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Abstract Color centers, arising from zero-dimensional defects, exploit quantum confinement to access internal electron quantum degrees of freedom, holding potential for quantum technologies. Despite intensive research, the structural origin of many color centers remains elusive. In this study, we employ in-situ cathodoluminescence scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with integrated differential phase contrast imaging to examine how defect configuration in tungsten sulfide determines color-center emission. Using an 80-kV accelerated electron beam, defects were deliberately produced, visualized, excited in situ and characterized in real time in monolayer WS2 within hBN|WS2 | hBN heterostructures at 100 K. These color centers were simultaneously measured by cathodoluminescence microscopy and differentiated by machine learning. Supported by DFT calculations, our results identified a crucial sulfur vacancy configuration organized into featured vacancy pairs, generating stable and bright luminescence at 660 nm. These findings elucidate the atomic-level structure-exciton relationship of color centers, advancing our understanding and quantum applications of defects in 2D materials.

Abstract Global warming poses an unprecedented threat to agroecosystems. Although temperature increases are more pronounced during winter than in other seasons, the impact of winter warming on crop biomass carbon has not been elucidated. Here we integrate global observational data with a decade-long field experiment to uncover a significant negative correlation between winter soil temperature and crop biomass carbon. For every degree Celsius increase in winter soil temperature, straw and grain biomass carbon decreased by 6.6 ( ± 1.7) g kg-1 and 10.2 ( ± 2.3) g kg-1, respectively. This decline is primarily attributed to the loss of soil organic matter and micronutrients induced by warming. Ignoring the adverse effects of winter warming on crop biomass carbon could result in an overestimation of total food production by 4% to 19% under future warming scenarios. Our research highlights the critical need to incorporate winter warming into agricultural productivity models for more effective climate adaptation strategies.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Berk.) is a complex is formed by Hepialidae larvae and Hirsutella sinensis. Infestation by H. sinensis, interaction with host larvae, and fruiting body development are three crucial processes affecting the formation of O. sinensis. However, research on the molecular mechanism of O. sinensis formation has been hindered by the lack of effective genetic transformation protocols. Therefore, Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) was adopted to genetically transform two H. sinensis strains and optimize the transformation conditions. The results revealed that the most suitable Agrobacterium strain for H. sinensis transformation was AGL1, and that the surfactant Triton X-100 could also induce ATMT, although less effectively than acetosyringone (AS). In addition, the endogenous promoters of H. sinensis genes had a stronger ability to drive the expression of the target gene than did the exogenous promoter. The optimal transformation conditions were as follows: AS and hygromycin B concentrations of 100 μM and 50 μg/mL, respectively; A. tumefaciens OD600 of 0.4; cocultivation at 18 °C for 24 h; and H. sinensis used within three passages. The results lay a foundation for the functional study of key regulatory genes involved in the formation of O. sinensis.

Abstract Optical wireless communication (OWC) stands out as one of the most promising technologies in the sixth-generation (6G) mobile networks. The establishment of high-quality optical links between transmitters and receivers plays a crucial role in OWC performances. Here, by a compact beam splitter composed of a metasurface and a fiber array, we proposed a wide-angle (~120°) OWC optical link scheme that can parallelly support up to 144 communication users. Utilizing high-speed optical module sources and wavelength division multiplexing technique, we demonstrated each user can achieve a communication speed of 200 Gbps which enables the entire system to support ultra-high communication capacity exceeding 28 Tbps. Furthermore, utilizing the metasurface polarization multiplexing, we implemented a full range wide-angle OWC without blind area nor crosstalk among users. Our OWC scheme simultaneously possesses the advantages of high-speed, wide communication area and multi-user parallel communications, paving the way for revolutionary high-performance OWC in the future.

Abstract Background This study aimed to synthesize and quantitatively examine Health State Utility Values (HSUVs) for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and its complications, providing a robust meta-regression framework for selecting appropriate HSUV estimates. Method We conducted a systematic review to extract HSUVs for T2DM and its complications, encompassing various influencing factors. Relevant literature was sourced from a review spanning 2000-2020, supplemented by literature from PubMed, Embase, and the Web of Science (up to March 2024). Multivariate meta-regression was performed to evaluate the impact of measurement tools, tariffs, health status, and clinical and demographic variables on HSUVs. Results Our search yielded 118 studies, contributing 1044 HSUVs. The HSUVs for T2DM with complications varied, from 0.65 for cerebrovascular disease to 0.77 for neuropathy. The EQ-5D-3L emerged as the most frequently employed valuation method. HSUV differences across instruments were observed; 15-D had the highest (0.89), while HUI-3 had the lowest (0.70) values. Regression analysis elucidated the significant effects of instrument and tariff choice on HSUVs. Complication-related utility decrement, especially in diabetic foot, was quantified. Age

Abstract National and global food security depend on both supply and demand, yet the vast majority of studies on the impact of climate change on food security have focused somewhat myopically on the supply side. Here, we assess planetary implications of the changing climate for food supply, concurrently considering implications of shifts in dietary preferences on food security. From 1990 to 2018, climate change detrimentally impacted on the food production of 92% of nations assessed. During this time, demand decreased at a greater rate than food supply in 28% of countries; food security for 35% of the global population was unperturbed by climate change. On the other hand, 2% of the global population did not benefit from positive impacts of climate change on food production, due to dietary changes faster increasing food demand. If consumers shift dietary preferences en masse towards healthier diets, detrimental impacts of the climate crisis on food security may be abated, although en mass and/or abrupt transitions in dietary preferences are unlikely.

Abstract Circular RNA (circRNA) is thought to mediate the occurrence and development of human cancer and usually acts as a tiny RNA (miRNA) sponge to regulate downstream gene expression. However, it is not clear whether and how circACVR2A (hsa_circ_0001073) is involved in the progression of HCC. The purpose of this study is to clarify the potential role and molecular mechanism of circACVR2A in regulating the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC). The abundance of related proteins in circACVR2A, microRNA (miR511-5p) and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway was determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or Western blotting. Cell viability, invasion and apoptosis were analyzed by CCK-8, Transwell analysis and Tunel staining, respectively. The interaction between circACVR2A and microRNA was evaluated by double luciferase reporter gene assay. The results showed that circACVR2A was highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Our in vivo and in vitro data showed that circACVR2A promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC. In terms of mechanism, we found that circACVR2A can directly interact with miR511-5p and act as a miRNA sponge to regulate the expression of related proteins in PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. In HCC, circACVR2A can mediate miR-511-5p/mRNA network to activate PI3K signal pathway. This shows that the molecular regulatory network with circACVR2A as the core is a new potential target for diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Al–Li alloy has been widely used in the manufacture of aerospace aircraft structural parts due to its high specific strength and excellent comprehensive performance. Friction stir welding (FSW), as a solid-state joining technique, generates comparatively lower heat generation in contrast to fusion welding. However, even with this reduced heat input, the welded joints of 2195 Al–Li alloy still exhibit noticeable thermal softening. FSW is very sensitive to welding heat input, and the thermal cycle of high peak temperature coarsens the grain in the weld zone, thereby reducing joint properties. To overcome these problems, external cooling can be applied to reduce peak temperature and increase cooling speed, improving the performance of FSW joints. In order to study the mechanism of external cooling on the microstructure evolution of joints, this work established a multi-scale simulation of splat cooling assisted friction stir welding (SCaFSW) of 2195 Al–Li alloy. The temperature change and material deformation data in SCaFSW were calculated in the macroscopic finite element model and used for further Monte Carlo microstructure evolution simulation, and compared with the conventional FSW process. Results reveal that the splat cooling significantly reduces the area of the high temperature region of the workpiece, decreasing the temperature at the same location 10 mm behind the tool by approximately 50 °C compared to FSW. While the local temperature field around the tool pin is not affected by the splat cooling, which mainly accelerates the cooling rate of the welded joint and reduces the plastic strain. In addition, the dislocation density in the weld nugget zone (WNZ) of SCaFSW joint is higher than that in conventional FSW, which promotes the process of grain nucleation and finally refines the grain in the WNZ. The simulated average grain size and thermal cycling results are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Abstract Microorganisms are essential in the decomposition of corpses and play a significant role in forensic science. However, previous studies have primarily focused on animal remains, specifically the gut, skin, and burial environment. Insufficient research has been conducted on the microbiota of human cadavers, especially in cases of advanced decomposition and additional tissues, resulting in a lack of relevant reference data. In this study, the microbiota of eight cadavers at different stages of decomposition were detected using 16S rRNA, metagenomic sequencing and 2bRAD-M sequencing. Nine different sites, including oral and nasal cavities, heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, muscle and gut, were analysed and the efficacy of these methods was evaluated. The results showed that 16S rRNA sequencing was the most cost-effective method for the study of cadavers in the early stages of decomposition, whereas for cadaveric tissues in the late stages of decomposition, 2bRAD-M could overcome host contamination more effectively than metagenomic sequencing. This paves the way for new opportunities in data retrieval and promotes in-depth investigations into the microbiota.

