Search

In this study, we use molecular dynamics simulations of liquid water to investigate how shear thinning affects the viscosity of liquid water by structural changes of the hydrogen bond network. The effect of shear on viscosity can be divided into two parts: shear-induced destruction of the hydrogen bond network and the influence of the water structure on shear viscosity. First, strong shear destroys tetrahedral structures and thus reduces the connectivity of the hydrogen bond network. It is mainly because shear deformation, characterized by compression and expansion axes, respectively, triggers the destruction and formation of hydrogen bonds, resulting in anisotropic effects on water structures. At the same time, shear destroys large clusters and enhances the formation of small ones, resulting in a decrease in average cluster sizes. Second, the change of viscosity obeys a power law relationship with the change of hydrogen bond structures, highlighting a one-to-one correspondence between structure and property. Meanwhile, in order to explain why the structure affects viscosity, we define hydrogen-bond viscosity and find that the cooperative motion of the water structures can promote momentum transfer in the form of aggregations. Hydrogen-bond viscosity accounts for 5%–50% of the total viscosity. Our results elucidate that water structures are the important structural units to explain the change of water properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Branch angle (BA) is a critical morphological trait that significantly influences planting density, light interception and ultimately yield in plants. Despite its importance, the regulatory mechanism governing BA in rapeseed remains poorly understood. In this study, we generated 109 transcriptome data sets for 37 rapeseed accessions with divergent BA phenotypes. Relative to adaxial branch segments, abaxial segments accumulated higher levels of auxin and exhibited lower expression of six TCP1 homologues and one GA20ox3. A co‐expression network analysis identified two modules highly correlated with BA. The modules contained homologues to known BA control genes, such as FUL, YUCCA6, TCP1 and SGR3. Notably, a homoeologous exchange (HE), occurring at the telomeres of A09, was prevalent in large BA accessions, while an A02‐C02 HE was common in small BA accessions. In their corresponding regions, these HEs explained the formation of hub gene hotspots in the two modules. QTL‐seq analysis confirmed that the presence of a large A07‐C06 HE (~8.1 Mb) was also associated with a small BA phenotype, and BnaA07.WRKY40.b within it was predicted as candidate gene. Overexpressing BnaA07.WRKY40.b in rapeseed increased BA by up to 20°, while RNAi‐ and CRISPR‐mediated mutants (BnaA07.WRKY40.b and BnaC06.WRKY40.b) exhibited decreased BA by up to 11.4°. BnaA07.WRKY40.b was exclusively localized to the nucleus and exhibited strong expression correlations with many genes related to gravitropism and plant architecture. Taken together, our study highlights the influence of HEs on rapeseed plant architecture and confirms the role of WRKY40 homologues as novel regulators of BA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate whether acellular dermal matrix (ADM) grafts could prevent Frey's syndrome (FS) and improve esthetic scores following parotidectomy. Methods: From January 2015 to December 2019, 175 patients underwent parotidectomy. We divided the patients into two groups: the ADM group and the control group. We included in each group 30 patients according to a propensity score matched analysis. Results: FS was subjective in 1 patient (3%) from the ADM group and 9 patients (30%) from the control group (P =0.015). Patients in the ADM group had a subjective esthetic score of 6.1 + 1.7 compared with 5.2 + 1.7 in the control group. The subjective esthetic score for patients in the ADM group was higher than that for patients in the control group (P =0.040). Conclusion: The present clinical study suggests that ADM grafts are effective in preventing FS and improving esthetic scores after parotidectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of plasma parameters during the ablation phase in the Z-pinch is crucial for investigating the dynamic behaviors. In this study, optical Thomson scattering was employed to measure the temperature and velocity of the ablation plasma in a double-wire Z-pinch. The scattering spectra profiles were fitted using a model that considered the velocity distribution. The experimental results revealed the energy evolution of ablation plasma, the establishment of the global magnetic field and the development of axial non-uniformities. The precursor plasma was found to play a key role in strengthening the global magnetic field. A resistive layer near the wire core with a size of 1.5 mm was observed in the ablation plasma after the precursor plasma column formed. The plasma underwent rapid heating in this layer, the electron temperature rises from 17 eV to 22 eV. Upon leaving this layer, electron the temperature is stable at around 22 eV. The radial distribution of the ablation rate increases and decreases, indicating the axial motion of the ablation plasma, which could be caused by the tilt motion of the stream and the secondary modulation of the natural wavelength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the higher energy levels of the transmon qubit are taken into consideration to investigate the continuous variable entanglement generation between the transmon qubit and the single‐mode cavity. Based on the framework of cavity Quantum Electrodynamics (QED), the authors show the entanglement generation depends on the driving field intensity, coupling strength, cavity field frequency, and qubit frequency. The numerical results show that strong entanglement can be generated by properly tuning these parameters. It is hoped that the results presented in this paper may lead to a better understanding of quantum entanglement generation in cavity QED systems and provide new perspectives for further research in quantum information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the safety of tebuconazole as a fungicide in bananas, after a simple and rapid pre-treatment, the residues of tebuconazole in different parts of banana were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) within 35 days. The mean recoveries and relative standard deviations in banana samples were 87.17 ~ 96.68% and 2.85 ~ 8.49%, respectively. The half-lives of tebuconazole in whole banana, banana pulp, and banana peel were 7.31 ~ 8.68 days, 11.12 ~ 13.39 days, and 4.06 ~ 5.74 days, respectively. It can be seen that tebuconazole dissipated fastest in the peel and slowest in the pulp. And the contents of tebuconazole in banana pulp and banana peel were 3 ~ 35% and 65 ~ 97%, respectively, which can be seen that tebuconazole was mainly distributed in the peel, and only a small part was transmitted to the pulp. Results also showed that the residual amounts of tebuconazole in banana pulp were increased at the first three days and then gradually dissipated, and were below the maximum residue limit (MRL) in China. The results of dietary intake risk assessment showed that the HQ (hazard quotient) were 0.45 ~ 2.69%, which were within the acceptable range. Overall, our research results show that tebuconazole in the field control of banana freckle disease has high security and low risk with the application dose of 133 g/L and diluted 1000 times in water, and can provide an important reference for the rational use of tebuconazole as a systemic fungicide in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Poor mechanical strength at working temperature and low ionic conductivity seriously hinder the application of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) in high performance all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (LMBs). Here, we design and prepare a series of rigid-flexible coupling network SPEs (RFN-SPEs) with soft poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains and rigid crosslinkers containing the benzene structure. Compared with soft crosslinkers, rigid crosslinkers provide the same amount of active crosslinking points with smaller molecular weight, and meanwhile enhance the mechanical strength of the network. Therefore, based on the rigid crosslinkers, RFN-SPEs exhibit synchronously improved ionic conductivity and mechanical strength. With these RFN-SPEs, symmetrical cells can be cycled for over 2100 h at 0.5 mA cm−2. Meanwhile, stable cycling and high-rate capability could be