode of VR could cause visual fatigue after 30 min of gameplay, with significant differences observed in eye movement behavior between the two modes. The primary mode was more likely to cause visual fatigue, as shown by objective measurements of blinking and pupil diameter. Fixation and saccade parameters also showed significant differences between the two modes, possibly due to the different interaction modes employed in the 360 mode. Further research is required to examine the effects of different content and interactive modes of VR on visual fatigue, as well as to develop more objective measures for assessing it.

IntroductionNewcastle disease virus (NDV) is an important avian pathogen prevalent worldwide; it has an extensive host range and seriously harms the poultry industry. Velogenic NDV strains exhibit high pathogenicity and mortality in chickens. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are among the most abundant and conserved eukaryotic transcripts. They are part of the innate immunity and antiviral response. However, the relationship between circRNAs and NDV infection is unclear.MethodsIn this study, we used circRNA transcriptome sequencing to analyze the differences in circRNA expression profiles post velogenic NDV infection in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were used to reveal significant enrichment of differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs. The circRNA- miRNA-mRNA interaction networks were further predicted. Moreover, circ-EZH2 was selected to determine its effect on NDV infection in CEFs.ResultsNDV infection altered circRNA expression profiles in CEFs, and 86 significantly DE circRNAs were identified. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed significant enrichment of DE circRNAs for metabolism-related pathways, such as lysine degradation, glutaminergic synapse, and alanine, aspartic-acid, and glutamic-acid metabolism. The circRNA- miRNA-mRNA interaction networks further demonstrated that CEFs might combat NDV infection by regulating metabolism through circRNA-targeted mRNAs and miRNAs. Furthermore, we verified that circ-EZH2 overexpression and knockdown inhibited and promoted NDV replication, respectively, indicating that circRNAs are involved in NDV replication.ConclusionsThese results demonstrate that CEFs exert antiviral responses by forming circRNAs, offering new insights into the mechanisms underlying NDV-host interactions.

Abstract Using 51 models of the AMIP and historical experiments of CMIP6, we investigate the inter‐model diversity of atmospheric and coupled models in the strength of the Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR)–El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) relationship. In atmospheric models, the Walker Circulation (WC) intensity associated with the western Pacific convective activity is most responsible for the inter‐model diversity. Models with strong WC have a strong ISMR–ENSO relationship via enhancing ENSO‐induced anomalies of the WC and monsoon circulation. The secondary source is the monsoon circulation differences associated with meridional rainfall contrast over the Indian monsoon region. In coupled models, the primary (secondary) source is the ENSO amplitude (WC intensity). In observation, the decadal variation of WC can also explain the changes in the ISMR–ENSO relationship. This study provides a basis for improving the model performance and advances our understanding of the observed ISMR–ENSO relationship changes.

To study the dynamic response of a pressurized thin-walled circular tube structure subjected to a near-field underwater explosion, deformation and damage tests of a pressurized cylindrical tube shell with different internal pressures and wall thicknesses with the effects of an underwater explosion from 2 g of explosives at different stand-off distances were carried out in a water tank. LS-DYNA finite element software was used to carry out relevant numerical simulations to explore the anti-explosion mechanism of a pressurized cylindrical shell structure affected by factors including the initial internal pressure, the thickness of the cylindrical shell, and the stand-off distance. The simulation inputs are high-speed photography images and the damage results of the cylindrical shell. The simulation results highlight the bubble pulsation, action process deformation, and energy change of the cylindrical shell. The results indicate that an increase in the initial pressure of the cylindrical shell can effectively improve its anti-explosion ability, while the different stand-off distances of r = 12 cm and r = 9 cm correspond to the same initial internal pressure. Increasing the initial internal pressure also causes the deflection difference of the cylindrical shell to decrease. The modeling results also indicate that an increase in the wall thickness may weaken the anti-explosion ability of the cylindrical shell, which has an initial internal pressure of Pr = 0.7 MPa. After an underwater explosion, the maximum displacement difference of a cylindrical shell with thicknesses of h = 1 mm and h = 1.5 mm is less than the maximum rebound distance difference. With this decrease in the distance, the proportion of the high-pressure cylindrical shell subjected to a shock wave increases while the proportion of bubble pulsation decreases. Specifically, the maximum proportions of bubble pulsation are 30% and 92% at the stand-off distances of 3 and 12 cm, respectively.

