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Abstract Cell death is a fundamental part of life for metazoans. To maintain the balance between cell proliferation and metabolism of human bodies, a certain number of cells need to be removed regularly. Hence, the mechanisms of cell death have been preserved during the evolution of multicellular organisms. Tumorigenesis is closely related with exceptional inhibition of cell death. Mutations or defects in cell death-related genes block the elimination of abnormal cells and enhance the resistance of malignant cells to chemotherapy. Therefore, the investigation of cell death mechanisms enables the development of drugs that directly induce tumor cell death. In the guidelines updated by the Cell Death Nomenclature Committee (NCCD) in 2018, cell death was classified into 12 types according to morphological, biochemical and functional classification, including intrinsic apoptosis, extrinsic apoptosis, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-driven necrosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, PARP-1 parthanatos, entotic cell death, NETotic cell death, lysosome-dependent cell death, autophagy-dependent cell death, immunogenic cell death, cellular senescence and mitotic catastrophe. The mechanistic relationships between epigenetic controls and cell death in cancer progression were previously unclear. In this review, we will summarize the mechanisms of cell death pathways and corresponding epigenetic regulations. Also, we will explore the extensive interactions between these pathways and discuss the mechanisms of cell death in epigenetics which bring benefits to tumor therapy.

Abstract Dielectric capacitors are highly desired for electronic systems owing to their high-power density and ultrafast charge/discharge capability. However, the current dielectric capacitors suffer severely from the thermal instabilities, with sharp deterioration of energy storage performance at elevated temperatures. Here, guided by phase-field simulations, we conceived and fabricated the self-assembled metadielectric nanostructure with HfO2 as second-phase in BaHf0.17Ti0.83O3 relaxor ferroelectric matrix. The metadielectric structure can not only effectively increase breakdown strength, but also broaden the working temperature to 400 oC due to the enhanced relaxation behavior and substantially reduced conduction loss. The energy storage density of the metadielectric film capacitors can achieve to 85 joules per cubic centimeter with energy efficiency exceeding 81% in the temperature range from 25 °C to 400 °C. This work shows the fabrication of capacitors with potential applications in high-temperature electric power systems and provides a strategy for designing advanced electrostatic capacitors through a metadielectric strategy.

This paper obtained an additively manufactured high-strength Al–Li alloy by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) based on a third generation AA2195 alloy powder raw material. The relationship between the process optimization, microstructure evolution, and mechanical properties of the as-printed (AP) and heat-treated (HT) specimens was established for the first time to explain the intergranular fracture sensibility during LPBF and reveal the dominant precipitation strengthening mechanism induced by the subsequent heat treatment. The precipitation order of AP Al–Li alloy at the last stage of the solidification process was: L (Liquid phase) →T2 (Al6CuLi3) + θ′(Al2Cu) + δ′/β' (Al3(Li,Zr)) + T (LiAlSi) + Ω (AlCuMgAg). The micro-cracks caused by a relatively high grain boundary coverage of interconnected film-like eutectic phases, as well as micro-voids caused by the localized slip between the coarse T2-phases and soft precipitate-free zones, resulted in the high intergranular fracture sensibility. The well-designed T6 heat treatment of 515 °C/60 min solution treatment and 170 °C/6 h aging treatment was conducted to maximize the precipitation strengthening by T1-phases. The precipitation order of HT Al–Li alloy was supersaturated solid solution → GP zone + δ′/β' → θ′ + T1 (Al2CuLi) + ω (Al7Cu2Fe) + β′. The presence of continuously distributed T1-cells along the grain boundaries was not only capable of providing a pinning effect on dislocations movement and boundary migration, but also able to shorten the pile-up distance on the slip plane. Such phenomena improved the resistance ability of Al–Li alloys to mechanical damage and permitted a significant strength enhancement.

BackgroundMetatarsal stress fracture is common in people engaged in repetitive weight-bearing activities, especially athletes and recruits. Identifying risk factors in these contexts is crucial for effective prevention.MethodsA systematic search on Web of Science, PubMed, EBSCO, SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library was conducted and the date range for the retrieval was set from January 1984 to April 2024.Results32 eligible studies were selected from 1,728 related research. Anatomical and biomechanical factors, such as higher foot arch, abnormal inversion/eversion of foot, and longer metatarsal length or larger angles, relatively influence stress fracture risk. However, given that there is no standardized measurement, the results remain to be examined. Soccer is associated with fifth metatarsal fractures, while long-distance running and recruit training often lead to fractures of the second or third metatarsals. High exercise intensity, non-adaptive training, and inadequate equipment heighten fracture risk.ConclusionThis review highlights the complex interplay of anatomical, biomechanical, and sports-related factors in the risk of metatarsal stress fractures. Relatively, high arches, specific metatarsal morphologies, and foot inversion/eversion patterns are significant risk factors, particularly among athletes. Sports type also correlates with metatarsal stress fracture locations. Despite extensive research, study heterogeneity and inherent biases necessitate cautious interpretation. Comprehensive, multifactorial approaches and personalized injury prevention strategies are essential for reducing the incidence of these injuries and improving the health and performance of athletes.

The existing research primarily focuses on wood-concrete composite beams, with limited studies on the bending performance and effective width of wood-concrete composite slabs. A full-scale composite slab with screw connections was constructed and subjected to static load testing. The study extensively investigated the ultimate bearing capacity, load-deflection curves, interface slips, strain distributions of cross-section and effective width of the wood-concrete composite slab. It was found that the failure mechanism of the composite slab involved both bending and tensile failure of the wood beams. As the applied load intensified, a marked augmentation in the longitudinal strain of the concrete slab was observed; along the width direction, the longitudinal strain of concrete slab manifested a curved distribution. The precise determination of the effective width of the concrete slab within the composite floor could be accurately achieved via the utilization of a simplified computational approach. In order to simplify the analysis, the M-shaped section of composite slab was approximated as T-section composite beams when evaluating the bending behavior. The linear-elastic model was shown to be accurate in predicting the bending stiffness and load-carrying capacity of composite slabs.