The wind power industry is increasing worldwide every year. Thus, obtaining timely and detailed information on wind farms’ number and spatial distribution is critical for quantitatively estimating wind energy utilization and for planning the construction of new wind farms. Therefore, this study proposes a method for quickly identifying wind farms in a large-scale area. Given that wind farms mainly comprise individual objects such as wind turbines and substations, we labeled sample images of wind turbines and substations on a global scale. Then, these sample images are used to train a target recognition model and an object classification model and detect the specific locations of wind turbines and substations in the study area. Additionally, we deeply analyzed the location features of the wind turbines and further improved the recognition accuracy based on these known features using geographic constraints. Based on the location information of wind turbines and substations, a clustering model organizes them effectively into complete wind farms. A comprehensive evaluation of the clustering model verifies its scientific validity and reliability. Specifically, this framework was systematically tested throughout Vietnam with remarkable results, using high-resolution historical images provided by Google Earth. Indeed, our framework achieved 90.45% recall and 95.73% accuracy for wind turbines and 81.37% recall and 78.96% accuracy for substations. Finally, we successfully obtained the spatial location and distribution of 15 completed wind farms, demonstrating that the proposed scheme can quickly and accurately identify wind power plants in a large-scale area, which supports wind power management and energy utilization planning.

Abstract Background There are numerous methods available for predicting sepsis following Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy. This study aims to compare the predictive value of Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA), Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SISR), National Early Warning Score (NEWS), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and procalcitonin (PCT) for septicemia. Methods Patients who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy were included in the study and divided into a control group and a septic shock group. The effectiveness of qSOFA, SIRS, NEWS, Interleukin-6, and Procalcitonin was assessed, with Receiver Operating Characteristic curves and Area Under the Curve used to compare the predictive accuracy of these four indicators. Results Among the 401 patients, 16 cases (3.99%) developed septic shock. Females, elderly individuals, and patients with positive urine culture and positive nitrite in urine were found to be more susceptible to septic shock. PCT, IL-6, SIRS, NEWS, qSOFA, and surgical time were identified as independent risk factors for septic shock. The cutoff values are as follows: qSOFA score > 0.50, SIRS score > 2.50, NEWS score > 2.50, and IL-6 > 264.00 pg/ml. Among the 29 patients identified by IL-6 as having sepsis, 16 were confirmed to have developed sepsis. The qSOFA identified 63 septicemia cases, with 16 confirmed to have developed septicemia; NEWS identified 122 septicemia cases, of which 14 cases actually developed septicemia; SIRS identified 128 septicemia patients, with 16 confirmed to have developed septicemia. In terms of predictive ability, IL-6 (AUC 0.993, 95% CI 0.985 ~ 1) demonstrated a higher predictive accuracy compared to qSOFA (AUC 0.952, 95% CI 0.928 ~ 0.977), NEWS (AUC 0.824, 95% CI 0.720 ~ 0.929) and SIRS (AUC 0.928, 95% CI 0.888 ~ 0.969). Conclusions IL-6 has higher accuracy in predicting septic shock after PCNL compared to qSOFA, SIRS, and NEWS.

Cover crops are one of the climate-smart agricultural practices used to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. However, the SOC sequestration potential and underlying mechanisms under different cover crops, especially in orchard agroecosystems, have not been fully elucidated. Here, we investigated three orchards in China using SOC fractionation methods, high-throughput sequencing, and biomarker analysis. Our objectives were to determine the effect of cover crops on the physical fractions and chemical compositions of SOC, as well as on microbial properties, and to clarify why legume and non-legume cover crops sequester SOC differently. The results showed different increases in SOC between legume and non-legume cover crops (+38% vs. +16%) compared with those in the control plots without cover crops. Legume cover crops increased mineral-associated and particulate organic carbon, whereas non-legume cover crops increased mineral-associated organic carbon only. These differences were attributed to their distinct effects on microbial SOC transformation pathways. Legume cover crops positively impacted microbial pathways by increasing the availability of soil substrates and nitrogen, such as dissolved organic carbon (+84%), O-alkyl carbon (+18%), and ammonium nitrogen (+42%). These results were supported by the increases in carbon and nitrogen enzyme activities, microbial community diversity indices, the abundance of dominant fungal taxa (Sordariomycetes), microbial biomass carbon (+105%), and microbial necromass carbon (+47%). Non-legume cover crops might have induced microbial nitrogen starvation, decreasing the efficiency of microbial pathways, as evidenced by the low β-glucosidase to β-N-acetylglucosaminidase ratios (−7%) and the lack of significant changes in the bacterial Shannon index or microbial necromass carbon. In addition, redundancy analysis revealed that enzyme activity, the microbial community, and microbial necromass carbon collectively dominated the changes in the SOC physical fraction. Site-specific soil properties such as soil texture and nitrogen availability were important factors influencing SOC sequestration under cover crops. Our study provides essential insights for optimizing cover crop management to increase SOC sequestration in orchard agroecosystems.

Abstract Microbial carbon (C) use efficiency (CUE) delineates the proportion of organic C used by microorganisms for anabolism and ultimately influences the amount of C sequestered in soils. However, the key factors controlling CUE remain enigmatic, leading to considerable uncertainty in understanding soil C retention and predicting its responses to global change factors. Here, we investigate the global patterns of CUE estimate by stoichiometric modeling in surface soils of natural ecosystems, and examine its associations with temperature, precipitation, plant‐derived C and soil nutrient availability. We found that CUE is determined by the most limiting resource among these four basic environmental resources within specific climate zones (i.e., tropical, temperate, arid, and cold zones). Higher CUE is common in arid and cold zones and corresponds to limitations in temperature, water, and plant‐derived C input, while lower CUE is observed in tropical and temperate zones with widespread limitation of nutrients (e.g., nitrogen or phosphorus) in soil. The contrasting resource limitations among climate zones led to an apparent increase in CUE with increasing latitude. The resource‐specific dependence of CUE implies that soils in high latitudes with arid and cold environments may retain less organic C in the future, as warming and increased precipitation can reduce CUE. In contrast, oligotrophic soils in low latitudes may increase organic C retention, as CUE could be increased with concurrent anthropogenic nutrient inputs. The findings underscore the importance of resource limitations for CUE and suggest asymmetric responses of organic C retention in soils across latitudes to global change factors.

