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[Objective] This article discussed the regional differences and spatial convergence of ration security from the perspectives of consumption and demand, in order to provide a scientific basis for each region to better assume the due responsibility of ration safety. [Methods] In order to examine the spatial differentiation characteristics and distribution dynamics of ration self-sufficiency rate in the four main regions of China, this study used the consumption statistics method and measured the self-sufficiency rate of rations based on provincial data from 2000 to 2020. We used the Dagum Gini coefficient and its decomposition method to investigate the degree, source, and trend of change of regional relative differences of ration self-sufficiency in China and its four regions. On this basis, the kernel density estimation method and spatial convergence were further used to describe the dynamic change process of distribution and spatial convergence characteristics of absolute difference. [Results] (1) From 2000 to 2020, the national ration self-sufficiency rate kept rising in three stages and in the four regions it was significantly different. The ration self-sufficiency rate of the four regions in descending order were central China, northeast China, eastern China, and western China. (2) During the study period, the regional differences of the ration self-sufficiency rate increased significantly in eastern and northeastern China, but only slightly in central and western China. However, the average contribution rate of the difference of ration self-sufficiency rate among the four regions to the interregional differences was 47.92%, much higher than the contribution rate of intraregional difference of 20.38% and super-density of 31.71%. (3) Different from the western region, the distribution pattern and polarization trend of the ration self-sufficiency rate in the eastern, central, and northeastern regions were similar, indicating that the absolute differences in the three regions were expanding continuously, and there was a phenomenon of high and low polarization. (4) Considering the spatial spillover effect, the absolute β convergence and conditional β convergence of the ration self-sufficiency rate existed in the whole country and the four main regions. The influencing factors of the ration production played a decisive role in the conditional convergence of the regional ration self-sufficiency rate. [Conclusion] The overall absolute security of China’s ration provision obscured regional insecurity, downplaying the research on regional differences of ration security. But regional differences in ration security are likely to narrow in the future.

The magnitude is an important parameter that characterizes the size of earthquakes. However, in paleoearthquake studies, it is difficult to precisely determine the rupture parameters closely related to seismic moment, making it challenging to directly calculate the magnitude of events. Researchers often assume that event sequences consist of characteristic earthquakes with similar magnitudes or use empirical relationships based on known magnitudes of historical earthquakes to estimate magnitudes. However, previous studies have shown that the assumption of characteristic earthquakes is overly simplistic, and magnitude estimation based on empirical relationships is limited by various errors. Therefore, there is a pressing need to explore new methods to improve the reliability of magnitude assessments for ancient earthquake events. In recent years, the successful application of three-dimensional combination trenches has demonstrated that these trenches contain rich deformation information about events, confirming the feasibility of assessing event sizes within trenches. Using the example of the Copper Mine trench on the Altyn Tagh fault, this article utilizes the deformation intensity revealed within the trench, including vertical displacement, deformation zone width, and total tensile strain, to estimate the scale of the event sequence. Data analysis results indicate that the deformation intensity parameters have a certain positive correlation with the relative magnitude, and there is also some correlation among these parameters. Therefore, the information on deformation intensity within the trench can be used to assess the relative magnitude of events, and fully exploring the deformation information within trenches can provide valuable insights and references for the reasonable evaluation of the magnitude of paleoearthquake events. This underscores the importance of considering such information in paleoearthquake research.