Background: Foot kinematics, such as excessive eversion and malalignment of the hindfoot, are believed to be associated with running-related injuries. The majority of studies to date show that different foot strike patterns influence these specific foot and ankle kinematics. However, technical deficiencies in traditional motion capture approaches limit knowledge of in vivo joint kinematics with respect to rearfoot and forefoot strike patterns (RFS and FFS, respectively). This study uses a high-speed dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS) to determine the effects of different foot strike patterns on 3D in vivo tibiotalar and subtalar joints kinematics. Methods: Fifteen healthy male recreational runners underwent foot computed tomography scanning for the construction of 3-dimensional models. A high-speed DFIS (100 Hz) was used to collect 6 degrees of freedom kinematics for participants’ tibiotalar and subtalar joints when they adopted RFS and FFS in barefoot condition. Results: Compared with RFS, FFS exhibited greater internal rotation at 0%–20% of the stance phase in the tibiotalar joint. The peak internal rotation angle of the tibiotalar joint under FFS was greater than under RFS (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.92). RFS showed more dorsiflexion at 0%–20% of the stance phase in the tibiotalar joint than FFS. RFS also presented a larger anterior translation (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.28) in the subtalar joint at initial contact than FFS. Conclusion: Running with acute barefoot FFS increases the internal rotation of the tibiotalar joint in the early stance. The use of high-speed DFIS to quantify the movement of the tibiotalar and subtalar joint was critical to revealing the effects of RFS and FFS during running.

This study systematically reviews the literature on transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) interventions for lower-limb endurance performance in healthy adults and provides a summary of the effects and underlying mechanisms of tDCS on lower-limb endurance performance. Systematic searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and ScienceDirect. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. The electronic search totaled 341 studies. Twenty-one studies were included in the review after screening. The results show that tDCS effectively improved time to task failure (TTF), increased blood lactate accumulation, and reduced the rating of perceived exertion during cycling. However, the tDCS failed to significantly improve the TTF, relieve muscle pain, and reduce fatigue indices during single-joint fatigue tasks in the knee. Moreover, tDCS intervention caused the effective improvement of the overall lower-limb endurance performance but exerted no uniformly conclusive effect on knee endurance performance. This finding can be partly attributed to varying stimulation protocols across studies. Future studies may focus on the effects of the application of stimulation protocols, such as multitarget stimulation and personalized dosage, to develop targeted stimulation protocols.

To address the issues of low processing efficiency, poor forming accuracy, and internal damage in glass material processing, this study proposes the use of flame jet forming. However, the mechanism of flame jet processing requires further elucidation. This research investigates the relationship between the indentation morphology on the glass surface and the inlet velocity of the flame jet. A theoretical model was established through mathematical analysis to reflect this relationship. The model’s accuracy was validated using numerical simulation methods. By comparing experimental data with theoretical model results, surface tension was incorporated, and the model was iteratively optimized using MATLAB R2024a. The final optimized model demonstrated an absolute error range of 0.009 to 0.069 mm. This study confirms the feasibility of flame jet processing and enriches the understanding of its mechanism, providing a novel, efficient, and precise method for processing glass materials.

ABSTRACTUsing a continuous laser to soften glass locally is a novel way of selective glass forming. Due to gaussian distribution of laser power density, a temperature gradient will be generated on glass treated with localized irradiation by laser, which brings about the coexistence of a glass state and a viscoelastic state. This situation creates a bulge on the surface of the softened area. Based on this phenomenon, we propose a measurement approach and a calculation model for the softening zone width of glass irradiated locally by laser and verify the calculation model through simulations and experiments. The maximum temperature deviation of the proposed temperature field prediction model is 4.7°C, while the minimum deviation is 0.53°C; making the deviation between the calculation model of the softening zone width and the experimental measurement result less than 0.319%.

Objective:This study aims to explore the effects of 12-week gait retraining (GR) on plantar flexion torque, architecture, and behavior of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) during maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC).Methods:Thirty healthy male rearfoot strikers were randomly assigned to the GR group (n = 15) and the control (CON) group (n = 15). The GR group was instructed to wear minimalist shoes and run with a forefoot strike pattern for the 12-week GR (3 times per week), whereas the CON group wore their own running shoes and ran with their original foot strike pattern. Participants were required to share screenshots of running tracks each time to ensure training supervision. The architecture and behavior of MG, as well as ankle torque data, were collected before and after the intervention. The architecture of MG, including fascicle length (FL), pennation angle, and muscle thickness, was obtained by measuring muscle morphology at rest using an ultrasound device. Ankle torque data during plantar flexion MVIC were obtained using a dynamometer, from which peak torque and early rate of torque development (RTD50) were calculated. The fascicle behavior of MG was simultaneously captured using an ultrasound device to calculate fascicle shortening, fascicle rotation, and maximal fascicle shortening velocity (Vmax).Results:After 12-week GR, 1) the RTD50 increased significantly in the GR group (p = 0.038), 2) normalized FL increased significantly in the GR group (p = 0.003), and 3) Vmax increased significantly in the GR group (p = 0.018).Conclusion:Compared to running training, GR significantly enhanced the rapid strength development capacity and contraction velocity of the MG. This indicates the potential of GR as a strategy to improve muscle function and mechanical efficiency, particularly in enhancing the ability of MG to generate and transmit force as well as the rapid contraction capability. Further research is necessary to explore the effects of GR on MG behavior during running in vivo.

The utilization of compression garments (CGs) has demonstrated the potential to improve athletic performance; however, the specific mechanisms underlying this enhancement remain a subject of further investigation. This study aimed to examine the impact of CGs on running mechanics and muscle synergies from a neuromuscular control perspective. Twelve adult males ran on a treadmill at 12 km/h, while data pertaining to lower limb kinematics, kinetics, and electromyography were collected under two clothing conditions: whole leg compression garments and control. The Non-negative matrix factorization algorithm was employed to extract muscle synergy during running, subsequently followed by cluster analysis and correlation analysis. The findings revealed that the CGs increased knee extension and reduced hip flexion at foot strike compared with the control condition. Moreover, CGs were found to enhance stance-phase peak knee extension, while diminishing hip flexion and maximal hip extension during the stance-phase, and the ankle kinematics remained unaltered. We extracted and classified six synergies (SYN1-6) during running and found that only five SYNs were observed after wearing CGs. CGs altered the structure of the synergies and changed muscle activation weights and durations. The current study is the first to apply muscle synergy to discuss the effect of CGs on running biomechanics. Our findings provide neuromuscular evidence for the idea of previous studies that CGs alter the coordination of muscle groups, thereby affecting kinematic characteristics during running.

