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This study investigates countercurrent air-water two-phase flow in vertical pipes with inner diameters of 26 mm and 44 mm and a height of 2000 mm, under controlled conditions to eliminate heat and mass transfer. Cutting-edge techniques were employed to measure the liquid film thickness (δ) and entrainment (e) within the annular flow pattern. The methodology involved a systematic comparative analysis of experimental results against established models, identifying the most accurate methods for predicting flow behavior. Specifically, the Schubring et al. correlation was found to most accurately predict e in 26 mm pipes, while the Wallis correlation was more accurate for 44 mm pipes. Additionally, interfacial shear stress was analyzed, confirming the high precision of the δ and e parameters. This research enhances the understanding of countercurrent air-water two-phase flow by providing reliable estimation methods for different pipe diameters and emphasizes the significance of accurately determining interfacial shear stress. Key findings include the identification of the most accurate models for different pipe sizes and addressing challenges in measuring δ and e under controlled conditions. The study’s novelty lies in its comprehensive comparative analysis of existing models, leading to improved predictions of flow dynamics in vertical pipes, thereby contributing valuable insights into two-phase flow behavior in geosciences and environmental engineering.

The cGAS-STING pathway has become a crucial role in the detection of cytosolic DNA and the initiation of immune responses. The cGAS-STING pathway not only mediates protective immune defense against various DNA-containing pathogens but also detects tumor-derived DNA to generate intrinsic anti-tumor immunity. However, abnormal activation of the cGAS-STING pathway by self-DNA can also lead to autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders. This article reviews the mechanisms and functions of the cGAS-STING pathway, as well as the latest research progress in female reproductive-related diseases. We focus on the regulatory mechanisms and roles of this pathway in common female reproductive disorders, discuss the clinical potential of the cGAS-STING pathway as biomarkers and therapeutic agents for female reproductive diseases, as well as the research controversies, technical issues, and biological knowledge gaps that need to be resolved. Furthermore, we provide new ideas for the treatment and prevention of these diseases.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Yiai Fuzheng formula (YAFZF), as a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) prescription, has been used widely at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University for its therapeutic effects and high safety on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Objective: In this study, we employed ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS), network pharmacology, and experimental validation to elucidate the underlying action mechanism of YAFZF in the treatment of TNBC. Methods: The key active ingredients in YAFZF were analyzed using UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS, and then the potential components, target genes and signalling pathways of YAFZF were predicted using the network pharmacological method. We then used molecular docking to visualize the combination characteristics between major active components and macromolecules in the crucial pathway. In vitro experiments were conducted to investigate the inhibitory effects of YAFZF treatment on the cell viability, invasion, and migration of 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The xenograft TNBC models were constructed using female Balb/c mice, and their body weights, tumour volumes, and weights were monitored during YAFZF treatment. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), Hematoxylin-eosin (HE), immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, Western blot (WB), and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining were used for further experimental validation. Results: Based on UPLC-Q-Orbitrap-HRMS and network pharmacology analysis, 6 major bioactive components and 153 intersecting genes were obtained for YAFZF against TNBC. Functional enrichment analysis identified that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) signalling pathway might be the mechanism of action of YAFZF in the treatment of TNBC. Molecular docking results suggested that the main active compounds in YAFZF had strong binding energies with the proteins in the PI3K/Akt pathway. In vitro experiments showed that YAFZF inhibited the cell viability, invasion, and migration abilities of TNBC cells. Animal experiments confirmed that YAFZF treatment suppressed tumour cell proliferation and increased apoptotic cells. PCR, HE, WB, and IHC results indicated that YAFZF could suppress xenograft tumour metastases by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway regulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Conclusion: YAFZF therapy showed its potential for reducing proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities, increasing apoptosis of TNBC cells. Furthermore, YAFZF treated TNBC by inhibiting xenograft tumour distant metastases via the regulation of EMT by the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, suggesting that it may be useful as an adjuvant treatment.

Abstract Manipulating liquid flow over open solid substrate at nanoscale is important for printing, sensing, and energy devices. The predominant methods of liquid maneuvering usually involve complicated surface fabrications, while recent attempts employing external stimuli face difficulties in attaining nanoscale flow control. Here we report a largely unexplored ion beam induced film wetting (IBFW) technology for open surface nanofluidics. Local electrostatic forces, which are generated by the unique charging effect of Helium focused ion beam (HFIB), induce precursor film of ionic liquid and the disjoining pressure propels and stabilizes the nanofilm with desired patterns. The IBFW technique eliminates the complicated surface fabrication procedures to achieve nanoscale flow in a controllable and rewritable manner. By combining with electrochemical deposition, various solid materials with desired patterns can be produced.

Abstract Adaptive metabolic responses and innate metabolites hold promising therapeutic potential for stroke, while targeted interventions require a thorough understanding of underlying mechanisms. Adiposity is a noted modifiable metabolic risk factor for stroke, and recent research suggests that it benefits neurological rehabilitation. During the early phase of experimental stroke, the lipidomic results showed that fat depots underwent pronounced lipolysis and released fatty acids (FAs) that feed into consequent hepatic FA oxidation and ketogenesis. Systemic supplementation with the predominant ketone beta‐hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is found to exert discernible effects on preserving blood‐brain barrier (BBB) integrity and facilitating neuroinflammation resolution. Meanwhile, blocking FAO‐ketogenesis processes by administration of CPT1α antagonist or shRNA targeting HMGCS2 exacerbated endothelial damage and aggravated stroke severity, whereas BHB supplementation blunted these injuries. Mechanistically, it is unveiled that BHB infusion is taken up by monocarboxylic acid transporter 1 (MCT1) specifically expressed in cerebral endothelium and upregulated the expression of tight junction protein ZO‐1 by enhancing local β‐hydroxybutyrylation of H3K9 at the promoter of TJP1 gene. Conclusively, an adaptive metabolic mechanism is elucidated by which acute lipolysis stimulates FAO‐ketogenesis processes to restore BBB integrity after stroke. Ketogenesis functions as an early metabolic responder to restrain stroke progression, providing novel prospectives for clinical translation.