achieved for LMBs, revealing that SPEs with the rigid-flexible coupling network are promising electrolyte systems for all-solid-state LMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Zn-Ni batteries have garnered considerable attention due to their high specific energy, consistent discharge voltage, favorable performance at low temperatures, and environmentally benign nature. Nevertheless, anode interface issues such as dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and interfacial side reactions lead to poor cycling stability of Zn-Ni batteries, significantly limiting their further commercial applications. In this study, we propose a facile electrolyte engineering strategy to optimize the Zn anode interfacial environment and stabilize the Zn anode by introducing tannic acid (TA) into the KOH electrolyte. The incorporated TA complexing agent addition will be used to prevent the direct contact of H 2 O with the anode surface and promote the desolvation of Zn2+ through complexation, thus suppressing the interfacial corrosion. Consequently, the Zn symmetric battery using TA electrolyte cycles stably for 178 h at 1 mA cm−2. The Zn-Ni full batteries with TA electrolyte maintain 98.08 % capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 20C. This study will be of immediate benefit in commercializing large-scale, practical energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Healthy lifestyle behaviors (LBs) have been widely recommended for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite a large number of studies exploring the association between combined LBs and CVD, a notable gap exists in integration of relevant literatures. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to analyze the correlation between combined LBs and the occurrence of CVD, as well as to estimate the risk of various health complications in individuals already diagnosed with CVD. Methods: Articles published up to February 10, 2023 were sourced through PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. Eligible prospective cohort studies that reported the relations of combined LBs with pre-determined outcomes were included. Summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using either a fixed or random-effects model. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression, publication bias, and sensitivity analysis were as well performed. Results: In the general population, individuals with the healthiest combination of LBs exhibited a significant risk reduction of 58% for CVD and 55% for CVD mortality. For individuals diagnosed with CVD, adherence to the healthiest combination of LBs corresponded to a significant risk reduction of 62% for CVD recurrence and 67% for all-cause mortality, when compared to those with the least-healthy combination of LBs. In the analysis of dose-response relationship, for each increment of 1 healthy LB, there was a corresponding decrease in risk of 17% for CVD and 19% for CVD mortality within the general population. Similarly, among individuals diagnosed with CVD, each additional healthy LB was associated with a risk reduction of 27% for CVD recurrence and 27% for all-cause mortality. Conclusions: Adopting healthy LBs is associated with substantial risk reduction in CVD, CVD mortality, and adverse outcomes among individuals diagnosed with CVD. Rather than focusing solely on individual healthy LB, it is advisable to advocate for the adoption of multiple LBs for the prevention and management of CVD. Trial registration: PROSPERO: CRD42023431731. Significance: The meta-analysis examined the quantitative correlation between lifestyle behaviors (LBs) and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD mortality in the general population, as well as adverse outcomes in CVD patients. The results suggest that healthy LBs are associated with substantial risk reduction in these 3 outcomes. Multiple LBs, instead of tackling one certain LB, should be recommended for the prevention and management of CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An effective method was applied for the synergistic recovery of valuable elements. • High leaching efficiencies of REEs, Co, and B in the spent NdFeB magnets. • Mechanically induced lattice strain enhancing activity of NdFeB magnets. • The new process reduced the activation energy as well as the roasting temperature. The efficient and sustainable recovery of rare earth resources from spent NdFeB magnets has received considerable and increasing attention. However, the currently prevalent NdFeB magnets recovery techniques focus only on the recovery for rare earth elements (REEs), some of which also recover cobalt (Co) or boron (B). Herein, a simple mechanochemical strategy was proposed to recover REE, Co, and B from spent NdFeB magnets by mixing the NdFeB magnets powder and FeCl 3 6H 2 O through the grinding-roasting-water leaching technological route. The results indicated high leaching efficiencies of 98.94 % for REEs, 99.99 % for Co, and 93.36 % for B from the NdFeB magnets. Additionally, iron remains in the leaching residue as iron oxide (96.73 wt %), achieving the complete separation of REEs, Co, B, and Fe. This mechanochemical based technology offers a green and efficient recovery process, facilitating more effective synergistic recovery of valuable elements from spent NdFeB magnets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA viruses and viroids exist and evolve as quasispecies due to error-prone replication. Quasispecies consist of a few dominant master sequences alongside numerous variants that contribute to genetic diversity. Upon environmental changes, certain variants within quasispecies have the potential to become the dominant sequences, leading to the emergence of novel infectious strains. However, the emergence of new infectious variants remains unpredictable. Using mutant pools prepared by saturation mutagenesis of selected stem and loop regions, our study of potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) demonstrates that mutants forming local three-dimensional (3D) structures similar to the wild type (WT) are more likely to accumulate in PSTVd quasispecies. The selection mechanisms underlying this biased accumulation are likely associated with cell-to-cell movement and long-distance trafficking. Moreover, certain trafficking-defective PSTVd mutants can be spread by functional sister genomes in the quasispecies. Our study reveals that the RNA 3D structure of stems and loops constrains the evolution of viroid quasispecies. Mutants with a structure similar to WT have a higher likelihood of being maintained within the quasispecies and can potentially give rise to novel infectious variants. These findings emphasize the potential of targeting RNA 3D structure as a more robust approach to defend against viroid infections. Author summary: Our study investigates the world of RNA viruses and viroids, which are constantly evolving due to error-prone replication. These pathogens exist as quasispecies, featuring dominant master sequences and numerous variants. Understanding how new infectious strains emerge from this genetic diversity remains challenging. Focusing on potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd), targeted mutagenesis of specific stem and loop regions was performed to generate mutant pools. Plants were infected with mutant pools, and progeny were analyzed following cell-to-cell movement and long-distance trafficking. Our results reveal that mutants with 3D structures similar to the wild type viroid are more likely to accumulate within quasispecies. This accumulation is associated with the ability to move between cells and travel long distances within the plant host. Even mutants with impaired mobility can be spread by functional counterparts within the quasispecies. This study highlights the role of RNA 3D structures in shaping viroid quasispecies evolution. Mutants resembling the wild type viroid have a greater chance of persisting within quasispecies and may give rise to new infectious variants. These findings offer insight into viroid quasispecies dynamics and identify RNA 3D structure as a promising avenue for resistance strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA viruses and viroids replicate with high mutation rates, forming quasispecies, population of variants centered around dominant sequences. The mechanisms governing quasispecies remain unclear. Plasmodesmata regulate viroid movement and were hypothesized to impact viroid quasispecies. Here, we sequenced the progeny of potato spindle tuber viroid intermediate (PSTVd-I) strain from mature guard cells lacking plasmodesmal connections and from in vitro-cultivated mesophyll cell protoplasts from systemic leaves of early-infected tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants. Remarkably, more variants accumulated in guard cells compared to whole leaves. Similarly, after extended cell culture, we observed more variants in cultivated mesophyll protoplasts. Coinfection and single-cell sequencing experiments demonstrated that the same plant cell can be infected multiple times by the same or different PSTVd sequences. To study the impact of initial population composition on PSTVd-I quasispecies, we conducted coinfections with PSTVd-I and variants. Two inoculum ratios (10:1 or 1:10) established quasispecies with or without PSTVd-I as the master sequence. In the absence of the master sequence, the percentage of novel variants initially increased. Moreover, a 1:1 PSTVd-I/variant RNA ratio resulted in PSTVd-I dominating (>50%), while the variants reached 20%. After PSTVd-I-only infection, the variants reached around 10%, while after variant-only infection, the variants were significantly more than 10%. These results emphasize the role of cell-to-cell communication and initial population composition in shaping PSTVd quasispecies. Cell-to-cell communication mediated by plasmodesmata and the initial sequence composition of the PSTVd quasispecies are significant constraints on the PSTVd sequence population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Normal tension glaucoma (NTG) is becoming a more and more serious problem, especially in Asia. But the pathological mechanisms are still not illustrated clearly. We carried out this research to uncover the gene polymorphisms with NTG. Methods: We searched in Web of Science, Embase, Pubmed and Cochrane databases for qualified case-control studies investigating the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and NTG risk. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each SNP were estimated by fixed- or random-effect models. Sensitivity analysis was also performed to strengthen the reliability of the results. Results: Fifty-six studies involving 33 candidate SNPs in 14 genetic loci were verified to be eligible for our meta-analysis. Significant associations were found between 16 SNPs (rs166850 of OPA1; rs10451941 of OPA1; rs735860 of ELOVL5; rs678350 of HK2; c.603T>A/Met98Lys of OPTN; c.412G>A/Thr34Thr of OPTN; rs10759930 of TLR4; rs1927914 of TLR4; rs1927911 of TLR4; c.*70C>G of EDNRA; rs1042522/-Arg72Pro of P53; rs10483727 of SIX1-SIX6; rs33912345 of SIX1-SIX6; rs2033008 of NCK2; rs3213787 of SRBD1 and c.231G>A of EDNRA) with increased or decreased risk of NTG. Conclusions: In this study, we confirmed 16 genetic polymorphisms in 10 genes (OPA1, ELOVL5, HK2, OPTN, TLR4, EDNRA, P53, NCK2, SRBD1 and SIX1-SIX6) were associated with NTG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact high-power laser diode (LD) side-pumped Tm,Ho:YAG laser at 2.09 μm was experimentally and theoretically investigated. Using a Tm,Ho:YAG crystal rod with a high dopant concertation ratio (3.0 at.% Tm3+ and 0.1 at.% Ho3+) and carefully optimizing the laser system design, a maximum continuous-wave (CW) output power of 87.7 W was achieved at a near room temperature (RT) of 12 ℃, corresponding to an optical-to-optical (o–o) efficiency of 13.3% and a slope efficiency of 21.2%. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest output power ever reported for a Tm–Ho co-doped solid-state laser. Furthermore, we numerically analyzed the multimode laser operation with a modified co-operative up-conversion rate. The agreement between the simulation results and the experimental data indicated that a high dopant concentration ratio with low up-conversion losses was favorable for achieving high-power output of the Tm,Ho:YAG lasers, thus paving the way for further advancements in Tm–Ho co-doped lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most previous advanced backbones usually ignore the requirements on real-time and speed, which are directly affected by model size. In our study, we present a light-weight model, IDPNet. We design a dense layer and identity block parallel block as the basic block of the backbone. And we introduce an intra-level block fusion representation head to fuse high-resolution. As a result, our IDPNet decreases the number of parameters by 85.3% on both two datasets, and the GFLOPs by 80.4% and 60.7%, respectively. To extend the usability, we propose two extra variant networks IDPNet-Balance and IDPNet-Precision. We train and test our IDPNet over the COCO keypoint detection dataset and the MPII human pose dataset without pretrain. The best accuracy in both datasets is prior than previous networks. During testing process, all models can predict per image at the speed of 13 ms, 20 ms and 21 ms, respectively, and they also achieve real-time fundamentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport of exhaled droplets and aerosol suspension is a main route for the transmission of highly infectious respiratory diseases. A poorly ventilated room, where human body heat drives the flow and the pathogen motion, is one such paradigmatic situation with an elevated risk of viral transmission. Here, we report a numerical study on human body heat-driven buoyancy convection in a slender rectangular geometry with the geometric size of 12 × 1 × 3 m3. Using large-scale three-dimensional simulations, we reveal how different spacings between human body heat sources can potentially spread pathogenic species between occupants in a room. Morphological transition in airflow takes place as the distance between human heat sources is varied, which shapes distinct patterns of disease transmission: For sufficiently large distance, individual buoyant plume creates a natural barrier, forming buoyant jets that block suspension spread between occupants. Thermal plumes exhibit significant individual effects. However, for small distances, a collective effect emerges and thermal plumes condense into superstructure, facilitating long-distance suspension transport via crossing between convection rolls. In addition, we quantify the impact of morphological transition on the transport of viral particles by introducing tracer particles. The quantitative analysis shows that under certain critical distances, the infection risk becomes significantly elevated due to this transition and collective behavior. Our findings highlight the importance of reasonable social distancing to reduce indoor cross-transmission of viral particles between people and provide new insights into the hidden transitional behavior of pathogen transmission in indoor environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastomeric polymers have gained significant attention in the field of flexible electronics. The investigation of the electro-mechanical response relationship between polymer structure and flexible electronics is in increasing demand. This study investigated the factors that affect the performance of flexible capacitive pressure sensors using the finite element method (FEM). The sensor employed a porous elastomeric polymer as the dielectric layer. The results indicate that the sensor's performance was influenced by both the structural and material characteristics of the porous elastomeric polymer. In terms of structural characteristics, porosity was the primary factor influencing the performance of sensors. At a porosity of 76%, the sensitivity was 42 times higher than at a porosity of 1%. In terms of material properties, Young's modulus played a crucial role in influencing the performance of the sensors. In particular, the influence on the sensor became more pronounced when Young's modulus was less than 1 MPa. Furthermore, porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with porosities of 34%, 47%, 67%, and 72% was fabricated as the dielectric layer for the sensor using the thermal expansion microsphere method, followed by sensing capability testing. The results indicate that the sensor's sensitivity was noticeably influenced within the high porosity range, aligning with the trend observed in the simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscopic image analysis technology helps solve the inadvertences of artificial traditional methods in disease, wastewater treatment, and environmental change monitoring analysis. Convolutional neural network (CNN) play an important role in microscopic image analysis. Image segmentation, in which U-Net is increasingly applied in microscopic image