Objective To identify risk factors associated with snakebite severity and determine whether tourniquet use can affect the severity and outcome of snakebites. Methods The clinical data of patients who sustained limb snakebites from 1 March 2021 to 31 October 2022 were reviewed. The patients were divided into three groups according to snakebite severity: mild (517 cases), moderate (112 cases), and severe (8 cases). We compared the clinical data of mild versus moderate to severe snakebites. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the independent risk factors for moderate to severe snakebites. Results The study involved 637 patients. There were statistically significant differences in age, tourniquet use, onset time, white blood cell increase, platelet decrease, creatine kinase (CK) increase, activated partial thromboplastin time shortening, and length of stay between patients with mild snakebites and those with moderate to severe snakebites. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, tourniquet use, and CK increase were independent risk factors for moderate to severe snakebites. Conclusion The overall severity of snakebites in Chongqing is mild, and the prognosis is good. Age, tourniquet use, and CK increase are independent risk factors for the severity of snakebites. We do not recommend tourniquet use after snakebites in Chongqing.

The chemokine-like factor (CKLF)-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing (CMTM) family includes CMTM1–8 and CKLF, and they play key roles in the hematopoietic, immune, cardiovascular, and male reproductive systems, participating in the physiological functions, cancer, and other diseases associated with these systems. CMTM family members activate and chemoattract immune cells to affect the proliferation and invasion of tumor cells through a similar mechanism, the structural characteristics typical of chemokines and transmembrane 4 superfamily (TM4SF). In this review, we discuss each CMTM family member’s chromosomal location, involved signaling pathways, expression patterns, and potential roles, and mechanisms of action in pancreatic, breast, gastric and liver cancers. Furthermore, we discuss several clinically applied tumor therapies targeted at the CMTM family, indicating that CMTM family members could be novel immune checkpoints and potential targets effective in tumor treatment.

Traditional visual detection methods that employ image data are often unstable due to environmental influences like lighting conditions. However, microfiber spectrometers are capable of capturing the specific wavelength characteristics of tail coal suspensions, effectively circumventing the instability caused by lighting variations. Utilizing spectral analysis techniques for detecting ash content in tail coal appears promising as a more stable method of indirect ash detection. In this context, this paper proposes a rapid detection method for the coal ash content in tailings suspensions based on absorption spectra and deep feature extraction. Initially, a preprocessing method, the inverse time weight function (ITWF), is presented, focusing on the intrinsic connection between the sedimentation phenomena of samples. This enables the model to learn and retain spectral time memory features, thereby enhancing its analytical capabilities. To better capture the spectral characteristics of tail coal suspensions, we designed the DSFN (DeepSpectraFusionNet) model. This model has an MSCR (multi-scale convolutional residual) module, addressing the conventional models’ oversight of the strong correlation between adjacent wavelengths in the spectrum. This facilitates the extraction of relative positional information. Additionally, to uncover potential temporal relationships in sedimentation, we propose a CLSM-CS (convolutional long-short memory with candidate states) module, designed to strengthen the capturing of local information and sequential memory. Ultimately, the method employs a fused convolutional deep classifier to integrate and reconstruct both temporal memory and positional features. This results in a model that effectively correlates the ash content of suspensions with their absorption spectral characteristics. Experimental results confirmed that the proposed model achieved an accuracy of 80.65%, an F1-score of 80.45%, a precision of 83.43%, and a recall of 80.65%. These results outperformed recent coal recognition models and classical temporal models, meeting the high standards required for industrial on-site ash detection tasks.

Underwater vision technology is crucial for marine exploration, aquaculture, and environmental monitoring. However, the challenging underwater conditions, including light attenuation, color distortion, reduced contrast, and blurring, pose difficulties. Current deep learning models and traditional image enhancement techniques are limited in addressing these challenges, making it challenging to acquire high-quality underwater image signals. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes an approach called adaptive multi-scale multi-color space underwater image enhancement with GAN-physics fusion (AMSMC-UGAN). AMSMC-UGAN leverages multiple color spaces (RGB, HSV, and Lab) for feature extraction, compensating for RGB’s limitations in underwater environments and enhancing the use of image information. By integrating a membership degree function to guide deep learning based on physical models, the model’s performance is improved across different underwater scenes. In addition, the introduction of a multi-scale feature extraction module deepens the granularity of image information, learns the degradation distribution of different image information of the same image content more comprehensively, and provides useful guidance for more comprehensive data for image enhancement. AMSMC-UGAN achieved maximum scores of 26.04 dB, 0.87, and 3.2004 for PSNR, SSIM, and UIQM metrics, respectively, on real and synthetic underwater image datasets. Additionally, it obtained gains of at least 6.5%, 6%, and 1% for these metrics. Empirical evaluations on real and artificially distorted underwater image datasets demonstrate that AMSMC-GAN outperforms existing techniques, showcasing superior performance with enhanced quantitative metrics and strong generalization capabilities.