Summary: The development of targeted drugs for the early prevention and management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is of great importance. However, the success rates and cost-effectiveness of traditional drug development approaches are extremely low. Utilizing large sample genome-wide association study data for drug repurposing has shown promise in many diseases but has not yet been explored in CKD. Herein, we investigated actionable druggable targets to improve renal function using large-scale Mendelian randomization and colocalization analyses. We combined two population-scale independent genetic datasets and validated findings with cell-type-dependent eQTL data of kidney tubular and glomerular samples. We ultimately prioritized two drug targets, opioid receptor-like 1 and F12, with potential genetic support for restoring renal function and subsequent treatment of CKD. Our findings explore the potential pathological mechanisms of CKD, bridge the gap between the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis and clinical intervention, and provide new strategies in future clinical trials of CKD.

Colored potatoes have many health benefits because they are rich in anthocyanins. However, the constituent and property of anthocyanins in colored potatoes have not been systematically studied yet. Herein, metabolomic analysis was carried out to investigate the chemical composition of anthocyanins in the four different colored potatoes. After that, the extract and purification conditions, and the stability of the anthocyanins were further studied. The results indicated that the four colored potatoes contained abundant of polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Cyanidin, delphinidin, and malvidin were identified as the major anthocyanidins in purple potatoes, whereas red potatoes were mainly consisted of pelargonidin and its derivatives. 84.47 mg C3GE/100 g DW of anthocyanins was obtained at the optimal conditions, which could be effectively purified macroporous resin of D101. Moreover, the anthocyanins were sensitive to pH, temperature, light, redox agents, and divalent or trivalent metal ions, but stable to sugars and univalent metal ions.

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) pollution has become a pressing global environmental issue, with growing concerns regarding its impact on human health. However, evidence on the effects of MNPs on human health remains limited. This paper reviews the three routes of human exposure to MNPs, which include ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. It further discusses the potential routes of translocation of MNPs in human lungs, intestines, and skin, analyses the potential impact of MNPs on the homeostasis of human organ systems, and provides an outlook on future research priorities for MNPs in human health. There is growing evidence that MNPs are present in human tissues or fluids. Lab studies, including in vivo animal models and in vitro human-derived cell cultures, revealed that MNPs exposure could negatively affect human health. MNPs exposure could cause oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, disruption of internal barriers like the intestinal, the air–blood and the placental barrier, tissue damage, as well as immune homeostasis imbalance, endocrine disruption, and reproductive and developmental toxicity. Limitedly available epidemiological studies suggest that disorders like lung nodules, asthma, and blood thrombus might be caused or exacerbated by MNPs exposure. However, direct evidence for the effects of MNPs on human health is still scarce, and future research in this area is needed to provide quantitative support for assessing the risk of MNPs to human health.

Abstract The sensory neocortex has been suggested to be a substrate for long-term memory storage, yet which exact single cells could be specific candidates underlying such long-term memory storage remained neither known nor visible for over a century. Here, using a combination of day-by-day two-photon Ca2+ imaging and targeted single-cell loose-patch recording in an auditory associative learning paradigm with composite sounds in male mice, we reveal sparsely distributed neurons in layer 2/3 of auditory cortex emerged step-wise from quiescence into bursting mode, which then invariably expressed holistic information of the learned composite sounds, referred to as holistic bursting (HB) cells. Notably, it was not shuffled populations but the same sparse HB cells that embodied the behavioral relevance of the learned composite sounds, pinpointing HB cells as physiologically-defined single-cell candidates of an engram underlying long-term memory storage in auditory cortex.

Abstract Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common and disabling mental disorders, and current strategies remain inadequate. Although mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown beneficial effects in experimental models of depression, underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, using murine depression models, we demonstrated that MSCs could alleviate depressive and anxiety-like behaviors not due to a reduction in proinflammatory cytokines, but rather activation of dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurons. Mechanistically, peripheral delivery of MSCs activated pulmonary innervating vagal sensory neurons, which projected to the nucleus tractus solitarius, inducing the release of 5-HT in DRN. Furthermore, MSC-secreted brain-derived neurotrophic factor activated lung sensory neurons through tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), and inhalation of a TrkB agonist also achieved significant therapeutic effects in male mice. This study reveals a role of peripheral MSCs in regulating central nervous system function and demonstrates a potential “lung vagal-to-brain axis” strategy for MDD.

Residential biomass combustion emits a large amount of organic gases into ambient air, resulting in the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and various environmental and health impacts. In this study, we investigated the emission characteristics of non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs) from residential biomass fuels during vigorous combustion (flaming) and stable combustion (smoldering) conditions. We quantified NMOC emission factors based on the CO concentration for different combustion phases and found that NMOC emissions were higher during the smoldering phase and approximately two to four times greater than those during flaming. NMOCs were categorized into volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) through the modeling of the organic compound volatility distribution. The photochemical aging of NMOCs revealed furans, phenolics, and certain IVOCs as significant non-traditional SOA precursors, with over half being consumed during a short aging period. A parametric function was established, indicating that accounting for non-traditional SOA precursors and IVOC yields improves the representation of the net enhancement of measured organic aerosol (OA). This study emphasizes the importance of differentiating emissions from various phases of residential biomass combustion and recognizing non-traditional SOA precursors and IVOCs for accurate SOA assessment and prediction.

Abstract The study of the onset characteristics of the free piston Stirling generator (FPSG) is essential for its development. In this study, the onset characteristics of the FPSG were discussed based on a thermodynamic model using the Routh stability criterion. First, the onset conditions of three types of FPSG, alpha, beta, and gamma, were analyzed. Then an experimental and numerical study of a 100 W beta‐type FPSG prototype was conducted. The impacts on the onset temperatures of spring stiffness, charging pressure, and external load were further explored. The results demonstrate that no matter how the parameters are altered, alpha‐type FPSG cannot start up. Whether beta and gamma type FPSG can start up depends on the design and operating parameters. For the prototype, as the displacer spring stiffness increases, the onset temperature rises first and then drops. When the displacer spring stiffness is 19.2 N/mm, the corresponding onset temperature is the lowest of 489 K. The FPSG is easier to start up at a higher external load and higher charging pressure. The experimental results of the impacts of the spring stiffness, charging pressure, and external load on the onset temperature agree well with the calculated results, with errors ranging from 1.7% to 9.12%. The proposed approach can play a guiding significance in studying FPSG onset conditions.

BackgroundLaparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LaTME) is standard surgical methods for rectal cancer, and LaTME operation is a challenging procedure. This study is intended to use machine learning to develop and validate prediction models for surgical difficulty of LaTME in patients with rectal cancer and compare these models’ performance.MethodsWe retrospectively collected the preoperative clinical and MRI pelvimetry parameter of rectal cancer patients who underwent laparoscopic total mesorectal resection from 2017 to 2022. The difficulty of LaTME was defined according to the scoring criteria reported by Escal. Patients were randomly divided into training group (80%) and test group (20%). We selected independent influencing features using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate logistic regression method. Adopt synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) to alleviate the class imbalance problem. Six machine learning model were developed: light gradient boosting machine (LGBM); categorical boosting (CatBoost); extreme gradient boost (XGBoost), logistic regression (LR); random forests (RF); multilayer perceptron (MLP). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and F1 score were used to evaluate the performance of the model. The Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) analysis provided interpretation for the best machine learning model. Further decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the clinical manifestations of the model.ResultsA total of 626 patients were included. LASSO regression analysis shows that tumor height, prognostic nutrition index (PNI), pelvic inlet, pelvic outlet, sacrococcygeal distance, mesorectal fat area and angle 5 (the angle between the apex of the sacral angle and the lower edge of the pubic bone) are the predictor variables of the machine learning model. In addition, the correlation heatmap shows that there is no significant correlation between these seven variables. When predicting the difficulty of LaTME surgery, the XGBoost model performed best among the six machine learning models (AUROC=0.855). Based on the decision curve analysis (DCA) results, the XGBoost model is also superior, and feature importance analysis shows that tumor height is the most important variable among the seven factors.ConclusionsThis study developed an XGBoost model to predict the difficulty of LaTME surgery. This model can help clinicians quickly and accurately predict the difficulty of surgery and adopt individualized surgical methods.

Abstract Intelligent reflective surface (IRS) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communication are two key technologies in the sixth generation of mobile communication (6G). In this paper, IRS is equipped on UAV to form aerial IRS, which can achieve 360° panoramic full-angle reflection and flexible deployment of IRS. In order to achieve high-quality and ubiquitous network coverage under data privacy and low latency requirements, we propose an Federated learning (FL) network via Over-the-Air computation (AirComp) in IRS-assisted UAV communications. Our goal is to minimize the worst-case mean square error (MSE) by jointly optimizing the IRS phase shift, denoising factor for noise suppression, the user’s transmission power, and UAV trajectory. Optimizing and quickly adjusting the UAV position and IRS phase shift, it flexibly assists the signal transmission between users and base stations (BS). In order to solve this complex non-convex problem, we propose a low-complexity iterative algorithm, which divides the original problem into four sub-problems, respectively using the semi-definite programming (SDP) method, slack variable introduction method, successive convex approximation (SCA) method to solve each sub-problem. Through the analysis of simulation results, our proposed design scheme is obviously better than other benchmark schemes.

Background: Childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This systematic review aims to provide the first synthesis of observational and interventional studies on the relationship between diet and cardiovascular health in CCSs. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted for studies published between 1990 and July 2023 in PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Child Development & Adolescent Studies, and Cochrane Library. Eligible studies included observational and interventional studies examining the associations or effects of dietary factors on CVD incidence, cardiac dysfunction, or CVD risk factors in CCSs diagnosed before age 25 years. Results: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria (nine observational and one interventional). Collectively, they comprised 3485 CCSs (male, 1734; female, 1751). The outcomes examined across observational studies included characteristics of obesity, diabetes biomarkers, hypertension indicators, dyslipidaemia biomarkers, and metabolic syndrome. The evidence suggested that greater adherence to healthy diets was associated with lower body mass index, blood pressure, glucose, and triglycerides and higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The 12-week lifestyle intervention study in childhood leukaemia survivors found no impact on obesity indicators. Conclusion: The review results indicate the potentially protective effects of healthy diets. However, the available research remains preliminary and limited, underscoring the need for more rigorous, adequately powered studies.

Eggshell gloss is an important characteristic for the manifestation of eggshell appearance. However, no study has yet identified potential candidate genes for eggshell gloss between high-gloss (HG) and low-gloss (LG) chickens. The aim of this study was to perform a preliminary investigation into the formation mechanism of eggshell gloss and to identify potential genes. The eggshell gloss of 300-day-old Rhode Island Red hens was measured from three aspects. Uterine tissues of the selected HG and LG (n = 5) hens were collected for RNA-seq. Blood samples were also collected for whole-genome resequencing (WGRS). RNA-seq analysis showed that 150 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the uterine tissues of HG and LG hens. These DEGs were mainly enriched in the calcium signaling pathway and the neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction pathway. Importantly, these two pathways were also significantly enriched in the WGRS analysis results. Further joint analysis of WGRS and RNA-seq data revealed that 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1F (HTR1F), zinc finger protein 536 (ZNF536), NEDD8 ubiquitin-like modifier (NEDD8), nerve growth factor (NGF) and calmodulin 1 (CALM1) are potential candidate genes for eggshell gloss. In summary, our research provides a reference for the study of eggshell gloss and lays a foundation for improving egg glossiness in layer breeding.

Understanding the spatiotemporal characteristics of merging behavior is crucial for the advancement of autonomous driving technology. This study aims to analyze on-ramp vehicle merging patterns, and investigate how various factors, such as merging scenarios and vehicle types, influence driving behavior. Initially, a framework based on a high-definition (HD) map is developed to extract trajectory information in a meticulous manner. Subsequently, eight distinct merging patterns are identified, with a thorough examination of their behavioral characteristics from both temporal and spatial perspectives. Merging behaviors are examined temporally, encompassing the sequence of events from approaching the on-ramp to completing the merge. This study specifically analyzes the target lane’s spatial characteristics, evaluates the merging distance (ratio), investigates merging speed distributions, compares merging patterns and identifies high-risk situations. Utilizing the latest aerial dataset, exiD, which provides HD map data, the study presents novel findings. Specifically, it uncovers patterns where the following vehicle in the target lane chooses to accelerate and overtake rather than cutting in front of the merging vehicle, resulting in Time-to-Collision (TTC) values of less than 2.5 s, indicating a significantly higher risk. Moreover, the study finds that differences in merging speed, distance, and duration can be disregarded in patterns where vehicles are present both ahead and behind, or solely ahead, suggesting these patterns could be integrated for simulation to streamline analysis and model development. Additionally, the practice of truck platooning has a significant impact on vehicle merging behavior. Overall, this study enhances the understanding of merging behavior, facilitating autonomous vehicles’ ability to comprehend and adapt to merging scenarios. Furthermore, this research is significant in improving driving safety, optimizing traffic management, and enabling the effective integration of autonomous driving systems with human drivers.