Wire-arc directed energy deposition (DED) of Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy faced a tough challenge because of the occurrence of crack and pore defects caused by the high content of alloying elements. Three cold metal transfer (CMT) arc modes were studied to fabricate Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy components via the wire-arc DED process, with the aim of optimizing the deposition process and revealing the action mechanism of arc mode on the microstructure and mechanical properties. The effect of the CMT arc mode on the forming accuracy and arc/droplet behaviors was investigated with the assistance of the microscope and high-speed camera. The characteristics of grain morphology, crystallographic texture, and precipitated phase were quantitatively analyzed. The results show that the forming accuracies of deposited samples degenerate when using CMT and CMT pulse modes due to abnormal electrical waveforms and overflow/curve phenomenon. The finest grain size is realized under CMT advance mode because of its induced stirring effect on the molten pool, expanded constitutional supercooling zones, and extremely low heat input. The continuous and coarse precipitated phases in CMT and CMT pulse modes are transferred into dispersive ones in CMT advance mode. Moreover, the quantity and size of pores are also reduced in CMT advance mode. The combined action of microstructure optimization and defect reduction is conducive to improving the mechanical properties. Finally, the preferable ultimate tensile strength (∼278.15 MPa) and top elongation (∼6.50 %) of as-deposited Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy are achieved.

Permafrost is degrading globally, particularly those with low thermal stability on the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau, owing to climate change. However, the inadequacy of direct research on permafrost degradation based on in-situ monitoring limits the prediction of permafrost degradation and engineering practices. This study explored the processes and modes of permafrost degradation into talik by analyzing ground temperature data from five points in the hinterland of the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau from 2006 to 2021. The results showed that the degradation of the warm permafrost layer with a geothermal gradient of zero occurred simultaneously in the top and bottom directions. The rate of permafrost degradation from the top down and bottom up increase during the degradation process, but the increase of the former is more drastic after the formation of thawed interlayer. Additionally, the construction of the Qinghai‒Tibet Railway changed the degradation modes of the permafrost in adjacent natural sites through horizontal heat transfer, particularly after through talik formation under the embankment. The findings suggest that taking countermeasures before or immediately after forming thawed interlayer is more effective. When evaluating the thermal impact of projects in warm permafrost regions, special attention should be given to the horizontal heat transfer process that may result from the formation of a through talik.

Abstract In single unit-cell FeSe grown on SrTiO3, the superconductivity transition temperature features a significant enhancement. Local phonon modes at the interface associated with electron-phonon coupling may play an important role in the interface-induced enhancement. However, such phonon modes have eluded direct experimental observations. The complicated atomic structure of the interface brings challenges to obtain the accurate structure-phonon relation knowledge. Here, we achieve direct characterizations of atomic structure and phonon modes at the FeSe/SrTiO3 interface with atomically resolved imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy in an electron microscope. We find several phonon modes highly localized (~1.3 nm) at the unique double layer Ti-O terminated interface, one of which (~ 83 meV) engages in strong interactions with the electrons in FeSe based on ab initio calculations. This finding of the localized interfacial phonon associated with strong electron-phonon coupling provides new insights into understanding the origin of superconductivity enhancement at the FeSe/SrTiO3 interface.

Abstract Background Early-onset bone dysplasia is a common manifestation of hypophosphatasia (HPP), an autosomal inherited disease caused by ALPL mutation. ALPL ablation induces prototypical premature bone ageing characteristics, resulting in impaired osteogenic differentiation capacity of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs). As angiogenesis is tightly coupled with osteogenesis, it also plays a necessary role in sustaining bone homeostasis. We have previously observed a decrease in expression of angiogenesis marker gene CD31 in the metaphysis of long bone in Alpl +/− mice. However, the role of ALPL in regulation of angiogenesis in bone has remained largely unknown. Methods Exosomes derived from Normal and HPP hBMMSCs were isolated and identified by ultracentrifugation, transmission electron microscopy, and nanoparticle size measurement. The effects of ALPL on the angiogenic capacity of hBMMSCs from HPP patients were assessed by immunofluorescence, tube formation, wound healing and migration assay. exo-ELISA and Western Blot were used to evaluate the exosomes secretion of hBMMSCs from HPP, and the protein expression of VEGF, PDGFBB, Angiostatin and Endostatin in exosomes respectively. Results We verified that ALPL ablation resulted in impaired pro-angiogenic capacity of hBMMSCs, accounting for reduced migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells, as the quantities and proteins composition of exosomes varied with ALPL expression. Mechanistically, loss of function of ALPL enhanced ATP release. Additional ATP, in turn, led to markedly elevated level of ATP receptor P2X7, which consequently promoted exosomes secretion, resulting in a decreased capacity to promote angiogenesis. Conversely, inhibition of P2X7 increased the angiogenic induction capacity by preventing excessive release of anti-angiogenic exosomes in ALPL deficient-hBMMSCs. Conclusion The ALPL–ATP axis regulates the pro-angiogenic ability of hBMMSCs by controlling exosomes secretion through the P2X7 receptor. Thus, P2X7 may be proved as an effective therapeutic target for accelerating neovascularization in ALPL–deficient bone defects.

Detection of specific antinuclear antibodies is very important in term of diagnosis, prognosis and management of patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Chemiluminescence microarray immunoassay (CLMIA) is a microdot array-based method that allows simultaneous detection of multiple antinuclear antibodies, which received increasing attention.

As the aging populations, both nationwide and worldwide, rapidly increase, falls leading to unintentional injury and death subsequently increase. Thus, developing an understanding of biomechanical postural control strategies used to maintain balance in aging healthy adults, and those that have suffered stroke, are critical. Here, we were interested in how one’s body segments stabilize relative to one another, and in space, in order to maintain balance. To accomplish this goal, we studied 30 healthy individuals and 8 survivors of stroke between 60 and 85 years old, both before and after several weeks of sensory training. Motion capture data were acquired to assess participants’ body kinematics during walking: forward (easiest), forward-tandem, backward, and backward-tandem walking (most challenging). Deviations (via the observation of the absolute angle with deviations, or AADs) of the head, thorax, and lumbar areas relative to an earth vertical reference, as well as how one body segment stabilized in space or relative to the inferior body segment (via the observation of anchoring indices, or AIs), were explored. The results provide metrics (AADs and AIs) that can assess aging posture. Further, the results show an initial indication that, for aging individuals, training could lead to improved head and body stabilization in space.

Abstract Massive increases in the risks of depressive disorders and the ensuing suicide have become the overarching menace for children/adolescents. Despite global consensus to instigate psychological healthcare policy for these children/adolescents, their effects remain largely unclear neither from a small amount of official data nor from small-scale scientific studies. More importantly, in underprivileged children/adolescents in lower-middle-economic-status countries/areas, the data collection may not be as equally accessible as in developed countries/areas, thus resulting in underrepresented observations. To address these challenges, we released a large-scale and multi-center cohort dataset (n = 249,772) showing the effects of primary psychological healthcare on decreasing depression and suicidal ideation in these children/adolescents who were underrepresented in previous studies or current healthcare systems, including unattended children/adolescents, orphans, children/adolescents in especially difficult circumstances, and “left-behind” and “single-parenting” children/adolescents. We provided all individual data recording the depressive symptoms and suicide ideation that had been collected at baseline (Oct 2022) and half-year follow-up (May 2023) from practicing this psychological healthcare system.