Wetlands act as an important natural source of global methane (CH4). The emission rate of wetland CH4 is jointly affected by climate change, carbon dioxide (CO2) fertilization, and wetland distribution. In this study, we implemented a wetland CH4 emission module into the Yale Interactive Biosphere (YIBs) model to quantify the spatiotemporal variations of global wetland CH4 emissions in 2001–2020. Site-level validations showed that the YIBs model reasonably captures the seasonality and magnitude of CH4 emissions at 28 out of 33 sites with significantly positive correlations and low relative biases. On the global scale, the YIBs predicts an annual mean wetland CH4 emission of 147.5 Tg yr−1 in 2000–2017, very close to the estimate of 147.9 Tg yr−1 from the ensemble of 13 process-based models. Global wetland CH4 emissions showed a positive trend of 0.74 Tg yr−2 in the past 2 decades, leading to an increase of 7.4 Tg yr−1 (5.2%) in 2008–2017 than 2000–2009. Climate change and CO2 fertilization accounted for over 70% of global wetland CH4 emission changes. Among them, the impact of CO2 grew steadily and became the dominant factor after the year 2008. The most significant changes in wetland CH4 emissions were located in the tropical regions following the perturbations in temperature that drives the ecosystem productivity. We found limited changes in CH4 emissions over high latitudes because of the moderate variations in wetland area fraction. The rise of wetland CH4 emissions poses an emerging threat to the global warming and likely escalates the tropospheric air pollutants.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can improve motor control performance under fatigue. However, the influences of tDCS on factors contributing to motor control (e.g., cortical−muscular functional coupling, CMFC) are unclear. This double-blinded and randomized study examined the effects of high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) on muscular activities of dorsiflexors and plantarflexors and CMFC when performing ankle dorsi–plantarflexion under fatigue. Twenty-four male adults were randomly assigned to receive five sessions of 20-min HD-tDCS targeting primary motor cortex (M1) or sham stimulation. Three days before and 1 day after the intervention, participants completed ankle dorsi–plantarflexion under fatigue induced by prolonged running exercise. During the task, electroencephalography (EEG) of M1 (e.g., C1, Cz) and surface electromyography (sEMG) of several muscles (e.g., tibialis anterior [TA]) were recorded synchronously. The corticomuscular coherence (CMC), root mean square (RMS) of sEMG, blood lactate, and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) of ankle dorsiflexors and plantarflexors were obtained. Before stimulation, greater beta- and gamma-band CMC between M1 and TA were significantly associated with greater RMS of TA (r = 0.460–0.619, p = 0.001–0.024). The beta- and gamma-band CMC of C1-TA and Cz-TA, and RMS of TA and MVC torque of dorsiflexors were significantly higher after HD-tDCS than those at pre-intervention in the HD-tDCS group and post-intervention in the control group (p = 0.002–0.046). However, the HD-tDCS-induced changes in CMC and muscle activities were not significantly associated (r = 0.050–0.128, p = 0.693–0.878). HD-tDCS applied over M1 can enhance the muscular activities of ankle dorsiflexion under fatigue and related CMFC.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in the morphological and viscoelastic properties of the Achilles tendon (AT) among different groups (rearfoot strikers vs. forefoot strikers vs. non-runners). Thirty healthy men were recruited, including habitual forefoot strike runners (n = 10), rearfoot strike runners (n = 10), and individuals with no running habits (n = 10). The AT morphological properties (cross-sectional area and length) were captured by using an ultrasound device. The real-time ultrasound video of displacement changes at the medial head of the gastrocnemius and the AT junction during maximal voluntary isometric contraction and the plantar flexion moment of the ankle was obtained simultaneously by connecting the ultrasound device and isokinetic dynamometer via an external synchronisation box. The results indicated that male runners who habitually forefoot strike exhibited significantly lower AT hysteresis than male non-runners (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a greater peak AT force during maximal voluntary contraction was observed in forefoot strike male runners compared to that in male individuals with no running habits (p < 0.05). However, foot strike patterns were not related to AT properties in recreational male runners (p > 0.05). The lower AT hysteresis in male FFS runners implied that long-term forefoot strike patterns could enhance male-specific AT’s ability to store and release elastic energy efficiently during running, resulting in a more effective stretch-shortening cycle. The greater peak AT force in male FFS runners indicated a stronger Achilles tendon.

Existing studies on the biomechanical characteristics of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (1st MTPJ) during shod running are limited to sagittal plane assessment and rely on skin marker motion capture, which can be affected by shoes wrapping around the 1st MTPJ and may lead to inaccurate results. This study aims to investigate the in vivo effects of different habitual foot strike patterns (FSP) on the six degrees of freedom (6DOF) values of the 1st MTPJ under shod condition by utilizing a dual-fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS). Long-distance male runners with habitual forefoot strike (FFS group, n = 15) and rearfoot strike (RFS group, n = 15) patterns were recruited. All participants underwent foot computed tomography (CT) scan to generate 3D models of their foot. The 6DOF kinematics of the 1st MTPJ were collected using a DFIS at 100 Hz when participants performed their habitual FSP under shod conditions. Independent t-tests and one-dimensional statistical parametric mapping (1-d SPM) were employed to analyze the differences between the FFS and RFS groups’ 1st MTPJ 6DOF kinematic values during the stance phase. FFS exhibited greater superior translation (3.5–4.9 mm, p = 0.07) during 51%–82% of the stance and higher extension angle (8.4°–10.1°, p = 0.031) during 65%–75% of the stance in the 1st MTPJ than RFS. Meanwhile, FFS exhibited greater maximum superior translation (+3.2 mm, p = 0.022), maximum valgus angle (+6.1°, p = 0.048) and varus–valgus range of motion (ROM) (+6.5°, p = 0.005) in the 1st MTPJ during stance. The greater extension angle of the 1st MTPJ in the late stance suggested that running with FFS may enhance the propulsive effect. However, the higher maximum valgus angle and the ROM of varus–valgus in FFS may potentially lead to the development of hallux valgus.

Lightweight and adaptive adjustment are key research directions for deep neural networks (DNNs). In coal industry mining, frequent changes in raw coal sources and production batches can cause uneven distribution of appearance features, leading to concept drift problems. The network architecture and parameters should be adjusted frequently to avoid a decline in model accuracy. This poses a significant challenge for those without specialist expertise. Although the Neural Architecture Search (NAS) has a strong ability to automatically generate networks, enabling the automatic design of highly accurate networks, it often comes with complex internal topological connections. These redundant architectures do not always effectively improve network performance, especially in resource-constrained environments, where their computational efficiency is significantly reduced. In this paper, we propose a method called Topology Complexity Neural Architecture Search (TCNAS). TCNAS proposes a new method for evaluating the topological complexity of neural networks and uses both topological complexity and accuracy to guide the search, effectively obtaining lightweight and efficient networks. TCNAS employs an adaptive shrinking search space optimization method, which gradually eliminates poorly performing cells to reduce the search space, thereby improving search efficiency and solving the problem of space explosion. In the classification experiments of coal and gangue, the optimal network designed by TCNAS has an accuracy of 83.3%. And its structure is much simpler, which is about 1/53 of the parameters of the network dedicated to coal and gangue recognition. Experiments have shown that TCNAS is able to generate networks that are both efficient and simple for resource-constrained industrial applications.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to examine the effects of combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and foot core exercise (FCE) on the sensorimotor function of the foot (i.e., toe flexor strength and passive ankle kinesthesia) and static balance. Methods In this double-blinded and randomized study, 30 participants were randomly assigned into two groups: tDCS combined with FCE and sham combined with FCE (i.e., control group). The participants received 2 mA stimulation for 20 min concurrently with FCE over 4 weeks (i.e., three sessions per week). After the first two groups completed the intervention, a reference group (FCE-only group) was included to further explore the placebo effects of sham by comparing it with the control group. Foot muscle strength, passive ankle kinesthesia, and static balance were assessed at baseline and after the intervention. Results Compared with the control group and baseline, tDCS combined with FCE could increase toe flexor strength (p