segmentation, is a crucial step in detection, tracking, monitoring, feature extraction, modelling, and analysis. This paper comprehensively reviews the development history of U-Net, analyses several research results of various segmentation methods since the emergence of U-Net, and conducts a comprehensive review of related papers. This paper summarised the improved methods of U-Net and then listed the existing significance of image segmentation techniques and their improvements introduced over the years. Finally, focusing on the different improvement strategies of U-Net in different papers, the related work of each application target is reviewed according to detailed technical categories to facilitate future research. Researchers can see the dynamics of the transmission of technological development and keep up with future trends in this interdisciplinary field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different Ca-based layered double oxides (LDO) were applied in the removal of contaminants in used lubricating oil as an alternative decolorant. CaAl-LDO and CaFeAl-LDO achieved much greater decoloration efficiency than the traditional decolorants, where 0.93 and 0.91 of the decoloration efficiency under the optimum conditions were obtained, respectively. The decoloration activity with CaFeAl-LDO ​> ​CaAl-LDO ​>> ​CaFe-LDO was revealed by both Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and experimental analysis. Ca 12 Al 14 O 33 was shown to be the active component for decoloration. Fe3+ doped into CaAl-LDO could improve decoloration activity via a changed charge distribution of decolorant. High preferential adsorption activity, which originated from different charge distribution for contaminants instead of the oil components, contributed to outstanding decoloration performance. The activity depended on the adsorption intensity of contaminants, where the most of the active decolorant neither too strongly or weakly bound with the contaminants. The results of this study suggested the Ca based LDOs could be a potentially alternative decolorants for regenerating the used lubricating oil. • CaFeAl-LDO was prepared as a decolorant for used lubricating oil decoloration • CaAl-LDO and CaFeAl-LDO achieved much greater decoloration efficiency than the traditional decolorants • Ca 12 Al 14 O 33 was the active component for regeneration of used lubricating oil • DFT suggested that Fe3+ doped into CaFeAl-LDO improved decolorization activity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Fe10Co25Ni34Cu23Al8 high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles have been synthesized by the in situ instantaneous electrical wire explosion method. Based on the thermodynamic parameters of the face-centered cubic phase of high-entropy-alloy, the parameters of the five kinds of wires were calculated and controlled, and the stable face-centered cubic structure with good crystallinity was synthesized in one step. The influence of the energy deposition during the electrical explosion on the nanoparticles and their electromagnetic absorption performance was explored. The results show that the face-centered cubic structure high-entropy-alloy with high crystallinity has better electromagnetic wave absorption performance when the energy deposition of the wires is increased. The minimum reflection loss can reach −39.37 dB at 15.34 GHz when the thickness is 1.9 mm and the effective absorption bandwidth is 6.63 GHz. It can provide a strategy for the microstructure and morphology design of high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles in electromagnetic wave absorption and magnetism in the electronics industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we ask: what does ‘the idea’ of the Chinese university mean at the current time, especially when the sector has been shaped by endogenous and exogenous globalising dynamics? We explore this question, drawing on cultural political economy as a heuristic to make visible the links between culture, economy and politics. We identify three key dynamics: the constitutive powers of civilisational ideas; the power of the Chinese state; and the ongoing integration of Chinese higher education into knowledge production and its circulation nationally and globally. We show these dynamics have the unintended consequence of accelerating global processes including: (i) outward and inward academic and student mobility; (ii) internal social stratification, education inequalities and injustice; and (iii) the instrumentalism of knowledge production and its circulation that emulates the neoliberal academy in the West. Despite invocations from President Xi to nurture the red gene, higher education in China is deeply entangled in global dynamics as well as a shaper of its trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an adaptive tracking control strategy based on neural networks (NNs) is proposed for the stochastic nonlinear strict-feedback system with a time-varying input delay and unmeasurable states. A state observer is constructed to solve the problem of unmeasurable state and the effect of the time-varying input delay is compensated by using an auxiliary signal. All the virtual controllers and the actual controller are designed as the optimised solution of the corresponding subsystems to ensure the entire obtained controllers are optimised. To ensure that the states of the system are constrained within some given compact sets, the barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) is used to design the controller and perform stability analysis. Meanwhile, this paper adds a self-triggered mechanism to reduce the communication burden of the data transfer. Thus, the proposed control strategy can achieve optimised control and all system states can be constrained within the given ranges. On the other hand, all closed-loop signals of system are bounded in probability. Finally, it is demonstrated that the proposed control strategy can achieve the expected system performance by a simulation experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries (RAZIBs) are of interest for energy storage in smart grids. However, slow Zn2+ diffusion kinetics, insufficient active sites, and poor intrinsic conductivity are always challenging to exploit the huge potential of the batteries. Here, we prepare V 2 O 3 -VN nano-heterojunction composites with sea urchin-like morphology as the cathode for AZIBs. The electrode achieves high capacities (e.g., 0.1 A g−1, 532.6 mAh g−1), good rate and cycle performance (263.4 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1 current density with 90.8% capacity retention). Detailed structural analyses suggest that the V 2 O 3 -VN composite is composed of different crystal planes of V 2 O 3 and VN, which form an efficient heterogeneous interfacial network in the bulk electrode, accounting for its good electrochemical properties. Theoretical calculations reveal that compared with V 2 O 3 , VN and physically mixed V 2 O 3 /VN, the V 2 O 3 -VN heterostructure exhibits good cation adsorption and electrode conductivity, thereby accelerating the charge carrier mobility and electrochemical activity of the electrode. Moreover, ex-situ characterization techniques are utilized to investigate the zinc storage mechanism in detail, providing new ideas for the development of AZIBs cathode materials through the construction of heterojunction structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both the nonadditivity index and nonmodularity index have emerged as valuable indicators for characterizing the interaction phenomenon within the realm of fuzzy measures. The axiomatic representation plays a crucial role in distinguishing and elucidating the relationship and distinctions between these two interaction indices. In this paper, we employ a set of fundamental and intuitive properties related to interactions, such as equality, additivity, maximality, and minimality, to establish a comprehensive axiom system that facilitates a clear comprehension of the interaction indices. To clarify the impact of new elements' participation on the type and density of interactions within an initial coalition, we investigate and confirm the existence of proportional and linear effects in relation to null and dummy partnerships, specifically concerning the nonadditivity and nonmodularity indices. Furthermore, we propose the concept of the t-interaction index to depict a finer granularity for the interaction situations within a coalition, which involves subsets at different levels and takes the nonadditivity