This study investigates the effects of soybean lecithin (SL) on the growth, fatty acid composition, lipid metabolism, and gonadal development of rice field eels. Fourteen-month-old eels were fed either fish oil diets or varying levels of dietary soybean lecithin (0 %, 1.4 %, and 2.8 %) for 10 weeks. Dietary SL had no significant impact on growth, whereas 1.4 % SL led to a significant decrease in moisture content and an increase in crude protein content in eels. The content of both saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids increased in muscles fed the higher SL diet, with a concurrent decline in saturated fatty acids and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids detected in the liver. The expression levels of genes related to lipid synthesis, including accα and PPARγ, and genes related to polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis, such as pla2g4a, fad2 and scd, were significantly increased in the liver of eels fed with 1.4 % SL diet. SL supplementation enhances lipid transport and antioxidant capacity in the liver, reduces fat deposition, and protects the liver from damage. Hepatosomatic index of fish in the SL1.4 % and SL2.8 % groups decreased. Supplementation of the diet with 1.4 % SL led to a significant decrease in the content of saturated fatty acids and an increase in the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the gonads, with a significant increase in arachidonic acid levels. The gonadosomatic index also increased with increasing dietary SL content. Rice field eels fed diets containing SL exhibited elevated serum levels of E2, delayed ovary-to-testis transition, and a preference for retaining the female state. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with SL increased the proportion of highly unsaturated fatty acids in the tissues, enhanced lipid metabolism in the liver, and improved antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, SL supplementation has been demonstrated to promote ovarian development and delay sex reversal in rice field eels.

The U-shaped crushed rock embankment (UCRE), of which widely utilized in the permafrost regions along the Qinghai‒Tibet Railway, has the capability to rapidly reduce the ground temperature of the underlying permafrost. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the adaptation of UCRE to climate change and its long-term cooling trend. This study focuses on nine UCRE monitoring sites along the Qinghai‒Tibet Railway to analyze the dynamic variations of the ground temperature underlying permafrost from 2006 to 2020. The efficiency of UCRE in stabilizing permafrost temperature in different permafrost zones is evaluated by considering the permafrost table, ground temperature, and MAGT, as well as the temperature difference between the top and bottom of the crushed rock layer and the ground temperature variation index (GTVI). The results show that UCRE is suitable for application in extremely unstable warm permafrost regions where the MAGT is higher than −0.5 °C. Moreover, UCRE effectively diminishes the disparity in permafrost thermal stability between the sunny and shaded shoulders of the embankment. The short-term and long-term effect of cooling permafrost is experiencing a change related with permafrost stability. Notably, in stable cold permafrost regions with MAGT lower than −1.5 °C, the long-term cooling effect of UCRE on permafrost seems to gradually diminishes, but UCRE continues to fulfill the role of stabilizing the underlying permafrost thermal state over the long-term. These results show that UCRE can quickly restore and stabilize the thermal state of permafrost in the early stages of construction, and adapt to the influence of future climate change. The findings provide important guidance for understanding the variations of permafrost thermal stability beneath the embankment in permafrost regions, as well as for improving the embankment stability and operational safety of the Qinghai‒Tibet Railway.

Al–Li alloy has a wide range of application prospects in aerospace and rail transportation fields. Friction stir welding (FSW) is suitable for joining of Al–Li alloy. The microstructure evolution in FSW of Al–Li alloy determines the final joint properties. However, it is difficult to directly observe the microstructure evolution in FSW of Al–Li alloy only by experimental methods. Therefore, a Monte Carlo model in cooperation with a thermomechanical finite element model was proposed to study the microstructure evolution in FSW of 2195 Al–Li alloy. The validated thermomechanical finite element model was first used to calculate the temperature field, strain rate and strain evolution during the FSW process. Then, the achieved thermomechanical history was used in the Monte Carlo model to predict the transient microstructure evolution and the final morphology of the grain structure. It is found that the plastic materials on the advancing side experience a higher strain compared with that on the retreating side with the same distance from the joint line. The plastic material in the middle of the weld nugget zone (WNZ) experiences a relatively high temperature with more severe plastic deformation. Therefore, fully dynamic recrystallization takes place for the material at this region as it flows across the tool during FSW, which results in a fine recrystallization grain in the middle of WNZ. However, the material on the advancing side at 2 mm away from the joint line experiences a lower strain rate, which results in partial recrystallization with some relatively large grains of the base materials. The simulated average grain size and grain morphology were in good agreement with the measured results by EBSD method.

Objective To observe the effect of auricular acupoint scraping therapy on postoperative pain and sleep quality of patients with lower extremity fracture. Methods Totally 70 cases of patients undergoing surgery for lower limb fracture were randomly divided into control group and observation group, with 35 cases in each group. The control group received routine treatment and nursing measures, while the observation group was given auricular acupoint scraping therapy based on the routine treatment and nursing measures. Visual analog pain scale (VAS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score and patient satisfaction before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. Results There was no significant difference in VAS and PSQI scores between two groups before surgery (P＜0. 05). The VAS scores of observation group was significantly decreased compared with those in the control group at 6h, 12h, 24h, 48h and 72h after surgery(P＜0. 05). The PSQI scores of the observation group were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group at 48 h and 72h after surgery (P＜0. 01). The satisfaction degree of the observation group was higher than that of the control group (P＜0. 01). No treatment-related adverse reactions were observed in two groups. Conclusion The auricular acupoint scraping therapy is effective to reduce the postoperative pain and improve the sleep quality of patients undergoing surgery for lower extremity fracture. (目的 观察耳穴推刮术对下肢骨折术后患者疼痛和睡眠质量的影响。方法 选取下肢骨折术后患者70例, 按照随机数字表法分为对照组和观察组, 每组35例。对照组采取常规治疗和护理措施, 观察组在对照组基础上开展耳穴推刮疗法。比较2组患者治疗前后不同时间段内视觉模拟疼痛评分(VAS)、匹兹堡睡眠质量指数量表(PSQI)评分及患者满意度。结果 术前两组患者的VAS、PSQI评分比较, 差异无统计学意义(P＞0. 05)。观察组患者术后6 h、12h、24h、48h、72 h VAS评分低于对照组, 差异有统计学意义(P＜0. 05)。观察组术后48 h、72 h PSQI评分低于对照组, 差异有统计学意义(P＜0. 01)。观察组患者满意度评分高于对照组, 差异有统计学意义(P＜0. 01)。两组均未见治疗相关不良反应。结论 耳穴推刮疗法可以有效缓解下肢骨折术后患者疼痛程度, 提高睡眠质量。)

AIM: To revise the referral criteria for the SPOT Vision Screener in children under 6 years old and assessed its accuracy based on the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus(AAPOS)uniform guidelines for instrument-based pediatric vision screen validation 2021.METHODS: Children who visited the Maternal and Child Health Center of Yuhuatai District in Nanjing city from January 2022 to April 2023 were included in the study and underwent SPOT refractive screening, cycloplegic retinoscopy, and other examinations. Abnormal children were defined according to AAPOS guidelines with amblyopia risk factors(ARFs)and visually significant refractive error(VSRE). Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to calculate the optimal referral criteria and compared with manufacturer criteria, Wu's criteria, and Peterseim's criteria.RESULTS: A total of 959 children were examined, with 342 in the

There are various types of fruits and vegetables that need to be planted on ridges. In order to allow for seedlings with a certain row space and seedling space, the ridge transplanter should be able to track along the ridge. Therefore, an ultrasonic ridge-tracking method and system were developed to let the ridge transplanter track the ridge accurately. The ultrasonic ridge-tracking method mainly contains a limiter sliding window filtering algorithm and a fuzzy look-ahead distance decision model. The limiter sliding window filtering algorithm was proposed to filter the abnormal measuring results to avoid disoperation of the steering mechanism. Moreover, the fuzzy look-ahead distance decision model was proposed to determine the optimal look-ahead distance in order to obtain a desirable tracking performance. Additionally, a comparison experiment of the proposed ultrasonic ridge-tracking method and the universal pure pursuit method was conducted. The experimental results show that the greatest mean absolute errors of the lateral deviations of the ultrasonic ridge-tracking method and universal pure pursuit were 10.56 mm and 13.11 mm. The greatest maximum absolute errors of the lateral deviations of the ultrasonic ridge-tracking method and universal pure pursuit were 18.87 mm and 23.23 mm. In addition, the greatest root mean square error of the lateral deviation of the ultrasonic ridge-tracking method and the universal pure pursuit method were 13.52 mm and 15.66 mm. According to the ridge-tracking performance of the proposed ultrasonic ridge-tracking method, it can be used in practical transplanting conditions. Moreover, in other fields, robots or intelligent machinery can also apply the proposed ultrasonic ridge-tracking method to track objects similar to ridges.