Purpose: To explore the difference in the biomechanics of the lower extremity during alternating jump rope skipping (AJRS) under barefoot and shod conditions. Methods: Fourteen experienced AJRS participants were randomly assigned to wear jump rope shoes or be barefoot (BF) during the AJRS at a self-selected speed. The Qualisys motion capture system and Kistler force platform were used to synchronously collect the ground reaction forces and trajectory data of the hip, knee, ankle, and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints. One-dimensional statistical parameter mapping was used to analyze the kinematics and kinetics of the lower extremity under both conditions using paired t-tests. Results: Wearing shoes resulted in a significant decrease in the ROM (p < 0.001) and peak angular velocity (p < 0.001) of the MTP joint during the landing phase. In addition, the MTP joint power (p < 0.001) was significantly larger under shod condition at 92–100% of the landing phase. Moreover, wearing shoes reduced the peak loading rate (p = 0.002). Conclusion: The findings suggest that wearing shoes during AJRS could provide better propulsion during push-off by increasing the MTP plantarflexion joint power. In addition, our results emphasize the significance of the ankle and MTP joint by controlling the ankle and MTP joint angle.

BackgroundSufficient attention to trunk rehabilitation after stroke is still lacking. Loss of trunk selective activity is considered to be the leading cause of trunk postural control disorder after stroke. “Taking the Waist as the Axis” Therapy (WAT) was developed as a combination of the concept of “Taking the Waist as the Axis” from Tai Chi and the rehabilitation of trunk dysfunction after stroke. The present clinical trial examined and assessed the effects of WAT on stroke patients.MethodsA total of 43 stroke hemiplegic patients with trunk postural control disorder, whose Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) scoring between 8 and 18, participated in the present study and were allocated randomly to the experimental (n = 23) or control groups (n = 20). The experimental group received WAT plus conventional therapy, and the control group received “Trunk Selective Activity” Therapy (TSAT) plus conventional therapy. Both groups received treatment once daily and 5 times per week for 3 weeks. The Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), change of Intra-abdominal Pressure (IAP), static balance ability assessment, rapid ventilation lung function test and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) were evaluated before and after intervention for both groups.ResultsThe experimental group was superior to the control group in TIS [4 (2, 5) vs. 3 (1.25, 4), p = 0.030], change of IAP [−3 (−8, −1.33) vs. −0.02 (−3.08, 6), p = 0.011], FMA-upper extremity [10 (6, 18) vs. 1 (0, 3), p = 0.002], FMA-lower extremity [2 (1, 4) vs. 1 (0, 2), p = 0.009] and FMA [14 (7, 21) vs. 2 (0.25, 3.75), p = 0.001]. Within experimental group, forced vital capacity (FVC) [81.35 (63.30, 94.88) vs. 91.75 (79.40, 97.90), p = 0.02] was significantly improved.ConclusionWAT was an effective trunk treatment after stroke, which significantly improved the patients’ trunk posture control ability, motor function and forced vital capacity. However, the results still need to be interpreted with caution for the intervention only lasted for 3 weeks.

The current study was performed to assess the effects of dietary administration of ferulic acid (FA) on digestive enzyme activities, antioxidant capacity, morphology, immunity, and microbiota in the gut of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × Epinephelus polyphekadion♂). A total of 630 fish (9.51 ± 0.01 g) were allocated randomly to seven dietary treatments, each with three replicates. Experiment diets supplemented with FA at the levels of 0, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, and 1280 mg kg−1 (FA0 (control), FA40, FA80, FA160, FA320, FA640, and FA1280), were fed to fish for 70 days. The results showed that dietary 80–160 mg kg−1 FA intake considerably augmented the enzymes activities of digestion (lipase, trypsin, amylase, and pepsin) and antioxidation (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) and the values of immune parameters (Immunoglobulin, C3 and lysozyme), as well as reduced malondialdehyde content, with respect to the control group (P

Accurately obtaining the in vivo motion of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA), first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ), and plantar fascia (PF) is essential for analyzing the biomechanics of these structures in different running strike patterns. Most previous studies on the biomechanics of the MLA, first MTPJ, and PF have been based on traditional skin-marker–based motion capture, which cannot acquire the natural foot motion. Therefore, this study aimed to 1) describe the movement of the MLA, first MTPJ, and PF during running by using the high-speed dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS) and 2) explore changes of the in vivo kinematics of the MLA and first MTPJ, and the length of the PF during the stance phase of running with different foot strike patterns. Fifteen healthy male runners all of whom ran with a regular rearfoot strike (RFS) pattern were required to run with forefoot strike (FFS) and RFS patterns. Computed tomography scans were taken from each participant’s right foot for the construction of 3D models (the calcaneus, first metatarsal, and first proximal phalanges) and local coordinate systems. A high-speed DFIS (100 Hz) and 3D force platform (2,000 Hz) were used to acquire X-ray images of the foot bones and ground reaction force data during the stance phase of running (3 m/s ± 5%) simultaneously. Then, 3D-2D registration was used to obtain the in vivo kinematic data of the MLA and first MTPJ and the length of the PF. When compared with RFS, in FFS, 1) the range of motion (ROM) of the medial/lateral (5.84 ± 5.61 mm vs. 0.75 ± 3.38 mm, p = 0.002), anterior/posterior (14.64 ± 4.33 mm vs. 11.18 ± 3.56 mm, p = 0.010), plantarflexion/dorsiflexion (7.13 ± 3.22° vs. 1.63 ± 3.29°, p < 0.001), and adduction/abduction (−3.89 ± 3.85° vs. −0.64 ± 4.39°, p = 0.034) motions of the MLA were increased significantly; 2) the ROM of the anterior/posterior (7.81 ± 2.84 mm vs. 6.24 ± 3.43 mm, p = 0.003), superior/inferior (2.11 ± 2.06 mm vs. −0.57 ± 1.65 mm, p = 0.001), and extension/flexion (−9.68 ± 9.16° vs. −5.72 ± 7.33°, p = 0.018) motions of the first MTPJ were increased significantly; 3) the maximum strain (0.093 ± 0.023 vs. 0.075 ± 0.020, p < 0.001) and the maximum power (4.36 ± 1.51 W/kg vs. 3.06 ± 1.39 W/kg, p < 0.001) of the PF were increased significantly. Running with FFS may increase deformation, energy storage, and release of the MLA and PF, as well as the push-off effect of the MTPJ. Meanwhile, the maximum extension angle of the first MTPJ and MLA deformation increased in FFS, which showed that the PF experienced more stretch and potentially indicated that FFS enhanced the PF mechanical responses.