IntroductionReforestation is a widely used strategy for ecological restoration in areas facing ecological degradation. Soil bacteria regulate many functional processes in terrestrial ecosystems; however, how they respond to reforestation processes in surface and deep soils remains unclear.MethodsArtificial Robinia pseudoacacia plantation with different stand ages (8, 22, and 32 years) in a typical fallow forest on the Loess Plateau was selected to explore the differential response of soil bacterial community to reforestation in different soil depths (surface 0–200 cm, middle 200–500 cm, and deep 500-100 cm). Soil bacterial diversity, community composition and the co-occurrence patterns, as well as the functions were analyzed.Results and discussionThe results showed that alpha diversity and the presence of biomarkers (keynote species) decreased with the increasing soil depth, with a sharp reduction in family-level biomarker numbers in 500–1,000 cm depth, while reforestation had a positive impact on bacterial alpha diversity and biomarkers. Reforestation induced a more loosely connected bacterial community, as evidenced by an increase of 9.38, 22.87, and 37.26% in the average path length of the co-occurrence network in all three soil layers, compared to farmland. In addition, reforestation reduced the hierarchy and complexity but increased the modularity of the co-occurrence network in top and deep soil layers. Reforestation also led to enrichment in the relative abundance of functional pathways in all soil layers. This study sheds light on the strategies employed by deep soil bacteria in response to reforestation and underscores the significant potential of deep soil bacteria in terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in the context of human-induced environmental changes.

In this paper, we are interested in how computers can be used to better serve us humans, such as helping humans control their nutrient intake, with higher level shortcuts. Specifically, the neural network model was used to help humans identify and analyze the content and proportion of nutrients in daily food intake, so as to help humans autonomously choose and reasonably match diets. In this study, we formed the program we wanted to obtain by establishing four modules, in which the imagination module sampled the environment, then relied on the encoder to extract the implicit features of the image, and finally relied on the decoder to obtain the required feature vector from the implicit features, and converted it into the battalion formation table information through the semantic output module. Finally, the model achieved extremely high accuracy on recipe1M+ and food2K datasets.

As a growing abiotic stress, light deficient conditions seriously affect the yield and quality of rice. However, few studies focus on the effects of shading on grain quality at the booting stage and the responses of different hybrid rice cultivars to shading. Field experiments involving four representative rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars across no shading (CK) and 40% shading at the booting (S) and grain filling stages (SS) were conducted in 2021 and 2022. Compared with CK, S reduced grain yield by 53.0% but increased the head rice rate by 11.4% averaged across varieties and years. The chalkiness degree (CD) and chalky grain percentage (CR) were reduced by 73.0% and 61.6% in S due to its 45.3% lower total spikelets m–2, 44.0% lower grain–leaf ratio and 23.5% lower dry weight spikelet production efficiency, compared with CK. The CD and CR in SS were 49.5% and 41.0% higher and HR was 7.1% lower than that in CK. Shading significantly reduced amylose content, peak viscosity and breakdown value, but increased protein content and setback value, and the effects of SS were greater than S. Y-liangyou900 and Liangyoupeijiu showed better milling quality, while Y-liangyou900 and Chuanyou6203 obtained a better appearance and eating quality than the other varieties under both S and SS. In conclusion, shading at the booting stage significantly improved the milling, appearance and nutritional quality, and did not reduce the cooking and eating quality, but led to a significant decline in the grain yield of hybrid rice. Moreover, Y-liangyou900 exhibited better rice quality but lower yield under shading treatments. Therefore, more attention needs to be focused on screening shade-tolerant varieties using both yield and quality to cope with climate change in the future.

In this study, we propose a two-parameter symmetric tropical cyclone (TC) pressure model, derived from the fundamental equations of the TC wind field. This model rectifies the deficits of the traditional TC pressure model mathematically. It incorporates a new parameter into the Holland pressure model and establishes relationship equations between the new parameter, Holland parameter B, and TC attributes such as pressure difference, maximum wind speed radius, geographical latitude, and inflow angle. This derivation is achieved theoretically. Our model not only tackles the limitations of the traditional pressure model by meeting the gradient wind equations, but it also resolves the uncertainty issue of parameter B arising from varied factor selection, data time frames, and research maritime areas. As practical applications, we apply both this model and the corresponding wind field model to five TC profiles. Further, we juxtapose them with primary pressure and wind field models and conduct error and statistical significance analyses. Our findings reveal that the two-parameter model produces results on par with the Holland model and superior to Fujita and Takahashi models. Notably, reanalysis of the wind field consistently underestimates the wind field near the maximum wind speed. Hence, a hybrid wind field, synthesized from the modeled and reanalyzed wind fields, appears to be one of the most effective methodologies for reconstructing a tropical cyclone’s wind field.

Accurate integrity risk evaluation is of significance in ensuring that aviation navigation applications satisfy the predefined integrity requirement. The integrity risk evaluation method over a specified exposure interval has been proposed in previous works for the development of advanced receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (ARAIM) (ARAIM technical subgroup reference airborne algorithm description document v4.1, 2022). However, this method typically relies on an underlying optimistic assumption that the satellite geometry remains constant throughout the exposure interval. The variation in satellite geometry due to potential satellite outages undermines the widely-used geometry constant assumption. Thus, we investigate the influence of satellite geometry variations throughout the exposure interval on the integrity performance by introducing a geometry-sensitive risk-evaluation model. The findings demonstrate that, under the nominal situation, the region where the ARAIM fails to meet predefined integrity requirement could expand by a maximum of 2.93% when accounting for satellite geometry variations. Furthermore, in the situation of a single satellite outage, this hazardous region has significantly expanded from 13.12% of the global coverage to 66.82%. Based on these findings, we recommend that the ARAIM should consider satellite outages as a critical factor in real-time integrity risk evaluation.

Research on the efficiency and quality issues faced in aircraft assembly was conducted in this article. A new method of human–machine collaborative riveting was proposed, which combined the flexibility of manual collaboration with the precise control of automatic riveting. The research works include: (1) a theoretical model of pneumatic hammer riveting was established to clarify the principle and parameters of riveting process. (2) A smart bucking bar was designed to support the data collection and extraction of manual collaborative riveting process. (3) An automatic riveting experimental platform was designed to test the automatic riveting process incorporating the extracted manual riveting process parameters, and further an optimization strategy was proposed for the automatic riveting process. (4) A human–machine collaborative riveting experimental platform was developed to conduct the verification work. Through the theoretical analysis, experimental research, system scheme design, and process parameters optimization, the application and verification of human–machine collaborative assembly technology have been achieved. This technology is expected to be comprehensively promoted in the field of aircraft manufacturing, and for breaking through the current difficulties of low production efficiency and poor assembly quality control.