Transcriptional dysregulation is a hallmark of prostate cancer (PCa). We mapped the RNA polymerase II-associated (RNA Pol II-associated) chromatin interactions in normal prostate cells and PCa cells. We discovered thousands of enhancer-promoter, enhancer-enhancer, as well as promoter-promoter chromatin interactions. These transcriptional hubs operate within the framework set by structural proteins - CTCF and cohesins - and are regulated by the cooperative action of master transcription factors, such as the androgen receptor (AR) and FOXA1. By combining analyses from metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC) specimens, we show that AR locus amplification contributes to the transcriptional upregulation of the AR gene by increasing the total number of chromatin interaction modules comprising the AR gene and its distal enhancer. We deconvoluted the transcription control modules of several PCa genes, notably the biomarker KLK3, lineage-restricted genes (KRT8, KRT18, HOXB13, FOXA1, ZBTB16), the drug target EZH2, and the oncogene MYC. By integrating clinical PCa data, we defined a germline-somatic interplay between the PCa risk allele rs684232 and the somatically acquired TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion in the transcriptional regulation of multiple target genes - VPS53, FAM57A, and GEMIN4. Our studies implicate changes in genome organization as a critical determinant of aberrant transcriptional regulation in PCa.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) at advanced stages is rarely curable, underscoring the importance of exploring the mechanism of CRC progression and invasion. NOD-like receptor family member NLRP12 was shown to suppress colorectal tumorigenesis, but the precise mechanism was unknown. Here, we demonstrate that invasive adenocarcinoma development in Nlrp12-deficient mice is associated with elevated expression of genes involved in proliferation, matrix degradation, and epithelialmesenchymal transition. Signaling pathway analysis revealed higher activation of the Wnt/[beta]-catenin pathway, but not NF-[kappa]B and MAPK pathways, in the Nlrp12-deficient tumors. Using Nlrp12-conditional knockout mice, we revealed that NLRP12 downregulates [beta]-catenin activation in intestinal epithelial cells, thereby suppressing colorectal tumorigenesis. Consistent with this, Nlrp12-deficient intestinal organoids and CRC cells showed increased proliferation, accompanied by higher activation of [beta]-catenin in vitro. With proteomic studies, we identified STK38 as an interacting partner of NLRP12 involved in the inhibition of phosphorylation of GSK3[beta], leading to the degradation of [beta]-catenin. Consistently, the expression of NLRP12 was significantly reduced, while p-GSK3[beta] and [beta]-catenin were upregulated in mouse and human colorectal tumor tissues. In summary, NLRP12 is a potent negative regulator of the Wnt/[beta]-catenin pathway, and the NLRP12/STK38/GSK3[beta] signaling axis could be a promising therapeutic target for CRC., Introduction With more than 1.2 million newly diagnosed cases per year, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide (1). [...]

Conservation tillage (CT) is an agricultural technology for sustainable soil use, and clearing the root-stubble remaining in the seedbed and nursery bed is a core aspect of CT. In this paper, the characteristics and the testing methods of root-stubble and their growth environments were reviewed, which could provide a reference for the setting of parameters in numerical simulations and the design of stubble treatment devices. The methods for the restoration of the environment in CT are described. Moreover, the root-stubble crushing and clearing technologies and the methods for the evaluation of device performance are summarized. Furthermore, the prospects for the physical properties of the root-stubble soil, the reduction of soil adhesion when a cutter crushes the roots, the tracking of the long-term effects of different methods on soil, intelligent devices for the crushing of root-stubble, and challenges and strategies regarding the application of new root-stubble crushing and clearing technologies are discussed. This paper provides a reference for the development of devices for the crushing of root-stubble from the perspective of CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferro‐rotational (FR) materials, renowned for their distinctive material functionalities, present challenges in the growth of homo‐FR crystals (i.e., single FR domain). This study explores a cost‐effective approach to growing homo‐FR helimagnetic RbFe(SO4)2 (RFSO) crystals by lowering the crystal growth temperature below the TFR threshold using the high‐pressure hydrothermal method. Through polarized neutron diffraction experiments, it is observed that nearly 86% of RFSO crystals consist of a homo‐FR domain. Notably, RFSO displays remarkable stability in the FR phase, with an exceptionally high TFR of ≈573 K. Furthermore, RFSO exhibits a chiral helical magnetic structure with switchable ferroelectric polarization below 4 K. Importantly, external electric fields can induce a single magnetic domain state and manipulate its magnetic chirality. The findings suggest that the search for new FR magnets with outstanding material properties should consider magnetic sulfates as promising candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]