index and nonmodularity index as special cases. Finally, we establish and discuss the axiomatic theorems and empirical examples of this refined interaction index. In summary, the contributions of this work shed light on the axiomatic characteristics of the t-interaction indices, making it a useful reference for comprehending and selecting appropriate indices within this category of interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation The precise characterization of cell-type transcriptomes is pivotal to understanding cellular lineages, deconvolution of bulk transcriptomes, and clinical applications. Single-cell RNA sequencing resources like the Human Cell Atlas have revolutionised cell-type profiling. However, challenges persist due to data heterogeneity and discrepancies across different studies. One limitation of prevailing tools such as CIBERSORTx is their inability to address hierarchical data structures and handle nonoverlapping gene sets across samples, relying on filtering or imputation. Results Here, we present cellsig, a Bayesian sparse multilevel model designed to improve signature estimation by adjusting data for multilevel effects and modelling for gene-set sparsity. Our model is tailored to large-scale, heterogeneous pseudobulk and bulk RNA sequencing data collections with nonoverlapping gene sets. We tested the performances of cellsig on a novel curated Human Bulk Cell-type Catalogue, which harmonizes 1435 samples across 58 datasets. We show that cellsig significantly enhances cell-type marker gene ranking performance. This approach is valuable for cell-type signature selection, with implications for marker gene validation, single-cell annotation, and deconvolution benchmarks. Availability and implementation Codes and the interactive app are available at https://github.com/stemangiola/cellsig ; and the database is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7582421. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radiation properties including size, intensity, and pulse width of the double-wire X-pinch were optimized using prepulse current. The optimization mechanism was investigated using optical diagnostics. The X-pinch driven by a current with a peak intensity of ∼250 kA and a rise rate of 0.95 kA/ns was difficult to produce strong radiation. The application of prepulse effectively enhances the current rise rate and intensity of the radiation source. The radiation source also exhibited reduced spatial dimensions and radiation duration, thereby improving spatial and temporal resolution while used in x-ray projection shadow radiography. The magnetic field and current distribution were measured using Faraday rotation. During the early stage, the current predominantly flows in the corona plasma at a larger radius generated by the prepulse current, consequently reducing the load inductance. As the time delay between the main and prepulse current increased, the intensity of the radiation source further increased. This study provides an approach for controlling radiation sources and enables different applications of X-pinches with adjustable prepulse current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: By integrating QTL fine mapping and transcriptomics, a candidate gene responsible for oil content in rapeseed was identified. The gene is anticipated to primarily function in photosynthesis and photosystem metabolism pathways. Brassica napus is one of the most important oil crops in the world, and enhancing seed oil content is an important goal in its genetic improvement. However, the underlying genetic basis for the important trait remains poorly understood in this crop. We previously identified a major locus, OILA5 responsible for seed oil content on chromosome A5 through genome-wide association study. To better understand the genetics of the QTL, we performed fine mapping of OILA5 with a double haploid population and a BC3F2 segregation population consisting of 6227 individuals. We narrowed down the QTL to an approximate 43 kb region with twelve annotated genes, flanked by markers ZDM389 and ZDM337. To unveil the potential candidate gene responsible for OILA5, we integrated fine mapping data with transcriptome profiling using high and low oil content near-isogenic lines. Among the candidate genes, BnaA05G0439400ZS was identified with high expression levels in both seed and silique tissues. This gene exhibited homology with AT3G09840 in Arabidopsis that was annotated as cell division cycle 48. We designed a site-specific marker based on resequencing data and confirmed its effectiveness in both natural and segregating populations. Our comprehensive results provide valuable genetic information not only enhancing our understanding of the genetic control of seed oil content but also novel germplasm for advancing high seed oil content breeding in B. napus and other oil crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we take two different perspectives to cross-sectional dependence panel data model. We introduce the Spline-kernel method and the Quasi-Difference method to estimate the cross-sectional dependence panel data models in large n small T framework. Asymptotic distributions for the Spline-kernel estimators are derived. Monte Carlo simulations show good performances in finite samples. Empirical analysis of the impact of China's infrastructure investment on economic growth suggests that infrastructure investment and urbanization rate showed very significant positive effects on current China's economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupler separation is among the serious accidents threatening the operation safety of heavy-haul trains. This paper reports a study on the formation mechanism and key influencing factors of middle coupler separation of a 20,000-tonne combined heavy-haul train during air-braking release by means of field investigation, theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. The interaction state between the connected coupler knuckles and the potential sensitive factors leading to the coupler separation are investigated based on field tests and theoretical analysis. The formation process of coupler separation and the related influencing factors are analysed through numerical simulations. The results show that the coupler separation between slave locomotives and connected wagons usually occurs in the switching process of the longitudinal coupler force from the buffing (compressive) state to the draw (tensile) state. The excessive initial height difference of connected coupler knuckles, dynamic braking force of locomotive, pitch angle of locomotive and wagon coupler as well as the too small friction coefficient of the coupler knuckles significantly increase the risk of coupler separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries for stationary energy storage due to their environmental benignity and cost-effectiveness. However, the development of AZIBs continues to be plagued by a lack of cathode materials with high specific capacity and superior lifetime. Herein, we in-situ synthesize amorphous VO 2 @rGO assisted by controlling the charging cut-off voltage. Experimental results and theoretical calculations confirm that the amorphous VO 2 (A)@rGO can effectively reduce the migration energy barrier of Zn2+, improve the conductivity of the electrode, and promote the insertion/extraction of Zn2+. Consequently, the Zn//VO 2 (A)@rGO battery exhibits an ultra-high specific capacity of 527.0 mAh·g−1 at 1 A·g−1 after 100 cycles, an ultra-long cycle stability of 183.4 mAh·g−1 at 20 A·g−1 after 30,000 cycles, and an energy of 316.1 Wh·Kg−1 at a power density of 6082.9 W·Kg−1 power density. Meanwhile, we reveal that the amorphous VO 2 @rGO electrode follows a hybrid mechanism of classical Zn2+ insertion/de-insertion and the reversible phase transition from amorphous VO 2 to V 2 O 3. This study highlights that in-situ preparation of amorphous VO 2 @rGO cathode materials by controlling the charging voltage interval, opening up further possibilities for the development of high-performance AZIB cathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal skeletal muscle growth is regulated by a complex molecular network including some non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). In this paper, we review the non-coding RNAs related to the growth and development of common animal skeletal muscles, aiming to provide a reference for the in-depth study of the role of ncRNAs in the development of animal skeletal muscles, and to provide new ideas for the improvement of animal production performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seepage failures are frequently encountered in deep excavation owing to the strong demand of underground space projects, which triggers serious geo-disasters and numerous casualties. However, fuzziness, uncertainty, and randomness continue to obstruct the prediction and evaluation of seepage risk in this area. This study collects the objective and subjective factors affecting seepage failure to present a seepage risk assessment system for deep excavation. This system consists of a risk assessment methodology, a risk assessment index system, and seepage risk level. Fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and cloud model are employed to establish the risk assessment methodology. Then, the assessment index system is proposed by selecting four first-level indices and seventeen second-level indices considering the fluid–soil interactions and external conditions. The seepage risk level is divided into four grades and determined by the maximum certainty principle. The proposed risk assessment system has been applied to assess the seepage risk in the Taihu tunnel construction. The assessment results show good agreement with other methods and practical excavation situations, which can verify the accuracy and reliability of the proposed model. This study therefore not only highlights the influence of seepage risk but also provides significance for the evaluation of seepage failure in geotechnical engineering practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the instantaneous dynamics of breathing soliton near exceptional point (EP) and propose the nonlinear non-Hermitian coupling model in gain nonlinearity systems. In such nonlinear systems, the mode intensity change is weakened by gain nonlinearity, and the relative phase displays localization in probability distribution. Moreover, such localization can be enhanced by EPs, which is helpful for EP sensing. Experiments and simulations are carried out in breathing soliton lasers. We find that the instantaneous breathing frequency and the relative phase are time-varying near EP. Meanwhile, the distribution of the relative phase displays localization as the theoretical prediction. These results not only are important to the nonlinear science but also can help to understand the EP properties, especially for the application of breathing soliton systems for EP sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attributions and predictions of gross primary productivity (GPP) under climate change is of great significance for facilitating a deeper understanding of the global and regional terrestrial carbon cycle and assessing ecosystem health. In this study, we have designed a novel approach to simulate GPP based on the satellite and meteorological data compiling the advantages of the light use efficiency model with regression methods (LUE-RE model), which overcomes the limitation of the satellite-based method in GPP simulation and projection in the future time without satellite data. Based on the proposed method, results show that GPP in the Yangtze River Basin shows a significant increase trend in the historical period. Elevated CO2 dominates the changes of GPP in the Yangtze River Basin. In the future, with the increase in elevated CO2 and climate change, the trend of GPP growth is more obvious. The growth slopes under different scenarios are 2.65 gCm−2year−1a−1, 12.34 gCm−2year−1a−1, 24.91 gCm−2year−1a−1, and 39.62 gCm−2year−1a−1. There are obvious seasonal differences in the future changes of GPP in the Yangtze River Basin, of which the GPP changes mostly in spring. The spatial patterns show that higher GPP is concentrated in the upper stream, while the low values are mainly concentrated in the middle reaches. This study contributes a new method to project GPP and highlights that stakeholders should pay more attention to the significant GPP increases in spring in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propagating waves of activity can be evoked and can occur spontaneously in vivo and in vitro in cerebral cortex. These waves are thought to be instrumental in the propagation of information across cortical regions and as a means to modulate the sensitivity of neurons to subsequent stimuli. In normal tissue, the waves are sparse and tightly controlled by inhibition and other negative feedback processes. However, alterations of this balance between excitation and inhibition can lead to pathological behavior such as seizure-type dynamics (with low inhibition) or failure to propagate (with high inhibition). We develop a spiking one-dimensional network of neurons to explore the reliability and control of evoked waves and compare this to a cortical slice preparation where the excitability can be pharmacologically manipulated. We show that the waves enhance sensitivity of the cortical network to stimuli in specific spatial and temporal ways. To gain further insight into the mechanisms of propagation and transitions to pathological behavior, we derive a mean-field model for the synaptic activity. We analyze the mean-field model and a piece-wise constant approximation of it and study the stability of the propagating waves as spatial and temporal properties of the inhibition are altered. We show that that the transition to seizure-like activity is gradual but that the loss of propagation is abrupt and can occur via either the loss of existence of the wave or through a loss of stability leading to complex patterns of propagation. Author summary: Stimuli and other aspects of neuronal activity are carried across areas in the brain through the concerted activity of recurrently connected neurons. The activity is controlled through negative feedback from both inhibitory neurons and intrinsic currents in the excitatory neurons. Evoked activity often appears in the form of a traveling pulse of activity. In this paper we study the speed, magnitude, and other properties of these waves as various aspects of the negative feedback are altered through both computational modeling and manipulations of a slice of cortex. Inhibition enables information to be readily transmitted across distances without the neural activity blowing up into a seizure-like state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is crucial for follicle development through the regulation of granulosa cell (GC) function in some mammals, but its mechanism is unclear in yak (Bos grunniens). Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of VEGF on the viability, apoptosis and steroidogenesis of yak GCs. First, we investigated the localization of VEGF and its receptor (VEGFR2) in yak ovaries by immunohistochemistry analysis and evaluated the effect of culture medium containing different VEGF concentrations and culture times on the viability of yak GCs by Cell Counting Kit-8. Then, optimal treatment with 20 ng/mL VEGF for 24 h was selected to analyze the effects of this compound on intracellular reactive oxygen species levels by DCFH-DA kit, cell cycle and apoptosis by flow cytometry, steroidogenesis by ELISA kit and the expression of the related genes by RT‒qPCR. The results showed that VEGF and VEGFR2 were highly coexpressed in GCs and theca cells. GCs cultured in medium containing 20 ng/mL VEGF for 24 h significantly improved cell viability, decreased ROS production, promoted the transition from G1 phase to S phase (P < 0.05), increased the expression of the CCND1 (P < 0.05) , CCNE1, CDK2, CDK4, and PCNA genes (P < 0.01) and decreased the expression of the P53 gene (P < 0.05). This treatment significantly reduced GC apoptosis (P < 0.05) by promoting the expression of BCL2 and GDF9 (P < 0.01) and inhibiting the expression of BAX and CASPASE3 (P < 0.05). VEGF promoted progesterone secretion (P < 0.05) accompanied by increased expression of HSD3B, StAR and CYP11A1 (P < 0.05). Taken together, our findings highlight the beneficial influence exerted by VEGF in improving GC viability and reducing ROS production and the apoptosis rate through the modulation of related gene expression. • VEGF and VEGFR2 were highly expressed in the granulosa and theca cells of yak ovaries. • VEGF treatment improved the viability of yak granulosa cells. • VEGF treatment decreased ROS production and apoptosis of yak granulosa cells. • VEGF promoted P4 secretion of yak granulosa cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a common hematological malignancy that has fostered several new therapeutic approaches to combat newly diagnosed or relapsed MM. While the field has advanced over the past 2 