This study examines the impact of carpool on network traffic in a highly idealized futuristic world, where all travelers are willing to participate in carpool arranged by a Transportation Network Company. We build a parsimonious carpool model that focuses on the trade-off between inconvenience costs and travel cost savings. Underlying the model is a nonlinear bipartite matching problem that seeks to maximize commuters’ welfare. By assuming the congestion effect is negligible, we derive several useful analytical results. When the inconvenience cost is less than the median trip valuation of a rider, the platform could always achieve an almost perfect match while maximizing commuters’ welfare, which corresponds to a 50% reduction in vehicular traffic flow. In the case of perfect match, if there is an even number of travelers, we propose a pricing policy that possesses all desired properties of the Vickrey-Clark-Groves (VCG) policy – a benchmark truthful policy for achieving socially optimal solution – but runs a lower deficit. Otherwise, we show the VCG policy always generates a profit. If the inconvenience cost is too high, the perfect match is no longer socially optimal, but the VCG policy still yields a positive profit. Solutions from numerical experiments generally agree with the analytical results. They also suggest that matching across O-D pairs occurs only when it has a significantly lower inconvenience cost than matching within, an unlikely event in reality. Moreover, when cross O-D matching does become prevalent, it leads to higher vehicle miles travelled, hence worse congestion. Thus, from the point of view of traffic management, cross O-D carpool should not be encouraged.

Summary: Neocortical layer 6 (L6) is less understood than other more superficial layers, largely owing to limitations of performing high-resolution investigations in vivo. Here, we show that labeling with the Challenge Virus Standard (CVS) rabies virus strain enables high-quality imaging of L6 neurons by conventional two-photon microscopes. CVS virus injection into the medial geniculate body can selectively label L6 neurons in the auditory cortex. Only three days after injection, dendrites and cell bodies of L6 neurons could be imaged across all cortical layers. Ca2+ imaging in awake mice showed that sound stimulation evokes neuronal responses from cell bodies with minimal contamination from neuropil signals. In addition, dendritic Ca2+ imaging revealed significant responses from spines and trunks across all layers. These results demonstrate a reliable method capable of rapid, high-quality labeling of L6 neurons that can be readily extended to other brain regions.

Abstract Wide‐bandgap, layered hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) possesses excellent electrical insulation and ultrahigh thermal conductivity simultaneously, offering a perfect candidate for the growing demands of heating dissipations in modern chip industries and power electronics. Hybrids of h‐BN with polymers fulfill the thermal management materials (TMMs) requirement of flexibility, while the composite poses severe challenges in the interfacial bonding and excess thermal resistance. To date, the practical bonding between h‐BN intrinsic surfaces and polymer matrices remains elusive. This work reports on the effective alignment of h‐BN micro‐lamellae by introducing nitrogen‐atoms‐containing polymers as inter‐lamellae bridging mediums. Based on theoretical calculations the hydrogen bonding between polymer chains and the BN surface is revealed by differential charge densities mapping. It is shown experimentally that the neuron‐like polymer bundles strongly bonding surfaces of two neighboring h‐BN platelets as direct, microscopic evidence of the structure models. An extra alignment of h‐BN induced by this strong interfacial interaction leads to a higher degree of h‐BN stacking order, boosting the thermal conduction by eight times. These results reveal one unprecedented method to non‐covalently functionalize the h‐BN surface and expand the TMMs family in the dimension of the filler size, paving the way for exploring the larger‐sized ceramic TMMs.

Background: Combined use of hypnotic and opioids during anesthesia inductions decreases blood pressure. Post-induction hypotension (PIHO) is the most common side effect of anesthesia induction. We aimed to compare the difference in mean arterial pressure (MAP) induced by remimazolam with that induced by etomidate in the presence of fentanyl at tracheal intubation.Methods: We assessed 138 adult patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I–II who underwent elective urological surgery. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either remimazolam or etomidate as alterative hypnotic in the presence of fentanyl during anesthesia induction. Comparable BIS values were achieved in both groups. The primary outcome was the difference in the MAP at tracheal intubation. The secondary outcomes included the characteristics of anesthesia, surgery, and adverse effects.Results: The MAP was higher in the etomidate group than in the remimazolam group at tracheal intubation (108 [22] mmHg vs. 83 [16] mmHg; mean difference, −26; 95% confidence interval [CI], −33 to −19; p < 0.0001). Heart rate was significantly higher in the etomidate group than in the remimazolam group at tracheal intubation. The patients’ condition warranted the administration of ephedrine more frequently in the remimazolam group (22%) than in the etomidate group (5%) (p = 0.0042) during anesthesia induction. The remimazolam group had a lower incidence of hypertension (0% vs. 9%, p = 0.0133), myoclonus (0% vs. 47%, p < 0.001), and tachycardia (16% vs. 35%, p = 0.0148), and a higher incidence of PIHO (42% vs. 5%, p = 0.001) than the etomidate group during anesthesia induction.Conclusion: Remimazolam was associated with lower MAP and lower heart rate compared to etomidate in the presence of fentanyl at tracheal intubation. Patients in the remimazolam group had a higher incidence of PIHO, and their condition warranted the administration of ephedrine more frequently than in the etomidate group during anesthesia induction.

Quantitative and mechanistic understanding of learning and long-term memory at the level of single neurons in living brains require highly demanding techniques. A specific need is to precisely label one cell whose firing output property is pinpointed amidst a functionally characterized large population of neurons through the learning process and then investigate the distribution and properties of dendritic inputs. Here, we disseminate an integrated method of daily two-photon neuronal population Ca2+ imaging through an auditory associative learning course, followed by targeted single-cell loose-patch recording and electroporation of plasmid for enhanced chronic Ca2+ imaging of dendritic spines in the targeted cell. Our method provides a unique solution to the demand, opening a solid path toward the hard-cores of how learning and long-term memory are physiologically carried out at the level of single neurons and synapses.