PANoptosis, a new research hotspot at the moment, is a cell death pattern in which pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis all occur in the same cell population. In essence, PANoptosis is a highly coordinated and dynamically balanced programmed inflammatory cell death pathway that combines the main features of pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis. Many variables, such as infection, injury, or self-defect, may be involved in the occurrence of PANoptosis, with the assembly and activation of the PANoptosome being the most critical. PANoptosis has been linked to the development of multiple systemic diseases in the human body, including infectious diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and inflammatory diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the process of occurrence, the regulatory mechanism of PANoptosis, and its relation to diseases. In this paper, we summarized the differences and relations between PANoptosis and the three types of programmed cell death, and emphatically expounded molecular mechanism and regulatory patterns of PANoptosis, with the expectation of facilitating the application of PANoptosis regulation in disease treatment.

Growth plate cartilage has limited self-repair ability, leading to poor bone bridge formation post-injury and ultimately limb growth defects in children. The current corrective surgeries are highly invasive, and outcomes can be unpredictable. Following growth plate injury, the direct loss of extracellular matrix (ECM) coupled with further ECM depletion due to the inhibitory effects of inflammation on the cartilage matrix protein greatly hinder chondrocyte regeneration. We designed an exosome (Exo) derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) loaded ECM-mimic hydrogel to promote cartilage repair by directly supplementing ECM and anti-inflammatory properties. Aldehyde-functionalized chondroitin sulfate (OCS) was introduced into gelatin methacryloyl (GM) to form GMOCS hydrogel. Our results uncovered that GMOCS hydrogel could significantly promote the synthesis of ECM due to the doping of OCS. In addition, the GMOCS-Exos hydrogel could further promote the anabolism of chondrocytes by inhibiting inflammation and ultimately promote growth plate injury repair through ECM remodeling.

Abstract. Background:. NOTCH1 mutation is an essential molecular biologic aberration in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). CLL patients with NOTCH1 mutation have shown an unfavorable survival and a poor response to chemoimmunotherapy. This study aims to present the mechanisms of adverse prognosis caused by NOTCH1 mutation from the perspective of the splicing factor heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1). Methods:. The microarray data in Gene Expression Omnibus datasets were analyzed by bioinformatics and the function of hnRNPA1 was checked by testing the proliferation and apoptosis of CLL-like cell lines. Afterward, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were applied to explore the relationship among NOTCH1, c-Myc, and hnRNPA1. Results:. RNA splicing was found to play a vital part in NOTCH1-mutated CLL cells; hence, hnRNPA1 was selected as the focus of this study. Higher expression of hnRNPA1 validated in primary NOTCH1-mutated CLL samples could promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis in CLL. The expression of hnRNPA1 increased when NOTCH1 signaling was activated by transfection with NOTCH1 intracellular domain (NICD)-overexpressed adenovirus vector and declined after NOTCH1 signaling was inhibited by NOTCH1-shRNA. Higher expression of c-Myc was observed in NICD-overexpressed cells and hnRNPA1 expression was downregulated after applying c-Myc inhibitor 10058-F4. Moreover, in NICD-overexpressed cells, hnRNPA1 expression decreased through c-Myc inhibition. Conclusion:. Overexpression of c-Myc-dependent hnRNPA1 could promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis in NOTCH1-mutated CLL cells, which might partly account for the poor prognosis of patients with NOTCH1 mutation.