decades, the majority of patients will develop resistance to these treatments, causing the need for new therapeutic targets. SLAMF7 is an attractive therapeutic target in multiple myeloma, and a monoclonal antibody that targets SLAMF7 has shown consistent beneficial outcomes in clinical trials to date. In this review, we will focus on the structure and regulation of SLAMF7 and its mechanism of action. The most recent clinical trials will be reviewed to further understand the clinical implications and improve the prognosis of MM. Furthermore, the efficacy of anti-SLAMF7 monoclonal antibodies combined with standard therapies and possible resistance mechanisms will be discussed. This review aimed to provide a detailed summary of the role of SLAMF7 in the pathogenesis of patients with MM and the rationale for further investigation into SLAMF7-mediated molecular pathways associated with MM development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinoid X receptor (RXR) heterodimerizes with the PPAR nuclear hormone receptor and regulates its downstream events. We investigated the effects of RXR agonists (LG100754, bexarotene, AGN194204, and LG101506) on lenalidomide's anti-myeloma activity, T cell functions, and the level of glucose and lipids in vivo. Genetic overexpression and CRISPR/Cas9 knockout experiments were conducted in multiple myeloma (MM) cell lines and Jurkat T cell lines to determine the roles of CRBN in RXR-agonist mediated effects. A xenograft mouse model of MM was established to determine the combination effect of LG100754 and lenalidomide. The combination of RXR agonists and lenalidomide demonstrated synergistic activity in increasing CRBN expression and killing myeloma cells. Mechanistically, the RXR agonists reduced the binding of PPARs to the CRBN promoter, thereby relieving the repressor effect of PPARs on CRBN transcription. RXR agonists downregulated the exhaustion markers and increased the activation markers of Jurkat T cells and primary human T cells. Co-administration of LG100754 and lenalidomide showed enhanced anti-tumor activity in vivo. LG100754 retained its glucose- and lipid-lowering effects. RXR agonists demonstrate potential utility in enhancing drug sensitivity and T-cell function in the treatment of myeloma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, ethylene–acrylic acid copolymer (EAA) was applied to compatibilize silicone rubber (SR) and ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVM) blend. The halloysite nanoparticles reinforced SR/EVM/EAA compatibilized nanocomposites were successfully prepared. The halloysite nanoparticles (HNP) were surface modified with 3-(triethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (KH570) to increase surface interaction of HNP with SR/EVM/EAA matrix. Pristine and silane-modified nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction. The tensile strength, elongation at break, modulus at 300%, tear strength, shore A hardness, and set at break of compatibilized nanocomposites increase by 74%, 70%, 227%, 52.9%, 19.4%, and 264% than that of the SR/EVM blend, respectively. The mechanical properties were also studied at 90 °C for 48 h after the thermal aging of the nanocomposites. Dynamic mechanical analysis reveals storage modulus increase and glass transition temperatures of SR and EVM move closer to one another. The thermal durability of the uHNP/SR/EVM nanocomposites was investigated using nonisothermal TG analysis, and activation energy of decomposition (Eα) was estimated by Kissinger, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, and Friedman methods. The results show that the thermal stabilities and Eα of nanocomposites loaded with 5 and 20 phr of uHNP are better than that of SR/EVM blend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By analyzing the mass concentrations and compositions of atmospheric PM2.5 in Shaoxing from December 2019 to February 2020, the characteristics of carbon-containing components, water-soluble ions and metal elements were obtained. NO3−, OC, SO42− and NH4+ were the main components of PM2.5 in winter. The OC/EC ratio was 3.27, which proved the existence of SOC. The proportion of SOC in OC was 47.3%, which showed that secondary sources made a significant contribution. The values of OC/EC and NO3−/SO42− indicated that vehicle exhaust emissions also made a significant contribution to PM2.5. Trace elements of Na, Ca, K and Cd had higher enrichment factor values and were enriched due to human activities. Finally, PM2.5 sources analysis was performed by the positive matrix factorization model. The results showed that secondary inorganic salts (49.3%), motor vehicles and industrial sources (21.3%) and dust sources (17.0%) were the important sources of PM2.5 pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Higher education (HE) mobility programmes around the globe have been key initiatives over the past thirty years, driven by combinations of supranational and national state-led knowledge economy policies, university strategies, and decisions made by individuals regarding employability, credentials, or academic tourism. In this paper we argue that mobility too often is understood through the prism of internationalism, itself umbilically tied to and nourished by Enlightenment liberal thinking, such as Kantian cosmopolitanism, and the romantic figure of the wandering scholar. This has the effect of reducing our understanding of transnational mobility to individual actors, their desires, and experiences. In this paper we ask: to what extent and in what ways can HE transnational mobility projects be understood as forms of imperialism? In this regard we examine the literature on imperialism and argue for a more capacious use of the term; as taking economic, political and cultural forms. We use these to examine the links between the expansion and securing of empires historically, the state’s spatial projects and global market making. We do this through the prism of two nations, the UK and China, comparing their state’s transnational HE strategies, selectivities and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the resistance to molten silicate corrosion is crucial for the long service life of environmental barrier coatings (EBCs). In this study, we used the Al-modification technique to enhance the CMAS corrosion resistance of Si/Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 coatings prepared by plasma spray-physical vapor deposition. The results show that the Al-modified Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 coating had higher resistance to CMAS corrosion than the Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 coating annealed at 1300 ℃ for 100 h, which is related to the refractory mullite and Yb 2 Mg(AlO 2) 2 O 3 generated during the CMAS exposure of Al-modified Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 coating. The Al-modified Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 coating also exhibited excellent resistance to oxygen penetration. The Al-modification technology provides the direction for the corrosion resistance of Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 system to CMAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination coverage is necessary to achieve community protection, and self-efficacy independently predict vaccination behavior. The current study examined the effect of self-perception on COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy as well as potential mechanisms among Chinese adults. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from four cities in China (n = 6781). Models 4 and 8 in Hayes' PROCESS macro were used to test models. Self-perception (β = 0.128, 95 % CI: 0.093, 0.163) and self-perception ∗ mental health (β = 0.009, 95 % CI: 0.003, 0.014) were positively associated with trust in doctors and vaccine developers, while mental health was negatively related to trust in doctors and vaccine developers (β = −0.483, 95 % CI: −0.629, –0.337). Self-perception (β = 0.149, 95 % CI: 0.138, 0.161), trust in doctors and vaccine developers (β = 0.185, 95 % CI: 0.177, 0.194) and self-perception ∗ mental health (β = 0.003, 95 % CI: 0.002, 0.005) were positively associated with COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy. Mental health was negatively related to COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy (β = −0.101, 95 % CI: −0.151, –0.051). This cross-sectional study collected data through online questionnaires. Our results demonstrated that the relationship between self-perception and COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy was partially mediated by trust in doctors and vaccine developers. Both the correlation between self-perception and COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy, and the relationship between self-perception and trust in doctors and vaccine developers were moderated by mental health. Findings confirm that increasing COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy would be facilitated by improvements in self-perception, mental health, and trust in doctors and vaccine developers. • Trust partially mediated the association between self-perception and self-efficacy. • Mental health moderated the relationship between self-perception and trust. • The correlation between self-perception and COVID-19 vaccination self-efficacy were moderated by mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we extend the investigation of the injection-induced electro-convection (EC) between two-dimensional concentric electrodes from perfectly insulating dielectric liquids to dielectric liquids with residual conductivity. A dissociation-injection model of the EC system is implemented by a finite-volume framework of OpenFOAM®. The morphology of hetero-charge layers in a hydrostatic regime is presented. The flow characteristics including the spatial and temporal features of the flow field, electric field, and positive/negative charge density of the EC are analyzed. The subcritical bifurcation phenomenon of EC is observed. The residual conductivity postpones the onset of EC flow and inhibits the flow strength as EC takes place. The difference between onset (T c) and cessation (T f) of EC flow decreases as the residual conductivity grows. Gradually increasing the electric Rayleigh number (T), the EC system sequentially evolves via hydrostatic, steady, periodic, and chaotic states with abundant bifurcations. The initialization of the calculation could also strongly influence the instability of the EC system. Furthermore, the effect of residual conductivity on the transition sequences of the EC system is investigated. Four different transition sequences for EC develop from the hydrostatic state to chaos as T increases, and three distinct transition routes from the chaotic state to the motionless state when T reduces are observed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adaptive beamforming algorithm can realize interference suppression and navigation signal enhancement, and has been widely used. However, achieving high-precision real-time estimation of the direction of arrival (DOA) parameters of navigation signals in strong-interference scenarios with low complexity is still a challenge. In this paper, a blind adaptive beamforming algorithm for a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) array receiver based on direction lock loop is proposed without using the prior information of the DOA parameter. The direction lock loop is used for DOA tracking and estimation after interference suppression, which uses the spatial correlation of the array beam pattern to construct a closed direction-tracking loop. The DOA estimation value is adjusted in real time based on the loop errors. A blind beamformer is constructed using the DOA estimation results to provide gain by forming a beam in the satellite direction. This method improves the accuracy and dynamic adaptability of DOA estimation while significantly reducing the computational complexity. The theoretical analysis and simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interscale transfer of kinetic energy and Reynolds stress in homogeneous shear turbulence (HST) is numerically investigated using three-dimensional bandpass filtering technique. The flow fields of a statistically steady HST are obtained using direct numerical simulation at three Reynolds numbers 2000, 5000, and 12 500 based on box depth. Visualizations of typical flow structures of bandpass filtered fields show that the small-scale structures are nearly isotropic, whereas the large-scale ones show the preferential alignment with the direction of mean shear. Quantitative results of both kinetic energy and Reynolds stress fluxes between two specific scales show the existence of scale locality. In specific, the eddies of a length scale L mostly transfer their energy or Reynolds stress to eddies of size 0.3L to 0.4L, which seems to be independent in the limit of the high Reynolds number. Furthermore, through the analysis on the vortex stretching, it is shown that the small-scale structures of scale L ω are stretched mostly by straining structures of size about 2 L ω , while large-scale structures are stretched mostly by mean shear. Finally, the evaluation of alignment between vortical structures and strain rate shows that small-scale structures are more likely to align with the strain structures of five times their size, and large-scale ones are mainly align with the mean shear strain. These findings can help enhance our comprehension of the interscale transfer and scale interaction of vortical structures in turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous models have shown that stochastic scattering of stars in a two-dimensional galaxy disc can generate a time-independent surface density distribution that is an exponential divided by radius when a constant inward scattering bias is present. Here we show, using a Markov chain model, that similar profiles result from an outward scattering bias, although the disc surface density decreases slowly with time because of a net stellar outflow. The trend towards a near-exponential surface profile is robust, as it exists even if the scattering intensity has moderate radial and time dependences, subject to some limitations on the scattering rates discussed in the text. The exponential scale length of the pseudo-equilibrium disc depends on the scattering bias, the scattering length, and the size of the disc where scattering is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical contact between genes distant on chromosomes is a potentially important way for genes to coordinate their expressions. To investigate the potential importance of distant contacts, we performed high‐throughput chromatin conformation capture (Hi‐C) experiments on leaf nuclei isolated from Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea. We then combined our results with published Hi‐C data from Arabidopsis thaliana. We found that distant genes come into physical contact and do so preferentially between the proximal promoter of one gene and the downstream region of another gene. Genes with higher numbers of conserved noncoding sequences (CNSs) nearby were more likely to have contact with distant genes. With more CNSs came higher numbers of transcription factor binding sites and more histone modifications associated with the activity. In addition, for the genes we studied, distant contacting genes with CNSs were more likely to be transcriptionally coordinated. These observations suggest that CNSs may enrich active histone modifications and recruit transcription factors, correlating with distant contacts to ensure coordinated expression. This study advances our knowledge of gene contacts and provides insights into the relationship between CNSs and distant gene contacts in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively control the content of key components in cut tobacco during the heating process, the macro type tobacco high-temperature thermal conversion thermogravimetric technology was used to investigate the influence of heating temperature on the thermal weight loss process and the thermal release characteristics of key components from cut tobacco (with a moisture content of 1. 5%) of heated tobacco products at temperatures of 180 °C, 200°C, and 220 °C. The results showed as the heating temperature increased, the changes in mass fraction of cut tobacco increased, the change rate of the mass fraction of cut tobacco increased, and the stability of the thermal weight loss process decreased. When the heating temperature was 200 °C and 220 °C respectively, the changes in mass fraction of each key component followed the order of nicotine, glycerol, moisture, and other components. Nicotine was practically completely released. Meanwhile, when the heating temperature was 180°C, the changes in mass fraction of key components of cut tobacco followed the order of nicotine, moisture, glycerol, and other components. Nicotine, glycerol, and water had higher changed in mass fraction, while other components had lower changed in mass fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]