Abstract Land use change (LUC) alters the global carbon (C) stock, but our estimation of the alteration remains uncertain and is a major impediment to predicting the global C cycle. The uncertainty is partly due to the limited number and geographical bias of observations, and limited exploration of its predictors. Here we generated a comprehensive global database of 5,980 observations from 790 articles. The number of sites evaluated is at least seven times larger than in previous meta‐analyses. Our constrained estimates of different LUC's effects on soil organic C (SOC) and their variations across global climates reveal underestimation/overestimation in previous estimates. Converting forests and grasslands to croplands reduced SOC by 24.5% ± 1.53% (−11.03 ± 1.06 Mg ha−1) and 22.7% ± 1.22% (−8.09 ± 0.67 Mg ha−1), while 28.0% ± 1.56% (4.46 ± 0.42 Mg ha−1) and 33.5% ± 1.68% (5.8 ± 0.38 Mg ha−1) increases, respectively, were obtained in the reverse processes. Converting forests to grasslands decreased SOC by 2.1% ± 1.22% (−1.13 ± 0.44 Mg ha−1), while the reverse process increased SOC by 18.6% ± 1.73% (3.31 ± 0.51 Mg ha−1). Modeled relative importance of 10 drivers of LUC's impact on SOC revealed that higher initial SOC (iSOC) does not solely determine SOC loss in SOC‐negative LUC scenarios as previously proposed. Across four decades, reconverting croplands to forests and grasslands recovered only 49.5% (6.1 ± 0.51 Mg ha−1) and 75.3% (7.0 ± 0.38 Mg ha−1) of the iSOC, respectively, indicating the need for protecting C‐rich ecosystems. Our global data set advances information on LUC's effect on SOC and can be valuable to constrain Earth system models to reliably estimate global SOC stocks and plan climate change mitigation strategies.

Agricultural non-point source pollution (ANPSP) has caused serious harm to farmland ecological environment, and has become an urgent environmental issue in China. This paper investigates the intention and actual implementation of farmers' green agricultural production behaviors (GAPBs) in Yunnan, China. The results show that 80% of farmers are willing to implement GAPBs for improving agricultural environment, but a large number of them have not implemented at present. In addition, this study integrates normative activation theory with theory of planned behavior to empirically analyze the driving factors of farmers' intention and behaviors. The results show that the direct positive impact of personal norms on behaviors is significant. Awareness of consequences and awareness of responsibility have indirect impacts on GAPBs through personal norms. Meanwhile, attitude has a significant impact on behavioral intention. Awareness of consequences, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms have indirect effects on behavioral intention through attitude. Besides, there are significant differences in the farmers' GAPBs and the influencing factors between the Han and the ethnic minorities. This paper is helpful to increase farmers' GAPBs and provides reference for the management of ANPSP.

Abstract Intensification of short‐duration rainfall extremes contributes to increased urban flood risk. Yet, it remains unclear how upper‐tail rainfall statistics could change with regional warming. Here, we characterize the non‐stationarity of rainfall extremes over durations of 1–24 hr for the rapidly developing coastal megalopolis of the Greater Bay Area, China. Using high‐resolution, multi‐source, merged and gridded data we observe greater increases in rainfall intensities over the north‐central part of the region compared with the southern coastal region. Our results show, for the first time, that urbanization nonlinearly increases rainfall intensities at different durations and return periods. Over short durations (≤3‐hr) and short return periods (2‐yr), urban areas have the greatest scaling rates (≥19.9%/°C). However, over longer durations (≥9‐hr) rural areas have greater scaling rates, with a lower degree of dependency on both durations and return periods.

Although preclinical and clinical studies have shown that exercise can inhibit bone metastasis progression, the mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we found that non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells adjacent to bone tissue had a much lower proliferative capacity than the surrounding tumor cells in patients and mice. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that osteocytes, sensing mechanical stimulation generated by exercise, inhibit NSCLC cell proliferation and sustain the dormancy thereof by releasing small extracellular vesicles with tumor suppressor micro-RNAs, such as miR-99b-3p. Furthermore, we evaluated the effects of mechanical loading and treadmill exercise on the bone metastasis progression of NSCLC in mice. As expected, mechanical loading of the tibia inhibited the bone metastasis progression of NSCLC. Notably, bone metastasis progression of NSCLC was inhibited by moderate exercise, and combinations with zoledronic acid had additive effects. Moreover, exercise preconditioning effectively suppressed bone metastasis progression. This study significantly advances the understanding of the mechanism underlying exercise-afforded protection against bone metastasis progression.

Abstract Background As one of the major food crops in the world, rice is vulnerable to cadmium (Cd) pollution. Understanding of the molecular mechanisms of Cd uptake, transport and detoxification in rice is essential for the breeding of low-Cd rice. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of rice to Cd stress remains to be further clarified. Results In this study, a novel Cd-responsive gene OsHARBI1-1 was identified in the rice genome and its expression pattern and function were characterized. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the promoter region of OsHARBI1-1 had multiple cis-acting elements in response to phytohormones and stress, and the expression of OsHARBI1-1 was induced by phytohormones. OsHARBI1-1 protein was targeted to the nucleus. qRT-PCR analysis results showed that the expression of OsHARBI1-1 in the roots was repressed while the expression in the shoots was increased under Cd stress. Heterologous expression of OsHARBI1-1 in yeast conferred tolerance to Cd and reduced Cd content in the cells. Meanwhile, the expression of OsHARBI1-1 in Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) enhanced the tolerance of A. thaliana to Cd stress. In addition, compared with the wild type plants, the POD activity of transgenic plants was increased, while the SOD and CAT activities were decreased. Interestingly, the accumulation of Cd in the roots of A. thaliana expressing OsHARBI1-1 was significantly increased, whereas the Cd accumulation in the shoots was slightly decreased. Compared to the WT plants, the expression of genes related to Cd absorption and chelation was upregulated in transgenic A. thaliana under Cd stress, while the expression of genes responsible for the translocation of Cd from the roots to the shoots was downregulated. Moreover, the expression of phytohormone-related genes was significantly influenced by the expression of OsHARBI1-1 with and without Cd treatment. Conclusions Findings of this study suggest that OsHARBI1-1 might play a role in the response of plants to Cd response by affecting antioxidant enzyme activities, Cd chelation, absorption and transport, and phytohormone homeostasis and signaling.