Commercial fishing constitutes an important food source but induces undesirable bycatch on animals worldwide. This study extends bycatch research geographically to the Western Pacific Ocean, filling a knowledge gap regarding bycatch and mitigation measures in the region. Bycatch has caused many lethal consequences to the pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) during their interaction with fisheries in the research area. We provided a self-developed acoustic deterrent system and conducted field experiments, suggesting its effectiveness as a potential useful conservation tool to reduce bycatch. Dolphins departed the area and the number of dolphins in sight declined to zero after the deployment of the system. Additional evidence was reflected in acoustic recordings, showing the number of clicks emitted by dolphins decreased from 1,502 to 136 per minute after the ADS was activated. Meanwhile, click amplitude was reduced by 84%, indicating an increase in the distance between dolphins and the system. These combined results indicate that the system was effective in driving dolphins away to facilitate the conservation of the species by protecting them from potential bycatch.

Objective: This study aims to explore the effects of a 12-week gait retraining program combined with foot core exercise on arch morphology, arch muscles strength, and arch kinematics.Methods: A total of 26 male recreational runners with normal arch structure who used rear-foot running strike (RFS) were divided into the intervention group (INT group) and control group (CON group) (n = 13 in each group). The INT group performed a 12-week forefoot strike (FFS) training combined with foot core exercises. The CON group did not change the original exercise habit. Before and after the intervention, the arch morphology, as well as the strength of hallux flexion, lesser toe flexion, and the metatarsophalangeal joint (MPJ) flexors were measured in a static position, and changes in the arch kinematics during RFS and FFS running were explored.Results: After a 12-week intervention, 1) the normalized navicular height increased significantly in the INT group by 5.1% (p = 0.027, Cohen’s d = 0.55); 2) the hallux absolute flexion and relative flexion of the INT group increased significantly by 20.5% and 21.7%, respectively (p = 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.59; p = 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.73), the absolute and relative strength of the MPJ flexors of the INT group were significantly improved by 30.7% and 32.5%, respectively (p = 0.006, Cohen’s d = 0.94; p = 0.006, Cohen’s d = 0.96); 3) and during RFS, the maximum arch angle of the INT group declined significantly by 5.1% (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.49), the arch height at touchdown increased significantly in the INT group by 32.1% (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.98).Conclusion: The 12-week gait retraining program combined with foot core exercise improved the arch in both static and dynamic positions with a moderate to large effect size, demonstrating the superiority of this combined intervention over the standalone interventions. Thus, runners with weak arch muscles are encouraged to use this combined intervention as an approach to enhance the arch.

In recent years, neuro-biomechanical enhancement techniques, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have been widely used to improve human physical performance, including foot biomechanical characteristics. This review aims to summarize research on the effects of tDCS on foot biomechanics and its clinical applications, and further analyze the underlying ergogenic mechanisms of tDCS. This review was performed for relevant papers until July 2023 in the following databases: Web of Science, PubMed, and EBSCO. The findings demonstrated that tDCS can improve foot biomechanical characteristics in healthy adults, including proprioception, muscle strength, reaction time, and joint range of motion. Additionally, tDCS can be effectively applied in the field of foot sports medicine; in particular, it can be combined with functional training to effectively improve foot biomechanical performance in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). The possible mechanism is that tDCS may excite specific task-related neurons and regulate multiple neurons within the system, ultimately affecting foot biomechanical characteristics. However, the efficacy of tDCS applied to rehabilitate common musculoskeletal injuries (e.g., CAI and plantar fasciitis) still needs to be confirmed using a larger sample size. Future research should use multimodal neuroimaging technology to explore the intrinsic ergogenic mechanism of tDCS.

With the continuous progress and application of robotics technology, the importance of mobile robots capable of adapting to specialized work environments is gaining prominence. Among them, achieving precise and stable control of AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) stands as a paramount task propelling the advancement of mobile robotics. Consequently, this study devises a control system that enables AGVs to attain stable and accurate motion through equipment connection and debugging, kinematic modeling of the four-wheel steering AGV, and a selection and comparative analysis of motion control algorithms. The effectiveness of the Stanley-PID control algorithm in guiding the motion of a four-wheel steering AGV is validated through MATLAB 2021a simulation software. The simulation results illustrate the outstanding stability and precise control capabilities of the Stanley-PID algorithm.

Sound reception was investigated in the Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis) at its most sensitive frequency. The computed tomography scanning, sound speed, and density results were used to develop a three-dimensional numerical model of the porpoise sound-reception system. The acoustic fields showed that sounds can reach the ear complexes from various pathways, with distinct receptivity peaks on the forward, left, and right sides. Reception peaks were identified on the ipsilateral sides of the respective ears and found on the opposite side of the ear complexes. These opposite maxima corresponded to subsidiary hearing pathways in the whole head, especially the lower head, suggesting the complexity of the sound-reception mechanism in the porpoise. The main and subsidiary sound-reception pathways likely render the whole head a spatial receptor. The low-speed and -density mandibular fats, compared to other acoustic structures, are significant energy enhancers for strengthening forward sound reception. Based on the porpoise reception model, a biomimetic receptor was developed to achieve directional reception, and in parallel to the mandibular fats, the silicon material of low speed and density can significantly improve forward reception. This bioinspired and biomimetic model can bridge the gap between animal sonar and artificial sound control systems, which presents potential to be exploited in manmade sonar.