Based on the background of low carbon consumption and the network energy saving topic, deep investigation for the network energy occupancy ratio was performed, and finally the target was set on the energy reduction for the antenna unit of base station.In addition, based on the base station power consumption model and the evaluation methodology considering the tradeoff between energy efficiency and system performance, a set of technical directions for network energy saving were introduced and analyzed, including time domain shutdown, spatial channel shutdown, frequency domain extension and power back off.Evaluation results were provided to show the space for the above energy saving techniques.Furthermore, other dimensions were also considered, including multi-site networking based energy saving, assistance information based energy saving and PA efficiency enhancements.

The uptake of radiocesium (RCs) by plants is key to the assessment of its environmental risk. However, the transfer process of RCs in the water-vegetable system still remains unclear. In this work, the uptake and accumulation processes of Cs+ (0-10 mM) in lettuce were explored under different conditions by using hydroponics. The results showed that the higher exposure concentration of Cs+ could lead to a faster uptake rate and would be beneficial to the uptake and accumulation of Cs+. The uptake of K+ by roots and leaves was inhibited significantly when Cs+ concentration increased, but unapparent for Ca2+ and Mg2+. It was found that the higher K+ and Ca2+ concentration was, the higher inhibition was found for the uptake of Cs+ in root. The uptake of Cs+ leads the decrease of chlorophyll content and brought a negative effect on plant photosynthesis, consequently, a negative effect on lettuce morphology and obvious decrease of biomass and root length. The contents of glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and root vitality were increasing during the growth following stress of high concentrations of Cs+, which caused stresses on the antioxidant system of lettuce. The enrichment coefficient for Cs+ in leaves was in the range of 8-217. Moreover, the transfer factor was in the range of 0.114-0.828, which suggested that the high Cs+ concentration could enhance the transfer of Cs+ from lettuce root to leaf. This study provides more information on the transfer of RCs from water to food chain, promoting the understanding of the potential risk of RCs.

BackgroundTelomeres have an essential role in maintaining the integrity and stability of the human chromosomal genome and preserving essential DNA biological functions. Several articles have been published on the association of STL with male semen parameters and clinical pregnancy. The results, however, are either inconclusive or inconsistent. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to systematically assess the accuracy and clinical value of sperm telomere length (STL) as a new marker for diagnosing male infertility and predicting the quality of embryonic development.MethodsWe performed a comprehensive systematic search for relevant publications in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Ovid, from database build to August 2022. All experimental studies exploring the association of STL with male semen quality, male infertility, or embryonic development were included.ResultsOverall, Twelve prospective observational cohort studies (1700 patients) were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed a positive linear correlation between STL and semen parameters. The optimal cut-off value for STL diagnosing male infertility was 1.0, with a sensitivity and specificity of 80%. Regarding STL and embryonic development, the clinical pregnancy rate was associated with longer STL, and there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding fertilization rate.ConclusionOur study showed that STL has good diagnostic and predictive value for male fertility and clinical pregnancy and could be used as a new biomarker for diagnosing male infertility and predicting embryonic development.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022303333.

ObjectiveTo estimate the magnitude of the nocebo response and explore its influencing factors in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).MethodsThe PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to March 2021. We performed a random effects meta-analysis of the proportion of adverse events (AEs) in placebo-treated patients with IBS who are involved in parallel-designed, randomized, placebo-controlled trials investigating pharmacological interventions and evaluated the effect of trial characteristics on the magnitude of the nocebo response rate.ResultsA total of 6,107 studies were identified from the databases. After evaluation, 53 met the eligibility criteria and were included. The overall pooled nocebo response rate was 32% (95% CI: 26–38%). The most commonly reported AEs were headache (9%), nasopharyngitis (7%), abdominal pain (4%), and nausea (4%). The nocebo response rate was low compared with that in the treatment group applying probiotics, antispasmodics, and Traditional Chinese medicine, but high compared with that in antibiotic treatment group. The nocebo rate in patients using diaries to record AEs was lower than the average, and was higher in patients recording through checkup.DiscussionPatients with IBS have significant nocebo response intensity in clinical trials. Based on findings in this study, we recommend the researchers pay attention to the common AEs and carefully analyze the relation to the intervention.

Astrocytic Ca2+ transients are essential for astrocyte integration into neural circuits. These Ca2+ transients are primarily sequestered in subcellular domains, including primary branches, branchlets and leaflets, and endfeet. In previous studies, it suggests that aging causes functional defects in astrocytes. Until now, it was unclear whether and how aging affects astrocytic Ca2+ transients at subcellular domains. In this study, we combined a genetically encoded Ca2+ sensor (GCaMP6f) and in vivo two-photon Ca2+ imaging to determine changes in Ca2+ transients within astrocytic subcellular domains during brain aging. We showed that aging increased Ca2+ transients in astrocytic primary branches, higher-order branchlets, and terminal leaflets. However, Ca2+ transients decreased within astrocytic endfeet during brain aging, which could be caused by the decreased expressions of Aquaporin-4 (AQP4). In addition, aging-induced changes of Ca2+ transient types were heterogeneous within astrocytic subcellular domains. These results demonstrate that the astrocytic Ca2+ transients within subcellular domains are affected by aging differently. This finding contributes to a better understanding of the physiological role of astrocytes in aging-induced neural circuit degeneration.

Abstract The role of organic aerosols (OA) as ice nucleating particles (INPs) deserves attention because of their high atmospheric abundance. The low concentration of INPs poses challenges in identifying the ice nucleation (IN) of OA among a mix of aerosol types in ambient environment. This study coupled a catalytic stripper system (350°C heating) with a continuous flow diffusion chamber to online investigate the immersion INPs of ambient particles at −30°C at a suburban site. Significant reduction (71 ± 25%) of INP concentrations after evaporation suggested that INPs can be significantly contributed by volatile OA. In addition, nonvolatile OA were more efficient INPs than black carbon. Oxygenated OA by photooxidation and lower ambient promoted the IN activity at noon, when the OA may be more viscous. These results hereby present the first field evidence that OA in anthropogenically influenced regions can be efficient INPs well above the homogeneous IN temperature.

The integrity improvement of receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) can benefit from a combination of constellations. With the rapid development of constellation modernization, integrity parameters, including the probability of satellite fault (Psat) and user range accuracy (URA), have improved. The integrity loss of RAIM needs to be accurately characterized to control the effect of the improved integrity parameters. To reveal the sensitivity of integrity risk with respect to Psat and URA, a conservative integrity risk estimation method is proposed based on the worst-case protection concept. Acceptable Psat and URA were derived by comparing the estimated worst-case integrity risk with the required integrity risk. The simulation results showed that RAIM can meet the integrity risk requirement of LPV-200 when Psat was 10−4 and URA was smaller than 0.88 m.