Background and objective The switch/sucrose nonfermentable chromatin-remodeling (SWI/SNF) complex is a pivotal chromatin remodeling complex, and the genomic alterations (GAs) of the SWI/SNF complex are observed in several cancer types, correlating with multiple biological features of tumor cells. However, their role in liver metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. Our study aims to investigate the role and potential mechanisms underlying NSCLC liver metastasis induced by the GAs of SWI/SNF complex. Methods The GAs of SWI/SNF complex in NSCLC cell lines (H1299, H23 and H460) were identified by whole-exome sequencing (WES). ARID1A knockout H1299 cell was constructed with the CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The mouse model of liver metastasis from NSCLC was established to simulate lung cancer liver metastasis and observe the metastasis rate under different gene mutation conditions. RNA sequencing and Western blot were conducted for differential gene expression analysis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis was used to assess protein expression levels of SWI/SNF-regulated target molecules in mouse liver metastases. Results WES analysis revealed intracellular gene mutations. The animal experiments demonstrated a correlation between the GAs of SWI/SNF complex and a higher liver metastasis rate in immunodeficient mice. Transcriptome sequencing and Western blot analysis showed upregulated expression of ALDH1A1 and APOBEC3B in SWI/SNF-mut cells, particularly in ARID1A-deficient H460 and H1299 sgARID1A cells. IHC staining of mouse liver metastases further demonstrated elevated expression of ALDH1A1 in the H460 and H1299 sgARID1A group. Conclusion This study underscores the critical role of the GAs of SWI/SNF complex, such as ARID1A and SMARCA4, in promoting liver metastasis of lung cancer cells. The GAs of SWI/SNF complex may promote liver-specific metastasis by upregulating ALDH1A1 and APOBEC3B expression, providing novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying lung cancer liver metastasis.

Abstract Water adsorption and dissociation processes on pristine low-index TiO2 interfaces are important but poorly understood outside the well-studied anatase (101) and rutile (110). To understand these, we construct three sets of machine learning potentials that are simultaneously applicable to various TiO2 surfaces, based on three density-functional-theory approximations. Here we show the water dissociation free energies on seven pristine TiO2 surfaces, and predict that anatase (100), anatase (110), rutile (001), and rutile (011) favor water dissociation, anatase (101) and rutile (100) have mostly molecular adsorption, while the simulations of rutile (110) sensitively depend on the slab thickness and molecular adsorption is preferred with thick slabs. Moreover, using an automated algorithm, we reveal that these surfaces follow different types of atomistic mechanisms for proton transfer and water dissociation: one-step, two-step, or both. These mechanisms can be rationalized based on the arrangements of water molecules on the different surfaces. Our finding thus demonstrates that the different pristine TiO2 surfaces react with water in distinct ways, and cannot be represented using just the low-energy anatase (101) and rutile (110) surfaces.

The nitrogen cycling process in alpine wetlands is profoundly affected by precipitation changes, yet the dynamic response mechanism of denitrifiers to long-term precipitation shifts in the alpine wetland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau remains enigmatic. Utilizing high-throughput sequencing analysis of nirS-type functional genes, this study delved into the dynamic response mechanism of nirS-type denitrifiers to precipitation changes in the alpine wetland of Qinghai Lake. The findings revealed that nirS-type denitrifiers in the alpine wetland of Qinghai Lake were primarily Proteobacteria, and Alpha diversity exhibited a negative correlation with the precipitation gradient, with deterministic processes predominating in the community assembly of denitrifying microbes. A 50% increase in rainfall shifted the community assembly process of denitrifiers from deterministic to stochastic. Dominant microflora at the genus level responded significantly to precipitation changes, with aerobic bacteria comprising the majority of differentially abundant taxa (55.56%). As precipitation increased, the complexity of the microbial interaction network decreased, and a 25% reduction in precipitation notably elevated the relative abundance of three key functional groups: chemoheterotrophic, aerobic chemoheterotrophic, and nitrogen fixation. Precipitation notably emerged as the primary regulator of nirS-type denitrifiers in the alpine wetland of Qinghai Lake, accounting for 51% of the variation in community composition. In summary, this study offers a fresh perspective for investigating the ecological processes of nitrogen cycling in alpine ecosystems by examining the diversity and community composition of nirS-type denitrifiers in response to precipitation changes.

Straw returning has gradually been adopted as an effective approach to address the serious degradation of farmland. However, the carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio of rice straw is generally too high for microorganisms to decompose the organic materials and release nutrients, which may minimize the benefits of straw returning to the agricultural production system. This study aimed to investigate the effects of straw returning on rice production and propose optimum nitrogen (N) management for early rice production under a straw returning system. The total N fertilizer that was evaluated was 165 kg N ha-1, urea (46% N), applied in different proportions in three stages of rice cultivation: basal, tillering, and panicle. Using no straw returning with the N fertilizer ratio of basal:tillering:panicle = 5:2:3 treatment (T1) as the control, four different N fertilizer ratios of basal:tillering:panicle, including 5:2:3 (T2), 5:2:2 (T3), 5:4:1 (T4), and 5:5:0 (T5) were set under straw returning. The return of straw decreased the available N in the soil at the tillering stage, and impeded root growth and the crop canopy from establishing, which decreased the effective panicles by 10.1% compared with that of T1, limiting the increases in rice grain yield. Increasing the N fertilizer ratio 10–20% (T3 and T4) at the tillering stage effectively increased the content of soil ammonium and nitrate nitrogen, improved the root growth, and increased the root activities by 16.0–40.5% at the tillering stage. As a result, the effective panicle number increased by 5.1–16.2%. Among these, T4 treatment maximized the benefits of straw returning the most. Additionally, increasing the N fertilizer ratio at the tillering stage increased the shoot uptake across the early rice growing season and synchronized crop N uptake with the accumulation of carbon assimilates, which enhanced the crop growth rate and increased the rice yield by 13.5–25.1%. It is concluded that increasing the N fertilizer ratio by 20% at the tillering stage is a promising strategy to increase the availability of N in the phases of high demand for this nutrient.

Pinellia ternata is a medicinal plant that has important pharmacological value, and the bulbils serve as the primary reproductive organ; however, the mechanisms underlying bulbil initiation remain unclear. Here, we characterized bulbil development via histological, transcriptomic, and targeted metabolomic analyses to unearth the intricate relationship between hormones, genes, and bulbil development. The results show that the bulbils initiate growth from the leaf axillary meristem (AM). In this stage, jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid (ABA), isopentenyl adenosine (IPA), and salicylic acid (SA) were highly enriched, while indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), zeatin, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), and 5-dexoxystrigol (5-DS) were notably decreased. Through OPLS-DA analysis, SA has emerged as the most crucial factor in initiating and positively regulating bulbil formation. Furthermore, a strong association between IPA and SA was observed during bulbil initiation. The transcriptional changes in IPT (Isopentenyltransferase), CRE1 (Cytokinin Response 1), A-ARR (Type-A Arabidopsis Response Regulator), B-ARR (Type-B Arabidopsis Response Regulator), AUX1 (Auxin Resistant 1), ARF (Auxin Response Factor), AUX/IAA (Auxin/Indole-3-acetic acid), GH3 (Gretchen Hagen 3), SAUR (Small Auxin Up RNA), GA2ox (Gibberellin 2-oxidase), GA20ox (Gibberellin 20-oxidase), AOS (Allene oxide synthase), AOC (Allene oxide cyclase), OPR (Oxophytodienoate Reductase), JMT (JA carboxy l Methyltransferase), COI1 (Coronatine Insensitive 1), JAZ (Jasmonate ZIM-domain), MYC2 (Myelocytomatosis 2), D27 (DWARF27), SMAX (Suppressor of MAX2), PAL (Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase), ICS (Isochorismate Synthase), NPR1 (Non-expressor of Pathogenesis-related Genes1), TGA (TGACG Sequence-specific Binding), PR-1 (Pathogenesis-related), MCSU (Molybdenium Cofactor Sulfurase), PP2C (Protein Phosphatase 2C), and SnRK (Sucrose Non-fermenting-related Protein Kinase 2) were highly correlated with hormone concentrations, indicating that bulbil initiation is coordinately controlled by multiple phytohormones. Notably, eight TFs (transcription factors) that regulate AM initiation have been identified as pivotal regulators of bulbil formation. Among these, WUS (WUSCHEL), CLV (CLAVATA), ATH1 (Arabidopsis Thaliana Homeobox Gene 1), and RAX (Regulator of Axillary meristems) have been observed to exhibit elevated expression levels. Conversely, LEAFY demonstrated contrasting expression patterns. The intricate expression profiles of these TFs are closely associated with the upregulated expression of KNOX(KNOTTED-like homeobox), suggesting a intricate regulatory network underlying the complex process of bulbil initiation. This study offers a profound understanding of the bulbil initiation process and could potentially aid in refining molecular breeding techniques specific to P. ternata.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a new type of persistent organic pollutants that have received extensive attention in recent years. This article reviewed the population characteristics of environmental exposure to PFAS, as well as the potential health effects. Previous studies have verified that people are exposed to PFAS mainly through ingestion, and food and water are the dominant contributors. In terms of exposure characteristics, geographical, gender, age, and occupational differences have an impact on the level of PFAS exposure in the corresponding populations by influencing their behavioral characteristics and metabolic levels, with occupational exposure receiving more attention, especially in the exploration of novel PFAS. PFAS associate with a variety of adverse health effects caused by hepatorenal toxicity, immunotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and carcinogenicity. However, some of the conclusions are not completely consistent, and the published epidemiological studies have focused on children and young people, lacking relevant data of the elderly. Future research can pay more attention to the elderly population and carry out validation exploration on controversial conclusions.