Surface PM2.5 concentrations and aerosol optical depth (AOD) are two air pollution metrics tightly connected. Many studies have used AOD to derive PM2.5 concentrations without investigating their inconsistencies. Here, we explored the associations between surface PM2.5 and AOD using ground-level data from 19 stations in China during 2017–2019. Unexpectedly, we found low correlation coefficients of 0.03–0.60 between daily PM2.5 and AOD for most sites. Such decoupling between PM2.5 and AOD is further compared to simultaneous meteorological factors such as air temperature, specific humidity, sea level pressure, and wind speed. We found that specific humidity dominates the correlations with normalized PM2.5-AOD differences at 14 out of 19 sites. On average, specific humidity increases from 2.83 g kg−1 for the cases with low AOD but high PM2.5–11.89 g kg−1 for those with high AOD but low PM2.5, indicating that hygroscopic growth of aerosols may play an important role in decoupling the associations between PM2.5 and AOD. Random forest (RF) models using AOD as the only input yield a low R of 0.49 between the predicted and observed PM2.5 concentrations. The inclusion of specific humidity in the RF model increases the R to 0.74, close to the R of 0.81 with three additional meteorological factors. Our study revealed a strong decoupling between PM2.5 and AOD and suggested including specific humidity as a key parameter in the retrieval of long-term PM2.5 using AOD data in China.

Objective To analyze the epidemiology characteristics of mushroom poisoning cases in Jiangxi Province from 2015 to 2019, and to provide reference for scientific prevention and control of mushroom poisoning. Methods Descriptive analysis was conducted on the data of mushroom poisoning cases in Jiangxi Province reported through "Foodborne Disease Surveillance Reporting System" and "Foodborne Disease Outbreak Reporting System" from 2015 to 2019. Results A total of 1 354 mushroom poisoning cases were reported in Jiangxi Province from 2015 to 2019, the average annual incidence was 0.59/100 000, the average case fatality rate was 1.6%(21/1 354), and most of the cases occurred during May to October. The mushroom poisoning cases were clustered in some counties in the Shangrao, Yichun and Jiujiang regions. Most of the patients were older than 40, accounting for 59.5% (806/1 354). The case fatality rates were highest in children under 6 years old and those over 60 years old, accounting for 6.3%(5/80) and 2.4%(8/327) respectively, and most of the cases were farmers. 93.3%(1 263/1 354) of the mushroom poisoning cases and 95.2%(20/21) of the deaths occurred at home, and 86.6%(1 172/1 354) of mushrooms were self-collected. The common clinical manifestations were gastrointestinal symptoms. Conclusion Mushroom poisoning cases in Jiangxi Province had the characteristics of seasonality and regionality, publicity and education should be targeted at key population and district, and the training of medical staff at the primary level should be strengthened to reduce the number of poisoning deaths.

Shoes affect the biomechanical properties of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) and further influence the foot’s overall function. Most previous studies on the MLA were based on traditional skin-marker motion capture, and the observation of real foot motion inside the shoes is difficult. Thus, the effect of shoe parameters on the natural MLA movement during running remains in question. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the differences in the MLA’s kinematics between shod and barefoot running by using a high-speed dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS). Fifteen healthy habitual rearfoot runners were recruited. All participants ran at a speed of 3 m/s ± 5% along with an elevated runway in barefoot and shod conditions. High-speed DFIS was used to acquire the radiographic images of MLA movements in the whole stance phase, and the kinematics of the MLA were calculated. Paired sample t-tests were used to compare the kinematic characteristics of the MLA during the stance phase between shod and barefoot conditions. Compared with barefoot, shoe-wearing showed significant changes (p < 0.05) as follows: 1) the first metatarsal moved with less lateral direction at 80%, less anterior translation at 20%, and less superiority at 10–70% of the stance phase; 2) the first metatarsal moved with less inversion amounting to 20–60%, less dorsiflexion at 0–10% of the stance phase; 3) the inversion/eversion range of motion (ROM) of the first metatarsal relative to calcaneus was reduced; 4) the MLA angles at 0–70% of the stance phase were reduced; 5) the maximum MLA angle and MLA angle ROM were reduced in the shod condition. Based on high-speed DFIS, the above results indicated that shoe-wearing limited the movement of MLA, especially reducing the MLA angles, suggesting that shoes restricted the compression and recoil of the MLA, which further affected the spring-like function of the MLA.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of 4 weeks of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) and foot core exercise (FCE) on foot sensorimotor function (i.e., toe flexor strength and passive ankle kinesthesia) and postural control.Methods: In total, 36 participants were randomly assigned into three groups as follows: HD-tDCS, FCE, and the control group. A total of 12 training sessions were performed over 4 weeks (i.e., three sessions per week) in the laboratory. The HD-tDCS group received 20-min HD-tDCS with a current density of 2 mA, and the FCE group completed short foot exercise, towel curls, toe spread and squeeze, and balance board training. Participants in the control group just maintained the activities what they usually did and did not receive any interventions. Foot muscle strength, passive ankle kinesthesia, and postural control were assessed at baseline and post-intervention.Results: HD-tDCS induced a greater decrease in the percentage changes in the passive kinesthesia thresholds of ankle inversion (p < 0.001) and eversion (p = 0.013) than the control group. Compared with the control group, a significant increase in the percentage change in the metatarsophalangeal joint flexor strength was found in the HD-tDCS group (p = 0.008) and the FCE group (p = 0.027), and a significant increase in the percentage change in toe flexor strength was observed in the FCE group (p = 0.015). Moreover, FCE induced a greater reduction in the percent changes in the medial–lateral average center of gravity sway velocity in one-leg standing with eyes open (p = 0.033) and the anteroposterior average center of gravity sway velocity in one-leg standing with eyes closed (p < 0.001) than control.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that 4 weeks of HD-tDCS and FCE induced distinct benefits on foot sensorimotor function and the standing postural control performance in healthy young adults. HD-tDCS could improve the metatarsophalangeal joint flexor strength and the passive kinesthesia thresholds of ankle inversion and eversion. Meanwhile, FCE could also enhance foot muscle strength and enhance postural control performance in one-leg standing.

The biomechanics of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) is affected by different shoe conditions. In the biomechanical research field, traditional skin marker motion capture cannot easily acquire the in vivo joint kinematics of the first MTPJ in shoes. Thus, the present study aims to investigate the differences of the first MTPJ’s six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) kinematics between shod and barefoot running by using a high-speed dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS). In total, 15 healthy male runners were recruited. Computed tomography scans were taken from each participant’s right foot for the construction of 3D models and local coordinate systems. Radiographic images were acquired at 100 Hz while the participants ran at a speed of 3 m/s ± 5% in shod and barefoot conditions along an elevated runway, and 6DOF kinematics of the first MTPJ were calculated by 3D–2D registration. Paired sample t-tests were used to compare the kinematic characteristics of the first MTPJ 6DOF kinematics during the stance phase between shod and barefoot conditions. Compared with barefoot, wearing shoes showed significant changes (p < 0.05): 1) the first MTPJ moved less inferior at 50% but moved less superior at 90 and 100% of the stance phase; 2) the peak medial, posterior, and superior translation of the first MTPJ significantly decreased in the shod condition; 3) the extension angle of the first MTPJ was larger at 30–60% but smaller at 90 and 100% of the stance phase; 4) the maximum extension angle and flexion/extension range of motion of the first MTPJ were reduced; and 5) the minimum extension and adduction angle of the first MTPJ was increased in the shod condition. On the basis of the high-speed DFIS, the aforementioned results indicated that wearing shoes limited the first MTPJ flexion and extension movement and increased the adduction angle, suggesting that shoes may affect the propulsion of the first MTPJ and increase the risk of hallux valgus.