The surface gravity wave equation is expanded to the fourth-order wave steepness on slowly varying topography, obtaining a topographic modified nonlinear Schrödinger (TMNLS) equation. When the time scale is longer than ε-3 times of the dominant wave period or the space scale is larger than ε-3 times the dominant wavelength, the second water depth derivative and the square of the first water depth derivative affect the first-order wave amplitude. The instability area for a uniform Stokes wave train by small perturbations is the entire wavenumber space, except for a specific stability curve on infinite and slowly varying depth. The depth variation terms affect the growth rate of uniform Stokes wave train on the order of 0.01. The stability curve shows more sensitive to the depth variation in x direction than that in y direction. The increment of the value for depth variation in x direction contributes the stable wave number of perturbation to approach or parallel to y axis. The increment of the value for depth variation in y direction helps the stable wave number of perturbation to approach or parallel to x axis.

Using a combination of two-photon imaging and single-cell electrophysiology, the authors discover that associative learning induces the emergence of a unique subset of neurons in the auditory cortex, exhibiting high-rate bursting responses to the learned complex sounds but not to any of the constituents.

Gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine are widely adopted in the automobile industry since its advantage in the fuel economy. Injection Timing (IT) is an important parameter for the GDI engine, having a great impact on the spray atomization, mixture evenness, combustion characteristics, and therefore performance of the GDI engine. With the motive of IT optimization, a three-dimensional CFD model of a single cylinder 4-stroke spark ignition GDI engine with bore of 84 mm and compression ratio of 10.3 was utilized to analyze the detailed process at different IT (270, 280, 290, 300-degree CA BTDC), while the other conditions were invariant like rotate speed at 2000 RPM. The spray, turbulence, G-equation combustion were included. The result indicated that delayed IT tended to reduce drop-wall impingement significantly but still intensified unevenness of mixture concertation severely, resulting in fuel-rich region appeared around cylinder. Because the duration available for mixing was shortened, which dominantly intensified the unevenness of the mixture. The combustion was deteriorated as the IT delayed because the excessive equivalence ratio region severely slowed flame propagation and frozen at the most uneven region, which finally degraded thermal efficiency and engine performance. In conclusion, this paper demonstrated the whole process from injection to combustion, revealing that droplet-wall impingement and available duration for mixing are dominant trade-off factors for mixture formation and following combustion process, as the IT changes.

The emphasis on environmental protection and energy security has promoted automobile engine technology toward low emission and economy. While the traditional port fuel injection engine can hardly meet the latest regulations and requirements, the gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine becomes a hot research topic because of its potential to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Since injection timing has a determining effect on overall engine performance, this paper aimed to investigate the injection timing effects on mixture formation and emissions. A validated three-dimensional numerical simulation model of a 4-stroke GDI engine combustion chamber was adopted. In a previous work (Part A), the in-cylinder combustion process has been discussed. In this study, the simulation results demonstrate that with the injection timing advancing, the fuel–gas mixture was more uniformly distributed and combusted more completely; the CO, UHC, and soot had decreased sharply by 80.6, 99.2, and 97.5%; the NOx emission increased by 151.7%. The optimized injection timing for this case was 300 CA BTDC. Moreover, this paper studied the in-cylinder views of injection timing effects on mixture formation and emission, providing reference to optimize injection of GDI engine.

Postsynaptic currents of chemical synapse are modulated by multitudinous neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, dopamine, glutamate, and γ-aminobutyric acid, many of which have been used in the treatment of neurological diseases. Here, based on molecular dynamics simulations and quantum chemical calculation, we propose that 30- to 45-THz photons can resonate with a variety of typical neurotransmitter molecules and make them absorb photon energy to activate the transition to high energy state, which is expected to be a new method of neural regulation. Furthermore, we verified the calculated results through experiments that THz irradiation could substantively change neuronal signal emission and enhance the frequency, amplitude, and dynamic properties of excitatory postsynaptic current and inhibitory postsynaptic current. In addition, we demonstrated the potential of neural information regulation by THz photons through 2-photon imaging in vivo. These findings are expected to improve the understanding of the physical mechanism of biological phenomena and facilitate the application of terahertz technology in neural regulation and the development of new functional materials.

Based on the advection-diffusion equation of suspended sediment, a general formula of vertical distribution of suspended sediment concentration was derived by considering the influence of vertical velocity. The new formula was tested against over 3000 sets of field data and obtained a reasonable agreement. Comparing with the Rouse equation of concentration, the accuracy of the new formula increases significantly, and the shortcoming of the underestimation of the Rouse profile in practical application is revised. Through the analysis of the new formula with different vertical time-averaged velocity coefficients m, it was found that vertical velocity does have an impact on the accurate estimation of sediment concentration, and the extent of which is related to the value of sediment concentration. Utilizing the regression analysis, it was found the vertical time-averaged velocity coefficient m increases with the height above the bed.

Myocardial fibrosis is a common pathological feature of various terminal cardiovascular diseases. Progressive fibrosis is the pathological basis for the development and progression of many cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. There are no effective reversal drugs for myocardial fibrosis due to the lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms. Noncoding RNAs, a class of RNAs that do not function in coding proteins, have been found to be intimately involved in the life cycle of cardiomyocyte differentiation, transcription and apoptosis and are important regulators of cardiovascular disease. An increasing number of studies have shown that noncoding RNAs regulate the proliferation and transformation of cardiac fibroblasts through related signaling pathways and can be used as potential biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for cardiac fibrosis. This article reviews the relationship between noncoding RNAs and cardiac fibrosis.

Freezing injury is one of the main restriction factors for winter wheat production, especially in the northern part of the Winter Wheat Region in China. It is very important to assess the risk of winter wheat-freezing injury. However, most of the existing climate models are complex and cannot be widely used. In this study, Zunhua which is located in the northern boundary of Winter Wheat Region in China is selected as research region, based on the winter meteorological data of Zunhua from 1956 to 2016, seven freezing disaster-causing factors related to freezing injury were extracted to formulated the freezing injury index (FII) of wheat. Referring to the historical wheat-freezing injury in Zunhua and combining with the cold resistance identification data of the National Winter Wheat Variety Regional Test (NWWVRT), consistency between the FII and the actual freezing injury situation was tested. Furthermore, the occurrence law of freezing injury in Zunhua during the past 60 years was analyzed by Morlet wavelet analyze, and the risk of freezing injury in the short term was evaluated. Results showed that the FII can reflect the occurrence of winter wheat-freezing injury in Zunhua to a certain extent and had a significant linear correlation with the dead tiller rate of wheat (P = 0.014). The interannual variation of the FII in Zunhua also showed a significant downward trend (R2 = 0.7412). There are two cycles of freezing injury in 60 years, and it showed that there’s still exist a high risk in the short term. This study provides reference information for the rational use of meteorological data for winter wheat-freezing injury risk assessment.