Abstract Background The development of machine learning models for aiding in the diagnosis of mental disorder is recognized as a significant breakthrough in the field of psychiatry. However, clinical practice of such models remains a challenge, with poor generalizability being a major limitation. Methods Here, we conducted a pre-registered meta-research assessment on neuroimaging-based models in the psychiatric literature, quantitatively examining global and regional sampling issues over recent decades, from a view that has been relatively underexplored. A total of 476 studies (n = 118,137) were included in the current assessment. Based on these findings, we built a comprehensive 5-star rating system to quantitatively evaluate the quality of existing machine learning models for psychiatric diagnoses. Results A global sampling inequality in these models was revealed quantitatively (sampling Gini coefficient (G) = 0.81, p 15). In light of this, we proposed a purpose-built quantitative assessment checklist, which demonstrated that the overall ratings of these models increased by publication year but were negatively associated with model performance. Conclusions Together, improving sampling economic equality and hence the quality of machine learning models may be a crucial facet to plausibly translating neuroimaging-based diagnostic classifiers into clinical practice.

Hybrid two-phase closed thermosyphon (TPCT) artificial ground freezing technique is an effective cooling strategy adaptable to different geological and meteorological conditions in permafrost regions. Previous studies have focused on the feasibility of hybrid TPCT with little attention given to the cooling characteristics and long-term effects of this technique under actual environmental conditions. In this study, a novel structured semiconductor refrigeration device, with simple structure, small size, and wide operating temperature range, was designed and manufactured to act as the active condenser of a hybrid TPCT, and the cooling effect of this device was investigated during a two-year field test under stable power supply. This study showed that: 1) The minimum (maximum) average temperature of the semiconductor refrigeration two-phase closed thermosyphon (SRTPCT) evaporator was 0.5 (2.1) °C lower than the TPCT evaporator. The average ground temperature decreased by 0.3 °C, and the permafrost table rose to 0.2 m at 1 m from the evaporators around SRTPCT. The semiconductor refrigeration device added more than 9.75 MJ of cold storage to the soil around the TPCT evaporator during an operating cycle. 2) The optimal working period for the semiconductor refrigeration device was from June to October, and the cooling effect was better when the ambient temperature was low in the warm season. 3) As active condenser of hybrid TPCT in permafrost regions, semiconductor refrigeration device has a larger heat transfer power enhancement for TPCTs than vapor compression refrigeration device in the warm season, and vice versa in the cold season, as well as a higher heat transfer power enhancement for TPCTs than adsorption refrigeration device. The results of this study provide relevant parameters and references for the design and engineering application of future SRTPCT.

The article applies the knowledge of the physiological structure of finger movement in piano playing and the DH parameter method to construct a kinematic model of finger keystroke in piano playing. The Leap Motion-based gesture recognition algorithm is used for piano playing gesture movement extraction, gesture movement sub-framing, and velocity direction encoding, and the judgment HMM algorithm and the Viterbi improvement algorithm based on the a priori knowledge of fingering are utilized to automatically standardize piano fingering. After comparing the recognition performance of the piano playing training model in this paper, it is discussed how it can be used and how it can improve the user’s piano playing skills. In comparison to other piano gesture recognition models, the recognition accuracy and gesture dynamic information description of this paper’s training model demonstrate optimal performance. After the actual playing training experiments, the experimental group achieved significant improvements, while the control group experienced negligible improvements. After the experiment, the difference between the two groups increased, and the experimental group was superior to the control group in all aspects of piano playing. The training model for piano playing in this paper is effective in enhancing the user’s piano playing level.

The piano concerto is the most important area of Mozart’s musical creation, except opera and throughout Mozart’s life. In this project, the original audio files of Mozart’s piano concertos were collected and preprocessed using data mining techniques. Then, the fast Fourier transform algorithm was used to extract the audio features, which was combined with the multimodal music emotion classification of audio and lyrics, to complete the fusion of multiple different music features. Finally, based on Thayer’s emotion model, the support vector machine algorithm is used to effectively classify music emotion and music frequency to deeply explore the creative characteristics of Mozart’s piano concerto. The results show that the algorithm in this paper identifies 52 samples that are biased towards calm emotion, which is 2.5 times more than the samples that are biased towards happy emotion, indicating that the style of Mozart’s music creation is biased towards calmness and elegance, and 80% of the Mozart’s music samples are biased towards high frequency above 4000 HZ, indicating that Mozart mainly creates high-frequency music. The algorithm in this paper accurately accomplishes the task of exploring the characteristics of Mozart’s piano concerto composition.

Abstract Objectives Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma‐like carcinoma (PLELC) is a subtype of lung carcinoma associated with the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). The clinical predictive biomarkers of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in PLELC require further investigation. Methods We prospectively analysed EBV levels in the blood and immune tumor biomarkers of 31 patients with ICB‐treated PLELC. Viral EBNA‐1 and BamHI‐W DNA fragments in the plasma were quantified in parallel using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results Progression‐free survival (PFS) was significantly longer in EBNA‐1 high or BamHI‐W high groups. A longer PFS was also observed in patients with both high plasma EBNA‐1 or BamHI‐W and PD‐L1 ≥ 1%. Intriguingly, the tumor mutational burden was inversely correlated with EBNA‐1 and BamHI‐W. Plasma EBV load was negatively associated with intratumoral CD8+ immune cell infiltration. Dynamic changes in plasma EBV DNA level were in accordance with the changes in tumor volume. An increase in EBV DNA levels during treatment indicated molecular progression that preceded the imaging progression by several months. Conclusions Plasma EBV DNA could be a useful and easy‐to‐use biomarker for predicting the clinical activity of ICB in PLELC and could serve to monitor disease progression earlier than computed tomography imaging.