Chinese bahaba (Bahaba taipingensis) is a critically endangered fish species, which can produce sounds like other Sciaenidae species. In this study, sounds produced by sexually mature Chinese bahaba were recorded during the reproduction season for the first time. Two distinct types of sounds were observed during the reproduction season, termed as single drum and fast drum trains calls. Single drum callings occurred as a series of trains with rapid pulses, while fast drum trains callings were mainly made of a single signal. The single drum and fast drum trains had a peak frequency of 77.8 ± 16.2 Hz and 79.1 ± 8.7 Hz, respectively. Statistical analysis suggested significant differences in −3 dB bandwidth, signal duration, and root-mean-square sound pressure levels, except for peak frequency (p < 0.05) between single drum and fast drum trains sounds. Single drum occurred mainly before dawn (period range from 0:00 to 6:00 am) and less frequently after dusk (18:00–24:00 pm), and the fast drum trains occurred after dawn (6:00 am to 12:00 pm) and dusk (18:00 pm to 24:00 pm). Considering the abundance of Chinese bahaba has significantly declined, passive acoustic monitoring provides a non-invasive and low-cost effective tool to monitor sound production during reproduction season, which may help to facilitate aquaculture management and fishery population conservation in the future.

This study analysed the impact of turning rate, the centre of mass height, and road adhesion coefficient on the rollover stability of heavy-duty automated guided vehicles (AGVs) using a multi-body dynamics simulation model. The lateral deflection angle of the centre of mass was used as a metric to evaluate the rollover behaviour of the AGVs, and the results were obtained quantitatively. The findings showed that the turning rate had the largest impact on AGV rollover stability, followed by the centre of mass height, while the road adhesion coefficient had the least impact. Despite having the lowest impact, the road adhesion coefficient was one of the key factors contributing to AGV slippage, and severe slippage could easily lead to rollover incidents. To further evaluate the rollover behaviour of the AGVs, a lateral-load transfer rate (LTR) index was derived from the change in wheel load generated by the lateral tilt angle during steering. The range of LTR values was determined for different ranges of turning rate, the centre of mass height, and road adhesion coefficient. The results indicated that the range of LTR values for turning rate was 0.23–0.45, for the centre of mass height was 0.323–0.393, and the minimum value of 0.337 was obtained for a road adhesion coefficient of 0.6.

The surface accuracy and quality of the mirror blank determine the performance of the optical mirror after coating; therefore, it is crucial to seek a simple and effective method for mirror blank processing. The gas jet forming provides a new idea, which employs a gas jet to impinge on a liquid pool, forms a specific curved surface and solidifies it. However, due to the interface instability that occurred with a specific range of jet velocity, periodical fluctuations appear on the interface and affect the forming of the mirror blank. In this study, the amplitude and transfer period of surface waves in the air gas/dimethyl silicone oil system are taken as the research objects. After conducting orthogonal experiments, this study uses a high-speed camera to record the generation of the surface wave and the fluctuation of the gas–liquid interface during its transfer. Subsequently, this study analyses the influences of jet velocity and viscosity of dimethyl silicone oil on the amplitude and transfer period of the surface wave. In the following experiments, multiple groups of parameters were selected in the range of jet velocity of 11~13 m/s and dimethyl silicone oil viscosity of 500~2000 Pa·s. This study measures the interface morphology with different parameters using the method of image recognition. Finally, using the measured data, this study establishes the calculation model of surface wave amplitude and transfer period, realizing the study of the characteristics of surface waves on the unstable interface. This research can be used to enhance the forming accuracy of the gas jet-forming method.

As a crucial and vulnerable component of the lower extremities, the medial gastrocnemius–Achilles tendon unit (gMTU) plays a significant role in sport performance and injury prevention during long-distance running. However, how habitual foot strike patterns influence the morphology of the gMTU remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of two main foot strike patterns on the morphological and mechanical characteristics of the gMTU. Long-distance male runners with habitual forefoot (FFS group, n = 10) and rearfoot strike patterns (RFS group, n = 10) and male non-runners (NR group, n = 10) were recruited. A Terason uSmart 3300 ultrasonography system was used to image the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and Achilles tendon, Image J software to analyze the morphology, and a dynamometer to determine plantar flexion torque during maximal voluntary isometric contractions. The participants first performed a 5-minute warm up; then, the morphological measurements of MG and AT were recorded in a static condition; finally, the MVICs test was conducted to investigate the mechanical function of the gMTU. One-way ANOVA and nonparametric tests were used for data analysis. The significance level was set at a p value of p < 0.05), while the PA was smaller in the FFS group than in the NR group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Long-term running with a forefoot strike pattern could significantly affect the FL and PA of the MG. A forefoot strike pattern could lead to a longer FL and a smaller PA, indicating an FFS pattern could protect the MG from strain under repetitive high loads.

In this paper, the interfacial stabilities of six different stacking interface configurations of Ni(100)/Ni3Al(100) eutectic structures with AlNi termination and Ni termination are calculated by using first-principles methods. The calculated adhesion work and interface energy indicate that the “Center” site stacking interface configurations are more stable than the “Top” and “Bridge” site stacking interface models. The partial density of states (PDOS) and the charge density difference confirm that the bonding characteristic of the Ni-terminated “Center” site stacking interface of the Ni(100)/Ni3Al(100) eutectic structure is metallic, while the bond at the AlNi-terminated “Center” site interface is a combination of covalent and metallic bonds. A comprehensive analysis of the interface energy, PDOS and charge density difference confirms that the AlNi-terminated “Center” site stacking interface configuration of the Ni(100)/Ni3Al(100) eutectic structure is the most stable eutectic interface model.