Abstract Background Ferroptosis holds promise as a potential tumor therapy by programming cell death with a hallmark of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced lipid peroxidation. However, vigorous energy metabolism may assist tumors to resist oxidative damage and thus weaken the effects of ferroptosis in tumor treatment. Results Herein, a bifunctional antitumor platform was constructed via coordinated interactions between metal ions and nucleotides to synergistically activate ferroptosis and interrupt energy metabolism for tumor therapy. The designed nanoparticles were composed of Fe2+/small interfering RNA (siRNA) as the core and polydopamine as the cloak, which responded to the tumor microenvironment with structural dissociation, thereby permitting tumor-specific Fe2+ and siRNA release. The over-loaded Fe2+ ions in the tumor cells then triggered ferroptosis, with hallmarks of lipid peroxidation and cellular glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) down-regulation. Simultaneously, the released siRNA targeted and down-regulated glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) expression in the tumor to inhibit glycolytic pathway, which interfered with tumor energy metabolism and enhanced Fe2+-induced ferroptosis to kill tumor cells. Conclusions This study presents a concise fabrication of a metal ion/nucleotide-based platform to integrate ferroptosis and energy metabolism intervention in one vehicle, thereby providing a promising combination modality for anticancer therapy. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors had a great effect in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, they benefited only a subset of patients, underscoring the need to co-target alternative pathways and select optimal patients. Herein, we investigated patient subpopulations more likely to benefit from immunotherapy and inform more effective combination regimens for TNBC patients. Methods We conducted exploratory analyses in the FUSCC cohort to characterize a novel patient selection method and actionable targets for TNBC immunotherapy. We investigated this in vivo and launched a phase 2 trial to assess the clinical value of such criteria and combination regimen. Furthermore, we collected clinicopathological and next-generation sequencing data to illustrate biomarkers for patient outcomes. Results CD8-positivity could identify an immunomodulatory subpopulation of TNBCs with higher possibilities to benefit from immunotherapy, and angiogenesis was an actionable target to facilitate checkpoint blockade. We conducted the phase II FUTURE-C-Plus trial to assess the feasibility of combining famitinib (an angiogenesis inhibitor), camrelizumab (a PD-1 monoclonal antibody) and chemotherapy in advanced immunomodulatory TNBC patients. Within 48 enrolled patients, the objective response rate was 81.3% (95% CI, 70.2–92.3), and the median progression-free survival was 13.6 months (95% CI, 8.4–18.8). No treatment-related deaths were reported. Patients with CD8- and/or PD-L1- positive tumors benefit more from this regimen. PKD1 somatic mutation indicates worse progression-free and overall survival. Conclusion This study confirms the efficacy and safety of the triplet regimen in immunomodulatory TNBC and reveals the potential of combining CD8, PD-L1 and somatic mutations to guide clinical decision-making and treatments. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04129996 . Registered 11 October 2019.

Abstract Droughts cause extreme anomalies in tropical forest growth, but the direction and magnitude of tropical forests in response to droughts are still widely debated. Here, we used four satellite‐based canopy growth proxies (CGPs), including three optical and one passive microwave, and in situ fluxes observations from eddy covariance (EC) measurements for a retrospective investigation of the impacts of historical droughts on tropical forest growth from a statistical point of view. Results indicate two opposite directions in drought‐related canopy dynamics across pantropical forests. The canopy of tropical forests with higher CGPs is more vulnerable to drought stress and recovers faster in the post‐drought recovery period. In contrast, the canopy of tropical forests with lower CGPs increases during the drought period and declines in the subsequent recovery period, which is beyond general expectation. In situ measurements from eddy‐covariance flux towers showed that forests with higher gross primary production and latent heat flux decreased photosynthesis and evapotranspiration during the drought period but increased photosynthesis and evapotranspiration faster during the post‐drought recovery period, supporting the findings from satellite observations. Our statistical analysis against climatic factors predicts that higher‐CGPs tress with probably taller and bigger canopies are more responsive to shortage of water availability caused by drought; while lower‐CGPs tress with shorter and smaller canopies are more responsive to sunlight availability and tend to increase their canopy leaves and enhance photosynthesis in sunnier days during the drought period. Our results highlight the differences in tropical forests in responding to drought stress, which are worth incorporated in Earth system models for time‐series evaluations.

The oriental fruit moth is a pest species native to East Asia with refugial and colonized populations throughout the region. Here, a chromosome-level assembly for the species is reported and used to identify genomic signatures related to Quaternary climate change.