Microplastics (MPs, plastics 100 nm–5 mm in diameter) are estimated to accumulate in agricultural soils in quantities that exceed the total MP burden in ocean waters. Despite a wealth of information relating to the accumulation of MPs in aquatic species, there is little information on the uptake of MPs by terrestrial plants. Information about location of MPs in plant tissues is critical to understand the modes of their interaction with plants. Polystyrene (PS) is one of the most commonly used plastic polymers worldwide and it is often found in MPs sampled in the environment. The performance of traditional detection methods (i.e., transmission electron microscopy, TEM and scanning electron microscopy, SEM) for nanoparticles is limited due to the extensive sample preparation and the limited field of view. Here we report an approach for the imaging of different sizes of PS plastic beads (ranging from submicrometer to micrometer-sized) within plant tissues by using confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Fluorescent dye Nile blue or 4-chloro-7-nitro-1,2,3-benzoxadiazole were encapsulated into the PS microbeads through swelling method and they were used to detect the localization of PS beads in the root and the green tissue respectively. • This is a simple and rapid approach for imaging of MPs in plant. • The fluorescent dyes can produce bright and stable emission signals that are distinguishable from the autofluorescence background of plant tissues. • The dyes leakage in the aqueous phase can be assumed to be negligible.

BackgroundFor population health management, it is important to have health indices that can monitor prevailing health trends in the population. Traditional health indices are generally measurable at different geographical levels with varied number of health dimensions. The aim of this work was to develop and validate a scalable and extendable multi-dimensional health index based on individual data.MethodsWe defined health to be made up of five different domains: Physical, Mental, Social, Risk, and Healthcare utilization. Item response theory was used to develop models to compute domain scores and a health index. These were normalized to represent an individual's health percentile relative to the population (0 = worst health, 100 = best health). Data for the models came from a longitudinal health survey on 1,942 participants. The health index was validated using age, frailty, post-survey one-year healthcare utilization and one-year mortality.ResultsThe Spearman rho between the health index and age, frailty and post-survey one-year healthcare utilization were -0.571, -0.561 and -0.435, respectively, with all pConclusionThe health index can be used at the individual, program, local, regional or national level to track the state of health of the population. When used together with the domain scores, it can identify regions with poor health and deficiencies within each of the five health domains.

To better control the strength and deformation of the roadbed, a constitutive model of rockfill was established based on property-dependent plastic potential theory for geomaterials. The effect of the particle gradation on the anisotropy was described in the model. According to the effect of the particle grading and crushing on the fractal dimension, the fractal theory and fabric tensor were introduced to establish the yield and failure criteria of the rockfill. By combining the property-dependent concepts of the materials and the results of the rockfill strength test, a critical state line considering the microstructure, fractal dimension, particle breakage, and stress state of the rockfill was established. The dilatancy equation was derived based on the novel potential theory and the hardening criterion affected by the critical state was established. A constitutive model of the rockfill in the general stress space was established under the framework of the novel potential theory. The 3D strength and its intensity change in the π plane were simulated through the drainage strength test results, which verified the description of the critical state under various stress paths. By simulating the stress-strain relationship, the validity and rationality of the model were verified.

Background: Xinmailong (XML), a bioactive composite extracted from Periplaneta americana, has been widely used to treat cardiovascular diseases such as congestive heart failure. However, it is unclear whether XML has antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects.Methods: The effects of XML on agonist-induced platelet aggregation, adhesion and spreading, granule secretion, integrin α II bβ3 activation, and thrombus formation were evaluated. Phosphorylation of Syk, PLCγ2, Akt, GSK3β, and MAPK signaling molecules was also studied on agonist-induced platelets. In addition, the antithrombotic effects of XML were observed in vivo using an acute pulmonary thrombosis mouse model.Results: XML dose-dependently inhibited in vitro platelet aggregation and granule secretion induced by thrombin, collagen, and arachidonic acid (AA). XML also greatly reduced platelet adhesion and spreading on both collagen- and fibrinogen-coated surfaces. Biochemical analysis revealed that XML inhibited thrombin-, collagen-, and AA-induced phosphorylation of Syk, PLCγ2, Akt, GSK3β, and MAPK. Additionally, XML significantly inhibited in vivo thrombus formation in a collagen–epinephrine-induced acute pulmonary thrombosis mouse model.Conclusions and General Significance: Here, we provide the first report showing that XML inhibits platelet function and that it possesses antithrombotic activity. This suggests that XML could be a potential therapeutic candidate to prevent or treat platelet-related cardiovascular diseases.

In this paper, a new exponential formed vertical distribution of nearshore flow velocity is constructed, which is simpler in form and more suitable for engineering application. The physical meaning of the new formula is more specific than that of Soulsby. Compared with those logarithmic formed ones, the new one does not need the maximum velocity and only needs the mean velocity in vertical, which gives it better engineering practicability. Apply the new formula to Jiangsu coastal area and compare the results with that of Soulsby whose results show the new formula agrees better with the measured flow velocity, which reasonably reflects the basic principles of vertical distribution of flow velocity.

Auxin response factors (ARFs) compose a family of transcription factors and have been found to play major roles in the process of plant growth and development. However, their roles in plant carotenoid biosynthesis and responses to abiotic stresses are rarely known to date. In the present study, we found that the IbARF5 gene from sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) line HVB-3 increased the contents of carotenoids and enhanced the tolerance to salt and drought in transgenic Arabidopsis. The transgenic Arabidopsis plants exhibited the increased abscisic acid (ABA) and proline contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the decreased H2O2 content. Furthermore, it was found that IbARF5 positively regulated the genes associated with carotenoid and ABA biosynthesis and abiotic stress responses. These results suggest that IbARF5 is involved in carotenoid biosynthesis and salt and drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis. This study provides a novel ARF gene for improving carotenoid contents and salt and drought tolerance of sweetpotato and other plants.