Piano education has been paid more and more attention to in recent years. How to be able to teach in a more targeted way and improve the efficiency of students’ daily practice has become an urgent problem to be solved in the popularization of piano education. This paper innovatively combines artificial intelligence technology with piano education and designs an innovative education model for smart piano based on the cloud-based score, intelligent analysis, and gradient teaching functions of smart piano. The model utilizes the piano transcription algorithm of machine learning and the alignment technology of HMM to determine the learner’s piano practice and introduces the attention mechanism in the bidirectional recurrent neural network to realize the function of automatic piano harmony orchestration while testing the performance of both. On this basis, the designed intelligent piano education model is implemented, and the innovative effectiveness of the model is tested through comparative experiments. The results show that the completion of piano music and the artistic expression of music of students using the intelligent piano teaching mode improved by 10.097 points and 11.048 points, respectively, compared with students using the traditional teaching mode, and their p-values are less than 0.05, which is a significant improvement. This study enhances the variety of piano education and enhances piano learning efficiency.

This study introduces a sophisticated music recognition classification system designed to preprocess musical samples from various instruments and extract cepstrum coefficients. These coefficients are subsequently utilized to train the tuning parameters of a deep confidence network. Once trained, the model is employed to predict the types of instruments used in test samples. Additionally, this paper explores the innovative application of a digital sound effector to process audio from the erhu and popular music, aiming to achieve a harmonious integration of frequency and pitch, thereby facilitating both reference and innovation of the erhu within the realm of popular music. The analysis delineates that within the digital sound effector, the pitch accumulation plugin and the stirring effect plugin exert a more pronounced influence on the fusion of erhu sounds with pop music compared to the comb filter plugin. The integration of frequencies is predominantly observed in two key segments of the composition. The first segment, spanning from 1’30” to 3’25”, showcases the fusion within bars 21-85 of the erhu piece “Chu Song”. The second segment, occurring from 4’68” to 7’49”, employs equalizer and delay effects to blend electronic music elements with the erhu, enhancing the piece’s contemporary relevance and appeal. This innovative approach underscores the potential of digital effects in bridging traditional Chinese musical instruments with modern music genres.

This study investigates variations in radiofrequency- (RF-) induced energy absorption by orthopedic plates within the human body during 1.5T and 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, considering diverse postures. Using the poseable Duke model, we developed typical postures (O-posture, X-posture, Y-posture, and Z-posture) and placed anatomically correct representations of various orthopedic plates within these postures. Numerical simulations were conducted to evaluate electromagnetic fields and RF-induced energy absorption in these postures near orthopedic plates during MRI scans. Comparing RF-induced energy absorption (peak spatial averaged SAR over 1 g, pSAR1g) in postured models to the original posture reveals substantial variations. The pSAR1g differences for X-posture, Y-posture, and Z-posture reach 48%, 134%, and 32% at 1.5T, and 36%, 83%, and 101% at 3T, respectively. Changing posture can lead to higher or lower pSAR1g. These findings underscore the impact of patient posture on RF-induced energy absorption in orthopedic plates on the ulna bone. The study recommends considering representative body postures in future evaluations for MR conditional labeling of passive implants. Until then, maintaining a neutral posture during MR scans is advised to mitigate unforeseen RF-induced heating risks.

Background In clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), only some patients can benefit from immunotherapy therapy, and it is urgent to find immune-related molecular markers and targets. Methods Thymidine phosphorylase (TYMP) expression level and predictive value in pan-cancers were analyzed using TIMER, GEPIA2, and The Human Protein Atlas. We obtained ccRCC tissues to verify the differential expression of TYMP and confirmed the biological function in vitro. Subsequently, Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) are used to explore the potential mechanism of TYMP. Finally, TIMER was used to analyze the infiltration levels and prognostic value of different immune cells. Results TYMP is upregulated in various cancers, including ccRCC, and there is a certain degree of causality between high expression and poor prognosis in ccRCC. It was confirmed that TYMP knockdown could suppress cell aggressiveness, and cause cell death. Differential analysis showed that 55 differential genes were upregulated in the high-expression groups of TYMP. KEGG and GSEA analyses suggested that TYMP was linked to immune cell invasion, fatty acid metabolism, and P53 signaling pathway. Further investigation revealed that the expression level of TYMP linked positively to T-cell follicular helper and Tregs, but negatively with mast cell activation. Finally, a Nomogram was established on the base of expression level of TYMP and the clinical characteristics of ccRCC patients to predict prognosis. Conclusions Patient survival is poor and immune cell infiltration is abnormal when TYMP is highly expressed in ccRCC, suggesting that ccRCC patients could benefit from using TYMP as a molecular diagnostic and therapeutic target.

Because the growth behaviors of fatigue cracks are crucial for the safe assessment of structural components, the crack propagation behaviors of coarse-grained copper (CG Cu) subjected to cyclic torsion combined with different axial static stresses were studied. The crack bifurcation behavior is related to the strain amplitude applied. When the strain amplitude is lower, both the type and the magnitude of axial stress have no significant effect on the direction in which the primary crack branches, which is mainly determined by the position of the maximum normal plane. However, when the strain amplitude is higher, the bifurcated crack deviates visibly from the maximum normal plane, which can be attributed to the high degree of plastic deformation and microcracks caused by slip bands along longitudinal direction.

Ovarian growth is a critical phase of oogenesis that involves several events such as steroidogenesis, lipid deposition, and vitellogenesis. Although many studies have been conducted on fish ovarian growth and development, the molecular mechanisms that contribute to steroidogenesis and lipid deposition in common carp, the world's third largest freshwater aquaculture fish, remain elusive. In this study, transcriptome analyses were performed on ovaries from Yellow River carp at three different developmental stages: primary growth stage (PG), pre-vitellogenesis stage (PV), and mid-vitellogenesis stage (MV). A total of 22,511 genes were detected, and of these 122, 253, and 278 were differentially expressed genes (DEGs) when comparing PG to PV, PV to MV, and PG to MV stages, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were mainly involved in steroidogenesis (e.g., fshr, cyp19a1a, hsd3b and foxl2b), lipid deposition (e.g., lpl, slc27a6, fabp4, acsl1a, agpat3, plpp3 and dgat1b), and vitellogenesis (e.g., lrp13, plb1, dgkaa and pik3r1). We also identified many signalling pathways involved in ovarian growth, including steroid hormone biosynthesis, the phospholipase D signalling pathway, glycerophospholipid metabolism, the Notch signalling pathway, the TGF-βsignalling pathway, and the Wnt signalling pathway. qPCR results of 9 representative genes related to steroidogenesis and lipid deposition verified the reliability of the generated RNA-seq data. Finally, a potential model for the formation of lipid droplets and yolks in the ovaries of common carp was proposed. Overall, the data from this study will contribute to further research on the molecular regulatory mechanisms of ovarian growth and development in common carp and other fish species.

Ammonia (NH3), as an intermediate product of nitrogen metabolism, is recognized as a novel gasotransmitter (namely gaseous signaling molecule), its signaling role being revealed in plants. NH3 exists in two different chemical forms, namely the weak base (free molecule: NH3) and the weak acid (ammonium: NH4+), which are generally in equilibrium with each other in plants. However, the effect of NH3 on seed germination, seedling growth, and thermotolerance acquirement in maize remains unclear. Here, maize seeds were imbibed in the different concentrations of NH3·H2O (NH3 donor), and then germinated and calculated seed germination rate at the various time points. Also, the 60-h-old seedlings were irrigated in the different concentrations of NH3·H2O, and then subjected to heat stress and counted survival rate. The data implied that the appropriate concentrations (6, 9, and 12 mM) of NH3·H2O accelerated seed germination as well as increased seedling height and root length compared with the control without NH3 treatment. Also, the suitable concentrations (2 and 4 mM) of NH3·H2O improved tissue vitality, relieved an increase in malondialdehyde content, and enhanced survival rate of maize seedlings under heat stress compared with the control. These results firstly suggest that NH3 could accelerate seed germination, seedling growth, and thermotolerance acquirement in maize.