A linear high‐sensitivity response is crucial for flexible electronic skin, particularly in precision detection for applications like intelligent robotics and human‐machine interactions. Prevailing strategies typically adopt a layered, multifaceted material design to cultivate this response, yet this approach often culminates in a diminished capacity to augment sensing stability. The root causes of these limitations are predominantly material mechanical mismatches and interface incompatibilities inherent in these designs. To address these challenges, an electromechanical integration strategy is introduced that simultaneously enhances linear highsensitivity and stability. This strategy is centered on constructing a robust, integrated mechanical and electrical interface within a polyurethane material system through an in situ growth and adhesion process. The iontronic pressure sensor exhibits a linear high‐sensitivity response (16.24 kPa−1, R2 = 0.999) within a wide range (0–300 kPa). Moreover, the sensor's integrated structure, self‐encapsulated through the adhesion between the electrode and dielectric layers, exhibits robust stability, even under complex mechanical stresses. The applications of the sensors in precision weighing and haptic feedback within intelligent gripping systems demonstrate their advantages of both linearity and stable sensing. This work delineates a strategic pathway for the fabrication of high‐performance flexible pressure sensors, contributing significantly to the field of advanced sensing technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using CO2 as the primary feedstock offers the potential for high-value utilization of CO2 while forging sustainable pathways for producing valuable natural products, such as l-tyrosine. Cascade catalysis is a promising approach but limited by stringent purity demands of nexus molecules. We developed an abiotic/biotic cascade catalysis using blended nexus molecules for l-tyrosine synthesis. Specifically, we begin by constructing a solid-state reactor to reduce CO2 electrochemically, yielding a mixture of acetic acid and ethanol, which serves as the blended nexus molecules. Subsequently, we use genetic engineering to introduce an ethanol utilization pathway and a tyrosine producing pathway to Escherichia coli to facilitate l-tyrosine production. The ethanol pathway synergistically cooperated with the acetic acid pathway, boosting l-tyrosine production rate (nearly five times higher compared to the strain without ethanol utilization pathway) and enhancing carbon efficiency. Our findings demonstrate that using blended nexus molecules could potentially offer a more favorable strategy for the cascade catalysis aimed at producing valuable natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatom-based material with excellent thermal stability, is an outstanding carrier for phase change materials (PCMs), and is widely used in fields such as solar energy, construction, and energy conservation. This article introduces diatomite-based and diatom frustules-based phase change energy storage materials. It reviews the research progress in modified diatomite phase change materials, thermally conductive diatomite composite phase change materials, photo-thermal conversion diatomite composite phase change materials, and diatom frustules-modified phase change materials. Diatom-based phase change energy storage technology holds promise as an efficient and environmentally friendly solution for energy storage, contributing to the development of renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of international climate agreements and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is a growing need to enhance the understanding of the linkages among land use/cover change (LUCC) and its carbon effects (CEs), as well as human well-being (HW). While existing studies have primarily focused on the impacts of LUCC on CEs or ecosystem services, there remains a gap in systematically elucidating the complex relationships among LUCC, CEs, and HW. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the nexus between land-based CEs and HW, examining: (1) the correlation between LUCC and CEs, encompassing methodologies for investigating LUCC CEs; (2) the association between CEs and HW, introducing the concept of "low-carbon human well-being" and evaluation framework; and (3) the proposed framework of "LUCC-CEs-HW," which delves into the intricate connections among three elements. The study identifies research gaps and outlines potential future directions, including assessments of LUCC CEs and low-carbon HW, exploration of the "LUCC-CEs-HW" nexus, and the development of standardized measurement approaches. Key opportunities for further investigation include establishing a unified evaluation index system and developing scalable methods. This paper elucidates the relationships among LUCC, CEs, and HW, offering insights for future works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porosity is closely related to the corrosion and wear properties of a coating processed by thermal-spraying technology, and the quantitative characterization of porosity is a crucial part of the research on coating structures. The current image analysis method often uses the mechanical polishing method recommended by ISO to measure a coating porosity. This method has been proved to be an effective method for the characterization of oxide coatings. However, due to the significant differences in the physical and chemical properties between aluminum and oxides, this method may not be suitable for aluminum coatings, and a more appropriate approach needs to be explored. In this paper, the effects of three polishing technologies (mechanical polishing, argon-ion-beam polishing, and electrolytic polishing) on the porosity measurement of pure aluminum coatings were compared and studied. The research results showed that the commonly used mechanical polishing method and more advanced argon-ion-beam polishing method could not completely reveal the pore structure because SiC particles would be embedded in the pure aluminum coatings during mechanical polishing, filling large pores. Although electrolytic polishing technology had advantages in revealing the macroporous structure, it would introduce a microporous structure and oxides, which would affect the measurement of the coating porosity. The composite polishing technology (electrolytic polishing + argon-ion-beam polishing) could perfectly reveal the pore structure in the pure-aluminum coating, and the porosity of arc-sprayed aluminum coating was 9.9%, which was close to the macroscopic true value measured using the weighing method of 10.2%.